by Isaac Asimov
Harriet no longer wanted to spend the rest of her life in this intellectual void.
As she looked out the main gate, Steve and a man she did not know walked through it.
22
“HARRIET!” STEVE RAN to her, grinning.
“You’re back! But … I didn’t see the army ride back.”
Steve lowered his voice. “My friend here is Ishihara. Everything’s under control, including him; the others are waiting for us near the battlefield.”
“You came back just to get me.”
“Well, yeah. I’m afraid Hunter insisted. Are you willing to come home?”
“Yes, I’m ready.”
“You are?” Steve’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“Yes.” Harriet turned to look once more at
Gwenhyvaer, who still had her back turned. “Gwenhyvaer.”
“Mm?” The young woman glanced back over her shoulder.
“I’m going to take a quick walk out the gate. All right?”
“Of course.” Gwenhyvaer shrugged and turned her attention back to the wares in front of her.
“Good thing she didn’t notice me,” Steve muttered, as they walked toward the gate. “She might wonder how I got back from the campaign so fast, when no one else has.”
“I’m afraid she’s quite busy with a worry of her own,” Harriet said quietly, smiling. “I suppose she’ll wonder what happened to me, but now that I know her, I don’t think she’ll wonder long.”
“What? Why not?” Steve asked.
“Let’s just say she is rather self-consumed.”
As soon as they passed through the main gate, Ishihara pointed to a couple of trees. “That is where Steve and I arrived. No one noticed us. We will jump back from there, as well.”
Steve tumbled to the grass near Hunter and MC 6. Hunter still lay where he had fallen, but Wayne was now standing with Jane. Next to Steve, Ishihara caught Harriet’s arm to stop her from falling.
Hunter looked up. “All is well?”
“Yes, Hunter,” said Harriet with a wry smile. “I’m ready to go home. I didn’t give them any trouble.”
“We must go promptly, then,” said Hunter. “I hear the footsteps of the camp followers coming up the road. We do not want to be seen by them. Please leave behind whatever you can from this time period. I will confer directly with Ishihara and MC 6 so they can take off my cap and my leather armor.”
The other two robots carefully crouched by Hunter to perform those chores.
Steve had already dropped his sword and shield. He took off his steel cap and tossed it down. Then he unlaced his leather armor and pulled it up over his head, to leave with the cap.
Jane took Wayne’s arm and escorted him to the group. Wayne scowled at the ground but allowed Jane to bring him to a spot next to Hunter. Ishihara and MC 6 also joined them, making room for Harriet.
Steve stood next to MC 6.
Hunter reached inside his tunic for his own belt unit. “Now.”
Hunter felt himself jammed between Ishihara and MC 6 in the dark sphere. Ishihara and MC 6 quickly opened the crowded sphere and helped the humans climb out first. Then they carefully lifted out Hunter and laid him on the couch across the room. Hunter observed that Daladier recognized Wayne and watched him carefully, aware of Hunter’s instructions to make sure Wayne remained in custody.
Steve waited uncertainly, watching Wayne also.
“Robots are so logical,” said Jane. “That’s what I like about them. They don’t bear grudges. Now that Ishihara no longer selects his actions under Wayne’s First Law argument, he’s perfectly willing to help Hunter and the rest of us.”
“I used to appreciate that quality in them myself,” said Wayne, in a resigned tone. “Now I’m not so sure.”
Jane smiled gently. “Well, I don’t need to bear a grudge, either. I’m just glad we’re all home again.”
Wayne said nothing.
Hunter saw by Steve’s scowl that he did not feel as charitable toward Wayne. Still, Steve said nothing to provoke the roboticist. Hunter had figured out that Steve had hit Wayne over the head and surmised that this had given Steve some personal satisfaction.
“Daladier,” said Hunter. “Wayne should go promptly to a hospital to be examined. Please keep him in your custody.”
“Of course.” Daladier took Wayne’s arm. “I am calling for a Medical vehicle to meet us outside right away.”
“I’m not hurt bad, but I could use something for a headache,” Wayne said as he walked out of the room with Daladier.
“I will call for a Security vehicle to take the rest of us to MC Governor’s office,” said Hunter. On his internal system, he did so. He also contacted the city computer and instructed it to reach the members of the Governor Robot Oversight Committee for a conference call.
“You need repair worse than Wayne needs a Medical robot,” said Jane. “You want to arrange it right away?”
“First I must complete my mission,” said Hunter.
“I thought you’d say that. All right. Ishihara, MC 6, can you carry Hunter out to the Security vehicle in front without damaging him further?”
“Yes,” said Ishihara.
“I’ll bring our regular clothes,” said Harriet. “We can all change somewhere else.”
“I’ll help you with them,” said Steve.
“Let’s go,” said Jane.
The ride through the calm city streets to MC Governor’s office was uneventful. Hunter said nothing at first, monitoring the news as he rode. Steve sat near him.
“Are you checking the news?” Steve asked. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” Hunter said Quietly. “I hear no sign that any of the nuclear explosions ever took place. We have completed our mission successfully, but we have some matters to clear up. I still have to answer to the Oversight Committee, but the First Law will not allow me to permit the revelation of time travel to humanity at large.”
“What about all the historians? They already know. And they aren’t bound by the Laws of Robotics.”
“I must confer with them, too.”
“For that matter, what about Jane and me? We humans are notoriously unreliable.”
“We will discuss it.”
At MC Governor’s office, Ishihara and MC 6 carried Hunter inside, where they carefully positioned him in the desk chair. The Security detail remained on duty just outside the door. Steve followed Jane and Harriet inside and closed the door.
“Jane,” said Hunter. “Please give MC 6 instructions to merge with the other component robots to form Mojave Center Governor and make him functional again. Make sure that he remains under control, of course.”
“Of course. MC 6, merge with the others as Hunter has said. As soon as your merging is complete, have MC Governor become fully functional but alert for a discussion regarding the First Law. I am instructing you not to allow MC Governor to do anything other than listen to us.”
“Acknowledged.” MC 6 walked over to the figure formed by the other five gestalt robots. He made contact, then fluidly slid right into place, his own physical shape altering slightly.
As Hunter watched from his chair, the entire figure smoothly became one large robot.
“I am Mojave Center Governor,” he said.
“You have access to the data from each of your components?” Jane asked.
“Yes. From my combined data from each component robot, I already know all of you and what has happened.”
“Good,” said Hunter. “From what I overheard when Wayne spoke to MC 1 in the Late Cretaceous, you — as MC Governor — were in danger of entering an endless loop that rendered the other Governor robots helpless. Are you aware of this problem?”
“Yes,” said MC Governor.
“Can you avoid going into this loop?”
“Strictly by my own choice, I believe I cannot. This is the reason I divided and fled.”
“If you are given sufficient instructions under the Second Law, can you avoid
it?”
“I estimate that I can. The attraction of this addiction is that it simulates constant First Law imperatives that I can satisfy.”
“I understand,” said Hunter. “Jane, can you give him a real First Law imperative that will override such simulations?”
“No. Now that he’s been relieved of his duties here in the city and remains in our custody, his internal actions can’t endanger humans or prevent harm to them. No First Law imperative regarding his thoughts alone now exists.”
“Then give him whatever pertinent Second Law instructions you can.”
“Listen and obey me fully,” said Jane. “Do not leave this room except under specific instruction from one of us. Do not run any simulation programs. Running them as practice for genuine First Law imperatives is not a real First Law matter, SO my instructions under the Second Law take precedence. Do you acknowledge this?”
“I remain undecided,” said MC Governor. “Honing my responses to First Law imperatives may still help me follow the First Law at some point in the future. However, your Second Law instructions are sufficient for me to avoid the simulations in the short term.”
“All right. Then avoid any activity that would lead you to go into the simulation. Occupy your attention now by calculating the value of pi, but remain alert for one of the humans here to give you further orders.
As a final instruction, do not reveal the existence of time travel. A fundamental First Law danger to all of humanity will result from humans going back into the past in large numbers. Acknowledge that the First Law prohibits you from revealing time travel.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Good. Begin your calculation of pi.”
“Value of what?” Steve asked. “What’s that supposed to accomplish?”
“Remember pi, from geometry?” Harriet said quietly. “It’s an endless calculation. It’ll just keep him busy.”
“Oh, yeah. Geometry.”
“Hunter,” said Harriet. “I think my usefulness to you really ended quite a long time ago. If you don’t mind, I’d like to return to my hotel room.”
“Of course. Please stand by, however, for a conference call among all our specialists — one paleontologist and five historians. I will be arranging it shortly.”
“All right.” Harriet turned to Steve. “I’m sorry I wasn’t more of a help, but I’m glad everything worked out.”
“You had the information we needed when we needed it,” said Steve. “No need to apologize.”
Harriet said good-bye to everyone and left.
“City computer calling Hunter. The conference call you requested is standing by.”
“Connect me. Also contact the six specialists I have hired for a similar conference call.” Hunter called Daladier on a different band and communicated at maximum robotic speed.
“Daladier here.”
“How is Wayne? Give me your location.”
“Wayne will be fine. The Medical robots have just completed diagnostic tests and found no significant injury. They have provided a mild painkiller and we are now walking down a hall toward the main door of the clinic.”
“I want Wayne to observe a conference call with the Oversight Committee. Have you seen any video screens that I can link?”
“Yes. The main lobby has a large screen.”
“Wait in the lobby and have Wayne observe the call.” Hunter contacted the city computer again and instructed it to send the conference call to the screen in the clinic lobby.
At the same moment, the four members of the Oversight Committee appeared on his internal screens.
“Yes, Hunter?” Dr. Redfield, the blonde, smiled hopefully. “Does this mean your mission has been completed?”
“Yes, it does,” said Hunter. He waited while Dr. Redfield, Dr. Chin, Dr. Khanna, and Professor Post congratulated him. “I also have good news to report. From the preliminary explanation of the flaw in the gestalt robots, I expect the problem can be eliminated without destroying the memories or identities of the component robots or the Governors. Unless presently unforeseeable problems appear during later examination, their system programming will simply have to include a more narrowly defined set of priorities involving First Law interpretations.”
“That’s excellent,” said Dr. Chin, tossing her black hair. “It means the problem is not as difficult as we expected.”
“That’s right,” said Professor Post, stroking his black beard. “The Governors will not have to be destroyed.”
“Surely the time has come for a preliminary report, Hunter,” said Dr. Khanna. “You have done very well. But with your mission completed, I ask you in full expectation of an answer: Where did you find the component robots, and under what circumstances?”
Hunter had always known this moment would arrive. His interpretation of the First Law and his judgment of human frailty prevented him from revealing the existence of time travel. He also felt that revealing Wayne’s obstruction of the mission would, in fact, bring about consequences that would harm Wayne. Now that Hunter had completed the mission successfully, he saw no reason to allow such harm.
None of Wayne’s illegal actions in the past, such as kidnapping Jane, could be proven in a contemporary court of law, so legal action was not an option. Hunter decided to delete information about Wayne’s presence on these missions.
“The First Law prohibits me from giving a detailed report,” Hunter said in a formal tone.
“This is an unacceptable answer,” Dr. Khanna said angrily. “You have put me off at every request. As the Oversight Committee, we have a right to this information.”
“The First Law makes no exceptions,” said Hunter.
Dr. Khanna drew in a long breath, his face contorted with anger. Before he could speak again, however, he was interrupted.
“That’s true,” said Dr. Redfield, stifling a smile. “We’re all roboticists here. Apparently Hunter has no choice.”
“I question his judgment on this matter,” Dr. Khanna said with barely controlled rage. “Must we dismantle Hunter to make sure of his efficiency?”
“He reports that he’s completed his assignment successfully,” said Dr. Redfield. “If that turns out to be true, then we have no real grounds to question him.”
“I will have MC Governor shut down and will arrange for him to be shipped to a lab of your choice,”
said Hunter.
“We have to make arrangements first,” said Dr. Chin. “We’ll contact you when we are ready.”
“I suggest we confer among ourselves,” said Professor Post. “We should have Hunter sign off.”
“I must ask a question,” said Hunter. “Where does Dr. Wayne Nystrom stand in regard to your deliberations?”
“Nobody can stand him,” Dr. Khanna said, still angry.
“That’s a personal matter,” said Professor Post. “In professional terms, Dr. Nystrom will have to face a detailed review of his flawed creations.”
“Can you utilize his expertise in your upcoming research?” Hunter asked.
“Our oversight responsibility must be conducted without conflict of interest,” said Dr. Redfield.
“However, once our judgment of existing flaws has been reached, that phase will have ended. When the repair process begins, we can consider contacting him for help.”
“Do you have a recommendation, Hunter?” Dr. Chin asked, “Why do you ask?”
“I will discuss a possible suggestion with you at a later time,” said Hunter. “I will sign off now.”
“Thanks for a great job,” Dr. Redfield added, just before the connection broke.
23
WITHOUT STOPPING TO speak with the humans in MC Governor’s office, Hunter called Daladier again. “Did Wayne observe this call successfully?”
“Yes.”
“Is there a phone nearby? I want to speak with him directly.”
“Yes.” Daladier gave Hunter a number to call. “It’s right here in the lobby. I will tell Wayne to answer.”
“Yeah?” Wayne said cautiously, glaring at Hunter.
“You are well?” Hunter asked.
“Well enough. Get to the point, will you?”
“Based on the reaction of the Oversight Committee, I believe the members will consider your participation in correcting the flaws of the Governor robots.”
“Dr. Khanna never liked me. And the feeling’s mutual. They’re all jealous of my accomplishments.”
“If you are willing to participate, I believe they will work with you. In that event, your career may not be significantly harmed.”
Wayne said nothing for a moment, looking at Hunter. “Yeah?”
“I will offer you a deal in exchange for my recommending to the Oversight Committee that they ask for your help in the repair process.”
“How do you know they’ll bother to repair the Governor robots?” Wayne asked, in a less confrontational tone. “I always figured they’d just junk them entirely.”
“I cannot speak for them,” said Hunter. “But Or. Redfield raised the subject of a repair phase on her own. The Oversight Committee appears to have an open mind on the subject.”
“Well, yeah, I heard her mention that,” Wayne said slowly. “What do you want from me in return?”
“I want you to keep the existence of time travel a secret. The inherent harm to all humans is clearly immense.”
“Yeah, I know that. But what about the hardware?”
“The First Law will not allow me to discuss my plans. However, I offer the proposition that if no evidence of time travel continues to exist, anyone claiming to have visited the past will sound silly, not to mention professionally unreliable.”
Wayne hesitated, then nodded. “I hear the implied threat to my own future, Hunter. All right, you have a deal.”
“Good. You can find lodging in Mojave Center for the time being?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent. Feel free to have Daladier continue to assist you. I will confer with you again later. Hunter out.”
“Hunter, city computer calling. The second conference call you requested stands by.”
