Asimov’s Future History Volume 6 Read online

  “Understood so far,” said Derec. “Go on.”

  “He can’t eat in the normal human sense. So his nutrient pack must be refilled at certain intervals. He does not know this.”

  “He doesn’t? Why didn’t you tell him?” Ariel demanded.

  “He ran away before we started briefing him. We wanted to test him first. We did not know he would leave before we could inform him of this.” Surgeon 2 looked at Research 1. “Since our tests were not complete, we do not know precisely how successful the transplant has been.”

  “That is true,” said Research 1. “There are considerable unknowns regarding his health. That is why an interpretation of the First Law allows us to help you find him.”

  “I’ve been thinking about a question Ariel asked me a while ago,” said Derec. “Do you think Jeff came here, to our residence, for a reason? Or was it just a random visit?”

  “The odds against a human, such as he is, making a random visit to the only human dwelling in the city are too high to take seriously,” said Surgeon 2.

  “Your use of human food smells to attract fellow humans here may have influenced him,” said Research 1. “He is not yet in need of nutrition. However, previous habits and the stimulation of the pleasure center in his brain by the food aromas may have created a desire to experience the smell and taste of human food.”

  “I don’t suppose it would work a second time,” said Ariel. “Getting away seemed awfully important to him. If he can’t eat anyway, he wouldn’t really need to come back here.”

  “A logical assumption,” said Research 1.

  “All right, hold it,” said Derec. “I’d like to go at this in a straight line, if you don’t mind. As I see it, we have three problems. In order to get a hold of this guy Jeff, we have to locate him and identify him and grab him. Is this pattern search of yours going to capture him? How does it work?”

  “It employs the entire robot population of Robot City,” said Research 1. “However, they do not have to leave their duties. We have set up a net of testing around the perimeter of the city, moving inward, that goes from one robot to the next. No robot will work with any other or allow any other to pass, unless the other robot can demonstrate the use of his comlink. Since Jeff does not have this ability, he will eventually be identified.”

  “We could have built a radio system into his body,” said Surgeon 1. “It seemed an unnecessary contradiction to his human identity, so we chose not to do so.”

  “Good thing,” said Derec. “It sounds like your search could take a long time, though. If he’s smart, and wants to escape notice, he can keep away from your search until the very last minute. And if he’s lucky, he might sneak through the ring as it closes.”

  Surgeon 2 shook its head. Unlike most Avery robots, he seemed to like these gestures. “It is not a ring, but a solid circle. Even if he moves out into the previously tested area without being identified, he will still be challenged by every robot who sees him. The testing will not cease until we report that he has been detained.”

  Derec nodded in approval. “Not bad. I still say it will take a while, unless he gets careless.”

  “Agreed,” said Research 1. “It could take an extended period of time, but it will identify him without fail.

  Chances of his capture will be maximized if we have one of you, the humans, on hand t: > detain him, however. Otherwise, the Second Law will allow him to order us away unless a First Law imperative instructs us to override his orders.”

  “What are we supposed to do?” Ariel turned her hands palm up and looked around at the three robots.

  “We can’t order him around any more than you can. And he’s stronger than you are.”

  The robots were silent.

  “We’ll worry about that later,” Derec decided. “The first job is to get him identified. Maybe we can think of a way to shortcut the search process.”

  “Perhaps so,” said Research 1. “We are at your disposal.”

  “So to speak,” added Surgeon 2.

  Chapter 13

  LIFE ON THE RUN

  JEFF WAS ON the run. He had shoved Derec and Ariel aside in a frenzied panic, aching to speak with fellow humans and yet terrified of being discovered — though he didn’t know why that mattered. The robot pursuit, driven by their horror of an apparent robot violating the First Law, the fundamental rule of their existence, was much greater now than it had been before. It was a testimonial to the imperative of the First Law that now, as he ran, every humanoid robot in the area dropped its duties to give chase, informed silently of his transgression by the comlinks of two robots that had happened to witness his physical assault on the humans.

  Even the function robots began to impede him as he ran down the street, apparently ordered by the robots already in pursuit. Without positronic brains, the function robots could not make any advanced judgments of their own, but they could follow instructions. Little sweepers and couriers began zigzagging in front of him; giant construction equipment, intelligent enough not to require drivers, blocked his path down other streets. Behind him, all manner of weirdly shaped devices had joined the growing number of humanoid robots chasing him down the street.

  “Come on, Jeffrey; come on, Jeffrey,” he thought to himself as he ran, the rhythm of the phrase keeping time with his beating footsteps. He was even starting to breathe again, perhaps because the stress had caused a greater need for oxygen in his brain, even though his physical activity would not have caused that need. What a time to think about his physiology, he sneered at himself.

  Ahead of him, more robots of all kinds were shifting to cut off his escape. They almost had him — no! On the right, an open tunnel stop invited him. He angled for it on a collision course with a large, block-shaped function robot with a variety of flexible tentacles ending in tools. The function robot rolled to a stop, filling the entrance to the tunnel. Jeff grimaced — at least on the inside — and reflexively clenched his steel jaw as he collided with it.

  Jeff bounced away, but caught at one of the extended tentacles to maintain his footing. The impact had shoved the function robot back just enough for him to slide past one of its comers and run down the ramp. He nearly stumbled as the ramp started to move, and he ran, tripping on his toes, into the nearest booth. This time he knew how to work the controls, and took off quickly into the dim light of the tunnel.

  He looked back once, and saw the crowd of humanoid robots pouring down the ramp and entering platform booths. The function robots had been eliminated from the chase, since the booths were designed for intelligent, humanoid passengers. He faced forward again, now trying to blend with the other robots riding in booths.

  He shifted to one of the mid-speed lanes and looked nonchalant. In a way, he was new at losing himself in the crowd, and yet, after being highly visible all his life, this was ridiculously easy. Some of the robots in pursuit came alongside, and others passed him, but they could not distinguish between him and the others. He had no way of knowing if they were trying to reach him through their comlinks or not, but if so, they didn’t seem to know who was answering and who was not. All the robots within sight were standing in roughly the same position, confined in booths the same way.

  When a couple of robots rode into the siding at the next tunnel stop, some of the pursuing robots followed them. Jeff realized then that the longer he remained riding the platform, the thinner the pursuit would become. So he stayed where he was, occasionally changing lanes as though he were traveling in a deliberate manner to a specific destination.

  It worked.

  He smiled to himself as he rode. Three times, now, he had escaped robots that were chasing him. Nor had he outmuscled them — if he could use that term for robot arms. He had had to outsmart them, in the end, since they were physically as strong as he was. And if they ever really got hold of him, he would claim his rights as a human to consideration under the Laws of Robotics.

  They were no match for him.

  Only other humans ha
d the same ultimate power over the robots that he did, based on the Laws... but, of course, they would be much weaker physically. He realized, for the first time, that he was actually the single most powerful individual on the entire planet. If he was careful, he could do anything here that he wanted.

  Of course, he had no idea of how the city was governed. Perhaps the robots had some kind of city councilor something. It didn’t matter, since they would have to obey him if he decided to reveal himself and give them orders. He had to make sure they couldn’t catch him, though.

  He shook his head slightly, trying to remember why he didn’t want to be caught. Nor could he figure out why he was afraid of the robots, if they had to obey his orders. It didn’t make sense, but that was how he felt.

  Maybe those two humans could join him. Of course, they would have to undergo the same transplant surgery that he had. Then all three of them would be virtually invincible, not only against the robots, but against any other humans who might come to this planet. They might not like the idea, but it could be done without their agreement. After all, he hadn’t had any chance to discuss the matter, either.

  “Well, well, well,” he said aloud. “A conspiracy. A takeover. So I do have something to accomplish here, after all.”

  He had been carefully watching the robots traveling around him, and knew that the ones pursuing him had all left the tunnel system by now. To increase his distance from them, he rode a little longer, then stopped at a siding chosen at random. Now that he was out of their sight, he didn’t think they could pick him out again.

  Once back on the surface, he got on the slidewalk to ride until he got his bearings. With safety as close as any tunnel stop, he was free to roam. At the same time, he wanted to communicate with his human colleagues if he could do so without having robots jump allover him.

  When he had picked out a few landmarks, principally a huge, shining dome and a strange, many-sided pyramid, he worked his way back toward the human residence. All the while, he looked about carefully for any sign that robots were conducting a search. He didn’t see any evidence of a continuing search in the area, but he had to be careful.

  He was in the neighborhood, now, but still kept riding the slidewalk around in a series of jagged circuits, looking for a trap. His human colleagues, as he thought of them, were not in sight. The robot traffic here was light, and seemed to be safe enough.

  He started to look in the other direction, when a familiar shape caught his eye. When he glanced back, he saw that same robot pushing the wheeled handcart again. On impulse, he leaped off the slidewalk and walked briskly up behind the robot.

  “Are you following me?” he demanded.

  The robot stopped and turned around. “Are you addressing me?”

  “Yes. Identify yourself.”

  “I am Alpha.”

  Jeff hesitated. “Alpha? That’s all?”

  “Yes.”

  “That doesn’t sound like the other names in this place. Why are you different?”

  “I am not a native construct of this planet. Please identify yourself.”

  “I’m Jeff. If you’re a stranger here, then we have something in common. I thought you were following me around.”

  “Not at all. Our proximity must be a coincidence. However, you may be able to aid me.”

  “Are you willing to join up with me? The two of us, we don’t have any particular place in this society. I’m... gathering friends, you might say. Followers.”

  “I have no objection to this.”

  “Fair enough. What can I do for you?”

  Alpha pulled a cloth from the wheeled cart. A small, furry creature lay inside, its eyes closed and its pointed ears limp and flat. Clumps of brown and gold fur had been falling out, revealing leathery skin under it. “This is an intelligent non-human named Wolruf. She is starving. I came to this planet with her.

  However, food for her has been scarce. Can you find some?”

  “I’m not sure,” said Jeff, looking at the little alien doubtfully. She had a caninoid body. “You ask anybody else? Any of these robots who live here?”

  “Yes. However, since I have determined that she is nonhuman, the Laws do not apply and they are not required to help save her. The robots I have questioned here do not know where to find food for her, and have no greater ability to locate any than I. So the responsibility remains mine.”

  “I think you’ve met up with the right pers — individual.”

  “Can you help? We explored near a lake that I believe to be a reservoir and found a few plants that helped keep her alive, but that is all. I surmise that she requires a concentration of proteins they did not provide.”

  “It so happens that I smelled some food — human food, that is — in this very neighborhood. In a town like this, it must have been prepared in some kind of autogalley, like they have on shipboard. That would mean it could be altered to prepare other kinds of chemical food.”

  “I smelled it also,” said Alpha. “This is what brought me to this area. However, the winds come and go.

  I lost the scent for a short time, and when I recovered it, an altercation of some kind was taking place among robots. Since I have chosen to make Wolruf’s safety a priority, I was forced to leave the immediate vicinity.”

  “I see.” Jeff chose not offer any additional information about that particular altercation.

  “And since that time, I have not been able to locate any odors of the same type.”

  “Ah. Well.” Jeff paused, not sure how to proceed. He wanted to get this little doggie-thing some food, to win over his new friend. On the other hand, he did not want to be identified again. To stall for time, and to satisfy his curiosity, he nodded at the cart. “Where’d you get that contraption?”

  “I constructed it from scrap materials on the edge of the city, where new urbanization is taking place.”

  “Very clever. Well. Hmm.” This little cart impressed him. It was so simple. A robot who could do this kind of thin $on his own resources, and who had no ties to Robot City, was definitely an asset.

  Jeff decided that he could not risk returning to the human residence. Nor did he want to turn over his new friend to other humans, who could give orders contradictory to his own, and perhaps even turn Alpha against him. He couldn’t trust anybody. Yet he had to find a solution.

  Another humanoid robot was walking toward them. Jeff chose, on the spot, to take a different kind of risk, one that would allow him to make a run for cover if necessary.

  “Halt and identify yourself,” he said to the approaching robot.

  “For what purpose?” The robot halted, however.

  “I have instructions for you.”

  “I am Architectural Foreman 112. Identify yourself.”

  “My name is Jeff.” He sighed, and then fixed his gaze carefully on Architectural Foreman 112. “I am human.”

  Beside him, Alpha looked up with new attention.

  “Perhaps you are malfunctioning. Your comlink might be more efficient. I thought you said that you are human,” said Foreman 112.

  “I am. My human brain was surgically transplanted into a robot body. However, the Laws of Robotics apply to me as a human. You must obey my instructions. Understand?”

  Foreman 112 studied him. “I understand. I have just contacted the central computer, and have been informed that this transplant took place into a body of your type and that you have been reported in this neighborhood very recently.”

  “Good. Now —”

  “You are also the object of a search. The Human Experimental Medical Team urgently requests your presence and cooperation.”

  “Now, you just forget about that. They don’t have any right to capture me. I haven’t done anything wrong.” He eyed the robot suspiciously. “Did you tell them where I am?”

  “I have reported your location here at the request of the central computer.”

  “Shut up and listen to my orders! Now, look inside this thing. This cart holds a little cre
ature that is dying of starvation. Its friend here is named Alpha. I’m instructing you to build, or arrange the building, of an autogalley that can feed this, this —”

  “Her name is Wolruf,” Alpha repeated. “She is an intelligent non-human.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  Foreman 112 looked at Wolruf. “Would the location of an existing chemical processor be acceptable?

  One is in storage. This would provide nutrition much faster.”

  ‘That one’s okay,” Jeff said carefully. “But only that one. Understand? Nobody else’s. Got it?”

  “It is the only one I have knowledge of,” said Architectural Foreman 112. “It should suffice in this emergency.”

  “Good. Okay. You take Alpha and Wolruf to wherever it is. Alpha, can you explain what kind of food she needs?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Uh — I have to get out of here at the moment, since this traitor has reported my location.” He glared at Architectural Foreman 112. “I want to talk to you again, Alpha, but....” He couldn’t tell Alpha where to meet him in front of this other robot, who would report him again. “Never mind where. I’ll worry about that later. I’ll give you this order: if I try to meet with you in secret someplace, you cooperate. Got it?”

  “Yes,” said Alpha.

  “All right. On your way, you two.”

  Jeff watched them just long enough to be satisfied that they were leaving together. He felt a sense of accomplishment on several grounds: Alpha now owed him a favor, and he had convinced Architectural Foreman 112 that he was a human for whom the Laws applied. If he proceeded carefully, he really might take over Robot City.

  “Well, well, Jeffrey. So far, so good. Maybe your life has a purpose after all, know what I mean?”

  The last building block he needed in order to create a powerful following was the support of the other humans. He didn’t dare visit them in person until he found out how they felt about him, but he could safely contact them from a distance. First, however, he had to get away from here.