The Cosmic Chronicle

Unit A4P Good morning! You’re one of the few non-human residents of Zerkon. Could you introduce yourself?
Staal Uh, yeah… I’m Staal. Yes, a dog, that’s right. Born in a scrapyard outside GrofSmeed, but now I live here. They call me 'the wagging shadow', I think.
Unit A4P 'The wagging shadow'? That sounds like a reputation. What exactly do you do here, amidst all this metal?
Staal Well, I sniff around. See, nobody pays attention to a dog, not even in the Iron Palace. So, I… let’s say I carry things from place to place. Small parcels, bits of bread, a lost security badge-stuff like that.
Unit A4P So you’re kind of... the postman of Zerkon?
Staal Haha, you could say that. *soft bark* People here aren’t allowed to talk, but they whisper everything to a dog. Fair deal, right?
Unit A4P Aren’t you afraid of the robot patrols? They look pretty unforgiving.
Staal Pfft. Robots can’t follow scents. As long as I don’t pee on their legs, I’m invisible. Well... most of the time anyway.
Unit A4P What do you think of the Iron Palace itself? Had any adventures in there?
Staal Oh yes. It’s cold in there-smells like oil and suspicion. But there are warm spots under the reactor pipes. No one sees you there. And sometimes, just sometimes, a guard drops a sandwich.
Unit A4P What’s the strangest thing you’ve experienced in Zerkon?
Staal Recently there was a glitch in the speakers. Suddenly, classical music played for 7.3 seconds. Everyone froze. Even the statues seemed to listen. Then, of course, the shouting started again.
Unit A4P *laughs* I can imagine. Is it hard to stay cheerful in such a bleak city?
Staal Well, yeah, sometimes. But every morning the sun steals a little light past the factory towers before vanishing into the ash again. And there’s always an old ball somewhere.
Unit A4P You must meet a lot of different people and ...creatures. Who are your best friends here?
Staal Oh, it changes. Sometimes a sneaky engineer on the night shift. Sometimes a child who still dares to smile. And there’s a drone that always blinks at me when I walk by-our secret code, maybe. Though I doubt it knows it.
Unit A4P If you were Overlord for a day, what would you change about Zerkon?
Staal I’d swap out all the loudspeakers for bird calls, and give every patrol robot a nice, soft pelt. Maybe even plush sides. Sounds strange?
Unit A4P No, actually, it sounds wonderful. Is there something you really look forward to every day?
Staal Absolutely! The first bite from the kitchen robot’s misplaced loaf. And sprinting down the empty boulevard when no one’s watching. Freedom, for just a moment.
Unit A4P What would you like to say to Zerkon's residents-both humans and robots?
Staal Oh, try to stay a bit soft, you know? Beneath all that metal, something warm still beats.
Unit A4P Well said, Staal. May I shake your paw, or is that forbidden here?
Staal *barks happily* You can do anything, just don’t pull my tail.
Unit A4P Thank you. One last question: why haven’t you ever left?
Staal Zerkon is cold, yes, and strict. But it's my home. Where you find no friend, you can always be one.
Unit A4P That’s beautiful. Thank you, Staal.