Read The Lord of the Sands of Time for Free Online

cases were left to humans. Of course, the AI was equipped with the expertise to manage human organizations, and it understood that extralegal or irregular procedures were sometimes required. Special cases were the task of this human-staffed department.
    In other words , thought Orville, this is the administrative back door to the Supply Section. Still, he was unable to find anything in the normal procedures to account for the woman’s actions, so he decided to investigate further. “Do the wrong people come here?”
    “I’ve got one in front of me,” she answered. “Little cheat, he’s trying to snitch some parts for an obsolete terrestrial loader. So he can sell them, naturally.”
    His cover blown to everyone in the office, the man clucked his tongue with contempt and departed, the cup falling from his head. The woman finally took her foot off the counter. A cleaning bot started working on the mess. The next customer fearfully retreated to a different window.
    The woman looked at Orville. “What are you looking at? This is my job. I decide who doesn’t get loader parts, or half-spoiled food from the warehouse, or surplus strategic warheads. I’m sick of these combat shirkers coming in trying to rip us off.”
    “How do you decide who’s legitimate?” Orville asked.
    “I look at their face.” The other clerks had been struggling not to laugh. Now they couldn’t help it. Judging from their reaction, Orville concluded that the woman must be like this all the time, and it was encouraged. It seemed odd that the otherwise meticulous support AI took no action while she flagrantly abused her authority.
    The woman seemed to read Orville’s thoughts. “So? What do you want? Doesn’t look like you’re here to requisition something. Just dropped by to pay your respects? Or are you here to rate our performance?”
    “I am a Messenger AI.” Orville had already decided to ignore the way business was conducted in this place. Requisitioners and supply clerks glanced at him with mild surprise. The woman furrowed her brow, put a slender finger alongside her temple and pondered.
    “In that case, I’ll do the best I can,” she said with some discomfort. “I know what Messengers do. But what do you need? We’ve got everything from main battle weapons to bathroom fixtures, but it’s all obsolete junk.”
    “I just want to observe you for a while,” Orville replied.
    “Ob- serve me?” Her mouth fell open. Everything she did was exaggerated. Orville nodded.
    “I’m not here to requisition anything. This is my free time. I find you interesting.”
    “But…why here? You’re an AI.”
    “An embodied AI, created by Sandrocottos. My perception of the world is mediated by this body. I’m interested in you, here and now. This is me speaking, not some giant processor farm in a basement. Can I sit over there for a while?”
    The woman stared down at the counter, muttering something unintelligible. Finally she looked up, blushing faintly, and smiled. “It’s fine with me, if you don’t mind watching me pour coffee on people I don’t like.”
    “That’s up to you.”
    The woman suddenly spun round and yelled at her colleagues, who were fighting back laughter. “What should I do? We’ve never had one of these elite types in here before.”
    Orville was somewhat taken aback to be referred to as elite. Maybe it was just Central Council publicity at work, but the Messengers weren’t exactly dashing heroes who’d volunteered for this dangerous mission.
    For the rest of the day, Orville watched as the woman devoted her attention to dealing with one applicant after another. She didn’t pour coffee on anyone else, but she gave each applicant a merciless tongue lashing, from suspicious-looking, washed-up paramilitary types to Defense Force officers who had clearly chosen the wrong profession.
    When she finished work, Orville invited her to dinner. At this point, he was mainly interested in her personality as an unusual