Alix scribbled furiously on her holo pad.

“Emergency food supply: check. Wireless communication system: check. Protective clothes: check…”

Alix kept looking up at her hover cart, then back down at her writing.

Her cart was stacked with containers of non-perishable food, tent kits, hot-cold gear, communication devices, gas masks, and even some weapons. Other shoppers exchanged concerned glances as the young girl carted her towering haul to the checkout.

A small cashier drone floated over to her. “Good day, ma’am. May I be of assistance?” “Yeah, I need all this stuff scanned and loaded.” “Right away ma’am.”

As the drone was scanning the load out, Alix opened her holo receiver. “Al? Al where are you? I’m finished shopping, and you aren’t back at aisle 1-B like you promised.”

A-L’s mechanical face lit up on the holo projector, followed by the sound of his equally metallic voice. “You have reached A-L, serial number 5592G9B6384. If you are hearing this message, it means I’m busy ignoring you. Please leave a message.”

Alix stomped her foot in annoyance. “I know that’s you, Al!”

A-L’s photoreceptors dimmed in disappointment. “Ah, very well. I’m heading there now.”

Alix crossed her arms shifted her weight around.“Ugh, that robot sometimes…why does he have to wander off like that?”

After a few minutes, A-L came into view, with his own cart in tow.

Alix’s eyes widened. “What’s all that?!” The sudden outburst drew the attention of others waiting in line, who then tried to occupy themselves with something else.

A-L was shoving a cart with a mountain of books, that seemed to sway at the slightest breeze.

“Where’d all this come from?”

A-L’s eyes glowed. “They were throwing them away at the information section! Would you believe this whole collection costs only 50 credits?”

A-L’s joy and excitement at his discovery was almost contagious, but Alix held her stance. “Al, you know this isn’t in the budget.”

His photoreceptors flashed in shock. He was used to Alix giving in almost immediately. “What do you mean? If we take a bit from the emergency fund…”

“That for emergencies!”

“What if I go insane from sheer boredom? Does that not qualify as an emergency?”

Alix was unfazed. “No, now put it back.”

A-L processed before speaking again. “What is the necessity of all that, then?” He gestured to Alix’s massive collection of supplies.

“That’s for emergencies, too.”

A-L was skeptical. “We need 10 different tents? Are we harboring an army?”

Alix paused. “Well…what if one of them breaks?”

“Nine times?”

“It could happen!”

During all this, the cashier drone interjected almost sheepishly. “Excuse me…I’ve finished scanning.”

“See, Al? We just don’t have time to scan them in. We’d only be holding up everyone else. I told you when we came here, we need to stay on a tight budget this time, and only buy what’s on the list!”

“ID please.”

Alix fished through her pockets. “Oh no! My ID! I must’ve dropped it!” Alix scrambled off in the direction she had came, quickly dodging hover carts along the way.

“Oh dear…” A-L bended down to the floor. “…She dropped it right here.”

The cashier drone once again began the monotonous task of scanning every item in the massive pile.

A-L hummed contently. “I’m sure Alix will be pleased her identity has not been stolen. I think she’ll be quite happy to read some of the books I picked out as well.”