1

The Fidushi were one of few species native to Tanix. They were nomadic scavengers, roaming the desert planet in their dune1 sled, always on the lookout for salvageable refuse. They had an uncanny ability to know when an estate sale was imminent, and to show up before other buyers. It was rumored that in many cases the reason the Fidushi were able to anticipate a sale was that they were the ones who killed the estate owner.

Some found this hard to believe, if only because the Fidushi were so small and unassuming. Their build was essentially humanoid, only shorter. The rare Fidush who attained the height of one-and-a-quarter meters towered over the rest of the tribe.

There were no outward differences between males and females of the species, although females tended to be taller. All Fidushi wore robes and hoods for protection against sun and sand. This had the consequence of keeping their faces hidden and lending the creatures an air of mystery. In truth, though, the few outsiders who’d seen Fidushi up close thought they were cute and infantile. The most frequent comment from these observers was, "They’re like walking babies who just happen to be carrying guns."

2

The tribe converged on its quarry after she made the mistake of entering a box canyon. They had been tracking her for an hour and now their opportunity had arrived.

The squat brown android was clearly an older model, and not in mint condition. But any android was valuable on Tanix, and all of this one’s systems appeared to be functional. She could be sold as is or she could be broken down into components and parceled out. Either way it would be a profitable enterprise.

The key to maximizing resale value was to capture the android without damaging her or triggering a security response. For that the Fidushi had a tool of their own devising, a pulse grenade. All they needed was for one of the tribe -- preferably Rednal Rev, because she had the strongest arm -- to get close enough to the android to hit her with the EMP weapon.

3

Lita understood she was being watched. She didn’t know by whom, or how many of them, and she didn’t much care so long as they didn’t interfere with her mission. Even when she was alone she was a real pain in the ass about the mission.

She also understood, now that it was too late, that the canyon was a dead end. That was why she’d turned around and was heading back out, moving steadily but unhurriedly so as to not signal panic to whomever was keeping tabs on her.

She could sense them in crevices and behind rocks, and she had glimpsed one of them, briefly, far overhead, on the lip of the canyon wall.

In less than a minute she would reach the mouth of the canyon. If something was going to happen, it would happen soon.

Movement on her left. Lita looked that way, as the Fidush called Rednal Rev had hoped she would. Rednal stood up from her hiding place on the android’s right and tossed the pulse grenade. The device traveled through the desert air in an arc. When its proximity sensors detected the android’s metal chassis a powerful electromagnet was activated. The grenade latched onto Lita and held fast.

A split second later came the micropulse, just enough of a burst to disable the android without frying anything. There was a flash of blue and a sizzling sound. Lita shuddered and dropped to one knee, her chassis sparking and humming.

Rednal called out something her language and the other Fidushi emerged from their hiding places, chittering happily and gazing with covetous eyes upon their prize.

Then Lita stood up.

The Fidushi stopped chittering.

Oooh! the android said. Whatever that was, hit me again!

The Fidushi started chittering again, except now they sounded worried.

Muttering annoyedly, Rednal pulled out another pulse grenade and let fly.

Her aim was off this time, but no matter. Lita lunged and caught the thing and pressed it to her chest.

Flash of blue, sizzling sound. The android shuddered but she remained on her feet.

SHIT FIRE that is good! What’d you put in there?

Rednal unleashed a long string of colorful metaphors. The other Fidushi looked at each other in bewilderment.

Rednal said many more angry words, all of them directed at her compatriots. The message was received. The Fidushi encircled Lita.

What, no more? the android said unhappily.

Rednal screamed a command and the Fidushi rushed at Lita. The first one to get within arm’s range of the android was swatted away like a giant baby-faced fly. His tribemates watched his cherubic body land on the canyon floor and skid to a stop. Then they looked, in awe and in fear, at Lita.

Teach you to mess with me, she said, and then her overtaxed power cells died and she keeled over with a resounding metallic crash.

4

The next thing Lita knew she was lying in what she took to be a holding cell. There was a charger plugged into one of her ports, producing a low-grade but pleasant tingling throughout her circuits.

She could hear the rumbling of a massive engine and identify the sensation of movement. Clearly the Fidushi had loaded her aboard some kind of vehicle.

There was little light in the cell but Lita could detect that she was in a large space, surrounded by machines of all varieties: androids, weapons, pieces of industrial equipment, you name it. Some of them shiny and new-looking, some of them ready for the scrap pile.

From another part of the cell came sounds of a scuffle, followed by an outraged cry:

"No I do not want to interface, thank you very much! Not with you, anyway."

Lita knew that voice.

"Oh, come now," it went on, "do you really need to self-stimulate in front of all of us? Who coded you, anyway?"

The sound of a loose part being thrown and hitting its target.

"OW, goddamn it! You’re worse than a human, you know that?! Just leave me alone now. Better yet, I’ll leave you alone."

The sounds of footsteps, coming Lita’s way. She sat up.

Eighty-eight! she called.

The voice was much louder now, very close by: "Lita?"

Over here!

Faster footsteps, a bit of a stumble, crashing sounds and hurried apologies, and then, all at once, there he was.

"LITA!" Eighty-eight cried. He rushed to embrace her.

Hello!

"I thought I’d never see you again."

I had the same concern.

"Listen," Eighty-eight said, "I’m sorry we argued. I wish we’d stayed together."

Agreed, friend.

"And all those nasty things I said?"

Yes?

"Totally meant them."

5

The androids had a good talk, catching each other up on the events that had brought them back together. Meanwhile the dune sled rumbled on, its giant repulsors carrying it gently over the endless sand.

6

And in another part of the desert, not too far from where the EV had crashed, a peacekeeper squadron was combing the area, looking for any clues as to the androids’ whereabouts.

A glint in the sand caught the squad leader’s eye and he stooped to pick up a small metal object.

"Looks like part of a servo-joint," he said. "I just hope those androids are okay. The heat on this planet is so damned dry."

Next Chapter: Chapter Ten