Tevun-Krus #22 - Best of 2015

(Space Western) The Bounty Bot - @TheRobot

The train screamed through the desert throwing up a tail of dust behind it. Its engine burned and powered fiercely pulling several hundred tons of freight behind it. A pair of angry blasts from its horns freighted off a herd of cows just in time before they were splattered across the front.

Twenty freight cars down the snaking metal monster one door was open just a crack letting light from the twin giant red stars seep inside and highlight the edges of large metal boxes. On top one of these boxes sat a robot. He had a humanoid form which he lounged back lazily as if he were sleeping. He tipped his oversized cowboy hat back using just a finger after the blaring horn of the Express woke him from sleep mode. The car was empty, nothing but the robot, his back pack and rifle and stacks of metal crates. He rummaged through his pack and grabbed the GPS, he was close. It was only a few minutes until he reached the town of Dodge. He stood up, straightened his duster, slung his pack and rifle over his shoulder and pulled the heavy steel door open just enough to fit himself through.

Standing on the edge he looked up and down the length of the train, his metallic head quickly heating up in the sunlight. Up head the buildings of Dodge began to grow in size as his train neared. The train honked its horn twice, it would soon be roaring through the middle of the town. The robot secured his belongings and with a metallic hand holding his hat on his head he jumped.

The robot landed in the centre of town. The train rushed past behind him and quickly disappeared into the horizon. He checked his two holstered revolvers on his belt, they were still in place. A small crowd of locals stopped what they were doing to stare at the robot; his face was merely a screen with which he could display various shapes in any colour. He chose a smiley face in a friendly bright blue but that did little to turn the people's attention away from him.

"I'm looking for a man named Jamerson Smith" he said as loud as he could so everyone could hear him.

One man, sat on an old rocking wooden chair raised his arm and pointed down the street. The robot turned his head and locked onto a saloon. A sign hung outside painted with broad brush strokes and blood red paint; it read "The Snapjaw Saloon".

The robot tipped his hat to aged human and made his way down the road, duster whipping in the wind. Half way there he could hear the sound of a small crowd gathering behind him, they mumbled and murmured to each other. He ignored them, pushing open the doors of the Snapjaw Saloon. His optic sensors slowly adjusted and he was greeted by a large group of stone faces.

"I'm looking for Ja..."

"Jamerson Smith" interrupted a deep heavy mechanical voice. The stone face along with the Bounty Bot all turned to a dark corner at the back of the bar. A figure covered by a black poncho stomped forward from the shadows, the wooden floor board creak and splintering with every step. "At your service" said a giant seven foot industrial loader Robot.

The Bounty Bot was astonished; he was never told the target was a synthetic, especially one this huge. "Smith, dead or alive you're coming with me" he as loud as he could so the whole bar could head.

"Round here we do things the old fashioned way, high street at noon" uttered Smith, "and I believe it's just about to turn noon now."

Everyone in the bar scuttled outside like excited children, the Bounty Bot turned and followed suite trusting his fellow Robot wasn't low enough to shoot him in the back. On the outside the crowd following him had gathered and join with the Snapjaw Saloon patrons.

The Bounty Bot took his position twenty feet down the road, his hands ready to grab his pistol once the large town clock struck for noon. Smith came stomping out, immediately locking optics with the bounty bot. The crowd scurried away like rats taking cover behind buildings, barrel and crates, anything that would still leave them with a view.

Smith took his place, facing the Bounty Bot, he threw down his poncho. He had replaced his left arm with a massive Frankenstein mis-mash of parts that looked to be huge plasma cannon bigger than the Bounty Bot himself.

All eyes turned to the clock, the last count down to noon had begun. The Bounty Bot ran some calculations, simulating every strategy he could think of. Down the other end Smith's plasma cannon made a sound like jet engine as it spooled up and prepared to decimate the small robot.

The clock stuck. A fizzling, cracking purple bolt of plasma raced towards the Bounty Bot. He dived out the way and it screamed past. He pulled out his revolver and unleashed all six rounds. Smith's armour was too thick and they bounced off. His plasma cannon spooled up for another round. It fired but this time as a beam. The Bounty Bot bolted back towards the building to take cover. Smith strained controlling the massive weapon as he dragged it across the horizon. The Bounty Bot ran behind the wooden buildings and sprinted back down towards Smith's flank. Behind him the plasma beam ripped through the wooden buildings melting and splintering the wood and they collapsed into rubble behind him. The Bounty Bot got neared and prepared his rifle, three shots of 50BMG sabot rounds. The plasma stopped. It was now or never. He charged through the back wall of the Snapjaw Saloon, wood and whiskey bottle shattering all around him. He leaped over the bar and sprinted between the tables towards the harsh light of day. Smith already had his cannon pointed at him was almost done spooling up. The Bounty Bot fell to his back, sliding in the dirt. A plasma bolt shot over him and into the Saloon. The Bounty Bot caught sight of Smith's head and fired. It hit dead on, exploding it. The rouge industrial Robot now headless dropped to his knees, and then went flat on the floor.

The Bounty Bot got to his feet and inspected his handy work.

"Hey!" screamed someone from the crowd, "what about our town?!" he finished with by pointing at the trail of destroyed and smoking buildings.

The Bounty Bot looked at his audience, some wounded in the battle. His sensors felt the rumble of the next train through the ground. The track just behind him, it was time to go. "Put it on his tab" he said pointing to the corpse of Smith. He stuck out an arm and with that was carried away with the train like ragdoll.