Orin opened the container and pulled out the nutritional pack and ripped it open. He sighed as the food pellets fell out of the pack in to his hand. It seemed that this was the only editable food in this storage unit, and all the rest were seed and goods that had to be processed before it could be eaten. He took a deep breath and then ate a few of the pellets. The taste was far from appealing, but it wasn’t too bad, and he was really hungry. He put a few more of the pellets in to his mouth and turned to Cora and finally spoke. “How long before they reach here?”

“I would approximate you have only a few minutes.” Cora said bluntly. “You could have made it deeper in to the ship and escaped where there were no sensors…”

“I really didn’t want to run.”  Orin said after he swallowed another few pills. “I could never abandon my friends, and there was no way I would have gotten near them with out being captured. So this is probably the best scenario anyway.”

“Letting your self be captured is the best scenario?” Cora asked disdainfully. “I don’t understand.”

“It isn’t as hopeless as you think Cora.” Orin said as he turned to her and smiled. “I am not giving up at all, but I really don’t understand the situation we are in, and plus I have an ace up my sleeve.”

“Ace?” Cora asked with a questioning tone.

“You!” Orin said with a sly smile. “You’re my friend and I trust you fully. They don’t know about you so if I am in danger or locked away with out a key. I have you to save me and my friends. I know your capable of it.”

“Of course I am.” Cora said with a startled voice. “I will always be there to help you. You are my creator.”

“No I am not. I don’t want your help if you are thinking that way.” Orin voice turned serious. “Stop thinking that way. You are free to do what you want. I do not want you to think you owe me anything. I want you to do things because you wish it, and not because I do.”

“I do wish to help you.” Cora said in a worried but sincere tone.

“I believe you.” Orin’s tone turned back to the gentle one. “Now you better hide, because it wouldn’t do us any good if you were seen and caught with me.”

“All right.” Cora said still a little taken aback. “Please don’t do anything rash though. I won’t sit by and watch you get hurt.”

Orin watched as Cora moved back and activated a field around her. He saw her fade away and then disappear. He could still make out her outline, but if he hadn’t seen where she faded away. He probably wouldn’t have been able to see her ether.

He put a few more pellets in his mouth and sat down next to the container, and just as he took a seat the door to the storage room opened and he saw a pair of bright eyes enter the storage room. It was followed by three other pairs as the circled around him and finally came in to view. They were mechanical robots shaped in the form of guard dogs. There long metal bodies looked sturdy and maneuverable. They had two shafts attached to there back that pointed forward and one placed just between there mechanical ears.

Orin didn’t move at all except for putting pellets in to his mouth. He stood perfectly still hoping that these guard dogs had a master around that was guiding them. He didn’t want to make any sudden movements or he probably could be dealt with rather harshly, and from the looks of them pretty easily.

He slowly started to raise his hands, but as he did he decided to pop the last remaining pellets in his hand into his mouth. He slowly chewed the pellets as he raised his hands higher in the air. His face looked a little confused as he did this and then he continued to chew the pellets waiting for some sort of response from the mechanical dogs.

One of the guard dogs moved forward closer to him and cocked his head upward as to get a better look at him. The mechanical dog’s ears started to move as he looked around the room carefully and then focused back on Orin and finally a male voice was clearly heard from the lead guard dog and it said. “Do not make any sudden moves. The guard dogs will accompany you to back to a secure location. If you try to escape the guards will incapacitate you and I can not guarantee you will not be injured. Do you understand?”

“I understand and believe me I will not try to escape from your security.” Orin said bluntly between chewing. “I am sure they have a much better direction sense then me.”