The evening was gloomy and cool, and a thick, blueish-green fog lay heavy on the ground.
Scrap found it harder than he thought, getting used to having two feet again. As he left Bad Knees Outpost behind him, Paige and Gnat followed close behind as he tottered uneasily.
“Feet, plural,” Scrap said, gazing down at his new appendages. “I could get -zk- used to – wait. How did I get all these parts? Who paid for ’em?”
“She did,” replied Gnat, and raised her arm high.
From out of the fog stepped an imposing royal-blue robot, with a gleaming metallic finish, long, flowing tendrils cascading down her neck, and two hovering dust-drones keeping her well-buffed.
“Gunner?” Scrap gasped.
“You don’t have to say it, rusty – I know I’ve seen batter days,” she sighed. “That mad hunter junked my new case back at the emporium once and floor all – I had to be put back into my old case until poor Mr Coil is fit to upgrade again. The humiliation…!”
“Yeah, you -zk- look terrible,” Scrap replied sarcastically. “And thanks for the -zk- parts.”
“Don’t mention it, it’s the least I was legally obligated to do,” said Gunner with a tut. “If a ’bot happens to be damaged, dented, scratched, smashed or otherwise injured while on my hovertrain, it’s my responsibility to patch ’em up … even a second-time stowaway like yourself.” She shook her head and glowered at him. “Although trouble seems to find you, doesn’t it, rusty? I’d hazard a guest that you had something to do with sending my glorious silver stallion off its tracks – care to shed some life on the mystery?”
Scrap thought about telling Gunner the truth. He thought about telling her that he had been found on a Pile by the last humans on Somewhere 513, and that they had been pursued by hunters and Harmony Highshine alike. He thought about exposing Mayor Highshine’s secret desire to become human in a world where humanity was outlawed. He even thought about telling her that his core-code was K1-NG.
Then he remembered that Gunner had sworn an oath to kill the King of the Robots, and decided he’d made enough enemies for one day.
“Brain-frame’s -zk- fuzzy … crash must’ve shaken a cog or -zk- two loose…” he replied, tapping the side of his head. “I was just heading back to my Pile and the next thing I know, I woke up here.”
Gunner put her tendrils on her hips. “A lightly story,” she said. “And I suppose your memory’s equally hazy when it comes to that hunter! Back in the emporium, I’m sure he said he was looking for humans. Do you know what he was on about?”
Scrap, Paige and Gnat looked at each other. In unison, they shrugged.
“No one here but us robots,” replied Scrap.
Gunner narrowed her eyes. “You know, I’d be well within my rights to make a citizen’s unrest until I get to the bottom of all this,” she began. “Still, since Mayor Highshine hasn’t bothered to check whether I’m alive or dead, I feel inclined to have nothing more to do with you.”
“Probably for the -zk- best,” agreed Scrap.
“But if I ever see you around my hovertrain again,” Gunner added, leaning closer, “there’ll be hell to pray.”
“Don’t -zk- worry, you’re never goin’ to see me again,” Scrap said.
“Promises, promises,” chuckled Gunner. “So what’s next for rusty and his friends?”
Scrap did not pause.
“We’ve got a mission,” he replied. “We’re goin’ west, to the Elsewhere.”
“Did you hear that? Scrap said ‘we’,” Gnat whispered, giving Paige a prod. “Scrap, you said ‘we’.”
“Yeah,” Scrap replied with a smile. “Wherever you go, I’m goin’ with you.”
Paige nodded and smiled, but Gnat wasted no time in rushing into Scrap’s new arms and giving him a hug.
“You’re my third-best friend, Scrap,” she said with a happy sniff. “After Paige and Mr Steven Kirby.”
“Need I remind you, you’ll be taking your life into your own sands if you venture out into the Elsewhere,” Gunner added with genuine concern. “The Badlands are fraught with dangers unfold – if you go, you might never come back.”
“We don’t plan on comin’ back,” said Scrap. Gunner nodded. Then as she turned to go, Scrap called after her: “I know I’m probably not your favourite ’bot right now, but can I ask you a -zk- favour?”
Gunner turned back and sighed. “You’re pushing your luck, rusty … but try me.”
“There’s a robot out on Pile -zk- Twenty-One, needs bringing home,” Scrap explained. “His name’s -zk- Morten. If he hasn’t run out of charge, you’ll probably find him -zk- shovellin’.”
Scrap, Paige and Gnat watched Gunner stride off into the fog. Paige winced, and checked no one was around before carefully pulling off her helmet. Scrap saw she’d wrapped a makeshift bandage around her head, covering her eye.
“How -zk- is it?” Scrap asked.
“I’ll be fine,” she said.
“You should get an eyepatch,” suggested Gnat, pulling her own helmet up till it sat on top of her head. “Pirates are cool as cooclumbers.”
It was the first time Scrap had heard Paige laugh.
“Maybe I should,” she said.
They stood in the fog, enjoying this small moment of calm and quiet, trying not to dwell on the past, trying not to worry about the future.
But none of them could forget about the mission.
“It’s not goin’ to be -zk- easy,” Scrap said. “The Pink-Footed Goose is in the middle of the Elsewhere. What we’ve been through is probably goin’ to feel like a -zk- picnic compared to what’s comin’ next.”
“There’s no going back now. This Somewhere isn’t our home any more,” said Paige. She looked up into the sky and put her arm around Gnat. “If we’re going to find one, it’s going to be up there.”
“Off-world,” Gnat agreed.
“All right then,” Scrap said with a nod. “West it is.”
“Thanks, Scra—” Paige stopped herself. “Sorry. Shouldn’t we call you ‘King’?” she asked. “Like Mum did?”
The little robot smiled.
“Thanks,” he said. “But I think I’d rather be ‘Scrap’.”
