A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Centuries after the robots of Panga gained self-awareness, laid down their tools, and walked into the wilderness, they have become myth and urban legend. The long absence of the robots shapes a world where people largely have what they want and the past of mechanical beings is a quiet mystery. A tea monk's life is upended when a robot arrives to honor an old promise of checking in. The robot will not return to wandering until the question "what do people need?" is answered, and the answer depends on who is asked.