My Purpose (1st Place)

RX242 drilled into the rough moon’s surface for analysis as he was programmed to do. The same results of low iron basalt returned. He sifted through the scant minerals and spun to wheel himself toward the enormous complex. The building devoured fifteen acres of moonscape with a gigantic parabolic mirrored roof.

A brilliant streak of light raced across the sky and grew from a mere dot to a landing spacecraft. The debris pushed outward from the landing spot as the ship came to a rest. The robot approached and waited for the hatch to release.

A burst of air bellowed from the door as it raised. A tall, lanky man in full space gear emerged.

“Rescue.” The robot stated.

“Yes. We saw your light flashes and when we got close, heard your distress call. Are the survivors inside?”

“Yes. Come this way.”

The buildings glimmered in the dim sunlight and seemed to be constructed from various materials including parts of several ships.

The robot stopped. “They are within.”

The man entered the main building. Two preserved, water-deprived corpses were still at their terminals. The man heard the robot leave.

“Poor bastards. I was hoping to find someone alive and kicking.”

After milling about for a few hours, he retrieved the last log dated 923 years ago. He shook his head.

………………….

He returned to the ship and started the auto-ignite system, but nothing happened. He realized his communications array had been destroyed. He stepped back outside where the robot stood.

“What happened to my ship?”

“I destroyed your means to leave.”

“But why?”

“I am programmed to perform any task which increases the chance of rescue. Your arrival meant rescue was 100%. No increase could be obtained. I had to reduce the percent back to zero. It is my purpose.”


300 Words

Flash Story
Limited to 300 words
Must contain: wheel, kick, robot