Asimov's Future History Volume 3

by Isaac Asimov

  Once he had been put back together, the Oversight Committee would investigate why the other Governors had shut down and why MC Governor had divided and fled.

  Hunter had reported to the Governor Robot Oversight Committee on his progress after each mission.

  However, he felt that the existence of time travel held incalculable potential harm for all humans. For that reason, he had kept it a secret from all except the humans and robots whose help he required.

  Certainly if the scientists on the Oversight committee learned of the time travel, it would never remain a secret. The discovery would be too valuable for a committee of scientists to ignore. Wayne Nystrom had discovered MC Governor’s development of time travel on his own, before Hunter had learned of it.

  Hunter could not do anything about that.

  “Hunter, city computer calling. The Governor Robot Oversight Committee is ready for your conference call.”

  “Thank you. Please connect me.”

  As before, the faces of the four committee members appeared on Hunter’s internal video screen in split portrait shots from their various locations. Everyone exchanged greetings. Then Hunter began his report.

  “The first five component robots are in custody and merged,” said Hunter.

  “That’s great,” said Dr. Redfield, the tall blonde. “I suppose this has been an easy assignment for you.

  You began less than two weeks ago.”

  “I must repeat once again that past success does not predict the difficulty of the final mission,” said Hunter. “As always, I cannot promise that the remainder of my work will be completed within a similar period of time.”

  “Where did this mission take place?” Dr. Chin asked. “Previously, you have reported quite a wide range of locations around the world.”

  “In northern China,” said Hunter. “On the border of Mongolia.” He remained deliberately vague in his reports. So far, his reserve had forestalled persistent questioning from the committee members.

  “Northern China.” Professor Post nodded, idly stroking his black beard for a moment. “Well, that’s interesting. Do you have a lead on MC 6?”

  “I must investigate the British Isles,” said Hunter. “This is preliminary information.”

  “Which one?” Dr. Chin asked.

  “I shall begin in England. On previous missions, a certain amount of travel has been involved.”

  “Wait a minute,” said Dr. Chin. “Haven’t you heard about the big explosion? Won’t that interfere with your search?”

  “I will take it into account as I make my plans,” said Hunter.

  “Do you think MC 6 may have been destroyed in the explosion?” Professor Post asked calmly.

  “It is an inescapable consideration,” said Hunter. “However, I can only proceed and find what i may.”

  “I am not surprised,” said Dr. Khanna, in his Hindi accent. “However, your work has been completed very quickly to date. We are all impressed.”

  “I must repeat that I can make no guarantee of my schedule to come,” said Hunter.

  “Yes, I heard you the first time,” said Dr. Khanna, with a trace of annoyance in his tone. “You repeat that warning in every report. However, you continue to complete each mission in the same length of time.

  What would make this final mission any different?”

  “The explosion, and its after-effects,” said Dr. Redfield. “He may have a harder time now.”

  “My original point remains valid,” said Hunter. “I have no prediction about the challenges that my team will face. Anything can happen.” Hunter realized that he had made a mistake. Before, he had never told the committee members that he was going to an area where a nuclear explosion had occurred.

  “We note your caution,” said Dr. Chin. “And as always, we wish you good luck.”

  “That will be fine, Hunter,” said Dr. Redfield. “I suggest we allow you to get to work.”

  “Thank you,” said Hunter. “I am ready to begin. Do you have any final questions?”

  No one did.

  “Good luck,” said Dr. Chin.

  “Thank you. Good-bye.” Hunter broke the connection and turned to Steve, speaking aloud. “Report completed.”

  “Good!” Steve glanced impatiently at the closed door of the office. “So where’s our historian?”

  “I expect her at any time.”

  “All right, all right. What do we do in the meantime? Do we know what MC 6’s specialty was, within MC Governor’s responsibilities? Jane always seemed to think that was important.”

  “I have that information,” said Hunter. “The data the committee originally gave me about MC Governor provides the original divisions of expertise among the gestalt robots. Since Jane correctly identified the specialties of the first five component robots, I know by process of elimination that MC 6 is the portion of MC Governor that specialized in maintaining social stability among humans.”

  “Yeah? What does that mean, exactly?”

  “In Mojave Center, that meant keeping track of various human needs, not only for survival and protection from harm, but for emotional satisfaction: leisure pursuits, choices of education and career, and career organization to encourage challenges and accomplishments.”

  “Okay. But Jane also used to guess that a component robot’s choice of where to hide related to his specialty in Mojave Center.”

  “Yes, I remember. Using the same sort of logic Jane expressed prior to earlier missions, I surmise that MC 6 therefore deliberately fled with the question of social instability in mind. However, England is an unusual case; since 1066, it has had a relatively high degree of stability for an Old World nation, despite some occasional turbulence. However, I calculate that MC 6 will return to his full human size from miniaturization in the late fifth century, in a time of extreme social turmoil and political instability. Since he did not plan that, the timing is ironic, to say the least.”

  Steve started to answer. When he heard footsteps approaching the office, he stopped and glanced at Hunter, who nodded. Steve opened the door.

  “Oh — you startled me.” Harriet smiled and came in as Steve stepped back. She was tall and slender, about forty years old, with short, wavy brown hair.

  Hunter introduced them. “Harriet specializes in late Roman and post-Roman Britain.”

  “I love the period,” Harriet said cheerfully. “And I’ve had my dinner and my vaccinations, as you instructed. What comes next?”

  “Have you both successfully taken your sleep courses in ancient British and Latin?” Hunter asked.

  “Yes,” said Harriet. “I was familiar with both languages, but the course will help me speak them.”

  “I took the British, too,” said Steve. “And I updated the Latin from our third mission because Hunter said it had changed some in the centuries that had passed. But what is this British language, anyhow? Did it turn into English later?”

  “Not really,” said Harriet. “It’s the language that was spoken in Britain before the Romans arrived, and it coexisted with Latin during their occupation. It later evolved into Welsh, Cornish, and Breton. But what we call English was based originally on Anglo-Saxon and Norman French.”

  “But we’ll still need the Latin this time, too?” Steve asked.

  “We’ll find a lot of Latin in the time we’re visiting,” said Harriet. “But it doesn’t stay for many more years. Except for some monasteries and place names, Latin disappears and then reenters English again much later.”

  “Oh. Shows what I know about it.” Steve turned to Hunter. “Have you told Harriet about Wayne and Ishihara? How they’re trying to beat us to MC 6 and why?”

  “Yes, he has,” said Harriet. “He also told me that they kidnapped your friend Jane on your last mission.

  I’m sure you’re worried about her.”

  “Well, yeah. That’s true.” Steve looked at Hunter. “Can we go yet?”

  “We will go to the Bohung Institute. The Security vehicle is waiting out
side.”

  “Good.”

  Hunter drove them through the calm, clean streets of the underground city. Steve sat next to Harriet, too tense to speak. The electric motor of the vehicle hummed softly as they drove by humans and robots on their daily routines who were unaware that the secret of time travel, with all its potential danger to change history, lay in their midst.

  Before the first mission, Hunter had closed the Bohung Institute. He had arranged for a detail of Security robots to guard it. They allowed his team inside, of course, and they walked to Room F-12.

  2

  STEVE LOOKED AROUND the familiar room. Room F-12 was a large facility that housed an opaque sphere about fifteen meters in diameter. With its console, the sphere could both miniaturize humans and robots to microscopic size and also send them back through time, in either normal or microscopic condition.

  Countertops lined the rest of the room, filled with computers, monitors, a communication console, and miscellaneous office equipment.

  Hunter introduced Harriet to R. Daladier, a robot he had left in the room to apprehend Wayne Nystrom and Ishihara if they returned unexpectedly.

  Steve waited anxiously, knowing the team would have to discuss the mission further and change clothes before Hunter would actually take them back in time.

  “I arranged to have period costumes made for us earlier today,” said Hunter. He pointed to four neatly folded stacks of clothing on one counter. Four sets of leather boots stood next to them. “Please check them for authenticity. No synthetics have been used.”

  “I see four outfits,” said Steve. “We only have three of us this time.”

  “We will take a full costume for Jane,” said Hunter. “I expect to find her, but she may need period clothing. She left China in the time of Kublai Khan wearing a robe and trousers from that culture.”

  “Right.”

  Harriet lifted a long, brown tunic and shook it out. “Tunics for you two. Wool, of course; that’s right. A rope belt. Loosely cut, longer than kneelength. It looks fine.” She lifted another. “This white undertunic is made of cotton. It was expensive in ancient Britain. A sign of prosperity. And I see the shift I will wear under my wool gown is also made of cotton.”

  “Underclothing of cotton will be fur more comfortable for you two than wool, fur, or any other acceptable choice,” said Hunter. “I believe the comfort will increase your efficiency. Besides, suggesting a hint of prosperity can be part of the roles we will play.”

  “As you decide.” Harriet lifted her gown, also of brown wool. “Full-length, loose, and blousy … long sleeves. Yes, this will be fine, too.”

  “What about the boots?” Steve asked.

  Harriet picked up one of them. “About these roles, Hunter. What are they?”

  “From the historical data I have taken from the city library, I suggest that I play the role of a horse trader from Gaul. You two will masquerade as my wife and servant. Unless you find a flaw in this plan, I would like to say that I wish to move away from the crumbling, unstable Roman Empire in Gaul and raise my horse herds in Britain.”

  “Go on.” She put down the first boot and studied another one.

  “I learned that southern England in this time has ideal horse-grazing land and that Artorius, the man upon whom the legend of King Arthur was based, led a troop of cavalry. He would have to be concerned about a reliable source of mounts for his men.”

  “Hold it,” said Steve, grinning in spite of his eagerness to get on their way. “We aren’t taking any horses with us. You can’t horse-trade without them.”

  “I propose to say that I am looking for land in Britain before bringing my herd over the Channel,” said Hunter. “Would this sound reasonable?”

  “The boots are acceptable, too.” Harriet paused thoughtfully as she put the last boot down. “Yes, your story will be plausible, though you could improve on it. However, bringing something to trade would be more convincing. You could be an ironworker, a trader in silver, a soldier … the list of possibilities is very long.”

  “I chose the role after due consideration,” said Hunter. “I must playa role that will carry some prestige without having to take material objects into the past. We must take some coins and our clothing, but every item we take increases the chance of influencing history in a way we do not intend and cannot predict. The role of soldier might put Steve into greater danger than I would prefer.”

  “Ah — you’re a believer in chaos theory as applied to the events of history.” She smiled, amused.

  “I no longer believe in the most pure and extreme form of chaos theory,” said Hunter. “My team has made five missions into the past without altering our own time in any way that I can detect.”

  “Good. Then you’re coming around to my way of thinking about this.”

  “Not entirely,” said Hunter. “I tell each historian I hire that I do not know where the threshold of significant change lies. If I can go into the past as a horse trader so that we do not have to take any merchandise with us, then we take the least risk.”

  “I do not believe in it at all,” said Harriet, casually. “But you’re the boss. I accept your priorities.”

  “I still say a horse trader would take horses with him,” said Steve. “Even just one stallion to show off.

  The people we see are going to expect that.”

  “We can claim we brought a couple of horses that were lost in a storm as we sailed across the Channel,”

  said Harriet. “That was not unheard-of in these times.”

  “Am I correct in concluding that Artorius must value the source of his mounts?” Hunter asked.

  “Oh, yes. The single greatest advantage the Britons have over the Saxons is their training in Roman cavalry strategy and tactics. You see, the Saxons in this time are unmounted but numerous. Artorius had to keep his men supplied with good, healthy horses.”

  “Good,” said Hunter. He pointed to three cloth pouches on the counter. “We also have a small pouch of coins from this period for each of us to carry.”

  “Late Roman coins?” She pulled one open and drew out one of the coins. “Since we will claim to have come from Gaul, that would be our currency. Britain primarily still uses the same, but some native coins had to be minted, too.”

  “Our coins are all late Roman. Also, we have a small bag for Steve to carry. It contains a change of underclothing for each of you and some bread, cheese, and dried meat. I do not know how long it will take us to find food for you.”

  “It shouldn’t be too hard,” said Harriet. “Southern England remained heavily Romanized culturally and densely populated for many years after the Romans left Britain on its own.”

  Steve picked up the bag and looked inside. “Okay. I’ll put Jane’s clothes and boots in here.”

  “I will prepare the console. Please take turns changing your clothes in the next room.”

  Steve waited while Harriet changed first. Hunter walked to the console that controlled the sphere and altered the settings. Steve began to pace again.

  “Are you taking us back at night again?” Steve asked, glancing up at Hunter. “Since we’re leaving in the evening?”

  “I feel this works best,” said Hunter. “We arrive in near-darkness to avoid notice.”

  “I’d rather go back in daylight so we can start looking for Jane right away.”

  “You will be ready to sleep in several more hours,” said Hunter. “If we go back at a time that conflicts with your own sleep schedule, then you and Harriet will be inefficient. Matching your schedule to arrive in daylight would now require waiting until tomorrow morning to leave.”

  “Well — forget it, then. Let’s just go.”

  Harriet returned from the other room, wearing her long gown and leather boots. “How do I look?”

  “Very authentic,” said Hunter.

  Harriet laughed lightly. “I don’t think that’s what I was asking, but thanks, anyway.”

  Steve grinned but said nothing as h
e went to change in the adjoining room. He emerged wearing the long tunics and boots, which felt similar to the tunic he had worn to ancient Germany in Roman times.

  “The console is ready,” said Hunter. “Harriet, you should know that I have the belt unit that will trigger it, even from the time to which we are going. After we arrive, I will carry it in a hollow space within my torso.”

  “All right.” Harriet nodded, tugging at her gown to straighten it over her rope belt. “Hunter, when we first discussed the mission, you told me we would visit the site of the archaeological dig now known as Cadbury Castle in the time of Artorius. How about telling us now exactly when in time our destination is?”

  “And tell me where Cadbury Castle is,” Steve added. “I’m still in the dark.”

  “Cadbury Castle lies in Somerset, in central southern England,” said Hunter. “The modern town of South Cadbury lies immediately to the north. Farther north, but within sight, is the city of Glastonbury. We will arrive on the evening of April 21, in A.D. 459.”

  Steve grinned. “I still don’t know where we’re going, except that we’ll be in England.”

  “It won’t be the England most people think of,” said Harriet “The Roman Empire left Britain to fend for itself against invading barbarians in A.D. 410. The same Celtic tribes who lived there before the Romans arrived still remained, but now they had a strong Roman cultural and military influence. By A.D. 459, when we’ll arrive, the Britons will have been resisting the Saxons who had invaded and settled along the Humber and Wash rivers in southeastern Britain for half a century. The failing Roman Empire still just barely exists across the English Channel in Gaul.”

  “I think I got the gist of that.” Steve shrugged, still grinning.

  “I’m sure we’ll all manage just fine.”

  Hunter opened the sphere. He helped Harriet climb inside first. By this time, the routine was familiar to Steve; as always, he slid down the curved interior surface to the bottom, where Harriet already sat.