The students began talking excitedly about the prospects of the ultimate victory over the Firm. "We will be known throughout the Subdivision once we destroy their headquarters," said a mere boy.

"I, for one," said a girl, "find the greatest satisfaction being associated with Belletine and her plan to make the robot itself the bomb."

"Absolutely," said a third. "Bomb and drug sniffing bots have patrolled every point of entry and worthwhile target for a hundred years. I can't remember the last successful attack, but now, in one bold stroke, we will achieve our goal."

Yet, there was another student, monitoring the nano-biotic fluid coming from Bromide who was committed to her work and had no such selfish thoughts. "I'm noticing a genetic anomaly in the blood stream," she finally spoke up.

"Will it have any effect on the transfusion, you know were out of time." Belletine was stern and direct, forcing the student to make a decision. "Well?" she asked impatiently.

"No. it will have no effect."

"Ah, I see we are learning quickly. The goal today is teaching a new skill of Roboticide," said Carlos, whose mere presence drew them back in. "You, my young protégé's, are the next generation of freedom fighters, so quit the idle chit chat and follow through on your studies." He turned to Belletine. "It seems it is our calling to sacrifice one thing, like your friendship, for the greater good of the cause."

"But I don't hold my promises lightly." Lately he had changed, and she found a point of distress welling up inside her. She adjusted the flow of nano-biotic fluid as the process came to a finish. The new fluid functioned identically to the old until the nano bots mixed together. Then a chain reaction would cause a controlled explosion of devastating proportions. Bromide's subroutines would notice the mass difference, but his overwhelming need to comply with the recall would override any failed attempt to correct the anomaly.

"You know, Belletine," he said, laying his hand on her shoulder, "this is the only way to truly repay your debt of gratitude to Ketty." She shuddered under his touch. "By sacrificing Bromide, her other bots will be free."

She at least respected his point, but her heightened emotions summoned Tychicknu to her side, causing Carlos to take a few steps back.

"Ahh, Tychicknu, a true and faithful bot to be sure. You know, Belletine, if not for my enhanced algorithms, your body guard would have stopped our entire operation."

"But he hasn't, and he wouldn't. He is faithful to the end, of that I can assure you."

"I simply came to inform you an escort ship has been dispatched from Sigon Six," said Tychicknu, ignoring Carlos as he was so adept at doing. Tychicknu knew at the base of his programming was an anomaly, a simple binary code that never stopped. Zero one, zero one. Good, bad—good bad. He ceased trying to repair it long ago, accepting it as part of his personality, but it made him able to put one person above the First Law of Robotics.

His master, Belletine.

Though he had never been required to use it, he was always at the ready around Carlos. In a nano-second he could eliminate the threat if required, choosing from a hundred different scenarios that constantly circulated in the background of his mind. But the one thing he couldn't do is read the man's thoughts.

Belletine turned to the students. "Take out the nano-tap and thaw Bromide if you would. He needs to be presentable in an hour. And get this lab put away, you can be sure there will be an onboard inspection as well." With that she followed Carlos to the bridge.

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