Robot Wars | The Origins of the House Robots

#1 Dead Metal - Chapter 1

(Based of the comic published for Robot Wars magazine volume 1.1)



Professor Welles placed his hand on the ID scanner and within an instant it had pulled his information and welcomed him back to the facility. It showed him a brief screen of information for the day: the location, news, weather, and the date; January 28th, 1995. But the professor did not have time to read it. He rushed into the Technical Advanced Research Projects Agency (TARPA) lab with his walking stick held high, running a surprising speed for a man of his age and weak stature. His medium grey hair flew back as he ran and his pristine lab coat flapped violently. “I got here as soon as I could!” he said as he reached his colleague, Doctor Tobor.



Doctor Tobor, was a broader build that Welles. With a gleaming bald head and turned down moustache. He wore as similar labcoat to Welles, only he had a white shirt and tie underneath, whereas Welles wore a sweater. Tobor greeted Professor Welles and ushered him to a large storage room, fronted with a thick steel door. “The Electrodynamic Time Machine, Professor...” he said unlocking the door. “It's finally produced a result!”



The door creaked open and the two scientists stepped in. In the room was a hideous robot, a machine of incredible size and menace, kept in place by industrial strength chains. Professor Welles stared at the machine, he took in its grotesque features: a giant pair of spiked metal claws, a serrated circular saw mounted on an elongated boom arm and an exoskeleton made up of large tubular spines running down its back.

“What is it?” asked Welles turning back to his colleague.

“We don't know.” said Tobor pointing away from the robot to a hospital-style bed at the other end of the room. “But it came with him.”



In the bed was a human male, badly wounded and covered in life supporting pipes and tubing. Doctor Tobor turned to a large device next to the wounded man and began to operate its controls, talking to Welles as he banged away at a keyboard. “We estimate these two specimens came from the 160th century.” he said gesturing to the spike-covered machine and the wounded man. “We getting readings from the man's memory.”

Welles watched as a long piece of paper began to eject from Tobor's Device, Tobor took out the paper and handing it to Welles. “It explains a lot.” he said.

Welles looked at the paper, on it was written several words, a jumble of thoughts from the man from the future's mind.



*** Berserkers: Cybernetically Enhanced Humans – Attacking Earth ***

*** Thermonuclear Powered Robots – Must Be Destroyed ***



As Welles read, Tobor turned his attention to the robot, and a similar mind reading device next to it. He entered another combination of commands before a sheet of paper ejected from the device. “We presume that the robot comes from earth originally as analysis of the metal seem to be consistent with steel of today.” Said Tobor before glancing at the paper with a quizzical look and then giving it to Welles. “Strangely, the only reading we can get from it is this...”

Welles studied the paper. On it was written only one word but it was repeated an infinite number of times. One word that sent a chill through his spine. One word: DESTROY!