Tales of Flesh and Steel

Predator Press

When Jimmy Orlando smashed into Templeton at 220 miles per hour, he was unaware of the tiny robot fly entirely; for all he knew, the sports car just violently exploded and died for no apparent reason.

Pressed for time, this is how Jimmy came to stealing LOBO's precious Chick Magnet and his beloved pet Phil.


***

Templton's damage was severe. He had pierced the radiator, the engine block, and finally lodged in the exhaust system of the doomed vehicle. And for almost a month, he lie there dormant and undetected.

The car was eventually crushed into a cube, the steel melted to be recycled. But as Templeton drifted lifelessly in the smelting ore, a back-up system of self-repair programming activated; one by one, Templeton's sophisticated sensor systems blinked and popped back into operation.

The process was slow and excruciating; dramatic repairs as such would typically require he be towed into a tiny hanger to be completely disassembled by busy miniscule emergency robot triage crews ... a process that would normally take several days if done properly.

But Templeton was on his own.

Fortunately -while not quite the futuristic super-alloys from which Templeton was forged- in a fluke of Cosmic Fortune, the alloys being created were some of the finest and advanced high-test durable lightweight steel ever seen on Earth.

It was being forged into stripper poles.

... And in an even more improbable fluke of Cosmic Fortune, this stripper pole was destined for a strip club called Nipples Italy.


***

"Sir," says the First Lieutenant. "I really think you should take a look at this."

"What is it now Eric?" says RDO into the comlink. "I'm not in the mood for any more of your YouTube crap."

"No sir," says Eric. "We are starting to receive some sketchy transmissions from Templeton."

RDO scowled. "Are you sure? We haven't heard from Templeton in months."

"It's definitely him sir, Eric insists. "And I think he's found Sapphire."

"Sapphire?" smiled RDO. "My, my, my. It's been years since we've heard from her! Are Sapphire and LOBO currently enjoying the rest of their blissful existence together as planned?"

"Uh," says Eric. "Sir, I really think you should come up here and see this."