Robot

Started scanning the surrounding area... No signs of aggressive fauna.

The huge and massive robot paced the volcanic ash, scratching the black obsidian surface with its metal feet. His joints creaked with each movement, for the grease had been replaced by a mixture of rust, sand, and other debris. The robot's route remained unchanged, many cycles having been passed since it had landed, but the task still had not been completed.

"Station, requesting maintenance and ammunition replenishment," came the robot's voice. He continued on his way.

"Station, requesting charge replenishment. The energy level is only four percent," the robot continued.

Suddenly the knee joint of his right leg stiffened. The unit stopped, forcing the robot to suspend its path.

"Station, requesting maintenance...," the robot repeated, but there was no response. It remained deprived of feedback.

"Finding a solution... Initiating urgent repairs," the robot decided and raised the electric bludgeon embedded in its right arm. With a precise but crude motion, he struck the jamming part. A club of dust and dirt flew out of the joint, and the force of the blow blew away the protective chest plate, leaving the power supply, wires, and circuit boards exposed. Nevertheless, the joint was working again.

"Station, requesting maintenance...," the robot repeated, hoping for a response. But his plea was left hanging idly in the air. The robot would never hear from the station again. He did not know that his group had long ago failed its mission and support for the mission had been terminated.

"Finding a solution... Beginning urgent repairs," the robot decided on its own. When these machines were created, they were intended to be as reliable and autonomous as possible. But it seems they overdid it. This robot's margin of safety was truly enormous. It could function for as long as necessary, even when it was no longer needed. What was the limit of its endurance? The electric club folded down, exposing the welder. With his other hand, which had a three-fingered arm, the robot lifted the chest plate and carefully set it in place. Between the three fingers, exactly in the middle of the metal palm, was a muzzle filled with debris. Now it would never fire again, even if the robot had ammunition. The insides were all rusted, the feeding mechanism exhausted. A few sparks and the plate was back in place. All that remained on its surface were scratches from the claws and teeth of local fauna, many holes, cracks, and rust. The inscriptions had already fallen off or been erased. But the robot continued its route.

Many hours later, the robot's sensors registered movement. The robot stopped and turned its head toward the rustling bush.

"Unidentified flora or fauna detected. Requesting permission to investigate...," he pronounced, waiting for an answer, which never came.

A creaking sound echoed throughout the valley as the creature assiduously dismantled the robot for parts. Metal was bent, wires were torn, and circuit boards were scattered on the ground. The robot's insides were exposed, revealing a complex system of mechanisms and electronics.

The creature was extremely cautious in its actions, as if it were familiar with the robot's anatomy and functionality. It selected valuable parts and carefully stacked them in its bag. Its powerful arms handled the disassembly with ease, showing the skills and experience gained from encounters with similar robots.

After a few minutes the creature finished disassembling the robot. It inspected the remaining debris and pieces of metal, making sure it left nothing of value behind. Then, the bag filled with valuables was neatly attached to the creature's belt.

The creature looked at the immobilized and destroyed robot, then at itself, and began to move away from the scene of the fight. Its steps were calm and confident, as if nothing disturbed its plans.

Soon it disappeared into the dense jungle thickets, leaving the destroyed robot lying on the ground like a dead machine. Its mission ended in failure, and its ruined body became nothing more than a useless pile of metal, abandoned to its fate.

Thus ended the encounter between the creature and the robot, where it turned out that intelligence and strategic skills can stand up to power and ruggedness. In this jungle, the creature showed its survivability and adaptability, becoming an invincible opponent to a disarmed and damaged robot. Such encounters serve as a reminder that even the most advanced technology cannot always stand up to nature and its inhabitants.