Jeff looked at them both without speaking, not sure whether to believe them or not. From the moment he had first awakened on this planet, virtually nothing that he had seen, heard, or done had been believable. This was no different.

“Did you hear what we said?” Ariel asked.

“Yeah.” His voice was low and wary.

They looked at each other uncertainly. He watched them, not sure what to expect. Then, without further comment, they left.

Jeff’s physical recovery progressed well, and Derec suspected that the First Law made his robot medical team more cautious and conservative in their judgments than human doctors would have been. Still, even when it was clear that his brain had been successfully transplanted, his bodily injuries also had to heal. He remained quiet and wary in his manner, but he was no longer egotistical or insulting. Ariel noticed that that behavior had vanished with his robot body.

Derec suggested to Ariel that they form a farewell gathering for Jeff’s lift-off. Once he had recovered enough to travel, Mandelbrot set the computer in the little ship and gave him a quick course in its manual controls, in the event of emergency. Basically, the computer was to locate the nearest spacelane and wait there, sending a continuous distress signal. No one, including the robots, questioned that in a major spacelane he would be picked up before his life-support ran out.

Jeff remained quiet and cautious even as he was about to leave, but Research 1 was certain that the physical effects of his experience were wearing off.

“He has been integrated with his body for some time now,” said Research 1. “His serum levels are his own.”

As they stood near the hangar waiting for Jeff to enter the ship, Ariel added, “After he’s back in normal human society again, I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

“He hasn’t acted very grateful,” said Derec. “After all, we don’t have to send him. Both of us want to get out of here, too.”

“Shh,” said Ariel.

Jeff walked up to them. He still moved slowly and tentatively sometimes, but he was fully mobile now. “I just wanted to tell you that if I can figure out where this planet is, I’ll get word to some emergency people.”

“I know you will,” said Ariel. “Have a good trip.”

“And thanks for the, uh, chance to go.” He looked away shyly.

“It’s all right,” said Derec. “Take care of yourself.”

Jeff looked up at Research 1 and Surgeon 1 with a slight grin. “Well, it’s certainly been interesting knowing you two. Thanks for getting me all back together. “

“You are welcome,” they said in unison.

He looked around at them all, and stopped at Wolruf. “You okay, kiddo?”

“Okay,” said Wolruf, with a furry nod that quivered her pointed ears. “ ‘U be careful on ‘urr trip.”

“Well…good-bye.” Jeff nodded awkwardly and joined Mandelbrot at the ship. The robot would make sure he was properly prepared for lift-off.

Moments later, he was in the ship and it was roaring away, ascending quickly into the sky until it was only a sliver of light reflected from the sun.

Derec watched it rise, squinting into the deep sky until the back of his neck hurt from the strain. “Our one greatest wish,” he said. “And we gave it away.”

Ariel took his arm in both her hands and leaned against him. “We did right, Derec. Besides, we aren’t through yet.”

He looked down at her and grinned. “Not us-not by a long shot.”

Together, they turned and led the little group back toward Robot City.

Data Bank

William F. Wu

William F. Wu is a five-time nominee for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards. He is the author of the novel MasterPlay, about computer wargamers for hire, and he has had short fiction published in most of the magazines and many anthologies in the field of science fiction and fantasy, including a series of collaborations with Rob Chilson in Analog. His short story, “Wong's Lost and Found Emporium,” was adapted into an episode of the new Twilight Zone television show in 1985 and his first published story, “By the Flicker of the One-Eyed Flame,” was adapted and performed on stage in 1977. He holds a Ph.D. in American Culture from the University of Michigan, and is married to fantasy artist Diana Gallagher Wu.