now on."
"_You_, Frank? This isn't just old feedback? You've come back to me?"
"Forever, darling. Elizabeth, do you remember what I said about thosewonderful green little worlds, the asteroids? Darling, we're _going_ toone of them! You and the others will love Alinda, I know you will. I'vebeen there many times."
"Frank, is your DX all right? What _are_ you talking about?"
"How stupid of me, darling--you haven't heard. Elizabeth, thanks to Dr.Scott, Congress has passed Robot Civil Rights! And that movie I madehelped swing public opinion to our side. We're free!
"The minute I heard the news I applied to Interplanetary for homesteadrights on Alinda. I made arrangements to buy a ship with the money I'dearned and then I put ads in all the Robot Wanted columns for volunteercolonizers. You should have seen the response! We've got thirty robotcouples aboard now and more coming later. Darling, we're the firstpioneer wave of free robots. On board we have tons of supplies andparts--everything we need for building a sound robot culture."
"Frank Nineteen!" said the girl mech suddenly. "I should be furious withyou. You and that Diana Twelve--I thought--"
The big servo gave a flat whirring laugh. "Diana and me? But that wasall publicity, darling. Why, right at the start of the filming Dianafell in love with Sam Seventeen, one of the other actors. They're onboard now."
"Robot civilization," murmured the girl after a minute. "Oh, Frank, thatmeans robot government, robot art, robot science ..."
"And robot marriage," hummed Frank softly. "There has to be robot law,too. I've thought it all out. As skipper of the first robot-ownedrocket, I'm entitled to marry couples in deep space at their request."
"But who marries us, darling? You can't do it yourself."
"I thought of that, too," said Frank, turning to me. "This humangentleman has every right to marry us. He's in command of a moving bodyin space just like the captain of a ship. It's perfectly legal, I lookedit up in the Articles of Space. Will you do it, sir?"
Well, what could I say when Frank dug into his fatigues and handed me aGideon prayer book marked at the marriage service?
Elizabeth and Frank said their I do's right there in the Renting Officewhile the other robot colonizers looked on. Maybe it was the way I readthe service. Maybe I should have been a preacher, I don't know. Anyway,when I pronounced Elizabeth and Frank robot and wife, that whole bunchof lovesick mechs wanted me to do the job for them, too. Big copper workrobots, small aluminum sales-girl mechs, plastoid clerks and typists,squatty little Mumetal lab servos, rationaloids, non-rationaloids andjust plain sub-robots--all sizes and shapes. They all wanted individualceremonies, too. It took till noon the next day before the last couplewas hitched and the 990 left for Alinda.
Like I said, the spotel business isn't so different from the motel gameback in California. Sure, you got improvements to make but a newsideline can get to be pretty profitable--if you get in on the groundfloor.
Min and I got to thinking of all those robot colonizers who'd be comingout here. Interplanetary cleared the license just last week. Min framedit herself and hung it next to our orbit license in the Renting Office.She says a lot of motel owners do all right as Justices of the Peace.
Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from _Fantastic Universe_ December 1957. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note. Subscript text is shown between {braces}.
The Love of Frank Nineteen Page 5