David Robbins - Houston Run

“I heard that,” Lynx said.

Blade leaned forward and caught Ferret’s eye. “You said you’ve seen computers in operation before?”

“The Doktor used computers,” Ferret stated. “He’d spend hours every day with his. There were a lot of them in his lab.”

“And you saw them in operation?” Blade persisted.

“All the time. The lab techs used them too,” Ferret said.

“How does Primator compare to the computers you saw?” Blade inquired.

Ferret surveyed Primator’s gigantic frame. “There’s hardly any comparison. But there are a few similarities. And I can see how the prewar human scientists could have constructed this thing.”

“Explain that,” Blade directed.

Ferret peered at Primator. “For instance, take Primator’s voice. Some of the Doktor’s computers could respond verbally to a voice command.

Voice-activation, they called it. I always wanted to work the computers, but the Doktor decreed the computers were off limits to the mutants. To most of us, anyway. But I did get the chance to talk to the lab techs now and then, and I pestered them with questions. One of them told me that talking computers were around before the war. So a computer with a voice is no big deal.”

Blade pointed upward. “What about those screens?”

“I’ve seen video monitors before,” Ferret mentioned. “They were in common use in the Citadel. That way, the government could keep tabs on the people. You know about television, don’t you?”

“A little,” Blade said. “I’ve read about television in the Family library, but I’ve never seen it.”

“Television sets were in almost every home in America before the war,” Ferret stated. “Video was widespread too. So whether those screens up there are video monitors or some type of television, they’re not extraordinary.”

“So Primator’s uniqueness lies in his ability to think,” Blade said thoughtfully.

“None of the Doktor’s computers could think on their own,” Ferret commented. “They couldn’t do a thing unless they were programmed.”

“What I want to know,” Lynx interjected, “is how we’re gonna pull the plug on this wacko monstrosity?”

“SHOULD YOU EVER ATTEMPT TO TERMINATE ME,” Primator’s voice thundered from the speaker, “YOUR IDIOCY WILL RESULT IN YOUR IMMEDIATE DEATH.”

“Oh yeah?” Lynx rejoined. “What’s to stop me from walkin’ up to you and rippin’ some of your wires out?”

“BE PATIENT AND YOU WILL LEARN,” Primator boomed, then his voice lowered. “CLARISSA! COME IN!”

Blade twisted in his chair. He instantly recognized the woman in the blue dress, the one who’d confronted him in his cell.

Clarissa was just entering the audience chamber. She moved toward the chairs, her lavender eyes blazing her hatred at Blade, her lips a thin line.

“Clarissa!” Blade baited her. “How nice of you to join us.”

“Up your ass!” Clarissa responded angrily.

“Clarissa!” Lynx cried, and came up off his chair in a rush. Ferret and Gremlin also leaped erect.

Clarissa came around the right side of the row of chairs. She smirked at Lynx. “Well, well, well! The traitors! How’s it going, Lynx?”

Lynx glared at her. “I thought you were dead!”

Clarissa chuckled. “You never were too bright, little one.”

Lynx bristled and advanced several steps toward Clarissa, stopping in front of Hickok’s chair.

Clarissa halted. “You’d better behave yourself, Lynx.” She raised her right hand and wagged a finger at him. “Be a good little kitty, or you might annoy Primator. And you don’t want to get Primator annoyed!” she taunted.

“PRIMATOR IS ALREADY ANNOYED,” blasted the speaker.

Clarissa, clearly puzzled, gazed up at the wide screen, at those bright red eyes. “Surely you don’t mean me?” she asked, a tremble in her tone.

“SURELY I DO,” stated Primator.

“But why?” Clarissa queried anxiously. “What have I done?”

“YOU TOYED WITH ME, CLARISSA,” Primator said.

“I would never—” Clarissa began.

“DON’T INSULT ME FURTHER BY PRETENDING TO BE INNOCENT!” Primator warned her.

Clarissa was obviously nervous. “How did I toy with you?” she questioned.

“DO YOU REQUIRE PRECISE DETAILS? EVER SINCE YOU ARRIVED IN ANDROXIA WITH NEWS OF THE DOKTOR’S DEMISE, YOU HAVE INSISTENTLY CLAMORED FOR ME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE FAMILY. YOU CLAIMED, REPEATEDLY, THE FAMILY WAS A THREAT TO ANDROXIA, A DANGER TO MYSELF AND MY PLANS FOR GLOBAL CONQUEST. WHICH WAS MOST ODD, CONSIDERING THE SUPERIORS IN INTELLIGENCE ASSIGNED THE FAMILY A ZERO PROMINENCE RATING, INDICATING THE FAMILY IS NO THREAT WHATSOEVER. BUT YOU PERSISTED, AND WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME, WITH THE MOUNTING OF YOUR FRUSTRATION, YOU FABRICATED INCREASINGLY ILLOGICAL REASONS JUSTIFYING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FAMILY.” Primator paused, and the red eyes narrowed. “BUT YOUR LAST ASSERTION WAS THE MOST OUTLANDISH. YOU ALLEGED THE FAMILY WAS AWARE OF MY EXISTENCE. YOU CONTENDED THE WARRIORS WERE PLOTTING MY DOWNFALL. YOU CLAIMED THE CAPTURE OF BLADE WOULD NEGATE THEIR SCHEME.” Primator paused again, and when he resumed speaking the walls shook. “FOOLISH MUTANT! DID YOU TRULY BELIEVE I ACCEPTED YOUR ABSURD LIES? DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULDN’T SEE THROUGH YOUR FEEBLE FABRICATION?”

“Primator! I—” Clarissa said, starting to interrupt.

“SILENCE!” Primator rumbled. “IS THIS HOW YOU EXPRESS YOUR GRATITUDE? WITH TREACHERY? I PERMITTED YOU TO STAY IN ANDROXIA BECAUSE I KNEW YOU WERE THE DOKTOR’S FAVORITE, AND I KNEW YOU GRIEVED OVER HIS FATE, AS DID I. THE DOKTOR WAS THE ONLY HUMAN I HAVE EVER RESPECTED, EVEN ADMIRED TO A DEGREE. HE WAS A LEGITIMATE GENIUS. AND HE WAS THE ONLY HUMAN I COULD EVER RIGHTFULLY CALL A FRIEND. SO OUT OF RESPECT FOR HIS MEMORY, YOU WERE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN ANDROXIA. AND HOW DID YOU REPAY MY KINDESS? YOU TRIED TO USE ME— ME— TO REALIZE YOUR REVENGE ON BLADE.”

Clarissa bowed her head. “Primator, I’m sorry. I—”

“ENOUGH! YOUR PRATTLE WEARIES ME! YOU HAVE ABUSED MY GENEROSITY AND YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.”

Clarissa glanced up, her lavender eyes widening fearfully. “No! Please, Primator! I will do anything!”

“YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE TOO MUCH. MY JUDGMENT IS FINAL.”

“No!” Clarissa whirled, preparing to flee.

Blade saw Clarissa take a single step, and then a beam of yellow light flashed from Primator, striking Clarissa on the top of her oily head. Blade looked upward, failing to locate the source of the light, then returned his astounded gaze to Clarissa.

She was dying a horrible death. The beam of light had melted through the top of her cranium into her brain, and rancid smoke was spiraling toward the ceiling. Her torso twisted, her face swiveling around, her lavender eyes locking on Blade.

Blade watched, aghast, as the beam of yellow light broadened, encompassing all of Clarissa’s head. Her oily hair emitted puffs of smoke, crackling as the strands were fried to a crisp. With a pronounced sizzling, her head started to disappear, her skin softening and blackening and dissolving like the wax on a candle. A putrid stench assailed Blade’s nostrils.

Clarissa’s body slumped as her head was melted away. The yellow light widened, enshrouding her shoulders in its lethal radiance. She dropped to her knees, what was left of her, and swayed as the light slowly dissolved her torso, her arms, and her waist.

Blade resisted an impulse to gag. The stink was awful.

Clarissa’s legs melted, flowing to the floor. In a matter of seconds, Clarissa was reduced to a smoldering, mushy pulp, a sickening lump on the floor of the audience chamber.

The yellow light flicked off.

Primator’s voice broke the silence which followed. “SO TELL ME, LYNX. DO YOU STILL WANT TO RIP MY WIRES OUT?”