Life imitates Philip K. Dick

Washington Post: Finally it was down to one leg. Still, it pulled itself forward. Tilden was ecstatic. The machine was working splendidly. The human in command of the exercise, however—an Army colonel —blew a fuse. The colonel ordered the test stopped. “Why?” asked Tilden. “What’s wrong?” The colonel just could not stand the pathos of watching the burned, scarred and crippled machine drag itself forward on its last leg. c.f. Second Variety.