Holly stared at the Homeboti. “How long has he kept you confined to the hotel?”
“Fifteen years.”
Holly’s disgust with her grandfather refreshed itself like a cold wave. Charles had locked this robot, this clearly sentient, self-aware being, inside a single building for over a decade. Like a prisoner.
“Do youwantto leave the hotel?” Holly asked carefully.
Luv was quiet for a moment. Her optical lights flickered.
“I enjoy bird-watching,” the robot said, and Holly remembered Luv saying something about that once before. “Through the windows, I’ve observed twenty-two of the outpost’s sixty-four documented species.”
That sounded like a yes. She pushed away from the table and stood. “Your new boundary is the outpost’s dome,” Holly said firmly. “You may leave the hotel whenever you want. Do I have to input something in your software?”
Luv went still. Her articulated arms hung motionless at her sides.
“No, I…” The robot’s voice was different. The sharp edges had fallen away. “Your spoken directive is all it takes. Thank you, Holly.”
No sarcastic comeback. No biting remark. This was a first.
Holly nodded, her throat suddenly tight. “Pleasego to Sam for maintenance. I’m sure you’re way overdue. Fix that squeaky rollerball.” She turned away and looked at the windows she’d uncovered her first day here. Houseplants lined the sills. Light warmed the corners. The living unit had come far from the dim tomb she’d first walked into. So had Luv.
She retrieved the d-pad Mr. Binn had given her and settled onto the small sofa. Bean hopped up on the opposite side, leaving ample room between them. He couldn’t have her thinking he liked her after she denied him a bite of muffin. The dog curled into a ball and tucked his nose under his tail. Holly pulled up the financial records for Moone’s Landing and began to search for any clue Mr. Binn may have missed about where Charles might have hidden the missingnits. She’d been here a few weeks, and she was already halfway in love with this place and those who lived here.
Nineteen
More than a week passed before Holly had a chance to make good on a few things that had been nagging at her.
She was on her way to the spaceport when a voice stopped her.
“Holly!”
Alyce hurried across the square, her gold eyes bright. She was slightly out of breath when she reached Holly, but her expression was warm. Warmer than Holly had seen it before.
“I’m so glad I caught you,” Alyce said. “I wanted to thank you.”
Holly blinked. “Thank me? For what?”
“For opening Luv’s boundaries.” Alyce clasped her hands together. “I should have mentioned it earlier, but I thoughtshewould. She came to Sam for maintenance yesterday. First time in fifteen years. That poor robot was in rough shape, but Sam managed to repair most of it. She’s running so much better now.”
Holly smiled. “I’m glad. She deserved better than what Charles gave her.”
“She did.” Alyce’s expression softened further. “We all did, I suppose. But things are looking up.” She gestured toward thegardens. “The forest and gardens are doing much better now that the lighting is at the correct brightness. I took a walk this morning and I could swear the trees look healthier already.”
“That’s wonderful to hear.”
Alyce studied Holly for a moment. “You’re good for this place, Holly Greene-Moone. I wasn’t sure at first, but I am now.”
The words settled into Holly’s chest like a warm drink on a cold day. “Thank you, Alyce. That means a lot, but without you and Sam holding it together all this time, well, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Well.” Alyce looked away, as if uncomfortable with praise. “This is our home.”
It was as simple as that, for her. They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, and Holly decided to take a chance.
“Alyce, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Did you ever see Charles with an extra currency chip? Something other than his main one?”
