@Earnest EvansThe room in which the South of the Border Political Forum was being held had turned into a loud, shouty cacophony of opinions, and certainly not a reasoned and well-thought-out one. This was very fitting of the American populace, Government had analysed. From his record, they always tended to get all hysterical and irrational when something beyond their immediate knowledge as provided by the half-assed news media confronted them.
Government was parked in a corner towards the back of the room, having been dragged along with his latest owner, a local Security guard who everyone called 'Stubby Shotgun'. He was, ironically, a very tall African-American man with long hair, a big black beard and a preference for dual Sawn-Off Shotguns, so his name was only half ironic, Gov. had deduced. So far both he and the guard had remained quiet throughout the crowd's shouting, but it seemed like the residents of the town were itching to go at this Vault Dweller character with torches and pitchforks, as hysterical citizens are apt to do.
Gov. analysed the situation. He needed to leave town, that was for sure. The longer he stuck around redneck country, the more time was given for the Impostors that call themselves the 'Enclave' to overthrow the country's democratically-elected leaders! But evidently the superstitious locals wouldn't take kindly to robots wandering around on their own, which was why Gov. was relieved his latest captor-turned-owner was a bit more reasonable than most, though still stubborn to accept his authority. However, the situation might change if the locals were preoccupied with this Vault Dweller...
Gov. reached an internal concensus. He raised one of his metallic claws into the air and raised the volume on his crackly voice simulator, ready to rile up the crowd even more.
"I have heard rumours..." The cylindrical robot began, his voice reminiscent of a certain fast-talking miniature car salesman off the TV,
"...That this 'Vault Dweller' individual has the ability to reprogram security robots by sneaking up on them and somehow magically turning them to his side, instantaneously, with no-one noticing! Not even the robot! As an official representative of the United States Federal Government who happens to be a Robot, I say this is unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable! He could infiltrate the highest echelons of power and devastate the country even more than it already has been! He's probably a Communist! Would you want him running this country? I don't think so!"As Gov. finished his speech, he analysed the reaction of the crowd. Unfortunately it didn't appear to have the intended effect at first, since everyone seemed to have gone silent and were now looking at him, confused.
"See?!" One of the locals, a woman, spoke up, her hysteria quite evident; thank God.
"Even machines are afraid o' that there menace! What's the world comin' to when-""Wait jus' a minute!" A man interrupted her.
"What was that about Federer Gub'mint?""Well, you see-" Gov. began to explain himself, his pre-programmed priorities taking over his artificial sense of judgement yet again. The locals would have to agree with him if they knew his authority! But then again, a lot of them were apparently idiots, so it was a long shot.
But before he could even start his usual explanations, Stubby Shotgun spoke up for the first time that day.
"Don't listen to the tin can. It's delusional. Still 'aven't figured out how to fix the damn thing." He said, rather nonchalantly, waving his hand.
"Anyone in this room wants to have a go, be mah guest."The rest of the room began murmuring to each other, first calmly with mentions of 'rampaging machines', but then soon enough someone evidently got them back on topic and they started screaming about the 'Vault Dweller' again. Everything was going according to plan...
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Ten Minutes Later...
-----------After Gov.'s bold assertion of his artificial intelligence, Stubby Shotgun decided to keep him even closer than usual once the Forum was over. He and Gov. had left the mass of screaming citizens early so Stubby could go and have a drink at the local bar, the so-called 'Radiation Roost'.
As they got close, Gov. analysed the area around him, and he couldn't help but record a rather suspicious-looking individual of Asian descent on the road, on a cart pulled by a Mutated animal. A Chinese fellow, from the looks of things. From his tone of voice and cart full of red, quite possibly a dirty Communist. It was a shame Gov. didn't see this fellow before, or maybe he brought him up to the angry mob. May as well set them against a target who actually deserved an angry mob set against them.
"Aghh..." He heard Stubby grunt to himself in annoyance. Turning his head a full 360 degrees around, Gov. saw why: a neon sign outside the bar reading
'No Robots Allowed'.
"Looks like you're gonna 'ave to stay put, Gub'mint." Stubby addressed him in that weird accent, tapping his finger against his chassis.
"Y'all see any trouble, call me at once.""Very well." Gov. replied, having no intention to abandon such a dangerous-looking fellow when he was still in action, in the middle of a crowded street, too.
"...But I am only assisting you out of a moral obligation to ensure the safety of American citizens. Not because you have any actual authority over me." Gov. continued, his artificial intelligence not really knowing what 'tact' means. Again, good thing Stubby was a calm man.
"Whatever... damn stupid machines..." Stubby mumbled to himself, this clearly not the first time he had to deal with Gov.'s mechanical honesty, as he entered the Radiation Roost, leaving the Robot standing guard by the door.