Orion Colony Complete Series Boxed Set J.N. Chaney (books for new readers .txt) 📖

I let another roar escape my lips as the air exited my lungs. My right fist was a rocket pushed forward with the torque of my entire body. I had broken jaws, ribs, even sternums with that fist. If I could do that, I could break one freaking turnkey. I had to.

“Rawww!” I yelled, slamming my fist into the bar. The mechanism holding the turnkey in place broke somewhere inside the contraption. I let the force of my blow carry me out of the way of the turnkey as the metal arms spun widely.

With nothing to keep them in place, they gave way to the coiled force inside. The metal bar closest to the robot made contact with its right side. It crushed the metal torso, sending the robot flying into the wall.

Smoke and sparks erupted from the training robot. Still it fought its way back to its feet. the left side of its body caved in. Its head had made contact with the wall first, so half of the left side of its skull was crushed.

Still it rose again, fighting to regain its balance.

I wasn’t about to let that happen. I sprinted at the robot, flying through the air in a tackle my trainers would have shaken their heads at. All form was out the window, I just needed to put this thing down for good. I landed on the robot as it struggled, my chest colliding with the steel frame of its body. Pain lanced through me as I pressed my body against the robot’s, forcing it to the ground.

The arm on its injured right side flailed toward me, trying to grab anything it could get its metal hand on. I traded my position on the robot’s back for an arm bar then wrapped both my own arms around the right arm of the robot, positioning my legs over its chest. I used my entire body against the one injured limb.

If the robot’s side had not taken the damage from the turnkey, there was no way this would’ve worked, but the arm was already half falling out of its socket anyway.

Using my legs, I pressed down on the robot’s chest while my arms and back arched backward to tear the limb away from the body.

The robot tried to fight back, but I was a dog with a bone. There was no way on this green planet I was letting go. Tapping into the deepest part of my reserves, I ripped the robot’s arm from its body. Both the useless arm and I fell to the ground.

The robot stumbled in front of me, smoke and sparks coming from where its right arm used to be. It wobbled on its feet for a few seconds before finally falling but still refused to quit.

“Oh come on,” I said, frustrated. I pushed myself to me feet, feeling woozy from the lack of food and blood. “Just go down already!”

The robot was on its knees, its single hand trying to push its way back to its feet one more time. I almost felt sorry for the hunk of metal as I straddled its back and wrapped my right arm around its neck. Almost.

With the rear naked choke, I applied pressure on the already damaged head and neck area. When the turnkey flung the robot across the room, the robot had landed head first, caving in the left side.

I knew this was it. If I could rip the head the rest of the way off, or even the wires and gears within going to the head, it would be over.

Metal dug into my arm where I applied the choke. I ignored it. Not holding back, I pulled for everything I was worth and used all my anger as fuel.

Ripping sounds from somewhere within the robot’s neck cut through my own heavy breathing. Wires and gears in it were strained past their intended points and ruined.

With a final sigh, the robot fell dead underneath me. I didn’t even move to roll off the thing, I just lay there trying to catch my breath.

“Bravo! Bravo!” Jezra said, clapping her hands together.

I didn’t even look up. It was a weird feeling to want to punch someone who was cheering for you at the moment.

“I am going to free your friends immediately as well as get you care and sustenance,” Jezra announced.

I finally looked up to see her pressing buttons on the keyboard in front of her furiously. The smaller screens next to her showed the doors of the cells everyone else was in opening.

Just needing a minute to gather myself, I rolled off the robot and lay on my back, staring at the white ceiling. Jezra was going on and on about some nonsense of being on her way and I would be fine and our future was bright and blah, blah, blah.

Eventually, the doors to my chamber opened and everyone poured in except Ricky. Stacy fell to her knees, worry etched on her face, and Mutt licked at my hands, whining low in his throat.

I could hear Tong and Jezra going at it in their own tongue, and Arun appeared over my head a second later.

“You look horrible,” Stacy said. Her sarcasm was there, but I saw pity and concern as she looked over my bloody face.

“You should see the other guy,” I said with a grin.

“Can you sit up?” Arun asked. “What happened? One second, I was watching over Ricky, the next we were locked in the medical wing. Then Tong came for me saying that you had defeated the tribunal.”

“I’ll explain everything,” I said. “I just need some painkillers and food. I feel like I’m going to pass out.”

“Right,” Stacy said. She and Arun helped me to my feet, each putting one of my arms over their necks to support me.

Tong and Jezra were still hissing and clicking at one another. I had never seen him so worked up. I hoped he was cursing her