‘I understand.’ Gillian beamed. ‘But there is another solution, you realize? A much simpler one.’
‘Yes?’ Gillian leaned forward, listening carefully. ‘And what’s that?’
‘If you were to leave this city, there would be no reason for an attack to take place.’
There was a moment’s silence, and the human adopted an expression that Wa-Ka-Mo-Do could not quite read. She moved her head from side to side. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do knew from Rachael that this meant disagreement.
‘Sadly, Honoured Commander, it would just make the attack more likely. The attackers will seek to take control of this city themselves.’
And would that be any worse than your presence? wondered Wa-Ka-Mo-Do.
‘So, you will give your permission?’
‘I’ll think about it.’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do was suddenly flushed with self-doubt. What had he done? By destroying the radio he had completely isolated himself. He had placed himself in charge of this dreadful mess, and he didn’t know what to do next. What if removing the guns left the city open to worse attack? How was he to know?
‘You’ll think about it?’ said the woman, and something in her attitude hardened. ‘I thought it was understood, this city is a gift to the humans from the Emperor.’
‘A gift?’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, and he felt double a lurch of betrayal, one by his Emperor, one by himself. ‘I wasn’t told about that. I was only told to command the Emperor’s Army of San-grel.’
‘Robot, there-’
‘My title is Honoured Commander. You will show me respect by using it!’
Her eyes widened at the tone of his voice. Even through his annoyance he saw the way her animal body tensed, and then relaxed.
‘Fine. Honoured Commander, there will be another attack tonight. Would you hinder it? What would your Emperor say?’
‘I don’t know. Nor have I the means to find out. The radio is destroyed.’
‘Destroyed? How?’
‘Just destroyed. I said I will think about your request. You may go.’
The woman looked at him for a moment, and he caught a hint of Rachael in her expression.
Rachael! thought Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. Where is she? Did she live through the attack? He hadn’t thought of her since returning to the city; he had been too busy dealing with the fallout. Jai-Lyn, Rachael… He hadn’t exactly promised the human he would look after her, but even so
But, to his relief, here she came now, there amongst a group of humans that had just emerged from the western gate. She wore different panelling today, something of a heavier cloth, it showed very little of her skin, it concealed the shape of her body rather than displaying it to the world, as had been her style in the past. The other humans were dressed in the same manner; they were almost like the soldiers that guarded them, the long black spikes of their rifles held not quite pointing at the ground.
Rachael was marching with her father, part of the group of the more important humans. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do looked for the anthracite-skinned ambassador, with his iron skin, but he couldn’t see him.
‘Honoured Commander!’
A woman stepped forward. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do recognized her as Captain Littler, La-Ver-Di-Arussah’s equivalent amongst the human soldiers.
‘Captain,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. He watched the little light on her headset flicker as he spoke, translating his words.
‘Honoured Commander, we must apologize for what has occurred in this city last night! I hope you understand that we are not ourselves without losses. Ambassador Mbeki died in the Emperor’s Palace.’
‘That is a great sadness,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. ‘Many robots also died last night.’
‘We’re sorry, truly we are.’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do couldn’t read her face. Was that expression one of genuine sorrow? Whatever it was, it vanished immediately.
‘But Honoured Commander, you must understand, this is not the end. Our intelligence tells us that we will be attacked again tonight. We must take appropriate defensive action!’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do asked the question that no one else seemed yet to have asked.
‘Why was this city attacked by other humans?’
He saw Rachael staring at him, her copper sulphate eyes willing him on. Willing him to do what?
Captain Littler had lost her voice. She was speaking to the other humans, but the light on her headset stayed dark. The unpleasantly wet organic sounds she made annoyed Wa-Ka-Mo-Do unduly. Now she turned to him and that little light began flashing once more.
‘I am sorry, Honoured Commander, that we did not tell you the full truth earlier, but you will understand our embarrassment. You see, one of our units has gone rogue. A company of soldiers have broken away from our command; they seek to overthrow the legitimate government of Sangrel in order that they might exploit your land.’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do watched Rachael as Captain Littler spoke. He tried to read the expression on the young woman’s soft face. She was trying to tell him something, he was certain of it.
‘A company of your soldiers?’
‘You must sympathize, Honoured Commander. After all, your own robots seek to rebel against you.’
Only since you came here, thought Wa-Ka-Mo-Do.
‘I am sorry to say some of this rebellion was fuelled by humans.’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do thought of the petrol cans back in the fields. The human-made cans.
‘But believe me, Honoured Commander, once captured, they will be made to pay for their actions. For now, though, we need your help.’
‘And you may have it, Captain Littler. Only not at the expense of the robots under my command.’
He saw La-Ver-Di-Arussah and Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah approaching, hurrying across the square. Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah was wearing another robot’s arm.
‘I was pulled into a crowd,’ he explained. ‘They wrenched my own from me.’
‘I took that arm from another robot,’ said La-Ver-Di-Arussah. ‘Honoured Commander, is there discord between you and the humans?’
‘There is no discord, only misunderstanding,’ said Captain Littler, smoothly. ‘I’m sure that the commander will aid us to his fullest ability.’
‘Of course I will.’
‘Honoured Commander,’ said La-Ver-Di-Arussah, ‘I know your feelings on this matter, but may I strongly suggest we open fire on the crowd below in order to encourage their dispersal? They are getting angry.’