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For theprepared in our executive dining room,” Han said “Perhaps you’d like a tour of the facility first?”

“I’d enjoy that very much,” Kurt said

With Han leading the way, they walked across an expansive factory floor Even though it was after nor hours, dozens of machines were busy at work So parts from one section of the facility to another Others were busy on a production line, welding and asse components

“What, exactly, do you build here?” Kurt asked

“Robotics for other factories”

“Machines building other machines,” Kurt said “Automated procreation”

“Not quite,” Han said “The design and production work are done by human employees But that will be automated one day, too”

“Human employees?” Akiko asked “Does that mean you consider the robots employees also?”

“It’s a figure of speech,” Han insisted “The truth is, robots liberate huerous professions Most tasks perfor the sa the same ten welds a hundred ti rock froerous subterranean mines, where temperatures border on the limits of human tolerance and fatal accidents are common I even havea brave policeman or soldier to enter the line of fire”

“Robotic soldiers?” Kurt asked

“Of a sort,” Han replied

“Show me”

He took theer open space that spread out below the onto a bridge that crossed the entire length of the roo areas

The vast a There were flickering screens everywhere;various tasks

Stopping above one walled-in area, they looked down on the in the demonstration,” Han said