Robot City - Perihelion Part 4

"What is my duty?" Mandelbrot asked again.

"I have been changing the procedure since learning you would join me," said Tamserole. "Until now, I have been programming the local memory of the central computer terminal in this console to make the judgements I have previously made myself. I will now leave you here to familiarize yourself with what I have done. Improve on it if you can."

"What is your new duty?"

"I located areas in the power system that can be streamlined. I have already instructed function robots a.s.signed to this station to meet me at certain areas of the city. I will supervise their improvements and attempt to identify other potential ones on the spot."

"Very well." Mandelbrot moved to the console and began studying the various readouts.Wolruf followed him un.o.btrusively.

Tamserole left the station without further discussion.

Mandelbrot first looked quickly through the information that told him the range and system that the station governed. As he had surmised, this was a backup facility that only went on line when and if the main power system failed. Once he had learned some basic information about his new duty, he ignored his work in order to call up the central computer through the console.

Questions posed through the console would initially be interpreted by the central computer as normal activity at the power station. If they aroused enough suspicion, of course, the central computer would realize that they were irrelevant to station duty and might be coming from the same humanoid robot who could not explain his recent past. Mandelbrot could not, however, pa.s.s up this opportunity.

Since the central computer had already refused to admit that Dr. Avery was on the planet, he would have to begin with indirect approaches. At least he had more information to work with than he had had in Avery's office.

"What is migration programming?" He asked.

"PROGRAMMING THAT INSTRUCTS EACH HUMANOID ROBOT TO REPORT TO ITS a.s.sIGNED a.s.sEMBLY POINT.".

"What is the purpose of this programming?"

"TO INSURE THAT EACH ROBOT ARRIVES ON SCHEDULE AT ITS a.s.sIGNED a.s.sEMBLY POINT.".

That was no help.

"What is the purpose of the a.s.sembly point?"

"IT IS A RENDEZVOUS SITE FOR MIGRATING ROBOTS.".

"What will the robots do at their a.s.sembly points?"

"THEY WILL FOLLOW THEIR PROGRAMMING.".

"What will their programming be at that time?"

"IT WILL VARY WITH EACH ROBOT.".

Mandelbrot was about to ask for an example when the computer returned with its own question.

"WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR QUESTIONS?".

Mandelbrot considered aborting the dialogue, but did not want to raise any further questions about his behavior. He answered cautiously. "To learn why robots are migrating and what they will do at the a.s.sembly points."

"YOUR MIGRATION PROGRAMMING IS SUFFICIENT INFORMATION FOR YOU AT THIS TIME.".

Mandelbrot did not dare reveal that he had not received such programming. If the city realized that, it would almost certainly try to program him. He might lose his independence in that event, and become an integral part of the city matrix. He looked down at Wolruf, who was waiting patiently.

"I will fulfill my duties here for a time and try to gather more information," said Mandelbrot. "Do you feel safe in moving around on your own?"

"Yess," said Wolruf. "Will walk around. Come back herr to meet u'. Okay?"

Mandelbrot considered the central computer. If he inadvertently alerted it in some way and triggered an investigation, he would not want to remain here. "I prefer a neutral site. Can you get back to that tunnel stop we used to get here?"

"Yess," Wolruf hissed with her version of a grin. She obviously thought it a silly question. " 'U say when."

Derec was lying on the couch with his eyes closed, tossing fitfully. He had eaten as much as he wanted, though he had had to force down enough to const.i.tute even a small meal. Before, he had felt too weak to sit up; now, he was too restless to relax.

"Turn over," Ariel said gently.

"Huh?" Derec started to look up at her, but he felt her hands slide under his shoulders and push him carefully onto his other side.

"Lie face down," she said.

He welcomed the chance to follow directions instead of make decisions. When he tried to push himself to roll over all the way, though, his hands kept slipping on the fabric. Both his arms flailed weakly, accomplis.h.i.+ng nothing. Finally, her slender fingers groped under his arms for a moment and gripped him just enough to help him onto his front.

Derec let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. Her fingertips began ma.s.saging the muscles of his upper back. Instantly, the tension began to break a little at a time.

As he relaxed, he concentrated more on the relief in his muscles that her ma.s.saging brought about. He could feel tiny vibrations each time she pushed, as though very slight kinks were snapping. It was like loosening any ordinary adhesion that might build up, such as a crick in one's back, only they were very small.

"Is this helping?" She asked.

"Yes," he whispered, not wanting to put out the energy to speak aloud. "It's wonderful."

She gradually worked her way downward. He could feel her breaking these kinks all the while. As more of his muscles were freed of them, he was able to relax a little more, and he became drowsy.

She continued for a time without speaking.

"You really feel bad?" Ariel spoke softly after a while. "I mean, you haven't been awake that long."

"Sleepy," he whispered faintly. Her fingertips were a persistent, rhythmic source of pleasure. They moved back up to his shoulder muscles again and broke more of the adhesions.

He stopped relaxing. After a moment, he noticed it himself. As he started to wake up again, he opened his eyes, wondering what had happened.

"Feeling better?" She asked cheerfully.

"No. Not exactly."

"What is it? Should I stop?"

"Could you-I mean, would you mind doing my upper back again? Right away?"

"Sure." She returned her hands to the area where she had started, and where she had just kneaded a second time already.

"Thanks." Derec paid close attention this time. The same kinks were loosened as before. He felt the same vibrations, the little snappings that relieved him of tension in the muscle.

Only those kinks had returned almost instantly. Not as many were back, at least not yet. He felt fewer this time than either time before. Still, the pattern was clear. The ma.s.sages would have to be constant to do him any good.

"Is that better?"

"Uh-it's fine. Look, I don't want you to tire yourself out. Thank you. It does help." That was true, but he couldn't have her do so much work indefinitely for relief that lasted only a matter of seconds, or perhaps a few minutes.

"I'm glad." Ariel quit, but remained sitting next to him, flexing her fingers.

"Could you help me turn over?"

"Of course."

Again, his arms were weak and rubbery when he tried to push himself onto one side. She took his shoulders and brought him around in a kind of twist, where his pelvis and legs lay p.r.o.ne, but his upper body lay on one side. Then she moved to his legs and, with considerable effort, pulled him entirely onto his side.

"There." She let out a breath and smiled.

He looked up to study her face. His secret hadn't lasted very long. He was clearly in serious trouble and worsening rapidly.

"Derec? What is it?"

"I don't see how I'm going to make it."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I'm so tired. And weak. You can see for yourself. Avery could be anywhere on the planet, and I don't think I have much time." Even his tongue was slurring a little.

"You shouldn't talk like that." Her voice was sharp with some of her old spirit. "Mandelbrot can do anything a robot can do, plus some extras. And hasn't Wolruf proven herself many times over?"

"The time," said Derec. His anger flared, giving him energy. "We just don't have much time. Sure, I think we-or they, anyhow-can find Avery sooner or later. But it may be too late for me."

"After everything that's happened to us? You're going to give up now? Come on!"

"Well, what can I do? Just lie here?"

"Maybe we can still think of something. We got away from Aranimas, didn't we? We got out of Rockliffe Station, and we solved the shapechanging and the murder mystery-or I should say, you did...." Her voice trailed off.

He waited a moment, expecting her to continue. When she didn't, he looked up at her.

She was staring at him with horror on her face. Startled, he raised up enough to look himself over, but saw nothing unusual. He pa.s.sed his hand in front of her face but she did not react.

"Ariel," he said firmly.

"It's Derec," she whispered. "He looks just like Derec. It's impossible." Suddenly she turned and leaped off the bed, only to run into the desk almost immediately. Her legs buckled and she thumped hard on the floor, blinking rapidly.

Derec forced himself up on one elbow and reached down to grip her arm. "Ariel. Can you hear me?"

She was looking around the room very slowly. At first she didn't seem to hear him, but then she nodded, almost imperceptibly. "You're up," she said, surprised.

"Not very far."

She reached back with her hand and slapped him across the face hard, leaving his cheek stinging from the blow.

Derec sat up straight, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Are you crazy? What-"

"Look at yourself!"

"Myself? What are you talking about?"

"You're sitting up. Derec, you have to stay alert. I don't know if it's the adrenaline or the fear or the, the...I don 't know what. But when I went into a fugue state again, the emergency started bringing you back to normal."

"And then you hit me...and I sat up." Derec nodded slowly. "I'm hardly back to normal, but I see what you mean."

"Don't give in to it, Derec, You have to fight it."

"All right. I get it. It's like cold when you're in danger of freezing. You have to move around and keep the blood circulating. Something like that." He stood up, and winced at the stiffness in his joints. "I still hurt allover."

Ariel rolled the desk chair into position for him. "Come on. Back to the terminal. The work will keep your mind busy, and maybe we'll think of something useful."

CHAPTER 5.

EULER.

Mandelbrot realized the time had come for him to rendezvous with Wolruf. Since he might still benefit later from acting within the city matrix, he did not want simply to abandon his duty. Tamserole had not returned, so he took the greater risk again of reporting to the central computer.

"This is the Priority 4 Regional Contingency Power Station. I am reporting a leave of duty because my supervisor is not present to receive it."

"WHERE IS YOUR SUPERVISOR?".

"I do not know. He is fulfilling his duty elsewhere."

"WHY ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR DUTY?".

"I have an emergency."

"EXPLAIN IT.".

"I do not have time." Mandelbrot broke the connection, hoping that he would be able to return to duty here later if it would be useful. He did not have an explanation yet. Attempting to create one could wait until it was necessary. Considering the immense size of the central computer and its total data, the oddities of his behavior might still escape the notice of Dr. Avery.

Mandelbrot had spent his relatively brief time at the station actually performing his duty. He had made some progress in creating an autonomous system that would free Tamserole to activate migration programming, but he had not quite finished it. If he had, he might have been able to leave without suspicion. He was not certain.

One problem Mandelbrot faced was that he was intellectually distinctive from the robots of Robot City and at any time might reveal his differences by the questions he asked or the actions he took.