A Story of a Sleepy Robot

Synopsis: This story is the history of Somnibot, Princess Royal of the House of Gadgetry.

Chapter 1--Planet Mechanus

A long time ago in a robotic galaxy far, far away there was and still is a planet called Machina.   A new king, named Mondo, had been elected by the people. Mondo was a fair, just ruler that was pragmatic and generous.   He helped others but only to benefit those who wanted or desired to improve themselves. It was a rather blunt system but it worked for Mechanus’s favor.  

For years Mondo ruled the planet by his lonesome with his faithful subjects, Orbus and Clank, two bots that had been part of his cabinet when he was elected.  

‘Sire, it’s not good for you to mope around.  Usually you’re so jolly.’, Clank mentioned, becoming concerned for his King and closest friend.  After all, the two had known each other in University and had been roommates. Orbus only came along after at a local farmer’s market.   She had been selling parts from her father’s scrap heap and making substantial coin assisting in repairing run-down bots or improving their functionality.  

‘What say we go out, just you, Orbus and I and enjoy some diversion ?’, Clank questioned.

‘Oooh, how long has it been since we went clubbing ?!’, Orbus said, becoming very excited.   Mondo exhaled sharply. It had been years, especially since he took the role of regent. Having that much responsibility made it hard for him to kick back whenever he felt like it.    Without much more thought, the 3 of them buffed their chassis, transformed into suits and headed to The Cog to have the time of their life.

Chapter 2--Sparks Fly at The Cog

It was a jiving night at The Cog.  It seemed everyone was there but no one noticed that the King had come to do a bit of partying.   Of course, he wasn’t about to get drunk because he had no use or want for alcohol. Mondo was there to socialize and dance his troubles away.  He soon decided that he would want a drink.

He went up to the bartender and asked for an oil-like beverage, much like water to us humans.   From his periphery, he saw a svelte robot chatting with other fembots like herself, laughing and dancing the night away.  She was singing karaoke and the song happened to be I Need a Hero.   Her voice was angelic.  He felt his wheels and cogs start to accelerate.  Stealing his courage, he went up to talk with her.  

‘Salutations, I’m Mondo.’, he said, introducing himself.   The young bot, so regal and elegant in appearance seemed almost too good to be true.   Part of Mondo’s negative thinking chastised him, yelling that this princess was ‘out of his league’, but like Mondo, she was completely smitten with him.

‘I’m Machina.’, she began, shaking his hand firmly.   Even though she was a dainty sort, her handshake was strong and convincing.  From that moment onward, the two began dating exclusively.

Chapter 3--A Sudden Change

Mondo noticed that his pace changed as he walked.   He had a literal spring in his step and a lilt in his walk.   He smiled and laughed more often. Clank and Orbus definitely Could see the difference in their king.   Although the two came from different walks of life, they got along incredibly well. Machina wasn’t exactly poor, but she was part of the 35% of Machina’s nouveau riche.   Her papa, Humidor, owned a fashion company and she had inherited the rights, machinery, factory and intellectual property to all his designs. She wasn’t in need or want of anything, but having Mondo’s company had helped her become a better robot.  

A year had passed and Mondo knew he had to seal the deal with Machina before someone else could steal her from under his nose.  He had experienced nightmares about losing her but he put those fears to rest once he found a perfect place by a mountain side, overlooking the ocean.   It was a place they had often come to contemplate the greater meaning of the Universe and their place in it.

‘I was wondering, Machina…’he began.

‘Yes, what’s that, hun ?’, she asked, tenderly.

‘Would you like to become my Queen ?  We could rule together. Side by side.  Nothing would ever drag us down, because we’ll always buoy each other.’, he said, truthfully.   In all actuality, he knew bad times would come as well, as they did into any couple’s life. Yet, it was a risk that Mondo was more than willing to take.  

‘Yes, you fool !  Of course I do ! I just don’t know why you took so long to ask me.  I thought you’d never get around to it !’, Machina said playfully.

Chapter 4--The Opulent Wedding

Orbus and Clank had put together a venue that, although expensive, was covered more than enough by Mondo’s trust fund.   He had plenty dollars in his bank account, and he wanted to pamper his Queen to be.

The theme was tropical, and like any summer themed motif, there were aquariums.   Even the wedding cake was a massive 4 tiered marvel of gravity defying fish that swam around the cake using holograms and a small wire crane that required only slight power to make it turn 360 degrees.   It was certainly something to witness and marvel over.

'Fifteen minutes until magic time, sire !', Klank stated, very excited.

'Are you nervous ?', Orbus asked.

Mondo’s knees were clanking together but he did his best to steady himself.  His palms had become oily but he shook them off. Pachelbel's canon began to play and Machina started her stately and beatific walk down the aisle.   Mondo tried not to be overcome by emotion but oily tears were running down his face. Machina clasped his strong hands into her delicate ones and smittenly grinned.   

The pastor began reciting his sermon and the vows.  Orbus was the flowerbot and Clank had become the ring bearer.  

‘Congratulations in advance !’, he said with a massive smile.   

‘By the power vested in me and in the name of Mechanus and the known Universe, I pronounce you King and Queen. You may kiss your bride.’, the pastor explained, a gentle grin upon his face.   Dipping his newlywed Queen into his arms he kissed her deeply and gathered her into his arms, carrying her across the threshold. With no problems whatsoever, a hover car waiting their departure.  

Chapter 5--After the Glitz and Glamor

The pomp, glory, celebrity and celebration had died down.  There was still enough food to share with those who were less fortunate, so the newly christened king and queen did so they did without even hydraulically clinking an eye.   

The real enjoyment came on a cruise away from the mechanical castle.   Orbus and Clank kept the castle in ship shape while the couple was away on a tropical island planet that was only a few thousand light years away.   If there were any sort of alert, it would get to them promptly, but neither of them wanted to be bothered with work, let alone emergencies.

Mondo and Machina were alone in a cabana, savoring the view.  On a whim, Machina got the urge to walk along the shoreline. There were beaches back on Mechanus but nothing as spellbinding and temperate as the ones that covered almost every square inch of land.    The white sand was inviting and the water didn’t rust her pivots or joints. The two had reserve oil just in case their chassis were affected by the salt water.

Holding hands together and strolling beachside had put Machina in an amorous mood.   She couldn’t stop kissing and caressing Mondo. Before Mondo knew what had hit him, they were making love together on the beach, luckily when no one else was there to see them.   They enjoyed hours together, rollicking in the sand. They even had to shake some sand off once they had been fulfilled.

‘How unbelievable.’, Machina complimented.

‘I’ll say.  I’m at a loss for words !’, Mondo agreed, his face still red from their coitus.   Machina nuzzled her handsome husband and lover and the two slept on a blanket until morning.   He carried her home to the cabana as soon as the sun rose, thankful that he had been blessed with such a perfect mate and exquisite lover.   

Chapter 6--The Birth of a Princess

9 months later, Machina was doing her lamaze breathing and beginning to feel birth pangs come upon her.   Although she did have a few choice words for Mondo, she was eager to welcome her first baby into the world.  Clank and Orbus were beside themselves. They didn’t know how to deal with babies even though they had seen the King smooch plenty of them before his election as the regent of Mechanus.   

Clank pressed the ignition button and brought the hovercar around to the entrance of the foyer, which opened conviently at the press of an opener.   

‘Hurry !  I can feel the baby coming !’, Machina yelled, gripping her stomach in agony.   Mondo whisked her off her feet, got her into the hovercar and they jetted off to the closest hospital.   All the while, her hand clasped (more like vice gripped) his and she continued her breathing.

After intensive labor and a bit of pain, with a final exhallation, little Somnibot Millenia Rosegold Quartz Gadgetry was born.   She was a healthy baby with quite a cry. She didn’t cry until the doctor patted her backside to awaken her. The wailing didn’t last long.   As soon as Machina sang her a sweet little lullaby, she was fast asleep and didn’t cry for a long time afterward.

Chapter 7--Growing up Gadgetry

The little princess grew to be pampered and somewhat sheltered but she still loved to go outdoors.   She often got herself into minor scrapes and bruises but the little intrepid princess wasn’t afraid of anything.   She had the world on a string and she became her parents’ world. That was until Gasket was born. At first, she had been euphoric that her prayers for a little brother had been answered.   Gasket became the sun to Somni’s parents. At first, she was extremely jealous but learned to love Gasket over time. The Gadgetry family grew after a period of 7 years when young Sprocket entered the scene.   Being the first born, Somni no longer found herself envious of her brothers. Like any other kids, the trio went to school, learned reading, writing and arithmetic but they were royalty.

Oftentimes, Somni was popular because of her status but she had true blue friends who stuck with her through thick and thin.   Her best friend was Aura, who planned on becoming a mechanic, just like her dad.

‘You know, you’d be excellent in the royal court.   Let’s make a vow that you’ll become royal mechanic someday.’, Somni opined.   Aura shook her hand and the contract was made.

Chapter 8--The Brothers Gadgetry

Gasket grew up to be a soldier of the highest degree.   Mechanus didn’t need any aircore or navy but Gasket joined the militant forces and became commander.  He was away from home most of the time but as soon as he retired, he served the court and helped those who were indigent.  

Sprocket was quite different from his more mature siblings.  True, he could be a handful at time and had the capricious spirit of a child but his penchant for war and violence eventually gave way to peace.  He wanted to learn how to build, construct and design. Gasket helped tutor him in math, which was his biggest downfall. Eventually with Gasket’s help, Sprocket became a mathematical genius.  

Chapter 9--Present Era

The Gadgetry family had once been a foe to the Rangers but Somnibot changed everything.   From the moment she met Alpha she felt a shift. It was an unrequited love, but soon she became an acquaintence of Beta 1.   Beta 1 shifted her perspective entirely. After she fell head over heels for him, she completely repented. At first, the Gadgetry clan wanted no part of an alliance with the Rangers.  They still harbored quite a bit of acrimony. They had a similar incidence with Gasket and his marriage but had accepted him back into the fold when they realized love had made him a better bot when all was said and done.   

‘We should’ve united a long time ago…’, Mondo bewailed somewhat, sitting at his throne and cursing the past.

‘Don’t dwell on it too much, dad.  What’s done is done. You can’t change it.’, Gasket reproved him lightly, placing his hand upon his dad’s shoulder.   Somni didn’t hear the conversation because she was getting married to Beta and everyone was supporting her and her upcoming union.   They had never seen her so radiant or glorious before. It was light she was pure sunshine and nothing was going to obscure her joy.  

Beta and Somnibot were married to excessive fanfare, music, dancing and feasting.  Gasket, Sprocket, Clank and Orbus found themselves weeping in jubilation.

‘And to think only yesterday you were a wee bot just learnin’ how to walk !’, Clank recalled.   Orbus dried her oily eyes and chuckled.

“You were such an adorable little pudge.  You soon grew out of that when you learned you could outrun just about any other bot.”, Orbus chimed in.   

Epilogue

‘So, that’s how it was ?  And you met dad here in Angel Grove all those years ago ?’, Yume questioned.  

‘Yes, and not long after our honeymoon that’s when you 3 brightened my life.  I wasn’t expecting quadruplets, but that’s how it happened.”, Somnibot chortled.  Her family hugged her and the Rangers applauded at her ‘home video’. A lot of what had happened had been input by her parent’s memories directly into her CPU so she would never forget them.   They had even been backed up on a harddrive just in case they might be erased.

Somni yawned and stretched.  It had been pleasant walking down memory lane.   Someday, she knew her kids would see Mechanus but they wouldn’t be the ones ruling it.  More than likely, it would be Gasket that would rule the throne afterward and then Sprocket would be the next regent.  Who knew what lay in store for Somnibot’s little ones only than themselves. It was neither here nor there for all that mattered was that they savored their sleep and relished their dreams.   One day they’d know their impact upon the people of Angel Grove. However, for now, a peaceful lullaby carried them all to Dreamland and gently into their beautiful reveries.

The End