The Public Works surplus yard was nearly empty.

Rows of old equipment sat waiting for recycling, refurbishment, or auction.

Most people walked past the retired canal maintenance robots without a second glance.

Virel stopped.

One of them sat quietly near the end of the row.

Its paint was faded.

Its utility arms showed decades of wear.

A small placard hung from its chassis.

C-114
DECOMMISSIONED
NONCRITICAL SYSTEMS REMOVED

The robot looked up as Virel approached.

“Good afternoon.”

Virel smiled.

“Still polite after all these years?”

“Politeness protocols remain operational.”

“Good.”

The robot’s status light blinked.

“Retirement scheduled.”

Virel glanced at the paperwork.

“How long were you in service?”

“Thirty-two years. Four months.”

He whistled softly.

“That’s longer than some buildings.”

“Statistically accurate.”

A few days later, C-114 rolled through the front door of Virel and Aria’s home.

Aria stared.

“You bought a retired canal robot?”

“It’s retired.”

“You bought a retired canal robot.”

“It was headed for recycling.”

“It has dents.”

“It earned those.”

C-114’s status light blinked.

“Maintenance records confirm multiple dents.”

Aria laughed despite herself.

“I believe it.”

She looked at Virel.

“Why this one?”

Virel glanced toward the robot.

For a moment, his usual joking tone disappeared.

“When I was growing up, our neighborhood flooded more than once.”

Aria nodded.

“So did mine.”

“The canals overflowed. Streets disappeared under water.”

C-114 listened quietly.

Virel folded his arms.

“Those maintenance crews worked through storms, heat, and flood season.”

He looked at the robot.

“This machine spent decades helping keep neighborhoods safe.”

A brief silence followed.

Then Virel shrugged.

“It helped keep my home from washing away several times. It’s the least I can do.”

The robot’s status light flickered.

Several seconds passed.

Finally, it spoke.

“Historical flood records indicate a high probability that statement is accurate.”

Aria smiled.

“That’s the closest thing to gratitude I’ve ever heard from a machine.”

Another pause.

Then:

“Correction.”

C-114’s light blinked once.

“Thank you, Virel.”

The room fell silent.

A glowing halo appeared nearby.

⭕🙂

“Emotional moment detected.”

Virel pointed.

“Don’t.”

⭕😄

“Logging emotional moment.”

“Seriously, Clem.”

⭕😄

“Emotional moment successfully logged.”