distance. Alacrity was trying to make up his mind whether now was the time to jump Marcus, before he could rearm. But Marcus was out in the open, and maybe Vinzix would be more than happy to kill all three humans. Then again, another chance might not come along …
He heard a sudden thrashing behind him. Alacrity turned, prepared to see Vinzix charging his way, only to see Floyt thrashing and wrestling with Albrecht, trying to drag the robo down. Albrecht's course between Vinzix and Marcus had brought him directly to them; Floyt had seized the chance without file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis...y%20-%20Fall%20of%20the%20White%20Ship%20Avatar.htm (52 of 242)23-2-2006 17:03:12
[Fitzhugh 3]-FALL OF THE WHITE SHIP AVATAR
hesitating. Disabling Albrecht would leave Vinzix the only one armed, and that with only one bolt, improving the outlook a lot.
The problem was, Albreeht was no drone tea wagon. He spun and bucked, impossible to bring down, emitting bleats of distress. It gave Alacrity an instant's pause, seeing Floyt's daring and fast reaction. I'd like to know how many other quiet little functionary third classes like him there are; you scratch some Earther's surface and all of a sudden you're dealing with a pit dog! Even before he'd finished the thought, he'd thrown himself into battle.
The two found out right away that while he wasn't made for hand-to-hand combat, Albrecht was definitely put together with durability in mind. His hoverthruster blared full power, unable to lift him with the added weight clinging to him, but keeping him from being grounded. He slewed and slid and twirled around as they wrenched and grappled at him haphazardly.
Alacrity's club splintered over Albrecht's gleaming cranial turret without making a dent. Floyt's efforts to lever an arm out and wring it off got three of his fingers lacerated and several nails loosened, and almost got his own shoulder dislocated.
Luckily, Albrecht's defenses didn't include use of the roverbolts, or they'd have been parboiled. As it was, the machine tried to throw them off, pumping his arms in and out, rocking back and forth on his thrusters like a metronome.
Floyt lost his grip with one hand, clinging stoically with the other, half boots scraping and digging for purchase. Alacrity couldn't quite get a leglock on Albrecht's shiny, rounded torso and was fighting with one of the many arms. He didn't think that he and Floyt had more than another few seconds before Albrecht broke free, and was worrying hard about Vinzix's blazing boomerang, too.
Gripping the arm, Alacrity was yanked up close to the robot's head. All Albrecht's important machinery was well protected, naturally, including his pickups and detectors. About the only thing open to attack was the receptor for his programming augmentation. It abruptly came to Alacrity what it was he was staring at; he abandoned all thought of doing Albrecht harm.
Albrecht broke free of Floyt's grasp and grappled clumsily with Alacrity, while Alacrity concentrated on the receptor. One mechanical appendage opened Alacrity's forehead. Another came down hard across his collarbone, nearly stunning him. He locked his teeth and held on, trying to work while blood ran into his eyes.
Floyt was up again, circling to reenter the bizarre dustup, just as Albrecht pried Alacrity loose and shoved him backward, flailing. Alacrity landed in Floyt's arms, bearing them both to the ground, as the file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis...y%20-%20Fall%20of%20the%20White%20Ship%20Avatar.htm (53 of 242)23-2-2006 17:03:12
[Fitzhugh 3]-FALL OF THE WHITE SHIP AVATAR
robo lifted free and floated away quickly in Lord Marcus's direction.
Marcus, hearing Albrecht's alarm stridences, was shouting for Vinzix and heading in the two companions' direction. Albrecht, homing on Marcus, was uttering loud translations in Vinzix's language.
Alacrity grabbed Floyt and the pair crawled, knee-walked, and tumbled for cover. In the
He heard a sudden thrashing behind him. Alacrity turned, prepared to see Vinzix charging his way, only to see Floyt thrashing and wrestling with Albrecht, trying to drag the robo down. Albrecht's course between Vinzix and Marcus had brought him directly to them; Floyt had seized the chance without file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis...y%20-%20Fall%20of%20the%20White%20Ship%20Avatar.htm (52 of 242)23-2-2006 17:03:12
[Fitzhugh 3]-FALL OF THE WHITE SHIP AVATAR
hesitating. Disabling Albrecht would leave Vinzix the only one armed, and that with only one bolt, improving the outlook a lot.
The problem was, Albreeht was no drone tea wagon. He spun and bucked, impossible to bring down, emitting bleats of distress. It gave Alacrity an instant's pause, seeing Floyt's daring and fast reaction. I'd like to know how many other quiet little functionary third classes like him there are; you scratch some Earther's surface and all of a sudden you're dealing with a pit dog! Even before he'd finished the thought, he'd thrown himself into battle.
The two found out right away that while he wasn't made for hand-to-hand combat, Albrecht was definitely put together with durability in mind. His hoverthruster blared full power, unable to lift him with the added weight clinging to him, but keeping him from being grounded. He slewed and slid and twirled around as they wrenched and grappled at him haphazardly.
Alacrity's club splintered over Albrecht's gleaming cranial turret without making a dent. Floyt's efforts to lever an arm out and wring it off got three of his fingers lacerated and several nails loosened, and almost got his own shoulder dislocated.
Luckily, Albrecht's defenses didn't include use of the roverbolts, or they'd have been parboiled. As it was, the machine tried to throw them off, pumping his arms in and out, rocking back and forth on his thrusters like a metronome.
Floyt lost his grip with one hand, clinging stoically with the other, half boots scraping and digging for purchase. Alacrity couldn't quite get a leglock on Albrecht's shiny, rounded torso and was fighting with one of the many arms. He didn't think that he and Floyt had more than another few seconds before Albrecht broke free, and was worrying hard about Vinzix's blazing boomerang, too.
Gripping the arm, Alacrity was yanked up close to the robot's head. All Albrecht's important machinery was well protected, naturally, including his pickups and detectors. About the only thing open to attack was the receptor for his programming augmentation. It abruptly came to Alacrity what it was he was staring at; he abandoned all thought of doing Albrecht harm.
Albrecht broke free of Floyt's grasp and grappled clumsily with Alacrity, while Alacrity concentrated on the receptor. One mechanical appendage opened Alacrity's forehead. Another came down hard across his collarbone, nearly stunning him. He locked his teeth and held on, trying to work while blood ran into his eyes.
Floyt was up again, circling to reenter the bizarre dustup, just as Albrecht pried Alacrity loose and shoved him backward, flailing. Alacrity landed in Floyt's arms, bearing them both to the ground, as the file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis...y%20-%20Fall%20of%20the%20White%20Ship%20Avatar.htm (53 of 242)23-2-2006 17:03:12
[Fitzhugh 3]-FALL OF THE WHITE SHIP AVATAR
robo lifted free and floated away quickly in Lord Marcus's direction.
Marcus, hearing Albrecht's alarm stridences, was shouting for Vinzix and heading in the two companions' direction. Albrecht, homing on Marcus, was uttering loud translations in Vinzix's language.
Alacrity grabbed Floyt and the pair crawled, knee-walked, and tumbled for cover. In the
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