The door opened after a series of clicks. A room of shelves with gadgets awaited her.

"Angry amoebas!" said Ann, "What a collection! How could he ever find the gadgets he wanted?"

"Jeradd, my former owner knew them all by heart, having designed them himself. His major interest was exploration... Awaiting your commands, Miss O’Malley."

"Yes. I was thinking. I don't want to tell anyone else about you or any of the things in here. Oh my! I will have to head back to Freedom Fields orphanage soon."

"This ship's monitors can see through its own fuselage. I have been observing the orphanage on one of my scanners since Jeradd's landing in this clearing eight days ago. The logical inference is that the discovery of this unit by yourself has eliminated the wastage that would occur, were I to have remained in this ship unobserved."

"But you can fly this ship into space if you want to," said Wendell.

"Wanting is not possible for me. I am programmed to obey the instructions of another computer or a living being. I have only ever been used by the latter. So you see I cannot fly into outer space without a specific command to do so."

"I see. Well can you get me close to Freedom Fields by morning?"

"The request can be satisfied with your directions, Miss O’Malley."

"That's good. Anyway, you are the only one who will know about us, apart from me. So I will want to call you something, and make you mobile, if we can do it. Maybe we can join some of these gadgets together and convert you into a moving armed robot computer," said Ann.

"I am computing the possibilities... The best suggestion is to combine the wheeled base of the mobile dinner service unit, the console, which contains me, with its closing doors to hide my vulnerable screen and keys, the large stun cannon and the laser tube. The transparent plastifer orb could be held in place with support structures to act as a head. It would give me a more human appearance, although still essentially robotic, and my voice circuits could be connected to the bottom of the orb, causing it to glow and emit my sounds when I spoke. My own internal speakers could then be disconnected and discarded."

"We had better hurry."

"There is no cause for haste. Simply place my console on the dinner service unit, and then attach the other parts. I can bond them together with myself magnetically, allowing my laser tube and stun cannon to rotate freely like human arms. The bond will then be permanent. You must read the English words on my screen after you have disconnected my speakers. The words will tell you how to connect my voice circuits to the plastifer orb, after which you will hear a more metallic version of my voice. You will find the gadgets in the following locations...."

*          *          *          *

"Sorry I am taking so long. I have never used a soldering iron before."

"Impatience is not the attribute of a computer. Your apologies are unnecessary, Miss O’Malley," said the computer.

"That's just finished it. We have even attached wiring to the dinner service unit, as well as to the rotating weapons, and the probe sockets between your plastifer orb and your console. You can control all your own movements and firepower."

"But only at your command, Miss O’Malley."

"I am just lucky that you are such a polite computer robot. I'm still trying to think of a name for you, but do you know what else you could do?"

"Instruction is necessary for me to perform your tasks, Miss O’Malley," said the robot, while rolling around the main room on the mechanized wheels concealed under its structure.

"Of course. Well listen, is there any clothing material aboard this ship?"

"A limited supply exists and is kept under the secondary monitor, Miss O’Malley. It can be manipulated and shaped with the sewing device on this ship. It is not indestructible, but it does have absolute resistance to heat and cold, despite its resemblance to thin cloth," said the computer.

"What colours are there?"

"Orange, dark green, light blue, pink, and a significant amount of yellow."

"Don't worry about the yellow, but I'll use the pen from the gadget room to draw you an outfit for myself. Then could you prepare it?"

"It may take some time, Miss O’Malley, depending on the complexity of your design," said the computer.

"That's alright. How long do they usually take?"

"A task for the sewing device could take up to twenty minutes."

Ann completed her drawing.

"See what you can do with this."

"Analysis of visual scan indicates that the proportions in the colour scheme are compatible with the supplies of material available, although some parts will not be utilized. While operating the sewing device, I shall select the points of least waste on the materials," said the computer.

*          *          *          *

"It fits me perfectly, robot-friend."

"You will find that it also allows you to conceal many of the smaller gadgets on your person, Miss O’Malley."

"That's breezy!"
"Breezy? There is not wind."

"I mean, I like it. You're marvelous ... Butler One."

"Butler One. Confirm conclusion that I should adopt the words Butler One as a name for myself."

"That's right. It's confirmed," said Ann O’Malley.