by Isaac Asimov
Avery was a virtuoso at the computer. By the time Derec returned, he had finished the reprogramming and had even discovered the sequence of events that had led to the building’s collapse.
“Look here,” he said, motioning Ariel and Wolruf over to look at the screen as well. “I’ve got it displaying a priority map. This, down here at the bottom, is the original city programming.” He pointed to a layer of blue near the bottom of the screen. Tiny blue lines rose from it to the next level, a green layer; some passed on through. “These lines are orders. The next level here, the green, is what you three put in when you were here last. Notice how your program stops nearly all the orders from the original layer. That’s because you told the robots to quit expanding the city and to become farmers. They had a completely new instruction set. But look here.” He pointed to a thick blue line extending up through the green layer. “You left in the part that lets the city metamorphose at random. Not a problem, but now this layer above that, the red one, is what the aliens — these Ceremyons of yours — put in. It’s basically an order to ignore all the ‘do’ instructions in your level of programming, but keep all the ‘don’ts.’ See how every green line stops at the red boundary? All that gets through is the basic city maintenance that you left in, including the random metamorphosis. It worked just fine as long as the supervisors were in the circuit, because they also had verbal orders to keep things running, and they had enough volition to order things that weren’t automatic anymore, but as soon as you take them out of the circuit, the whole thing falls apart.”
He turned away from the screen and spoke directly to them. “So here’s what happened: Building movement is essentially random, subject to supervisory override if the random number generator comes up with a ridiculous configuration. It doesn’t happen often, about once a day, on the average. So without a supervisor to veto it, today’s ridiculous building gets built. It turns out to be ridiculously tall. But the main power station doesn’t have a supervisory order to generate more power for it, so when it starts to pull excessive current to lift all that mass, it trips the breaker. Power goes out. The original emergency programming has been blocked — twice, I point out with injured dignity — so without a supervisor’s order, the auxiliary stations don’t go on line. The building is unstable without power to hold it up, so it falls over. On the power station.”
“Oh,” Derec said. One word can be expressive under the right circumstances.
Ariel said, “So we messed it up, that’s what you’re saying? It’s our fault?”
Avery shook his head. “It’s everyone’s fault. Mine for not writing the original program to filter out the bad input before it reached the supervisors, yours for bypassing the emergency programming, the Ceremyons’ for bypassing your bypass, the experimental robots for distracting the supervisors — take your pick. We’ re all in this together.”
“Even me?” Wolruf asked. The bandage across her forehead made her look a little like a pirate in a bad movie, and her toothy grin only added to the illusion.
“Even you. And yes, I’ve included you in the city robots’ new definition of human. Basically I put them back to the old definition of anyone genetically similar to us, plus you. And I strengthened their devotion to duty as far as I can push it. That ought to keep them from listening to subversive arguments.”
It seemed to do the trick, all right, but their problems were far from over. The robot rebellion might have been quelled, but robots weren’t this planet’s only inhabitants.
The next morning the four “humans” were examining the wreckage when a black speck dropped down out of the sky, grew rapidly in size until it became visibly winged, and swooped in to stall to a stop just in front of them. It had the same shape as the three robots had when they returned from their discussion with the Ceremyons, but it was easy to tell that this was the real thing. The alien folded its wings and took a step closer until it stood before Ariel.
Ariel had been the one to initiate communication with the aliens before, and they had come to regard her as a leader among humans.
“You are Ariel,” the one before her said in a high-pitched voice. “I am Sarco. We have met.”
It was hard to see detail in the alien’s body. It gained its nourishment from solar radiation, so it was an almost perfect black, reflecting not even the slightest amount of light back into its environment. The effect was like that of talking to a shadow, or to an eclipse. Only the white hook, with which it tethered itself for the night, and its two deep red eyes broke the darkness.
As far as Derec knew, Avery had never seen an alien before, but he played it cool. He studied the creature before them silently while Ariel replied, “Hello, Sarco. Good to see you again.”
“I wish I could say the same, but unfortunately, I come with a complaint.”
The alien’s speech had improved considerably since Derec had last heard it. Before, it had sounded a little like someone with an Earth accent and a cold on top of it, but now it just sounded like it had a cold. It had evidently been practicing.
Derec could guess what the alien had come to complain about. Their society valued peace and quiet and maintaining the status quo; when he had dealt with them before, they had been ready to isolate the entire city under a force dome simply because they didn’t like the heat it radiated. Now...
“You don’t like buildings falling over in the night?” he asked facetiously.
“You are Derec. I do not.”
Avery cleared his throat. “Neither do we.”
Sarco turned his head, a motion evident only by the shifting position of the eyes and the hook. “We have not met.”
“I am Doctor Avery. I designed the robots that built this city.”
“I see. They have caused us considerable trouble. You neglected to include proper feedback mechanisms to limit their spread. We had to do that for you.”
Avery hadn’t expected such a direct accusation, but he took it gracefully. “I apologize. Causing you trouble wasn’t my intention. When I sent them out, I didn’t know you were here.”
“Now you do. Will you remove them and their city?”
Avery frowned. “That would be difficult.”
“But not impossible.”
“No, not impossible. But definitely difficult, and probably unnecessary. Since the planet is already inhabited, my purpose for the robots can’t be realized here, but I’m sure we can adapt them to be useful for you.”
“We already attempted that. We need neither servants nor farmers.”
“Well, what do you need?”
“We need nothing.”
Avery snorted. “That’s a little hard to believe. I’m offering you a whole city full of robots. Maybe you don’t realize it, because their programming so far hasn’t made much use of the capability, but the robots can change their shapes as readily as the city can. I can turn them into anything you like, and the city as well.”
Sarco rustled his wings. “We have no need of a city full of robots, no matter what their shapes.”
Avery shrugged. “Think about it. Derec tells me you guys are pretty bright. You should be able to come up with something you can use them for.”
A tiny jet of flame appeared in the blackness below the alien’s eyes. It was a sign of irritation, Derec knew. The flame went out, and Sarco said, “I will take the matter up in council. Perhaps we can think of something, so you will be spared the inconvenience of removing them.” He stepped back, spread his wings, and with a powerful thrust leaped into the sky.
Avery watched him rise until he was out of sight, then shook his head and began walking along the collapsed building again. “Touchy, aren’t they?” he asked of no one in particular.
The three renegade robots were nowhere to be found. They had stopped bothering the city robots when they realized that Avery’s new programming was too tight for them to influence, but from that point on they effectively disappeared from sight. All of the city robots were under strict instructions to report t
he others if they were spotted, and to detain them if possible, but nothing came of it.
Derec tried the comlink, but was not surprised to receive no answer.
Within the space of the afternoon, the fallen building and its wreckage was nearly cleaned up. What city material that couldn’t be immediately returned to the general inventory by simply instructing it to melt back into the street was hauled away to the fabrication site to be reprocessed, and the robots who had been damaged were repaired or replaced in the same way. By evening things were almost back to normal, right down to the medical robot who called the apartment just after dinner.
It was time for Ariel’s checkup. She and Derec walked the short distance from the apartment to the rebuilt hospital alone. Wolruf sensed that they didn’t need company, and Avery was already there in the hospital, working on another rat. They didn’t talk. There was nothing to say. Either the embryo was developing normally again or it wasn’t, and nothing they could say now would change it.
All four medical robots waited for them in the hospital. Derec held Ariel’s hand while they set up their equipment around her, made their measurements, and studied the results. He knew from their silence what the outcome was long before they worked up the nerve to tell him.
“It isn’t good,” he said for them.
“That is correct. The neural folds have closed to form the neural tube, but there is no nerve tissue within it. It therefore seems likely that the baby will be born without a brain.”
Ariel had been prepared to hear those words. She took a deep breath, let it out, and said, “Not this baby, it won’t. Abort it.”
The medical robot whom she had addressed backed up a pace and stammered, “I, I cannot do that.”
“You can and you will. You just told me it won’t have a brain. That means it won’t be human, and it isn’t human now. I want it out of me.”
Slowly the robot said, “I have been programmed to consider anything with the proper genetic code to be human. No matter what deformities it may have, the embryo you carry is human by that definition.”
“Well I’m changing the definition! I tell you it won’t be, and I order you to abort it!”
The robot lost its balance, caught itself, and whispered, “I am sorry. I cannot.” It tried to back away, but lost its balance again and toppled over, dead.
“Frost, I don’t need this,” Ariel muttered. She pointed to another medical robot. “You. Listen to me. I —”
“Wait,” Derec interrupted. “You’ll get the same result with that one. Let me try changing its definition directly.” He turned to the robot. “What is your designation?”
“I am Human Medical 3,” the robot responded. Was that a trace of nervousness Derec heard in its voice? He’d as much as said he was going to reach into its brain and stir. The robot’s Second Law obligation to follow human orders overrode his normal Third Law reluctance to allow it, especially now that Avery had reinforced the Second Law, but that didn’t mean the robot couldn’t still fear for its own existence.
“I won’t harm you,” Derec said for its benefit. Central core. Update programming for Human Medical 3. Definition of human as follows: Any sentient organic being. This is not to include undeveloped beings.
Acknowledged.
“Now, remove the embryo.”
Human Medical 3 obediently reached toward a tray of instruments, but he stopped halfway. “I am experiencing... difficulty,” he said in a halting voice.
“What’s the problem? It’s not human. You know it’s not human. It has no chance of becoming human. Why can’t you do it?”
“I — am programmed to care for human life. All such life. The oath of Hippocrates, which human doctors customarily take before beginning practice, specifically states that they will protect life ‘from the moment of conception., I am not bound by that oath, but it is a definition that I cannot ignore. Nor can I ignore the definition given every robot in the city yesterday by Doctor Avery. Now you add a third definition. It is the most recent one, but it is not the only one. My brain is an analog device, not digital; it is composed of positron pathways, each with a varying potential. Past potentials may weaken, but they never disappear. I cannot forget completely. I now have three conflicting potentials, and a life lies in the balance. Please, do not order me to take it.”
Derec fumed. Ariel had taken the news stoically, but it had to have been a blow for her. This arguing with the medical robots wasn’t helping her a bit.
But it was obvious that ordering the robot to do it would only result in another dead robot, and that wouldn’t help either.
“Cancel,” he growled. Over the comlink, he sent, Get me Avery.
A moment later, he heard Avery’s voice in his head. What is it?
We’re in the exam room. Can you come down here?
How important is it? I’m in the middle of something here.
It’s important.
Avery sighed audibly. All right. Be right there.
“Avery’s coming,” Derec said to Ariel.
This time she didn’t say anything snide. They both knew that Avery was a better roboticist than Derec; if anybody could convince a robot to abort a malformed embryo, he could.
But it appeared, after they explained the situation to him and he tried reprogramming and re-reprogramming the medical robots, that he couldn’t do the job, either. The robots had had one too many redefinitions already, and they couldn’t handle another. Avery sent the single survivor away in frustration.
Ariel had gotten up from the examination table and was now standing beside Derec, their arms around one another and her head resting against his shoulder. Avery looked up at her from his chair before the computer terminal where he had attempted the reprogramming and said, “I’m sorry, my dear. It looks like you ‘II have to wait until we return to the original Robot City, or to Aurora.”
She nodded. Avery made to get up, but Ariel suddenly asked, “Can’t we make another medical robot, one with a narrow definition of human from the start?”
Avery looked embarrassed. “I would have thought of that eventually.” He turned back to the computer and began entering commands.
I have a question, a voice said in Derec’s head.
Who is this?
Lucius.
Lucius! Where are you? Derec turned his head from side to side, trying to get a fix, but the impression was fuzzy, as if coming from a wide area. Were all three robots transmitting simultaneously, to mask their locations?
Nearby. I have been monitoring your efforts.
You’ve been spying on us?
You could call it that, yes. I prefer to think that I am continuing to research the Laws of Humanics. Before you abort the embryo Ariel carries, I need to ask a question that you may not have considered yet.
What question?
If the baby were to grow to term, then be provided with a positronic brain, would it then be human by your definition?
Derec’s answer was instinctive, but no less correct for that. He shook his head violently. No!
“What’s the matter?” Ariel asked.
“Lucius,” Derec whispered. “He’s talking to me.”
“Is he —”
Why not?
“Just a minute.” It wouldn’t be human because it wouldn’t have a human brain, that’s why not! That’s the most important part.
You seem quite certain of this.
Of course, I’m certain.
I am unconvinced.
This time it was Ariel who flinched, but it wasn’t from anything Lucius said. She pulled away from Derec, shouting, “A rat!”
“Where?” Avery demanded.
She pointed toward the doorway, where a whiskered face was just peeking around the jamb.
“That’s mine!” Avery shouted, jumping up from his chair and lunging for it. The face disappeared with a squeak
“Stop! “Avery ran out into the corridor, but his footsteps ceased abruptly. Derec and Ariel heard him laugh. He came
back into the room holding the rat by the tail. It didn’t hang the way a rat normally did, with its feet spread wide. It looked more like a toy rat molded into a running position.
Avery laid it on its back on the exam table. “Stand up,” he said to it, and it obediently rolled over and stood on its feet.
“Squeak.”
The rat squeaked.
“Lift your right front paw.”
The rat lifted its right front paw.
“I’d say we have our answer,” he said to Derec. “You replace an organic brain cell by cell with a robot brain, and you still wind up with a robot.” To the rat, he said, “Go wait for me in the lab.” He pointed toward the door, and the rat jumped down from the table and scurried away through it.
I am convinced, Lucius sent.
You saw that?
I did.
How did you manage that?
If I reveal myself, will you promise that I will not be harmed?
Why should I promise you that?
Because I ask it as a friend. And I offer my help as a friend.
Your help in what?
I am now convinced that Ariel’s wishes are right. I am willing to perform the operation if she wishes it.
You are? But you’re not a doctor.
I can be within minutes.
He was right, of course: He could access the central library’s medical files as easily as could any other robot.
Just a minute. Aloud, Derec said, “Lucius is here somewhere. He’s making us an offer.”
“What offer?” asked Ariel.
“He’ll do the operation if we’ll let him. In return he asks that we don’t shoot at him anymore.”
“Ridiculous!” Avery said with a snort. He looked toward Ariel, saw the determination on her face, and added, “Unless, of course, he and the other two agree to leave the rest of the robots in the city alone.”
I promise that for all three of us, Lucius sent.
“He promises.” To Ariel, Derec added, “But I don’t know what that’s worth. What do you think? I won’t blame you if you don’t trust him. We can make another robot do it.”