69 THE MINING ROBOT

CHAPTER 69 THE MINING ROBOT The underwater mountain was made of rock, and that rock was made of rare metallic minerals. The same minerals were needed for building robots and computers and other kinds of technology. So a mining robot had been sent down to remove the minerals from the mountain. The mining robot resembled a gigantic crab. His body was as big as a house. He had long legs, and a pair of giant claws, and spotlights beaming out from his eyes. What looked like his mouth was actually a grinding tool that could crunch through the hardest rock. Etched on the mining robot's back was his name: Crusher. There was a rhythm to Crusher's movements. He surged forward and tore at the rocky ground with his grinding tool; then he scooped the pieces into huge storage bins; then he surged forward again. Ordinarily, the HYDRO robots would visit each day, and haul the broken rocks up to the station. That routine had gone on for months, and the underwater mountain of minerals

had slowly grown smaller. Electronic signals were sent back and forth between Crusher and the Juggernaut. It had now been several hours since he last heard from the station. But the robot wasn't concerned. In those extreme conditions the signals would frequently cut out. He just kept working as he waited for the signal to return. All that grinding of rocky minerals created great clouds of toxic dust, which streamed away on the currents. Roz wanted to put an end to those dust clouds, but to do that she would have to stop Crusher. She was no match for his size and strength. Our robot would have to rely on her wits. Roz carefully crossed the mountaintop, crawling around boulders and leaping over wide cracks in the ground. As she approached Crusher, she searched for any buttons or wires or control panels on his body, but he was completely encased in thick armor. She felt something like fear at the idea of confronting the monstrous machine. And yet she pushed that fear from her mind and bravely marched out from the shadows.

该页暂无翻译

Crusher was so focused on his work that he didn't notice Roz until she was standing right in front of him. His thunderous grinding tool powered down, and the dust clouds drifted away, leaving the water quiet and clear. "Hello, Crusher. My name is Roz." Crusher's deep voice rumbled, "Were you sent here by the Juggernaut?" Roz hesitated. "Well, no, not exactly. However, I did have a conversation with—" Crusher quickly computed that Roz didn't belong there, so he swung one of his giant claws, brushing her aside, and she went tumbling over the rocks. The jolt rattled Roz's computer brain. Her headlights dimmed and her vision flickered. But then her recovery program activated, and soon she was back to her normal self. Dust clouds bloomed around the mining robot as he resumed working. And then that little robot Roz marched back into the light. Crusher swung his claw again, and this time Roz jumped out of the way. So he blasted his sound cannon in her direction. BWAAA! BWAAA! BWAAAAAAA! The powerful sound shook Roz's body and overwhelmed her systems. Her limbs froze, and she toppled over. But her recovery program did its job, and a moment later, she swam off to a safe distance. Noise and dust filled the water as the mining robot

returned to his work. With his thick armor, his giant claws, and his powerful sound cannon, Crusher truly seemed unstoppable. Roz was losing hope. But then a small shape glinted in the darkness high above. It was one of the Ancient Shark's fish companions. He darted down to the mountaintop and over to Roz. "I have an urgent message from Gurry," said the fish. "You are not safe here!" said Roz. "The poison tide is drifting toward us!" The fish ignored her warning. "Please listen closely," he said. "Gurry has a plan to destroy the mining robot—" "It is impossible!" said Roz. "You must leave! The poison tide is coming!" "Listen to me!" shouted the fish. "For Gurry's plan to work, she needs you to distract the mining robot. You must not let him move or stir up the poison tide. Do you understand?" "Yes, I understand!" said Roz. "Now go! The poison tide is here!" The fish darted off right before a dust cloud swept

past. Roz was briefly lost in the poison tide, and when the cloud cleared away, she saw the fish disappearing back into the darkness high above.