Sally's Story: Repairs

	“Crooks did a number on her, that’s for sure,” the man said. “I count four shots, one penetrating.”
	“What’s the damage?”
	“Nothing intensive or permanent, though this is a learning experience for us.”
	“How so?” The man patted the robot on the back, smiling.
	“Now we know what to improve on for the future, prevent this from happening. Sterling products are continuously developed, researched, improved. Evidently a chestplate is good,” he said, plucking a mushroomed bullet from its nest in her front, “but a backplate was overlooked. We assumed cops don’t do much work facing *away* from gunfire.”
	“You flatter us,” Vincent chuckled. “So- what’s in need of replacing?”
	“Well, the chestplate for one, and whatever’s broken. Nothing major, hopefully.”
	“You mentioned a backplate?”
	“We’d have to make one, but yeah. We can have it delivered pretty quick, tomorrow morning most likely.” Popping the plate off of her back the man set to work, plucking out the dense black square from her torso. Vincent winced, the delicate machinery within narrowly missed by the shot she’d taken.
	“Here’s your culprit.” He picked a silvery, jacketed round from the box as he disconnected it. “I’ve got spares of most of this stuff on me, thankfully. She’ll need a night to charge though.”
	Slipping a replacement for the box inside he screwed the backplate into place again, a fractured little hole betraying where she’d been hit. Flipping her over he did the same for her front, holding onto the old chestplate for analysis purposes. Rapping his knuckles on her chest he closed her up, satisfied with his work. Stepping out he shook Vincent’s hand, Sterling-blue jumpsuit disappearing into the police garage beyond. Vincent sat aside the makeshift bed for the robot, plugging her in as he sat and waited, slipping her back into her t-shirt to let her rest. A knock on the door whipped Vincent’s head around as the Commissioner stepped in.
	“Crawley,” Vincent nodded.
	“Hey Vince, how’s our robot doing?”
	“Fine enough, I guess. Needs to charge.”
	“I’ll cut to the chase- I’m not too pleased with what went down today, la Fontaine. We’ve got an officer wounded,” he said, nodding to the robot before staring at the ground. “And another dead.”
	“Shit, what?”
	“MacKenna died en route to the hospital. That could’ve been prevented,” he grunted. A gulf of silence filled between them, the whir of the ventilation system sputtering above the two as the detective processed the news, glancing at his sleeping partner.
	“Crowley, I mean-”
	“Why’d you send her in with only two officers!? Why didn’t you call for backup of any kind? Why’d you wait until someone was shot?”
	“Sir, I- It was a matter of timing. It was either let the perp slip away, or at least *try* and nab him. I made my choice.”
	“And that choice got someone killed, police property damaged. And your perp died anyways.”
	“What are you getting at here, we have leads left and right.” The Commissioner sighed, squeezing his eyes before continuing.
	“I’m not here to chew you out for a half hour while the robot charges, but be more careful for God’s sake- be slow, by the book. I’ve let you slip a lot, Vince, but it’s not the time to be playing loose. You’ve gotta look out for that robot now, too.”
	“Understood, sir, anything else?”
	“There is, but you can handle it tomorrow morning. The boys found a lot of paperwork left over in that tunnel. Logistics stuff, networks of friends and targets even. Some codename BS we haven’t been able to sift through, though.”
	“I see…”
	“Oh! And Ms. Templeton would like to know when- rather, *if* she’ll be getting those clothes back.”
	“Oh, Christ,” he groaned. “Tell her to hold off a bit. I’ll pay her back in time. Though Sally’ll need something new, too.” The Commissioner was already halfway out the door when he’d finished, Vincent shouting after him.
“Not my problem,” Crawley shouted back.
	“Dammit…” Turning back to the robot Vincent sighed, ready for a fuller day tomorrow. Clicking the light to the small room he made way for his car and home, and hopefully a better mood in the morning. There’d be a lot of explaining to do once she was up again.