Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
"I did more research, and realized I almost would rather be a biologist than a writer, because there was incredible stuff going on!"
- Greg Bear
 |
| Machine Servant | ||
| A wheeled plastic box with universal-joint arms. |
Departing somewhat from the usual tradition of humanoid robots, this machine is simple and functional in design.
| “You Hoomen will be our guests and our allies in conquering Sharanna and the Vramen,” Holl Gormon went on. “Suitable quarters will be assigned you here in Vonn.” He touched a switch. To their surprise, it was a machine-servant that answered. The thing was a heavy plastic box with jointed arms, which rolled into the office on its wheels and spoke in a rasping monotone. “Your orders?”
 (Machine-servant from 'The Star of Life' by Edmond Hamilton) “Conduct these people to the west suite on the third floor,” Holl Gormon instructed. The machine-servant turned and started to roll out of the room, saying tonelessly, “Will you please follow me?" “It will take you to your quarters,” Holl Gormon said to them. “I shall confer with you again later tonight.” Kirk Hammond unwillingly followed with Wilson and Iva and the others. There was something curt about their dismissal that he did not like. The machine-servant took them to a lift, up to the third floor and into a suite of connecting rooms that looked across the flat black roofs of sunset-lighted Vonn. “These are your rooms.” The machine spoke raspingly. “You will find the nutrition-dispensary buttons beside each door. The red button will summon one of us to hear your commands.” The thing rolled away. |
| Technovelgy from The Star of Life,
by Edmond Hamilton. Published by Startling Stories in 1947 Additional resources -
|
Here's the full explanation of the scene:
The machine, as it spoke, raised a jointed arm that held a lethal-looking cylinder pointed straight at Hammond. Hammond tried to temporize. Surely a man could out-wit a mere mechanical thing?
“Mar Kann sent me,” he declared, edging a little nearer.
The rasping voice retorted instantly.
“You will retire at once, for you are not Mar Kann nor one of the Psychos.”
Hammond turned as though to obey, then whirled with the energy-pistol in his hand upraised. He dared not fire, lest the crashing blast arouse all the building. He tried to knock the weapon from the machine-servant’s grasp. The cylindrical weapon was bolted to the jointed arm! He discovered that in dismay as his futile blow rebounded.
“Get on top of it, Kirk!” cried Thayn in warning.
Desperately, he heeded the Vraman girl’s cry and leaped up on top of the machine-servant’s square box. Crouching on it, he hammered furiously with the muzzle of his weapon at its lens-eye. The pistol-barrel smashed through the lens as the machine rolled under him with universal-jointed arms reaching up to seize him. Then suddenly the arms stopped, and the whole machine froze motionless...
“No intruders are allowed in the Psychological Department tonight, under Mar Kami’s order. Retire at once.”
('The Star of Life' by Edmond Hamilton)
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Star of Life
More Ideas
and Technology by Edmond Hamilton
Tech news articles related to The Star of Life
Tech news articles related to works by Edmond Hamilton
| Robots Repair And Modify Themselves |
| Robot Janitors Get To Work |
| Robots Learn To Install Charged Batteries Into Themselves |
| Robot Rabbits Entice Pythons |
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a
quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add
it here.
| <Previous | Next> |
|
|
|
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Science Fiction Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
'The peculiar quality of this light, which gave it its great preeminence over all other penetrating rays...'
'The overworked leg motor would have to cool down before he could work on it...'
‘Where to, sport?’ the starter at cab relay asked.
This is nothing new for science fiction fans!
'Their only check on the growth and development of Vulcan 3 lay in two clues: the amount of rock thrown up to the surface... and the amount of the raw materials and tools and parts which the computer requested.'
'I guess there's nobody round this table who doesn't have a Crosswell [tapeworm] working for him in the small intestine.'
'Figments of his mind in one sense, of course, for he had shaped them...'
