Crossover Earth '98
Junior Logan Abbitt
It was amazing the number of abandoned warehouses that were around. The Machine located one with a reasonable lease, and moved his new pet in. First, however, it had to be prepared. He often did work with a local contractor as a wrecker (he was a lot more reasonable than most rental companies) and he was able to call them in for a favor. A large pit was hollowed out of the floor, to keep Junior in, and a fence put around it, to keep poodles out. For the poodles’ safety, not Junior’s.
Gordon and The Machine realized quickly that they had to find more suitable lodgings for their newfound friend. Getting him there was quite a trick, however. "He seems to be growing immune to the sleep enchantments," mused Gordon as the 12-foot lizard twisted and bit into The Machine’s head.
"You think so?" came the muffled reply. Mighty steel fingers pried the jaws open. "Eew, poodle breath!" The Machine heaved the massive scaly bulk into the air and brought it to the ground with a resounding whoompf. Barely stunned, the lizard squirmed over, getting all six legs beneath him. With a low hiss it started to crawl away down the street. The Machine held fast onto the heavy iron chain that was around its neck, thereby annoying it. It turned and sprang on him again, clawing and hissing.
"Morning, Machine. Gordon." Old man Winters called his polite morning greetings to the struggling robot and his older wizard companion. "Nice alligator you go there." He spit tobacco juice with expert precision onto his own boot.
"Thank you!" replied Gordon. "How’re you doing this morning?" The Machine sent a series of blows into the wildly flailing creature’s midsection. The monster responded by swallowing his entire right arm.
"Ah, can’t complain," said the farmer in an expression that told you that was exactly what he was about to do. "Course, my trick knee is actin’ up something awful today. Think I may have to just go back ta bed." With a sigh, and with his arm buried inside the giant lizard’s throat, the Machine walked toward the renovated warehouse. "Looks like it’s gonna rain, anyway." Junior thrashed in protest, but The Machine was simply too strong for him now.
"I think you may be right," noted Gordon. "I’m starting to get that pain in my elbow again." As The Machine swung the huge doors wide, a long claw worked it’s way underneath one leg, tripping him up. Blue steel and green scales rolled in the dust and grease, biting and kicking, scratching and gouging. "Say, thanks for that apple pie, Marvin. Your wife is a fantastic cook."
"Well, she oughta be. That’s the reason I married her in the first place," laughed the old farmer. The Machine screamed something incoherent and rude as he finally managed to haul the great beast into the pit. "In fact, she’s working on some fresh strawberry jam right now. I’ll see if I can’t get you a jar." A squeal of disgust rose from the pit. The Machine clawed his way up, noting to himself the distinct lack of stairs there. It wouldn’t have been a problem if Junior weren’t trying to drag him back down to play.
Gordon licked his lips in anticipation. "That would be fantastic, Marvin. Thank you." The Machine lumbered toward Gordon. His shirt was torn to shreds, and he was covered in dust and lizard spittle. "Machine, Marvin here was just saying that his wife is making some fresh strawberry jam."
The old farmer didn’t know that The Machine couldn’t taste anything, but that was just part of the game he had to play here in constant. "That sounds delicious," he said enthusiastically. "Hey, Marvin, what does a four thousand pound lizard eat?"
Old man Winters scratched his scruffy chin. "I don’t rightly know."
"Anything he wants!" Gordon rolled his eyes, but the farmer laughed obligingly. There was a loud clang as The Machine slapped his knee.
The small withered wizard shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I guess we’d better get back to work." He waved a fond farewell to the overfed farmer and he and The Machine entered the warehouse. Godzilla Junior, as The Machine had so affectionately dubbed his new pet, was pacing the length of the pit. His eyes gleamed wicked and wet, but that’s all they could do.
At one time, Junior had been a full-fledged basilisk, a monster capable of transforming living beings into stone with its terrifying gaze. This one, however, had no such weapons. Instead, it had tremendous size and strength. The terrible claws at the end of its mighty legs could shred stone, and the teeth could deform iron. It had been living in the sewers of Chicago for quite some time, eating whatever crossed his path, from poodles to, well, whatever.
"I think he likes me," The Machine explained.
Gordon shrugged. "I wish we could find the wizard who did this." The Machine had returned to the sewers where Junior was captured, but he didn’t find much. There was a small cave system hidden away there, and there were empty cages strewn about one large chamber, but nothing else. "You’re sure there was nothing else?"
"How many times you gonna ask me that? You got one of the cages. If your little retrocog rituals can’t find anything, then we’ve hit an official dead end. Maybe whatever happened took place a long time ago, and Junior just got left behind." The robot hefted a two-by-four that was lying on the ground and threw it into the pit. "Fetch!"
The lizard yawned and fell asleep.
"Good boy," mumbled the metallic voice.
Gordon hated to admit it, but it might be time to bring in some outside help. "I hate to admit this, but it might be time to bring in some outside help."
The large robotic form leapt down into the pit. "I think I can train him. Wouldn’t that be cool? Then we could go into battle together! He could be my super-pet, facing down danger wherever it may rear its ugly head!"
"Yeah, that’s exactly what the world needs." The old man sat on the edge of the pit. "He’s going to get expensive to feed."
Massive metal shoulders shrugged. "I don’t eat, so we got some money there. But I figure we can cut a deal with someone. I’ll go to the slaughter house tomorrow and see if I can arrange something."
"Machine, I’m not so sure it’s a good idea to keep him very long. He’d be better off in a zoo somewhere, once our studies are done."
The steel jaw dropped. "You wanna sell our super-pet to the zoo?"
Gordon sighed. "Look, we have got to keep him for a few more weeks. If you can train him and feed him in that time, well, we’ll see."
"Thanks, Dad!" The Machine chuckled and pat his giant lizard on the head. The slumbering beast awoke, and promptly returned the gesture by leaping on the Machine and attempting to devour him.