Chapter 29: Tragedy

The four-seat air car climbed into the air from the Silka compound. Julian and Laniya the happy couple on board headed off on a pleasure trip. The rear seats filled with enough supplies to last for the week they planned on being gone. Their three children were staying with the neighbors. The trip would encompass a visit to the ruins of the village of their birth and would culminate with a campout on the shores of a small lake of, which they both had knowledge.

There was no hurry and two days passed with the couple sleeping in the cramped chairs of the air car while it hovered in the air. Although this was uncomfortable, it was much safer than trying to sleep on the ground below. The pass through the mountains came into site on the third day. Julian guided the air car through it and out above the jungle below. Another day passed but at last, the village that was their first destination came into sight.

Julian landed and they both got out touring the ruins in a somber mood. They did not speak to each other and both of their minds were flooded with memories. They had lost many friends and relatives here including two children when the killer robots had attacked. Julian and Laniya walked around the ruins hand in hand paying homage to the dead. At last, they finished the tour and entered one of the damaged huts to prepare for an overnight stay.

Laniya rolled out a sleeping mat and prepared their evening meal while Julian gathered wood for the romantic fire they were going to build. When he had gathered the last load, he activated the machine that would create a small barrier across the entrance to the room in which they would spend the night. The barrier would keep the many predators of the surrounding area out. This having been done Julian and Laniya sat down and enjoyed their meal. They sat shoulder to shoulder in front of the fire exchanging kisses as darkness deepened outside. When they turned in and crawled into sleeping mat, they made passionate love to each other before they fell into a warm cozy sleep.

Julian awoke to the sound of popping and snapping. He opened his eyes and in the light cast by the dying embers of the fire, he saw a robot at the entrance to the room. It had attempted to enter and the barrier though not intended for robots had nonetheless stopped it by shorting it out. The popping and snapping ceased as the machine that erected the barrier failed due to overload. Five more robots entered the room. The inactive robot was thrust aside by its companions.

Julian and Laniya sprang to their feet to face the deadly foes. Their guns were out of reach but their knives were handy. These knives were not just ordinary knives. They had been designed to cut through metal with ease. The two stood back-to-back waiting for the pending attack. They did not have long to wait. The robots surged forward sure of their ability to overwhelm these puny human defenders who were equipped with nothing but knives.

Months and years of training went into effect in Julian and Laniya as in a whirlwind of motion they dispatched their attackers until only one remained. It was desperately summoning help over the radio bands as Julian and Laniya cut it down putting an end to its transmission and ending its functioning.

Julian grabbed his guns and rolled through the door then coming to his feet and scanning the area for more foes. Finding none the two of them scrambled on board their air car and put it in motion hugging the ground in case there were attackers above. When no pursuit commenced Julian gradually gained altitude and flew toward the pass to spread the warning that the killer robots still existed.

Daylight came and shone down on the fleeing air car. The two passengers on board sighed in relief as no pursuit developed. They had no more than issued the sighs when six robot-controlled air cars climbed into the air behind them giving chase immediately. They were composed of two, two seat scout cars, and two ten seat cars. The ten seat cars soon fell behind but the two scout cars continued to chase them and were gradually gaining on them. Laniya leaped into the back seats and began dumping their supplies over the side to lighten the load. When this was done, she braced herself on the seat facing backwards, rifle in hand. Laniya opened fire aiming for a spot on the hull of one of the pursuers that covered the engine of the craft.

Even though both her craft and the craft of the pursuers were in motion she was able to at last score a hit on the spot she was aiming for. She was pleased to see the craft plunge toward the ground. The other craft was by this time returning fire and Julian began to zigzag, climb and descend rapidly to avoid their shots. Laniya shifted her fire to the remaining craft and started firing. Laniya scored another shot to this craft, which rapidly began to loose altitude. The robot passenger fired one last time before falling below their altitude. Unfortunately, it was a lucky shot. A beam burned through the back of the driver's seat through Julian killing him instantly and into the control panel, causing the damaged car to begin descent quickly.

Unfortunately Laniya was not as lucky. The car crashed to the ground and though Laniya suffered terrible injuries the robots in the ten seat air cars that were following found her alive. They put her on board and flew swiftly toward their home cavern. There she was treated just enough to be kept alive and the interrogations and torture began.

Laniya regained conscious to find herself restrained in an upright position and facing her robotic captors. They summoned Xtos and when it arrived, the torture began. A mirror was placed in front of Laniya so that she could look at herself. Her eyelids were removed with care given not to damage her eyes. She could no longer close them and shut out the horrors done to her.

Life supporting machines kept her alive and she was forced to watch as one at a time her breasts were cut from her. Loss of blood was contained to keep her alive but her pain undeadened tore screams of agony from her lips, which they ignored. Each time she lapsed into merciful blackness, they forced her awake. With her breasts removed and simply tossed into a corner the real interrogation started. Laniya resisted refusing to speak even though the pain was terrible. They forced her to watch as one by one they cut off her feet, and then her hands. She watched as they removed first one calf and then the other, each time the blood loss was contained but not the pain.

No matter how many times she lapsed into unconsciousness, they revived her to wakefulness once more. Her forearms were cut off and then her thighs. They rammed a probe into her womanhood and an electrical current was passed through its tip. Each time it was activated she felt like her insides were being boiled.