The heavily shielded cyborg didn't hesitate. It didn't possess enough human logic left in its rotting brain to question why a man in a tailored suit just put away his only weapon. It just followed its prime directive. Erase the intruder.
"BZZZT!"
The cyborg lunged forward. It swung the massive, glowing plasma mace in a brutal, horizontal sweep aimed directly at Arthur's ribs. The weapon moved with terrifying speed, leaving a trail of superheated air in its wake.
Arthur didn't dodge backward. He dropped his center of gravity and stepped perfectly inside the creature's guard. The heavy mace sailed inches over his head, the heat instantly singing a few strands of his dark hair.
Arthur planted his left foot and drove his right fist forward in a flawless, textbook straight punch. He aimed dead center for the cyborg's chest plate.
"BANG!"
The impact sounded like a gunshot. But it didn't hit metal.
