"The Martian senate voted to revoke the unpopular Idarian embargo this evening, which after only two years after it was implemented had lead to countless protests and several-
Larry turned off the tv. "Well of course it didn't work, the Martian congress is comprised of nothing but morons who only think of themselves." Larry said.
He tried to watch the news in an attempt to relax after having a bout with his reoccurring nightmare again. But he found the politics to be so bothersome that he'd rather risk the silence instead.
"Now if I had been there with them, I would have straightened the whole issue out without implanting that ridiculous embargo." Larry said with confidence.
He frowned, curling up in a fetal position on the couch. The chilling fact that that part of his life was only a glorified memory these days disturbed him.
Sighing, he decided to take a walk to try to think and shake off these bad feelings.
It had always been in Larry's habit to wander. In his early memories of being wired, there were times when he'd watch his creator pace around the lab at odd hours of the night before setting back to work on him again. 'I suppose that left an imprint.' Larry thought. And even in his days as a diplomat, when Earth's nations were in a chaotic state of rebellion and war threatened to rage on, Larry found himself in his own state of worry as he paced around the dark corridors of his friend, Senator Fiskmeyer's house late into morning. "To think I miss those days." Larry said. "But I suppose that was where the REAL excitement was."
Larry walked past Buck and Otto's room, and eyed it with bitter remembrance to what he's forced to deal with these days.
"Not like here, where I'm forced into servitude. Forced to get upgrades and made to work a job that promised upfront that I'd be 'having a second chance to work as both a diplomat and a law enforcer! ' HA! What a load of tripe." Larry ranted.
Walking into the main chamber of the satellite, he saw that the light in the living room was on. Bemused, Larry went to investigate.
In the living room, there was some evidence that Buck and Otto had been in here recently. He stepped over the video game system that had been pulled out and the can of pop that was sitting there waiting to be spilt. Scoffing, he suspected that Tuddrussel and Otto had been playing games after he had gone to bed.
The sound of the refrigerator door opening in the kitchen disturbed the silence and alerted Larry; Straightening up, he waltzed right into the kitchen and before him in the dimly lit kitchen stood Otto at the refrigerator with a carton of milk in his hand.
"Aha! So it was YOU who's been messing up the kitchen!" Larry yelled. Otto trembled, holding the new carton of milk behind his back. "It wasn't me!" Otto stammered.
"Oh no?" Larry said. He stepped around Otto, looking over to see the milk carton he snatched it from his hands. Otto gasped, "Hey, wait!" He looked at Otto disapprovingly, waving the carton above his head in a taunting manner. " Let me guess, you were going to drink this straight out of the carton, weren't you?"
Otto frowned, feeling the awful distrust that Larry was projecting onto him. "No, I was going to get a cup."
"Hmm, I'm sure you were. " Larry replied, narrowing his eyes.
"Hey, lay off him!" Tuddrussel called. He appeared from the shadows with a sandwich in one hand and a beer in the other.
"Tuddrussel!" Larry screeched. "What in blazes do you think you're doing?"
"What's it look like I'm doin'?" Tuddrussel replied. "Me and Otto we're hungry, so what?"
Larry growled, replacing the milk carton back into the fridge and slamming it shut. He got into Tuddrussel's face and jabbed his finger into his chest.
"I told you time and time again for you to NOT raid the fridge after watershed hours. Especially with what happened yesterday I thought you would have learned by now. And how thoughtful of you to get HIM into the habit as well." Larry said.
"He's a growing boy?" Tuddrussel offered.
"And growing boys need sleep." Larry slammed.
"Larry," Otto said. He tapped on Larry's leg, forcing him to take notice.
"If you're going to be mad, be mad at me. I get hungry at night and Tuddrussel just comes in with me. Honest."
Larry scoffed, turning back to Tuddrussel with an annoyed look. "Really, Tuddrussel?"
"Pretty much." Tuddrussel admitted.
"Maybe later I'll find out you hold his hand in the bathroom too?" Larry asked sarcastically.
"Ouch." Otto muttered.
"Yeah, what he said." Tuddrussel replied. Larry rubbed his temple. "You two are going to be the death of me, I swear." Larry muttered.
"You . . .want us to clean up?" Otto nervously offered.
Grabbing the broom from the wall, Larry pointed it at them in a threatening manner.
"I don't want to hear another word from ether of you!" Larry shouted.
The two guys backed up slowly.
"Just take it easy, Larry." Tuddrussel urged.
"No, both of you, get back to your room and go to sleep!" Larry ordered.
He waved the broom around, making Otto and Tuddrussel very worried that he was going to try to hit them with it.
"Sheesh, whatever helps you sleep at night. Come on kid." Tuddrussel said.
Tuddrussel pushed Otto back to make him go first.
Larry held the broom like it was his sword, shooing them away with it hurriedly. "I'd better not catch ether one of you in here after I've gone to bed, or so help me I'll use more than this broom to chase you with!" Larry said threateningly.
Hours after that incident had passed, Larry sat in bed shaking over his nerves. His nightmare decided to play soon after he had tried to go back to sleep, and had ended up not getting very much sleep at all.
That morning started off the moment when Larry was preparing to make breakfast, and in came Tuddrussel, fresh in a clean uniform under a bath robe from an early morning shower. He grumbled something about coffee, and without any words Larry dutifully poured him a cup. He made the usual breakfast for one person. And as a show of pretending to actually let bygones be bygones, Larry decided to buy a fresh box of doughnuts from the virtual corner store. SOMEONE would eat them. He thought.
He set the actual plate of food and the box on the table. "Have whatever." Larry said dryly. Tuddrussel raised an eyebrow to Larry's depressed behavior, but said nothing of it as he passed the plate to where Otto usually sat to eat.
Larry was busy making pink lemonade when Otto came in to join them. He turned to look at the two people and saw with some envy how happy they seemed as they discussed how their night went. "I suppose they didn't lose any sleep, lucky them." Larry grumbled.
"I had a dream that I was a robot." Otto said.
"Eww, you mean like Larry?" Tuddrussel asked.
"No, not like Larry, a really COOL robot!" Otto exclaimed.
Larry roughly put the pitcher of lemonade onto the tray. How dare they talk about him like that? He listened in, and with every word that Otto spoke it clawed at his emotions and making him more and more irritated. He had the good mind to give him some of his sarcastic wit to shut him down for a minute.
He trudged into the dining area with the tray in hand, and immediately everyone could see just how pissy he was planning on being.
Tuddrussel dropped his interest to notice Larry as he came up.
"What's your problem?" he asked.
As if he actually cared, Larry thought.
"Oh, I had that awful nightmare again. I didn't sleep a wink . . ." Larry said miserably as he sat the tray down.
Tuddrussel rolled out a sigh, unsurprised at Larry's constant complaints of misery.
"Oh boy, here were go again." Tuddrussel muttered.
"I thought robots didn't sleep." Otto said. Larry placed a hand on his hip; he could barely believe that someone could be so ignorant as Tuddrussel when it came to the emotional and physical state of a robot. Even Tuddrussel was aware that a robot simply slept, let alone dream!
"Oh, yes! And were made of gold! And we fire missiles out of our x-ray eyes!" Larry dripped with sarcasm. "Of course we have to shut down! That's when we recharge!"
"What was your nightmare about?" Otto asked.
"Aww man, don't say I didn't warn ya." Tuddrussel said, wishing that he had told Otto something before Larry went off on him.
"Well, when it all started I was in a dark room all alone, when suddenly-" Larry tried to explain.
But the History Instability alarm interrupted him before he could tell it.
"Woo! Saved by the bell." Tuddrussel said as he and Otto left to get ready for the mission. Larry wilted, barely making an effort to conceal his distress as he made his way to the control room.
"But Larry suffers from acute self doubt, which makes him passive-aggressive and manipulative in nature."
What did that Doctor mean? Larry thought. "I do not manipulate people! How dare he suggest it." Larry felt as if Freud had personally stripped him of his dignity and was thoroughly embarrassed. He started to clean the kitchen by putting the dirty dishes from breakfast into the washer.
Otto walked into the kitchen just as Larry was taking out the cleaning supplies from the cupboard under the sink. Larry looked over and saw something peculiar about him. But what's the matter? Larry wondered. Otto was seemingly deep in thought, and whatever he was thinking it was certainly making him look like someone had just ran over his favorite toy.
" Are you alright?" Larry asked.
Otto blushed, quickly straightening himself up. "Yeah, I'm okay."
Larry shrugged it off; if he said he was okay then by all means don't pursue the matter further, Larry mentally advised.
"But are YOU okay?" Otto asked.
Larry turned back to Otto, who gave him a small smile. Larry sulkily turned his back to get down on the floor with scrub brush and squirt bottle in hand.
"Not really, no." Larry said stiffly.
Otto leaned against the counter door, feeling a bit sorry for the robot. "Is it because of what Dr. Freud had said?" Otto asked. Larry growled, scrubbing the scuffmark a little harder than needed. "Don't you have something else better to do, other than to bother me while I'm cleaning?" Larry snapped. "I'm sorry. " Otto replied wistfully. He moved from the counter and carefully walked around the wet floor. " If it makes you feel any better, nobody has really followed Dr. Freud word for word since the 1930's. He's only the father of modern psychology, but not the "be all to end all" expert." Otto said. "Well, that's lovely to know." Larry said sarcastically.
"In fact, it's lovely to know that whatever work I do for this organization, it's only going to be wasted eventually." Larry added.
"That's not true" Otto tried to reason. " When it comes to history, everything is about cause and effect. We helped Dr. Freud, and so that means we've helped other people to be inspired by his life's work in the future."
"Oh please, do not lecture me about that!" Larry said.
"I got enough of that wishy-washy nonsense from those idiotic professors at Time Squad's Academy. Even a moron like Tuddrussel knows how much of a joke it is."
Otto sat down on the floor and sighed. "Then why did you tell me and Tuddrussel about the time rope?"
"What?" Larry asked, looking up at Otto's inquisitive face.
"That time rope story was a lie, right?" Otto said.
Larry bitterly laughed. "Well if you insist on knowing; yes Otto, in a way I suppose you could say it is a lie. We don't really know why Time itself is falling apart. Years ago, our scientists came up with that theory just so we have some sort of an idea to what's happening to our world. There are other theories out there, but that was the first and that is the one that gets thrown at young cadets in training. Are you satisfied?"
Otto shifted uncomfortably on the floor. "I guess?"
"Humph- well what are you doing in here, pestering me anyway?" Larry snidely asked.
"Am I really pestering you?" Otto asked. "I thought you might've wanted some company. Oh, maybe I can I help you clean? I'm really good at cleaning things."
" Thanks for the offer. But as I've told you, repeatedly, I don't want anyone bothering me while I'm working. And I certainly don't want anyone helping me. Why don't you go off and play? There are literally a hundred things to do in this satellite that don't include me! And you know, I'm sure Tuddrussel is looking for you so he can teach you how to be a living target. You should go find him." Larry said.
Otto frowned; disappointed in the conversation he rolled his eyes at Larry's rudeness. He got up and dusted himself off and said, "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll leave you alone. " And went on his way without another word.
As he left the room, Larry watched him with scrutiny. "That child, ugh!" Larry muttered as he went back to work, shaking his head.
After finishing up the housework, Larry sought out some time for himself. On a whim he bought himself some more embroidery thread and a new band and was excited to try it all out.
Larry sat in what he considered one of his "personal spaces". A living room that he furnished the way he liked it to and Tuddrussel had to be reminded on occasion to not enter it at all if Larry was present. He often sewed in this room, with evidence of a spare sewing basket next to a cozy orange armchair that had crocheted doilies on the rests. There were also those terribly kitschy needlepoints that Tuddrussel liked to jokingly call "Grandma Art" on the walls.
He hummed a song to himself, barely aware of the world around him as he feverishly worked on a needlepoint that was going to be a bowl of fruit when it was finished. Otto peeked around the edge of the doorway and saw that Larry seemed to be feeling a bit better. This led him to slowly go over to where Larry was seated.
"Larry, can I ask you a favor?" Otto asked. Larry glanced at Otto with no particular interest. He watched the child fidget in his standing place, as if holding in a big speech of great matter. Raising an eyebrow at Otto, he turned back to his embroidery and said quietly, "Whatever it is, reconsider."
Otto took a deep breath and with courage kept his head high to reach Larry's gaze. "Please, Larry, it's just this one thing." Otto said.
"No." Larry replied.
"Pleeeease?"
"Otto, stop it."
"Can I just tell you what it is?" Otto asked.
"Oh, fine! What is it that you want?" Larry snapped.
Otto flinched away from Larry, only to recoil back. "I want to go back to the orphanage." Otto said solemnly.
Larry's hands jolted, dropping the embroidery band in his lap.
"Excuse me?" Larry asked. "You actually want to go home?"
Otto's eyes narrowed at Larry's assumption that that place was 'home' to him. "No, not home."
Larry tensed up, "Oh, well I didn't mean you wanted to go back there for 'good', " Larry said quickly. "I mean you're perfectly fine to stay here as long as you want!" The robot laughed nervously. The boy sighed, adverting Larry's gaze as he continued.
"I just want to get few things, that's all. " Otto said.
Larry reeled back in his seat, shooting an accusing glare.
"Last week you said that you DIDN'T have anything back there. That's quite a lie you've put yourself in." Larry said gravely.
"It wasn't a lie. I only said that I didn't really have anything important to bring." Otto said.
"So what in the world are you wanting that's suddenly important to you?" Larry questioned.
"Just my history books." Otto said sheepishly.
Larry scoffed at him. "Oh, why would you want those books anyway? We could easily get you some new ones with updated material!"
Otto perked up, thinking on the idea with amazement.
"I WOULD love some new books, actually." Otto said keenly. Larry nodded; smiling cloyingly he picked up his embroidery band out of his lap. "But it's just that these books back in the 21st century mean a lot to me, I actually kinda miss them." Otto added.
Larry's hands twitched, he eyed Otto up and down, trying to find some sort of motive in all of this. "Don't be ridiculous, it's easier to just buy you new ones to replace what's been lost."
"Yeah I know, but see, they're all I've got," Otto said. "Please Larry, It's just this one time. I won't ask anything of you again, I promise! Please?"
"Stop that groveling, Otto, it's very rude." Larry scolded. Otto pushed himself off the arm of the chair and straightened up again. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to. I was just asking."
The robot did not want to budge on the matter. It could very well spoil him- Larry thought. He returned to his work, trying to concentrate on his cross-stitching. Otto sighed, slumping over the arm of the chair he watched Larry's attempt to ignore him.
"You seemed okay with the idea of taking me back there to get rid of me earlier, is that a better choice for you?" Otto said.
Larry griped the band tightly. Shocked, he looked over to Otto and saw that those cheerful eyes were now sullen with disappointment.
"That's none of your business." Larry said coldly. Placing the embroidery in his sewing basket, he gave Otto his undivided attention. "Besides, you know very well that as long as you're useful around here, you may stay with us." Larry added.
"But the only reason why I'm useful to you at all is because of those books." Otto said. "I don't have anything here that's mine. Those books were the ONLY things I had to call my own and I don't like the idea of never seeing them again."
Larry glanced away from Otto to try to think. Had this boy really had nothing to his name but a few old books? He didn't want to think that were possible.
" Please, Larry? Can you just help me this one time?" Otto added. "I'll never ask anything of you again."
Larry looked back to Otto to see how stressed out he seemed over begging this of him.
Larry's frown softened a bit. Sighing, he thought on Otto's request more kindly; it occurred to him that Otto had never asked for anything before. And certainly isn't like Otto had asked for something mindlessly frivolous like a video game. Also, it did seem that the boy was rather bored here when he wasn't in Tuddrussel's shadow. Maybe he did need something of his to keep quiet with. It'd probably keep him from pestering me so much! Larry figured. In the end, the boy won his favor. "Well, if they really mean that much to you, I suppose we can make a quick trip."
Otto perked up. "Really?!" Otto chirped. "You mean it, Larry?"
"Yessss…. just keep quiet about it!" Larry said hissed. "Honestly, it's like the phrase "children should be seen, and not heard" was written to be directed at you."
Otto laughed, "That's the nicest way someone ever told me to shut up!"
"Oh goody . . ." Larry sarcastically replied.
While Tuddrussel was target practicing on the other side of the satellite, Otto and Larry agreed to make this a "secret" mission to the orphanage. From his memory, Larry pulled the coordinates that had accidently sent him and Tuddrussel right to the room where Otto was initially taken. Quietly they made their way to the transporter and off they went to the year 2001. They zapped to the cold bedroom that Otto had previously assumed that he wasn't ever going to see again. He was unusually quiet as he looked around; the sight of the familiar room seemed to cast a spell over him, making Larry irritated. "Hurry now, let's get this over with." Larry said as he coaxed Otto into moving by nudging him.
"Hold on, it will only take a second." Otto said. He walked to the bed, and then got on the floor and crawled under it. Larry scoffed at Otto's strange behavior. Oh well, children are strange. He's not particularly different. Larry rationalized. He turned his attention away from Otto to really analyze his former bedroom. It was filthy beyond belief, with dust and grime covering the floor and what little furniture there was. Feeling dirty from just standing in the room he crossed his arms, not wanting to touch anything. He went over to the bed, and saw that upon further inspection that it was in a decrepit state, with a tattered blanket and a grey mattress that had springs poking out in places. He looked up at the wallpaper and saw how it was peeling off from water damage and covered in black specks of mold. How he hadn't noticed these things last time he was here was quite an accomplishment on his part. Curious, Larry bent down to watch Otto pull a couple of bricks from the wall. "You kept them there?" Larry exclaimed.
He dug out a few books from the wall, and slid them out. Larry gingerly picked them up as Otto slid them by his feet.
Otto coughed, as he popped his head out from under the bed a cloud of dust that was thick as fog swirled around him. "Yeah, I had to, this is the one place Sister Thornly could never find them." Disturbed, Larry gasped at Otto's now dirty face and clothes, and at the fine whitish dust particles that crept around them. " What?" Otto asked. Through his biohazard censors, Larry could detect nasty things such as mold and asbestos in the air, and according to his eyes, Otto was now covered in the stuff. "Otto, get out of there, this instant!" Larry screeched. Otto scrambled out from the bed.
"What's the matter?" Otto asked as he dusted himself off.
"You're covered in asbestos, that stuff will kill you, if you breathe enough of it. It's no wonder you're coughing." Larry said. "I-I didn't know." Otto said as he fearfully looked at his clothes.
"So you can see my point in my worrying, which forgive me by the way…" Larry said, kind of shocked at how he was actually caring about Otto's health.
"But I've got to get the others." Otto said, pointing back to the bed.
Larry stiffened, hating that he has to let Otto go back under there.
"Just- just do it quickly." Larry said. Otto nodded, and then scurried back under the bed to pull out three more books. In all there were seven of them that Otto had managed to lodge inside that wall. As Larry picked these up and held them for Otto, Larry could hardly think that Otto had to resort to this kind of sneaking around.
"Okay, we're done here." Otto said as he came back out. Larry handed him his books hesitantly. "Otto, why was that hole in the wall the only safe place from Sister Thornly?" Larry asked.
Otto frowned, and looked down at his books with guilt. "They're not allowed."
Larry narrowed his eyes, not quite understanding. Otto looked up at him with desperation. "Can we go now?"
Larry paused; looking around the room he wondered what kind of world Otto was living in before they met. "Larry?" Otto called.
Larry snapped back to reality, frowning at Otto he opened his computer to start sending them back home. "Well I hope you're happy, you've got your books finally and now we can just go home and pretend this never happened. Right?" Larry said.
Otto smiled, "Right. "