An Ildiran fleet had completed an inspection tour in the icy outer planets of the Hyrillka system, then brought in an Ildiran mining town to exploit the frozen moons. During the massive operation of dropping life-support domes and offloading enough equipment and supplies for a full-fledged splinter colony, the Ildiran workers had dug down into the crust. There, they found inclusions of processed metal, intact tunnels, sealed chambers—and a deactivated Klikiss robot among the ruins of an ancient installation. Excited and curious, the miners had dug out the motionless robot and reactivated its systems.

“Your name is Jorax, correct?” Andeker said. “I’ve studied as much background as I could find about you.”

“Yes, my designation is Jorax.”

“Are you really the first robot that was discovered? The one dug out of the ice on the Hyrillka moon?”

“Yes,” Jorax said. Andeker seemed ready to fall over with excitement.

After being awakened from his long electronic sleep, Jorax had seemed extremely confused, his data apparently wiped clean, unable to recall where he was or how he had come to be buried in the ice. It had taken Jorax some time to translate the Ildiran computer systems and adapt them to his memory cache. But once the Klikiss robot had accessed the language files, he had learned to communicate with his rescuers. It had been a unidirectional exchange, however, since Jorax volunteered no information about himself.

By the time the Solar Navy arrived in response to this mystery, the lone Klikiss robot had unearthed and reactivated a dozen more insectoid robots from the abandoned Klikiss station. They had all apparently been frozen in the ice at the same time.

Ildirans had already discovered ruined Klikiss cities on other planets, but the gregarious people had no need to trespass in the shadow of another race’s home. In subsequent centuries, Jorax and his fellows had discovered and reactivated thousands of Klikiss robots dispersed in other storage—or hiding—places on various worlds.

“What is it you hope to learn from me, Dr. William Andeker?” Jorax said, not taking a step to follow.

“I have received special dispensation from Hansa officials to bring you into my cybernetics laboratory. I am allowed to show you around, if you will permit me to ask questions.” Andeker continued, his words picking up speed. “Normally such a place would be off-limits to you—and to most citizens of the Hansa. Please allow me to take advantage of this opportunity for both of us.”

Jorax powered up his systems and raised his elongated body, extending his eight flexible legs. “Lead me to this place.” He scuttled along as if his body were carried by two sets of fingers scrambling across a keyboard.