Perfect World Somewhere

Chapter 15

Winter cast its darkened chill over the buildings and towers. More time spent indoors meant that tempers often clashed. Competition was intense between the youth.

Lily kept to herself, and tried to avoid trouble.

Her cooperation earned her the next rank. No longer a lowly and shaven Nevyet, she was now Sprestok. The word meant sprouting, or undeveloped. It granted her more esteem with the Pruessians, but with the other kids, she still relied on her wits alone.

Every morning at the drill, she searched the hundreds of faces for any sign of Clarence. It seemed hopeless, but she couldn't help herself.

Almost three months after their arrival, she found him.

They passed during one of the marches. He didn't see her at first. His head was bowed, eyes shielded beneath the brim of his cap.

Desperate to get his attention, she sang louder, and with exaggerated passion. Several people looked at her, including Clarence.

He slowed his pace, and stumbled, only to be shoved back in line by the other kids.

They had one more circling, one more glance.

She blew him a kiss.

Always the sensitive one, Clarence's lip quivered, and his tears spilled.

She wished she could wipe them away, and smash everything that kept her from her family. But she had to repress her own sadness, until she could cry alone at bedtime. No one cared, as long as she kept her feelings to herself.

It had been so long since Ben contacted them. The nagging voice of doubt often crept into her mind. What if there was no way out, and the enemy won? Would it be so bad to just conform, and surrender her mind entirely? If she did, she'd eventually be reunited with Daddy and Clarence. Once the Kaezer was pleased with his prisoners, he promised that the ration camps would be released, to join the new cities.

She'd managed to hide Mama's wedding band, and kept it in her pocket. Whenever her fears arose, she held it. It helped her to remember who she was, and what she fought for.

Spring arrived, and she turned twelve years old.

On a rainy afternoon, Hir Zilejager entered the station with Hir Weingert. A strange robot followed them, and the entire team gathered for a better look.

It glided along the floor with hardly a sound. Its sinuous body resembled the millipedes that used to slink up the walls of their house in Plumgrove at night, and terrify her squeamish sisters. About twenty feet long, it was formed of chrome, brass, and copper segments. Each section was about two feet wide, and edged in vicious blades. Rows of brushy, metallic filaments propelled it along the ground.

"This is an assassin unit," Hir Zilejager said, grinning proudly. "I was one of its original designers. It is our intent to expand upon this technology, and create the greatest machine imaginable. I believe that a cross-over with the Krept model is the key to our success."

All of the Pruessians agreed heartily.

Daddy stared at the assassin with contempt. He hated robots as weapons, and this was the pinnacle of robotic warfare.

"We will observe their interaction," said Hir Zilejager. "Afterward, I want your sincere opinions."

A barricaded examination arena lay adjacent to the station. The robots were led inside, and everyone surrounded to watch.

Krept recognized immediately that it couldn't outmaneuver the assassin, and reverted to a defensive strategy.

The assassin coiled back upon itself, adopting an equally cautious posture.

They paced and circled each other.

Lily pressed her fingers to the reinforced glass and steel barrier. Krept was like a friend, and she suddenly feared for it.

Each segment of the assassin's body had its own optical dome. It watched, waiting for its opponent to strike.

Krept was confused by this odd rival, but it didn't waste resources. It extended its six deadly slicer appendages and tripwire turret, resembling a furious scorpion hewn of copper and brass.

"Enough," Hir Zilejager said. "I understand they are adept at survival, but we must have our results. Kolre tiunek, angregh il mekanet."

The assassin burst out of its formation. Its segments separated, and whirled about the enclosure in a sharpened blur.

Krept maneuvered through the insane scatter. One of its appendages was bent, but it persisted. It crouched low to the ground, using the plated edges of its legs to protect its body.

The assassin clinked against the steel in vain, then regrouped, returning briefly to its compact huddle.

Krept dashed forward, latching onto the five nearest segments with its prehensile, bladed effectors. The tripwires also shot, and attached themselves to three additional parts. The quadruped rotated abruptly, and swung the pieces of the assassin in a fatal pivot.

The captured segments struck the walls and floor with a devastating crash. The optical domes shattered, hindering their sensors.

Again, the assassin split. It left the damaged pieces of itself behind, and reformed into a shorter variation. It streaked past Krept, the slicers carving through copper plating.

Part of Krept's processing lattice came loose, blinking tubes and wires dangling haphazardly from shredded metal. Though slowed, it continued to fight.

Five minutes later, the assassin model had been reduced to only two active components. Both were held firmly beneath Krept's forelegs, pinned to the ground. The rest lay like discarded pebbles around the ring.

Krept finally gave up, as its central controller deteriorated. It hobbled to the side of the enclosure, and beeped pathetically. The status light beside its optical pane blinked yellow, indicating that it needed urgent maintenance.

Hir Zilejager applauded, and the other Pruessians followed suit.

Daddy and Lily just stared.

"What did we learn from this?" Hir Zilejager looked around, dark eyebrows raised. "Speak up."

"The assassin is the first of our machines to successfully defeat a Krept unit," Hir Weingert said. "Your model is to be commended."

Lily cleared her throat. "May I speak, sir?"

"Of course, Sprestok," Hir Zilejager said.

"In my opinion, the robots were a fair match. Krept immobilized the last two segments, and only retreated in crisis mode. They neutralized each other, but Krept had the advantage at the end."

Hir Weingert glared at her.

"You are correct," Hir Zilejager said. "As your observation is keen, I would like to appoint you to the design committee." He turned to Hir Weingert. "See that she is briefed with the others, and allowed to contribute."

Hir Weingert saluted, with a rigid arm and expression. "Yes, sir."

Lily felt indifferent, not honored. It would be interesting to witness a Pruessian design team in action, but her contributions would become part of a weapon.

There were still free citizens outside of the ration camps, her own people, fighting against the Kaezer. This new robot would be the deadliest machine ever built, and she didn't want to create a menace for the resistance.

Over the next few weeks, she presented a few suggestions to the design team. However, there were many great ideas that she kept to herself.

Hir Weingert often singled her out, and pressured her to elaborate, more condescending than ever. Sometimes he stared, in a way that made her uncomfortable. He monitored them a lot more, as the weeks wore on. Though she grew weary of the escalated surveillance, she did what she was told, and persisted with single-minded fervor.