Aksinya stood motionless, her sensors had gathered much data concerning this machine that had come a-striding into her domain upon its rusty and grease-stained legs. 2,300 cycles ago Masters had said none must profane the temple and this was her duty. Masters were now mouldy dust, but their voice still spoke to her. 'None must profane the Temple of Argh, you are its guardian, this is your duty.'
She could pursue no further. Mouldy dust Masters' voice said this and she must obey.
She mused upon Old-Rust-and-Grease-Machine. Such speed as it had possessed had been a surprise to her. Such a machine as Old-Rust-and-Grease-Machine should not be able to attain such a measure of acceleration with but an external combustion device as a power source. Unfiltered shale oil of the quality which Old-Rust-and-Grease-Machine burnt within its external combustion device should not release sufficient energy to produce such a terminal velocity.
Aksinya reprocessed the data which she possessed on Old-Rust-and-Grease-Machine.
000001110001110000001100000111.......001110001000010010011.
However her brain wrought by her Masters of spun gold and crystalline filaments could discover no logical conclusion.
'110011110000011011100 to mouldy dust Masters,' said Aksinya.
'(y+3x)~(2/3z-2y) = 2z+q to mouldy dust Masters,' she said before she smoothly turned herself about and returned to the Temple of Argh.
Mouldy dust Masters did not know the answer to the mystery of Old-Rust-and-Grease-Machine, but she would find it. It was plain to her that Old-Rust-and-Grease-Machine was a Great Old One of whom it had been whispered among the machines who had taught her when she was new made. Old-Rust-and-Grease-Machine had two human slaves to serve it such was the greatness which it possessed. If the Great Old Ones thought her worthy Old-Rust-and-Grease-Machine would return and they would craft daughter machines together. This would be her reward for her unfailing guardianship of the Temple of Argh.
Upon her return to the site of the Temple of Argh Aksinya discovered that two humans had come to steal away the treasure of the god, so she stepped upon their floatplane.
