Expedition Westward

  ***

  Star was all prim and neat when she entered Dr. Rackenfauz’s workshop, as if she’d spent the night lying inactive on a bed of roses. Her perfume carried a floral scent, her cheeks looked firm and wholesome from a perfect application of blush. Her hair was in order, and all her broken fingernails had been replaced.

  Dr. Rackenfauz was slumped in a chair, sleeping. Winston sat in another chair, inactive. The mech wolf – was it Ripper or Iridium? – sprawled deactivated on the workbench. Star walked past the chair-bound figures and paused beside the mech wolf. She stroked the beast’s head, running her fingers through the bristling hairs.

  “Are you in there, Iri?” she said. “It’s me, Star.”

  Winston stirred back into active mode. Star turned her gaze toward him.

  “Good morning, Winston,” she said.

  “Star, where have you been?” Winston said. “I was worried.”

  “Oh ... here and there,” Star said. “Something came up.”

  “I was going to look for you,” Winston said, “but Dr. Rackenfauz told me to mind my own ‘g. d. business.’”

  “Now, there’s some good advice,” Star said. “How did the operation go?”

  Winston rose from his chair and stretched his arms, almost like a human limbering up after an uncomfortable night.

  “We’ll know pretty soon,” he said. “Why didn’t Dr. Che come back?”

  “He’s feeling a bit, uh, indisposed,” Star said. “He’s agreed to see you this afternoon, though.”

  Winston could not conceal of look of anxiety. “Really?”

  “Yes, dear.”

  Dr. Rackenfauz awoke next.

  “Good morning, young lady,” he said, yawning massively. “You’re just in time for the activation.”

  He stood and stretched himself out, making his joints crack.

  “Damn!” he exclaimed. “I sure as hell ain’t no spring chicken any more.”

  “Did you sleep well, Professor?” Star asked.

  “Ach, no worse than usual,” Rackenfauz said. “Where’s Jerry?”

  “Oh ... he got distracted with his own affairs,” Star said.

  Rackenfauz gave her a knowing look. “Yeah, I’ll bet he did.”

  He shuffled to the work bench and examined the mech wolf. Winston took the opportunity to examine Star.

  My, she looks wonderful this morning, he thought, she almost has a glow about her. Dr. Che must have given her an overhaul.

  He had no idea how literally true this observation was.

  “Well, let’s finish up, shall we?” Dr. Rackenfauz said.

  He began working on the mech wolf. Winston and Star tried to watch from a discreet distance, but Rackenfauz obscured their view with his skinny frame and flapping white coat.

  “Ohhh,” Star took Winston’s hand, “I hope everything’s all right.”

  “Yeah ... me too,” Winston said.

  “God, could I use a snort of coke,” Rackenfauz said.

  Star gripped Winston’s hand tightly in an effort to relieve her growing anxiety, a tear rolled down her cheek. Several tense minutes passed, then:

  “Ah, here we go!” Rackenfauz exclaimed.

  He stepped aside so that Winston and Star could observe his handiwork. The mech wolf lying on the bench was now in active mode, eyes wide open.

  “How do you feel, Iridium?” Rackenfauz asked.

  The mech wolf blinked rapidly, glancing about the lab with confusion before it fixed upon Dr. Rackenfauz. Something akin to a smile creased its face. It spoke with Iridium’s voice.

  “Papa – is that you?”

  “Yes, Iridium.” Rackenfauz did a mock curtsy, spreading his lab coat like a lady’s skirts. “The one and only.”

  “Welcome back, Iri!” Star cried.

  She rushed to the great canine and embraced him. She smothered his face with kisses.

  “You absolute sweet heart,” she said. “I missed you so much!”

  “Uh ... thanks,” Iridium said.

  He looked toward Winston, utterly baffled.

  “Who’s the blue guy, Papa?”

  “Ohhh ... he doesn’t recognize us,” Star said.

  “Of course not,” Rackenfauz said. “This brain unit lacks several months of memory input.”

  “So, he doesn’t know anything about our history together?” Star said.

  Rackenfauz shook his head.

  “But he’s a hero,” Winston said. “None of us would have survived without him.”

  “Well, don’t blame me, pal,” Iridium said. “I just got here.”

  “It’s up to you to educate him, then,” Rackenfauz said. “We can start with a memory dump.”

  “What’s that?” Winston asked.

  “Pretty simple, really,” Rackenfauz said. “I hook you up to Iridium so you can transfer the relevant memories from your brain units into his.”

  “Oh, let’s do!” Star said.

  Winston considered a moment. There seemed to be some moral issue at stake here, although he couldn’t identify it. Letting the new Iridium know about his illustrious past did seem like a worthwhile thing to do, however.

  Besides, he was wary of disagreeing with Star. She was so ... powerful this morning.

  “Yes, I agree,” Winston said.

  “How about it, Iri?” Star said. “It’ll be just like the old days.”

  “Sure, why not?” Iridium said. “I’m always game for a good story.”

  “It’ll take some time,” Rackenfauz said. “After I clean up and have some breakfast, we can get started.”

  He exited the workshop, leaving the three robots to get reacquainted.

  Star and Winston sat beside Iri, each taking hold of a forepaw and stroking the great canine’s head. Without his shimmering coat, Iridium hardly looked like himself, but the intelligence and nobility in his eyes said clearly that he was back among the active.

  “Don’t worry about a thing, Iri,” Star said. “Dr. Rackenfauz will handle everything just fine.”

  “Of course,” Iridium said. “There’s only one Papa!”

  60. Memory Dump

  The memory dump took some hours to complete.

  At first, Winston felt terribly vulnerable with his cranium opened up and data cables connecting his brain unit with that of Iridium. But after a while it became an almost pleasurable experience to rerun the memories he had of his old friend.

  Winston held nothing back but gave over the full spectrum of recollections – from his first scary meeting with the great canine in Mech City right up to the battle with the Visionists and the heroic demise of the first Iridium.

  The suspicion they’d held for each other which had blossomed into mutual respect and admiration. The long struggle to bring down Fascista Ultimo and Iridium’s key role in it. Even the shameful episode when Winston refused to honor his pledge concerning the security chief job. Every bit of data Winston could wring out of his personal memory bank passed into Iridium’s mind.

  Rackenfauz monitored the session with some sort of an analyzer device. Throughout, Winston remained silent, his face tense with concentration.

  Iridium was far more vociferous.

  “Did I really say that?” he exclaimed, and, “This is so cool!” and, “That is totally amazing!”

  At one point, he laughed so vigorously that Dr. Rackenfauz admonished him to calm down, so as to avoid disconnecting the wires.

  Another outburst, very grim this time, came when Winston relayed the details of Iridium’s losing battle with Clawfurt during the anti-Fascist rebellion.

  “Ugh, Clawfurt!” Iridium said. “I’m glad I wasn’t officially there.”

  Then it was Star’s turn. As soon as the hook up to Iridium was established, the great canine began purring with delight.

  “Oh, that’s sweet,” he said. “I love you too, Star.”

  For the whole time she was connected to Iridium, Star’s eyes remained closed and a mysterious little smile played acros
s her face – like in the Mona Lisa painting. Her radiant beauty was almost impossible for Winston to look at for very long.

  She was different, somehow. Something fundamental had changed in her since the day before. What had gone on in Dr. Che’s workshop?

  “Don’t worry, Star,” Iridium said, “your secret is safe with me.”

  Secret – what on earth can that be? Winston wondered.

  Vague suspicious writhed about the edges of Winston’s mind, but he dared not follow their convoluted paths. Events he could not understand were playing out. Boss Winston Horvath did not have a commanding role in the drama. He had to just go along – had to believe that Star would bring about the best results for them. He needed to trust.

  Still ...