Michael Derkins blurted, “Are you saying what I think you’re saying? Alfie is a cyborg?”
Sugar smiled, a great intellect humouring a lesser one. “I wouldn’t put it in such sensational terms, but near enough. You went to Cole pretending you wanted an upgrade. He decided to test the procedure on Langton; he is now far more robotic than human. I have the samples if the jury’s unconvinced.”
“Cool!!”
“Thanks, Michael,” Alfred said drily. To Sugar, “I don’t see -”
Josh felt the tumult of his thoughts, how the disorder calmed as it reached this one conclusion. The more than human healing powers. His stamina. How he no longer dreamed, bled or bruised. How he was able to read Josh’s thoughts -
“Fuck,” Alfred breathed.
“In the circumstances I’ll let that slide,” Justice Begum said.
The courtroom was bewildered. No one knew what to do or say. Alfred was staring at his hands trying to detect some difference. Jasvinder wiggled along the carpet on his belly.
“Wait a moment!” Jerry Etruscus had risen unsteadily to his feet. “Why are we splitting hairs? These two love each other. It’s a bloody stupid world if two people who love each other can’t be together. If what Dr Thing says is true, Langton’s not human anyway, so who the hell are they hurting?”
Alfred blinked at his old foe, stunned. Josh couldn’t help but recall the Lux constitution - ‘Anything the Mayor says on duty is entered into law.’ He scarcely dared hope -
Justice Begum had picked up her gavel the instant Jerry began to speak. Now she laid it aside, her eyes moist.
“That’s surprisingly reasonable. I have no quarrel with it. Lord Langton, you are free to go.”
***
Alfred stepped out of the Halls of Justice into a brand new world. The press clamoured for his attention, protestors screamed abuse, but he didn’t care. None of it mattered any more.
He promised Sugar he could visit Chimera whenever he liked. He gaped when Malik said, “Look after Josh or I’ll cut your bollocks off.” He hugged Nanny, spun Cora around and scrambled over to Gwyn.
“You died?” was the first thing she said.
He shrugged. “Got better.”
Pip nudged him. “Someone’s looking for you.”
Not so long ago Alfred had met Josh in a square where the plane leaves were falling. Then they had been furtive, frightened. Now Josh ran towards him and threw his arms around him.
“Who says robots can’t have happy endings?” he whispered.
“Damn straight.”
Alfred kissed him in full view of the cameras, the crowds. Forever was a long time, but now they had all the time in the world.
Love and Robotics Page 78
