ch11. [ C-98 ]

Most of the audience that usually attended the trials was not present that morning. Other then the navigator, the transport that delivered the robot and his brother to plaza 202-21, did not have any occupants. Usually most transports into the main levels were packed with passengers, especially on trial mornings. With the exception of the cleaning machines, and robots that were scheduled for work, the avenues on level 202 where mostly empty. Additionally, all the news feeds that they passed were all reporting about the event that had transpired during the sleep period.

The media spheres, that had documented their arrival at the residence the previous evening, followed them all the way to the plaza. Now inside the main building of plaza 202-21, the media spheres continued their pursuit. Popping in and out of the level to transmit their multidimensional messages.

When the robot and his brother entered the room where the trial was to take place, nothing was right. The three evaluation robots, which typically sat at the large metal table in the middle of the room, were not there. The media spheres that had grown increasingly annoying, were suddenly gone. In fact the entire room was empty, with the exception of a phenomenon that they could neither explain nor comprehend.

Before them, bending all the light around it, floated an open portal into the Askorp. This was something that only a few online robots were ever allowed to see.

" ...it appears that only certain receivers, mostly obsolete, were able to accept the antique frequency. Those robots that did hear the distress signal are required to download their sample to network sector 513-21-1144, as soon as possible", transmitted the news feeds, over the whole of Europa.

"Authorities were on the scene almost immediately. Rumor has it that the Askor itself navigated the retrieval vessels, but this can not be confirmed. Early reports, released by the ministry of information, say that there was biological matter inside the unidentified craft. All indication is that the craft will be moved to Earth for further analysis... ", continued the news feeds.


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