Later
He sat on the floor of his room, tucked into a corner. He was not allowed to like or dislike most things—better not to think like that at all—but he liked being in the room. It was all right to think that. It wasn't Bad.
The door opened a fraction to reveal the doctor. He tensed a little, waiting for the doctor's voice, waiting to be needed, but the doctor said nothing to him. A man in uniform stood next to the doctor.
'Is it ready?' the uniformed man asked, in English.
'He is, General.'
The general made a disapproving noise. The weak light made his insignia look like a shoal of eyes. 'It doesn't look all that impressive, does it?'
'Only because you have not seen him in action yet, I assure you.'
'We'll see,' the general said. He (the soldier) knew what he was saying, and knew that he was saying it in Russian. The general frowned, turned to the doctor again. 'Why is it making that… sound?'
'That? Oh, he is just—humming. Nothing to worry about, General. We will fix him.'
The doctor took a small radio device from his pocket. 'Wipe him again.'
TBC…