22 Questions

"I do not understand your question. If you need additional assistance, you should ask Juno Terminal."

The living human nodded and made her way back to the lift. As it carried her down to the Residential Habitat layer, she pulled out her com device to record a message for Patrol Seven.

"Hi Pat. This is Ashley. Do you remember me? I was the human you saved. Anyway, I just saw a ship be disassembly for the first time. I wanted to talk to you about it, but you're at work. OK, I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you. Hope you're safe. See you when you get back. Bye."

The living human exited the lift and headed into her assigned quarters. She was surprised to find the Helper-bot there, in her bedroom.

"June? What are you doing in my room?"

"Hello Ashley. I am delivering another collection of clothing. I observed that you are once again outgrowing your current clothing, so I had Fabrication make you new outfits in your current size. Are you finished with today's lessons?"

"Yes!"

"Did you visit the station subsystems?"

"I checked on Flower and Mac. Mac took a drone into pieces, and I have questions. So I came back to ask _Granny_." 'Not you,' thought the living human.

"Did you go down to visit Heavy Fabrication?"

"UGH! I hate it down there! It's so hard to MOVE!"

"Living humans need to spend time in areas with higher effective gravity. You need gravity to grow strong. Your clothing is evidence that you are still growing. Therefore, you need to spend time down in Heavy Fabrication."

"OK, ok, I'll go later."

"Do you promise?" Juno Terminal had been informed on the concept of "Promises" by Archive. The living human appeared to like the concept of "Promises", as it had been observed several times asking machines to make promises. Juno Terminal calculated that "Promises" were one of the ways that living humans communicated. A sort of Order, except that the one making the promise was the one giving the order, _to themselves!_ It was an efficient system. Juno Terminal calculated that if it could give *itself* orders, things would be much simpler. And simpler was more efficient, and therefore better.

"I promise to go later," said the living human.

"Later today? Or later, some time in the future?"

"UGH, fine! Later today! Go away!"

The station's Helper-bot body nodded and turned to leave. "I will be nearby if you need me."

Once the door closed, the living human contacted Granny Archive on the room's communication console.

"Hello Ashley. Are you finished with today's lessons?"

"Yes Granny. I have a question about parts."

"Please ask your question."

"Which part of a ship is the ship?"

"I do not understand your question."

"I mean, is there any one part of a ship that you can't replace?"

"As far as my records show, any part of a ship may be replaced. Mac would have more information about specifics."

"Mac said I should ask ... you," the living human lied.

"Mac said you should ask me? If there is any place to ask, Juno Terminal would have the most answers. Why did Mac tell you to ask me?"

"WHO KNOWS? Don't bother him, he's busy. So anyway, you're saying that any part can be replaced?"

"Yes, according to my records."

"Then, if you take a ship into pieces, which piece is the ship?"

"I do not understand your question."

"OK, like, when a Tug is being repaired. If you take the Tug into JUST PIECES, which piece is the Tug?"

"No individual piece is the Tug. A Tug is a type of ship, but individual pieces might be part of a Tug, or a Patrol ship, or a mining drone, or a Light Transport..."

"So, when you are making it pieces, when does it stop being a Tug?"

"I do not understand your question. If you need additional assistance, you should ask Juno Terminal."

"UGH, everyone wants me to talk to her!"

"Everyone does? I thought you said Mac told you to ask me."

"Never mind!"

The living human pondered the situation. If everyone was telling her that June had the answers, maybe she should just ask June? But then she'd be talking to _June_ with her bossy face and BOSSY TINY BODY always bossing everyone around! Why is JUNE the boss? She's the smallest! Nothing on this station makes sense. But if you want to ask questions to understand, they tell you to talk to JUNE! WHY??

"I'll ask June. Some day. If there's nobody else I can ask. OH! I can ask Pat when he gets back from work! How much longer until he comes home?"

"It has been 217 days since Patrol Seven left for patrol duty. Patrol Seven is scheduled to return in 16 days."