The Grand Battle [Game Over!]

Originally posted on MSPA by Dragon Fogel.

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Eximo had been sitting still for nearly ten minutes. The lifeforms seemed to have lost interest in it, though they were still keeping their distance. It didn't have enough knowledge of local customs to realize the significance of the sirens blaring nearby.

Outside the construction site, a police van stopped. The bomb squad had arrived. One of the officers walked up to the foreman, and looked at Eximo quizzically.

"Yeah, I can see why you called us. I don't think that's a bomb, but damned if I know what it is. We'll take a look at it anyways, once everyone clears out. Just in case."

The officers escorted the workers off the site, and then turned their attention to the strange machine.

"What do you make of this, Larry? It looks like some kinda vacuum cleaner, aside from the weird bony arms."
"It's probably just some kid's idea of a prank. If somebody really wanted to set off a bomb, why would they put it in something that stands out so much?"
"Yeah. Well, let's start by opening it up, see if there's anything weird inside..."
"Inadvisable."
The officers looked at each other, surprised.
"Larry, did you say that?"
"No, wasn't me."
There was a pause.
"Maybe the kid that planted this here has a speaker set up or something. Anyways, enough messing around. We're just here to make sure this thing won't blow up, so let's open it up..."
"Proceeding with that course of action will leave this unit with no choice but to initiate defensive measures."
The officers looked at each other again.
"Stan, it's just a speaker. Right? Some kid's playing a prank on us. Don't fall for it, just open the damn thing up so we can go back and stop wasting time here."
"Right, Larry. Here goes." Stan took out his screwdriver and poked at one of the machine's screws.
A moment later, two skeletal arms picked up Stan and Larry, and tossed them aside.
"Larry, I think we're gonna need backup for this one."