Chapter 11: Robots

They were flying past the pass over which the adults had come so long ago when the windshield in front of Steve who was driving exploded. A gaping hole appeared in the side of the craft and the seat behind him began to smolder and melt. Quickly Steve dived toward the jungle below. Another hole appeared in the floor in front of Steve and he felt searing pain as his legs were sliced open. Tani had been thrown to the floor and another beam sliced across her left shoulder. With heroic effort and despite the terrible pain of his wounds Steve was able to crash land the craft without further injuring the passengers. The craft had no more than stopped its fall than Tani jumped from the floor and grabbed her rifle. She tossed Steve his and then leapt from the car.

"Run Tani run," Steve yelled, "We are being attacked."

Despite Steve's orders Tani did not run but threw herself prone beneath some covering bushes panning the area with her rifle looking for a target. Steve was unable to move his damaged legs and so slumped down and acted like he were dead. They did not have long to wait. Three robots approached the air car to inspect for survivors. Taking careful aim Tani fired and sliced the head from the shoulders of the nearest robot. Instantly she rolled to the side and took aim once more. She had rolled none too soon as the area where she had been burst into flame from the return shots of the remaining two robots. Steve rose in his seat despite the pain and aimed at one of the robots. He fired and saw the head of the one he was aiming at disappear in a puff of electrical smoke. It tumbled to the ground. Just then he felt a searing pain as a beam sliced across his right shoulder.

Tani fired at the remaining robot but her field of fire was severely limited by the air car itself. The robot stopped firing and turning raced back in the direction, from which it had come.

"Don't let it get away." Steve yelled at her, "It will bring help."

Tani sprang from the covering bushes and raced after the robot. She had chased it for a short distance when she saw it leap into an air car and rising begin to fly away. Taking careful aim at the fading air car she fired her rifle. Thanks to her knowledge of the air cars she saw a hole appear where she had aimed in the exact spot that housed the small motor that powered the vehicle and watched as it started to drop to the ground. The car continued to get further away. Just before it plunged into the ground and burst into flames she saw the figure of the surviving robot leap out and tumble. The robot regained its feet and raced away from her and into the pass.

Tani returned to Steve and the wrecked air car.

"I wasn't able to destroy it Dad. It was able to escape into the pass," She cried.

Feebly Steve nodded and gritting his teeth in pain he attempted to start the car, "We must get back to the compound and warn the others." He then passed out.

Tani pulled him from the driver's seat laid him on the floor and pulled the first aid kit from its side pouch storage. The contents would not even come close to bandaging the numerous wounds they both suffered. She sprinkled all the antiseptic powder on them till it was gone and then without hesitating began to strip and use his and her clothes as bandages. She removed his belt and her own and used them as tourniquets to restrict the flow of blood from his legs. She ripped off her blouse and tore it into makeshift bandages which she applied to his legs and shoulder and hers to slow the bleeding. She carefully removed his shirt and noticed that his right arm was broken at the bicep. How can I immobilize it so that not further damage occurs? His shirt alone isn't long enough. she thought. She looked at the short pants she was wearing and without hesitation pulled them off and tore them in strips. These strips tied the strips of Steve's shirt were long enough in length to hold his arm against his side and keep it from moving. Steve was as comfortable as she could make him and she had treated him as best as she could now they must get to medical attention. Blood trickled down her shoulder and dripped off her bare left breast. Tani was wearing nothing except her bikini underwear. She looked in the side pockets of the air car and found a clean rag along with two bungee cords. She pressed the rag over the bandage already there against her bleeding shoulder She wrapped one of the bungee cords around her just below her breasts and hooked the ends together. The other bungee she placed over the makeshift bandage and hooked the ends over the one around her. The rag was held just tight enough to remain in place and stem the flow of blood from her shoulder.

She then looked at the air car. First she leapt out, looked at it from outside then she jumped back in, and sat down in the driver 's seat heedless of the large amounts of blood that covered the seat and all the controls. With a silent prayer she pushed the start button. She released a sigh as the motor came to life. So far so good, she thought, now we'll see if this thing will fly. She pushed the control to make it rise and with much popping and snapping of the trees and bushes that cradled it the car began to ascend. When she rose above tree top level she gently eased the control forward and the air car began to move in a forward direction. She grasped the steering wheel and turned the car until it was pointed in the direction of the compound. She eased the control further forward and picked up speed listening for any unusual sounds that would tell her about unseen damage. Tani and Ujiah had designed and built this four seat version of air car and being new they had not tested the top speed. She put it to the test now. The air car was a mess, full of holes, broken plastic and bent metal. The wind whistled through the holes that had been shot in the sides and floor of the craft. The whistle became a shriek as Tani increased the speed of the vessel. The wind whistled through the broken windshield and into Tani's face. Tani looked down and in the pocket beside her seat she spied a pair of welding goggles. She donned them and flipped the colored glass up leaving only the clear. The wind was no longer whipping through her eyes half blinding her. The craft bucked and jerked and was aerodynamically unstable due to its damaged condition and Tani battled the steering wheel with both hands just to maintain control as the little vessel streaked through the sky. She looked at the still form of Steve on the floor, his blood still trickled from his wounded legs. She pushed the forward controls further increasing their speed and then eased it forward more until she had the controls at max.

I'm hurrying Dad please hold on, She thought.

Blood from her numerous cuts and scrapes continued to seep from her to be whipped away in the wind. Her white skin was soon streaked all over with red. Because of the adrenaline rushing through her veins she had not noticed the pain in her left side. It became evident now and she figured she had at least two cracked or broken ribs.

She began calling the compound when she figured she had reached the limits of the radios range. She kept calling until at last a voice on the other end answered.

"Tani this is Misty I can barely hear you."

"Oh Misty I am so glad to hear you. We were... (static). Both... (static) injured," Tani cried.

"Repeat that Tani. You say that you are injured? I can barely hear you." Misty said.

"We were attacked and both of us are hurt badly," Tani shouted into the mike over the shrieking wind.

Misty yelled at Dawn who was passing by on her way outside. "Momma Dawn come quick I think it is Tani and she says they were attacked and they are both hurt."

Dawn rushed to the radio and keyed the mike. "This is Dawn. Tani are you there? Did you say that you were attacked and that both of you are injured?"

The air car had gotten closer and the connection was improving. "Oh Zol. Yes Mom this is Tani and yes we were attacked and both of us are hurt."

Dawn turned to Misty and said, "Misty hurry and go get Mark and Maj, then get Tes and Mist. Tell them to hurry. Tell them that this is an emergency."

Dawn keyed the mike once more, "Tani how far away are you? Do you need us to come get you?"

"No Mom I'm headed to you as fast as this car will go I should be there within ten minutes but please tell Tes that Daddy Steve is hurt real bad," Tani sobbed.

Misty had run out the door and the first one she encountered was Lynn. She enlisted her aid in getting the adults rounded up. Lynn was on her way to get Tes when she ran across Autumn who she sent to get Mist. Luckily Mark and Maj were together consulting when Misty ran up out of breath.

"Come quick," She gasped, "Momma Dawn says to come to the radio room quick it is an emergency." The three of them ran for the radio room.

Lynn burst into the computer building and just as she had surmised Tes was at the terminal. "Dawn says to come quick to the radio room and that it is an emergency," Lynn shouted.

Tes stopped what she was doing and rushed from the building in the direction of the radio room. Lynn followed on her heels.

Autumn burst into the classroom in the middle of Mist's lecture and told her of Dawn's request.

"Oh my Zol," Mist said, "Please Autumn, stay with the kids." Mist ran out and headed for the radio room.

The four adults burst into the room at almost the same time followed by a number of the teens. Dawn quickly apprised them of the situation.

Mark grabbed the mike, "Tani are you being followed by your attackers?" he asked.

"No," was Tani's rapid response.

"Who or what attacked you Tani?" Mark asked.

"Robots," Tani replied.

"Did you say robots?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Tani replied again.

Mark grabbed a portable radio and motioned Maj to go with him. "Just in case I want us all to be armed." He headed for the arms storage room which was in the same building a short distance away. He and Maj began to hand out rifles to each person. All of the kids with the exception of the four year olds had been trained in their use.

"Tani this is Tes. Describe the injuries you and Steve have but tell me of yours first."

"I have a number of cuts and scrapes but none are serious, I have a deep cut in my left shoulder that is still bleeding though not fast. I think I have a couple of cracked or broken ribs but Dad Steve is much worse," Tani sobbed.