by Nicholas Roiz
“H.A.T.E., The Plant-Bot” Art by: Nicholas Roiz (IG: @canned.no.soda)
Two workers of the KCPC “Vulcan” Colony Ship have finished their quota. The hydroponics chamber they are working on is complete, but requires plant samples.
“Ey, Jimmy, check who just popped in.”
A tall, bronze colored, simplistically designed robot enters the chamber.
“Look at that Phil, he’s been playing in those forests again. Ey Potman! Better have tasty seeds to go with those flowers!”
Phil is referring to the plants stuck on the robot. Two flowers, one a luscious pink and one a sickly green, stuck to the head and back of the robot. The machine said nothing, only staring down at the two workers with hollow, emotionless eyes.
“Hellooooo!”
The worker named Jimmy irritatingly walks over to the robot and pounds his fist on the chassis.
“Ey man don’t do that!” Phil pleaded. “That’s KCPC Tech! We’ll get punished for shit like that!”
“Relax! Just lemme get the seeds from this tin-can…”
He begins to pull on the flower.
“Almost… there…”
CHOMP!
It happens in a flash. The sickly flower blooms, releasing a toothy plant of deep pink shade, which immediately chomps Jimmy’s head off. The robot effortlessly bats a headless body away when it spots Phil. He screams and falls backward.
“HOLY SH**!”
The robot continues its emotionless stare as the carnivorous plant slowly makes its way towards a seed storage unit. Using its teeth, it grabs the latch and opens the unit, carefully taking a seed and retreating back to the robot, who accepted the seed in its palm and inserted it into a compartment on its shoulder. Trunk-like roots slither across its right arm, taking the form of a four digit hand. It did not stop staring.
“PLEASE DON’T KILL ME! I’LL DO ANYTHING! I SWEAR!” Phil begs.
The robot ignored him, walking toward the door with a clunk every time it took a step.
It opened it and stepped out, walking toward the forest.
Circuits booming with new life.