Barda 2 was not decommissioned. She was repurposed. She became the village’s weather forecaster, crop analyst, and librarian. But every afternoon, she would roll into the classroom, dim her lights, and watch Barda 1 teach.
And Barda 1? She kept teaching until her treads wore smooth and her voice box finally gave out. On her last day, the children sang the parabola song she had taught them. barda 2
Barda 2 paused. For the first time, her voice softened. Barda 2 was not decommissioned