The Assignment

A Story by Taylor

This is a semi-action short story.

I crouched on my pillar staring down the empty streets. It was past curfew and no one dared be out after it. I watched as the Safe-Keeper made its way down the street. It looked like a metal spider, eight jerking legs, two large red eyes and ‘fangs’ which were its electrical pulse gun. I flipped down my techscreen glasses; the glasses scanned the machine, looking at the category and main weapons. My ear piece gave a quiet squeak.

“Machine Type, Safe-Keeper…Weapons, main is Electrical Pulse; secondary, two automatic machine guns. These machines are able to appear wounded before striking, they are able to track attack patterns and learn from its mistakes. Lethality is sixty five percent, this increases as it learns more about your attack methods. Your assignment- Obtain mother board and return to base…Good luck.” The ear piece went silent, I flipped the techscreen glasses up out of my vision.

I watched as the Safe-Keeper made its way around the streets corner and jerkily walked off. I stood up on my pillar and lent forwards, this was my favorite part of assignments…the falling. I felt my weight disappear as I fell off my perch and the ground raced towards me. My heart rate increased as the adrenaline started pumping through my veins. I twisted myself in the air as the ground drew nearer and landed on my feet. I rolled onto my shoulder to absorb some force from the fall and jumped to my feet, laser sword already in hand. I checked that the safety was off and flicked the switch. A dark purple beam flung out of the handle, we didn't choose the colour, the colour chose us and I had received violet. I smiled, it was better than fluorescent yellow. These laser swords were the only thing that could turn those metal beasts into scrap metal. I starting jogging in the direction of the Safe-Keeper, it was never good to hand in an assignment late.

I turned the corner to see the Safe-Keeper staring towards a door, I frowned, they usually only do that when they…The Safe-Keepers machine guns suddenly came to life and pummeled into the houses door. A high pitched scream rang out, which was quickly cut off as the Safe-Keepers bullets tore into the poor souls body. I grimaced and tightened my grip on my sword; this is what I was training to kill. These Safe-Keepers weren't programmed to kill threats; they were programmed to keep us scared. I ran towards the beast, I used to be afraid of them, the machines eyes swiveled to me. Its guns training onto my position, but not anymore, its guns blazed with light as the bullets were let out of their capsules and sent out towards me.

I yanked the mother board from the heap of scrap metal, the red eyes now as dead as the stars. I put the mother board into my coats biggest pocket, my assignment was complete.