Measure glared at the sign and at the robot and tried one more time to explain to it's small mind who she was. "I AM NOT ARTIFICIAL. I am a naturally occurring species. If you can scan DNA, scan my DNA for artificial creation markers! I have none! I will sit where I please!" The police robot scanned her form and replied,"DNA scanners unavailable. Your form is unknown to this data-system. You are not human. If the tube area designated for artificial non-humans is full, you must await for another tube." It continued while the Measure fumed,"If your master is present, you may sit with him or her as carry-on luggage. One artificial per master in the Human-riding area only,please!" Measure clenched a fist as the heat in her rose to an eruption point. Amma, the diminutive mouse-derived Beastgirl, pulled on the Measure's arm and said earnestly,"Measure! Please! You can't take on the whole city! We have to find Toxic and find out what happened! Martya is ill and burning up with fever, and you are so hot under the collar....This ISN'T helping!" A huge bear of a man came up and waved his hands at the robot and boomed,"Now, NOW! That's no way to treat visitors! She can sit with me! I'll vouch for her! She's the Measure! World renown fixit woman, and singer extraordinary!" The robot said flatly,"Not permitted. You are not registered as this artificial's owner. She may not sit with you. It is the LAW. Fraternization is illegal! She must sit with her kind." The man boomed at the robot,"You are an ancient tin-can best recycled into a trash bin,too!" The robot stayed stock still until the tube-train pulled out and said, "Have a pleasant day,sir." It moved off on it's own itinerary, looking for crime. It closed on a young boy across the platform, saying loudly, "No littering!" The man shook his head and smiled at the Measure and Amma and said, "Sometimes I want to take a spanner to those damned things! I am..." The Measure cut him off, and said, "Nolla Rajaf, owner of the 'Gentlemen's' club called Tree of Two Lanterns. You have two sons, Jano and Jaffa. Your wife is deceased for twenty years, having died of Tarcee's lymphoma. You are respected by the local business district, and have no outstanding debts." He and Amma gaped at the Measure as if she had just grown two heads, to go with her already unique appearance. He gasped out, "How? Who told you? How did you ...?" She shrugged and remarked,"I plugged myself into the IFF system that the city still runs. No one ever turned it off after the surface collapsed into savagery and death when the Blight swept the planet. The damned thing DOES take ALL the fun out of meeting new people. Pleased to meet you, Nolla." Nolla shook his head and said,"I didn't know anyone could still access that old thing! Many things of the old society aren't worth keeping." The Measure looked around and the police robot was long gone. She pulled the sign that said,"Humans only," off it's weld to the deck-plates, and twisted it into a ball of steel before his startled eyes. She threw it aside and nodded. "I agree." She turned to her mouse-girl friend and said, "I can get us a cab. Come on, Amma!" Turning back, she said, "A pleasure meeting you, Nolla." Nolla's train slid up and he barely caught it, watching the Naga lady and her mouse friend leave. As the train pulled out, Nolla stared at the crumpled ball of metal. --TO BE CONTINUED!-- Media is the usual suspects.