With a nervous laugh, Margaret said, “Just what I was doing. Which one are you?”

“I am Sirix.”

They fell into silence, Margaret not certain she wanted to be alone in the dark with the beetlelike machine. Though Sirix was no conversationalist, she decided to take advantage of the opportunity. “Do you have any idea, any speculation, about those symbols around the trapezoidal stone ‘window’ we found in the new ruins?”

“All of my memories were wiped during the holocaust that destroyed my parent race, Margaret Colicos.”

“Yes, yes, you’ve told me that before,” she said. “But you obviously retain some subset of skills, otherwise you could not function or communicate. I’m sure you’ve uploaded all the summaries of what we’ve found on other digs, just to fill in the blanks in your own memory.”

“Many significant blanks remain, Margaret Colicos.”

She frowned, promising herself not to sigh out loud, though she doubted that Sirix could have interpreted the human response. “I’m wondering if those designs on the tiles are perhaps location indicators, like coordinates on a map. Maybe the entire grid around the stone wall is like a… directory or a phone book.”

“I do not understand the reference,” Sirix said, but somehow Margaret was sure he did. Silhouetted against the dim starlight, the black robot remained implacable, volunteering neither information nor suggestions.

“Are you avoiding the answers?” she finally asked. “You’re not being very helpful.”

“I am telling you what I can, Margaret Colicos. My companions and I have already pondered and discussed this mystery in great depth for several centuries. We have no answers for you.”

“I… I’m sorry for doubting you, Sirix. Please don’t take offense.”

“We do not take offense,” said the Klikiss robot.

“Even without clear memory files, I do understand that all Klikiss robots were once part of a vast civilization, which is now completely dead. Our creators were wiped out, as were our memories.”

“As if everything was systematically deleted,” Margaret added.

“Perhaps that is the explanation,” Sirix said.

Unsettled and feeling as if she had made no progress, Margaret bade Sirix good night and walked toward the light shining out of the other tent. Though she liked to be alone where she could concentrate, right now Margaret wanted the company of her husband.

She entered the tent, saw that Louis had begun another game of cards with Arcas and DD. Louis’s face lit up when he saw her. “Come inside, my dear. Join us. I’ll deal you in.”

Before she could answer, he added a pile of cards at the table’s empty place. Margaret seated herself and quickly summarized her conversation with Sirix and turned to their Friendly compy. “DD, you’ve talked with the robots. Have you been able to learn anything from them that we don’t know?”