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"Orbiting Csyla 4." "We found a breeder." Temos was on the surface. A remote cave region. He had investigated some of the caves nearby to discover the units for Pettifers Petties. A scourge across the galaxies. Perpetuated by the 'Corporations'. Pettifer manufactured by the thousands, these so called 'Petties'.
"You need to take a look Janis, map out the interior in your mind and let me know logistics on moving that lot!"
Stepping into the cavern he could see the wall ahead. On first inspection, you would think that that, was all there was to this.
Walk up to the wall and you would see, to the side, an opening. That led you into the main cavern beyond.
All the equipment, those 'Embryonic' units, the power couplers and a stack of other ancillary equipment. ALL money making salvage.
He walked around, nothing untoward. Usual set up to the one he had come across with Temos some two years previously.
"I think you will find the latest batch has been dispatched. Judging by the size of the place I reckon it could be upwards of 500 of em. You seen any tracks nearby. Cargo freighter scorching on the rocks?" "Nope. Nothing recent." Janis scratched his head.
He was sure of being right about the last batch. If they had not left the place, then where were they?
Moving deeper into the cavern beyond, he lost coms with Temos. It did not, at that point in time, worry him. Opening a large hatchway, he found the control module, activated the switch gear. As the large panel slid back his head bobbed forwards his eyelids flared, his eyes not believing what he was seeing. Row upon row of the things.
In stasis. Not moving, He stepped up to one, stared at it. Tapped it on the shoulder.
The eyes, open, fixed. No movement. Just staring ahead. All of those he looked at, different features, colors of eyes, hair but all of them stood eerily still.
Tempted as he was to walk further in amongst them he changed his mind. It spooked him. It was as he went to leave that he heard a noise. He glanced towards where, the sound had come from. To the side, on the wall something moved. |
His eyes shifted to see another movement, another, another. At least four but what?
Directly in front of him, unseen by him, his attention diverted elsewhere? The form moved. No the forms moved. All of them coming to life! He had realised the moment his eyes shifted back to the Petty. A howl from him. Lets remember he was already spooked out! Those things? 6 legged Metschoids. There to protect the facility, especially the Petties!
Temos had been stood next to the Zimp when he saw Janis running towards him, his arms raised, screaming at him.
Unable to discern what the heck he was saying. Closer to him he could hear him telling him to get aboard the zimp and close the hatch! Seconds pass before they are safely secured in the zimp.
In front of them. A Metschoid! "Why is it not moving? Attacking us?"
"I suspect its waiting for the cargo freighter. If that finds us we're toast. It probably knows that."
"We could take the droids out, no problem. I've two shockers onboard will scramble their controls."
"Hold on its moving." Out of the entrance? Petty after Petty. Forming up in front of them and now moving towards them.
"Change of plans. You never said anything about them! Metschoids, no problem, Petty after Petty?"
Janis felt the ripple of the plasma fired across the engines as the zimp started to rise. Minutes later they were gone.
"How many?" "At least a thousand." "Just think lad, being mobbed by that lot!" Temos started to laugh.
"Hey, before we go, there wasn't one, you took a fancy to now was there?!" Janis scowled.
"Glad you find it so amusing! When we come back, you're first in the cavern!" Temos stopped laughing.
A smile forming across the lips of Janis.
Petties? Female or male. Elegant, witty and entertaining. Their arrival at Colonies and sometimes remote outposts was often welcomed by the males, short of females? Pleasant in manner and witty with the banter.
What lay beneath the surface of his creations coming to the surface was the sole purpose for their existence.
To breed discontent, disharmony was the true makeup of his creations. Turning on each other, the males, the workers, the colonists could kill, maim. A whole Colony with civil unrest disruption. War.
Hence they were nicknamed Petties for a reason. Their ability to cause petty arguments. Their powers of reasoning were unbelievable. Try and argue a point you feel you are an expert on, knowledgeable and potent with? Or discuss an issue, general or political. Watch the Petty turn the objective into a scenario where as said, the Colonists would turn on each other.
When they wised up to the truth it was decided to take action against the things. Reprogram them. Servants whatever.
Could, with the earlier variants, done. When Pettifer found out how his Petties were being modified, abused!
He flew into a rage. Decided he would include a surprise for those who dared to interfere with his creations.
Attempt to immobilise and or reprogram them and Kaboom! They blew up. Enough to kill those in close proximity.
Eventually it got to such a level, the things were outlawed. If you found one, you could terminate it, BEFORE it went Kaboom! Favorite pastime for some, blowing their heads of. From a safe distance and isolated of course from others.
It would not take long, for Pettifer to discover, his creations were being lined up like ducks in a shooting gallery.
Some time later a delighted group of Petty hunters blew the head off one of them. Leaned in to take bits off it.
When it went Kaboom! He had planted a second device.
Thousands were to die before the realization hit home and respect returned for his creations. Only professionals with licences were permitted to take them out. Bounty hunters could earn good money or rewards for terminating them.
Those hunters did not worry Pettifer. In comparison to the freelance hunters they were few and far between, PLUS you had to be sure it was a Petty, not someone you didn't like!
Delays in summoning them, to take one out, meant the Petty had a good chance of escaping. The later models had an Ai that reasoned. It could determine a threat and respond accordingly. Kaboom or flee, whereas at one stage, Kaboom, was, the only option. Why did the suspicion exist that the Corporations were financing his Petties?
Causing Colonies to go to civil war, attack other colonies and they could move in, restore order, terminate the pest before establishing a strong foothold. Colonists could have weathered extremes to establish themselves, spent time wasted
finding resources? By the time the Corporations moved in, a lot of that had been done for them. Cost them nothing!
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