As emotional as he was thrilled, Professor O'Shay bent over the little robot.

“Hello, Astro Boy,” he said. “Welcome to this world.”

The professor was proud of what he had accomplished. Astro Boy was not only a technological feat, but he was also very cute. He looked more like a child than a robot. With big dark eyes and brown hair, one could already guess his character.

Astro Boy looked at the professor, looking surprised to be there.

“Are you okay?” continued the professor. “Now that your life begins in earnest, you 'll be able to discover everything that makes up our universe. You'll see, it has many fascinating things. You'll make friends, read all the books you like, smell flowers, play in the snow! What do you say?”

The little boy grinned. The assortment of activities seemed to win him over.

   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***

In the Magnamite centre, things had returned to normal. Magnamite's eight cables distributed new energy across Metro City, and the lights were back on in the streets and buildings.

The robot controller once again verified that night's data list, but still fell back on the odd load of energy, which had appeared just after the experiment at the Research Centre had finished. Certainly, it was not moving. He called the Centre’s director.

“Sir, the system is working, but there's an odd detail. At 2:23 AM last night, the whole flow abruptly disappeared for a minute.”

“Probably came from overheating computers following the laboratory's request.”

“No, sir. I've checked. The energy was produced and absorbed, but no one knows where it is now.”

“And it is a lot?”

“Eight billion megawatts.”

“How many? Eight billion megawatts? That's enormous! I'll immediately launch an investigation!”

   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***

Professor O'Shay was delighted. Astro had since integrated the knowledge database — he had learned how to read in ten minutes! - and had made very rapid progress.

In the room that the professor had specially arranged for him, the little robot was flipping through books one after the other, all while retaining their contents. He only had to see every page for less than a tenth of a second to know it perfectly. Within hours, he had already devoured all the dictionaries that had been brought to him. He was now in the seventeenth volume of the general encyclopedia. But he still had not said one word...

Tired of having read so much – that happens even to robots! - Astro was interested in a construction game box. Under the benevolent eye of the professor, he began to stack plastic cubes.

“What are you doing, Astro? You're building a wall?”

The boy shook his head and pointed to the window with a quick movement, without ceasing to stack his bricks. O'Shay then realized, amazed; Astro was recreating the skyscraper he saw through the window, to the last detail and with incredible speed!

There was a knock at the door. Yuko, the professor's assistant, entered. The girl stepped over the books and toys spread around Astro, and came up to the professor.

“The government experts are here,” she announced. “Should I bring them in?”

“Of course, Yuko! Let them come see for themselves our little miracle!”

The experts arrived moments later. There were three, and they were incredibly serious.

“Gentlemen,” said the professor, “Here is Astro! He is the beginning of a new generation of robot ultra perfection. He marks a new step in technological progress. He is a real revolution!”

The oldest of the experts, a little bald man who looked like an old plucked owl, leaned toward Astro.

“This is a technological wonder?” he said in a contemptuous voice. “He looks particularly like a big doll that plays alone. Show us a little of what you can do, child... "

Astro did not even look up from his building set. The second expert, tall and thin, grimaced:

“O'Shay, is this it, the most advanced robot that science has ever created? Where are its powerful weapons? His mega lasers? His rays able to pierce any material? I don't see a little boy, and it can't even talk. You must be kidding us!”

“But, gentlemen...” protested the professor. “You haven't seen anything yet! He learns an amazing pace! And his mind works like that of a human. So saying all that will insult him!”

Astro looked at the professor and let go of his construction set to pick up a silver model rocket.

“Oh yes? Well, all we see is a kid,” growled the third expert, without even paying attention to the little one who held out his rocket. “Remind us when it'll do something useful!”

Mocking Astro, the three scientists left.

“I'mso glad they left!” exclaimed Astro. “Good riddance!”

“You can talk!” exclaimed the professor, surprised. “Why didn't you say anything to them?”

“Because I didn't want to talk to those old nasty villains.”

The professor laughed and said:

“From what I see, you still have plenty to learn. We'll start with politeness, you adorable scamp!”

The professor was not angry at Astro. He was too happy that he could speak!

A bell rang. The professor reached into his pocket and pulled out a mini-videophone. Yuko was calling.

“Professor, don't forget! You have several appointments and you're already late!”

The professor sighed.

“I'll be right there. Send Nora up to Astro to replace me.”

He hung up and said:

“You'll see, Astro, Nora is a robot teacher. She is very nice and will help you discover many things. I, during this time, have to go to work. Behave well!”

“Good luck, professor, and come back soon!”