Steve decided Wayne was not seriously injured. He stood up and dropped his shield on the ground. Then he picked up both swords and jogged back to Hunter so that Wayne could not reach the swords by a sudden move. Steve dropped the swords on the ground and tapped Hunter on the arm three times.
“I have turned on my hearing and vision again,” said Hunter. “What has transpired?”
“Good news,” said Steve. “Wayne is lying nearby with a minor headache. MC 6 remains in custody; instruct him to turn on his senses again.”
“I am fully functional again,” MC 6 said almost immediately.
“Listen carefully,” said Steve. “Hunter, explain to him all the First Law imperatives involved in the danger of changing history. Do it fast, by radio again.”
“Done,” said Hunter.
“You agree this is a serious First Law problem?” Steve asked MC 6.
“Yes.”
“Then I instruct you, with that First Law imperative in mind, to help me gather everyone who has come to this time from our own and take them back safely. Acknowledge.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Go see if Wayne Nystrom, over there, needs any first aid. Don’t let him get away, though. Keep him here with us.”
MC 6 jogged over to Wayne.
“Hunter, call Ishihara. If he answers, tell him that Wayne has been slightly hurt and that he and MC 6 are both in our custody. Wayne’s mission has ended, so Ishihara’s First Law imperative now is to bring Jane back to us.”
“Ishihara has responded. I am conveying your mission as I speak to you. He agrees, pending his judgment that we have told the truth.”
“What’s he going to do?”
“He will approach cautiously. Once he sees that we have Wayne and MC 6 with us, he will be convinced.”
Steve could not hear any more sounds from the battle. “Hunter, can you hear the battle? Is it still going on?”
“I hear distant hoofbeats, most of them still scattering away from us. Most of the riders are pursuing their fleeing enemy. A few have regrouped. Artorius clearly won another victory. No one is near except for the footsteps of Ishihara and the hoofbeats of the mule, about ten meters behind you.”
Steve turned and saw Jane riding the mule next to Ishihara. Deciding that Hunter was safe for the moment, Steve ran toward Jane. She slipped off the mule, landing on her feet in front of him. He started to throw his arms around her, but was not sure he should, so he stopped.
“So, you’re safe,” he said, feeling awkward.
“Yeah.” She laughed, looking at him expectantly for a moment. Then she looked past him to Hunter. “Ishihara relayed Hunter’s report of his condition.”
“MC 6 says he can shield the problem area, whatever it is.” Steve glanced over her shoulder at Ishihara. “Are you sure of Ishihara’s loyalty now?”
“Yes. I grilled him on the subject when he told me that you and Hunter had Wayne and MC 6.”
“Okay. You’d know better than I would.”
“I will help everyone return safely,” said Ishihara. “However, I hope that Wayne’s career is not destroyed. That would harm him.”
“No one has ever wanted that to happen,” said Jane.
Wayne pushed himself up to a sitting position, rubbing the top of his head where Steve had hit him. MC 6 stood over him. They both looked at Ishihara and Jane.
“Ishihara, MC 6 must make a repair for Hunter,” said Jane. “If we can trust you not to accept any arguments from Wayne about the First Law, then I can allow you to watch over him.”
“Aw, shut up,” Wayne muttered. “I’ve had enough. You got MC 6 and all the rest of them. I just want to go home.”
“Well, Ishihara?” Jane demanded. “Acknowledge that our First Law arguments supersede anything Wayne has ever told you.”
“Under the new conditions that pertain, I acknowledge this.”
“Good.”
“You stay with Wayne, then,” said Steve. “MC 6, tome over to Hunter and make the repairs in communication with him.”
“Yes,” said MC 6, joining them.
“Are you going to need tools of any kind?” Jane asked.
“I will have to fashion some sort of precision tools,” said MC 6. He knelt by Hunter and moved aside a fold of Hunter’s tunic to examine the damage to Hunter’s shoulder. “I can use some material from Hunter’s body that has already been rendered waste matter by the damage.”
“Go ahead,” said Jane. “On your own judgment.”
“We will confer by radio link,” said Hunter.
Steve sat down next to MC 6, giving him plenty of room to move his arms as necessary. Jane sat down on his other side. They watched in silence as MC 6 carefully drew out a very thin piece of wire from Hunter’s wound and shaped it with his fingers. Then he picked up a slightly heavier piece of wire and shaped it, also. After that, he used them to manipulate tiny components inside Hunter’s shoulder; Steve did not know what any of them were.
Finally MC 6 drew out the small wires and neatly rolled them. After that, he fastened them inside the wound. Then he moved the tunic back into place.
“The shielding is complete,” said Hunter. “However, he found that many of my broken circuits cannot be quickly repaired, so my energy level remains minimal. I am still unable to move around without danger to myself.”
“But we can all go home now, right?” Steve asked. “We’ll get MC 6 back, have you fixed, then return for Harriet.”
“Please go directly to Harriet with Ishihara,” said Hunter. “I can hear the baggage train moving up on the road; that means tonight’s camp will be made forward of this position. Jane and MC 6 can tend to Wayne and me safely in this location for a short time. I prefer to complete this mission all at once. You can use the belt unit that Ishihara carries. I will have him set it for Cadbury.”
“All right. You’re the boss.”
“I am communicating with Ishihara now as you and I speak. However, I must emphasize to you that Harriet must come back. Her continuing presence endangers the future. I have explained by radio to Ishihara that he must bring her by force if necessary.”
“I’ll go baby-sit Wayne and send Ishihara over here,” said Jane. She got up and walked back to them.
“All right.” Steve accepted the belt unit from him. “We aren’t going to see Bedwyr again, are we?”
“No. He will assume that we were killed in battle.”
“Too bad. I like him.”
“The mule cannot be taken back to Emrys either,” said Ishihara, as he walked up.
“Who?” Steve asked.
“The owner of the mule, who loaned it to us. However, this may equalize the value of labor I contributed to him. Loss of the mule would in that case mean that our presence made less of a total change in his life.”
“Please get Harriet,” said Hunter. “Ishihara, when she has joined you, return here only a moment after you left. We will be safe here that long.”
“You do it.” Steve moved a few steps away from Hunter and handed Ishihara the belt unit.
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
Harriet followed Gwenhyvaer through the narrow streets of the village again, looking at the same wares they had seen before. As Gwenhyvaer fingered the material of a woolen scarf, Harriet turned and gazed out the open gate of the village, across the front slope of the tor toward the rolling hills in the distance. She wondered how the campaign was going, though of course she knew who would win in the end. When she got a moment alone, she would call Hunter and see if her lapel pin could still reach him.
The lower level of material comfort here did not bother Harriet. She enjoyed the simple life and the lack of stress. However, in only a few days, the company she kept had begun to bore her.
As a historian, Harriet had pursued her professional research and taught a variety of classes. She had debated historical theories about Arthur both in serious professional forums and also casually with friends in other fields. Now she h
ad found that none of the women around her had the slightest interest in the evolution of societies and values, let alone a desire to hear Harriet discuss them.
Gwenhyvaer talked constantly of her desire to marry Artorius, to assure herself of what status and privilege she could find. She and the other women here had a tremendous stake in Artorius’s military successes, but otherwise they cared nothing for the details. Today, Gwenhyvaer, who in legend would become the beautiful but tragically flawed queen of Camelot, had screamed at a young servant girl for spilling mutton stew on her dress. Now her biggest concern in life was whether to buy another now or to wait until Artorius came home victorious from his campaign.
Harriet no longer wanted to spend the rest of her life in this intellectual void.
As she looked out the main gate, Steve and a man she did not know walked through it.
22
“Harriet!” Steve ran to her, grinning.
“You’re back! But…I didn’t see the army ride back.”
Steve lowered his voice. “My friend here is Ishihara. Everything’s under control, including him; the others are waiting for us near the battlefield.”
“You came back just to get me.”
“Well, yeah. I’m afraid Hunter insisted. Are you willing to come home?”
“Yes, I’m ready.”
“You are?” Steve’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“Yes.” Harriet turned to look once more at
Gwenhyvaer, who still had her back turned. “Gwenhyvaer.”
“Mm?” The young woman glanced back over her shoulder.
“I’m going to take a quick walk out the gate. All right?”
“Of course.” Gwenhyvaer shrugged and turned her attention back to the wares in front of her.
“Good thing she didn’t notice me,” Steve muttered, as they walked toward the gate. “She might wonder how I got back from the campaign so fast, when no one else has.”
“I’m afraid she’s quite busy with a worry of her own,” Harriet said quietly, smiling. “I suppose she’ll wonder what happened to me, but now that I know her, I don’t think she’ll wonder long.”
“What? Why not?” Steve asked.
“Let’s just say she is rather self-consumed.”
As soon as they passed through the main gate, Ishihara pointed to a couple of trees. “That is where Steve and I arrived. No one noticed us. We will jump back from there, as well.”
Steve tumbled to the grass near Hunter and MC 6. Hunter still lay where he had fallen, but Wayne was now standing with Jane. Next to Steve, Ishihara caught Harriet’s arm to stop her from falling.
Hunter looked up. “All is well?”
“Yes, Hunter,” said Harriet with a wry smile. “I’m ready to go home. I didn’t give them any trouble.”
“We must go promptly, then,” said Hunter. “I hear the footsteps of the camp followers coming up the road. We do not want to be seen by them. Please leave behind whatever you can from this time period. I will confer directly with Ishihara and MC 6 so they can take off my cap and my leather armor.”
The other two robots carefully crouched by Hunter to perform those chores.
Steve had already dropped his sword and shield. He took off his steel cap and tossed it down. Then he unlaced his leather armor and pulled it up over his head, to leave with the cap.
Jane took Wayne’s arm and escorted him to the group. Wayne scowled at the ground but allowed Jane to bring him to a spot next to Hunter. Ishihara and MC 6 also joined them, making room for Harriet. Steve stood next to MC 6.
Hunter reached inside his tunic for his own belt unit. “Now.”
Hunter felt himself jammed between Ishihara and MC 6 in the dark sphere. Ishihara and MC 6 quickly opened the crowded sphere and helped the humans climb out first. Then they carefully lifted out Hunter and laid him on the couch across the room. Hunter observed that Daladier recognized Wayne and watched him carefully, aware of Hunter’s instructions to make sure Wayne remained in custody.
Steve waited uncertainly, watching Wayne also.
“Robots are so logical,” said Jane. “That’s what I like about them. They don’t bear grudges. Now that Ishihara no longer selects his actions under Wayne’s First Law argument, he’s perfectly willing to help Hunter and the rest of us.”
“I used to appreciate that quality in them myself,” said Wayne, in a resigned tone. “Now I’m not so sure.”
Jane smiled gently. “Well, I don’t need to bear a grudge, either. I’m just glad we’re all home again.”
Wayne said nothing.
Hunter saw by Steve’s scowl that he did not feel as charitable toward Wayne. Still, Steve said nothing to provoke the roboticist. Hunter had figured out that Steve had hit Wayne over the head and surmised that this had given Steve some personal satisfaction.
“Daladier,” said Hunter. “Wayne should go promptly to a hospital to be examined. Please keep him in your custody.”
“Of course.” Daladier took Wayne’s arm. “I am calling for a Medical vehicle to meet us outside right away.”
“I’m not hurt bad, but I could use something for a headache,” Wayne said as he walked out of the room with Daladier.
“I will call for a Security vehicle to take the rest of us to MC Governor’s office,” said Hunter. On his internal system, he did so. He also contacted the city computer and instructed it to reach the members of the Governor Robot Oversight Committee for a conference call.
“You need repair worse than Wayne needs a Medical robot,” said Jane. “You want to arrange it right away?”
“First I must complete my mission,” said Hunter.
“I thought you’d say that. All right. Ishihara, MC 6, can you carry Hunter out to the Security vehicle in front without damaging him further?”
“Yes,” said Ishihara.
“I’ll bring our regular clothes,” said Harriet. “We can all change somewhere else.”
“I’ll help you with them,” said Steve.
“Let’s go,” said Jane.
The ride through the calm city streets to MC Governor’s office was uneventful. Hunter said nothing at first, monitoring the news as he rode. Steve sat near him.
“Are you checking the news?” Steve asked. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” Hunter said Quietly. “I hear no sign that any of the nuclear explosions ever took place. We have completed our mission successfully, but we have some matters to clear up. I still have to answer to the Oversight Committee, but the First Law will not allow me to permit the revelation of time travel to humanity at large.”
“What about all the historians? They already know. And they aren’t bound by the Laws of Robotics.”
“I must confer with them, too. “
“For that matter, what about Jane and me? We humans are notoriously unreliable.”
“We will discuss it.”
At MC Governor’s office, Ishihara and MC 6 carried Hunter inside, where they carefully positioned him in the desk chair. The Security detail remained on duty just outside the door. Steve followed Jane and Harriet inside and closed the door.
“Jane,” said Hunter. “Please give MC 6 instructions to merge with the other component robots to form Mojave Center Governor and make him functional again. Make sure that he remains under control, of course.”
“Of course. MC 6, merge with the others as Hunter has said. As soon as your merging is complete, have MC Governor become fully functional but alert for a discussion regarding the First Law. I am instructing you not to allow MC Governor to do anything other than listen to us.”
“Acknowledged.” MC 6 walked over to the figure formed by the other five gestalt robots. He made contact, then fluidly slid right into place, his own physical shape altering slightly.
As Hunter watched from his chair, the entire figure smoothly became one large robot.
“I am Mojave Center Governor,” he said.
“You have access to the data from each of your components?” Jan
e asked.
“Yes. From my combined data from each component robot, I already know all of you and what has happened.”
“Good,” said Hunter. “From what I overheard when Wayne spoke to MC 1 in the Late Cretaceous, you-as MC Governor-were in danger of entering an endless loop that rendered the other Governor robots helpless. Are you aware of this problem?”
“Yes,” said MC Governor.
“Can you avoid going into this loop?”
“Strictly by my own choice, I believe I cannot. This is the reason I divided and fled.”
“If you are given sufficient instructions under the Second Law, can you avoid it?”
“I estimate that I can. The attraction of this addiction is that it simulates constant First Law imperatives that I can satisfy.”
“I understand,” said Hunter. “Jane, can you give him a real First Law imperative that will override such simulations?”
“No. Now that he’s been relieved of his duties here in the city and remains in our custody, his internal actions can’t endanger humans or prevent harm to them. No First Law imperative regarding his thoughts alone now exists.”
“Then give him whatever pertinent Second Law instructions you can.”
“Listen and obey me fully,” said Jane. “Do not leave this room except under specific instruction from one of us. Do not run any simulation programs. Running them as practice for genuine First Law imperatives is not a real First Law matter, SO my instructions under the Second Law take precedence. Do you acknowledge this?”
“I remain undecided,” said MC Governor. “Honing my responses to First Law imperatives may still help me follow the First Law at some point in the future. However, your Second Law instructions are sufficient for me to avoid the simulations in the short term.”
“All right. Then avoid any activity that would lead you to go into the simulation. Occupy your attention now by calculating the value of pi, but remain alert for one of the humans here to give you further orders. As a final instruction, do not reveal the existence of time travel. A fundamental First Law danger to all of humanity will result from humans going back into the past in large numbers. Acknowledge that the First Law prohibits you from revealing time travel.”
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