by Isaac Asimov
"For how long?"
"For at least as long as your mission lasts, madam. The captain will be better able to help you in the days to come than we will be. He knows Earthpeople, he is highly thought of by them—and he thinks very highly of you, madam."
Gladia said, "Can you tell that he thinks very highly of me?"
"Although I am a robot, it would seem so to me. And at any time that you should wish us back, we will come back, of course—but, for now, we think that the best way we can serve and protect you is to leave you in Captain Baley's hands."
Gladia said, "I will think of it."
"In the meanwhile, madam," said Daneel, "we will see Captain Baley and find out if he agrees with us."
"Do so!" said Gladia and passed into her bedroom.
Daneel turned and spoke minimally to Giskard. "Is she willing?"
"More than, willing," said Giskard. "She has always been a little restless in my presence and would not suffer unduly at my absence. For you, friend Daneel, she has ambivalent feelings. You remind her markedly of friend Jander, whose inactivation, many decades ago, was so traumatic for her. This has been a source of both attraction and repulsion to her, so it was not necessary to do much I lessened her attraction to you and increased her strong attraction to the captain. She will do without us easily."
"Then let us find the captain," said Daneel. Together, they left the room and entered the hallway that passed by the apartment.
86.
Daneel and Giskard had both been on Earth on previous occasions, Giskard the more recently. They understood the use of the computerized directory that gave them the Section, Wing, and number of the apartment to which D.G. had been assigned and they understood, further, the color codes in the hallways that led them to the proper turnings and elevators.
It was early enough for the human traffic to be light, but those human beings who passed or approached at first stared with astonishment at Giskard, then looked away with elaborate unconcern.
Giskard's steps were slightly uneven by the time they approached D.G.'s apartment door. It was not very noticeable, but it caught Daneel's attention.
He said in a low voice, "Are you in discomfort, friend Giskard?"
Giskard replied, "It has been necessary for me to wipe out astonishment, apprehension, and even attention in a number of men and women—and in one youngster, which was harder still. I had no time to make completely certain I was doing no harm."
"It was important to do so. We must not be stopped."
"I understand that, but the Zeroth Law does not work well with me. I have not your facility in that respect." He went on, as though to distract his own attention from his discomfort, "I have often noted that hyperresistance in the positronic pathways makes itself first felt in the matter of standing and walking and next in speech."
Daneel tapped the door signal. He said, "It is the same in my case, friend Giskard. Maintaining balance on two supports is difficult under the best of circumstances. Controlled imbalance, as in walking, is even more difficult. I have heard once, that there were early attempts made to produce robots with four legs and two arms. They were called 'centaurs.' They worked well but were unacceptable because, they were basically inhuman in appearance."
"At the moment," said Giskard, "I would appreciate four legs, friend Daneel. However, I think my discomfort is passing."
D.G. was at the door now. He looked at them with a broad smile. He then glanced in each direction along the corridor, whereupon his smile vanished and was replaced with a look of the utmost concern. "What are you doing here without Gladia? Is she—"
Daneel said, "Captain, Madam Gladia is well. She is in no danger. May we enter and explain?"
D.G. glowered as he gestured them inside. His voice gained the hectoring tone one naturally assumes toward misbehaving machines and he said, "Why have you left her alone? What circumstances could possibly permit you to leave her alone?"
Daneel said, "She is no more alone than any person is on Earth—and no more in danger. If you will question her later on the I matter, I believe she will tell you that she cannot be effective here on Earth as long as she is trailed by Spacer robots. I believe she will tell you that what guidance and protection she needs should be supplied by you, rather than by robots. It is what we believe she wishes—at least for now. If, at any time, she wishes us back, she will have us."
D.G.'s face relaxed into a smile again. "She wants my protection, does she?"
"At the moment, Captain, we believe she is quite anxious for your presence, rather than for ours."
D.G.'s smile became a grin. "Who can blame her? —I'll get myself ready and go to her apartment as soon as I can."
"But first, sir—"
"Oh," said D.G., "there is a quid pro quo?"
"Yes, sir. We are anxious to discover as much as we can about the robot who fired the blaster at the balcony last night."
D.G. looked tense again. "Do you anticipate further danger for Madam Gladia?"
"None at all of that kind. The, robot, last night, did not fire at Lady Gladia. Being a robot, he could not have. He fired at friend Giskard."
"Why should he have done that?"
"It is what we would like to find out. For that purpose, we wish you to call Madam Quintana, Undersecretary of Energy, and state that it would be important and would please you and the government of Baleyworld—if you would care to add that—for her to allow me to ask her a few questions on that subject. We wish you to do whatever seems best to persuade her to agree to such an interview."
"Is that all you want, me to do? Persuade a reasonably important and busy official to submit to cross examination by a robot?"
Daneel said, "Sir, she may agree if you are earnest enough in the request. In addition, since she may be located a distance away, it would be helpful if you would hire a darter on our behalf to take us there. We are, as you can imagine, in haste."
"And are those little things all?" asked D.G.
"Not quite, Captain," said Daneel. "We will need a driver and please pay him well enough so that he will consent to transport friend Giskard, who is an obvious robot. He may not mind me."
D.G. said, "I hope you realize, Daneel, that what you ask is completely unreasonable."
Daneel said, "I had hoped not, Captain. But since you tell me it is, there is nothing more to say. We have no choice, then, but to return to Madam Gladia, which will make her unhappy, for she would rather be with you."
He turned to leave, motioning Giskard to accompany him, but D.G. said, "Wait. There"s a public communication contact just down the hallway. I can only try. Remain here and wait for me."
The two robots remained standing. Daneel said, "Did you have to do much, friend Giskard?"
Giskard seemed well balanced on his legs now. He said, "I was helpless. He was strongly opposed to dealing with Madam Quintana and as strongly opposed to getting us a darter. I could not have altered those feelings without damage. When, however, you suggested returning to Madam Gladia, his attitude changed suddenly and dramatically. You were anticipating that, I take it, friend Daneel?"
"I was."
"You scarcely need me, it would seem. There is more than one way of adjusting minds. However, I ended by doing something. The captain's change of mind was accompanied by a strong favorable emotion toward Madam Gladia. I took the opportunity of strengthening that."
"That is the reason you are needed. I could not have done that."
"You will be able to yet, friend Daneel. Perhaps quite soon."
D.G. returned. "Believe it or, not, she will see you, Daneel. The darter and driver will be here in a moment—and the sooner you leave, the better. I will be heading toward Gladia's apartment at once."
The two robots stepped outside in the hallway to wait.
Giskard said, "He is very happy."
"So it would seem, friend Giskard," said Daneel, "but I fear the easy part is over for us. We have easily arranged to have Madam Gladia grant us leave to move about
on our own. We have then, with some difficulty, persuaded the captain to make it possible for us to see the Undersecretary. With her, however, it may be that we will come to a dead end."
87.
The driver took one look at Giskard and his courage seemed to fail him. "Listen," he said to Daneel, "I was told I'd be paid double to take a robot, but robots aren't allowed in the City and I could get in plenty of trouble. Money isn't going go help me if I lose my license. Can't I just take you, mister?"
Daneel said, "I am a robot, too, sir. We are now in the City and that is not your fault. We are trying to get out of the City and you will be helping us. We are going to a high government official who, I hope, will arrange that and it is your civic duty to help us. If you refuse to take us, driver, you will be acting to keep robots in the City and that may be considered to be against the law."
The driver's face smoothed. He opened the door and said gruffly, "Get in!" However, he carefully closed the thick translucent partition that blocked him off from his passengers.
Daneel said quietly, "Was much required, friend Giskard?"
Very little, friend Daneel. Your statement did most of the necessary work. It is astonishing that a collection of statements that are individually true can be used, in combination, to yield an effect that the truth should not."
"I have observed this often in human conversation, friend Giskard, even in that of normally truthful human beings. I suspect that the practice is justified in the minds of such people as serving a higher purpose."
"The Zeroth Law, you mean."
"Or the equivalent—if the human mind has such an equivalent. —Friend Giskard, you said a short while ago that I will have your powers, possibly soon. Are you preparing me for that purpose?"
"I am, friend Daneel."
"Why? May I ask that?"
"The Zeroth Law again. The passing episode of shakiness on my feet told me how vulnerable I was to the attempted use of the Zeroth Law. Before this day is over, I may have to act on the Zeroth Law to save the world and humanity and I may not be able to. In that case, you must be in position to do the job. I am preparing you, bit by bit, so that, at the desired moment, I can give you the final instructions and have it all fall into place."
"I do not see how that can be, friend Giskard."
"You will have no trouble in understanding when the time comes. I used the technique in a very small way on robots I sent to Earth in the early days before they were outlawed from the Cities and it was they who helped adjust Earth leaders to the point of approving the decision to send out Settlers."
The driver, whose darter was not on wheels but remained a centimeter or so above the ground at all times, had moved along special corridors reserved for such vehicles and had done so speedily enough to justify the name of the vehicle. He now emerged into an ordinary City corridor, which was paralleled on the moderately distant left by an Expressway. The darter, moving now much more slowly, made a left turn, swooped under the Expressway, came out on the other side, and then, a curving half-mile later, stopped before an ornate building front.
The darter door opened automatically. Daneel emerged first, waited for Giskard to follow, then handed to the driver a piece of foil he had received from D.G. The driver looked at it narrowly, then the doors closed sharply and he left speedily without a word.
88.
There was a pause before the door opened in response to their signal and Daneel assumed they were being scanned. When it did open, a young woman led them gingerly into the vitals of the building. She avoided looking at Giskard, but she showed rather more than a mild curiosity in Daneel.
They found Undersecretary Quintana behind a large desk. She smiled and said, with gaiety that seemed somewhat forced, "Two robots, unescorted by human beings. Am I safe?"
"Entirely, Madam Quintana," said Daneel gravely. "It is as unusual for us to see a human being unaccompanied by robots.
"I assure you," said Quintana, "I have my robots. I call them underlings and one of them escorted you here. I am amazed that she didn't faint at the sight of Giskard. I think she might have if she hadn't been warned and if you yourself weren't so extraordinarily interesting in appearance, Daneel. But never mind that. Captain Baley was so enormously pressing in his desire that I see you and my interest in maintaining comfortable relations with an important Settler world was such that I have agreed to the interview. However, my day remains busy even so and I will be grateful if we can dispose of this quickly. —What can I do for you?"
"Madam Quintana—" began Daneel.
"One moment. Do you sit? I saw you sitting last night, you know."
"We can sit, but it is just as comfortable for us to stand. We do not mind."
"But I do. It would not be comfortable for me to stand—and if I sit, I will get a stiff neck looking up at you. Please pull up chairs and sit down. Thank you. —Now, Daneel, what is this all about?"
"Madam Quintana," said Daneel, "you remember, I imagine, the incident of the blaster fired at the balcony last night after the banquet."
"I certainly do. What's more, I know it was a humanoid robot who held the blaster, even though we are not admitting that officially. Yet here I sit with two robots on the other side of the desk and have no protection. And one of you is humanoid too."
"I have no blaster, madam," said Daneel, smiling.
"I trust not. —That other humanoid robot did not look at all like you, Daneel. You're rather a work of art, do you know that?"
"I am complexly programmed, madam."
"I mean, your appearance. But what about the blasting incident?"
"Madam, that robot has a base somewhere on Earth and I must know where it is. I have come from Aurora in order to find that base and prevent such incidents as may disturb the peace between our worlds. I have reason to believe—"
"You have come? Not the captain? Not Madam Gladia?"
"We, madam," said Daneel. "Giskard and I. I am in no position to tell you the whole story of how we came to have undertaken the task and there is no way in which I can tell you the name of the human being under whose instructions we work."
"Well! International espionage! How fascinating. What a pity I can't help you, but I don't know where the robot came from. I haven't any idea at all where his base might be. I don't even know why you have come to me for such information, as a matter of fact. I should have gone to the Department of Security had I been you, Daneel." She leaned toward him. "Do you have real skin on your face, Daneel? It's an extraordinary imitation if it isn't." She reached toward him and her hand rested delicately on his cheek. "It even feels right."
"Nevertheless, madam, it is not real skin. It does not heal of its own accord—if cut. On the other hand, a tear can easily be welded closed or a patch can even be replaced."
"Ugh," said Quintana, with a wrinkle of her nose. "But our business is over, for I can't help you as far as that blaster user is concerned. I know nothing."
Daneel said, "Madam, let me explain further. This robot may be part of a group that is interested in the early energy producing process you described last night—fission. Assume this is so, that there are those interested in fission and in the content of uranium and thorium in the crust. What might be a convenient place for them to use as a base?"
"An old uranium mine, perhaps? I don't even know where one might be located. You must understand, Daneel, that Earth has an almost superstitious aversion to anything nuclear—fission, in particular. You'll find almost nothing about fission in our popular works on energy and only bare essentials in technical products for experts. Even I know very little, but then I'm an administrator, not, a scientist."
Daneel said, "One more item, then, madam. We questioned the would-be assassin, as to the location of his base and did so most strenuously. He, was programmed to undergo permanent inactivation, a total freezing of his brain paths, in such a case—and he did inactivate. Before doing so, however, in his final struggle between answering and inactivation, he opened his mouth th
ree times as though—possibly—to say three syllables, or three words, or three groups of words, of any combination of these. The second syllable, or word, or mere sound was 'mile.' Does this mean anything to you as having anything at all to do with fission?"
Slowly Quintana shook her head. "No. I can't say it does. It's certainly not a word you'll find in a dictionary of Standard Galactic. I'm sorry, Daneel. It's pleasant meeting you again, but I have a desk full of trivia to work through. You'll excuse me."
Daneel said, as though he hadn't heard her, "I was told, madam, that 'mile' might be an archaic expression that refers to some ancient unit of length, one that is possibly longer than a kilometer."
"That sounds totally irrelevant," said Quintana, "even if true. What would a robot from Aurora know about archaic expressions and ancient—" She stopped abruptly. Her eyes widened and her face lost color.
She said, "Is it possible?"
"Is what possible, madam?" asked Daneel.
"There is a place," said Quintana, half-lost in thought, "that is avoided by everyone—Earthpeople and Earth robots alike. If I wanted to be dramatic, I would say it was a place of ill omen. It is so ill-omened that is has been all but wiped out of conscious existence. It is not even included in maps. It is the quintessence of all that fission means. I remember coming across it in a very old reference film in my early days on this job. It was talked about constantly then as the site of an 'incident' that forever turned the minds of Earthpeople against fission as an energy source. The place is called Three Mile Island."
Daneel said, "An isolated place, then, absolutely isolated and free from any possible intrusion; the sort of place one would surely come across when working one's way through ancient reference material on fission and would then recognize at once as an ideal base where absolute secrecy was required; and with a three-word name of which 'mile' is the second word. That must be, the place, madam. —Could you tell us how to get there and could you arrange some way of allowing us to leave the City and be taken to Three Mile Island or its nearest possible vicinity?"
