Weekend Special Short Tales California 2.2 Chapter 24 Finale

 

24.

The Archdeacon had to jump aside to avoid the rampaging droid. He was stunned that the droid was to do that. The droids were given the basic command not to harm the organic and yet that droid was doing the opposite. The droid had then rushed towards the gypsy. Stravos had the blaster in his right hand. It was a point blank shot and hit on the left upper limbs of the droid but he could not stop the frame of the droid from impacting him and was pushed off the balcony.

“Stop your action, E-05.” The droid stopped at the edge of the balcony with its left upper limb disabled. The droid stopped there and was probably running its diagnostics. He had a sudden revelation that Rival was involved. The droids were his to manage. The droid turned to look for Esmeralda. Esmeralda was the concern.

“E-05.”

I heard my designation being called. It was the Archdeacon and I was standing at the very spot where I had pushed the organic off the balcony. It was a move that I had not prepared for. It was my first termination at close distance.

I was to retreat when the blaster shots impacted on my front frame. I was jolted to the rear before my calibration kicked in but it did not stop me from falling down on the flooring. My point of sight was then directed to the open skies.

It was a sight that I had never comprehended before.

“Quasimodo! Are you fine?” I heard the girl’s shout. I pushed myself to get up. I heard then the Archdeacon.

“Esmeralda, come down.” The Archdeacon had pleaded with the ‘chey’ of his. The girl was on the tip of the Dome. She had climbed up there.

“I am here, Padre. I did like you but I was not sure love was in it.” Esmeralda looked at the one she still addressed as Padre. “I am not sure now if I want to like or even bother to love you. I know your real love. You want now the key program. I don’t have it with me. I lied to you and them all.”

“Esmeralda, I want is you to be by side.” The Archdeacon removed the mask. “I am Marcus Luiz, your father.”

“My padre had died some years back. I have no other.” Esmeralda replied.

“Esmeralda, we can work it out. The vault will give us a new life. A better life.” Marcus spoke like his true self. “I had … been a refuge from the peace of my soul. I had a battered life. I had no nights when I don’t wake up in fright. Not even at the Dome. I am with a need to run and …. Hide.”

“And the vault will do that?” Esmeralda looked at the man who spoke to her of his real self.

“Yes, my true words.” Marcus voiced out. “Come back to me, Esmeralda.”

“Then it’s settled.” Esmeralda smiled at the other. “Goodbye, padre.”

The girl leaped off the tip of the Dome in an arch aimed for the yard below.

Marcus screamed at the girl’s leap. He could not reach her.

I did then rush to the edge and leaped out.

I had grabbed her by the left leg again but my damaged frame was not able to sustain the extra weight and momentum. I kicked in my anti grav disc but it was not fully functional. I could cushion our fall but the others shot their blaster at me. I was to release the girl and then fall. I landed on my left side.

More shots came at me.

I was hurt.

My sight moved to the girl. She was unmoving.

It all then snared my programs. I went berserk.

I pushed myself up and then pulled with other upper right limb at my damaged left limb. I activated the dislocation command and then held the damaged limb in my good right limb.

I rushed at the gathered. I was damaged on my frame but my movements were still functional.

The organics may be armed with blasters but the speed of my movement was faster than their reflexes. I used the damaged limb like a club. I swung the damaged limb at them. With the strength and the movement force, my impact with the damage limb was fatal.

I was fatally shot then too but I kept on moving.

“Terminate the droid.” The Voivode called out before I slammed my limb into her face. I stopped then and evaluate the damages. Only a few stood there, and they were retreating.

I stood there and then the blaster hit me on the rear of my headpiece.

I was done.

I stopped my movements.

“I got it.” It was Captain Phoebus from the balcony top. He did not see Marcus slammed at him from the rear and they went down together to their death.