Blood and Iron (36 page)

‘I want to speak to the Emperor immediately,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. ‘On the radio.’

The poor robot looked terrified as he swung back to face the equipment.

‘I’m sorry, Silence. The Honoured Commander insists that he speak to the Emperor immediately.’

There was a pause, and Wa-Ka-Mo-Do could imagine the consternation at the other end of the line. He could see the current surging through the radio operator’s body.

‘
Sangrel, your commander is displaying a remarkable lack of understanding of the protocols of court. We suggest you relay this to him.
’

‘There is no need!’ wailed the terrified man. ‘He is standing beside me now!’

Another prolonged silence followed. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do looked at the second operator.

‘What’s your name?’ he asked.

‘Li-Kallalla, Honoured Commander.’

‘And I am Go-Ver-Dosai,’ said the one who bore the knot insignia. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do ignored him as the voice on the radio said:

‘
Sangrel, this is Silence. Your commander is indeed honoured amongst robots. Prepare to receive a message dictated by the Emperor himself, as relayed by the Silver Guard.
’

Li-Kallalla looked around in astonishment.

‘Such a thing has
never
happened in the past, Honoured Commander.’

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do lowered his head and waited for the response, doing his best to appear dignified, but all the time feeling waves of relief surging through his body. At last the Emperor had been made aware of the situation. At last he understood what was happening to the robots of Sangrel.

The radio crackled, and a voice spoke.

‘
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, of Ko of the state of Ekrano in the High Spires, Commander of the Emperor’s Army of Sangrel. Hear the words of the Emperor, dictated to his servant.
’

Out of respect, the two radio operators stood to attention. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do found himself doing the same.

‘
The Emperor wishes it to be known that the situation in Sangrel is in harmony with his wishes. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, his commander of the army of Sangrel, is to continue in his duties, and to offer all support to the humans that the Emperor has been pleased to welcome within his province. The wishes of the humans are paramount, and the Emperor would not wish himself to be disgraced in the eyes of his guests by being seen to place the needs of his subjects above those that he has welcomed into his lands.
’

Rank and roles were forgotten for just a moment as Wa-Ka-Mo-Do and the two radio robots looked at one another.

‘
To be specific, the Emperor wishes his commander to understand that he is to place himself under the command of the Emperor’s guests and to aid them in any way they request. Any actions otherwise would be deemed treachery to the Emperor. Is this understood?
’

The two radio robots gazed at Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, who remained motionless, staring at the black mouth of the speaker.

‘
I repeat, Sangrel, is this understood? We wish to hear this from the mouth of the commander himself.
’

Li-Kallalla flicked a switch and looked up at Wa-Ka-Mo-Do.

‘
Is this understood, Commander?
’

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do felt the current building in his electromuscles.

‘
Is this understood?
’

‘Yes,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. ‘I understand.’

‘
Very well. Continue with your duty, Honoured Commander. Silence out.
’

Li-Kallalla flicked some more switches, and then turned back to gaze at Wa-Ka-Mo-Do.

‘Do you have any more orders, Honoured Commander?’

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do was lost in thought.

‘Honoured Commander?’

‘What is going on?’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. ‘What is going on, Li-Kallalla?’

‘I do not know, Honoured Commander.’

The two robots were nervous and embarrassed by Wa-Ka-Mo-Do’s behaviour. No wonder. He was addressing them as equals. He couldn’t help it.

‘If we follow the Emperor’s commands then the robots of this city will all be killed,’ he said.

‘If those are the Emperor’s wishes . . .’ began Go-Ver-Dosai.

‘Don’t you understand, their deaths would be my responsibility.’

‘Honoured Commander! Please do not touch me!’

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do realized he had seized Go-Ver-Dosai’s arm. Slowly, he let go.

‘The only thing protecting the humans at the moment is my troops! If I pull them back the humans would be wiped out and peace and harmony would return to Sangrel.’

‘Such talk is treachery!’ Go-Ver-Dosai was horrified. ‘You heard the Emperor!’

‘I know. I know.’ He turned to Li-Kallalla. The younger robot was nervous, trapped between two superiors. ‘What do you think is going on?’ he asked.

‘I don’t know, Honoured Commander,’ burbled the young robot, his voicebox slipping out of phase. ‘I wouldn’t presume to understand the mind of the Emperor.’

‘No. Nor would I. And yet perhaps it is the minds of the humans we should understand. They appear to be the new rulers of San-grel.’

‘More treachery! The Emperor rules all of Yukawa!’

‘Be silent, Go-Ver-Dosai! I am one of the Eleven!’

‘The Eleven are subservient to the Emperor. Or are the stories true? Do you subscribe to some higher power? The heresy of the Book of Robots runs throughout the High Spires.’

‘I subscribe to the truth, Go-Ver-Dosai. And we are not seeing the truth at the moment, I know it. Li-Kallalla. Tell me, where else are there humans on Yukawa? You operate the radio. You must know.’

‘He doesn’t know, Honoured Commander,’ said Go-Ver-Dosai firmly. ‘We do not speak of anything but what we are directed to.’

‘
I
am directing Li-Kallalla to speak. You will be silent.’

The young robot looked from one superior to the other, terrified.

‘I don’t know for sure, Commander. But . . .’ he hesitated.

‘Yes, Li-Kallalla?’

‘Well, there were said to be humans in Ell.’

‘That is classified information, Li-Kallalla!’

‘Go-Ver-Dosai, you
will
be silent! Li-Kallalla, I am your superior. Nothing you know is classified from
me
!’

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do felt the current begin to surge once more. Ell again. The robots of the city had written that name as graffiti. What was happening in Ell?

‘You imply that there are no longer humans in Ell?’ he said, carefully.

Li-Kallalla lowered his gaze.

‘Well, Honoured Commander, no one is quite sure what is happening in Ell. They no longer speak on the radio, they are no longer mentioned at all in any of the official reports—’

‘Li-Kallalla, be quiet!’

In one fluid movement, Wa-Ka-Mo-Do drew his sword and brought the point up beneath the chin of Go-Ver-Dosai. ‘I am the commander of this city,’ he said. ‘This is the last time I will mention this. I will instruct my troops what to do.’

‘We are not your troops!’ said Go-Ver-Dosai.

‘Then you are but a civilian, and will follow my orders or die. Li-Kallalla, go on. What do you know of Ell?’

‘Nothing. Only that on the day before you arrived there was a blast of static across the radio frequencies that burned out half the equipment here. It came from the direction of Ell.’

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do thought for a moment.

‘How strong a blast?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Strong enough to kill a robot?’

‘I don’t know.’

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do slowly lowered his sword.

‘I don’t like this,’ he said. ‘I don’t like this at all. Who are we to trust?’

‘Trust your Emperor!’ said Go-Ver-Dosai.

‘I’m not sure I do,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. ‘I no longer believe he is the true power here in Yukawa. And even if he were, then is it right that we should follow a man who would sanction the death of so many of his own people?’

‘Hah! You are not of the high born, are you?’ challenged Go-Ver-Dosai. ‘If you were, you would not ask such questions!’

‘Silence,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, raising his sword once more.

‘I will not be silent in the face of such treason, Honoured Commander. Your duty is clear. You heard the words of the Emperor himself.’

‘I heard the voice of one claiming to speak for the Emperor.’

‘So what? Since when does a low-born robot have the right to question the Emperor?’

‘Since the Emperor proved he was not worthy of command. I will not place myself in the service of these humans!’

‘Then you are a traitor!’

‘Maybe I am!’

And as he spoke the words he felt the great drain on his current, which had sucked his energy these past few days, finally disconnect. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do felt as if he had cleaned the rust from his mind. He felt as if he was thinking clearly at last.

‘Maybe I am a traitor,’ he repeated. ‘But at last I am doing what is right! There will be no robots left in this city unless I act!’

‘They will send orders to have you relieved of your command!’

That silenced Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. Go-Ver-Dosai was right. What was he to do?

He looked at the radio equipment, and an idea dawned upon him. It was a terrifying thought, but he was already a traitor.

‘Destroy the radio equipment,’ he said.

‘No!’ That was Li-Kallalla. ‘Honoured Commander, please, no!’

‘We have no choice, Li-Kallalla. Destroy it.’

Go-Ver-Dosai stepped forward.

‘I will not allow this.’

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do brought his sword up once more. Go-Ver-Dosai laughed.

‘You are indeed without grace. You challenge me when I am unarmed?’

‘Then you take my sword, Go-Ver-Dosai,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, handing it over. As the other robot took it, Wa-Ka-Mo-Do pushed his arm, thrusting the sword into one of the amplifiers. White sparks crackled. Go-Ver-Dosai lashed back with one foot, but Wa-Ka-Mo-Do dodged easily.

Go-Ver-Dosai paused, getting the balance of the sword.

‘No grace!’ he scoffed. ‘The fight had not even begun. And will you help me, Li-Kallalla? Or will you see the radio destroyed?’

‘I don’t know,’ the young robot said, miserably.

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do reached out and pushed a stack of equipment to the floor. They heard the valves inside popping.

Go-Ver-Dosai laughed.

‘And how long do you think it will take to rebuild that? A day at most!’

‘A day may be all we have,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, and he lunged as Go-Ver-Dosai thrust the sword at him, made to grab the robot’s hand, was surprised as the sword was whipped around to drag a long scratch across the scarlet metal of his arm. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do sprang to the side, took hold of Go-Ver-Dosai’s wrist and pulled him forward, sending him tumbling over the broken equipment that lay on the floor.

‘You are not without skill, Go-Ver-Dosai, but I am clearly your superior.’

‘Maybe so. But I will retain my honour. Can you say the same?’

‘Perhaps not,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, sadly.

And as Go-Ver-Dosai thrust forward again, Wa-Ka-Mo-Do took his arm and pulled him over, landed on top of him, his elbow pressed against the other’s shoulder, an awl in his hand.

‘You wouldn’t dare kill me!’ said Go-Ver-Dosai.

‘I already have,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, and they both heard the crackle of current discharging into the damaged radio equipment.

‘What do you mean?’ said Li-Kallalla, and then he understood what was happening. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do was shorting the coil. That crackle was the sound of Go-Ver-Dosai’s lifeforce being expended in seconds rather than years. The surge was so intense the metal of the nearby transceivers was melting.

‘Traitor!’ screeched Go-Ver-Dosai, his voice way too loud, distorting the malforming speaker. Sparks wriggled their way down the length of this body. ‘You will betray this city too.’

‘I will do my best for its people,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do.

‘You betrayed the Emperor. What’s to stop you betraying the people too?’

The words struck home.

‘I will be loyal to this city . . .’

‘Will you?’

‘Yes!’

He realized he was arguing with a dying man. This was not behaviour worthy of a warrior of Ekrano.

‘Yes,’ he repeated. ‘I will. This city will be safe in my charge.’

‘Will it?’ asked the dying robot. His body was melting, the heat of his mind was radiating from the metal. ‘Then what about Jai-Lyn?’

‘Jai-Lyn?’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, confused by the sudden change of subject. ‘Jai-Lyn? What has she to do with Sangrel?’

‘Nothing,’ said the robot. ‘Yet she asks for your help. Three times now we have received messages from Ka, asking for you by name.’

‘Jai-Lyn asked for me? Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘The Vestal Virgins ordered us not to.’ His voice distorted. His mind was melting. ‘They
buzzz
saw the
buzzzz
treachery in your
buzzz
mind.’