Isaac Asimov's Robot City -Cyborg by Isaac; Kube-Mcdowell Michael P.; Wu William F.; McQuay Mike; Cover Arthur Byron Asimov

Author:Isaac; Kube-Mcdowell, Michael P.; Wu, William F.; McQuay, Mike; Cover, Arthur Byron Asimov
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Ace
Published: 1987-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

BACON

Derec ran his hand through the bristly hair on the side of his head and stared morosely into the screen. Maybe he was just too worn out to concentrate any more. He hoped that was the problem. If not, then the reason he couldn’t think of anything else to try with the computer was that he had already tried everything. He straightened in surprise when Ariel burst into their quarters.

“How did it go?” He looked up hopefully.

“I got us some help for a change,” she said brightly. “As soon as I run to the personal, I’ll tell you about it.”

He felt a kind of disappointment that he didn’t have any good news to report, but waited patiently until she had returned.

“You got us some help? Who is it? How’d you manage that?” He tried to cover his envy.

“I was talking to one of the robots, and the argument just came to me. I told a couple of them that there were humans lost in Robot City who were starving. That gave them a First Law imperative to help.” She fell into her chair with a sigh. “I’ve been on my feet enough for one day. But at least I accomplished something out there.”

“Good job,” he conceded. He sat back from the console, glad for an excuse to quit for a while. “But what about their regular duties? Didn’t they resist leaving them?”

“I just told them to continue their duties, and to keep an eye out for the human visitors while they did. Oh, and for them to pass the word on to other robots, of course.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. That way they don’t feel a conflict between their duties and a rather vague First Law obligation.”

“Did you tell them to report to the central computer?”

“Of course. But, uh....” She inclined her head toward his console with a pointed smile. “As I recall, your department hasn’t been exactly on top of everything.”

“Yeah, I know. Whether it gets on record where I can find it is an open question.” Derec acknowledged the point with an embarrassed shrug. “At least it improves our chances.”

“Anyway, I wanted to tell you about the new First Law argument right away. With the robots helping us search, we don’t have to do the legwork any more. Have you gotten anywhere?”

“Yeah—well, no, not really.” He sighed and looked wearily at the screen. “I’ve eliminated a number of areas as having no source of food. As near as I can tell, the only place to find edible plants and other plants with processible content is the reservoir area. They haven’t been sighted anywhere in that direction at all.”

“Maybe we should go out that way ourselves, and give this First Law argument to the robots working there, just in case.”

“I guess it couldn’t hurt. At the moment, I’m too tired to plan strategy.”

“We can do some more planning tomorrow. What else have you figured out? Or is that it?”

“No, that isn’t it,” he growled. “I’m sure now that

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