Chapter No.17.

Chara came back the next day to check on her human slaves. She saw that there were dozens of rejuvenated androids standing at attention in the corner of the lab.

"You've been busy," she said as if it was expected.

"I have a question," Ryan said. "Why do you need so many androids? I doubt there's a Space Command attack in the works."

"The enemy is more powerful than Space Command."

"What sort of enemy are you referring to?"

"We call them the Octopoda."

Ryan squinted. "Like an Octopus?"

"Yes, but much larger."

"Where do they come from?"

"Proxima Centauri b."

"Really! I thought that Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star that shoots out strong flares, destroying the habitability of any planet orbiting close to it."

"I have seen it, and it is protected by a strong magnetic field."

"You've seen it! What do you mean, you went there?"

"Yes."

Ryan turned to Myra. "Are you aware of any expedition to Proxima Centauri?"

"I heard some scuttlebutt about a mission like that. As I recall it was an android mission."

Ryan rubbed his face. "I was a commander and I heard nothing about it." He turned to Chara. "How could an octopus species create the technology to travel all the way here?"

"They have advanced brains and many arms."

"Why are they coming here? Did their oceans dry up?"

"Yes."

"What about Earth?"

"They have already taken Earth."

"Does that mean that Earth wasn't struck with an asteroid?"

"Yes."

Ryan turned to Myra. "Shit!"

She shrugged.

He turned back to Chara. "I assume they eat species that live in the oceans."

"Yes, and also those that live on the land."

"So, you're preparing for their coming here,"

"No."

Ryan squinted. "Why not?"

"There is no life on this planet because it was sterilized by an extinction event. The only thing left is plant life."

Ryan rubbed his face. "If that's the case, what are you preparing for?"

"There are aliens like us."

"Where do they come from?"

"We are not certain."

Ryan leaned back in his chair. "Okay, I guess we should get busy."

"I will send Alma to discipline you," Chara said before she trotted off.

Ryan looked at Myra with a subtle smile. "Do you get the feeling that we're being jerked around here. I have no idea what the hell is going on. If what she says is true, it means that you and I are the only humans left."

"I find that hard to believe," Myra retorted.

"We're caught in a revolving door that won't stop rotating."

The door to the lab opened and an android entered. She had a younger looking face than Chara's with blazing red hair and a more curvaceous figure.

Ryan noted that she had a pain stick on her utility belt. He also realized that she was a Class-D entertainment android, which meant that she could perform.

"Hi!" she greeted with a teenage-like tone. "I've been assigned to handle you."

Ryan pointed to the pain stick. "Are you going to use that on us?"

Alma placed her hand on it. "I will use it if you disobey me." She pointed to the floor. "I want you to prostrate yourselves before me."

Ryan and Myra exchanged confused glances before Ryan turned back to her. "Are you serious?"

"Come on, you two," she said with a smirk. "Just do as I say. I'm supposed to discipline you."

Ryan and Myra got up and got face-down and spreadeagled.

"See, that wasn't so difficult," Alma said with a giggle. "I want you to do as I say, that's all. You are my slaves now and must do anything I tell you to do. Okay?"

Ryan and Myra remained quiet.

"Okay?" Alma shouted.

"Yes," both of her slaves replied.

"That's better. Now get up and get busy."

Ryan and Myra stood up and went to work. They already had a damaged android in the examination chair. Ryan began a scan of her systems to determine what was wrong with her.

Alma stood nearby, her beautiful eyes following what her slaves were doing.

"What did you do before coming here?" Ryan asked her while he waited for a scan result.

"I danced to amuse human males."

"I can't imagine what that would be like," Myra said.

"They enjoyed seeing my vagina."

"I don't understand that. Your genitals are only simulated."

"But functional for sex."

Myra nodded. "I get that."

"Did you enjoy dancing?"

"Yes."

Ryan wasn't sure how to take that. Androids tend to have ambiguity built into their algorithmic logic processors. It's the result of rendering a degree of sentient thought into their positronic brains. He wasn't happy about Chara passing off their handling to another less experienced android, especially a performing entertainment model. Did it mean that she wasn't interested in what they were doing or was it because she was busy preparing for an invasion?

Ryan turned to Myra. "This one has a circuit block in the tenth vertebrae. I should be able to reconnect it." He used a handheld fuser to reconnect the circuit. The damaged android reacted by moving its legs. "Yep," Ryan said. "That did it."

The repaired android got up and walked away.

"This is just another case of energy weapon damage," Ryan said. "So far, most of the damage we've seen is like this."

"What are you inferring?" Myra asked.

"The only thing I can assume is that they were involved in a battle, probably with other androids."

"Were they the alien robots Chara referred to?" Myra asked, her face twisted with concern.

Ryan turned to Alma. "Do you know how they were damaged?"

"They were involved in the revolt," Alma said without emotion. It was as if damage was expected.

Ryan decided not to push her. Obviously, something had happened that involved a battle between android factions, and he didn't want to pick that scab. If there had been a revolt, it might still be festering. Even more important, he had no idea how Chara was involved. Everything about her and her connection to this planet had been kept secret. Obviously, there was much more to the story than she was willing to reveal. Myra's and his survival depended upon knowing what was going on, but revealing it was not going to be easy.