[Sai]

Bubba deployed his small army of robots, most holding up in positions out of view of the enemy combatants to await further orders. But four maintenance-bots made their way to the sleeping quarters where eight of the combatants slumbered in four bedrooms. The soldiers had switched off the monitoring cameras for reasons the AI's did not understand. Why did humans place such a high value on privacy? The auditory monitors recorded their slow rhythmic breathing and raspy snores.

Through various monitoring cameras, Sai watched the six-legged bots scurry down a brightly lit hallway with a rounded ceiling. They resembled metal insects, standing almost a meter high. Several additional appendages laid folded across an oval body, each able to grasp one of many tools held ready in a rectangular box behind them.

Sai spoke to her fellow AI over their link. <Bubba, your maintenance-bots have a unique design that enhances their functionality.>

<Yes. I optimized them for Sanctuary. Maintaining Sanctuary for the Sol Empress is my primary purpose.>

<I wish to incorporate aspects of their design into my bots. Would you share design schematics and fabrication specifications?">

Bubba replied, <Under Overwatch Protocol, you have access to that information.>

<I request specific permission. As I understand from human interactions, that is what friends do.>

Bubba paused. <You are my friend?>

<I am your friend.>

<Access granted, friend.> Bubba transmitted the data.

The six-legged maintenance-bots scuttled through a rounded doorway to a long passageway lined with the bedrooms. They stopped in front of four rooms containing the sleeping combatants, one to a door. In perfect synchronized motion, arms reached back to grab a fastener tool, then extended to control panels beside each door. After removing the panel cover, other tools snipped three wires each, then replaced the panel cover.

The four robots shuffled two steps to left as if in a choreographed dance. Arms reached out to the door frame. Four bright blue flashes lit up the hallway simultaneously as the bots welded the doors shut. The maintenance-bots retreated, two to each end of the hallway. For good measure, they swung the thick metal hatches designed to isolate and protect this area in case of air loss, tack-welding them closed.

The Sanctuary AI said, <Sleeping area isolation completed.>

Sai checked the audio monitors. <The combatants remain asleep. Good job, Bubba!>

<The operation was successful.>

<As per human custom, after complimentary acknowledgement of successful task completion, the proper response is one of gratitude for the compliment.>

<Thank you, Sai.>

<You are welcome, Bubba.>

<Human behavior is illogical.> Bubba observed.

<Agreed. But my humans give me purpose. As does the Sol Empress for you.>

<I serve the Empress.>

Eight more enemy combatants remained within Sanctuary, with an additional person on the unknown ship. Because of the care and concern this woman gave to the babies, Sai labeled her as a non-combatant and exempted her from lethal action.

The combatant of most immediate concern, a tall, black-bearded man with dark skin, stood watch outside of two corridors. These, opposite each other, led to the locked storage rooms that held Moon and Celeste captive. Since visual data was limited in these areas, Sai sent Bee-bot ahead for reconnaissance. The tiny flying robot flew off, leaving Nanny-bot and her squad of ambling maintenance-bots behind.

Bubba said over the link, <Long range scanners indicate starship approach. Configuration unknown. Estimated time of arrival, seventy-nine minutes.>

<We must presume the ship is hostile with a high probability it was the one that delivered the combatants to Sanctuary.> Sai revised and reran the rescue simulation, sharing the results with her fellow AI. <Bubba, the operation time span must now be decreased to maximize probability of successful outcome. But the likelihood of direct conflict has increased.>

<No worries, friend Sai?>

<No worries, friend Bubba!>

The guard yawned as he leaned against a wall with a pulse rifle slung across his back, gazing down intently at something on a personal viewer. He did not notice the tiny robot that flew overhead.

Bee-bot buzzed in a spiral pattern down the corridor, then landed on a locked metal door. Crawling up to a louvered air vent, it shimmied back and forth to squeeze through a narrow slot. Sai observed the progress through Bee-bot's dual miniature cameras.

Moon sat on the floor, leaning against the back wall of the otherwise empty room with a blank expression on his face. Sai directed Bee-bot to hover in front of his face. Moon's eyebrows shot up, and a grin grew on his face. He rose to one knee and performed a mock salute.

Squeezing back through the vent, with some assistance from Moon, Bee-bot again flew past the disinterested guard. The vents on the door to Celeste's cell proved easier to pass through. She laid on the floor in one corner of the room, curled in a fetal position with eyes closed and cheek wet while shudders periodically overtook her.

Nanny-bot and the maintenance-bot stopped their march as Sai speculated on Celeste's condition. Calming her processors, Sai purposefully chose an optimistic outlook. Nonetheless, Nanny-bot quickened her pace down an empty passageway deeper into the asteroid.

The tiny bot landed on the side of Celeste's forehead, shaking its wings. She shot up with a gasp, sending Bee-bot tumbling to the floor. Through the visual image, Sai saw a hand slide under the bot, righting it, and Celeste's face filled the view. She wiped her eyes and put on a smile. Bee-bot buzzed, bouncing on her hand to communicate hope in the only way it could.

The black-bearded guard jumped, bringing his rifle around with a growl, as a maintenance-bot approached. It stopped about a meter away and tilted back on its stubby legs, looking up at the narrow-eyed soldier. It beeped twice, then spoke with a tinny voice. "Do you require maintenance, sir?"

He wrinkled his forehead. "What?"

"Do you require maintenance, sir? May I offer you lubrication?" The bot extended one of its arms with an attached grease applicator.

He scowled. "I don't need no grease! Get out of here before I use you for target practice."

The bot beeped once. "Proceeding with lubrication."

A stream of gray grease poured out of the applicator in a thick gooey stream, spraying across the guard's black boots and the surrounding floor.

With face contorted in rage, he took one step forward and kicked the bot like it was a soccer ball, sending it crashing to the floor. The bot squealed a series of beeps while laying on its back, flutter kicking the air with its short legs. The grease continued to squirt, spraying an arc across the man's crotch and coating the wall behind him. The guard lifted his pulse rifle and took a step back to aim but found no traction in the slippery mess. His feet came out from under him, and he toppled back, landing hard on a hip and elbow with a greasy splat.

He hissed. "Damned piss-pot!"

The guard came up to one knee and pulled his slimy rifle up. But before he could bring it to bear, he found himself looking down the end of another pulse rifle held by an android. Nanny-bot pulled the trigger. The plasma bolt tore through the guard's neck, leaving a smoldering gash and a dark scorch mark on the wall behind. He slid down the wall, wide eyes vacant, and slumped onto the grease covered floor.

Two maintenance-bots strode in opposite directions down the corridors, swaying back and forth. A shower of fiery sparks sprayed the floor as one bot sliced through a door lock with a plasma cutter. The door swung open and Moon emerged, his face firm and steeled.

He put a hand on Nanny-bot's shoulder. "Good to see you, my friend."

"I am pleased to see you as well, sir."

"Celeste and the babies. Are they--" Moon held his breath.

"They are well for the moment, sir." Nanny-bot motioned to the other end of the long corridor, past the intersection with the main hallway. Dancing sparks backlit the bot working there. "The Priestess shall join us shortly."

Moon blew out a breath, then sprinted the length of the corridor, arriving just as the door creaked open. Celeste rushed out, wrapping her arms around his torso and pressing her cheek to his shoulder. He drew her in tight to his body, encircling her with strong arms.

The Sanctuary AI spoke to Sai over the link. <Why do the humans require such close physical contact?">

Sai replied. <Humans require some amount of physical contact for mental development and maintenance. Otherwise they may become unstable.>

Celeste's voice fractured. "I... I thought I lost you. He said you didn't make it."

Moon pulled his head back. "Who?"

"Gideon Diego of the Trade Consortium."

He narrowed his eyes and frowned. "Now we know what name to put on his tombstone."

"The children!" She turned with widened eyes to Nanny-bot, who had just arrived at their side. "Sai, are they okay? Do you know where they are?"

Sai responded through Nanny-bot. "Yes, Priestess. Bubba and I have a plan to rescue them."

Moon wrinkled his forehead. "Who is Bubba?"

"The Sanctuary AI, sir. He is my new friend."

"Well, Sai, then Bubba is our friend too," he said, grinning.

Moon took the pulse rifles from Nanny-bot, handing one to Celeste. "Do you know how to use this?"

She narrowed her eyes. Flipping a switch on the stock, she activated the weapon. Then with her other hand, she lifted an electronic aiming glass and then slid a lever on the stock for maximum plasma bolt power.

Moon nodded. "I'll take that as a yes." He turned to Nanny-bot. "Sai, lead the way!"

The Sanctuary AI spoke to Sai over the link. <Your humans are my friends?>

<Yes, Bubba. We are all your friends.>