“Thanks,” Tarkos grunted. He released the line holding the robot and stood, his boots using their gecko grips to find microscopic flaws in the station surface that they could cling into. The dock Tarkos had entered before lay only a few dozen steps ahead. He started the slow walk. Tiklik followed.
Inside the dimly illuminated bay, Tarkos went to the first door he had opened before. The long hall appeared now even longer than he had remembered, ringed with doors that stretched off and threatened many hours, if not days, of work if he were to free all of the robots here. He went to the cell where the robot that resembled a Neelee had been. He cranked the first rotating lock.
“Help me, Tiklik,” he said. The robot clung to the door, and using two arms began to open the second ring lo
