Paradigm City - Fan Fiction - Eve of the Hurricane

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Eve of the Hurricane

CHAPTER FIVE

"Mr. Burg?" one of the foremen called.

"Yes, Mr. MacRuder?" Norman called back. "Can I help you with something?" He always treated the workers with politeness, on or off the job.

"We traced the Megadeus' power routings back to the power source. At least we thought we did."

"Is there a problem?"

"We looked for something similar to the Black Megadeus' power housing. But we didn't find it."

Norman was becoming curious and worried at this point. "What exactly did you find?"

MacRuder reached into his pocket. "We found this."

'This' was a plastic wand about the size and shape of a fountain pen. It was translucent, with shiny metallic fibers all through it. In its exact center was a spindle or teardrop shape that appeared to be both shiny luminous metal and a minutely-faceted gemstone. It emitted almost as much light as a night light.

Norman took it and looked at it, turning it around. "You found this at the end of the power routings?"

"Yes, sir," MacRuder reported. "It was in a framework and plugged directly into the main cables. Those cables go everywhere else. It looks like that's Dorothy One's power core."

"Interesting," Norman stated.

* * *

Late at night, after Tami had gone to bed, Mr. and Mrs. Smith stared at the 'power core' on the coffee table before them.

"This does not make sense," Dorothy Smith stated. "I know a great deal of science and technology has been lost, but it is irrational to believe that this object could power a Megadeus."

Roger looked at Dorothy. "What exactly powers you?" he asked.

Dorothy's voice took on a cold, mechanical tone as she recited, "My power system has dual sources; my energy reclamation field absorbs electromagnetic energy in my environment with an efficiency of seventy-five percent and stores it in an array of high-efficiency batteries. Power can be routed from the ERC or the batteries as needed. In addition, as a backup, I have a bio-converter system that can use organic matter as fuel, allowing me to eat to sustain myself, but with a higher efficiency and a wider selection of fuels than humans use."

Roger became embarrassed and somewhat ashamed; his wife was, despite her denials, very sensitive about her origins, almost to the point of an inferiority complex. Being pointedly reminded of those origins still affected her emotionally.

Roger scooted over to her, put an arm around her, and kissed her cheek. She sighed and relaxed.

Norman, ever the proper manservant, pointedly did not see the Lord and Lady of the Manor in an intimate emotional moment. "I have seen Big O's power core," he said, continuing the topic of discussion. "It is a large ovoid approximately ten feet long and six feet at its widest point. And it is nothing like this."

"What is inside?" Dorothy asked.

"I really have no idea," Norman said. "I have never had cause to look."

Roger got up from the sofa. "Shall we?"

Dorothy and Norman followed Roger to the elevator.

"I do not see the point in this," Dorothy said stubbornly.

In the elevator, Roger pushed the button for the hangar. "We know that Megadeuses are different from conventional robots like Beck's toys. And it's becoming obvious that the Bigs from before the Event are different from other Megadeuses. And thanks to Dorothy Prime, we know that the Bigs are intimately involved with the Event. I for one would like to know what that connection is."

"Roger-dear," Dorothy said, a hint of a chuckle in her voice. "Are you becoming a fanatic about Knowing the Truth? Or one of those memory-obsessed old codgers that you decry?"

"Neither, my love," Roger said. "It's simply a case of self-preservation. I know our new policy of keeping defeated Megadeuses will eventually call down Paradigm's wrath on us. So I want as much information on our side as possible, either as weapons or bargaining chips."

Dorothy gave a suspiciously Roger-like smirk. "Whatever you say, my husband."

Both Norman and Roger looked sidelong at her as the elevator stopped.

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