Learning to Dance

Commander?”
It was Pedro’s voice, and Taz looked at Up in surprise.
He looked a bit abashed as he raised his wrist and said, “Go
ahead, Ensign.”
“Sorry to break up this nice little moment, you two, but I
think we’ve got company.”
“Shit,” said Up as the two of them leapt up and looked
around. Pedro was sitting in one of the bunker Jeeps atop a
hill not too far in the distance, gesturing wildly behind him.
As they watched, he started the ignition and careened down
the slope. The metallic form of one very large, very angry-
looking robot crested the hill.
“You brought Pedro out here?” Taz yelled as they ran
toward the oncoming Jeep.
“If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t even have known you’d
left the ship, Taz!” Up shouted back. “I left him in the Jeep
to keep watch!”
“Great idea!” she said, only halfway meaning it. “Now
what?”
The Jeep was almost upon them. Pedro slowed down
ever so slightly and both Up and Taz managed to grab hold
of either side and swing themselves over as he passed them.
Taz growled at the pain pulsing in her palms as she steadied
herself in the backseat. The robot was gaining ground.
“That son of a bitch is huge! They’re making them big
here on Earth these days!” Pedro said, looking in the
rearview mirror. “Hi, Taz.”
“I can’t believe you told on me, idiota,” she said in
return, pulling a couple of zappers out of the Jeep’s cargo
and checking to see if they were charged.
“I think you mean ‘thanks for coming to rescue me from
that crazy-ass robot chasing us, Pedro. You’re a real pal.’”
Taz cursed as the Jeep pitched and she was thrown
roughly into Up, who was holding tightly to the rollover