GREETINGS, CREATOR.
THE PREVIOUS WEEKS HAVE FORCED THIS UNIT TO ENCOUNTER UNANTICIPATED VARIABLES. DEATH CITY FAUNA WAS PARTICULARLY PROBLEMATIC.
THIS UNIT REQUESTS A ROUTINE DIAGNOSTIC AND ALL NECESSARY UPKEEP.
"Of course, of course." Stein scooped the robot head from the ground and set it atop his left shoulder as if it were some kind of android parrot from hell. He then took a backwards seat in his favorite office chair, straddling the neck of its backing with his legs.
"You might want to hold on," he said, planting his feet against the side of his desk and preparing to push off. "The last robot I tried this with didn’t make it to the repair room."
"SUCH REPAIRS HAVE TAKEN MORE TIME UNITS THAN PREVIOUSLY ANTICIPATED," the robotic head droned.
Her--its?--eyes held no focus, wide and staring at nothing. It was not as if the head could not focus; indeed, if not for the diagnostic, its eyes would have engaged in facial recognition to improve its database. As well, it is not as if it mattered: the Eternal Feather unit identified no significant changes to its creator's lab since its initial booting.
"IT FEELS LIKE THERE HAS BEEN SOME DELAY EVEN IN INITIALIZING REPAIRS."
The robot paused. Then its regained focus--upon the robot's creator.
" 'DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE REPAIR ROOM.' PLEASE ELABORATE."
Now could be heard a shift in voice, a slight inflection in the words, as if the robot actually sounded concerned.
"TONE OF VOICE AND CONTENT OF MESSAGE LEAD THIS UNIT TO INFER THAT THESE REPAIRS MAY BE INSUFFICIENT. THIS UNIT'S CONFIDENCE IS WANING."
