Asimov - The Great SF Stories 07 - 1945 by Isaac (Asimov)

Author:Isaac (Asimov)
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-09-25T00:00:00+00:00

But not for long! As a single gasp broke from her, one of his arms lifted her aside, while the other snapped out to pinch the fanged head completely off the body. His voice was gently reproving as he put her down. “You shouldn’t have fled to the serpent, Eve!”

‘To-Ugh! But-

struck!” The taut whiteness of fear was fading from her face, replaced by defiance and doubt “Killed you?”

“You’re a robot! Dan!” Her words cut off as a brawny figure emerged from the underbrush, an ax in one hand and a magnificent dog at his heels. “Dan, he saved me … but he’s a robot!”

“I saw, Syl. Steady! Edge this way, if you can. Good! They sometimes get passive streaks, I’ve heard. Shep!”

The dog’s thick growl answered, but his eyes remained glued to the robot. “Yeah, Dan?”

“Get the people; just yell robot and hike back. O.K., scram! You… what do you want?”

SA-IO grunted harshly, hunching his shoulders. “Things that don’t exist! Companionship and a chance to see my strength and the science I know. Maybe I’m not supposed to have such things, but that’s what I wanted!”

“Hm-m-m. There are fairy stories about friendly robots hidden somewhere to help us, at that. We could use help. What’s your name, and where from?”

Bitterness crept into the robot’s voice as he pointed up river. “From the sunward side. So far, I’ve only found who I’m not!”

“So? Meant to get up there myself when the colony got settled.” Dan paused, eyeing the metal figure speculatively. “We lost our books in the hell-years, mostly, and the survivors weren’t exactly technicians. So while we do all right with animals, agriculture, medicine and such, we’re pretty primitive otherwise. If you really do know the sciences, why not stick around?”

The robot had seen too many hopes shattered like his clay man to believe wholly in this promise of purpose and companionship, but his voice caught as he answered. “You . . • want me?”

“Why not? You’re a storehouse of knowledge, Say-Ten, and we-”

“Satan?”

“Your name; there on your chest.” Dan pointed with his left hand, his body suddenly tense. “See? Right there!”

And now, as SA-IO craned his neck, the foul letters were visible, high on his chest! Ess, aye—

His first warning was the ax that crashed against his chest, to rock him back on his heels, and come driving down again, powered by muscles that seemed almost equal to his own. It struck again, and something snapped inside him. All the strength vanished, and he collapsed to the ground with a jarring crash, knocking his eyelids closed. Then he lay there, unable even to open them.

He did not try, but lay waiting almost eagerly for the final blows that would finish him. Satan, the storehouse of knowledge, the tempter of men—the one person he had learned to hate! He’d come all this way to find a name and a purpose; now he had them! -No Wonder God had locked him away in a cave to keep him from men.

“Dead! That little fairy story threw him off guard.

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