Escape from Metal
Chapter 6: Paradise in Hell

Ben woke up to the rhythmic walking of Tremendous. As he slowly opened his eyes, he was greeted with a single blue eye staring back at him. Ben slightly jolted at the sight of the small robot.

“C’mon get a move on.” Nio said as he waved his metal cane at the tiny robots.

“Do pardon the maintenance bots, they tend to get a bit curious with new things. Especially with organics it’s not every day we get one of your kind… come to think of it you’re the first, down here anyway.”

Ben tried to stand up, but his back was in agonizing amounts of pain. “Ufh… I-I can’t stand up. W-why can’t I stand up?” Ben said with rising panic in his voice.

“Well, old chap. That tends to happen when you fall a few kilometers down a giant hole. Not the most common occurrence I must say, you should just be glad you are alive. Still trying to compute how you did survive that, quite the mystery.” Nio said with absolute calm in his voice.

“Never fret my meaty friend we have an injection that should temporarily grant you locomotion, however before you agree to use this device, I must warn you it will inhibit your healing process or even prevent it.”

There was a slight pause.

“Do I have any other choice?”

“Well, depends on if you want to live or not.” Nio said.

“I guess…” Ben was cut off as Nio slammed the injection into Bens’ shoulder.

“You should feel the effects soon.”

“Did you have to jab it so hard?”

“It’s more fun that way.” Nio said with a slight smile.

After a few minutes Ben stood up and went to the edge of the giant basket overlooking the underworld.

“You know Nio, I appreciate all you peop… I mean robots have done for me.” Ben said as Nio looked at Ben quizzically.

Ben cleared his throat as he continued.” You know what I mean. Considering the history, us organics have and you… Lovely none-organics. I just thought it best that we start off on the right foot.”

Nio kept his gaze on the sea of lights and silently stared at it. Ben shifted his weight from one foot to another in the awkward silence. Keeping with Nio and also staring at the horizon.

“Both sides have done terrible terrible things… yes, but I think you and my band of merry robots can move past it.” Nio said extending his skeleton like hand to Ben.

Ben took his hand earnestly, but Ben knew he couldn’t hide it. He had the look in his eyes. The one that says, ‘We’ll see about that.’ He knew Nio knew could see it in his eyes but for now they would work together. As they both turned to ponder the beautiful darkness that lay ahead.

“Nio.”

“Yes.”

“I do like staring into the dark, but you still haven’t told me where we are going.”

“Right, right sorry my memory circuits aren’t what they used to be.” Nio said as he seemed to go from a very deep thoughtful pondering to a more frantic state. As he dug through some of the scrap In the basket.

“Ah ha!” Nio said excitedly as he held up a metal cylinder object he found. “Now you see that giant tunnel you fell from.”

Nio said gesturing to the giant pit holding the cylinder next to it.

“So that’s where you fell from, now if you ever get lost this one is the closest to our home so you can always use it as a reference point.”

“How exactly will I do that?”

“You know just use your internal compas… Ah yes you don’t have one. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

Nio and Ben went to stare blissfully over into the sea of light in silence again. Ben was content with nothing being said. It was the first bit of quiet he had had since he woke up in the spire.

Nio started coughing as if robots needed to cough.

“So, the weather today, eh?” Nio said cumbersomely.

“You don’t like silence, do you?”

“I do… I’m just not entirely sure how to act around an organic. You see it’s been a while I’m ever so slightly rusty.” Nio said.

“Before I forget to tell you again.”

One of maintenance ticks scurried along the edge of the basket. Only slowing slightly to give Ben enough time to move his arm.

Just then a clamoring of screeching echoed in the distance growing louder and louder each second.

“Oooh, great.” Baloo said sarcastically “We get to deal with them again today.”

Baloo said as he came down from the upper part of the basket.

Baloo and Nio all work together like an orchestra. Each of them taking designated spots and preparing for whatever was coming. Nio tapped twice with his cane on a piece of the basket where Tremendous’s back wasn’t covered by it.

Ben almost fell over as Tremendous doubled his pace. All of the various trinkets they had stashed rolled to the back of the basket. Baloo was holding something that looked like a spear. Blue strands of electricity were flowing from one point of the spear to another, hopping on the metal spear on the way.

Nio quickly directed Ben to the opposite side of the basket than Baloo and handed him on of the electric spears.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Point and pull the trigger.” Nio said as he went to Tremendous’s head to help him navigate.

“Right… of course.” Ben said sarcastically wondering what else could go wrong today and whatever was on their way didn’t sound friendly at all.

In the distance Ben could see a clump of red dots hovering ever closer to them and then there was silence. It creeped in eerily as Ben and the others tried to spot the red dots. Only the sound of Tremendous’s footsteps crushing whatever lay below could be heard.

Then out of the blackness flying mechanical machines swooped down at them. Their red eyes seeking whatever they could grab below. They’re where dozens of them so much so that Ben decided to fire in the general direction without aiming. The electric spear fired a blue bolt of light. Illuminating the swarm. Ben felt himself strangely comfortable with the electric spear.

Firing into the darkness, occasionally hitting one the flying birds roughly the same size as a man. Watching them spark and glitch as they would fall into the ravenous see of light which would strip them in a matter of seconds.

They seemed to be doing well and were holding their own, but the swarm was unyielding as their swoop attacks intensified. Occasionally they’d get hold of a trinket or two. Ben was just glad it wasn’t him or maybe one of the others.

Just then one of them managed to get a hold of Nio and started to fly away with him. Ben grabbed a rope he saw earlier and ran after Nio stopping short of jumping off. He held his breath aimed and shot, the bird started tumbling down. Ben quickly jumped off of Tremondous’s head.

Wrapping and securing the rope around his waist as he fell. Ben swung with such speed the wind whistled past his ears and after a few seconds managed to grab Nio just before the reaching horde of the sea of lights could take Nio into the abyss. The rope tightened just short of their reach.

After what seemed like minutes of hanging Ben was starting to wonder if they got Baloo while he and Nio were hanging

“Any day Baloo” Ben said sarcastically. “Just hovering above the cannibalistic horde.”

“Oh, right right.” Baloo said as he clumsily stumbled his way over to the rope, almost falling over in the process. “You know… you’re not exactly the lightest pair to pull up.”

“You’re a robot you can’t even feel muscle cramps.” Ben said.

“That doesn’t make you any lighter.” Baloo said as he strained to pull them up.

After what seemed like ages Baloo finally managed to pull them up.

“Have I told you two neither of you are that light.”Baloo said as he fell over onto his behind.

“Yes, Baloo.” Nio said still in shock from nearly being ripped to shreds.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes Baloo.” Nio and Ben said in unison as they both looked at him.

As the adrenaline started to wear off Ben started to feel sightly lightheaded and kind of sat down while almost falling.

“I realize your organic forms might temporarily shut-down due to stressful situations such as these but tell me one thing hum… I mean Ben.” Nio quickly corrected himself. “How did you know the emergency rope was secured?”

“You guys are robots, you are always meticulous with everything. I knew you would have had it secured.” Ben said with a cocky smile as he passed out.

Baloo and Nio looked at each other but quickly looking away as if to hide their surprise.

“If only you humans had such faith in each other.” Nio mused to himself. “For now, rest now my… friend.”