62 THE NEW ARRIVALS

CHAPTER 62 THE NEW ARRIVALS Two small shapes were moving through the sky. As the shapes flew nearer, their details came into focus. They were birds. They were geese. They were Brightbill and Glimmer. The Ancient Shark's call to action had spread far and wide, and eventually it had reached Roz's island. As soon as the geese heard the details, they took off. For three days, they traveled over seas and islands and coastlines, and then they spotted the Juggernaut, floating on the waves of the northern ocean. The water was brimming with creatures, and the station was bristling with birds, but Brightbill and Glimmer ignored the other animals and concentrated on finding Roz. Soaring over the Juggernaut, they searched for any sign of the robot. She wasn't on the rooftops or the platforms or the walkways. She had to be in one of the buildings. The geese peered through window after window, looking for Roz, but there were too many windows to check them all. So our friends asked for help. A flock of puffins pointed them to sandpipers,

who pointed them to cormorants, who pointed them to the top of the control tower, where a seagull was sitting among a mess of broken antennas. The geese touched down beside the gull, and Brightbill said, "I was told you know where to find a robot named Roz." "You must be her son!" said Nimbus, smiling. And then his expression sank. "I'm afraid your mother was captured. She's been in there since this morning." Nimbus motioned to one of the lower buildings. "What should we do?" said Glimmer. "We should go in after her," said Brightbill. "I think I can be of assistance," said Nimbus. Then the gull threw back his head and screeched, "Who wants to start some trouble?" A gang of spunky seabirds was quickly assembled, and everyone followed Nimbus down through the air. They swooped past structures and dodged other birds and then landed by the building where Roz was being held. "I hope you know how to get in," said Nimbus, inspecting the closed door with his good eye. "As a matter of fact, I do," said Brightbill. The goose hopped up and pecked a button on the wall, and like magic the door slid open. The birds hurried inside and found a hallway lined with more closed doors. They began pecking buttons,

opening doors, exploring every room. They found machines and cabinets and equipment, but they didn't find any robots. So they fluttered up a stairwell and explored the next floor of the building. They went from room to room, from floor to floor, but there was no sign of Roz. Until they reached the top floor. The birds crept out from the stairwell and peeked around a corner. Down the hall, BOSUN 10 was standing guard. Glimmer whispered, "Roz must be in that room." Nimbus replied, "Let us handle the guard. You and Brightbill bust Roz out!" The gull smiled. Then he strutted down the hall and squawked, "Hey, blockhead! Why don't you go swim with the fishes?" BOSUN 10 turned his blocky head to face the seagull. He didn't understand what the bird had said, of course. But he felt something like surprise at the sight of a gull strutting toward him. More surprises were on their way, and the other seabirds came flying around the corner. There were four puffins and three terns and five sandpipers. Two skuas brought up the rear, their wings nearly spanning the width of the hall. The gang flapped and squawked and taunted the robot, luring him away from the jail room. He took the bait and chased them down the hall, and they all disappeared into the next stairwell. The geese raced over to where the robot had been

standing. Brightbill pecked the button on the wall. He pecked it again and again, but the door wouldn't open. "Ma, are you in there?" said Brightbill. Roz's face appeared in the door window. "Brightbill? Glimmer? What are you doing here?" "We're here to get you out, Ma! The guard is gone, but this door is locked!" "Leave that to me," said Roz. Brightbill and Glimmer stood back. There was a loud clang!—and another clang!—and with the next clang! the door shot across the hall and fell to the floor. Then Roz stepped out and scooped the geese into her arms. "We were so worried about you, Ma!" said Brightbill. "We heard what was happening and thought you could use some help," said Glimmer. "You were correct," said Roz. The robot and the geese talked quickly and quietly. Roz explained that they were on a mining station and that the poison tide was flowing from down on the seafloor. Brightbill spoke about the island. Thanks to the supply of fresh water, most animals were surviving, but food and shelter were scarce. Several more geese had left the flock. Neighbors were lashing out at each other. The island community had splintered apart. "There is some good news," said Glimmer. "Our goslings have hatched."

"That is wonderful!" said Roz. "I am so happy for you both! But if you two are here, who is looking after your goslings?" "Good old Loudwing is taking care of them while we're away," said Brightbill. "They'll be perfectly safe with her." As you know, reader, robots don't feel emotions. Not the way animals do. But in that moment, even with all the trouble she was in, our robot felt something like joy to learn that she was a grandmother and that her son was a father.

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