Bang Yongguk took the wire attached to the boys head and connected it to the computer. The computer screen turned blank for a moment, then long, complicated sets of numbers began to fly across the sceen in a seemingly random pattern. No one else would have been able to decipher what the series of numbers meant, apart from Bang Yongguk; certified genius, and a military leader of Mato. He looked at the boy on the workspace. His creation. His robot.

A green light bleeped at the top of the screen. "CONDITION : STABLE"

Yongguk nearly punched the table in triumph. He had taken leave from the military to work on his project: to create the perfect, humanoid robot. Things had been rough for the past three years; it was an expensive project and money was low. Most people didn't doubt Yongguk's theories but they doubted the project would succeed due to the slow advancement of technology on Mato. Yet Yongguk ignored them and had spent three long years, toiling in his underground workshop, creating wires and body parts and articfical genes in the dim light.

"CHARGING. CHARGED 5%. CHARGED 10%."

Yongguk looked at the humanoid robot on the worktop.

"What should I name you?" he wondered aloud. It occured to him, that despite working on the boy robot for years he had not once considered a name.

"CHARGING 15%."

"Zelo," Yongguk said. "I'll name you Zelo."

"CHARGING 20%."

Kim Himchan bowed low as soon as he entered the office. "Mr. Jeon," he greeted the Governer of Mato.

"Lieutenant Kim," nodded Mr. Jeon. "Please sit."

Himchan did as he was bid. Kim Himchan was a Lieutenant in the Mato Military, the youngest in living memory. While he wasn't the greatest soldier ever, he was practical and able to think on his feet. Himchan was great under pressure, very observant and he had a good mind for tactics. These factors had helped him rise up through ranks quickly.

Himchan studied Jeon. Jeon Seunghyun had been the governer of Mato for over thirty years. He was a hardworking man, a good, decent person who did what he had to do to keep the planet running. Himchan knew things had been stressful for Jeon of late: another politician, Park Seori had been raising civil unrest. Most of the people of Mato didn't understand the requirements of ruling and saw many of Jeon's decisions unnessesscary. Himchan knew this because he saw Jeon nearly every day, at least once a week.

Jeon had bags under his eyes, dark ones. Lines were etched into his face - not unusual for a man of his age, but Himchan was sure they had not been present a few weeks ago. Jeon seemed to have aged a lot in the last while.

"Listen Lieutenant. You're loyal to me. You're obedient and a hard worker. I need to surround myself with those who are loyal to the bone. That includes you. You're an excellant tactician and a formiddable enemy."

Himchan blushed slightly at the unexpected praise, not sure where it was headed. "Thank you sir."

"And it's for those reasons I shall no longer refer to you as Lieutenant Kim, but as Commander Kim."

It took a moments for Himchan's promotion to sink in. When it did, Himchan's jaw dropped. Scratch youngest lieutenant in living memory, there had never been a commander within ten years of his age! He stood up and bowed ninety degrees. "Thank you sir." He saluted.

"Yes Lieu - Commander. Don't disappoint me."

"Don't worry sir. I won't."

Jeon gestured for Himchan to resume sitting. Jeon looked as if he were to drop a bombshell on Himchan. "Now-" 

The Governer was interrupted by a loud bang. Himchan felt heat rush by, and suddenly the he was on the ground. The wall exploded to bits, sending splinters everywhere.

"A bomb!" Himchan yelled, and he began to hear the sounds of people screaming.

Jung Daehyun studied the pictures carefully. Park Seori. His next victim.

Daehyun worked for Jeon Seunghyun, ruler of their planet, Mato. He was a member of the secret service, sent to assassinate the people who were a threat to national safety. It wasn't a pleasant job, but someone needed to do it.

This Park Seori was a rich guy. He used to be in the army, but retired a few years ago. Recently he had founded his own political party and was quickly rising in popularity. Apart from that, Daehyun didn't know much about him, or why the ruler of Mato wanted him dead. He guessed it was due to Park's rising popularity, but it didn't seem quite right. If that was how the cards were being played, it seemed to Daehyun that this democracy was quickly falling into a dictatorship.

"Kill first, ask questions later," Daehyun told himself.

Daehyun stood and stretched. He wasn't dreading killing the man, but he wasn't looking forward to it either. He was tired, and wanted nothing more than to climb into his bed and sleep for hours - no days.

And of course, this guy was an ex-soldier. If it came to direct conflict, he would cause a problem. Yet still, Daehyun was confident.

He made his way to his basement, and surveyed the assortment of weapons at his disposal. He selected a katana from the wall. He twirled it in his fingers a few times.

Then suddenly; he heard it - a huge noise. It sounded as if a bomb had gone out.

Daehyun stood shocked for a moment. Cautiously he made his way upstairs. Something was seriously wrong.

Yoo Youngjae fell onto his bed, exhausted. He'd had a long day.

Youngjae was head assistant to the General Secretary of the government of Mato. And the General Secretary was an absolute head. Demanding so much, never praising him when he did well, yet quick to complain when he didn't satisfy. Still, a job like this could set you up for life. Youngjae told this to himself every time he felt like punching the Secretary.

He rubbed his knuckles into his eyes. He was too tired to even undress. He closed his eyes, and began to fall into the warm embrace of sleep when -

BANG

Youngjae sat bolt upright. Was that an explosion? He stood up and ran to the window.

The night filled with screaming and gunshots. 

Moon Jongup drank deeply from his water bottle. He was in the hall of the main training centre. He had stayed late to practise. Not his combat, like most people thought, but his dancing.

Dancing was Jongup's guilty pleasure. He was training for the Mato army, he trained for hours daily. But when training was over, he loved to dance. It was when he really could let go of his worries, and forget the world. Yet, he knew eventually he would have to stop. It wasn't exactly appropriate for a soldier to be a dancer. 

That was when he heard it. The explosion. The windows shattered and the floor shook, sending Jongup to his knees. He lay on the floor for a second.

Had that been a bomb? What the hell was happening?

***

When Yongguk heard the explosion. He stood still, listening hard.

Gunshots.

"CHARGED 95%," beeped the computer.

Yongguk put two and two together; explosions plus gunshots?

Someone or something was invading the city. He was a military leader (even if he hadn't been in action for a few years); he was about to grab his gun (the specialized BangBlaster he made himself) and find out what was happening, but he stopped in his tracks when he once more heard his computer beeping.

"CHARGED 100%."

Yongguk looked at the boy robot, Zelo on his workspace. He had made the robot tall, maybe too tall, and lean. He had created him with artificial pale, unblemished skin and dark hair.

Slowly, Zelo's eyes opened.