A Crime In Lowercity: Part 4

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_{part 1
part 2
part 3}

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Some months in the future

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Ivan is dead. It took a short moment before 117 came to the realization that the young man whom it experienced as annoying earlier, was no longer apart of the living world. Life is very fragile, at any moment it can be taken away from you. For robots, it wasn’t as easy. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why there are many contentions between the robots and humans.

117 evaluated its surroundings. The vehicle inoperable, they had come to a full stop. Bullets still flying down towards them hitting the hull of the truck, cling clang from all directions, it wouldn’t stop. Both soldiers in the front were dead, head injuries similar to that of Ivan’s. The rest of its crew dead beside him, all but one other remains.

“We are UNDER ATTACK! I repeat UNDER ATTACK! Why the hell is command not responding!?!”

“It would seem that our communications are being jammed.” Replied 117.

“Shit!” He screamed.

117 continued to sit in its seat, while its comrade panicked, curled up real low, praying he wouldn't be struck by a bullet like the rest of the crew. Time dragged on for hours, when in fact only three minutes and twenty-eight seconds passed by. 117 knew this, under extreme stress humans will feel and perceive time differently, for 117 this was impossible.

“Sir it has calculated a possible route of escape, there is a forest nearby which we can seek shelter in.” It looked at him with a cold stern face.

“Shit”, bullets continued to whiz on by. “Do we have any other option?” 117 shook its head indicating that there was no other way.

“Everywhere else is an open field. We’d be shot, judging by the ammunition used. Our enemies are mounted on ray guns, usually deployed on land rovers. We could try running for the excavation site, but likely we’d get run over before making it.” 117 replied, assured the forest was the best route of escape. “It is confident the forest is the most practical move. They cannot maneuver their vehicles inside.”

He looks towards 117, doubt in his eyes, but nods, they both position towards the rear of the truck. His hands firmly gripped on the latch that would open the back hatch. “When I pull this we need to run as fast as we can.”

“May it suggests sir that it stays back to cover fire while you make the forest?” Robots are much, much faster than humans. In fact, they can run up to speeds of almost 50mph, whereas a human, only 28mph. Not to mention robots don’t need to rest or experience any kind of physical strain, unless damaged.

“No! We both know you are much faster and the likelihood of you escaping is much greater. The mission is critical, we cannot fail. Here take this.” He handed 117 a chip device. “In case I don’t make it. You will need this to enter the excavation site. Without it, they will not let you pass.” 117 took the chip.

The hatch flew open. A gust of dirt and other debris made it difficult to see, they were completely exposed. “RUN!”

They darted towards the forest, 117 could hear some kind of machinery behind them. It stopped only a brief moment to scan.

117 is shot in the arm, his scan interrupted by an immense ionization charge. It didn’t need to know after that who their pursuers were, the Anarchist Suns.

The Anarchist Suns are a pirate faction, some of the galaxies most wanted and dangerous criminals operate within the ranks of the Anarchist Suns organization. They are not your typical raiders.

The Anarchist Suns are organized, renowned, and feared on every inhabited planet. Their methodology cruel and barbaric, yet efficient.

They rose to popularity during the twenty-third century, it was still pretty early on during the robot revolution. Small groups of humans formed anti-robot and pro-life groups to protest against conglomerates.

During a time where poverty and starvation were at an all-time high, employment very low, the business' needed to figure out a way to fix issues of in-productivity. So like anything in life solutions will always be made. Robots were the solution too many of our needs.

Of course, no one would like this change, it happened very fast, thousands of people were replaced in favor of machines who could do the work ten times faster. You didn’t have to pay a robot to do the work either.

Tensions rose in all facets of life. Groups formed, these groups turned into larger communities, those communities turned into factions, factions formed alliances. Which brings us to now, the Anarchist Suns.

Normal bullets wouldn’t phased 117. The sudden ion charge was quite a bit different, it panicked.

“System integrity critical.” 117 immediately turned around and darted towards the forest quickly gaining momentum. A rumble beneath the surface stopped both of them in their tracks.

“What the hell is that?” 117 stood in place with no reply.

A ray of light came soaring like a comet toward them. “AARRGGH!” The the man screamed as his body disintegrated, leaving a pile of ash in his place.

Disintegration weapons are illegal in all parts of the galaxy. They were banned during the Liscarian War. A species of sentient lizard-like humanoids. Seeing the remains of its comrade was troubling news.

Was the Liscarian Order somehow involved with the Anarchist Suns? Too many computations at once, 117 couldn’t waste any more time standing out in the open. It made way for the forest.

Zoosh! Bullets continued to whiz on by. The forest ever so close now, just at the edge, 117 made a dive towards the edge of the foliage. Finally safety, but only for a moment. For now their vehicles wouldn't be able to make it past the tree line.

117 got up and continued to run, towards the deeper end of the forest. "Get that damn synth!" A voice screamed from behind.

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_{Stay tuned for more.}