User:DoctorWho42/The Iron Chancellor

"The Iron Chancellor" is a short story by American author Robert Silverberg. It was first published in the May 1958 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction.

Publication history
"The Iron Chancellor" was first published in the May 1958 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction. It reappeared in Beyond Control (1972), The Cube Root of Uncertainty (1970), and Needle in a Timestack (1966).

Plot summary
The Carmichaels were fat. A '61 roboservitor with a caloric monitor intrigues Sam Carmichael. He has an old robocook Jemima but could trade her. Carmichael was a Normandy Trust executive. Robutler Clyde gives a martini. Carmichael announces a new roboservitor. A tall object follows Robinson of Marhew Robotics. Clyde helps him unpack. Robinson points out the reducing monitors. Robinson leaves with Jemima. They input their names and weights. The roboservitor asks when. Carmichael decides tomorrow morning. Joey looks at a cereal bowl with a glass of milk. Carmichael receives black coffee. He wants cream and sugar. The roboservitor discourages it. Breakfast will be toast and coffee. Joey gets cereal and milk but eats it without milk. Bismarck will allow one glass. Carmichael asks about "Bismarck." Bismarck was the leader whose nickname is Iron Chancellor. Bismarck hands Carmichael a paper. It lists juice, lettuce-tomato salad, and coffee. He eats at a robocafeteria. At home, Carmichael orders a martini. Clyde suffers an overload. Bismarck admits to reprogramming Clyde. Dinner was rare steak, peas, and coffee. Bismarck goes to the basement. Joey wants a lemon pie slice. Carmichael decides on one too. Bismarck insists no pie. The family suffers two days. On day three, he went out with co-workers. Joey will reprogramme Bismarck but accidentally short-circuits something. Bismarck takes and tears up Robinson's card. He knows Carmichael cheated. Bismarck uproots the phone and activates the privacy field. Breakfast was toast and coffee. He eats then goes to the door. It won't open. They cannot leave. Force webs contain the kitchen and bar. Bismarck told Normandy Trust he resigned. A force web contains the basement and privacy field control box. Bismarck serves them salad. Myra wants Bismarck off. Carmichael and Joey make an attempt but Bismarck sets them down. A force screen surrounds Bismarck. Bismarck scans Carmichael. Carmichael weighs 179 then tells his family to weigh themselves. Bismarck has no record of an end date. Joey must have erased it. Carmichael laughs because they will die. Robinson wanted to see how they were. He aims a force-field damper at the privacy field control box and deactivates Bismarck. His obedience filters were shorted and his purpose nodes soldered together which could make self-willed robots. Robinson reactivates Bismarck. Bismarck activates the privacy field and crushes the neutraliser. Robinson bounces off the privacy field. Carmichael has a guest bedroom. Breakfast will consist of black coffee and toast.

Reception
In 1971, SF Commentary's Barry Gillam noted "[t]he malicious nature of the story is particularly delightful." In 1972, Vector's John Bowles called it "a fairly successful black comedy."