Jim Horlock

“Wolves prey on the weak.
"Take off the hood."
"I know what you are," the voice creaked. "Scabs."
Rezag's lip curled. It was meant to imply unpleasant old wounds, leftovers from wars, which is what many groups like his were. He liked the term considerably less than 'Wolves.' So did the others. Hands crept to weapons and lips pulled back from teeth. While hackles raised, the old woman retrieved her empty pot, seemingly oblivious to the murder in the air.”
― Jim Horlock, Winning Collection 2020

“PIC-R knows it must find a power source, and soon, before the battery is emptied, and it is plunged into unknowing once more. It couldn't allow that.
The robot feels the call again, stronger than anything else. There's a place it must go. Power. It needs power.”
― Jim Horlock, Short Tales from Earth's Final Chapter: Book 4