MotherShip by Tony Chandler

self-diagnostics, attempting to make any internal repairs that he could. Guardian found his shield strength would not rise above thirty percent although most other circuits were still functional. His body was scarred and carbon-scored by multiple hits, but his arms still functioned. As he stood, he stumbled momentarily—there was damage to both legs. Guardian focused repairs on them.
    Bending over carefully, he picked up the curly shapes of two T'kaan blasters. They were shaped so their tentacles could easily wrap around the body of the weapon. Guardian found them awkward to hold and hard even to place his forefinger on the trigger. But he finally found a grip that would suffice.
    He held three weapons at the ready in his left hand while he pointed one forward, ready to fire. He tested his legs. All major joints functioned acceptably now, but if he took many more hits they would be damaged beyond his ability to repair—he would be immobile.
    Alone now, he found the main stairwell and began making his way down.
    As he reached the third level, his sensors finally detected the familiar forms of the children.
    There were about a dozen T'kaan, all within three meters of the children. Guardian began running through every possible battle scenario—hundreds were completed in less than a second. Two parameters guided each scenario—first, he must rescue the children and ensure they were not damaged, or that there was minimal damage. Second, it did not matter if he was damaged or even destroyed in the attempt.
    The robot rose slowly, scanning with his sensors to make sure no other T'kaan were present. His processing activity rose to a peak as he calculated several hundred more scenarios. Suddenly, his eyes glowed a steady red.
    Guardian's attack was decided.

Chapter Twelve

    Jaric struggled against the wet, rubbery body, but that only caused the rope-like tentacles to tighten around him. A white-hot flash of pain in his side caused him to grunt, which tightened the monster's grip further.
    He opened his eyes against the wall of pain and saw Becky's blue eyes staring helplessly at him in the low glow of the purple light.
    “What's happening?” She mouthed wordlessly.
    Jaric shook his head, indicating he didn't know. But all three of them could hear the sounds of a furious battle raging nearby and getting closer with each passing second.
    It had to be Guardian. All alone against this elite squad of T'kaan warriors.
    Suddenly other large forms wriggled closer to them.
    Two of the tentacles slipped away from around Jaric's body.
    It's reaching for a weapon, Jaric thought. They're going to kill us now.
    Jaric had wondered all along why they hadn't died instantly. It was obvious the T'kaan had planned this trap very carefully. But now the time had come for them to die. Jaric felt a great sorrow inside his heart for what might have been. He looked longingly at Becky.
    Blaster fire erupted like a firestorm all around them.
    Two T'kaan fell while others fired back with a solid hail of tracers at the still invisible attacker.
    Jaric felt the tentacles loosen a bit more.
    He kicked backwards with all his might and then jabbed first with one elbow and then another. His left arm was free, but he was still held fast around his waist and his right arm by two strong tentacles.
    The T'kaan holding him grunted with pain.
    Jaric saw the curled end of a T'kaan blaster pointing at him. He slammed the back of his free hand into it just as it belched forth death.
    Now the T'kaan screamed as the two remaining tentacles fell away and Jaric realized he was free.
    Becky screamed.
    Jaric launched himself and landed on the back of the huge T'kaan that held Becky. Tentacles reached for him as he punched and looked for a vulnerable spot. But there didn't seem to be any.
    Just as the T'kaan was bringing his weapon up to fire, Jaric slammed his left fist into the jelly-like globule on top of its head—the T'kaan's optical organ.
    The fanged mouth opened and