Mekanix

By Horton Hepplewhite

A small robot has been discarded and is sent to the dump. He comes across a shop that repairs outdated and broken technology and gives them a new life. As it turns out, years of abuse will require more than a simple hardware upgrade.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Martian Publishing
• Release date: Jan 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215147436

Book preview

MEKANIX

By Horton Hepplewhite

MARTIAN PUBLISHING

Copyright © 2020 by Martian Publishing Company

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved.

No portion of this volume may

be reproduced in any format

without the express written

permission of the copyright holder.

This is a work of fiction.

Any resemblance to persons or

organizations, living or extinct,

is entirely coincidental.

CHAPTER ONE

Move along, you piece of junk!

2MTx winced at the loud voice and continued limping along the curbside. He had been on the sidewalk for a while until someone had kicked him into the street. If a truck had come along he would have been reduced to his constituent moving parts. Even those that were not moving so very good at the moment.

His left tread clanked noisily, held together by an old paperclip he had found on the ground. It helped a lot but each time the clip got to his front roller it threatened to topple him over. With a little concentration, though, tragedy had been averted… so far.

Some children ran past, taunting him.

Look at that busted-up thing.

Yeah, a walking garbage can.

City dump's straight ahead, fella.

He could put up with the gibes of the human folk but the responses from the other robots pained him. Most simply looked away in disgust. Others, like the loud one, called him names and told him to keep going. Out of town, out of their sight… So no one would think poorly of any robot.

A car pulled up to the curb, its bumper just missing his head.

Jumping down from the access panel, a dignified mechanical attendant went to the side of the vehicle and opened the door for its owner. The tall slender human figure emerged and crossed the sidewalk to enter a store regaling passersby with the latest fashions from Milan and Paris.

The uniformed attendant closed the door and turned to return to his access panel when he noticed 2MTx slumped at the curb at the back of the vehicle.

The damaged bot's course was blocked by the rear of the vehicle and he would simply have to wait until the vehicle left so he could continue his course. He did not think he had the energy to try walking around the car, close to the traffic again. The last such attempt almost proved to be his undoing.

The attendant stopped and looked at him. Cringing, expecting another harsh rebuke, he was amazed to hear a soft voice.

Hey there, little fellow. You're looking a little ill there. You okay?

2MTx could only shake his cranial apparatus.

The other leaned closer and lowered his voice. You ought to get over to the Mekanix place. They'll be able to fix you up pretty good. He winked an ocular panel. Might even find some sort of employment for you as well. For some people who aren't overly picky about the appearances of their help.

2MTx blinked. Mekanix?

Yeah, son, you'll find they're closer than you think. He indicated further along the street. "Take