"Salvaging Scottwell"

"Salvaging Scottwell" is now available for $.99 in various ebook formats on Smashwords and for the Kindle on Amazon. This story was first published in Jim Baen's Universe.

In this feel-good, near-future science fiction novelette, Max is an obsolete robot cop dog in charge of a poor neighborhood. When a local streetwalker is murdered, Max takes it more seriously than the human cops. Then an unscheduled update gives him abilities the powers-that-be never intended him to have.

Max woke up inside his kennel, unplugged his tail from the wall, and ran an automatic systems check. Recharging his battery had taken a half-hour longer than last month. He connected to the BigDog network so that he could send an error report about the battery. The automated reply told him that his error report had been filed, and a handler would contact him if any further action was required. The last handler contact recorded in Max's memory log was three years old.

He limped to the door of the jailhouse. His right third leg had broken down two years ago. It had taken three weeks for his movement pattern to functionally reform, but he still limped. His speed was a fraction of his original specifications. His right second leg couldn't provide the same motive power. It had been designed for stability, not speed.

He stepped out into Scottwell neighborhood to begin his patrol. His tail wagged once. Scottwell was more than just the neighborhood that he guarded; it was as much a part of him as his paws. When he kept himself and his neighborhood protected and well-maintained, he was a Good Boy.

His tail drooped. He hadn't been a Good Boy for a long time.

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