16. Rest to the Broken
"Now, what will we do with you, Legbuster?" Cerise took initiative, "Is it time for his majesty to know of your existence? Or will you still remain hidden to the rest of our family?" the more you looked at him it became harder to not pity him. Broken on his last limbs with dreams of the damned on his mind; his healing nanomachines were quite poor as well in comparison to others.
"Not yet…." the quality of his speaker was distorted, "Maybe when I finally croak," he pestered the three. They simply rolled their eyes, but the struggle was true. Low uranium reserves and power ran low since his generator was damaged in the scuffle. Some bursts of strength stammered on, escaping with each step. Dynamo expected the group to part for him, Carmine wasn't as passive. "Hmm?"
"You know I can't let you leave," Carmine's wave signaled the swarm to exit and patrol, "You two, seize everything in this facility and secure it for Skylandria testing," unspoken words were louder than what she had said. Cerise and Baroque bowed out of respect, exiting to fulfill the commands of their sibling in control. The baron sighed, "This ruse can't go on forever, Tobias," she spoke softly to the damaged droid like a mother with hands on her hips. She was far taller than him, not to mention their age gap. "When you came to this country you came to the Dysons immediately-even hiding your identity from us after all we went through, yet we found out...Rote will too."
He shambled past her, neither looked at each other in the eyes, "I can continue, and I will," Dynamo dictated with a shrewd tone, "Rote, that iron lug is better off with me being a memory. My spotlight has faded, Carmine," injuries stacked on end. His legs seeped a trail that made it difficult to walk. "Thanks for not telling the other knights….but my name is Dynamo, don't ignore that."
"But that's nothing more than a-!" Carmine raged with stomps. She composed herself before the last word spilled. Dynamo continued to look away from her, she couldn't finish those words if she wanted. An unneeded breath was taken. "If you desire to live like this, I shouldn't stop you."
Dynamo shambled on. Thrusters came to life on the base of his heels carrying his body through the hole and spirals of oversized robotic insects. His legs lost their life soon, Dynamo was left straggling in the air before hitting the asphalt again. From afar his right eye saw a figure in black with smoke leaking off his skin, "Hmm? So you were messed up too?" Tome stood proud pretending his charred onslaught never occurred. Just like his ancestors he licked his wounds and wore them as badges. "That what comes with the job."
He leaned against the wall, beside him were Lena and Strider who were equally beat. Hair in a mess with his body covered in rubble entering the crevices where no stone should, "Damn, so what happened to that thing?" he was nonchalant. Lena was the same, internally she couldn't stop screaming. An A-class criminal, an agent of the national security team, and her own neighbor schemed together.
Dynamo shook his head, "Used foreign magic and got out, guessing it's way bigger than a few droids but he didn't say anything…" his legs began to shut down. Total failure was imminent. His arms stuck out before they could aim him. "Not dying, just on low battery."
"Geez...that thing really messed you up," Lena felt sorrow on behalf of the unit. It was a surreal experience, rarely did you witness his silver frame even through holes in his skin. Strider geared up, however, arms twisted and wings rearing to go.
"Come on, I'll drop you off at your place," he insisted. Dynamo didn't deny, "You too, tag along," Strider pointed at Lena. Though compact those wings had a potency that couldn't be matched.
"While you do that, I'll get to clearing up information here," Tome had hands on his hips and a whistle with his breath. He looked away as Dynamo was held by Strider, "Oh yeah!" Tome shouted with snapped fingers, "Tell anyone you saw me tonight and you're gonna meet Grant Dyson pretty quick," Skylandria maximum's warden named off. Familiar ties shone as the girl on Strider's back swallowed her fear. A pat on the back by the dragon sent Strider off.
His maneuvering was unmatched by any other in all regions, putting the nickname 'Strider' to good work. Scrapyard Central was a few miles Southeast of the location which they hounded. He kept cover from any swarm agent by delving through the alleys and streets with posture low; even if Dynamo was allied with them, no exception could be made if the barons found of his actions, "When did you get this integration?" Lena chatted, "They're not from this county, are they?"
Strider shook his head, "Nope, Brecknock," he elaborated, "Got my chest blown out a few years back and needed it replaced. The good part of living in that place is kosmik is way cheaper than anywhere else," it was clear these backstreets were his friend. Networks and secret routes were a requirement for their line of work. "How ya holding up?"
Strider faced down to see the half-slung Dynamo appearing to be on the verge of death, "S.C. ain't far, give me a few more minutes," being switched off with no say in the matter was something humans could never understand. With a blink Strider had crossed under the bridge to S.C., hovering through the gap it went over before cloaked in shadows again. That small shack came into sight.
Eyes pinned down the sudden trio like stalkers in the jungle waiting for a single misstep. Dynamo was quick to shove himself and guests into the abode. Swift he was for his charging pod, detaching the remnants of his severed limb and discarding it, "Run diagnostic on internals," he requested once the charging cable was plugged in. Straps emerged from the side to keep him secure with a design out of a cheesy torture flick, "Hmm? What's that look for? Never seen a man charge himself?"
He joked with Lena who couldn't keep eyes off the device. Time went on awaiting the response of nobody, this was shown once more with Dynamo slowly entering stasis no matter how much he fought, "Eh this is...normal," he remained calm; his arms still fought against the straps. But that would be like a mouse challenging a brick wall. Strider showed weary eyes, checking his back he felt that the fuel in his back was almost empty. He nudged Lena, walking upstairs once Dynamo's eyes sealed.
"Give 'em some privacy for now," he whispered on the stairs. Back to the living room and right outside the door, Lena followed her neighbor all the way. Scrapyard Central at night was the same as the last time they saw it, depressing and dead, "Eh don't worry about him, machine's power off and come back online all the time," he leaned against the wall. Casual to the vision of the ones around them.
"I'm not worried about him per say, but these people…" she pointed out the gazes detected. Strider shook his head. "I don't see why they're such pricks."
"Tsk tsk tsk," Strider's tongue clicked, "It goes deeper than some petty drama, way deeper," the story was already known by most of the district, "There's no harm in sharing the truth I guess," he released a breath. "You know how even though that damned droid ends up in a lot of bad places he often gets out of trouble, ever wondered how? Here's a hint, it isn't his brain or wits."
"Dynamo has a deal with the Dysons that anyone would want. In exchange for doing their dirty work and being a bounty hunter, he gets to live free for as long as he wants and do what he wants. Know think of it from their perspectives, he has a level of power and could be as destructive as his heart desired because of the people backing him," he told the tale of the rogue unit who lived free. Quite shocking to anyone, even if they had their suspicions to begin with. Hearing the tale from another's mouth was something else, confirmation. Strider didn't take it to heart, he used the old machine every now and then when he needed. Fixing his hair he needed to get on his way again. "The Dyson Dog...scary to imagine huh?"
"Nothing really, just taking all of it in," still waters ran deep, and Dynamo was a more stagnant pool than first thought. She lingered around noting Strider prepared for his leave, "You headed home?"
"Guess so, got Zeze waiting for me," he sighed, "They're probably worried about you since I warned them about that Ailiya bitch," he cringed. The name lit a fire under Lena's eyes, "Say what happened to that- never mind…" he could read the room and the temperature was scaling. "Just do me a favor and watch after the old guy for the night until he gets some repairs done-"
"Got that covered," she was going through with it in the first place. Lena and Dynamo were still just acquaintances, but she couldn't leave him right now. Her heart wouldn't allow it. Soft moments like these made Strider's heart weak, "Just take care of your cuts and bruises," a gentle request. Words shared across the dark in the streets before Strider left once more. Similar to Tome and Dynamo, tracks needed to be hidden. Lena's only regret was leaving before she could ask more questions about his augmentations such as what destroyed his body in such a manner. But that would remain behind her until their next meeting, in front of her was Dynamo. Into his abode for the night there she stayed.
Sitting on a couch like another sat on a throne. How she was fashioned was as Rote was. High above the rest, he looked down on his five Barons. Cerise, Baroque, Carmine, Carnel, and Beryl bowed along with Parshad. In his mighty fingers were reports of the machine who threatened his rule, "So this is the new age model that stands against me? An animal with metal skin dares survive my ray?" he was furious at the thought. Scrolling through all of the lists he saw what they found. "He sat under my nose for years, stealing what belonged to this country and called it his own, the nerve."
The barons shivered once his palm struck the end of his throne; one of the few things that could handle his stress. Off the top of the list of recovered contraband Rote saw parts marked from Dragnok Ironworks, Yoshira's Forge, and Blood and Oil Brothers. Gottenfall, Seigen, and Ingian parts were all directed to the same location, "Though I do not wish to distrust the Dragnoks, I cannot turn a blind eye. Carmine, you and your platoon will review any and all dealings with the location," Rote demanded of his spy.
"As you desire," Carmine's ruthlessness was sheathed in their king's presence, "I request the aid of Baroque during this endeavor.
"Granted," Rote waved his arm, "From what I have seen, Tome conducted his own investigation in this...look into that. I've seen his reports and information of the shipments meant to go Mandaly and Himmelboren," he scratched his head, "Carnel," the baron perked with her name called. "Seeing that it's your territory, I'll leave the matter in the hands of you and the Blue Lady."
"It will be an honor, my king," she bowed with a tender voice, mechanized yet lifelike. Matters in Mandaly always ended in the hands of the woman she defended, "I will alert her lady at once," with permission granted, Carnell darted off to the north where highlands became seas. A brief call came to an end and once more Parshad was delegated as a supportive role.
"Before the rest of you part I have a single request for the rest of you," Rote's head lowered to the four Barons, "Dozens of droids were discovered under that laboratory, hundreds more could be active. Amplify the police division and swarm and bring me every last one of their heads," a tyrant's line was true, but he was far too merciful. "Show them the wrath of Vulcan."
His barons spoke not a word, not even a nod. Rather they dashed off in all cardinal directions for their duties. Rote sat once more with a huff from his most trusted servant, "My lord if I may interject, but shouldn't we be more expansive than rely on the knights alone? There are dozens of investigators in each district of every city that are available to us, not to mention high-end soldiers-"
"Enough, Parshad," there was a ring in Rote's tone that made the heavens tremble, "Do you think that you have a greater plan than I? That my judgment is clouded? I have thought this over with my governors and knights included...my plan is far more than you can imagine," he stood up with an itch in his skull. His eyes drawn to the north, "Time and time again I have witnessed fools with frames weaker than my own attempt to steal my power! Their bodies cannot even handle a drop of my oil let alone my power source or an ounce of my memory! A power that can not only eradicate life on this continent but to the ones my brothers rule as well."
"Fools come in every form thinking they're different yet they melt the same. As long as breath escapes my body the era of man shall know no end, nor will the age of machines experience no growth. Though they are not my main concerns."
"Well I do understand that sir, but you just had a powertrip so I will be telling Gotche. And also...what is this big concern of yours?" Their god did not respond. Nor did he look at the report. He held the tablet within his arms and walked to where the moon traveled. Upon his tablet as far as Parshad could read was a report from one of the swarm soldiers. An unidentified CC0 unit was on site.
"CC0-0000…...I wonder how Proton is going."