Q185

A long corridor stretched from one end of the repair center to the other. It was narrow and lining it on either side was a row of stalls. Some of these small room-like hollows contained robots in various states- some were dismantled and rusted, nothing more than stored; others were standing complacently. A few were empty.

Gregor approached the last stall and looked in. There, lying on a steel slab that reclined out from the wall was Q185.

Quick turned his head and saw Gregor. His Master stood, his hands bandaged and head completely devoid of hair. Mary stepped out from behind her husband and smiled at Quick.

"Hello, Gregor. Mary."

Quick stood up slowly, a tangle of wires extended from him and connected into a panel in the wall.

"Easy there, fellow. Rest those servos. I’m going to need you operational as soon as possible."

Mary looked around her husband.

"Allie, dear, come over here and see Cue."

Alice appeared. She was in tears, holding her doll in one hand and it’s leg in another.

"Allie, don’t fret over that doll," said Mary.

Two tiny tear filled eyes looked up into Quick’s eyes.

"Mary, I’m going to go settle with the clerk. I’ll be back momentarily."

"Okay."

Gregor returned to the office at the other end of the long corridor.

"That was a brave thing you did, Cue. You saved my husband’s life," whispered Mary.

"He gave me mine," was the monotone reply.

Mary came closer to Q185 and bent down near his ear.

"It bothers him that he cannot repair you himself. He takes great pride in you. But the doctor said he’ll be without his hands a week or two entirely and he wanted you up as soon as possible.

Mary smiled upon the robot.

"Now I’ll go and make sure Gregor isn’t talking robots all day. Wait here, Allie."

Allie stood still, looking over the doll she had gotten in town with Cue.

"I can fix that," said Quick.

Allie choked back a sob and looked at him uncertainly. Quick put out his hands. She looked at the two open metal palms a long time. Then Allie carefully placed the doll into the robot’s hands and waited as he craftily reassembled the doll.

"There. It’s stronger now, too. She is... a beautiful doll."

Just then, Gregor returned.

"C’mon, Allie. Go with your mother. I’ll be right along."

Quick sat down.

"You’ve done good old man," said Gregory pleased. "You’ve made everyone proud, especially me."

Quick smiled, at least he imagined that he did and also a tear formed in his eye.

"The keeper is going to service all your parts for me. Then you’ll be home in a day or two."

Gregor turned to leave and paused, adding:

"And you can forget about that debt to Gouche. Those were his children we saved."

Quick looked on as Gregor left, leaving the hums of battery rechargers and the thoughts of one android.

Q185 chuckled.

The way he- it- moved now. The fluid motions which were too natural. The confidence in his- it’s- actions. As if thought was independent and not designed. Every action was supposed to be programmed, nothing more than mathematical equations.