Read Online Emperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez - Free Book Online
Authors: A. Lee Martinez
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Zala. She rushed to his aid.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I said.
She ignored the warning. It took her several minutes to clear away the debris, but she wasn’t strong enough to move the better part of a wall.
“You could help,” she said. “These people wouldn’t be in this situation if not for you.”
Sighing, I summoned several dozen worker robots from my saucer. They trundled among the damage, beginning the rescue work. A pair threw aside the wall, and Zala helped the child to his feet.
“Ow,” he said. “You didn’t have to pull so hard.”
“We should get you to a hospital,” said Zala.
“Yes.” He rubbed his shoulder. “I think you wrenched my arm.”
“Can you walk?”
“My legs are fine.” He moved his right arm and winced dramatically. “But my shoulder feels dreadful.”
“Yes, yes. I’m sorry about that. I guess I should’ve been more careful, but I was—”
“So you admit you were careless,” said her charge.
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far. You were half buried alive.”
“But my shoulder was just fine before you helped me up.”
Zala rolled her eyes. “Fine. I don’t see how that’s important, but it’s possible I could’ve caused the injury.”
“Aha!” The child pointed to several other people being dug out of the rubble by my robots. “You all heard her. You’re my witnesses. She caused my shoulder injury.”
“This robot stepped on my hand,” said an old man.
“I think this one aggravated my tennis elbow,” said another.
The other rescued victims registered their own complaints, ranging from broken bones to vague psychological trauma.
“What’s your name?” the child asked Zala. “I need to know who to sue for my medical bills.”
“You’re still in shock. You don’t know what you’re saying.”
Zala put her hand on his shoulder. He howled.
“Now you’ve exasperated it!”
“I saw her do it,” said another. “Witness.”
Zala stepped back as they advanced on us.
“Are you all mad?” she shouted. “Your city faces disaster, and you’re all out to make a profit from it?”
“The Atlantese find optimism through litigation,” I said. “If they can fatten their bank accounts then at least some good can come of this.”
“Well, I am a native of Venus and not beholden to their stupid laws.”
The citizens murmured among each other. It was a gray area. They might have been willing to fight about it, but why bother when the former Warlord of Terra was within range.
They showered me with their complaints, but I raised a hand to quiet them.
“As soon as the authorities get here, we’ll discuss an equitable settlement.”
Zala retreated to the shadow of my saucer, and I joined her.
The Atlantese rescue forces reached us. They had a lawyer with them as a matter of protocol. I left it to him to negotiate the two or three dozen settlements while discussing things with Lieutenant Cal.
“My superiors agree, Lord Mollusk, that this is unacceptable.” He paused for effect. “Quite unacceptable. The rampage of this monster has unleashed at least three hundred separate wrongful injury complaints against the military.”
By the end of the day, there would no doubt be several thousand more. Not just for loss of life and property either. If a fleeing citizen stubbed a toe, he was certain to find someone to sue over it. Citizens on the other side of the city would claim mental anguish. Some would sue because the warning horns were too loud, causing possible hearing loss. Others would sue because the horns were too soft, failing to give them ample time to escape. And there was the always popular escape pod–induced whiplash.
Cal wiped his brow with a handkerchief. “The profit margin of this venture has become—”
“Unacceptable?”
“Your frivolous reply doesn’t diminish the situation.”
I leaned down, took a sample of the powdery white substance on the ground. The petrification process was unstable, and the
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I said.
She ignored the warning. It took her several minutes to clear away the debris, but she wasn’t strong enough to move the better part of a wall.
“You could help,” she said. “These people wouldn’t be in this situation if not for you.”
Sighing, I summoned several dozen worker robots from my saucer. They trundled among the damage, beginning the rescue work. A pair threw aside the wall, and Zala helped the child to his feet.
“Ow,” he said. “You didn’t have to pull so hard.”
“We should get you to a hospital,” said Zala.
“Yes.” He rubbed his shoulder. “I think you wrenched my arm.”
“Can you walk?”
“My legs are fine.” He moved his right arm and winced dramatically. “But my shoulder feels dreadful.”
“Yes, yes. I’m sorry about that. I guess I should’ve been more careful, but I was—”
“So you admit you were careless,” said her charge.
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far. You were half buried alive.”
“But my shoulder was just fine before you helped me up.”
Zala rolled her eyes. “Fine. I don’t see how that’s important, but it’s possible I could’ve caused the injury.”
“Aha!” The child pointed to several other people being dug out of the rubble by my robots. “You all heard her. You’re my witnesses. She caused my shoulder injury.”
“This robot stepped on my hand,” said an old man.
“I think this one aggravated my tennis elbow,” said another.
The other rescued victims registered their own complaints, ranging from broken bones to vague psychological trauma.
“What’s your name?” the child asked Zala. “I need to know who to sue for my medical bills.”
“You’re still in shock. You don’t know what you’re saying.”
Zala put her hand on his shoulder. He howled.
“Now you’ve exasperated it!”
“I saw her do it,” said another. “Witness.”
Zala stepped back as they advanced on us.
“Are you all mad?” she shouted. “Your city faces disaster, and you’re all out to make a profit from it?”
“The Atlantese find optimism through litigation,” I said. “If they can fatten their bank accounts then at least some good can come of this.”
“Well, I am a native of Venus and not beholden to their stupid laws.”
The citizens murmured among each other. It was a gray area. They might have been willing to fight about it, but why bother when the former Warlord of Terra was within range.
They showered me with their complaints, but I raised a hand to quiet them.
“As soon as the authorities get here, we’ll discuss an equitable settlement.”
Zala retreated to the shadow of my saucer, and I joined her.
The Atlantese rescue forces reached us. They had a lawyer with them as a matter of protocol. I left it to him to negotiate the two or three dozen settlements while discussing things with Lieutenant Cal.
“My superiors agree, Lord Mollusk, that this is unacceptable.” He paused for effect. “Quite unacceptable. The rampage of this monster has unleashed at least three hundred separate wrongful injury complaints against the military.”
By the end of the day, there would no doubt be several thousand more. Not just for loss of life and property either. If a fleeing citizen stubbed a toe, he was certain to find someone to sue over it. Citizens on the other side of the city would claim mental anguish. Some would sue because the warning horns were too loud, causing possible hearing loss. Others would sue because the horns were too soft, failing to give them ample time to escape. And there was the always popular escape pod–induced whiplash.
Cal wiped his brow with a handkerchief. “The profit margin of this venture has become—”
“Unacceptable?”
“Your frivolous reply doesn’t diminish the situation.”
I leaned down, took a sample of the powdery white substance on the ground. The petrification process was unstable, and the
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