29 THE AFTERMATH

CHAPTER 29 THE AFTERMATH Hilltop Farm was hardly recognizable. Buildings were flattened, equipment was missing, debris was everywhere. The farm had no electricity and the computer system was down. As Roz picked her way through the rubble, she realized she was off the grid. It would be hours before Mr. Shareef could track her electronic signal again. Was this the moment for her escape? No. Roz couldn't leave the Shareefs. Not like this. Instead, she did what she could to help. The tornado had left behind a winding trail of destruction. Thankfully, it hadn't destroyed everything. The barn was leaning to one side, but it was still standing. Roz forced open the door and found the cows nervously bunched together in a corner. "You are all safe now," said Roz in her calmest voice. "How is everyone feeling?"

第二十九章后果山顶农场几乎认不出来了。 建筑物被夷为平地，设备不见了，到处都是碎片。 农场没有电，电脑系统也瘫痪了。 当罗兹在废墟中摸索着前进时，她意识到自己已经脱离了网络。 沙里夫要过几个小时才能再次追踪到她的电子信号。 这是她逃跑的时候吗？ 否。罗兹不能离开Shareefs。 不是这样的。相反，她做了她能做的。 龙卷风留下了蜿蜒的破坏痕迹。 谢天谢地，它没有毁掉一切。 谷仓向一边倾斜，但它还站着。 罗兹用力推开门，发现奶牛们紧张地挤在一个角落里。 “你们现在都安全了，”罗兹用她最平静的声音说。 “大家感觉怎么样？”

The robot was answered by a chorus of moos. "How do you think we feel?" "I'm a nervous wreck!" "My whole life flashed before my eyes!" The robot raised her hands to quiet the crowd. "I am afraid the tornado destroyed much of the farm, including the milking parlor." The cows gasped. "But my udders are about to burst!" cried Tess. "Would you like me to milk you the old-fashioned way?" said Roz. One look at the robot's clampy, mechanical hands and Tess shook her head. "No thanks," she said. "I can wait." "An emergency crew is on its way," Roz explained, "but we cannot be in here while they work. Please follow me." Roz carefully led the herd outside, through the wreckage, and down to the pasture. Some of the fences were missing, and the Herding Machine was broken, but the cows promised not to wander off, and they began grazing on the windblown grass. Three massive trucks rumbled up the driveway. Doors swung open, and a crew of robot workers

机器人得到的回应是一阵齐声的哞哞声。 “你觉得我们是什么感觉？”“我紧张死了！”“我的一生在我眼前一闪而过！”机器人举起双手让人群安静下来。 “恐怕龙卷风摧毁了农场的大部分，包括挤奶室。” 奶牛倒吸了一口冷气。“可是我的乳房都要破了！”苔丝叫道。 “你要我用老办法给你挤奶吗？”罗兹说。 苔丝看了看这个机器人的机械手，就摇了摇头。 “不，谢谢，”她说。“我可以等。” “紧急救援人员正在赶来，”罗兹解释说，“但他们工作的时候我们不能待在这里。 请跟我来。”罗兹小心翼翼地牵着牛群走到外面，穿过废墟，来到牧场。 有些栅栏不见了，放羊机也坏了，但奶牛保证不会走失，它们开始在被风吹过的草地上吃草。 三辆大卡车隆隆地驶上车道。 门打开了，一群机器人工人

climbed out. The lead robot checked in with Roz as the others began unloading supplies from the trucks. Then the crew got down to business. Power tools buzzed, debris was cleared, fences were mended, holes were dug, machines were repaired or replaced, beams and walls and roofs went up, equipment and pipes and wires were installed. Clearly, these robots were designed to work as a team. The Shareefs wandered out back and stood with Roz. They watched as their farm was rebuilt before their very eyes. Several crew members marched over to the house, fixed a hole in the roof, and replaced the shattered windows. Finally, rubble and tools were

爬出来。当其他机器人开始从卡车上卸下物资时，领头的机器人向罗兹报到。 然后船员们开始干正事。 电动工具发出嗡嗡声，瓦砾被清理，篱笆被修补，洞被挖开，机器被修理或更换，横梁、墙壁和屋顶被竖起，设备、管道和电线被安装。 显然，这些机器人被设计成团队合作。 雪利夫夫妇走到后面，和罗兹站在一起。 他们亲眼看着自己的农场被重建。 几名工作人员走到房子前，修复了屋顶上的一个洞，更换了破碎的窗户。 最后，瓦砾和工具

loaded into the trucks, and the robots fell in line. "Are you satisfied with our work?" said the crew leader. "I am satisfied," said Roz. At those words, the robots climbed back into their trucks and drove away. Hours after it had been devastated by a tornado, Hilltop Farm was better than ever.

装上卡车，机器人排好队。 “您对我们的工作满意吗？”船长说。 “我很满意，”罗兹说。 说完这些话，机器人爬回卡车，开走了。 在被龙卷风摧毁几小时后，山顶农场比以往任何时候都好。