Asimov’s Future History Volume 6 Read online

  He opened his eyes at the sound of the door opening, but when he looked, he couldn’t see anyone.

  Then the door closed again. He stiffened at a faint padding sound on the floor.

  “Who’s there?” He demanded suspiciously.

  “Iss Wolruf,” said an odd voice.

  “What?”

  The caninoid alien climbed gently onto the foot of the bed. She had been near death by starvation the only other time he had seen her. Now her mottled brown and gold fur was full and glossy, and her eyes alert and bright. She was perhaps the size of a large dog, such as a small St. Bernard, but her face was flat, without an extended snout, and her ears stood high and pointed. Instead of paws, she had clumsy looking gray-skinned fingers on what he supposed were hands.

  “My name iss Wolruf to ‘umans. Iss really —” She made an unpronounceable noise and bared her teeth in what might have been a playful smile.

  “Wolruf?”

  “I came to thank ‘u for ‘aving me fed,” said Wolruf. “Alpha told me ‘u saved my life.”

  “Yeah? Now what do you want?”

  “Want nothing,” said Wolruf. “Thank ‘u.”

  Jeff watched her for a moment. “You okay now? Is thatAlpha? — taking care of you properly?”

  “Everything iss fine.”

  “He just didn’t know how to handle this town, did he?”

  “No. Iss strangrr even herr in city of robots.”

  “Wait a minute. I remember now. I get it. These other robots didn’t have to help because you aren’t human.”

  “Iss true.”

  Jeff laughed in his still-unfamiliar robot voice. “Yes, yes, Jeffrey. This city belongs to you. Only you can see the needs of people here. You can do what no one else here can.” He caught Wolruf’s eye. “Right?

  Huh? You should know.”

  She blinked mildly at him.

  “Huh? Right?” He insisted.

  “Rright:’ she said. “But I’m worried.”

  “Oh?” Jeff said airily. “Anything else I can help with?”

  “Worried about my friend.”

  Jeff hesitated. “Yeah? Who?”

  “‘U,” said Wolruf, nodding at him.

  He started to retort, but Wolruf’s quiet sincerity stopped him.

  “‘Urr my first new friend herr,” said Wolruf. “Saved my life. Don’t want ‘u ‘urt.”

  “Everybody says that,” said Jeff, but he seemed to lack the same angry suspicion that he had felt before.

  “‘U saved my life,” Wolruf repeated.

  “I guess I did. Are you saying you want to repay me?”

  Her caninoid shoulders twitched in a sort of furry shrug. “Won’t force ‘u.”

  “You may be the first follower I have,” Jeff said wonderingly. “Robots have to obey me. Derec and Ariel haven’t really... come around yet, you might say. What are you worried about, anyhow?”

  “‘U could be sick.”

  Jeff stiffened. “Sick? How can I be sick, when I haven’t got a normal body?”

  “‘Urr brain could be sick.” She nodded. “Could be. Could be fine.”

  “They sent you in here, didn’t they? To change my mind.”

  “No. They’rr too busy to remembu Wolruf. Forgot about me.

  I just walked away while they werr talking. Came to see ‘u.”

  “Really?” Jeff was surprised. “Just to see me?”

  “‘U’ve been alone on Robot City. Only one of ‘urr kind. I know about that. ‘U could be sick and can’t tell. Could find out.”

  Jeff looked up at the ceiling. He had been feeling lonely, now that she mentioned it. Maybe he was sick.

  “I don’t trust them,” he said to Wolruf. “I can take over this city — this whole planet. They want to stop me.” The fire was gone, though; he felt it himself. He was tired, emotionally tired.

  “Robots can’t ‘urt ‘u on purpose,” she reminded him. “Make rare mistakes, but can’t ‘urt ‘uman on purpose.”

  “Derec and Ariel —”

  “Robots can’t allow them to ‘urt ‘u, either. Test can tell ‘u if ‘urr sick or not.”

  Jeff closed his eyes and sighed.

  Derec hadn’t seen Wolruf leave the group in the testing room, but he noticed her come back in. The little alien bore her distinctive teeth-baring grin when she looked up at him.

  “What is it, Wolruf?” He asked.

  “Jeff changed ‘is mind. Will take test now.”

  Everyone turned to look at her.

  “Are you certain?” asked Research 1.

  “I’ve underestimated you before,” said Derec. “Remind me not to do it again.”

  “Wolruf? How did you manage that?” Ariel asked in astonishment.

  “Just talked to ‘im,” said Wolruf. “Suggest ‘u don’t talk to ‘im, or ‘e’ll change ‘is mind.”

  “We’ll take your word for it,” said Derec. “Research 1, you and Surgeon 1 go ahead and run your tests.

  I suggest that you also conduct a minimum of conversation with him. I guess he’s still pretty unpredictable.”

  “I will begin the procedures with Jeff,” said Research 1. “May I request that you allow Surgeon 1 to conduct the scans of your body that we have already discussed? The equipment is prepared, and the central computer will benefit from the information regardless of Jeff’s condition and wishes.”

  “Sure.” Derec turned to Ariel and Mandelbrot. “As soon as I’m finished —”

  “Right. We’ll be here,” she said with a grin. “Wolruf, too.”

  Derec followed Surgeon 1 into a cramped room and stretched out, undressed, on a cold platform at the robot’s bidding. The robot attached a variety of sensors to him, all connected to some of the worst looking jury-rigged equipment Derec had seen on this planet. For once, the necessity for speed had overcome the values of minimalist engineering; the robots had put together something that would work, ignoring convenience and appearance.

  As Surgeon 1 ran various vibrations through parts of his body and shot him with invisible rays, Derec assured himself that once the emergency with Jeff was past, they would either improve the engineering of this equipment or discard it altogether. They weren’t likely to allow an anomaly like this to remain as it was. Still, he felt a sense of petty satisfaction in seeing that they weren’t always perfect.

  When the scans were finished, Derec got dressed as Surgeon 1 glanced over the monitors.

  “This is sufficient,” said Surgeon 1. “We are capable of restoring Jeff’s body to a state of health, granted his normal recuperative powers after surgery. Research 1 has contacted me through his comlink, and requests our presence back in the testing room.”

  Research 1 was waiting when they got there. “Well?” Derec said. “How is he?”

  “Ariel’s theory appears to be correct. The level of several hormones that can affect mood and behavior in humans were higher than we had intended. Given the limited blood supply, very small amounts skew the percentages.”

  “I was sure he wasn’t that bad a guy,” said Ariel.

  “Me, too,” said Wolruf.

  “What are you going to do, though?” Derec asked. “Have you discussed this with him yet?”

  “No. Surgeon 1 and I must confer over the details. If Surgeon 1 agrees with me, then Jeff Leong is not responsible for his behavior. In that event, we would take the position that our judgment of his condition under the First Law would override all his orders to us under the Second Law.”

  “Whew,” said Ariel. “That’s a very big step.”

  “I think,” said Derec, “that it’s time for us to take care of some personal business. Research 1, do you need further human assistance at the moment? If not, we have an important errand to run.”

  “We do not require your assistance at this time,” said Research 1. “I request your return later in the day.”

  “No problem.” Derec turned to Mandelbrot with a big grin. “Okay, friend. Show us this spacecraft you have
waiting. I’ll have to check its condition and facilities and all. Where is it?”

  “It is in a rural area just outside the urban perimeter. One of the tunnels will take us close to the spot.”

  “Let’s go — you, Wolruf, Ariel and me.”

  The trip out to the perimeter was uneventful, except for the glow of excitement that Derec and Ariel shared. Once they reached the construction perimeter, they had to start hiking. Fortunately, Mandelbrot had chosen a broad, open field for his landing, with only a short cushion of broad-bladed, blue ground cover.

  “I see it!” Ariel shouted, pointing to a sliver of blue-silver glinting in the sunlight. It was just beyond a gentle rise in the terrain.

  Derec looked up eagerly, then felt a sudden weight of disappointment, even though it was still mostly out of sight. He didn’t say anything, though, until they had topped the rise and were looking down on the sleek, undamaged craft. Ariel, too, stopped in surprise.

  “It’s a lifepod,” Derec said dully. It was so small that even the gently rolling ground had hidden it almost completely.

  “Correct,” said Mandelbrot. “A somewhat converted lifepod. I modified it.”

  “Alpha,” said Derec, shaking his head. “Mandelbrot, I mean.”

  “I detect distress,” said Mandelbrot. “What is its cause?”

  “Whatever your name is,” Ariel wailed, “we wanted to get out of here. But this little ship only has room for one.”

  “I traveled with ‘im,” said Wolruf.

  “Mandelbrot, why didn’t you tell us it could only carry one full-sized humanoid?” Derec asked. “I asked you where it was, what condition it was in, and so on.”

  “The only subject of discussion at that time was the welfare of Jeff Leong. I surmised that you wanted it for his use. It is adequate for that purpose.”

  “Yeah.” Derec sighed. “So it is.” He slipped an arm casually around Ariel’s shoulders. “I think it’s more important to get Ariel off the planet, though. She has — something to take care of.”

  She took his hand and squeezed it, probably for not mentioning her disease in particular.

  “How did you modify it?” Derec asked.

  “I was able to give it a significant drive ability. Also, I was able to create space for Wolruf. I myself used the space principally intended for human use, but of course I do not have the supply requirements. The supply space was available for her provisions.”

  Derec nodded, staring silently at the little ship. No one else spoke. They all seemed to understand the realization, and what it meant to him. Finally, when he turned away, they followed him back to the tunnel stop without a word.

  By the time they returned to the facility, Research 1 and Surgeon 1 were just leaving the O. R.

  “Are you finished already?” Ariel asked in surprise. “How is he?”

  “The procedures have apparently been successful so far,” said Surgeon 1. “Unlike the transplantation into his robot body, which required no recovery period, his human body will require an extended recuperative phase with close attention from us.”

  “The most important unknown factor now is his biological recuperative power, with which we have little experience,” said Research 1. “However, we —”

  “You think he’ll be okay,” Derec interpreted. “Right?”

  “Correct,” said Research 1.

  “What about his, well, his attitude?” Ariel asked. “Will his emotional state be normal again?”

  “We will have to wait for data about that question. He will sleep for many hours, yet,” said Surgeon 1.

  “We will also have him mildly tranquilized when he first awakens. to guard against further shock when he finds himself fully human again.”

  “If his body is truly recovering,” said Research 1, “his serum levels in all cases should gradually return to normal. I surmise that the effect will not be immediate, but our information is poor on this subject.”

  Ariel nodded.

  “We’ll be moving along,” said Derec. “I’m going to get on the central computer and see about refurbishing a certain little spacecraft. Also, how many further modifications it might take. Keep us up to date on Jeff through my console, all right?”

  Chapter 18

  LIFT-OFF

  DEREC WAS ABLE to assemble a work crew of function robots to take care of the spacecraft under Mandelbrot’s direction. The computer released them from normal du, ty with the understanding that Ariel’s welfare would be aided by her leaving the planet. It was not exactly a clear First Law requirement, but in the absence of significant objections, it was sufficient.

  Derec was disappointed to learn that the ship would not support the modifications required to support a second human passenger, but he was not surprised. The entire craft was just too small. He and Ariel had watched the robots construct a hangar near where Mandelbrot had landed it, in which minor repairs could be made. He followed the robots’ progress with a certain intellectual interest.

  Ariel did not seem to like talking about the ship, or where she would go in it. He understood that Aurora was off-limits, and neither of them really knew where she might reasonably look for a cure. Anyway, she wouldn’t discuss it.

  She brightened for the first time when Research 1 called through the computer console. He told Derec that Jeff was alert, talking, and no longer drugged, for the first time since his body had been restored. She insisted that she and Derec visit him right away.

  They found Jeff lying on an air cushion, wearing a soft, loose gown that billowed gently around him.

  Research 1 had told them that Jeff was self-conscious about the numerous scars he now bore, though they could be largely eliminated by further procedures later on. Derec looked at Jeff’s slender body and Asian face and thought he looked more as though he was Derec’s age than eighteen.

  Jeff’s dark eyes darted back and forth suspiciously between them. He said nothing.

  “How are you?” Ariel asked.

  Jeff looked at her without speaking for a long moment. “Human,” he said quietly. “I guess.”

  “Feeling better?” Derec asked. Jeff shrugged shyly.

  “Are you angry?” Ariel asked.

  “About what?” Jeff said cautiously.

  Derec looked uncomfortably at Ariel. He hadn’t spoken to Jeff as often as she had, and didn’t know how to approach him.

  “You’re not a robot any more,” she said.

  Jeff shook his head almost imperceptibly. “I, uh... feel like I’ve been in a fog, or something. Like I’ve been dreaming. Almost like it wasn’t real. I remember it, I guess....” He looked up at them both sharply, watching for their reactions.

  Derec looked at Ariel again.

  “You think I’m lying?” Jeff’s voice had a hint of familiar belligerence. “You think I’m just trying to duck responsibility, I suppose. Why don’t you get out of here?”

  “Come on,” Ariel said quietly, tugging at Derec’s sleeve. “Let’s leave him alone.”

  Ariel led Derec into what had been the testing room. The original equipment had been put back into it, but it was still an adequate place to talk, especially since Jeff no longer had robotic hearing.

  “We have to send him, not me,” Ariel said bluntly.

  “What?” Derec straightened in surprise.

  “He’s got to be the one to go.”

  “He can wait, just like I’ll have to. Ariel, you’re the one who needs a cure. If Jeff knew that, he might not object, either.”

  “Derec, did you see how he looked at us? He’s not over his — ordeal. He still thinks we’re out to get him in some way.”

  “If you go, then he and I will get acquainted. We’ll make friends eventually, like you and I did. We’ll practically have to, being the only humans on the planet.”

  “No, Derec. We have to prove to him that we don’t have a grudge — that people will help others just because they need it, and not because they’re going to get something selfish out of it.”
r />   “Then let him prove it by helping you! You need to go worse than he does. That should be the basis for the decision.”

  “Maybe I shouldn’t go, at least not yet.”

  “What? What do you mean, you shouldn’t go?”

  “Derec, I don’t know where to look for a cure. I could just go out and wander, but that’s not very reliable. Maybe if I stay here, Research 1 could take a culture from me and get to work on a cure. It might take a long time, but it would be a chance.”

  He hesitated, and looked at the unidentifiable equipment around the room. “The level of medical knowledge here is pretty erratic... but I guess the First Law might require him to try.”

  “And once that’s set up, then I could take the next chance I had to leave.”

  “You could leave a culture with Research 1 now and go yourself.”

  “Leaving Jeff here that way just doesn’t seem fair.” She shook her head. “Besides, it would just help convince him that we’re only out for ourselves.”

  “Is that the only reason?”

  “Well, no.” She looked away, smiling with embarrassment. “Anyway, why are you trying so hard to get rid of me?”

  Derec folded his arms and shrugged. “Do you remember right after we first got here? I told you that I would stay to help the robots as they had asked, but that we could ask them to send you away.”

  “I told you I would stay with you.” She nodded.

  “Well, I’ve always been glad you decided to stay, but... I figure it would be better for you to go, that’s all.” He shrugged again, feeling his face grow hot.

  “You want me to stay with you, don’t you?” She had to bend down a little to get under his lowered gaze, and she gave him a playful, knowing smile. “Don’t you?”

  “Well....” He couldn’t keep from smiling himself, but he was surprised when she put her arms around him and gave him a long hug. “As long as I’m still stuck here, anyhow....” He had just recovered enough to hug her back when she patted him and pulled away.

  She laughed. “Come on. Let’s go tell him.”

  Jeff held the highly polished rectangle of metal in one hand and angled it so he could see himself.