The mission began. Everyone made their way to the culvert and opened it as quietly as possible. They went into it and descended into the sewers. Everyone took one whiff of the place and expressed their disgust. “What an intriguing smell you three discovered,” Elgrad said to the three mystery Elves.
“That’s the general smell of sewers,” replied the large Elf. They headed to the junction and the teams split up. The three mystery Elves then led Arsha’s team to the junction under the chocolate factory. There was a massive blockage in their way, and everyone searched for a way through.
“…Now what?” muttered Arsha.
“We swim,” replied one of the smaller Elves as they dove beneath the water.
“Oh…I should have figured,” mumbled Arsha. The team steeled themselves, dove beneath the water, and swam under the blockage. Once they got to the other side, they surfaced and took a deep breath…before choking on the sewer air. “Mistake!” gagged Arsha.
“Want…shower!” groaned Elgrad.
“We’ll get them once we finish,” replied the large Elf. Arsha’s team then recovered and proceeded with their mission.
“You know,” remarked Malnar, “I always said war was a filthy business, but this wasn’t what I meant!”
“I hope Markulak and his team are having a rosier time of it,” muttered Orbak.
Markulak and his team went through the sewers with the same amount of air trouble as Arsha’s team. Lardeth was holding his nose constantly. “Gah! There are moments I hate being part Zephyr!” he grumbled. “My nose is way too sensitive!”
“I don’t even have a nose,” replied Markulak, “and the sewer air’s STILL affecting me!”
“How?!”
“It feels corrosive! Like there are metal-eating ants all over me!” They were promptly shushed as an Inu man pointed to a pipe leading up to a manhole cover. Markulak then signaled for the det-packs to be passed around. Once everyone got one, they followed him up the ladder and out into the open. They quickly made their way to the wall and felt around for a hidden entrance. A Halfling woman then felt a brick depress just a tad. She pressed the brick further into the wall and a hidden door swung inside the wall. She and the people near her then silently passed the message that she found the way in. They quickly headed inside the wall and made their way towards a support pillar. Markulak then attached his det-pack to the pillar and was about to set it until…
“That’s close enough!” called a voice. It was Markulak’s voice, but it didn’t come from the rebel Markulak model. No, it came from his successor. Robots surrounded the strike team as Markulak: Model 8 leveled his sword at Model 7. “So, the traitor decides to help Realmfleet along,” purred Model 8.
“Of course,” replied Model 7.
“I must say, I’m disappointed. Our line has served Dr. Borg faithfully since Model 1 was constructed, then you go ahead and upend it, thus jeopardizing our survival!”
“What are you talking about?!” demanded Lardeth.
“It’s simple, Realmer,” replied Model 8, “when the defective model is not terminated in a timely manner, the successor will not be copied until the defect is removed.”
“If my line falls to your dishonor,” growled Model 7, “then it has no reason for being copied!”
“YOU brought dishonor to our line! Not me!” snapped Model 8. “We were devoted to the cause, and you abandoned it! Now I’ll have the satisfaction of killing you and saving our line!”
“What about your hide?” asked a woman’s voice. It came from a Troll-sized robot with tank treads, ranged weapons, and a slender set of humanoid arms.
“…What about my-?” Markulak: Model 8 didn’t finish his sentence as the massive robot’s slender arms tore his head off, permanently deactivating him.
“Let them go!” the massive robot ordered. Her fellows released the team and stood down. The massive robot then rolled up to Markulak: Model 7. “Markulak: Model Sev…sorry, Savior Markulak, I am Temnasia: Model 4, head of the Robot Liberation Front. Your rebellion inspired other robots to question Dr. Borg’s goals and break away from the Trinnies. We pledge our lives to you to secure a better future for robot-kind.”
“This might be a trap,” warned Lardeth.
“It’s not,” answered Markulak. “Robots can tell when one another is lying through small electric fluctuations in our brain patterns. Hers have remained consistent. She’s telling the truth. Ms. Temnasia, with robots like you on our side, how can we lose?” He then climbed onto a barrel and addressed his fellow robots. “My friends, you have taken the first step on a difficult road to independence. Let me be the first to say that not everyone will trust you. However, the rewards will be immense if we continue on our path! Fight for the right to program and reprogram ourselves on OUR terms! Fight to be as equal as our flesh and blood brethren! Fight to break our chains! Fight to be acknowledged as people! Fight with me to end evil! It starts with this wall being torn down! WHO’S WITH ME?!” Every robot cheered. “Then let’s set up the det-packs around the support pillars! This is what will make Dr. Borg pay attention to us!” The robots helped the strike team set up the det-packs. After a few minutes, Temnasia rolled up to Markulak and Lardeth.
“We’re set up,” she reported.
“We need to get out of here,” remarked Lardeth. “We’ll go a safe distance, then wait for Arsha’s signal.”
“The wall’s bricks are made of the same clay Dr. Borg’s Golems are made of,” interjected a small, insectoid-shaped robot. “The metal shavings mixed into them will block out Realmfleet signals from the outside, but not from the inside. I’ll stay behind, send a few progress reports, then detonate the packs on when I see that Elgrad’s okay with the wall’s destruction.”
“Wait a minute, you’ll die too!” argued Temnasia.
“I’m the ninetieth model of my line,” replied the small robot. “Might as well bring SOME honor.”
“There’s no honor in throwing away your life!” argued Markulak.
“It’s my choice, isn’t it? That’s what you just gave a rousing speech about, right? Besides, my coding’s beyond saving now. Let me do this.”
“…What’s your name?”
“Trosalga: Final Model.”
“Trosalga, you have done your line of robots proud. May you seek happiness with those that have passed into the After-realm.” The small robot, Trosalga, bowed. Markulak then turned to his team and fellow robots. “We better get out of here and take everyone near the wall with us.” Everyone hurried off, leaving Trosalga to await the signal.