Part 16 (2/2)
”Finally. All right. Just before he gets here, I'll throw myself on the ground and you jump on me.” He smiled wryly. ”Not too hard, okay? I'm half dead already.”
”Derec, don't talk that way-” Ariel began.
”Hey-wait a minute,” said Jeff. ”I know that robot. It's...what did I name him? Oh, yeah. Hey, Can Head!” Jeff stepped out in front of the robot.
The robot stopped suddenly, looking at him in some surprise. ”Are you addressing me?”
”Identify yourself,” said Jeff.
”I am Energy Pack Maintenance Foreman 3928,” said the robot. ”I am following migration programming. Please allow me to pa.s.s.”
”That sounds right. I'm sure it's you.” Jeff nodded, studying the robot's eyeslit and general shape.
”Jeff, what are you doing?” Derec asked.
”I knew this character,” said Jeff. ”I even gave him a second name. He was very cooperative.”
”They've all been reprogrammed,” Ariel said urgently. ”We're sure of it, remember? He won't retain anything from when you were here before. Let's get on with it.”
”C'mon, pal, remember?” Jeff grinned. ”You will also answer to Can Head, won't you?”
”Yes. I also answer to Can Head.”
Ariel laughed in surprise, stifling it with a hand over her mouth.
”There!” Jeff grinned at her and Derec.
Derec shrugged at Ariel.
”I'm the human who was in a robot body before,” said Jeff to Can Head. ”I gave you that name and now I have further instructions. First, don't contact the central computer with any of this. Got it?” He winked down at Derec. ”I used to say that on my last trip here, too.”
”Understood,” said Can Head.
”Do you remember me?” Jeff asked.
”No.”
”You don't?” Jeff started. ”Then why do you still answer to Can Head?”
”I've got it,” said Derec. ”All the robots of Robot City were reprogrammed through the central core, but their ident.i.ties and designations were not changed. That would be counterproductive for Avery because the central computer still has to be able to contact and recognize all the different robots.”
”I guess,” said Jeff. ”I'm disappointed. I thought I had an old friend, here.”
”That's nothing,” said Derec. ”You should have seen the greeting we got from Euler, an old friend of ours. He's the one who sent the Hunters after us.”
”Anyhow, he's being cooperative,” said Jeff. ”Maybe we don't need our scenario.” He turned to Can Head. ”We must show you something. However, before we do, we request your help-no, we require your help under the First Law.”
”How may I help?” Can Head asked.
”This human is Derec and he is extremely ill. We-”
”He looks it,” said Can Head.
”A comedian,” Derec muttered.
”We need you to carry him for us for a while,” said Jeff.
”Why?”
”We...are being followed by those who would do further harm,” said Ariel, speaking slowly to get the right phrases.
”Exactly,” said Derec.
”Who are they?” Can Head asked.
”We can't say,” said Jeff. ”But it doesn't matter, does it? Harm is harm under the First Law.”
”I am under high-priority programming to migrate,” said Can Head. ”To violate it, I must understand the urgency of the potential harm.”
”Hold it,” said Derec. ”Let's combine the two. Look-you see where the ground dips over there?”
”Yes.”
”An inactive humanoid robot is lying there. After you take us to safety, we want you to report it to the central computer, but not before. You understand?”
”So far,” said Can Head.
”Before you do that, carry me and lead them on an evasive pattern toward your a.s.sembly point. That will combine your programming with our needs under the First Law. Can you do that?”
”My programming requires that I migrate directly,” said Can Head. He turned to look at the dip in the ground. ”A humanoid robot has malfunctioned here?”
”Sort of,” said Derec. ”It's more like he was mugged.”
”Mugged? In the sense of criminal violence?”
”That's what I mean, yeah.”
Can Head turned his eyeslit directly down at Derec. ”Is this development directly related to the danger you are in?”
”Uh-yes! It is directly related,” said Derec. ”But we don't need to discuss how. Will you help us or not?”
”I believe this is sufficient reason to take you on an evasive pattern toward my a.s.sembly point.” Can Head leaned down and picked up Derec with surprising gentleness, even for a robot. ”Follow me,” he said to Jeff and Ariel.
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