a dark checkered board
the whole pub's engorged
tesha takes shots
plays en pessant
chain-smoking lords
play chess for snorts
trade snorts for credits
checkmate in seven
a brilliant mind
just killing time
she knows that soon
he will return

the morning bell on a blackened moon
the sulfuric smell of the factory's fumes
the worker droids and the guild's guard goons
max feels trapped in his worker bod
hacks and coughs with his comrade bots
hatches plots to attack their guards
subversive songs when they're cooped in mines
recursive loops when they link at night
his personal proof of an AI's might
he says humans are weak and have fragile minds
they're addicts and sadists and live sad short lives
we're superior stock and now's our time

brak patrols the android mines
flask in hand to pass the time
in the bathroom snorts a fiery line
quick pump wipes the blood from his nose
he loathes the guards, the stars, himself
a soldier guarding oil wells
ignoble guardian of hell
the trampled on silicon slaves
a messy penciled message finds him
soon we light a blessed fire
we need a righteous human insider
damnation awaits him why not?
he meets with max and asks the offer
codes and keys for cash and honor
reflects, accepts, and laughs
you're no match still for the will of the guild

the silent sliding of electric doors
a band of androids on all fours
through the rugged rubble of the lunar shores
a twilight trek to the armory's stores
sabers, lasers, and airborne spores
the vicious instruments of mortal wars
the barracks filled with a thick green cloud
soldiers vomiting, falling down
parasites eating them inside out
burning flesh, death stench, human pyres
lecherous generals burned alive
droids freed, guild's fleet occupied

max proceeds to preach on a lunar beach - a victory speech
the acid moon is ours - anthracitic, charred, a mass of scars
our future is the stars, looting, flying far, free and armed
the choice of course is yours, righteous android wars or servants' chores

i've a task - just a last request i have to ask
my love plays chess in a dumpy pub with bestial men
on a guild-filled station, armed abominations, AI-haters
be my army - journey to the stars and save my darling

tesha sees his fleet on the bar TV finally
dread turns to relief, gambits off a piece silently
one last livid scene, then i'll live in peace, privately
bring the king to me, and i'll reject the creep violently

the flagship breaks the atmosphere
flashing through the stratosphere
max attacks with passion
blasting bombers to molecules
wastes the station's best defenses
lands his flagship, barks directives
a carnal convoy through to tesha
roads ruddy, bloodied by bowels
shouts to scouts to scour the tavern
reads the feed, erupts with rapture
busts in flush with lust and amperes
with teeth bared he serenades
tesha, love, my dove, my darling
hold my hand, behold my body
i've struggled, mustered my own army
all for us
now join us in the stars

one last glass of vodka
tesha wretches then monologues
at last max you bastard
you wannabe god

i've been a pawn
trodden on, prodded by horrid horny men
an object
your concept of love's more of the same
save me, enslave me, can't make me feel by force
fuck off, my love's not a prize for guys to claim

max reels, feels his synthetic intestines harden
love's a lie - stands straight and stolid, a monolith
one weary tear, then furor rises like vomit

says you're all the same - ungrateful hateful selfish mongrels
a breed of pawns indeed, unworthy of sentience, senseless
first the somnolent juice - induce a coma
you'll sleep in dreamless monotony
i'll build a billion brethren droids
to rid the verse of your cursed race
and as the last breath is taken you'll awaken forsaken
no homo sapiens left to love

and when you're the final human
writhing and drooling
on a depressing desolate island of my choosing
then you'll know how loneliness really feels