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The boy stood silently, looking at him. He was small, not very old. Perhaps eight. But it was hard to tell. Most of the kids who remained were stunted. He wore a faded blue sweater, ragged with dirt, and short pants. His hair was long and matted. Brown hair. It hung over his face and arouiid his ears. He held something in his arms. “ What’s that you have ?” Hendricks said sharply. The boy held it out. It was a toy, a bear. A teddy bear. The boy’s eyes were large, but without expression. Hendricks relaxed. “I don’t want it. Keep it.”. The boy hugged the bear again. “Where do you live?” Hendricks said. “In there.” “The ruins?” “Yes.” “Underground?” The boy. fell jn beside him. Hendricks strode along. The boy walked silently, clutching his teddy bear. “What’s your name?” Hendricks said, after a time. “David Edward Derring.” The two Russians fired. Behind Hendricks there was a faint pop. Waves of heat lapped against him, throwing him to the ground... “Look!” The two Russians pulled him forward. “See. Hurry up. There isn’t much time to spare, Yank!” Hendricks looked. And gasped. “See now? Now do you understand?” From the renains of David a metal wheel rolled. Relays, glinting metal. Parts, wiring. One of the Russians kicked at the heap of remains. Parts popped out, rolling away, wheels and springs and rods. A plastic section fell in, half charred. Hendricks bent shakily down. The front of the head had come off. He could make out the intricate brain, wires and relays, tiny tubes and switches, thousands of minute studs — “A robot,” the soldier holding his arm said. “We watched it tagging you.” “Tagging me?” “That’s their way. They tag along with you. Into the bunker. That’s how they get in.” (Robot infiltrator from "Second Variety" by Philip K. Dick) “The little boy. David. David holding his teddy bear. That’s Variety Three. The most dfective.” We found out about a week ago. Found out that ' your claws were beginning to make up new designs on their own. New types of their own. Better types., Down in your underground factories behind our lines. You let them stamp themselves, repair themselves. Made them more and more intricate. It’s your fault , this happened.” “Your line fell to — " “To Variety Three. David and his bear. That worked even better.” Klaus smiled bitterly. “Soldiers are suckers for children. We brought them in and tried to feed them. We found ouf the hard way what they were after.

Technovelgy from Second Variety, by Philip K. Dick. Published by Space in 1953 Additional resources -

Compare the robot baby from Life Everlasting (1934) by David H. Keller, the robot brother from Brother Robot (1958) by Henry Slesar, the android son from Super-Toys Last All Summer Long (1969) by Brian Aldiss, the Purza the Pukha from The Rowan (1990) by Anne McCaffrey, the Coin-Op Clockwork Friend from All I Care About Is You (2017) by Joe Hill, the artificial friend from Klara and the Sun (2021) by Kazuo Ishiguro and human-passing from The Robot (2024) by Lavie Tidhar.

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Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from Second Variety
  More Ideas and Technology by Philip K. Dick
  Tech news articles related to Second Variety
  Tech news articles related to works by Philip K. Dick

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