The Human Security Officer (part 13) | HFY Story | A Short Sci-Fi Story

sounds good come back and pick it up before you go Liior said as she called a number of her own frames over will do thanks again Liior Deag responded think nothing of it any friend of GED's is a friend of mine Penelope and Lazarus made their way back to the group and Laz started directing the frames I suppose that means we got some time Captain Gareth looked at his friend indeed I think I'll peruse to shops here if either of you wish to join I think a nice Weilan spa's in order for me Gareth was

incessantly grooming his frills pen think I'm just gonna wander I'll see you back at the ship without waiting for an answer Penelope turned and left the shop ducking through the door oh well okay DEAG looked to Gareth who only held out his arms I guess I'll see you back here Gareth enjoy the spa of course captain enjoy your perusing the two split up as they left the shop Penelope followed Lazarus's directions and quickly found her way to one of the lowest levels of the station the polished look

s of the more traveled floors were gone as most of these levels were dedicated to maintenance and systems they were manned mostly by frames as well soon though Penelope came across a door with a single station guard standing by it who sent she stopped as she looked up at the Terran without another word the door slid open thanks have fun and needless to say just don't spread it around Yay Penelope had already ducked through the door but she stopped and turned I actually wanted to ask about that i

s this illegal here not illegal per se but taboo it would definitely get shut down if certain individuals were to learn about it hmm Penelope turned away but chuckled slightly imagining what Gareth's reaction to a boxing match would be the room was circular with an arena laid into the floor a comparatively tall wall came up from the sandy pit and turned into graduating seats that looked down onto the fights about half of the seats were filled as the room watched two frames going at it they were

both of similar make to the ones Pen dealt with aboard the ship neither of them however had weapons in their stead each had a small arm that reached out and attempted to find a weak point in the other Penelope's entrance didn't go unnoticed a number of weary sensory organs noted her as she took a seat she had to take two seats actually as her size wasn't accommodated for down here nevertheless eventually their attention went back to the arena as one of the frames had managed to gain the upper ha

nd over the other and damage one of its legs with the injury the bot couldn't overcome its disadvantage and eventually was broken enough for the arena runner to declare it the loser a couple more bouts came and went but Penelope barely registered them it's not that they weren't entertaining now that she was alone though she found it hard to focus on the fights she couldn't help but turn inward pathetic she started to crack her knuckles a larger fight was playing out below as two bots grappled wi

th each other you one of the bots brought its arm down onto what passed for its opponent's head Ashara glared at her with disdain pen could build her face crease by crease she had one of those faces that looked older than she was her eyes could make steel sweat Penelope moved on to the second digits of her fingers each gave a satisfying pop the second bot had managed to get an arm up underneath the first and was trying to topple it Alvarez's eyes bore into her not me you milk chocolate eyes he w

as older than Ashara by a number of years but he'd held on to his youth despite their profession shortcut hair and a coarse beard that he kept diligently and of course he was sipping just a bit of his mama's homemade rasila strictly speaking alcohol wasn't allowed aboard any active military ship and receiving any via care package would get the whole thing thrown out that said Mama Alvarez's care packages always made it through and always had a bottle higher UPS never mentioned it the first bot c

ouldn't get away and fell backward its head smacked into the ground with enough force to crack the casing though it was still moving the arena runner called it and those in the crowd who'd bet on the second bot gave a cheer at this point she was just worrying her joints she'd cracked them all and they refused to pop again fuck it she stood up and strode towards the Tinsne who seemed to be in charge of things he was seated in a small alcove next to the arena and was announcing the next fight a nu

mber of now curious eyes followed her next up is a returning bot zalas up against the Victor of the previous fight place your bets he turned to the human unintentionally towering over him and tapped a screen inlaid into the desk his voice no longer carried through the room um what can I do for you I'd like to fight you have a bot Terran made that would be a spectacle not a bot me I'm fighting oh and this is just bots on bots I don't think I mean people fighting we don't have anyone who would fig

ht you you don't understand I'll fight the frames he almost laughed fight a frame look your people have a reputation but these are machines we're talking about you can't fight a machine if you get hurt I I can't the winning frame of the first fight was sitting near his desk Penelope picked it up as she spoke that's not my experience she said as she crushed its cranium and let it fall to the ground with a thud Tinsne's eyes aren't capable of going wide but the shock on his face was clear not but

two days ago I crushed seven of these things and besides look at your audience it would be quite a show he hissed as he looked past her in the lull of the fighting the audience's attention had shifted to the human in front of him you are crazy and I don't want you to get hurt so a single fight against the bot that just won it's worn down and if you still get hurt it's on you I don't think there's anyone in this station that knows how to fix humans you understand understood okay if you need to st

op the fight just get my attention I guess wave your arms or something make it obvious she nodded I'll assume that's a yes he hissed and wobbled his head but tapped the screen in his desk and began to speak to the entire room I see all of you looking and yes it is happening this human has requested to hop in the ring against a bot they have assured me that they won't come to serious harm as such we seem to have quite a spectacle for you all tonight Zalis will be replaced by the human what do you

all think can a flesh and blood creature really compete in melee combat with a machine place your bets he got up and began walking her to the entrance down into the arena only stopping when he noticed she wasn't following what are she looked at him and then to the crowd you said spectacle right she said without waiting for a response she placed a hand on the short wall and vaulted over and down into the pit the crowd was filled with various expressions of excitement or concern as she landed in

the blue sand the showrunner slithered back to his desk as Penelope walked up to the frame already in the pit even though the fights had graduated to larger bots she still stood a few feet taller than her mechanical opponent it was an odd construction by human standards not that human standards counted for much here it had three legs two came forward while the last went back like a kangaroo using its tail for support it wasn't tall like a kangaroo however quite the opposite the legs were attache

d to a sideways teardrop shaped body with two arms coming out from either side the round side of the teardrop body faced forward and seemed to also pass for a head that sported various sensors we've all heard stories folks but now we'll get to see first hand this fight is a human versus a modified Beck 22 begin Penelope rolled her shoulders to loosen up and assumed a relaxed fighting stance let's see what you've got Beck she said just as she said at the frame let out a buzzing noise and lunged f

orward