Library Membership

(Written by Ace Dreamer; posted 08 September 2012)

"Tell me again. Why aren't we cracking this place like a nut?"

"Simple answer: too much effort for too little gain."

"Complex answer. Cobra Squad tried to, nine months ago, and disappeared. We sent that whiner, Smith, in to find out what happened. He was all polite, like. Got told the squad was being 'disciplined' as 'temporary library members', and their 'noise-makers' confiscated."

"Three months ago we got them back, just in their underwear, but otherwise healthy. Their memories were a bit hazy about what happened, but it looked liked they'd been captured, stripped, and put on ice. Their assault vehicle, weapons, power suits, all recycled."

"Funny thing was, they said they'd seen no one. Just these skinny robots. They were all for going in again, EMP grenades, anti-robot weapons, the lot. If that didn't work, put up sunshades, block their solar panels. Starve them out. But the Boss, he said, lets think about it."

"So, here we are. We dump these prisoners on them as 'temporary library members', until we come and collect them, but at least six months. All we have to do is get them to groan or swear at us, at the wrong time."

"We don't have to feed them. We don't have to guard them. Everybody wins."

"Now, shut up. We need to be really quiet for this next bit."

"Unless you want a 'temporary library membership'."