Free Code Lightfall and the Robot King by Daniel H. Wilson Page B

they mess with you, we’ll have to fight. And there’ll be some slaughterin’ then, you better believe!” Gary’s eye visor blazed red and he poked his finger cannon in the air.
    Code gazed past the city and out to sea. A thin line rose up from the blue horizon and reached impossibly high into the heavens. “We don’t have a choice. Clockwork City is between us and the Beamstalk. We have to go through it and then find a way across the sea. It’s our only chance.”
    In confirmation, Peep darted away toward the dead city. Code shrugged and set off down the path. After a moment, Gary followed.
    Clockwork City was just as desolate up close as it was from far away. Sterile gray buildings loomed over empty streets. Their sheer, blank walls swallowed up the sound of Code’s footsteps. And the cubelike buildings stretched on for miles. There were no robots or cars or animals or advertisements or sounds or movements or smells—not even a piece of stray trash blew through the perfectly clean streets.
    The sound of a foghorn echoed mournfully against the tombstone buildings.
    â€œThat’s from a ship!” exclaimed Code. “Let’s go!”
    Code and Gary pushed farther into the city, made a few turns, and circled back. They were quickly and thoroughly confused. Every building looked the same, every intersection was identical, and the maze went on as far as Code could see. Precious time was slipping away, and Code was tired and hot and grumpy.
    And lost.
    The horn sounded again, this time much fainter.
    â€œWe’re going in circles.” Code sighed. “Mekhos makes no sense! You robots are impossible. Everything is either too small to see or too big to figure out.”
    â€œWhat?” exclaimed Gary. “This place is clockwork. It all runs according to a plan. Besides, you aren’t any different from us.”
    â€œExcuse me? I’m not a robot, Gary.”
    â€œYes, you are. From the second that you’re born, your brain develops according to rules. Your personality is based on your experiences. There’s a pattern behind everything. Why, if I had a map of your genes and a video of your childhood, I could predict exactly what kind of boy you’d be. And exactly what you’ll do.”
    â€œI can do anything I want to.”
    â€œSee? I knew you were going to say that.”
    Code was getting angry. “ You’re the robot,” he said. “You’re the one who has to follow some dumb program all the time. Not me!”
    â€œWrong. We robots change our minds all the time. Every time a robot learns something new, it makes new decisions. Just like you. And, of course, there are subatomic levels of uncertainty. And every once in a while, solar flares will cause us to go a little wacky. We’re not the predictable ones— you are.”
    â€œNo, you are!” Code replied angrily. “I’m a human being and I can change.”
    â€œCongratulations. You’re a human being. Soft and squishy and you have to go unconscious for eight hours a day. How great. I can shoot fire out of my fingers, Code. Can you do that?”
    â€œMaybe not, but … but you’re just as lost as I am right now!”
    â€œIs that a fact?!” bellowed Gary.
    â€œYes!” shouted Code.
    â€œGood!” exclaimed Gary.
    â€œFine!” squeaked Code.
    â€œWhat?” asked Gary.
    â€œI don’t know!” said Code, his face flushed with anger.
    In a huff, Code marched around the next corner, only to find himself face-to-face with a robot that was picking up a gigantic cube. Carrying the cube like a birthday present, the lifter turned and stalked loudly away down the block.
    Gary and Code looked at each other, their argument put on hold.
    â€œHello? Robot?” called Code.
    But the auto-lifter ignored him completely. Code followed it at a safe distance, but stopped when he picked up the sound of another pair