The Last Starship by Marcus Riddle Page A

my mind. What makes you think things are going to be different now?”
    “It has been even longer since you've spent any time with humans. Does being around them not change things for you?”
    “Not all humans are like those who created you, Kabex, and that's something you're not willing to accept. The humans I'm working with are good people.”
    “Do you really believe they will permit you to share their world with them? I know better than to think they would be willing to do that.”
    “Considering what you have done to them I believe they'll not want us there, but that's not their fault. It's yours, for treating them all as though they're your enemy when they're not.”
    “I don't agree with you. The human race has been its own enemy for a very long time and Earth will be a much better place without them.” Kabex turned his attention to Jake. “You're human. You must know the history of your people. Do you believe you should have Earth as your home?”
    “Honestly, Kabex, we've made some terrible mistakes, and we continue to make them. There had been times when I thought it would be best for us to leave Earth, but we don’t have that option. We can’t build ships that will take everyone from this world for we don’t know other worlds we can call home. So the only thing we can do is fix the damage we've caused.”
    Jake thought it would far too long to fix things. Fortunately, he knew better than to say that to a robot who wanted to bring an end to the human race. “You can help us.”
    “Why would I want to? Humans put me into a spacecraft and sent me out into space with no way of refueling. I was traveling for years. A lot of that time I was falling through space, wondering if I was ever going to find land.”
    Kabex looked like he was smiling for a moment. Jake did his best to hide a shudder; not wanting Kabex to know the look was affecting him.
    “Maybe, Captain, I should send members of the human race out in space crafts, the same way it happened to me. What would happen when they were falling for decades? That is a fair punishment. I think you'll be the first to go as you are working with Sagin.”
    “You know it wouldn’t work the same way as it did for you. A human falling for that long would end up dying, but you don’t care about that, do you?”
    “I have no reason to care. Humans didn't care about me. They simply built me, sent me out, and stopped thinking about me when they realized I was never going to send any information back to them. You're not the sort of race I want to share my world with, and Earth is my world. It is where I came from. It is where I should be, along with my people, and if I have to kill you all to make that happen, I will.”
    Kabex turned his attention back to Sagin. “You have three Earth months to sort yourself out, Sagin. You're one of us. You're the one who started building our race. I don't want to hurt you, but if I have to, I will.”
    “I know what I am. I know who I am. I'm not going to 'sort myself out' as you put it because there is nothing to sort. I'm happy with the choices I've made. I'm happy working alongside the humans to bring about the end of you and your followers. I'll not permit you to take Earth from the humans, even if they're not willing to share their world.”
    “You'll cease to exist in that case.”
    “Or maybe it will be you who ceases to exist, Kabex? Have you ever stopped to think you might not be the victor? I don't know how things will end, but I know I will not go quietly - I will fight you the whole way.”
    “Have you ever stopped to think you might be too late, Sagin?” Kabex laughed. “I've had plenty of time to start my take over while you were busy playing friends with the Emperor. You will not take my world from me and neither will your soft allies.”
    The robot disappeared.
    Sagin turned to look at Jake. “We have a lot of work to do if we're going to save your world from Kabex.”
    “Yes, we do.” Jake shook his