“You built her?” Garry asked in surprise.
“Yes. We needed someone to do our chores—you know, the things that men dislike doing in the nature of housework and cleaning up. But she’s quite controllable, Garry. She wouldn’t have harmed you. Something must have slipped in her mechanism so that she became activated. It happens once in awhile. I’ll go take a look at her.”
“You don’t have to go far, Sir,” Garry said, rubbing away the sweat that had gathered on his forehead. “She’s right outside the door.”
As the captain climbed from his bunk and slipped into his robe, Garry avoided the eyes of the others in the dormitory. He had done just what he had hoped he would not do—shown his fear of a harmless robot. He knew they must think him squeamish, but they were not laughing now.
Patch seemed to have been the only one who was not aroused by the excitement. Garry could see that he was still asleep in his bunk.
Captain Eaton passed Garry, opened the door, and went outside. Garry followed a few steps behind.
The robot still looked menacing to Garry. It stood, big and dark and unmoving, in the dimness of the corridor.
Captain Eaton faced Katrinka and spoke in a clear, loud voice: “Closet! Closet!”
Garry heard a humming sound coming from the robot. It shuffled about slowly on its ponderous feet and started walking away.
“She’s obeying!” Garry gasped.