Photo credit: ElDave via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
If you have not yet read Part I, you can do so here.
“What the hell is that?”
Number 2786478 related what it had seen.
General Voss used words that were not included in number 2786478’s programming. Then he said, “Give it here. I’ll handle it.”
Number 2786478 handed him the infant and turned to leave.
“Wait,” said General Voss. “Your new orders are to report to the corrections unit. Do you comprehend?”
“Affirmative.” The droid processed the new orders and left.
No sooner had the droid departed than Lieutenant Feldman walked in. “Sir, we need your signature on – oh, I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t realize congratulations were in order.”
“Very funny. Take care of this thing and tell Gregson he needs to work on the droids’ programming,” he said as he stuffed the baby into her arms. “One of them saw a villager use its dying breath to save this worthless waste of resources and apparently it got confused. Something about certain behaviors being desired and encouraged. Does any of that sound familiar to you, Lieutenant?”
“No, sir.”
“Me neither, but I want to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. What did you say you need me for?”
“Your signature, sir. I placed the papers on your desk. You can review them at your convenience.”
“Excellent. Dismissed.”
Lieutenant Feldman’s hands were full with the baby, so she nodded instead of saluting, hoping it was enough. General Voss didn’t notice and she took her leave.
As soon as she was out of sight, she allowed herself to coo over the baby, which had woken as a result of the general’s rough treatment.
“I got another one,” she said as she entered Gregson’s office.
“Me, too,” said Gregson. “I just sent them off in a pod. Yours is going to have to wait for the next one.”
“That’s going to be difficult.”
Gregson swore as he turned to see his compatriot holding a baby.
“Yeah.”
“You can never make it easy, can you?”
“This is so not my fault. For some reason the droid that found this little guy took it straight to General Voss. We’re lucky I happened to see the droid enter his office with the baby. Even luckier that he willingly handed it over. I don’t know how I would have asked him for it without arousing suspicion.”
“Where’s the droid now?”
“Voss sent it to the corrections unit.”
“Do you remember which droid it was?”
“I didn’t get the number, but it’s left arm had been blown off.”
“Wait here,” Gregson said as he sprinted out of his office.
When he returned, he had the droid in tow, powered down and slung over his shoulder. “I’ll change his programming here, but I don’t know what to tell you to do about that thing.” Gregson set down the droid and got to work.
“I’ll figure something out. And General Voss ordered me to tell you that what the droid saw caused it to become confused and that’s why the droid brought the baby to his office. He wants you to fix the programming.”
“I’ll fix it all right.”
“I’m just telling you what he told me so when he brings it up you’ll know what he’s talking about.”
“Understood,” Gregson said without looking up from his work.
Feldman sighed and looked down at the little bundle of joy in her arms. “At least he fell asleep again.”
“Yeah, but he’s going to get hungry sooner or later. Then what are you going to do?”
“I’ll find some milk. It shouldn’t be too hard. Hopefully there will be a wannabe mother in the next batch.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for childless mothers. In the mean time, I suggest you take that thing somewhere else. You’ve had more than enough time to relate my orders and if we’re seen spending too much time together, it’ll only cause problems.”
Feldman nodded and left to find a safe place to stash the baby until the next pod left.
The end. I think. I haven’t really decided yet. If you want more of this story, let me know in the comments.
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