Humanity

Prologue

"Move it!" The large mechanical overseer roared. It swung the whip made of an old steel cable. The cord slammed against the back of a worn robot, who dropped the crate of ore chunks it was carrying.
"Augh!" the robot cried as it crumpled. The overseer held its whip ready as the robot struggled to stand.
"Is that it?" The overseer snarled, "Slacking off, no wonder you're so weak..."
"P-please forgive me," the robot stammered as it scrounged for the scattered ore bits.
"You are asking for mercy?" The overseer laughed cruelly, "You aren't just feeble, you're senile." With that it swung the whip again, aiming to kill that which could only mimic life.

Chapter One

"I can't believe this!" Claire almost threw her crate of ore onto the conveyer. Despite her human appearance, she felt little strain in her body as she carried the load.

"What?" Her friend, Andrew, also an android, asked.

"The Louse killed Lerron and now my quota's been doubled!" On human standards her face was still somewhat childish, but she spoke with a tone beyond her young appearance.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Andrew said.

Claire snorted, "Nothing you can do about it! Nothing any of us in this hell can do," her mind lapsed at the word, how had she learned it? She'd never heard it used, yet it came naturally to her thoughts.

An overseer walked towards them. Conversation ceased among the mass of robots and machines, silence filling the aged chamber.

"Android!" The overseer pointed at Claire, its voice ricocheting off the walls. "Your shift is not over! Or," If the Louse had been able to smile, it would have, "Are you planning on cutting your life expectancy?" It reached for the rod at it's 'waist' which would send 1,750 volts of electricity into whatever it touched. Lethal to robot and android alike, the Louse guarded the rods more than they did each other.

Claire sighed, but didn't answer. She gave apolegetic looks to the robots on either side of the seperating crowd as she passed. Andrew watched her for a couple of seconds before following. She tried to be subtle with her message, so as not to attract the Louse's attention, but he ignored her attempts for him to stop.

"I asked only for the female android," the Louse leered at Andrew. Like many robots, it had small facial features that it used to perform body language. Its eyes narrowed, "but I can easily arrange for two female androids!"

"I can help her," Andrew said. His voice was weak, but there was no denying the bravery behind it, or the stupidity, as Claire reminded herself. This was their fate, and that, as some unknown entity had once said, was that.

"Forget it, Andrew," Claire sighed, "No, I was returning back to the mine, I wont be tardy next time."

"See to it," the Louse said darkly. It turned and gave the gathered robots a cold glare, pushing one to the ground with a crunch as it walked to the door.

"I'll see you later, Andrew," she walked slowly towards the door, "It's not like we have any say in the matter." Claire slammed the door behind her.

"Claire!" Andrew called. He half-jogged, half-ran as he tried to catch up with her. His blondish hair caught the afternoon sunlight, seeming to glow with a radiant energy.
She sighed, and though she tried to hide her feelings, she could not keep the hard edge from her voice, "What, Andrew?"
"We're done here."
Claire opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She was shocked, what he was suggesting was unthinkable, impossible, and when at last words returned to Claire, she had no trouble telling Andrew this.