‘He has no humans! The humans have him!’
Seldom had the silence of robots been so deep. La-Ver-Di-Arussah’s troops stared forward blankly.
‘Surely, if you must speak treason, it would be better away from the troops?’
‘Where’s Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah?’ demanded Wa-Ka-Mo-Do.
‘Up in Smithy Square, helping the humans.’
‘I’m going up there.’
‘Take your squad with you, Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. You will need them to protect you from the robots of Sangrel. They’re angry.’
‘Was that a deliberate insult, La-Ver-Di-Arussah?’
Her smile widened.
‘No. Only advice.’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do set off alone. He looked through the entrance to the Copper Market, and saw that the stalls in there were still open. The place was a lot emptier than usual, it was true, but there were still robots selling metal and oil and coal. It made sense, he supposed, robots would need materials with which to repair themselves.
He continued up the hill. Where was everyone else, he wondered? He feared he knew the answer. In houses and buildings, in the caves at the back of the Copper Market, stoking up the fire of their grievances.
There were two peasants up ahead, raking the rubble from the street.
‘What happened here?’ he demanded.
‘Silversmith’s house got hit, Honoured Commander.’
They looked at the ruptured wall of the nearby building. Melted silver droplets were spattered across the road and the rubble.
‘Was anyone hurt?’
‘Silversmith’s family were all killed. Melted.’
‘Melted?’
‘We don’t understand it, Honoured Commander. Whatever hit that building sent a jet of liquid metal into it. The family’s minds burned like flares. If you go in there you can see their bodies welded to each other, the whole family turned into one lump.’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do examined the ground. Mixed among the rubble were droplets of iron and aluminium.
‘What are you doing now?’
‘Clearing a path for the humans. There is a transport craft coming. They will need to bring their own weapons up into the city if they are to defend themselves from further attacks.’
‘What about defending us?’ asked Wa-Ka-Mo-Do
‘Honoured Commander?’
They didn’t understand. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do was already gone, heading up the hill. If the humans wanted to inflame the robots of the city to rebellion, they couldn’t go a better way about it.
It wasn’t until later on it occurred to him that that may have been their plan.
Finally, he reached Smithy Square, and he felt as if the current had drained from his spongy-feeling electromuscles.
The rising sun had bitten through the roof of the Emperor’s Palace.
At least that’s how it seemed. Half the roof was gone. Blue tiles hung broken from the torn edges, aluminium was burned to white oxide. The red sun cast a rusted, decaying light over the scene.
‘It’s still burning inside,’ said Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah, appearing at Wa-Ka-Mo-Do’s side. ‘The humans won’t let us in to help extinguish it. They say they have the situation under control.’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do looked at the thin black smoke curling into the air through the broken roof. He imagined the ballroom burning, the ancient engravings warping in the heat, the paint flaking from metal.
‘No,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, ‘we go in now, and rust the humans. Get me six robots.’
Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah didn’t move.
‘Did you hear me, Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah?’
‘I’m sorry, Honoured Commander. The Emperor says that we are to obey the humans.’
‘How do you know that, Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah?’ flared Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. ‘How do you KNOW that?’
‘The Vestal Virgins commanded it, in his name.’
‘You’ve seen them?’
‘La-Ver-Di-Arussah did. Honoured Commander, you must be aware that she is part Vestal Virgin herself. Her family is known to have connections to that line.’
‘There is no Vestal Virgin lineage, how could there be?’
Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah did not answer. He was staring shamefully at the ground.
‘Am I alone?’ wondered Wa-Ka-Mo-Do aloud.
Still Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah was silent. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do looked around. The Copper Master’s house stood across the square, seemingly undamaged.
‘Is the radio room untouched?’ wondered Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, an idea forming in his mind.
‘Yes, Honoured Commander.’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do came to a decision.
‘Good. I’m going to contact the Emperor. I will make him aware of what’s going on here.’
‘Honoured Commander, the Vestal Virgins were quite explicit. So La-Ver-Di-Arussah said. You are to aid the humans in every respect.’
‘And that I shall, Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah, once I have spoken to the Emperor.’
Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah looked horrified. ‘Honoured Commander, are you suggesting that the Emperor is ignorant of events?’
‘I am not suggesting anything. Look, I am to aid the humans, am I not? Why don’t you go and let them know that I would be pleased to speak to their ambassador at his earliest convenience?’
‘But Honoured Commander-’
‘Thank you, Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah.’
Before Ka-Lo-Re-Harballah could speak again, Wa-Ka-Mo-Do turned and strode across the square, heading for the Copper Master’s house. It glowed red in the morning sun, and Wa-Ka-Mo-Do felt as if he was stepping directly into the forge.
The Copper Guard by the door stood to attention as he entered the building. He strode past into the hallway.
A polished robot hurried up to meet him.
‘Honoured Commander, allow me to escort you to your quarters.’
‘Take me to the radio room, Lo-Kel-Gollu.’
‘Honoured Commander, the Vestal Virgins left specific instructions-’
‘The Vestal Virgins do not command this city.’
‘Honoured Commander…’
Ignoring the robot’s cries, Wa-Ka-Mo-Do strode through the building towards the radio room.
What was going on here, he wondered. Why didn’t they want him to know what was going on?
‘Honoured Commander!’
‘Not another word! Go back to your post!’
He mounted the green cast-iron stairs that led up to the radio room, the sound of his feet echoing from the tiled walls.
There was another guard waiting outside the radio room, his sword drawn.
‘Cho-Lee.’
‘Honoured Commander, the Vestal Virgins have ordered that you should not enter here.’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do looked the guard up and down. He was a big man, buzzing with lifeforce.
‘Let me pass.’
The robot raised his sword a little, but his voice buzzed with emotion.
‘I’m sorry, Honoured Commander. Shame lies at the end of whichever path I take. Please turn around now, that I may not fight you.’
‘Cho-Lee, I must enter the radio room. You’ve seen what’s happening outside. This is not right.’
‘Honoured Commander, please. Leave, or if you must stay, draw your sword that we may fight as
