Masters of Space by E E (Doc) Smith

Author:E E (Doc) Smith [Smith, E E]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci-Fi., Science Fiction
Published: 2017-12-24T16:00:00+00:00

“My solid hope is that we never have to find out. And when you add in Innocent and Dark Lady…. They look to be about seventeen, but the thought that they’re older than the hills of Rome and powered by everlasting atomic engines—” He broke off suddenly and blushed. “Excuse me, please, girls. I know better than to talk about people that way, right in front of them; I really do.”

“Do you really think we’re people?” Innocent and Dark Lady squealed, as one.

That set Hilton back onto his heels. “I don’t know…. I’ve wondered. Are you?”

Both girls, silent, looked at Larry.

“We don’t know, either,” Larry said. “At first, of course, there were crude, non-thinking machines. But when the Guide attained its present status, the Masters themselves could not agree. They divided about half and half on the point. They never did settle it any closer than that.”

“I certainly won’t try to, then. But for my money, you are people,” Hilton said, and Karns agreed.

That, of course, touched off a near-riot of joy; after which the two men made an inch-by-inch study of their tremendous living-room. Then, long after bedtime, Larry and Dark Lady escorted Hilton to his bedroom.

“Do you mind, sir, if we sleep on the floor at the sides of your bed?” Larry asked. “Or must we go out into the hall?”

“Sleep? I didn’t know you could sleep.”

“It is not essential. However, when round-the-clock work is not necessary, and we have opportunity to sleep near a human being, we derive a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction from it. You see, sir, we also serve during sleep.”

“Okay, I’ll try anything once. Sleep wherever you please.”

Hilton began to peel, but before he had his shirt off both Larry and Dark Lady were stretched out flat, sound asleep, one almost under each edge of his bed. He slid in between the sheets—it was the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in—and went to sleep as though sandbagged.

He had time to wonder foggily whether the Omans were in fact helping him go to sleep—and then he was asleep.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.