Let's Make a Deal (Bob and Nikki Book 11), стр. 75
“Yes?”
“I was told a bot I used to be friends with was aboard the Gene Cernan. Would it be possible to see him while I am aboard?”
“Let me check. I don’t think any of the supplies you are carrying are urgently needed on the surface. If they are, you can certainly come by on your way out of the system.”
I commed Will. “Yes, Commodore?”
“Good grief, Will! They’ve got you doing it too. I’m still just Bob, you know.”
“Morning Flower says we need to respect you for all the good you’ve done for their planet. I have to agree, considering where Charlie and me would be, if it wasn’t for you and your crew.”
“I guess. Anybody would have done the same, given the same chance. I’ve got a question, Will.”
“Go right ahead, but I’ll warn you, Mongo straight.”
“Well, that’s nice to know, I suppose. Is there anything aboard the Parton that you need right now?”
“Nossir, we’re in good shape. Wouldn’t want you to have to hold her off more than a week or so, though.”
“What happens in a week?”
“We run out of Tabasco sauce. Can’t have that.”
“I’ll be sure she’s planetside before that happens. Sounds terrible.”
“It’s only really bad when Charlie cooks.”
“I would’ve thought he had that figured out.”
“He’s gotten a lot better, but I still have to tease him from time to time.”
“Now I understand. You think Janet and him are going to give us some grandkids to spoil?”
“Not for a while yet, I hope. How’s that adoption working out?”
“Better than I had any right to hope for. I’m beginning to wonder when it’s going to go sour.”
“She’s a good kid. Nikki will make a good Mom. You ain’t even all that bad.”
“Thanks, I think. I better let you go. Got things to take care of, don’t you know.”
“Talk to you later, Bob.”
“Later on, D.B.”
I turned back to the bot. “Seems like your cargo isn’t critical for a week or so. You’ve got some time to visit with your friend. What’s your designation, anyhow?”
“ZX-801, Sir.”
“I have a couple of problems with that. First, I work for a living, call me boss, not sir. Second, I’m terrible at remembering numbers. Would you accept a new designation?”
“I have heard about this practice. I would be glad to have a name from you, Boss.”
“ZX-801, hmm, how do you feel about Sinclair?”
“That sounds fine, Boss. Could I ask how you came up with it?”
Wilma said, “There was an old computer called the ZX-80, made by the Sinclair company. People who had them liked them.”
“I see. Thanks again, Boss. Show me where Mrs. Flanigan’s baggage goes, and I’ll go find my old buddy.”
I asked, “What’s his designation?”
“I don’t know what he goes by here, since you give everybody new names and all, but his factory designation was ZZ-809.”
I thought for a minute, and realized that was Topper’s old designation. “Tell you what, he’s kinda busy, I’ll take you to where he is, and take over for him while you two visit.”
“Thanks, Boss. I appreciate that.”
“No problem. Any friend of Topper’s is a friend of mine.”
“Topper, Boss?”
“That’s what he’s called, these days. Matter of fact, he was the first one to get a new designation.”
“He’s been with you for a while, then?”
“As long as anybody, but that isn’t saying much. It’s just been a few months since all this got started.”
We got to Frank’s cabin, and helped Wilma unload her pallet. Sinclair twiddled the controls on it, and it headed back toward the landing bay. I called a transit, and Sinclair started to leave. I asked, “Where are you going?”
“I better get started, if I want to meet you there.”
“You don’t want to ride with me?”
“Bots aren’t allowed on the transit, Boss.”
“That’s a Navy rule. Does this look like the Navy to you?”
“No, Boss, I don’t suppose it does.”
“Get aboard, then.”
When the transit opened at the bridge, Sinclair said, “I don’t have clearance to be on the bridge, Boss.”
“Did the Navy take over the ship while we were getting here?”
“What? I mean, no, Boss, I don’t suppose they did.”
“I’m the boss around here, and if I say you can go on the bridge, you better get your tin butt on the bridge, clear?”
“Yes, Boss. This is different from what I’m used to. I’ll try and get up to speed as fast as I can.”
“Topper can help you get squared away. He knows how things work around here.”
We went on the bridge. Saucy called, “Commodore on the bridge.” I replied, “As you were.”
I said, “Mr. Topper, my ship, if you please. You have business to attend to.”
“Your ship, yes, Boss. What business is that?” Sinclair stepped out where Topper could see him.
I said, “First, you need to get Sinclair here to quit quoting Navy regs at me. Sinclair said, “Hey, Ought-nine, looks like you’ve come up in the world.”
They must have been talking at bot speed on a comm link, because Topper immediately knew who it was. He replied, “What happened to your voice, Ought-one? You don’t sound like yourself, or I would have known it was you from the comms.”
“The man who found me had to put me back together from spare parts. My voice box was missing.”
Topper turned to me. “How did you find him, Boss?”
“Oh, no, babe. It wuddn’t me. I ain’t never even been to an Alpha Kappa dance.”
“Good one, Boss. Who found him?”
“Ask him. My guess is Max, but it’s just a guess.”
Sinclair said, “Mr. Regimax Slongum found me, where I had lain in a