A soldier came up and reported, “General, we have questioned all the medical scientists and feel they are not part of the conspiracy. They are being detained in the North Wing.”
“Good. Just, be courteous. We don’t want anyone feeling we are returning to previous methods of torture. This is a security issue, not a loyalty test.”
“Understood, sir.” The soldier hurried away.
Gar said, “I am glad you are being nice. Chase told me how bad this place was.”
“I wasn’t here during that time, but I know all about what they did. It is shameful. We need to be better.”
Gar frowned, “you weren’t here?”
Chase asked, “tell me, what relation are you to the commander Doji Hoturi of the South Onnotangu military?”
Hoturi raised an eyebrow, “that is me, but how did you know? I wasn’t well known then.”
“Let’s just say that I was once chased out of the royal treasury by you. I thought you looked familiar.”
He frowned at her yet had a brief smile, “so, you’re The Chase we once had as a wanted criminal.”
“The same. But, I changed my ways.”
“I would hope so. In any case, my parents escaped this country thirty years ago when I was very young. I joined the military of South Onnotangu and when the call came for volunteers to move North and help the new government, I jumped at the chance. I grew up dreaming of a day I could return and help make this place safe and find my relatives I was forbidden to see. I hadn’t expected to be made the head of the military, but I’m glad to offer my services in the name of peace and security.”
“Very noble,” Gar commented.
“Thank you. Ah, here we are.” Hoturi stopped at an enormous set of doors. “From the description, I believe this might be the laboratory you saw with your abilities.”
Chase stepped in and looked around. “I… think so. My perspective was from this device, or really a part of it. Let me...” she leaned over to where her head was near the height of the tables.
Gar walked in and looked around the room. It was filled with metal tables and engineering equipment spread around the room. Devices and components for computer development was along one wall, another wall had robotic parts. He asked, “what is this?”
Hoturi said, “this is the former robot and weapon development lab. Prime Minister Shizue has ordered that it be changed to study robotics for advancing our manufacturing and artificial limb replacement. This technology is very advanced and could be put to better use than designing weapons and toys for a petty tyrant.”
“This is it!” Chase called out. She was beside a table with her head laying on it. “This is the place I last saw this.”
Gar asked, “so... what do we do now?”
Hoturi pulled out his comm, “call in the scientists.” he walked away to give his orders.
Chase looked around the room. “If I had something else to go on, I could trace its history and maybe find something. This feels like a dead end.”
“Why? He’s calling in the scientists. One of them must be the guilty person.”
Chase shook her head, “all I saw was a gloved hand holding this for a moment. My vision got blurry going back any further.”
Just then three people were escorted into the room by a soldier. Two women and a man.
“What is the meaning of this?” The oldest woman asked.
Hoturi held up his hand to her and then addressed Chase, “do you have any idea which one it might be?”
“Which one... what?” the woman demanded. “I am Dr. Iku, head of this lab. I demand answers!”
Chase looked them over for a moment. “I don’t know.”
“Okay, do any of your know something about this device?” Hoturi took the device from Chase and held it up.
Dr. Iku said, “I have not seen that before.”
The other two shook their heads.
“This is getting us nowhere.” Chase said.
“GLOVES!” Gar blurted out.
“What?” Hoturi asked.
Gar pointed at the women’s hands. “Chase said she last saw the gloves. She can read the history of an inanimate object. She can read their gloves. That will tell us.”
Dr. Iku held up her hands, which were covered in special insulated gloves for robotics work. “What is that strange thing talking about?”
Hoturi held up his hand, “please, present your gloves for inspection.”
The younger woman presented hers first. Chase held them and eventually shook her head. Then the man presented his, Chase did the same thing with no results. Finally, Dr. Iku begrudgingly presented hers. Chase held them and spent a longer time examining their past. She then opened her eyes. “It was these gloves.”
“Arrest her!” Hoturi immediately barked.
“What, I haven’t done anything!” Dr. Iku protested.
“We will determine that. Soldier, escort the doctor to...”
“Wait.” Chase stopped him.
“What is it?” Gar asked.
Chase slowly looked over at the sweating man. “These aren’t her gloves. He wore these when he put the objects in a package to be sent. I can see him clearly in this.”
“I... uh... she is wrong... I didn’t do anything.” The man backed up into a corner.
Hoturi gestured at his soldier, “arrest him.”
The man suddenly slapped a part of the wall, and a small panel opened. “SHOJU FOREVER!” He yelled and hit a button.
All over the room small, spider like robots came out of holes in the walls and from under counters. They rushed at the soldier first and cut his hand off. If Chase hadn’t pulled him out of the way, he would have been stabbed clean through. Hoturi shot at the robots, destroying one, but five more lunged his direction. Gar threw out his wing and protected the general. Then he used his stone fists to smash these little monsters. Chase jumped and dodged to not be sliced up. She kicked one into the wall, but it rebounded and came after her.
The other two scientists jumped into the containment unit and locked the door. However, the robots were ignoring them and only going after the others, likely part of their programming to protect the wicked scientists that once worked in here.
“Watch out!” Hoturi grabbed his bleeding soldier and shoved him under a table.
A robot jumped on the general’s neck and nearly stabbed a blade-like leg through it. Gar grabbed the robot and crushed it in his hand. He then yelled, “get out, they can’t hurt me!”
Hoturi took hold of his wounded solder and followed Chase out.
Gar, now free of having to protect anyone, went wild and used his arms, wings, and even legs to smash these things. He took great pleasure in crushing them into debris as they attempted to stab him. Several damaged themselves when they tried to injure him. Finally, after a few minutes of wild smashing, he stood, both hands filled with sparking remains, in the middle of the carnage.
“HA!” He yelled as he tossed aside the rubble.
Suddenly, a loud siren blared overhead, and a voice called out, “alert, alert, compound compromised. Seek shelter!”
Gar rushed out, hoping to find the others. He was certain this alert was unnecessary since he had dealt with the problem. However, upon leaving the room, he found both Hoturi and Chase fighting a giant spider robot that had lasers. Other giant spiders were walking up and down the corridors, blasting at fleeing people. Military were rushing in, returning fire as best they could.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
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