The Search For WondLa (18 page)

CHAPTER 32: THE GOLDFISH

We have
to hurry. Follow me!” Eva said, jogging down the corridor. “And use this!” She tossed a vocal transcoder to Muthr, swiped from Zin’s study. The robot activated it and hurried after Eva, with the pillar guard close behind them. Around the bend, they ran right into a squad of royal guardsmen. Confronted by a loose pillar guard, one of them shouted, “Call for reinforcements!”

Eva pointed at the royal guardsmen, the remote in her hand. “Pillar guard, clear the way!” she commanded.

The giant automaton let out its low blat sound as it stepped over Eva and Muthr swinging its long segmented arms. Guardsmen were thrown against the wall while others retreated down the hall.

In moments Eva and Muthr were at the doorway leading out to the top floor of the museum’s Great Hall. Eva glanced behind her. From a safe distance Zin appeared holding another remote, the taxidermist scurrying alongside him.

“You gave your word that you would not destroy this place,” Zin said in an alarmed tone.

“You said you would help me escape,” Eva said with a sneer. She turned and ran through the door with Muthr. The pillar guard followed.

Out on the top floor of the Great Hall, visitors fled from the rogue pillar guard. Eva looked toward the ramp leading down to the exits. A full squadron of royal guardsmen was ascending with boomrods ready.

“Well, that way is blocked,” Eva muttered as she pulled out the Omnipod. “This is Eva Nine. Can you see if there is another way down from here?”

“Greetings, Eva Nine. Radar scanning superficial structure,” the device chirped. “This may take several moments to render. Please hold.”

“We don’t have time!” Eva saw that the palace guards were almost to the top floor.

“Is there another way down?” Muthr asked as she surveyed the immediate area.

“Not unless we jump,” Eva said, peering over the balcony to the floor far below. She looked back up at the pillar guard and commanded, “Carefully carry us and jump down to the floor level, please.”

The pillar guard lifted the girl and the robot up, bounded over the balcony, and landed firmly on its three columnar legs. It came down on top of the display of water bears, toppling the gigantic mounted specimens and sending pedestrians scrambling.

The pillar guard set Eva and Muthr down near its feet. Eva could hear the guards on the top floor turn around and head for the ramp.

“Come on!” she yelled, grabbing Muthr’s hand and leading her toward the back entrance. They pushed their way through the crowd of onlookers and headed toward their escape from the museum. As they neared the doors, Eva spied royal guard reinforcements coming in from outside, and spun around. “This way!” she shouted, dragging Muthr right between the pillar guard’s towering legs. As they dashed to the front entrance, Eva could see that the squadron of guardsmen was now on the ground level and closing in on them.

“I do not know if this is the best solution, Eva,” Muthr said over her whining motor as she wheeled along at full speed.

“We’re almost out of here!” Eva exclaimed. The giant pillar guard followed.

They were nearly through the front entrance of the museum’s Great Hall when Eva stole a glance at the jackvest displayed in the exhibit hall. She hesitated at the entrance—in mere seconds they would be stepping through the doorway.

In minutes they’d be off of the royal grounds.

And, in moments, they’d be hidden—lost among the throngs of the otherworldly citizens of Solas.

Zin dropped down right in front of Eva and Muthr.

“That’s far enough, Eva Nine,” he said, waving another pillar guard remote. “I’ve orders from the queen to detain you both for further questioning. Please deactivate the pillar guard and hand me the remote.”

Muthr’s head spun around, taking in the situation. Royal guardsmen were closing in from every direction. “Excuse me, sir,” she said, “but my daughter and I are free to go wherever we—”

“Don’t bother. He’s just a liar,” Eva said, facing Zin. “You lied to me!”

“I did not lie.” Zin’s voice was firm as he crossed his many arms. “I told you I would try all means necessary. That entailed my requesting your release from Her Majesty—and she denied it. I apologize.”

“I apologize too,” Eva said, narrowing her eyes at him. Outside, hordes of royal guards were clambering up the steps leading to the museum’s front entrance, with their sonic boomrods ready. And she could hear the click of the other guardsmen’s heels on the polished floor as they approached from behind. Without turning, she figured they were halfway down the hall.

“Don’t do it, Eva,” Zin said. “You must surrender.”

“Pillar guard,” Eva commanded, “get Zin’s controller.”

Zin’s eyes went wide with fright, and he zipped away, dodging a swing from the pillar guard’s massive clawed hand. Fluttering through the Great Hall, Zin activated the other pillar guards, commanding them to capture the robot and the girl and disable their rogue pillar guard.

Eva watched the enormous figures carved in the pillars open their glowing eyes and come to life.

As they pulled their gigantic bodies free from their roosts, the pillar guards filled the Great Hall with their blatting calls. They stepped out onto the floor in perfect unison. This caused the remaining museum visitors to panic and scatter in all directions. The royal guardsmen spread out through the confusion, fanning around the giant automatons. The pillar guards marched out into the center of the museum, crushing everything in their paths.

Muthr scanned the chaos. “There is no way out, Eva,” she said.

“Come on! This way!” Eva yanked Muthr toward the Hall of Artifacts. The nearest pillar guards gave chase, stepped over them, and turned around to block their path.

Eva and Muthr scooted between the giants’ stomping legs. One of the pillar guards reached down to grab Eva, but its huge clawed hand missed and sunk deep into the tiled floor. As she moved to avoid the jagged claws, Eva let go of Muthr’s hand. She dashed behind the attacking pillar guard and hid behind the jackvest display.

The giant automaton spun around, trying to locate its quarry, and upset the suspended flying machine. The contraption swayed from the rafters like a hanging toy next to the pillar guard. The cables holding the flying machine snapped one at a time, and it crashed down onto the display next to Eva.

As Eva pulled herself from the rubble, she realized the mounted yellow jackvest was lying next to her on the floor under chunks of glass.

The Omnipod, still hanging from her wrist, spoke in its chirpy voice. “Jacket,” it announced, projecting a similar hologram. “A form of hip- or waist-length garment for the upper body. In the nineteenth century it was often referred to as a ‘coat.’ In the latter part of the twenty-first century climatefiber was invented, which revolutionized the fashion industry, allowing for a variety of new and popular styles, including the sleeveless jackvest. Shall I continue?”

Eva clambered up just in time to see a pillar guard barreling toward her. She shot down the exhibit corridor, but the short hallway simply looped around, reconnecting with the main hall. She spied the fallen flying machine lying on top of the display case.

“Hovercraft, model S-five-thirty-one, also known as the Goldfish,” the Omnipod said. “This vehicle, often referred to as a ‘floatster,’ was popular in the—”

“Does it work?” Eva cried over the commotion. She crawled underneath a case full of shabby Beeboo toys and dolls, aiming the Omnipod at the hovercraft.

“Sending communication to vehicle and analyzing data. Please wait for a response,” the Omnipod replied. A pillar guard picked up a case and threw it across the museum, searching for Eva.

“Hurry!” Eva scrambled to her feet and bolted toward Muthr. A gigantic foot came down onto a display case that stood between them, causing it to erupt in a blast of glass and metal.

As Eva dug her way out of the debris, an immense clawed hand lowered near her, holding a remote in its pincers. She looked up, recognizing that her pillar guard had somehow completed its task.

Eva scanned the havoc in the museum. There was no sign of Zin.

“Destroy the remote,” Eva said with a smile. The remote shattered in the pillar guard’s massive vice grip.

Without control the other activated pillar guards aimlessly rampaged, destroying everything within their immediate area.

Eva stood, looking up at her guard’s three glowing eyes. “You are free,” she commanded. “You are no longer under anyone’s command. Do you understand? Now go!”

The pillar guard stood, blatted loudly, and walked out of the museum’s Great Hall, crashing through the glass of the front entrance.

“Get him!” Eva heard one of the royal guards shout. “The rest of you, get everyone out of here and deactivate the cursed pillar guards!”

Eva dashed into a horde of rushing museum guests, and then sidled behind a tall case that contained a collection of rusted signage. She aimed the Omnipod back at the fallen hovercraft.

A pillar guard rushed toward Eva across the museum, stepping on several royal guards in the process.

“Take down the pillar guards! Take down the pillar guards!” one of the royal guards yelled above the din. The royal guardsmen now opened fire on the giant automatons with their sonic guns.

The pillar guard that was bearing down on Eva received the first blast. One of its legs blew to pieces, and it toppled backward. Debris blew everywhere as the giant crumpled from the fall, filling the entire museum hall with a thick cloud of dust.

“Hovercar S-five-thirty-one is online, though it is at only forty-nine percent functioning ability,” the Omnipod stated. “Would you like to access the user’s manual?”

“Yes!” Eva dashed through the dust, grabbing Muthr along the way. She yanked the robot toward the hovercraft, thrusting the Omnipod into Muthr’s hand. “I need you to access the user’s manual now!” Eva shouted.

Eva scrabbled on top of a crushed display and made her way toward the small hovercraft. She climbed onto the craft’s dusty body and slipped into the cockpit. True to the hovercraft’s nickname, it was indeed shaped like a flying convertible goldfish. Two cracked, dusty leather seats sat high atop the pitted golden chrome body, while an array of fins and stabilizers projected out of the tail.

“Scoot over. I am driving,” Muthr said as she climbed into the Goldfish, holding the Omnipod tight in one hand. Eva could see lights blinking in rapid succession on the robot and the Omnipod, even through the dust suspended in the air. With another hand Muthr grabbed the steering yoke of the vehicle. A third hand pried open an access hatch on the dashboard and pulled wires out of the craft. “I have got to give it a little electrical charge first,” she said in a calm voice as she plugged a wire into her body.

A squad of royal guardsmen rushed past, ignoring Eva and firing their weapons up at a pillar guard who was plowing through all of the displays straight toward them. “You need to hurry,” Eva said as a giant leg crashed through a mounted skeleton.

“A few more seconds. I’ve only got three functional arms,” Muthr said, pressing a button on the dashboard, which caused music to erupt from the blown speakers. She silenced the audio player, and pressed more buttons in rapid succession. “I do not know about this, Eva. This machine hasn’t been activated in eons,” she said.

The palace guardsmen blasted the pillar guard that was coming at them, disintegrating its head. The headless giant spun around out of control, striking another pillar guard and sending it toppling forward toward the hovercraft.

“You
really
have to get this thing going NOW!” Eva started slapping the dashboard as the shadow of the falling giant enveloped them.

“Got it!” Muthr sang, and the Goldfish made a burbling sound, while a holographic menu flickered onto the windshield. The craft then rose about a meter off of the rubble and began moving, dragging a loose tail fin behind it. The enormous pillar guard fell through the hovercraft’s dusty wake. It slammed into the floor at full force, causing the entire museum to shake at its foundation.

Muthr spun the craft around and headed for the back entrance. With deft precision she navigated the vehicle through the throng of royal guardsmen, who were now focused on taking down the remaining pillar guards in the chaos.

Shooting out into the royal gardens, Muthr piloted the malfunctioning Goldfish through the onlookers, trees, and shrubs, leaving a trail of fallen branches and leaves in her path.

“Fuel level low,” the craft said in a garbled voice. “Please stop and refuel immediately.”

“Are you kidding me?” Eva said, looking back over her shoulder. No one appeared to be following them.

“The vehicle runs on a water-based fuel,” Muthr said. She struggled to steer, compensating for the damaged tail rudder, and blasted the craft through a garden of tube-creatures. “Currently it is drawing its power from me. Hopefully, we can get to a secure location to refuel it shortly. Let us just hope it remains intact long enough
to get us
to a secure location.”

CHAPTER 33: REUNION

The citizens
parted as a dilapidated hovercraft maneuvered down the bustling streets of Solas. The lanes and sidewalks were packed with all manner of city folk: coachmen driving large feathered beasts of burden through throngs of foot traffic; little ones flying about on floatscooters alongside the Goldfish, begging for change; and the occasional merchants drifting in hoverjunks overhead selling anything—and everything. Eva Nine thought it was spectacular.

Despite having just escaped an army of towering pillar guards, and having just destroyed the Royal Museum, she wanted to blend in with the locals and explore every nook and cranny of the city … but she knew better.

As the Goldfish raced down a winding alley, heading farther and farther from the royal grounds, Eva noticed that the abodes went from large and fantastic to simple gigantic gourds with windows and doorways carved out of them. Eva looked around the quiet neighborhood streets, disregarding the odd stares from the occasional passersby. “Nobody is following us. I think we are safe,” she said at last.

“Thank the stars,” Muthr replied, and slowed the Goldfish down. It puttered less than a meter off the ground, shaking and rattling like the old machine that it was. “This jalopy is about to drain me of my power reserves. Let us find a water source and refuel it.”

“Wait here,” Eva said, hopping out. She approached a pedestrian who looked like a hairless rabbit with small arms hopping along on three stilt legs. Eva held up her hand, palm out, as she had seen Rovender do. “Greetings,” she said.

The rabbit pedestrian slowed, glancing at Eva with its many round eyes as it passed.

Eva spoke loudly and clearly. “I was wondering if you could tell us where we could get some water, please?”

The pedestrian hurried past her and continued on its way.

“What? Hey, wait!” Eva turned back to look at Muthr.

“It ez only a messenger,” a voice came from across the street. “Zay only zuppoz to talks to za recipient.” A grotesque, lump-faced, heavyset character strolled over to Eva. Striking cobalt blue wattles hung near its tusked snout in front of large mustard eyes. Its heavy natty jacket was worn and frayed, and it dragged on the ground, concealing most of the creature.

“Namez Caruncle,” the creature said, eyeing Eva. “You lookings for ze port?”

“Um, yes,” Eva said, “the port would be great.” She felt uneasy near the large character. He smelled sour, like he had taken a dip in the same vile drink that Rovender carried around.

“Well, ez jus over zat way.” Caruncle gestured with a curled, atrophied arm.

“Okay. Thanks, Carnucle.” Eva trotted toward the Goldfish.

“Caruncle,” he corrected her. “Zow. You haves flying macheen? Did you builds it? I never seen nothing likes these style. Howz haves you gottens dis?”

Eva climbed in, next to Muthr, who glided the hovercraft around toward the direction Caruncle had indicated. “Thanks again for your directions,” Eva repeated.

“And automatonz driver, too?” Caruncle pointed at Muthr. “No ones in Solaz has zeese things essept za queen. Are you a queen? A prinzess?”

“No, just a human.” Eva waved as the hovercraft took off. “Bye!”

“Youz stoles it! I knows dis!” Caruncle yelled after them. “Your zeecret is zafe wif me, Justa Human!”

“We are almost ready,” Muthr said, pouring water from the lake into the Goldfish’s fuel reservoir. They were parked in a run-down dockyard on the outskirts of the city. Eva looked in the distance at a tall spiked, yet graceful, building towering high above all else.

“That must be the palace,” she said. She blocked the sun from her eyes with her hands, squinting at the details of the otherworldly architecture.

Muthr rolled up next to her. “It is wonderful,” she said.

“The castle?” Eva sighed, thinking of her not-so-wonderful encounter with Queen Ojo. “Yeah, I suppose.”

“No, Eva.” Muthr brushed Eva’s bangs out of her eyes. “It is wonderful to be with you once more.”

“I’m glad we’re back together too,” Eva said, embracing the robot. She could feel the warmth emanate from Muthr’s enameled torso right through to her silicone-tipped fingers.

“How is your hand?” Muthr asked. “What happened to it?”

Eva showed her the injury. “I had a run-in with a sand-sniper—a little one, at that. Even
it
was bad news.”

“Nice dressing,” Muthr observed. “Though, you will likely have a scar. We will clean it up when we get to wherever we are going.”

“Where are we going?” Eva asked. “There have been no replies to our distress call from Sanctuary fifty-one.”

“Let us recover somewhere and come up with a plan. But not here,” Muthr said, pointing at the dilapidated docks. She rolled back toward the Goldfish. “We can still use this, but I do not think our getaway vehicle is going to get us much farther.”

“When I spoke with Zin—you know, the short floaty guy,” Eva said as she hopped into the vehicle, “he told me there was a place where they’ve been digging up stuff—like this hovercraft.”

“Very well.” Muthr nodded. “That may be a good place to look for clues.”

“Yeah, it would,” Eva replied, “but he said it was really far away. Across a desert. A really dangerous desert.”

“I see.” Muthr blinked, processing. “Well, perhaps I may be able to repair this hovercraft enough to get us there. But I will need time, and we do not have any provisions for you or supplies for the Goldfish.”

Eva sighed. “I know, but I think if we don’t leave Solas soon, then—”

A voice drifted into her mind.

You. Me. Find.

Eva’s eyes grew big. “It’s Otto!”

“Otto?” Muthr scanned the area for the giant water bear. “I do not see him.”

“He’s not right here,” Eva said, closing her eyes and focusing. “But he’s not far, either.” Concentrating, she pointed. “Go this way. Down the shore and back around town.”

With her eyes still shut Eva guided Muthr through the city’s small winding alleys. These soon turned into simple footpaths, which led out toward a patchwork of lichen farms and pollen granaries. All trails faded as the land became drier and scrubbier, eventually turning into a great and vast ash-colored wasteland.

“There!” Eva exclaimed, opening her eyes and pointing. Muthr guided the craft in the direction Eva indicated, toward a lone wandering tree. Underneath was the unmistakable shape of a water bear, hooting in the shade. Before Muthr could bring the craft to a stop, Eva hopped out of it and ran toward her armored friend.

Safe. Little one. Back.

“Oh, Otto!” Eva stretched her arms out and hugged his face, feeling the familiar comfort of being near him. She traced her delicate fingers over his bumpy carapace, smiling at him. “Thank you, Otto. Thank you for coming for me,” she whispered.

“Eva Nine,” a voice came from the other side of the tree’s trunk. “My traveling companion. My puzzle solver.” A blue lanky creature hopped down from one of the tree’s leafy platforms. “It does my spirit good to see you alive and well.”

“Rovee!” Eva squealed, and moved to hug her friend tightly. “I’m so glad you’re here! I was worried about you.” She looked him over. “Your color,” Eva said, “it’s brighter. You look good. Healthier.”

“Thanks,” Rovender said, holding Eva.

“You are here to say good-bye, aren’t you?” she asked.

“I thought I was leaving,” he replied, “but clearly you and Mother need
someone
to keep you out of trouble, right?”

Eva looked at his grinning face and smiled back.

“So I’ll tag along for a little longer,” Rovender added. “I want to see where your journey takes you—that is, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all.” Eva beamed.

“Otto, Mr. Kitt,” Muthr said as she rolled up. “I am happy you made it.”

“You too, Mother Robot.” Rovender put a hand on Muthr’s shoulder. “So tell me, how did you both manage to escape Besteel?”

Muthr smiled. “Eva rescued me.”

Rovender nodded. “She rescued me as well.”

Otto hooted in agreement.

Misty-eyed, Eva stood facing them. “You’ve rescued me, too.”

“Oh, before I forget,” Rovender said as he walked over to Otto. “Your belongings.” He handed Eva back her jackvest and satchel.

She peered inside her satchel and saw that everything was as she’d left it—including the WondLa. She ran her fingers over it and smiled at Rovender. “Thanks,” she whispered.

“Of course.” Rovender’s voice was soft. “Though I assume that while you were detained you had no luck finding clues as to the whereabouts of your clan.”

“Actually, I did,” Eva said, leaning back against Otto’s armored side. “It’s across a vast desert. An ancient city lies there.”

“The … the wastelands?” Rovender’s mouth was agape. He pointed to the ash-colored plain that stretched out behind them. “It is here. We are at the edge of it.”

Eva stepped forward, walking out from the shade of the wandering tree. An endless barren expanse extended out toward the midday horizon. There was not a tree, or any other living thing, visible as far as she could see.

“Many have traveled into this wasteland,” Rovender said, standing next to her. “Many have disappeared. This is dangerous land.”

“We will need to find food and water, Eva.” Muthr rolled up to Eva’s other side. “Enough for you, Mr. Kitt, Otto, and the car.”

Rovender stared out at the barren plain. “You can have whatever provisions I’ve collected.”

“We need coordinates,” Muthr continued. “I do not believe the Omnipod has the radar range we will require.”

“Mother Robot is right,” Rovender concurred. “If we don’t know where we are going, we are walking to our deaths.”

“We know where we are going,” Eva said. She pulled out the crystal given to her by Zin that was tied around her neck. “We are going to find the answer to the puzzle.”

“A beamguide? Very nice.” Rovender hummed, eyeing the cube crystal. “Well, then, I am ready. Let us find your WondLa, Eva Nine.”

Otto nuzzled Eva’s hand.

“Otto says he’s ready too,” Eva said, looking over at Muthr.

The robot turned her gaze from the vast sea of sand and faced her. “I am here for you, Eva. Lead the way.”