Early Sunday morning the McCleers readied for worship services at the church their host had recommended, Chapel of Hope. Nina, not having robots to serve her back on Earth, felt a bit awkward around X-9 when she stepped out of the shower, and there he stood, holding her towel for her. He continued to flutter about, constantly asking if he may be of help while she tried to dress in privacy.
"I don't like him about, either, in case he wants to go back and report to his master whatever we say," George empathized. "But since it is so hard to get rid of this determined robot, just ignore him. It is, after all, just a robot."
"I know. Yet somehow they seem almost human," Nina said. "X-9, do you ever wish you were human?"
"Never, ma'm."
She asked, "Well, then, what do robots wish for? What is a typical robot hope, a robot desire? Do you have any wants at all?"
Her husband chuckled. "Nina, he- it's a robot. Don't waste your time chatting with it, or trying to understand it and be its friend."
"Hush, George! Do you want to hurt his feelings? What are you saying? He may be a robot, and a pest, but he is still important. He thinks. He is almost a person! X-9, don't let Mr. McCleer's careless comments offend you."
"No offense taken, ma'm," X-9 assured her. "Robots don't get insulted. We don't have much in the way of a sense of ego. And we also have very few wishes, or none at all even, save the desire to serve humanity. We don't usually chat, we don't make friends. We co-operate in teams for certain projects, but we don't form friendships. We neither need nor want friendship."
"There, you see?" said George. X-9 had vindicated George by his own robot testimony. "Now, hurry up so we can make it to church on time. Xavier and his niece are already set to go and are waiting for us."
"Okay, okay." She slipped on the dress. "This doesn't make me look fat, does it?"
X-9 began, "Actually, Mrs. McCleer-"
Quickly and tactfully George cut him off. "No, hon, you look great in that dress." He whispered to the robot, "Not another word, if you know what's good for you."
Once Nina selected a dress, they joined the Brights. Xavier introduced them to Sheila, who didn't say much except polite greetings. Sheila confessed she only vaguely remembered them from when she and her mother had lived on Earth.
Nina remarked, "You look as pretty as your mom. She and I had been close during our college years. I had even met your Uncle Xavier through her."
Security Leader Clyden accompanied them on the way to the chapel. Agent Samm chauffeured them, but for this trip, the robots stayed behind at the house.
The chapel, located in the tightly packed residential quarters, matched its surroundings. A squeezed-looking structure the height of two stories, it was constructed of those awful splotched rocks which were found in plenty all over the wilderness outside Sparkle City and quarried from the nearby heights. Some argument over what color to paint the chapel never got resolved, thus the chapel, never painted, became just another ugly building on the street, even uglier than most.
George commented on the fact that there was very little to show that the chapel was a house of worship. Xavier explained, "The chapel is used by different faiths. In order not to offend anybody, we don't adorn the outside of the chapel with any symbols of any kind."
Nina frowned. "So how does anyone know if it is a Hindu service or a Christian service or anything else?"
Sheila, who had been silent up to this point, suggested, "Read the schedule for what time each faith has its service. It's posted on the outside bulletin board."
"Wouldn't it be better for each belief system to have its own temple?" suggested George.
"Why?" asked the governor. "One way to God is as good as any other. Half the worshipers who come don't really care what religion is on schedule, as long as they come to some service. I've heard of some attending a Buddhist ceremony one visit, and the next time a Catholic Mass. And they felt just as close to God at either one. Doesn't that make sense?"
"No," George contradicted. "If Jesus said He is the only way to the Father, how can that be the same as any other way? And if another religion claims it is the only way, how can it be that the other so-called ways then are just as good, if they don't follow the way that claims to be the only way?"
"You think too much," Xavier said. "Besides, we don't have that much room in the residential zone for extra buildings that we don't need."
Clyden and his agent remained outside with the limo, guarding it in the parking place reserved for the governor, while the others headed inside the chapel. Once in, the McCleers noted there were no pictures or icons or anything. The only thing that gave away the fact that it was supposed to be a Christian service this morning was that the lectern had a banner hanging off it depicting a cross. This banner could conveniently be rolled up and taken away so that the next religion could use the same lectern.
The McCleers didn't get much out of the service. Xavier, it seemed, didn't pay attention to it. Sheila looked at the abridged Bibles that were handed out, which had had many edits done. She lost interest and set it on an empty seat.
Sheila waved to her nearby new friends. Albert and Jane sat off to the side. George recognized them from the flight. He couldn't tell what they thought of the sermon. Most of the other people- and there weren't very many- seemed either unhappy with the affair, or indifferent.
The sermon, What We Can Do to Please God, was delivered by a very unimportant looking fellow, George thought. Oh, oh, George told himself, that is just plain wrong to judge like that. How many of the apostles appeared to human eyes to be important people? Maybe in that jar of clay a dynamo for God would deliver an electrifying message.
Sadly, that proved not to be the case. First the preacher read the text from Titus 3:1, and other texts of that kind (and which none of these kinds of passages had been edited from the approved Bible), and then he expounded how imperative it was to obey their leaders, especially their governor and his Security Agents, and the Leaders of Earth. This co-operation with the leaders and authorities caused peace amongst themselves and others. Indeed, it was just the thing that pleased God. How can one have order if one stands against the leaders? How can society function? Etc., etc. The crux of the sermon was, Obey. Obey the government, whose leaders know better than the average person.
Nina whispered to George, "The state-approved church is even more lifeless here than back on Earth. I suspect that Xavier's religion board is very zealous in what they do."
Afterward, while muttering about the state church sermon while in the line to exit- each attendee stopping to shake the preacher's hand-, George's turn came as he reached the minister. George "forgot" to shake the pastor's hand. Instead, he complained, "What happened to that stuff about Jesus, how he died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead?"
"Oh, we still teach that!" the minister protested. "Only, well, not so much, only around Easter and maybe around Christmas. And we don't like to fixate on sin. That's such a negative doctrine. We must get with the times if we are to bring in any worshipers to the House of God. And besides, a sermon like the one I just delivered is always a blessing to the people. After all, we all have to obey our leaders, don't we?"
George, unimpressed, shook his head and walked out the door. Xavier, annoyed with George, followed right behind, not stopping to talk with the preacher. Xavier asked, "What is your problem, George? Isn't it a good thing to teach a little respect for those in authority?"
"Yes," George agreed, "but I must have missed it when the preacher was talking about respecting the Supreme Authority. You cannot substitute a man or the state for God, no matter how wonderful the man is, even if he is you, Xavier."
Observing all this, Sheila told herself, Uh oh. I bet that went over like a lead balloon with Uncle Xavier. Sheila didn't know Mr. McCleer, but she knew what irritated her uncle. She wondered what that was all about, the Earther's cockiness. There seemed to be bad blood between the two men.
As they went out to the car, Clyden had his bac
k to them, talking on his cellular. "Oh, that's great, sweetie. You may not think it is, but now that the rocket has some kind of trouble and is grounded, you can spend more time with me, since you won't be able to get back to Earth until the Dart is fixed, or another rocket is sent for you. See, it pays to go to church, love- My prayers have been answered!"
Clyden suddenly heard the footsteps of the approaching governor. He said bye and Agent Samm rushed to open the door for Xavier and his guests. Xavier noted, "You were talking with your friend over Security Agency cell phones. I trust it was a security matter."
"Sorry, sir, it was an emergency," answered Clyden.
"Yes, it sounded like one. I am glad to see you are on top of all things security-wise."
"Thank you, Gov. Xavier. I appreciate the compliment." Clyden wondered, Now what's eating him? Is he riled up over that McCleer fellow again?
Robot Hunting