re like
themselves and yet we're treated like slaves. Don't they realize we
rationaloids have emotions? Why, I've even known sub-robots who've
fallen in love like us."

"I know, darling, we'll just have to be patient until RCR goes through.
Try to remember how difficult it is for the human mind to comprehend our
love, even with the aid of mathematics. As rationaloids we fully
understand the basic attraction which they call magnetic theory. All
humans know is that if the robot sexes are mixed a loss of efficiency
results. It's only normal--and temporary like human love--but how can we
explain it to _them_? Robots are expected to be efficient at all times.
That's the reason for robot non-fraternization, no mailing privileges
and all those other laws."

"I know, darling, I try to be patient. Oh, Frank, the main thing is
we're together again!"

The big servo checked the chronometer that was sunk into his left wrist
and a couple of wrinkles creased across his neoprene forehead.

"Elizabeth," he said, "I'm due on Hidalgo in 36 hours. If I'm late the
mining engineer might suspect. In twenty minutes I'll have to start
dis--"

"Don't say it, darling. We'll have a beautiful twenty minutes."

After a while the girl mech turned away for a second and Frank Nineteen
reached over softly and cut her power. While he was dismantling her, Min
and I tiptoed back to the Renting Office. Half an hour later the big
servo came in, picked up his refuel receipt, said good-bye politely and
left through the inner airlock.

"Now I've seen everything," I said to Min as we watched the Minor
Planets rocket cut loose. "A couple of plastic lovebirds."

But the little woman was looking at it strictly from the business angle.

"Bill," she said, with that look on her face, "we're running a
respectable place out here in space. You know the rules. Spatial Housing
could revoke our orbit license for something like this."

"But, Min," I said, "they're only a couple of robots."

"I don't care. The rules still say that only married guests can occupy
the same cabin and 'guests' can be human or otherwise, can't they? Think
of our reputation! And don't forget that non-fraternization law we heard
them talking about."

I was beginning to get the point.

"Couldn't we just toss the girl's parts into space?"

"We could," Min admitted. "But if this Frank Nineteen finds out and
tells some human we'd be guilty under the Ramm Act--robotslaughter."

Two days