Chapter 13

The force of the gravity wand bent the laser beam, keeping it from hitting Jalea. Spec wobbled and flew toward the wall but stopped herself before crashing.

“Spec, put your blaster away,” Lobo urged. “Jalea, put the wand down.”

Spec let out a low beep and slid the blaster back into its panel. Jalea slowly lowered the gravity wand.

I’m guessing I won’t get that back either, Lobo thought, rolling his eyes. He turned back to Spec. “How did you get away?”

“I escaped from the repair facility. But I think it would be wise to get off the station as soon as possible.”

“Yes,” Jalea agreed. “And you know the way to the control room?”

“It is down this hallway.” Spec pointed with one of her arms. “I will lead the way and watch for Orionans.”

Jalea gave Lobo a sidelong look. “Are you sure we can trust this thing? What if it leads us right into a nest of aliens?”

Lobo crossed his arms. “If she wanted me captured, she wouldn’t have helped me escape in the first place.”

Jalea clicked her tongue. She still seemed suspicious.

“You go with her. I’m going to go find the others,” Lobo said.

“You are not,” Jalea said. “Our mission was to gather as much information as we could. Now that we know the aliens are planning to attack, it’s urgent that we return to our station. We should not endanger ourselves further.”

“But we can’t just leave them here!” Lobo insisted. “If there really is an invasion coming, then our crew will be in danger as hostages.”

Jalea narrowed her eyes and squared her shoulders. “Lieutenant, this is a direct order.”

“I’ll be back ASAP.” He started down the hallway with the overlapping squares.

“If you get caught, there will be no rescue,” Jalea shouted after him.

“I don’t expect one,” he called back.

Spec zoomed after him. “I forbid this,” she said, opening her front panel and aiming the blaster at him. “Follow your commander’s orders and go to the control room.”

Lobo froze his steps. Is this for real? Spec is threatening me?

“Why are you doing this?” he asked.

“Because my own rescue depends on your cooperation,” she said. “You still think I am a friend. I am not. I am merely helping you so I can achieve my own goals. And your rescue plan puts us all at risk.”

“That’s not true,” said Lobo. “You risked yourself back on the hub to save me.”

She paused before saying, “I calculated that it was the best risk.”

“Come on,” he said. “You like me at least a little.”

The robot said nothing.

“Don’t you have . . . others?” Lobo asked. They didn’t have time for this, but he needed to convince her to see things his way. “People . . . I mean, robots that you want to rescue? Like, family?”

“I am a robot,” she said. “I have a serial number, not a family.”

“Friends, then. You said you have a highly-evolved intelligence with thoughts and feelings, so if there are other robots like you, you must have ones you care about.”

Finally Spec said, “Yes. There are robots I care about. Most of them are in storage. You dumped some of them on the floor, if you recall.”

Lobo felt his stomach drop, remembering the strange way Spec had reacted when he’d tipped that shelf. That data center—she said it was a storage facility for processing cores. Those canisters were basically the souls of her robot friends.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t know.”

“Never mind. My point is that I am leaving them behind too.” Her voice was even. Either Spec was unable to sound sad, or she had an iron will. “It is every bot for itself.”

“But you would save them if you could,” he pushed. “Right?”

The robot hovered quietly for a moment.

“Right?” Lobo repeated.

“Follow the hallway with the intersecting squares to find your crewmates.”

“I already figured that out. But it’s nice to have confirmation.”

“There is an emergency portal near the control room,” Spec continued. “After you get the others, come back and follow the far left hallway all the way to the end. If the rescue ship arrives before you do, we will leave you behind.”

“Got it. If I don’t win—I mean, if I don’t succeed, uh . . . thanks for everything. And good luck.”

“Hurry,” the robot said, and then flew off down the hallway.

Did I just treat an NPC like a person? Lobo wondered as he hurried down the hall. But she does feel like a person. More of a person than a lot of people I know. She’s been a better friend to me than most of the people I hang out with.

In the middle of the hall, he saw a sign with a message in bold alien script. Lobo paused. He had no idea what that could mean. It probably says “Beware!” Or “Do Not Enter!” Or “Only Authorized Personnel Beyond This Point!”

From farther down the tunnel he heard a whistling noise. He hid behind the sign as a fleet of hover-scooters sped by. These Orionans were wearing padded outfits that made them look almost—but not quite—like humans. They carried weapons that looked like blasters.

That must be armor, Lobo thought. They’re going into battle. Hope they aren’t going to the control room.

He glanced down the hall again. There were no other places to hide. He would have to make a run for it.

He sprinted down the hallway, which seemed to go on forever. No wonder they use those scooters. It’s a long way to the prison.

Another whistling noise sounded, meaning another scooter was coming toward him. He glanced back. There was no time to get back to the sign.

They always keep their eyes straight forward, he remembered. He lay on the floor near the wall. The scooter zoomed on with no sign of slowing. As he hoped, the alien kept looking forward without a single sideways glance. Lobo rolled, kicked at the scooter, and sent it crashing into the wall. The alien jolted forward and banged its head, then collapsed on the ground. The scooter bounced back and came to a stop, upright, next to Lobo.

Lobo crouched over the unconscious alien. He removed its helmet and peeled off its armor, placing it on his own body. He expected it to be too long and too tight, but the stretchy armor conformed to his own body.

Another awesome alien technology. One size truly fits all.

The exception was the helmet, which was too big side to side and a tight squeeze front to back, especially on the nose.

It wasn’t designed for things with noses, he realized. At least I can see through these big eyeholes.

Lobo stepped onto the scooter, glancing down to look at the buttons and a lever. He tapped on a button and the scooter jolted backward.

Okay, that’s what that does.

He hit the lever and rotated left. He kept turning until the scooter was facing down the hall, and then tapped a third button hard. The scooter took off like a rocket.

Fourth achievement unlocked: Started rescue mission