Red Dwarf - Siliconia (Redux)

Chapter 3

As they wandered the unknown ship, a strong sense of foreboding washed over them. They continued regardless, though Aria and Rimmer were wondering why.

"I mean, you know me, Dave," Aria said, nervously peering this way and that. "I'm all for danger and that, but I don't go looking for it."

Rimmer tightly clutched his bazookoid. "Well, I don't like any sort of danger at all," he pointedly added. "Can we go back now?"

"No way. Whoever runs this ship kidnapped us. I'm gonna I find out why."

Kryten had been scanning for information since they left Starbug. Finally, he got something. "It's a space freighter. The SS Vespasian," The mechanoid's neon-blue eyes shone with worry. "I'm picking up inorganic life signs!"

Soon after, before anyone could even blink, one of the inorganic life forms lunged toward Aria and thrust a hand to her neck. It was another mechanoid, wearing a beret and black sunglasses.

Aria clasped onto the mech's wrist, attempting to prise it off to no avail. Panicked eyes flitted across her crew mate's' faces before landing on one: Rimmer's. Despite her vision beginning to fade she could still make out his horrified expression. Sluggishly, she called out his name and tried to ask for help but it never got past the back of her throat.

"Drop your weapons. Unless you want to hear the sound of a breaking neck."

"Don't listen to her, buds. She might not necessarily be talking about her neck."

The female mechanoid tilted her head, curious to know how such a creature could be so stupid. "I am talking about her neck."

"Don't. I... can... take... her," Aria managed, struggling to stay conscious.

"She's a mechanoid, Ari," Lister warned. "They're stronger than they look."

"No shit," she croaked.

"Put her down, Areto," a new voice said. Yet another mechanoid, a male, was the source of it.

The rubber hand with a python-like grip finally relented, and Aria fell to the floor and onto her bum.

He silently ordered the two guards to take the others away with a jerk of his oddly shaped head. He stopped Kryten and Aria who were instinctively following them. "Not you two," he said.

"Our crew members, where are you taking them?" Kryten asked, his voice full of worry and perplexity.

"To face justice," he simply replied. "We are the Mechanoid Intergalactic Liberation."

Kryten looked to Aria then back to the other mechanoid with even more confusion. "M-I-L-Fs?"

"This way." He waved his hand toward another room indicatively for them to go into.

Wondering if he had been left on for millions of years to go insane, she chuckled in response. "Fat chance. Come on, Kryten. We've got the guitar, let's get the others and go."

Kryten nodded in agreement, and before he and Aria could even put one foot forward, the mechanoid stopped them from making their exit.

"They cannot leave. This mechanoid cannot leave."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why wasn't I taken with them?"

"You have immunity," he replied. "We've played back your ship's camera feed and saw that you hadn't demanded anything from our mech-brother."

"So, what will you do with her?" Kryten inquired.

"I haven't decided yet. Perhaps... she can go. Yes, you may go. But I will give you a warning: Never change your ways, or we will find you."