Malone repressed an impulse to scream. “Days?” he said. “I mean—well, look, Fred, it’s important. Very important. Can’t you do the job any faster?”
Fred gave a little sigh. “Checking and repairing all those machines,” he said, “is an extremely complex job. Sometimes, Malone, I don’t think you realize quite how complex and how delicate a job it is to deal with such a high-order machine. Why—”
“Wait a minute,” Malone said. “Check and repair them?”
“Of course,” Fred said.
“But I don’t want them repaired,” Malone said. Seeing the look of horror on Fred’s face, he added hastily, “I only want a report from you on what’s wrong, whether they are actually making errors or not. And if they are making errors, just what’s making them do it. And just what kind of errors. See?”
Fred nodded very slowly. “But I can’t just leave them there,” he said piteously. “In pieces and everything. It isn’t right, Malone. It just isn’t right.”
“Well, then,” Malone said with energy, “you go right ahead and repair them, if you want to. Fix ’em all up. But you can do that after you make the report to me, can’t you?”
“I—” Fred hesitated. “I had planned to check and repair each machine on an individual basis.”
“The Congress can allow for a short suspension,” Malone said. “Anyhow, they can now, or as soon as I get the word to them. Suppose you check all the machines first, and then get around to the repair work.”
“It’s not the best way,” Fred demurred.