"Why, you're just our happy saucer-burger bot boy aren't you!" smiled Zana with a motherly prod.
A techno-giggle came out of the smiling face. "Yes, Miss. A happy saucer-burger bot boy," he repeated with another sound of fritzing circuit boards. "That's a keeper! Ready to order?"
A larger android came gliding up along the tracks.
"Is everything as it should?" he asked, scanning the situation. "An order has yet to be placed. Is there a query, issue, dissatisfaction? I must ask you to order. Thirty-seven seconds per customer is the limit. That time frame has collapsed. Your figures are taking a hit, Number Three."
"I have a new designation, Number One!" the plastic kid grinned. "I'm the happy saucer-burger bot boy!"
"Silence! You're nothing of the sort!"
"It's really not his fault at all," Rivqua broke in, fighting laughter. "It's us. We took up his half-minute-plus with a time-consuming, thoughtless question about the flying saucer up on your roof."
The larger android looked at her a second. He gestured upwards.
"You're referring to the big one up there?"
The young droid searched the ceiling once more, smiling.
"Is it a real antique?" Zana asked. "If it is, it's pretty cool."
The hot laser eyes seemed to cool a little. A sadness came into his voice.
"A thirteenth century neo-Mofftillian personnel carrier. Military surplus. Beautiful machine she was. When they first started laying out Toss Vague-Ass she used to fly land surveyor crews around the desert. Alas, those days are long gone now. They decommissioned her, ripped her guts out and stuck her up on the roof like some mascot. Progress they call it, the insensitive animals."
"Well, the thing does look like a burger," said Zana. "You can see their thinking."
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