‘Why?’

‘Because readerguns and machine pistols won’t bring them down straight away and because, with the right programming, they can kill.’ He turned to look at Braddock. ‘Are you prepared to help us?’ he asked.

Braddock gazed at him bitterly. ‘I’m out of alternatives.’

‘Good. Well, stay alert. You know what’ll happen if they capture you.’

Utterly logical, guaranteed to appeal to Braddock’s sense of self-preservation, Hannah thought. Almost like following a formula.

Braddock nodded and, like a good soldier, checked the workings of his weapon before loading it with a fresh clip. Saul led them to the far end of the store where another robot had been bolted to the floor, its single function being to load the gas bottles stockpiled here onto a conveyor.

‘This leads out to the edge of the station,’ explained Saul, pointing up the conveyor.

Abruptly, the loading robot opened out its single arm and clasped a four-fingered claw around one of the gas bottles. The conveyor started running for a second, then shut down.

‘The fuck!’ said Braddock, stepping back.

‘It’s under my control now,’ Saul told him. ‘Let’s go.’

He climbed onto the conveyor and, after some hesitation, Hannah climbed up behind him. The belt then advanced a short distance to let Braddock get on and, with the soldier in place, it started running again. Hannah understood that she and Braddock were only witnessing the surface activity, and that Saul must be running some complex programs in his head as he used the line-of-sight laser from the ‘badger’ robot to similarly seize control of other machines in their immediate vicinity. Though this might well save them from capture and then inevitably torture and execution, she had to wonder what might come next. How important would Saul consider human life as he sank ever deeper into the machine?

12

Who Are the Slaves?