Dune Runner

Chapter 1

The sand billows around my feet as I run through it, trying but failing to get into my eyes thanks to my pair of goggles that I grabbed some poor sod that got trapped in his mech.

I can still hear the sand being pounded behind me from the huge metal feet that are attached to the barely functioning torso that is currently screaming insults at me.

"Get back here you damn sand rat!"

I huff under my breath and pull out a small tin from my pocket and fling it over my shoulder.

I pray that it hits and thank the Cacti's it does, I hear the tin clang against torn open chassis of the rogue mech and I silently cheer as I hear the busted bot try and swing its broken shoulder joints to wipe off the oil that now covers it.

"Gah! What the hell is this shit?!"

I swiftly turn around and pull out my magnifying staff, a.k.a the lens' of a pair of glasses I tied to a metal pipe, and hold it high above my head.

I aim my staff towards the bot's chassis and the mech freezes.

"The hell are you doing?! You look fuckin' stupid kid!"

I bite my tongue and hold my ground, just staring at it, hoping to unnerve it.

Apparently, it worked because it shifts and takes a small step back, clearly not seeing what I'm doing.

"Hey! Answer me you piece of shit!"

Another thing that's also apparent is that this bucket of bolt's physical sensors are either broken or completely disconnected from the main A.I, here's hoping that it's the latter, it'd make for better scrap parts.

We stay in this small stand still for a few more moments, the bright sun gliding gently above, its scorching rays burning down on my tanned and tattered cloak.

Then I see it, the first small dots of orange that marks an ember slowly growing in the mech's chassis, I grin wide and the mech sees this.

"The hell are you grinning for?! You think I can't kill ya just 'cus I ain't got no arms? Oh, I'll show ya alright, I'll show all of you!"

The mech starts to tread towards me, building up speed for a 'Riot Rush', I leave the grin on my face and only raise my staff higher, not backing down or showing any fear.

This seems to enrage the mech even more which is exactly what I wanted.

It continues treading towards me, eventually building into a sprint, its rusty joints creaking, scratching against each other, making small flickers of light.

My grin turns into a full smile, my teeth bared and revealing my metallic canines.

Now, if this mech was any of the ones who were properly brought back online and taught the way of this li'l' desert planet, then they'd know that a flash of metal canines would mean certain death and scrapping.

Too bad this one was brought up haphazardly by an inexperienced builder, judging by the blood splatters covering its legs.

The small flickers of light turn into a full shower of sparks that dance and bounce across the mech's legs, and eventually up to its oil-covered chassis.

The sparks bounce into the oil and seemingly sink into the tar-like substance, only to spring out in the form of a small ember, joining the first one I had test-started earlier, becoming a much larger ember and then quickly becoming a full-on flame.

It seems that I had scored a head shot seeing as how the flame spread over the thick, craning neck of the mech and across its one optic.

It seems not only was this mech improperly brought up but also had an entirely faulty physical sensor system, so even if it was completely covered in flames, which it was, it would never notice.

It did notice how it was slowing down as its synthetic muscles melted and became more oil in the sand though.

"The hell did you do to me kid?! I'll fucking kill you!"

I stay standing still and simply wait as it charges at me, bit by bit slowing down until finally, it falls.

It skids toward me from across the sands, landing neatly at my feet.

"I'll fucking kill you! I'll rip you apart! I'll paint the sand red!"

It continues its little tangent as I walk around to its back and reach through its chassis and rummage around in its insides until I brush against a thick pipe connected to some wires that glows a gentle red at my touch.

I curl my fingers around it and yank it out from its holster, splattering red fuel against the sand.

"Why's everything going dark? What the hell did you do?!"

I inspect the V-I.TAL I just got and search around the small window on the front, trying to find the signature or clan symbol of the idiot who failed to bring this guy up properly, finding nothing.

"No wonder they failed to bring you up, they didn't even mark your V-I.TAL, what an amateur." I huff.

I walk back to the front of the mech and kneel down beside its optic. I place a gentle hand on its head, giving it a small amount of comfort for what's next to come.

"Don't touch me! Stop it! Stop! I'll kill you if you don't! Stop...! Please..."

It breaks down, sobbing, I continue to pat it, even if he says he doesn't want it, I'll still give it, 'cus I know he does want it, he just wants a friend to help him in this hell hole of a world. 

I watch as the final sputters of fuel seep into the sand, his optic losing its glow.

I reach forward and wrap my hand around his optic, gently pulling it out of its socket and into my bag with the others.

Once I finish making sure he's fitted snugly into my bag and won't move around, I roll over his body and pull apart his chest cavity revealing tons of untouched circuitry, wires, and other scraps.

In the end, I managed to get quite a good haul, I'll be set for at least a week from this guy, even got his fully-functioning optic and core as well as his V-I.TAL, I smile wide as I begin my trek back to the settlement I've been living in, excited to get some rest and be able to restock my supplies.

Word Count: 1073

Finished: 6:53 AM, 16/12/2021 (Like a week IG)