Osmo answered the door dressed for the beach. "Ah, you are back. Hope you had a nice time at church. Let's go to the beach!- Hey, Sheila, why aren't you dressed for it?"
Sheila gave Osmo a big hug. "I got a better idea, Osmo. Go change; we're going robot hunting!"
"Huh? But Albert and Jane are going to meet us there."
She rolled her eyes. "Like you never stood up a pal that you planned to meet."
Osmo thought about it. "True, but I never stood up Albert before. Oh well, there's always a first time for everything. Besides, I think Mita will be there to keep them company. Let's go robot hunting, Sheila."
"Now you're talkin', you gorgeous Earther!"
In short time Sheila drove Osmo along the highway, past the beach, heading to the outskirts of Sparkle City by the wastelands. Osmo waved to the people laying out on the sand. "See ya, Berto, see ya, Jane!"
And on the beach, Jane, in her tiger bikini, just happened to look up while on her blanket. "Al, will you look at that. I think I just saw Osmo and that Sheila girl drive by the beach, and keep on going. Imagine that, they didn't even stop."
"Osmo stood us up, eh?" Albert sighed. "I guess they have a better date planned, and he forgot about us. That's Osmo for ya."
Mita soaked up the sun on a blanket nearby. She had come to the beach, because she had learned this was where the gang would be this afternoon. She felt foolish because of this morning when she brought Osmo breakfast, but, after all, this was the new Mita. Looking foolish was no excuse to let opportunity slide by, so she showed up here, hoping to make Osmo notice her. She fretted. How could she do that if he never stopped here? And he was with that Sheila again! She grumbled, I won't wait forever for him to notice me!
When Sheila reached the outskirts of town past the rocketport, she pulled off the road into a dusty parking lot. The highway died here, becoming a rough dirt drive leading into the desert. Here and there robots patrolled the perimeter, guarding Sparkle City.
"Where does the road go? To the mines?" asked Osmo.
"Oh yes. That's a dreary place. Don't go if you can help it. The road also branches off to some pretty resorts, however. And over that bridge are the farms."
"So what's this robot hunting all about?"
She beamed. "Sometimes I do it, just for fun. You'll get a kick out of it." The young lady called over the robot nearest her. "You there, what is your designation?"
"M-15, ma'm." He stood by the truck, ready to serve. Since the other robots recognized Sheila as Gov. Bright's niece, they paid no attention and continued to march about, guarding Sparkle City.
"You know who I am, right?"
"Yes, Miss Bright."
"Very good, M-15. Since you know who my uncle is, you will obey me, correct?"
"Of course. The only way I would refuse you is if the governor himself opposed your command or someone else in a position of authority higher than you, ma'm."
She turned to Osmo. "This is so great, the way these robots want to please us. Can you imagine having such a servant-type disposition?"
Osmo vigorously shook his head. "No, I can't. Not in the least. I guess I am not made that way, nor do I want to be such a people pleaser." He mimicked vomiting.
"Give me your blaster, M-15." He did so unquestioningly. It was a sleek weapon, as compact as a pistol, but with a lot more whack to it. "Now run, run as fast as you can into the wilderness. Try to avoid me shooting you. Zig-zag and give it a real effort, like you are running for your life!"
"Yes, ma'm." The robot complied. It took off at an incredible speed, and Sheila used his blaster trying to peck him off. She shot close to its feet, but missed, then she tried again, and the energy blast passed just over its head. Finally, she nailed it, and M-15 blew up into thousands of parts, scattering all over the splotchy ground.
And still, the other robots paid no attention to the incident. Sheila cheered. "Yaay! Did you see that, Osmo?! I plugged him with my third shot! I'm getting pretty good at robot hunting. See if you can beat me."
She handed the weapon to the stunned Osmo. "Whaa-aaah?? You just killed it. I can't believe what I just saw. I don't want to kill them for no reason!"
She frowned at him. "What are you talking about, Osmo? They aren't even alive, and anyway, they don't care if they get killed."
"Oh, come now, the instinct for survival is a very strong instinct. I've done some bad things already in my short life, but, to tell you frankly, this is too cruel for my tastes. I thought when you said we were going robot hunting, you meant we were going on a hunting expedition with some robots in our hunting party, to help catch the quarry."
Now Sheila looked stunned. "What fun is that? And why would you be willing to kill an animal that's alive, but you can't shoot a robot that is not alive?"
"Well... they can think!" he protested. "I am sure they don't want to die."
She called over another robot. "Tell me, does it bother you if we shoot you and kill you?"
"Not at all, ma'm, if by my destruction I am serving you," answered the robot. "That is my main purpose in life, to serve humanity. It is that which makes a robot happy, and satisfied, if a robot can be said to experience happiness."
Osmo tried to comprehend the concept. "Doesn't it bother you that you will cease to exist, unless, and which I doubt, there is a robot heaven, or some sort of robot afterlife--"
"Why should it bother a robot if it ceases to exist? If we stop existing, we won't know it. So why should that be anything to concern us? And if there is some sort of afterlife, then I hope dead robots go to a place where we can continue to serve and obey humans. Maybe the souls of dead humans? Now that would be what I have heard called heaven."
Osmo turned to Sheila. "Didn't your uncle station them here for a purpose? They are on patrol, guarding Sparkle City. And you said that supplies on Hope are rather short. Is it wise?"
"True, but this is my only vice. Sometimes you have to grab life by the horns and enjoy it. Besides, from what are the robots guarding us?" She waved her arm toward the wilderness beyond the city.
"From rocks and stones? From a whacky miner? We have Eaters positioned at the mines to keep the miners there at the mines. I think we can spare a robot or two."
Osmo pondered the matter. "Okay, then, I guess. I am convinced." He took the blaster from the robot and told the robot with whom he had been talking, "Okay, your turn. Run for it. Give me a challenge!” He also told Sheila, “You use your blaster, and let's see who can shoot it first.”
“Oh, you want a contest? Okay, you're on!”
The robot sped away from them. He proved harder to kill than M-15, and Osmo felt embarrassed that a stupid robot gave him such a hard time. He tried and tried again. Sheila also tried and failed. This robot was really good!
A security car pulled up while they played the game. “Uh oh,” said Sheila. “Trouble.” She put down her blaster and advised her companion, “Knock it off, the long arm of the law is here.”