24

24

Spencer looked around in awe as he saw a beautiful view.  A space landscape with many planets of different sizes and colors and the navy blue ships flying around. A large space station like structure was suspended in the middle of the planets.

"Kill the engines,  Engage Stealth!"  Rilfor shouted.

"Engine power off, stealth engaged."  Kat replied.

Spencer watched again as the ship turned invisible.  "Where are we?" he asked.

"Checking now,"  Aeliana said.  "Hmm. That's odd."

"What is it?"  Grace asked.

"Well,"  Aeliana replied.  "It appears we are literally in a place that doesn't exist in the universe."

Before Aeliana could elaborate further Spencer noticed something odd.  "Look there," he said.  "It's Earth."

"My god you're right."  Grace said.  "What do you think their doing with it?"

"What are they doing with all these planets?"  Rilfor asked.  "They're arranged very particularly."

A loud ringing came from the cockpit and Kat shouted, "We have an incoming transmission!"

"From who?"  Rilfor asked.

"It's from an unknown source."  Kat replied.

"Don't answer it,"  Rilfor said.  "We can't risk being caught."

The ringing stopped and the screen turned on.  Spencer looked over but the screen was just white.

"Damn it, Kat,"  Rilfor shouted,  "What are you doing!"

"It wasn't me!"  Kat shouted back,  "The transmission came through itself!"

A deep low monotonous-robotic voice boomed through the ship, "We know you're there, disengage your stealth systems or we will destroy your ship."

"You're bluffing,"  Rojan said.

"Try me," the voice stated and a thirty second countdown timer began counting down on the white screen.

"Don't disengage," Rojan said,  "They can't possibly know where we are."

"I'm not so sure,"  Aeliana responded,  "how did they get the transmission through to us."

The countdown timer was at fifteen seconds.

"What should I do?"  Kat asked.

"Disengage!"  Spencer said.

"Don't!"  Rilfor said.

"We have too!"  Grace said, the timer was at 8 seconds.

Spencer and the others continued to argue as the timer continued to count down.

5...4...3...2...1…"Stealth disengaged"  Kat shouted.

"Wise decision,"  The voice said,  "I almost thought we would have to kill you."

"What do you want?"  Spencer shouted.

"Remain calm," the voice said as a green beam appeared between the ship and the large central station and began to pull the dreadnaught towards it.

"What's this?" Rojan asked.

"It appears to be some sort of tractor beam."  Aeliana said. "It probably shut down the ship's power as well."

"This is a smart one."  The voice said as Rilfor climbed into the side turret.  "Did you not hear the part about the ship's power.  That gun won't work."

"We'll see," Rilfor said as he pulled the trigger, but nothing happened,  "Hmm.  Looks like he's right."

"Did you think it would be that eas-"  He cut out and the screen went black.

"I got it!" Kat shouted and held up a handful of wires.  "I cut out the wires to the comms system, we can't see him but he should no longer be able to see us."

"Great!"  Rilfor said.

Spencer watched as Rilfor went to the back of the ship and entered some numbers into a control panel opening up the wall, revealing several weapons.

"Load up,"  Rilfor said as he tossed a Rapirian assault rifle to Spencer who barely managed to catch it.

Spencer examined the odd weapon in his hands.  It was red and when he put the stock up to his shoulder the soft substance on the end molded to fit snugly into his shoulder and hardened.  He placed his right hand near the trigger and his left on the front grip.  The barrel was two jagged pieces of metal extending nearly a foot from the stock.  Spencer saw a glowing green cartridge in the side and after a quick inspection identified it as the clip.

Once everyone was armed Rilfor stepped to the front. "Here's the plan."  He eyed everyone on board the ship.  "We can hide along the sides of the ship so we can't be seen from the entrance.  Once someone enters to get us, we'll grab them and take them hostage.  Then we can barter with them in exchange to let us leave peacefully."

Everyone was in agreement and they pressed themselves against the sides of the ship and waited.  Spencer peered out the window and watched as they got closer and closer to the station and eventually went inside and landed in the center of a large flat area.

Spencer looked out the window and was astonished by what he saw.  A huge number of robot like creatures stood outside, armed.  He motioned for Rilfor to look.

"Crap,"  Rilfor said.  "How are supposed to fight that."

"We don't"  Aeliana said.  "We can't appear hostile.  We put down our guns, sit like normal, and try to do as they ask."

Spencer and Rilfor looked at each other and nodded.  The group sat like normal with their guns leaned against a wall and waited.

There was a hiss and the main door swung open followed by the voice saying "Please exit your ship now, then follow me."

Aeliana nodded and they all walked out of the ship and followed the robot at the door through the hanger.  Spencer looked at the legion of soldiers around them.  Each of them were exactly the same and all seemed to be made one hundred percent metal.  Each wielded a blue rifle and was unmoving.

The robot deposited them into a small room just outside the hanger.

"Please wait here,"  the robot said.  "I will return soon."

The robot left and the doors closed.  A single robot was stationed near the door.  Spencer had an idea and whispered it to Rilfor who nodded.

Spencer walked up towards the robot at the door and asked. "How's it going?"

"Please back away, or-" bang Rilfor hit the robot in the head with a metal rod that was on the floor.  This stunned the robot long enough for Spencer to pull the blue rifle out of his hands.  Spencer aimed the gun at the robot and pulled the trigger.  Quiet but deadly the weapon fired a bolt of electricity into the robot shutting it down instantly.  Spencer and the robots body hid behind a large metal block just as the first robot returned.

The robot scanned the room.  "Is this everyone?"

"Yes," Grace said almost a bit too quickly.

The robot paused for a second.  "Let's proceed"  The robot and everyone went down a hallway and took a door on the right.

Spencer waited for everyone to be out of sight before he crept out of his hiding place with his rifle and took the door on the left. He quietly shut the door behind him to see two robots at chairs at a control panel with their backs turned.  He crept up behind them and fired dispatching the one on the left.

"Don't move,"  Spencer shouted at the robot on the right as he aimed the rifle at the robots head.

"What do you want?"  The robot asked.

"Stand up,"  Spencer demanded the robot.  "Stand against the wall."  The robot complied and went against the wall before Spencer continued.  "What are you? Alive or dead?"

The robot answered "We are non-living creatures, however we have free thought much like any other."

"Does someone control all of you?"  Spencer asked.

"I cannot answer that question."  The robot answered.  Spencer walked up behind him and used his gun to rip off one of the robot's feet.

"Stop that," the robot said.  "I will answer your question."  Spencer waited.  "There is technically a center control unit at the center of the facility.  The creator is kept in a facility next to it, but he built an unbeatable labyrinth around him to stop us from getting to him.  He claims we can have the key to the center control unit if we can find him.  Many of us have entered an never returned."

"How do I get there?"  Spencer asked.

"You will fail," the robot said.

"Shut up and talk,"  Spencer ordered.

"The door on you left leads to a hallway.  At the end of the hallway an elevator is there, take it to the 7th floor.  From there I am not completely sure. I know there is a labyrinth to get to the creator, but I'm not sure about the core.  You won't make it that far anyway."

Spencer ignored the last comment,  "And my friends, what will happen to them?"

"They have been seen as a threat and have been arrested and taken into custody, they soon will be executed."

"One final thing,"  Spencer said.  "What are you doing with all these planets."

"It is part of something bigger than you know,"  the robot answered.  "Once the planetary array has been completed, we will cleanse the galaxy,."

"Cleanse?"  Spencer asked worriedly.  "What do you mean 'cleanse.'"

"In order for a perfect universe," the robot began.  "We must erase all organic life."

"Sounds lovely,"  Spencer said  "too bad it won't happen.  You won't be there to see it anyway."

"What!"  The robot turned around but Spencer already pulled the trigger and fired a bolt of electricity into the robot, killing it.

"one down, infinite to go,"  Spencer said to himself as he ran to the door that would take him to the hallway with the elevator.  He stopped at the doorway and peered out the window to see a large cliff on the left with a guard rail.  As he stepped directly in front of the window he saw a robot standing directly outside, the robot looked almost as surprised to see Spencer as Spencer the robot.

Spencer swore and quickly thrust open the door knocking the robot down with the force of the door.  He ran through and attempted to raise his gun at the robot but the robot was already accelerating towards him and grabbed Spencer's gun.  They wrestled with it for a few seconds but it flew out of both their hands and skidded down the hall, it halted mere inches from the edge of the cliff.

Spencer raised his fists and attempted to punch the robot in the stomach.  The punch made a loud metallic ringing sound that echoed throughout the hallway.

"Ow!"  Spencer shouted after the punch.  The robot appeared unfazed.  "Now that's just unfair."  He dived attempting to grab the gun but the robot grabbed his leg and pulled him back.

The robot was at Spencer's, who was lying on the ground, neck and was attempting to force him off the edge.  He noticed one of the robots other arm was leaning against the guard rail.  Spencer looked right and realized the support looked old and possibly breakable.  Although he was beginning to run out of strength he formulated a plan.  With his right foot he kicked the support and it began to shake.  The robot seemed to think it was just Spencer struggling.  He kicked it again and it began to crack.  The robot looked over in alarm.

"To late,"  Spencer said as he kicked the support again breaking it.  The support fell down the large drop and the robot, who was leaning against it fell over Spencer and began to fall.  He left out a sigh of relief, but he yelled as he felt the robot grab onto his arm that was dangled over the edge.  The robot's hand dug into Spencer's drawing blood.  Spencer yelled again in pain as he slowly began to be pulled down the drop, and then saw the gun to his right.

"If I could just reach-"  Spencer muttered to himself as he stretched his remaining hand towards the gun.  He was slipping slowly but had little time left.  He got a finger on the gun and pulled it towards him.  Holding the rifle in one hand Spencer pointed the barrel at the robot and pulled the trigger killing the robot.

Spencer let out a sigh of relief as the robot let go of Spencer and fell to its death.  Spencer listened to the loud sound of the crashing robot that echoed throughout the hallway.  He lay there for a second catching his breath.  He sat up and saw his hand that the robot had cut.  It was bleeding fairly hard but Spencer decided it wasn't anything too bad.  He used his teeth to rip off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around his hand.  Once he was sure the makeshift bandage would hold he grabbed the gun and stood up.

Spencer walked to the end of the elevator to see that it needed a hand or "claw" print to activate.

"Seriously?"  Spencer muttered as the door opened revealing a lone robot that jumped in surprise to seeing Spencer.

"Right on time,"  Spencer said as he shot the robot and pulled out the body.

Spencer boarded the elevator and clicked the button for the seventh floor.  He had a moment of peace as the elevator rose.  A buzzing sound rang out that the elevator had arrived at the seventh floor.  Spencer stood at the back of the elevator with his gun raised prepared for whatever lay on the other side.

The door opened and Spencer was relieved to see that there was nothing on the other side,  "things are going my way for once."

Spencer walked to the end of the hall way and was halted when a voice shouted "Halt!"  He looked around frantically for the source of the voice and realized it was a computer system.

"Beyond this point."  The voice continued.  "Is the labyrinth.  You must either complete it, or die trying.  Now is your last chance to leave, you may ask one question if you wish."

"Has anyone come close to completing it?" Spencer asked.

"No one has come close to solving it, living and nonliving.  The creator is the only one to make it to the center."

Spencer was extremely worried, he remembered what the first robot he talked too told him about the labyrinth and he feared he would die inside.

"You can do this."  Spencer said to himself as he stepped forward into the labyrinth.

"As you wish."  The voice said and when Spencer reached back, an invisible barrier stopped him, sealing him inside.

Spencer took a deep breath and stepped forward.  He came to a fork, where he went left, then another fork, where he went right.  At first Spencer tried to keep track of the directions he went so he could get back, but eventually he lost track and was choosing directions at random.  He eventually came to a familiar place and when he looked back he saw the very beginning of the labyrinth.

Spencer swore and tried to choose different directions.  He came across a robot and raised his gun and the robot raised his.

"Do not shoot!"  The robot shouted.

"And why not?"  Spencer asked.

"We can help each other out."  The robot asked.

"How so?" Asked Spencer.

"We have the same objective don't we?"  The robot replied.  "We are both attempting to reach the center of the labyrinth."

"Same objective maybe,"  Spencer said to the robot "but we certainly aren't doing this for the same reason.  Why should I work for the enemy?"

"That is true," the robot replied  "But right now we want the same thing.  We can deal with purpose once we reach the center.  As of now there are not any reasons not to help each other."  The robot lowered his gun.

"How do I know this isn't a set up?"  Spencer asked.  "Are there more of you?"

"The machine only allows one of us to enter at a time."  The robot answered.  "If there were more of us you would already be deceased."

"Fine,"  Spencer said and lowered his gun.  "What do you recommend we do?"

"Well," the robot began.  "If you have been in here long enough, you will realize that every path leads back to the start."

"You're saying it's impossible,"  Spencer said.

"Not necessarily," the robot said.  "I am stating that it is not the maze that leads us to the creator, but it is something within the maze."

"That was deep,"  Spencer said.  "How do you figure we try and find this mysterious puzzle 'within the maze' sherlock?"

"Your sarcasm is not helping us human,"  the robot replied.  "Hopefully we can figure out how to find the creator."

"Do you have an idea of where to start?"  Spencer asked.

"Follow me," the robot answered.

Spencer followed the robot through a maze and smiled to himself, it all sounded so ridiculous.  If you told him a year ago that he would be following a self thinking robot through an impossible maze after landing on a space station in an asteroid portal in a space ship they had taken from the moon where he led a rebellious group bent on killing the leader of an alien race who really liked the color black, he would've called you crazy.

"Here we are,"  the robot said.

Spencer looked at a closed door with a hand scanner and retina scanner on either side.  On his side it said the word "living" on the top, the other side had no heading.

"As you can see" the robot said.  "my side has the words 'non-living' on the top, and yours has nothing."

It was all coming to Spencer now.  "It's this easy?"

"What do you mean?"  the robot asked.

"Just put your hand on the lower panel and put your eye up to the upper panel at the same time as me, okay."  Spencer said.

"Understood," the robot said and walked up to the panels alongside Spencer.

They both put a hand on the scanner and eyed the upper panel.  Lasers scanned Spencer and the robot's eye and hand.  A green light flashed, and the door in the unbeatable maze, opened.