Wa-Ka-Mo-Do lowered his head and waited for the response, doing his best to appear dignified, but all the time feeling waves of relief surging through his body. At last the Emperor had been made aware of the situation. At last he understood what was happening to the robots of Sangrel.
The radio crackled, and a voice spoke.
‘Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, of Ko of the state of Ekrano in the High Spires, Commander of the Emperor’s Army of Sangrel. Hear the words of the Emperor, dictated to his servant.’
Out of respect, the two radio operators stood to attention. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do found himself doing the same.
‘The Emperor wishes it to be known that the situation in Sangrel is in harmony with his wishes. Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, his commander of the army of Sangrel, is to continue in his duties, and to offer all support to the humans that the Emperor has been pleased to welcome within his province. The wishes of the humans are paramount, and the Emperor would not wish himself to be disgraced in the eyes of his guests by being seen to place the needs of his subjects above those that he has welcomed into his lands.’
Rank and roles were forgotten for just a moment as Wa-Ka-Mo-Do and the two radio robots looked at one another.
‘To be specific, the Emperor wishes his commander to understand that he is to place himself under the command of the Emperor’s guests and to aid them in any way they request. Any actions otherwise would be deemed treachery to the Emperor. Is this understood?’
The two radio robots gazed at Wa-Ka-Mo-Do, who remained motionless, staring at the black mouth of the speaker.
‘I repeat, Sangrel, is this understood? We wish to hear this from the mouth of the commander himself.’
Li-Kallalla flicked a switch and looked up at Wa-Ka-Mo-Do.
‘Is this understood, Commander?’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do felt the current building in his electromuscles.
‘Is this understood?’
‘Yes,’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. ‘I understand.’
‘Very well. Continue with your duty, Honoured Commander. Silence out.’
Li-Kallalla flicked some more switches, and then turned back to gaze at Wa-Ka-Mo-Do.
‘Do you have any more orders, Honoured Commander?’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do was lost in thought.
‘Honoured Commander?’
‘What is going on?’ said Wa-Ka-Mo-Do. ‘What is going on, Li-Kallalla?’
‘I do not know, Honoured Commander.’
The two robots were nervous and embarrassed by Wa-Ka-Mo-Do’s behaviour. No wonder. He was addressing them as equals. He couldn’t help it.
‘If we follow the Emperor’s commands then the robots of this city will all be killed,’ he said.
‘If those are the Emperor’s wishes…’ began Go-Ver-Dosai.
‘Don’t you understand, their deaths would be my responsibility.’
‘Honoured Commander! Please do not touch me!’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do realized he had seized Go-Ver-Dosai’s arm. Slowly, he let go.
‘The only thing protecting the humans at the moment is my troops! If I pull them back the humans would be wiped out and peace and harmony would return to Sangrel.’
‘Such talk is treachery!’ Go-Ver-Dosai was horrified. ‘You heard the Emperor!’
‘I know. I know.’ He turned to Li-Kallalla. The younger robot was nervous, trapped between two superiors. ‘What do you think is going on?’ he asked.
‘I don’t know, Honoured Commander,’ burbled the young robot, his voicebox slipping out of phase. ‘I wouldn’t presume to understand the mind of the Emperor.’
‘No. Nor would I. And yet perhaps it is the minds of the humans we should understand. They appear to be the new rulers of San-grel.’
‘More treachery! The Emperor rules all of Yukawa!’
‘Be silent, Go-Ver-Dosai! I am one of the Eleven!’
‘The Eleven are subservient to the Emperor. Or are the stories true? Do you subscribe to some higher power? The heresy of the Book of Robots runs throughout the High Spires.’
‘I subscribe to the truth, Go-Ver-Dosai. And we are not seeing the truth at the moment, I know it. Li-Kallalla. Tell me, where else are there humans on Yukawa? You operate the radio. You must know.’
‘He doesn’t know, Honoured Commander,’ said Go-Ver-Dosai firmly. ‘We do not speak of anything but what we are directed to.’
‘I am directing Li-Kallalla to speak. You will be silent.’
The young robot looked from one superior to the other, terrified.
‘I don’t know for sure, Commander. But…’ he hesitated.
‘Yes, Li-Kallalla?’
‘Well, there were said to be humans in Ell.’
‘That is classified information, Li-Kallalla!’
‘Go-Ver-Dosai, you will be silent! Li-Kallalla, I am your superior. Nothing you know is classified from me!’
Wa-Ka-Mo-Do felt the current begin to surge once more. Ell again. The robots of the city had written that name as graffiti. What was happening in Ell?
‘You imply that there are no longer humans in Ell?’ he said, carefully.
Li-Kallalla lowered his gaze.
‘Well, Honoured Commander, no one is quite sure what is happening in Ell. They no longer speak on the radio, they are no longer mentioned at all in any of the official reports-’
‘Li-Kallalla, be quiet!’