My Life As A Teenage Robot Porn Story: Android Scam Chapter 1
Disclaimer The characters in this story are from the
cartoon My Life as a Teenage Robot and are completely NOT owned by me.P My sole creations are the characters of
Drew, and the Cluster robots.
ANDROID SCAM
A My Life as a
Teenage Robot Fanfic
Chapter One Aint
Never Had a Friend Like Me
The stars shone brilliantly in the perfect darkness of
space; millions upon millions of blazing white pinpricks stretched to infinity
in every direction.P Well, not every
direction; if you looked hard enough, you could see the circle of the Earth,
cut out of the stars, a globe with a splashes of white and yellow lights all
its own.P A few moments later, the curve
of the planets surface flashed into view, highlighted by the pale blues and
pinks of the atmosphere as the sun peeked over the horizon, ushering in another
new day.P The sunlight cut a wider
slice, revealing oceans, continents, forests and cities .
And a blazing streak coming from deep space, bright white
and orange, screaming towards the planet at high speed.P High speed?P
Amazing speed.P Terrific
speed.P Mind-boggling speed.P In no time at all the blazing object entered
the Earths atmosphere and formed a raging fireball.P Seething plasma sprayed off in all directions, forming a shock
wave through the stratosphere.P Its
trajectory focused in on a mid-sized city in North America.P Unsuspecting citizens, out walking the dog,
getting the newspaper, watering the lawn, were startled by the staccato thunder
of sonic booms and look skyward to see a flaming ball slice across the
sky.P It was heading straight for the
city.P Straight for the heart of
town.P Straight for the high school.P The fireball took aim for the front entrance
.
And came to a full stop, six inches above concrete
sidewalk.P A wash of wind and exhaust
blew out in a circle, nearly knocking over a few dozen students who lingered by
the bus stop, less than eager to head inside and start the school week.P A few looked stunned.P Some gazed in awe.P Most seemed simply annoyed.P
The dust cleared, revealing a metallic humanoid shape, with extending
wings and imposing rocket boosters, settling gently to the ground.P Smoke hissed from the remnants of the
extreme heat.P With a sleek whirring
noise, the wings and boosters fantastically retracted into its body, leaving an
impressive figure.P A
six-and-a-half-foot tall robot.PP With
pale blue trim.P And pigtails.
Oh, wow, I am so late!!!
One of the students rushed up to the robot, straightening
his shirt collar and smoothing back his spiked red hair.P Awesome entrance, Jenny, he said.P Too bad you didnt make it fifteen
minutes ago!
Brad, I am so sorry!P Mom had me out on a stupid wild goose
The ring of a school bell cut her off and startled
Brad.PP Inside!P Hurry!P
Brad grabbed her arm to guide her towards the front door.P Her fresh-from-reentering-the-atmosphere
arm.P They rushed through the front
doors of the high school as Brad waved his now painfully red hand.
Jenny grimaced.P
Brad, Im sorry!
Hand not important, Brad managed through his clenched
teeth.P They rushed down the main
corridor past the freshmen lockers no time for that now.P They were officially late.P They snuck towards first period like cat
burglars.P Geometry.P We were going to compare homeworks.P I think Ive got em all, but number seven
was tough.P Did you get a
parallelogram?P You got the assignment
done, didnt you?
No problem.P Got it
safe and sound right here, said Jenny, patting her belly.P She reached for a small blue bolt, about
where her belly button would be, when it started to flash and emit a buzzing
sound.P Oh, great.P Perfect timing.P A small door in her chest slid open, and out
shot a contraption that expanded into a television monitor.P The picture snapped on instantly, showing a
wild-haired woman with thick glasses and a yellow lab coat.P She frowned out of the screen towards Jenny.
XJ-9! she shouted.P
I am waiting for your report!
Jenny waved her hands in front of the screen.P Mom!P
Keep it down!P Im going
to get caught!
Young lady, do not tell me to keep it down.P This is of paramount importance!P What did you find in Sector 358?
Mom, Im late for geometry.
Did you confirm the readings from my monitors?
Arghhh!P Mom, you
know what I found out there?P I found
space.P Rocks!P Dust!P And a stupid
comet!P There was nothing out there!
Brad peeked over Jennys shoulder.P Mrs. Wakeman, what do you know about parallelograms?
I know Sector 358 is shaped like a parallelogram, she
huffed, folding her arms.
Ive gotta go, Mom, Im going to get in trouble.
A voice boomed from behind them.P Correction.P You are
in trouble.
Jenny groaned and shut off her monitor.P As it folded back into her chest, she and
Brad turned around to face their Vice Principal Raczinski, a short, stout man
with thick glasses and gray hair.P He
made a grand production of jotting down their names on a yellow pad of
paper.P One tardy slip for you, sir,
he said, handing Brad a small piece of paper.P
And one for you, Miss XJ-9.P My,
my.P Im going to have to get some of these
printed up with your name on them.P This
makes what, four this month?P So were we
out saving the world this fine Monday morning?
Yes.P I mean, not
really.P Jenny stammered.P I mean, I had a mission but it turned out
to be really nothing
Well, your new mission is education.P The vice principal walked ten feet and
gestured towards the door of geometry class.P
Jenny trudged into the room, disgusted.P
Ten lousy feet away.P And
the geometry teacher was late!P If
Mom hadnt called, I wouldve been home free!P Brad ambled in behind her, and they took their usual desks.
The rest of the students were already seated, relaxed, and
chatting.P Jenny opened a door in her
abdomen and briefly rummaged around.P I
know its in here somewhere.P Most
of her books were back in her locker, but she had her Geometry text with
her.P There it is!P She pulled it out and and it was mildly
smoldering.P Apparently textbooks didnt
withstand re-entry too well.P Oh no.P She blew on it and waved it.P Better idea.P She unfolded her left hand, and extended a
small fan from her wrist to cool off the text.P
Thats when she realized that the entire class was staring at her.P A few snorts and chuckles broke out.
I say, Jenny, that is a bold fashion statement, but
I dont believe the scorched look is in this season.
Jenny winced as a new round of giggles started.P She quickly unfolded a small mirror from her
right arm.P Sure enough, she had visibly
blackened scorch marks on her face, pigtails, and body from her fiery arrival
ten minutes ago.P Nothing a little steel
wool wouldnt clean up later.P She
slowly turned to her left, where two very fashion-conscious girls sat, filing
their nails.P Uh h-hey there
Brit.P Tiff.P Heh, heh.P Hot stuff,
huh?
Brits attention never left her perfectly manicured
fingernails.P Mmmm, yes, hot stuff
indeed.P Rah-ther like a steel
mill.P Or a garbage incinerator.P The tall thin brunette glanced at her
shorter friend, decked out heavily with trendy accessories and makeup.P Wouldnt you say, Tiff?
Oh, snap.P
Absolutely.P Tiff inhaled deeply
and placed a finger to her forehead, pretending to think deeply.P And I just lo-o-ove your perfume.P What do you call it Burning Tire?
Brad winced.P This
was painful just to watch.P The Krust
cousins were scoring hits on his friend Jenny early today.P He tried to pass her a reassuring glance,
but Jenny wouldnt make eye contact.P
She slid down in her chair as much as her six-foot-plus metal frame
would let her.P Please, thought
Brad, dont let the desk catch fire.P
PBut by then Jennys cooling
systems had reduced her temperature to normal even if her face was flushing
blue.
All right, all right, enough, enough.P The geometry teacher strolled through the
door and slapped his briefcase on the desk.P
The giggles and chatter died down as he rushed down the last of his
coffee and started writing on the chalkboard.P
Were already late, people.P
Everybody pass your assignments forward and turn to the following
section.
Papers rustled as the students passed their geometry
assignments forward.P As a bunch of
papers reached Jennys desk, she flipped to the back cover of her textbook,
where her assignment was completed, folded, and ready.P And charred beyond recognition.
No! she shrieked.P
She tried smoothing the paper and scraping off the soot.P It didnt help.P Jenny gulped, and carried her stack of papers to the teachers
desk.P Umm Mr. Snitzenburg?P I have a little problem.P She laid her half-blackened assignment on
the desk in front of the teacher.P I
did the homework, but it got a little burned on the way to school this
morning.
Its always something, said the teacher, rolling his
eyes.P I ran out of pencils.P I lost my textbook.P My homework burned up on re-entry.P He squinted at Jennys paper.P Well, you did something, but I certainly
cant grade this.P Since Im in a good
mood, instead of simply giving you an F, Ill give you an extra assignment.P Due tomorrow morning.
B-but we had all weekend for this assignment! said
Jenny.P As soon as the words were out of
her mouth, she knew she wasnt winning this argument.P Yes, Mr. Snitzenburg.P
Thank you.
And since youre already up here, Miss XJ-9, would you be
so kind as to solve the problem Ive put on the board?P He handed her a piece of chalk, and she
shuffled up to the chalkboard.P Argh.P She felt every pair of eyes in the room
burning a hole into her back.P She tried
to brush some of the scorched carbon off of her metallic skin while she
analyzed the problem.P All right,
this isnt too hard.P Just get this over
with and get back to my desk.P Prove
that these two lines are perpendicular.P
Piece of cake.P She started
writing the answer on the board
And the room was disrupted by a loud rattling, grinding
sound.P Jenny clenched her teeth.P It was coming from her shoulder!P She tried ignoring it, but the rattling
sound didnt go away.P The class broke
into more laughter.P The teachers
annoyance grew by the second.
Miss XJ-9!P Is
there something wrong?!?
Ah, no Jenny chuckled nervously I think its just a
piece of, um, space rock.P From this
morning.P Heh heh.P Sorry.
Well, the teacher replied, clean it out and finish the
problem.
Horror.P Yes,
Mr. Snitzenburg.P Jenny reached over
with her left hand, and grabbed her right arm at the shoulder.P A few motors and clamps whirred and
hummed.P Snap. Twist. Pop.P Her right arm came off in her hand.P Sure enough, there were bits of dust and
small comet debris lodged inside.P She
tapped her separated arm against the side of the teachers desk, over the
wastebasket, as if she were cleaning out a pencil sharpener.P The class howled, and the geometry teacher
grumbled with irritation.P Jenny
seriously thought about deploying one of her many particle beam weapons,
blasting a really, really deep hole in the floor, and jumping in.
Outside, in the school parking lot, one of the seniors drove
in at the wheel of a gorgeous red sports car that his Dad had just bought
him.P So what if he was late?P Hey, with a car like this, nothing else
mattered.P He parked it across three
spots couldnt have any of these other loser cars scratching the paint on
this baby.P He hopped out and strutted
around to the front with a cloth rag, buffing off any speck or insect he could
find.P There had to be at least twenty
layers of wax on the body.P It sparkled
like a perfect ruby.P He casually
strolled along the side, lovingly wiping any dust away.P The senior grinned into the side mirror,
squeezed a wad of hair gel onto a pocket comb, and worked it into his do.P The best car for the best guy.P Ohhhhh yeah.
He didnt even notice the high-pitched whistling sound that
came from overhead.P He did,
however, notice the bowling-ball sized metal sphere that slammed down into the
hood of his car at two hundred miles an hour. PHe dropped to his knees and started sobbing as oil and steam
sprayed out from the front of his ruined car.P
He didnt see the metal sphere crack open, and he didnt see a small,
insect-sized object fly out.
It looked a little like a wasp a robotic wasp, at
that.P It flew away from the crash site,
whirring and buzzing, and circled the air a few times.P Then it turned, and flew towards the high
school building.
Jenny punched a hole in her locker door in disgust.P She was in a vile mood.P The day was already a write-off.P One locker door wasnt going to make that
much difference.P Jenny slumped against
it.P Brad rummaged through his own junk
two lockers over, trying to find his notes for his next class with one hand,
finishing a donut with the other.P Jenny
retracted her right hand into her arm, extended a polishing tool, and started
working on what was left of the scorch marks.
I cant stand it! she groaned.P I was up early today.P I
spent an hour getting ready for school.P
And then my mother sends me off on some stupid alien hunt!P She was all like, My sensors are picking up
Cluster activity, young lady!P But
there was just some stupid comet.P Shes
deliberately trying to ruin my life!
Brad finished off his snack.P Wow.P An alien hunt
sounds pretty cool!P A glance from
Jenny told him that was not the right thing to say right now.
Jenny just rolled her eyes and kept on going.P And then oh, and then the teacher makes
the whole class laugh at me!!!
So you had a rough start to the day.P It happens to everyone.
No, it doesnt.P Everyone
doesnt dismantle their arms in front of the class.P Everyone doesnt crush doorknobs with their bare
hands.P Everyone doesnt pick up
radio stations with their hair.P You
just dont know what its like to be the only robot in school, Brad.P Nobody does.P Sometimes sometimes it just really stinks.
Brad started paying a little closer attention.P She sounded pretty down this time, and he
worried a bit for his best friend.P Part
of him couldnt understand it.P Jenny led
the kind of life that everybody would dream of.P He mentally ticked off the reasons.P Reason one, she was a robot.P Enough said.P Reason two, she flew around the world saving lives and fighting
bad guys and blowing stuff up.P Reason
three, she was a robot!P Did I
mention she was a robot?P Her arms
and legs had more contraptions and weapons and firepower than an aircraft
carrier!P Who wouldnt want to be able
to shoot lasers out of their eye sockets?P
To Brad, it seemed the most obvious thing in the world.P Yet Jenny had all that, and she wasnt
happy.P Shed come back from destroying
an alien armada, and head to the corner pizza joint even though she couldnt
eat pizza.P Shed rescue a bunch of coal
miners from a cave-in, and then stop at the newsstand on the way home to buy a
copy of Teen Blab Magazine.P
Shed rather spend a day at the mall than a day fighting ninjas.P Geez, who wouldnt rather fight ninjas?
Jenny sighed, and turned to Brad.P Brad, dont get me wrong.P
Its just that sometimes, I think it would be great if there was just
one other robot like me around here.
Brad may not have understood why Jenny was frustrated, but
she was.P Cmon, Jen.P Ill walk you to your next class.P Just pretend first period didnt even
happen.
She smiled.P Didnt
mean to yell at you.P I just needed to
vent.
What does she need to vent? asked a mildly British accent
from behind.P Should we put on gas
masks?P Brit appeared out of the
hallway crowd, looking ready for a fashion shoot.P She placed one gloved hand on her hip, while the other wiped a
streak from Jennys locker door, just below the hole.P Vandalizing school property?P
Tsk, tsk, dear.P Her loyal
minion Tiff, never far behind, grinned like a hyena.
Brad rolled his eyes.P
Brit and Tiff Krust were at the top of the social totem pole in high
school; they not only were popular, they defined popular.P They could make you or break you.P And to the Krust cousins, breaking was a lot
more fun.P Jennys eagerness to fit in
made her an easy target.P Dont you two
have somewhere else to be? he mumbled.
Jenny grabbed her locker door nervously.P Its no p-problem.P I was just going to fix it.P See?P
The tip of her index extended andP
ignited, forming a small welding torch.
Careful with that lighter, robo-dweeb, snickered Tiff.
Yes, do be careful or youll ignite the oil slick in Tiffs
hair.
Huh?P The
voice came from a locker on the other side of the hallway.
The freshman turned from his locker door, shaking his
head.P He walked over towards Jenny,
Brad, Brit, Tiff and the small assortment of other students who had gathered
around to watch Jennys humiliation.P He
waved his arm in the air under his nose.P
Whew!P So, Tiff, you getting a
good price buying that stuff by the gallon?P
You little Goth rodeo clown, you.
Anger flashed in Tiffs heavily lined eyes.P Nobody talks to me that way!P The blond kid didnt notice, or, more
likely, noticed and didnt care.P He
smiled back at Tiffs glare and waved at Brit, then eased his hands into the
pockets of his baggy jeans.PP
Brit!P Havent seen you since
summer school!
Jenny and Brad exchanged a look.P The group of students murmured.P
Brad smiled.P Summer
school?!?
Yes, er, well.P
Brit smoothed the lapel of her tailored jacket.P Hello there, Drew.P We were having a private conversation
here before you so rudely interrupted.P
So hello and good-bye.P The look
in her eyes said:P Thats not a
suggestion.P Get lost.
Oh sure, sorry about that, said Drew, folding his hands
across his chest.P Very
sorry.P He took a couple of steps away,
then turned around and interrupted Brit again.P
Hey, what happened to your accent?
Brit started losing her patience.P I said good-bye, creep.
Drew smiled.P Cool,
you lost your New Joisey accent.P
And your lisp!P The speech therapy
worked great.P You used to sound like
Sylvester the Cat.P He waved good-bye
with his fingertips.P See you in the
funny papers, puthhhy cat.P He
sprayed the words, cartoon-style.
Jenny was amazed.P
For a moment, Brit, the most popular girl in high school, and her
personal tormentor, was struck speechless.P
The color drained from her face.P
And the students gathered around were snickering at her.P Jenny hid a smile behind her hand.P She didnt dare laugh.P But she was enjoying this.P It didnt take long for Brit to recompose
herself back to her regal self.P Tiff,
I think weve spent enough time in loser-burgh for one day.P Lets go.
Yeah, Tiff parroted.P
She shot an evil look at Drew.P
See you later, Android.
Jennys pigtails nearly shot off of her head.
What did she just call him?
With Brit and Tiff gone, the crowd dispersed back into the
hallway traffic.P Drew had walked back
over to his locker to grab a notebook.P
Brad came over, grinning.P
Dude!P Ive never seen anybody
tell off the Krusts like that before!P
He shook his head.P You are in serious
trouble.P Those two are connected.
Drew seemed only mildly concerned.P Connected?P Yeah, Im
pretty sure Ill never be elected as homecoming queen.P Ill live.PP Until Tiff gets the football team to pound me into a
pulp.P Wouldnt be the first time my big
mouth got me into trouble.P Heck, it
wouldnt be the first time this month.P
Man, but those two love to hear themselves talk.P I guess Ive seen you guys around school,
but Ive never said hi before.P Im
Drew.
Hey, Drew.P Im
Brad.P The two boys shook hands.P And this is my friend Jenny.
Hey, Jen P Drews
eyes widened as he looked up and realized who he was talking to.PP – Holy smoke.P Youre the robot girl!P
Jenny was used to that kind of reaction by now.P It embarrassed her a bit, but it was better
than screams of terror.P She tucked one
leg behind the other and gave a little wave.
I saw you on TV last week, continued Drew.P Sheesh, you stopped a live volcano!P You shot two bolts of something out of
your hands and sealed up the crater.P
You saved southern Italy!
Well, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
And the week before that, when that Mob Boss tried to rob
the Federal Reserve with an army tank.P
You ripped that thing apart like a soda can.P And the week before that, you saved a cruise ship from sinking in
the Bermuda Triangle!
Jenny chuckled awkwardly.P
Heh, heh, what can I say?P
Its been a busy month.
I mean, you broke a tank with your fists.P That was the most amazing thing Ive ever
seen!
Brad threw his arms up.P
Thats what I keep saying!P
Then he noticed the clock on the wall.P
Oh, man.P Two minutes to next
class.P Ive gotta split.P He quickly grabbed a few things from his
locker and slammed the door.P You gonna
be okay, Jen?
Wha?P Oh, sure.P History is just down the hall.P See you after school.P Brad sprinted off and turned the
corner.P Jenny turned back to Drew.P Wow, Ive never seen Brit embarrassed like
that before.P It was actually pretty
funny.P How did you know all that stuff
about her?
Oh, we actually were in summer school together two years
ago.P I missed a couple of months of the
school year.P Brit well, lets just
say that she studies Cosmo harder than she studies Algebra.P Drew laughed.P She and her buddies were snobs then, and theyre snobs now.P They treat everyone like garbage if youre
not part of their little club.
Yeah, they can make life pretty miserable sometimes, said
Jenny.P Especially when youre a six
foot tall metal freak.P Why am I
telling him this?P Jenny wondered,
even as she spoke.P Guess I just
wasnt done venting yet.
Why is she telling me this?P Drew wondered.P He had a
pretty quick mind, and it was starting to rev up to full speed.P So the robot girl was getting picked on by
the popular students.P Well, break out
the Kleenex.P Welcome to my
world.P Deal with it.P He wasnt interested in other peoples sob
stories, but now his curiosity was bubbling.P
I dont get it.P Youve saved
everybodys life in this school at least a dozen times.P Arent you, like, a celebrity around here?
Hah!P Not
likely.P Jenny folded her arms.P Apparently she was not done
venting.P Half the people I save dont
even thank me.P They see a metal monster
and freak out.P She finally realized
what she must have sounded like.P Oh,
man.P I just met you and all Ive done
is dump grief on you.P Im sorry.
Naw, forget it, said Drew.P Actually, I sort of know the feeling.
No way!P
thought Jenny.P Is that why the
popular kids dont like you?P Because
youre an android?
Holy !P It
was a good thing that Drew was facing his locker at that instant, because his
eyeballs nearly shot out of his head.P Did
she just ask if I was a freaking android?!?!P He coughed a couple of times and said, Sorry, I missed
that.P What did you say?
I heard Tiff call you Android when she walked off.P So are you?
Drew said nothing for a few seconds that seemed to stretch
into hours.P He looked into Jennys face
and her eyes.P She might be a robot, but
you could read the emotion on her face like a billboard.P She wanted to hear him say yes.P His mind raced, and he made a decision.P He fought back a wicked grin.P I cant believe Im going to do this.
Whyyyyy yes.P Yes,
I am.P I kind of dont like to talk
about it, Drew said, rolling his eyes to achieve a sad-puppy look.P Yeah, the Krust cousins found out during
summer school.P And they dont much like
androids.P Or robots.P But I dont have to tell you that.
Jenny was practically beaming.P Oh, wow.P I cant believe
it!P I was sure that I was the only
robot in school.P This is amazing!
There werent many kids left in the hall, but Drew still
hushed his voice.P Well, its really
not common knowledge.P Probably for the
best.P Dont want to make people too
uncomfortable.P Okay.P Calm down.P
Gotta keep this under control.
You sure look human,P
continued Jenny.P I mean, really
human.
Drew pinched his cheek between his fingers.P It looks almost real, doesnt it?
Wow where were you manufactured?
Uh-oh.P Um,
well, where were you manufactured?
I was built in my Moms laboratory.
Hey!P My Mom
manufactured me too!P Took her nine
months!P Thats true enough, isnt it?
The bell rang to sound everyone off to their next
class.P Jenny didnt want to leave, but
she didnt want two tardy slips in one day.P
The bell!P Nuts, Ive gotta go!
Wait a sec, said Drew.P
And now for the coup de grace.P
There was a reason he thought he might get away with this.P When is your lunch hour?
Fourth period, answered Jenny.
Mine too.P I usually
go outside, because well, of course, I dont eat.P Have you ever played baseball before?
Well, just with Brad and his little brother.P Not in a real game with other kids, though.
A bunch of us are going to play a little pick-up out in the
schoolyard.P We can always use another
player.P What do you say?
The whole day had been such a disaster, such a string of
humiliations, such a waste up to this point that Jenny had been ready to wallow
in her somber mood for the rest of the week.P
Now she was actually being invited to join a group of teenagers and have
fun.P By another teenage robot.P Correction android.P Heck, that didnt matter.P What do I say?P I say Ill see you outside at lunch!P Thanks, Drew!
Well, hey, said Drew, pleased with himself.P We androids have to look out for each
other.
Jenny grinned, and popped a foot into the air.P See you at lunch!P In a split second, her pigtails rotated
one-hundred eighty degrees and sprouted jet nozzles.P Hot blue exhaust shot out, and the teenage robot blasted down the
hall and into her History class, leaving a few scraps of paper blowing in her
wake.
Drew shook his head in amazement and laughed to
himself.P Oh yeah.P This was either the greatest, or the
craziest, idea hed ever had in his life.P
It was sure going to be different.P
Ohhhhh yeah, we androids do have to look out for each other.
It wasnt just scraps of paper flying around in the hallway
after Jenny sped off to class.P A small
metallic wasp spiraled through the air, fighting to remain in control.P Its tiny motors and servos whirred
furiously, and barely got it to a resting spot on top of the hallway
clock.P The robot wasp shook off its
disorientation and looked down the hallway at Jenny receding into the
distance.P Tiny lenses in its eyes
hummed and zoomed, like little television cameras.P Because they were little television cameras.P Twenty thousand miles straight up, two sets
of eyes were watching pictures from those little television cameras.
Coasting between the Earth and the Moon, in the middle of a
cloud of dust and rock that looked an awful lot like a comet, in a large
metal sphere about the size of a bus, two robots were fighting over the remote.
You idiot!P XJ-9 was
right there, standing perfectly still!P
What were you waiting for?!?!P
The robot on the left was a large, hulking brute, and bore an uncanny
resemblance to a giant insect.P He waved
his two large upper arms around the cockpit; with his two lower arms, he balled
his fists in frustration.P He glared at
his partner with eyes mounted on the sides of a large oval-shaped head.
His partner was far smaller, maybe no more than four feet
tall.P Half of that seemed to be his
giant metal head, which bristled with blinking lights and short antennas.P Do you think you can do any better? he
protested in a mopey voice.P After all,
he had designed the robot wasp.
As a matter of fact, yes, growled the big fellow.
Fine then.P Heres
the controller.P The little guy started
to hand over a complex-looking device that seemed to have about twenty
joysticks coming out of it.P Oh!P Oh!P
Wait a minute.P The controller is
designed for somebody with six arms.P
Lets see.P He pointed
sarcastically to each of the big fellows giant claws.P One.P
Two.P And the other two couldnt
work a pocket calculator.P Then he
waved his six intricate mechanical arms in the air.P Six!P I win.
You know, I really ought to pound the chips out of you.
Little Guy held up his three right arms in a gesture of
truce.P Hold on.P Okay.P
We have been cramped up in this ship for hours.P Now is not the time to lose our cool.P We have to wait for XJ-9 to deploy one of
her devices.P When she does, we will be
able to fly the wasp inside her body and gain access to her internal subsystems.
Then she will belong to the Cluster, cackled Big Fellow in
a booming voice.
Yes, yes, and then you can make with the crush, kill,
destroy, yada, yada, yada.P Whatever.
Big Fellow grumbled and backed off.P You do make a good point.P All right. PWe know she is going outside to participate in a human
recreational activity.P He practically
spat out the word human.P We
will strike then.P Agreed.
Agreed, nodded Little Guy.P He reached to his left, pushed a button, and a small panel slid
open.P He took out two bottles of green
liquid.P Anti-freeze?
Oooh!P Dont mind if
I do.P Big Fellow leaned back in his
chair, crossed his legs, and cracked a cold one.
Continued in Chapter
Two