by DRK
Caught up in the game, Osmo paid her no mind. He continued shooting. Osmo managed to wing the robot just as Sec. Ldr. Clyden lumbered over from the car, choking on rage. "What are you doing? What are you doing?" His fury got Osmo's attention.
Osmo put the gun down, looking like the kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The robot continued to run about, however, until Clyden yelled at it to stop acting like a nitwit and go back to patrol. It did, without its weapon.
"Give it back its blaster," Clyden snarled at Osmo, who sheepishly obeyed.
Clyden stormed at Sheila, "Don't you have any sense? Why are you letting him shoot robots? And I am pretty sure this isn't the first time you went robot hunting; I've noticed some have been missing lately. You are wasting our resources! You know Earth never wants to send us anything. It's good I came out today to check on the patrol."
She glared at him. "Oh, what's the big deal? So we shoot a few robots, so what?"
"The big deal is we are short on parts. Very short. We lack enough chips for robot repair. Robots do more than butler and patrol. We use them in environment engineering and maintenance. We use them to guard the miners, so we can get our daily quota of energy fuel. I am going to give Gov. Xavier a report on this incident. I am sure he will be very displeased. And no one wants your uncle displeased."
"Oh, you're no fun, Sec. Ldr. Clyden," Sheila meekly complained.
"And you aren't responsible or mature," Clyden snapped back. He turned to Osmo. "And you, you are even worse. Sheila, you must not become like this fellow. One could not find a less desirable character with whom to keep company. I've heard about this Osmo. I read up on his antics. He is a bad influence. He will bring out your most childish side! Why don't you go back to Earth and your rich daddy, Osmo Martin?”
Clyden stomped over to the patrolling robots and they fell in line for inspection.
Osmo and Sheila just looked at each other, and then burst into quiet laughter. "I don't think he likes me very much," said Osmo flippantly.
"Yeah, I noticed. It's good you are my friend and my uncle wants nothing to spoil your good time here during your visit to the World of Hope. Otherwise you should be concerned. Clyden isn't someone you want to make your enemy."
"Oh, look at me, I am so scared," Osmo joked.
He saw she didn't have his cavalier attitude. "You should be. Watch him and stay close to me, Osmo, for your own good."
Something in Sheila's voice made him realize she meant it in all seriousness. He tried to make light of it anyway. "Okay, if you want that, you bet I'll stay close to you."
"Oh, you!"
Dissatisfaction
