A•N•D•R•O•P•H•O•B•I•A

Odd Salutation • Reset

 Clancy didn't lie, when he said that we were going to walk a long way. Thw trek was so long, that Clancy had the others stop, just so I could rest. It was a little embarassing, if I had to admit. When we had made narrow twists and turns, we came across and stopped, at a small patch of dandelions. "We're stopping here?" I asked. "Yes." Clancy said. "But there is nothing here.." I said blatantly. Clancy suddenly stomped a hard foot, on the patch of dandelions, and a metal hatch opened. "Coming, ma'am?" Clancy asked. I looked warily to the hatch, and nearly hesitated. I nodded with slight difficulty, and crossing my arms infront of my chest, followed them inside and down the hatch. Just as I expected, the walls of the pathway we were walking in were all made of metal, which caused a feeling of nausea in my brain. And the small space, the walls left, that only enabled us to walk in a single file, gave me a claustrophobic itch.

 We came to a big, sliding titanium door. Clancy stood infront of it, and it opened automatically. We all went it, and now stood in a large, green-lighted, laboratory room. "This place is huge." I exclaimed. "Well, if you think this lab is huge, wait 'till you see the Olympus' labs. They're about five times bigger." Clancy said from behind, who, was punching some buttons on a keypad at the side of the door we came in from. "What are you doing?" I asked. Before I could get my answer, another voice filled the lab. "I see, you've all returned, Clancy." I looked up, to a staircase, that lead to the second floor of the lab, where a middle-aged man, was standing. Thank God. Another human. He eyed me, which made me nervous. "And it seems, you have brought a guest." He said, rather sinisterly. "What happened?" The man kept asking Clancy. "We don't know. We malfunctioned again." Clancy answered gravely. I had no idea what they were talking about, but I felt strongly sure, that it had something to do with the incident at our Area. "What is your name, dearie?" The man asked me, breaking me from my thoughts.

 The look he gave me, as he looked down, made me feel self-conscious. "Amber Lyons." I said weakly. "Well my name is Geoffrey Halo. Professor Halo, to be precise." He said in return. "And I believe, that you have met 'them'." Professor Halo, gestured to the group of who-knows-what behind me. "Well, we haven't been properly introduced since-" Clancy was cut off by Professor Halo. "Haven't been introduced? Well then, Clancy, introduce yourselves to her." I looked to Clancy and the others. They were pretty reluctant to do what Halo was asking them. "You might want to step back, Miss Amber. We don't want frighten you." Clancy said. I obediently did so, expecting something that I wasn't going to like. And it proved true, when they removed their cloaks. They were all like Pyxl. Bodies of half flesh, and half metal. I couldn't help my face from contorting in fear. "They will not hurt you." Halo said. That's pretty hard to believe, when they were the same ones who attacked us. "How do you expect me to believe that, when they were the ones who attacked our Area?" I asked shakily.

 The half-robot, half-man group in front of me became stiff upon hearing that. "Would you repeat that Amber." Halo said. I looked up to him with a look of accusation. Gladly. "They were the ones responsible for the attack at our Area last night! They attacked me and my sister! They're the reason why I got separated from my family and was left out here, all alone!" I shouted, every word I breathed, with venom dripping from it. Professor Halo, however was unfazed by my outburst. "Please come up here, and follow me. I have something to show you." He said. I hesitated, but made my way up the staricase, and let Professor Halo, lead me to his working station. "I was originally from Sector 10, Area 3, and worked there as mechanics-engineer, for Olympus' branch at our Area." He began. "I planned a journey to cross-Sectors, to study new machinery. When I got to Sector 1, Area 35, I stumbled upon an abandoned cottage one night. In there, I found extraordinary equipment for making robots. Various kinds..." He paused for a moment to look at me. "But the greatest discovery I found that night, was them.." Halo said, looking behind me, where Clancy and the others were.

 I recoiled a bit, but kept my composure. "So what are they anyway?" I asked nervously. "At first, I had no idea.. But as I continued to go through the equipment left in that cottage, I've observed, that Clancy and his group, are hybrid robots." I looked at Halo oddly. "Hybrid robots?" I repeated. He nodded. "I don't know what to make of them. The seem like androids, but they also bear close to cybrogs. I can only assume that they are bits of both." Halo said, making me gasp in shock. "Are you telling me that they're human?" I asked. "I believe that they are. I've tested the bits of flesh on their bodies dozens of times, and I got human results in all of them." Halo replied. "How was a hybrid robot accomplished?" I asked, most likely to myself. "That is just it. I do not know." He said. "But, one thing I know, is that, like any other robot, they serve to provide for and protect the humans." Halo added. "They are?" I asked in disbelief. "We may look hostile, Miss Amber, but we still hold the responsibility for the safety of your kind." Clancy said.

 I continued to look at them all in disbelief, as if everything being said to me was all lie. "And now that the introduction has been made, it's about time we properly introduce ourselves. I am C.L.A.N.K. ReConstruction, and Lubricants, Assembly, and Necessities Kit. But call me Clancy if you will." He said. I looked at him with a baffled expression. "I am V.E.E. Visual Electronics Equalizer." Their only female companion said. "I am E.N.S. Electronic, Navigation System. But they call me Einz.." The petite one with crazy spiked hair said. "I am D.I.R. Digital Intellect Researcher." The one with both metal eyes said. I looked at them all, feeling quite odd at their politeness. I then looked to their most animal-like companion, who was standing on his metal feet and legs, as if he were a gorilla. "What about him?" I asked. Clancy looked to Pyxl. "We don't know what kind of robot Pyxl is." Halo said. "The letters of his acronym were engraved at the nape of his neck. We had Dir search for any info about it, but we never found out what it meant." Halo added further.

 I suddenly perked up at that. "Did you just say, you had Dir search for info?" I asked. "Yes. Dir is a data-collecting, and data-storing robot. He holds information about anything you need to know." Halo explained. I looked to Dir with expectancy. "Then, is it possible that, by scanning me, you could find out about my family's current location?" I asked anxiously. "Yes, I can." Dir answered hurriedly, walking towards me, as if understanding what I wanted him to do. "Now don't blink." He said. He looked straight into my eyes, and his own metal eyes began to glow an electric blue. His circuits whirred as he blinked, and his eyes then projected a hovering holograph screen in front of me. "It appears that your family is okay." He said. I sighed in relief, a small smile tugging my lips. "They are all wounded, but only barely. And it seems that they are being re-located to Sector 1, Area 9." He said.

 "Well, now that you have learned the whereabouts of her family, you can take her back. But since it is getting late, you should stay here for the night, Amber." Halo offered. I shuddered involuntarily. That would mean I'd have to stay here under the same roof with these robots. But since there wasn't anywhere I could go, I complied. "Okay." I said. "There is a place where you can sleep. Come. I'll show you." Clancy said. I followed him, and the rest of the robots stayed with Halo. Clancy lead me to a door at the other side of the floor we were on. He opened it, and it turned out to be a rooom. The kind of room typical scientists stayed in when they were working in laboratories. "Will you be comfortable here?" He asked. I made my way in and sat down on the bed. "Yes. I'll be fine." I said. Clancy nodded. "If you are hungry, help yourself to the food in the storage." He said, pointing to a large cache at the other side of the room. "And if you need anything, call on us." He said, about to leave, but I stopped him. "Clancy..." He turned back to the door. 'Yes?" I looked at him sincerely before saying: "Thank you." "You are welcome, Miss Amber."

 He left, and shut the door, leaving me with my petrubed thoughts. I lay on the bed, with my arms folded. Man, what a day. There were so many questions fighting in my mind. What are these things? Who made them? I sighed deeply. "This is not something that I should be involved with." I said aloud. It was true. By this time tomorrow, I'll be back with my family. I'll be home-free, then I can just forget my encounter with these hybrid robots. I can forget everything. I shut my eyes, and hoped that a good night's sleep could take my anxiety away. But flashes of metal, kept invading my mind, giving me a restless nightmare...

TO BE CONTINUED