Asimov’s Future History Volume 6

by Isaac Asimov

“What do you mean?” Ariel asked.

  “When we first arrived, that wild shapechanging dominated the city. The Supervisors befriended us because they needed help and they wanted to serve humans.”

  Ariel nodded cautiously. “And solve the mystery of that murder. We never did figure out who the victim was.” She closed her eyes and shuddered. “Who just happened to look exactly like you.”

  Derec chose not to discuss that. He was afraid of sending her into another displaced memory episode.

  “Then, while the Key Center was in operation, the city was in a lull while a huge number of Keys were being duplicated and stored. We were treated with a kind of benign neglect, wouldn’t you say?”

  “I guess you could call it that,” she said. “But they were very cooperative in finding Jeff Leong, the cyborg.”

  He nodded. “Temporarily a cyborg. The Laws of Robotics required that. Now, though, everything seems to be changed. And it happened after we left for Earth and Dr. Avery remained here.”

  “So every robot here has been reprogrammed?”

  “I think so. The city has that same sense of obsessive purpose that I first saw on that asteroid. And I haven’t seen any sign of the robot creativity we saw before we left here.”

  Ariel tensed. “Oh, no. You mean you think it was programmed out of them?”

  “It looks that way to me. Right now, Mandelbrot may be the only robot on the planet who can think independently enough to do things like rescue us by driving crazily.”

  “You said the local robots are now acting like the ones on the asteroid. You mean the asteroid you were on right after you first woke up with amnesia, before we met?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I agree,” said Mandelbrot. “The narrow focus of the Hunters supports your conclusion, though now Wolruf and I must have been added to the list of quarry.”

  “We need a new plan of action,” said Derec. “And I’m getting sicker all the time.”

  “At the moment, I suggest that you three remain here,” said Mandelbrot. “I must find a new food source for you. Also, while the Hunters must now be looking for me also, I still blend the most with the native population.”

  “‘U ‘ave no wherr to go,” said Wolruf.

  “Good point,” said Derec. “Maybe you can get a lead on that from the central computer without giving yourself away. Go ahead.”

  “I can try. And I still have the use of the truck.” Mandelbrot walked to the far corner of the building and pushed a button to open the big door that led to the street.

  “Does the equipment here include a terminal?” Derec asked.

  “No. I will have no way to contact you.” Mandelbrot mounted the front of the truck and looked down at them. “We have been out of sight here for a while. If the Hunters have widened the radius of their search by this time, I may be able to avoid them.”

  “Good luck, Mandelbrot,” said Ariel. “Don’t take too many chances, all right?”

  Mandelbrot drove out into the sunlight and turned onto the street. Someone closed the big door behind him. As he drove, he kept watch for Hunters, aware that they would recognize a function truck being driven by a humanoid robot before they would recognize him in particular. He accessed the central computer.

  “Transmit a topographical map of this planet with land use identified,” he said.

  “WHAT IS YOUR IDENTITY AND YOUR DUTY TASK?” The central computer asked.

  He broke the link. The central computer had not always required that information during every communication, but now it was asking him every time. Perhaps it was part of the new security system. He accessed again, just to make sure.

  “Give me the location of agricultural developments on this planet,” he said.

  “WHAT IS YOUR IDENTITY AND YOUR DUTY TASK?”

  He broke contact again. Identifying himself was too risky, and doing so still might not get him the information. He would have to think of something else.

  In the meantime, he drove. He kept watch for any break in the grid of city streets and buildings that might indicate a change of land use, but that would only work if Avery was growing food in the open... and doing it nearby. Mandelbrot also turned his attention to smells, in the hope of detecting chemical processing of edible substances.

  Far above the planet, a small spacecraft was just entering the atmosphere, still too distant to be visible from the ground. It carried only one passenger.

  His name was Jeff Leong, and he had come to repay a debt of gratitude.

  Jeff was entering the atmosphere of Robot City in a Hayashi-Smith, which was a small, discontinued model with facilities for ten people. It bore the exotic name of Minneapolis. The ship computer was doing the flying. Jeff had managed to rent it with his father’s credit after persuading him that no one else could be trusted with the task of making this trip.

  “Status report,” Jeff said to the computer, watching the screen that showed him white clouds ahead and the glittering pattern far below of urban development.

  “EXCELLENT,” said the computer. “SYSTEMS ARE OPERATING EFFICIENTLY AND WEATHER IS OPTIMAL. SELECT LANDING SITE.”

  “I don’t know where to land yet,” said Jeff. “I never really knew the geography of this place. Uh, scan for a big pyramid with a flat top, okay? And I mean a. big pyramid.”

  “SCANNING. THIS MAY REQUIRE A PROLONGED PERIOD IN VERY LOW ORBIT, DEPENDING ON CLOUD COVER.”

  “Whatever it takes.” Jeff leaned back and relaxed.

  This was much better than his last arrival on this planet. That had been an emergency crash-landing that had killed everyone else on board. He shook his head to avoid the memories of that frantic descent.

  “Computer,” he said aloud. “While you’re scanning, keep watch for humans. I’m looking for a couple of them. And as far as I know, they’re the only humans here.”

  “SCANNING MODIFIED.”

  The ship computer was not fully positronic, but it was efficient enough to accept Jeff’s orders and translate them into ship controls.

  He hoped that finding Derec, Ariel, Mandelbrot, and Wolruf would not take too long. When he had left the planet in the only functioning spacecraft it had — a modified lifepod that supported only one passenger — he had promised to send help back if he could. The craft had taken him to a space lane, and had remained there, sending out a distress signal while keeping him alive.

  The ship that had rescued him had been jumping from star to star back to Aurora, and he had yet to reach Nexon, where he hoped to start college. This rescue mission was an important matter of pride to him, since Derec and Ariel and the robot medical team had saved his life. Then Derec and Ariel had sent him away when each of them would have liked to use that ship personally.

  He sighed and watched the screen. He expected most of the problem to be in locating them. The Minneapolis was outfitted to take them all back to Aurora together.

  “PYRAMID LOCATED,” said the computer. “CLOSE-UP ON SCREEN. PLEASE IDENTIFY.”

  On the viewscreen, the Compass Tower shone in the sunlight. The angle was from above, of course, and a little to one side. At this distance, it looked like a flawless model on a design display.

  “That’s it,” said Jeff excitedly, sitting forward to look. “Can you land near it somewhere without smashing up anything?”

  “SCANNING FOR A LOW-RISK LANDING SITE IN THE AREA,” said the computer. “TO AVOID ALL CHANCE OF DAMAGE TO MANUFACTURED AND CONSTRUCTED PROPERTY, THIS CRAFT REQUIRES MORE LANDING SPACE THAN THE AREA HAS SO FAR OFFERED.”

  “Show me the area as you scan it,” said Jeff. “Just try to land as close as you can.”

  “DISPLAYING.”

  Jeff watched the screen closely as the view pulled back to a greater height and began to move quickly across the landscape. At first he tried to recognize other places, such as a city plaza he remembered and the distinctive bronze dome of the Key Center. He couldn’t find them. Then, as the camera continued to scan, he realized that they were covering
a lot of area very quickly.

  “Look for an open grassy region,” he said. “It was just outside the city. I’m sure it wasn’t more than a few kilometers from that tower.”

  “PERIMETER OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT NOT LOCATED. SCANNING CONTINUES.”

  He watched as block after block of city passed beneath them. The robots had continued building, much faster than he had ever imagined. He couldn’t afford to land on the other side of the planet. Derec and Ariel had lived close to the tower.

  “Listen,” he said. “Most of this population is robots. If they’re damaged, they can be repaired. Just don’t hit the buildings, ‘cause we won’t survive, either.” He grinned at his own humor.

  “CLARIFY.”

  “We have to land around here somewhere. Try to avoid the robots, but give us priority. Watch out for humans; other than that, find a place in the city near that tower where we can land. A park, a plaza, a big intersection. Something like that.”

  “SCANNING MODIFIED FOR MODERATE-RISK LANDING SITE. SITE SELECTED.”

  “Good,” said Jeff. “That was quick. See if you can reach the city’s central computer. Give it fair warning of our landing site so it can tell everybody to get out of the way.”

  “LINK ESTABLISHED. WARNING SENT AND ACKNOWLEDGED. CURRENT SPEED REQUIRES WIDE TURN. PREPARE FOR LANDING IN APPROXIMATELY TWELVE MINUTES.”

  Jeff grinned. “Good job.”

  Eleven and a half minutes later, Jeff stared in tense fascination at the screen as the small ship sliced through the atmosphere at a low angle and came shooting straight toward the skyline. The Minneapolis was versatile enough to act as both a shuttle and starship, which was why he had chosen it. He trusted the computer, which would not allow him to come to harm if it could help it, despite being non-positronic... and yet even the computer couldn’t prevent every malfunction. After all, he had just barely survived one crash here.

  He was gripping the sides of the chair and sweating freely as the screen showed a broad boulevard stretching straight ahead. The ship was going to land along the pavement — did this thing have wheels? In a panic, he couldn’t remember.

  It must have; the computer wasn‘t stupid.

  The streetfronts of a thousand buildings shot by in a blur, first below and then on both sides. The ship touched down and streaked along the empty street, suddenly decelerating sharply.

  Everyone was out of the way; the city’s central computer had done its part. The boulevard was as flat and straight as only a city of robots would construct. The ship came to a halt.

  Chapter 9

  WELCOME BACK

  JEFF LAY BACK in the chair panting heavily, with sweat running down his face and arms. That was a lot more frightening than he had expected... but a lot better than last time. The ship computer had been flawless.

  Next time, he’d shut off that stupid viewscreen. Who needed to see that, anyhow?

  “LANDING COMPLETED,” said the computer cheerfully.

  “Shut up,” Jeff muttered.

  He didn’t want to stay in this can. Shakily, he got up and moved to the door. “Exit access,” he instructed.

  The door unlatched and opened. A flexible ladder extended from it. Jeff held the sides of the ladder firmly, turned, and climbed down.

  On the street, he drew in a deep breath and looked around. It was Robot City, all right; it had the slidewalks, the tunnel stops, the clean, organized buildings and streets. On the other hand, it was totally unfamiliar.

  A couple of humanoid robots were just now coming into view ahead. The central computer would have removed the alert, of course. He turned and looked behind him. A few more robots appeared, riding the slidewalks along the side of the boulevard.

  The nearest robot approaching him was remarkably tall and full-chested.

  “Excuse me,” said Jeff. “I’m in need of assistance.”

  The Hunter robot took him firmly by the upper arm.

  “Hey! Wait a minute. What are you doing?” He pulled back, but the robot didn’t let go.

  “I am detaining you,” said the Hunter. “You are in custody and will remain so at least until you have been positively identified.” It turned and began to walk.

  “I’m Jeff Leong. That’s no mystery.” He hurried alongside, walking awkwardly, almost sideways.

  “I am programmed to locate and detain two humans among the four intruders known to be in Robot City. You will not be harmed. However, you must come with me.”

  “And if I don’t?” He demanded, looking up at the robot’s expressionless face.

  “You will come willingly or unwillingly. You will not be harmed. I prefer that you not resist.”

  The robot continued walking, dragging Jeff along with it. They stepped onto a slidewalk and went on walking.

  “Who are you looking for?”

  “The two humans named Derec and Ariel,” said the Hunter” Also an alien robot named Mandelbrot and a small living creature of undetermined type.”

  “Hold it. You think I’m Derec? Is that it?” Jeff tried to pull back again, to no avail.

  “I am instructed to take you into custody pending identification,” said the Hunter impassively.

  “It’s not necessary.” Jeff managed to turn enough so he could walk straight ahead, at least. “Look, other robots know me. Contact the medical team. What was their name? Some kind of hospital. A Human Medical Center, or something like that. They can tell you who I am. Call them through the central computer.”

  The robot did not respond.

  ” Are you calling them?”

  It still did not respond.

  “Not programmed for that, I suppose,” said Jeff. He sighed. “Welcome back to Robot City, Jeff.”

  They walked along the moving slidewalk for quite some time. Jeff’s belongings were still stashed in the ship, of course; he had intended to grab his personal luggage after getting directions to Derec and Ariel.

  Resigned to a long and probably frustrating interrogation by more robots, he marched along in step.

  A certain amount of foot traffic and vehicular traffic went by, but Jeff was sure that it was less than he remembered from his previous visit. Somewhat belatedly, he was recalling just how many unexplained oddities this city had had. Then, lost in thought, he was not paying particular attention to the details around him until he heard a screech of tires coming up right behind him.

  Jeff flinched and whirled around. The Hunter holding him turned its head but did not break stride.

  A humanoid robot was just leaping out of the cab of a large, halted vehicle.

  “Mandelbrot!” Jeff shouted. “Tell this robot who I am, will you? It thinks —”

  He was interrupted as the Hunter spun completely around, at the same time yanking him to the side away from Mandelbrot. The robot’s hold on him did not loosen even for a moment.

  “You are harming the human,” said Mandelbrot to the Hunter, in a remarkably unemotional voice. He stepped onto the slidewalk and approached them.

  “I am not harming him.” The Hunter’s voice was equally calm. It stood still.

  Jeff understood that Mandelbrot had spoken aloud so that he could hear. Apparently Mandelbrot intended to rescue him — and that implied changes here in the city that were completely beyond Jeff’s expectations.

  Jeff let out as loud and intense a scream as he could and dropped to his knees on the slidewalk, which was still moving.

  The Hunter still had him by the arm.

  “Release him!” Mandelbrot shouted, striding forward and lifting Jeff in his own arms. “Hunter, you are inefficient! You are violating the First Law!”

  “You... are... Mandelbrot... the fugitive robot,” the Hunter said slowly. It was quivering slightly, its functioning impaired by the uncertainty that it might have harmed Jeff. Yet it had not let go.

  Mandelbrot gripped the wrist of the Hunter and gently held Jeff’s captive arm, as well. “Release him,” he ordered again. “I will take him into custody.”

  �
��You... are... not... fooling me,” said the Hunter. “Step... away.”

  Jeff could see that. The Hunter knew that Mandelbrot himself was a fugitive from the central computer, so his words were all suspect. However, the combination of his accusation and Jeff’s play-acting was enough to raise a reasonable doubt in its mind, and the force of the First Law was so great that it was now hesitant to act.

  “Mandelbrot, carry me,” he pleaded, in as anxious a voice as he could muster. “He’s hurt me.”

  The Hunter was in trouble, but not fully convinced. Mandelbrot did manage to force its grip open, however, and remove Jeff’s arm. Then he picked up Jeff around the waist, jumped off the slidewalk onto the stationary shoulder, and ran for his truck.

  “Stop!” The Hunter moved to action the moment Jeff was free, though it was still not at full capacity.

  Jeff was facing backward as Mandelbrot ran with him, and could see the Hunter gradually entering a slow run after them. The Hunter’s instructions were still in effect.

  “It’s already sent out a call for other Hunters,” said Mandelbrot, still running. “You will get an explanation at a safer time. For now, when I hoist you into the back of this vehicle, lie down and hang on. You will be safest that way.”

  “Uh — okay —” Jeff complied as Mandelbrot jumped into the cab and drove off fast.

  Derec was awakened from a deep sleep by the sound of the big door opening. Light hit his closed eyelids and he reluctantly opened them with a squint. So Mandelbrot was back. He took in a deep breath, hoping to wake up completely and find food being offered.

  The vehicle entered the building and then Ariel was already closing the door again.

  Mandelbrot turned in the cab and helped another figure in the back to his feet.

  “Say!” Ariel cried excitedly. “Is that... that’s Jeff!”

  Amazed, Derec forced himself up on one elbow. His back and shoulders ached painfully.

  “Hi, gang,” said Jeff. He stood looking around at them all from the back of the truck. Then Mandelbrot lifted him down.

  “Jeff,” said Derec. He grimaced as he sat up all the way. “What the... what are you doing here?”