Michael Kube-McDowell - Odyssey

“Please stand aside,” Analyst 9 said. “I have urgent duties elsewhere.”

“The last time one of you was in here, it was to send a distress message. What’s up now? Is aship here? Is that it? I have a right to know what’s going on-”

For an answer, Analyst 9 raised his arm and pushed Derec firmly out of the way. He stumbled back toward the conference table and sat down hard in one of the chairs.

“Do not interfere,” the Supervisor said, and left the room.

Though his shock at the robot’s physical treatment of him slowed him for an instant, Derec scrambled to his feet and followed.

Out in the chamber, Derec found frenzied activity bordering on chaos. Dozens of porter and picker robots were streaming off the lifts, as if some massive exodus were underway. Scores more were scurrying through the aisles gathering up components and carrying them toward the west wall and the recycling smelter located there.

To Derec’s astonishment, instead of depositing what they held and turning back to get more, the pickers and porters queued up at the smelter carried their burdens directly into the heart of the smelter and never appeared again. For some reason, the robots were systematically destroying selected items in their storehouse-and themselves at the same time.

Distracted by the parade of suicidal robots, Derec had lost track of Analyst 9. Now, as he scanned the chamber to try to find it, he saw something else extraordinary. There were no Supervisors anywhere in the warehouse. The various manufacturing centers were standing silent and abandoned.

On a hunch, Derec fought his way through to the lift and commandeered a platform to carry him up to Level Zero. There he found a gathering of twenty Supervisors. They were standing motionless in a circle, with hands linked as though in some sort of direct conference.

They took no notice of his arrival, and so Derec crossed the room to where two other Supervisors sat at the giant command console.

“Monitor 5?”

“Yes, Derec,” one of the robots said with a nod of acknowledgment.

“Can you tell me what’s happening?”

“Surface sensors have detected a large spacecraft approaching. The trajectory and velocity profile indicate that it will match orbit with this planetoid.”

“I’m going to get off this rock?” Derec exulted. “Praise the stars!”

“There is a sixty-eight percent probability that the ship intercepted the distress signal. However, there is only a nine percent probability that the ship is here to rescue you.”

That news jolted Derec back to earth. “Intercepted? They aren’t the people you were calling?”

“No, Derec.”

“Who are they, then? What do they want?”

“The ship is currently unidentified.”

“Is that why all the robots downstairs are going crazy?”

“I cannot answer that question now,” Monitor 5 said. “I may be able to tell you more shortly.”

“What should I do?”

“Wait.”

“Great. How long?”

“Not long,” Monitor 5 said, standing. “Excuse me. The Analysts are calling for me.”

Crossing the room, Monitor 5 joined the conference circle. He stood there with them for perhaps two minutes, then the circle broke apart. Most of the Supervisors headed for the lift. Two of them, including Monitor 5, came to where Derec stood.

“I have been appointed to communicate with you,” Monitor 5 said.

“Appointed?” The robot’s choice of word confused Derec.

“By default,” the robot admitted. “None of the Analysts feel comfortable dealing with a human.”

“Are you telling me that they haven’t been talking to me because they don’t want to? They don’t know how?”

“With few exceptions, their experience has been exclusively with other robots. I have been chosen because of my previous success in communicating with you,” Monitor 5 said.

“Is that another exception?” Derec said, indicating the robot standing just behind Monitor 5.

“I am accompanied by Analyst 17.”

“Ah-we’ve met-sort of.”

“Analyst 17 is here to assist me,” Monitor 5 said. “Please, Derec. There are important matters to discuss, and there is very little time.”

“Then get started.”

“Thank you. The Analysts are agreed thatthe approaching ship is a threat to the security of our operation. The possibility of discovery was anticipated by those who placed us here. Our instructions for such a circumstance are to destroy ourselves and this facility. Certain preliminary steps are already underway-”

“The robots at the smelter.”

“Yes. All proprietary technology must be destroyed and the excavation rendered unusable. This directive was impressed on us at the highest level of necessity and urgency. We must comply. However, your presence was not anticipated.”

“What do I have to do with it?”

“As long as you are present, we are not able to fulfill our directive, since to destroy the complex would kill you. Even to destroy ourselves would leave you unprotected. Therefore, for us to carry out our directive, it is necessary for you to leave.”

“I’ve been ready to leave since I got here. Just show me the way.”

Analyst 17 spoke up at that point. “Unfortunately, since leaving the community also represents a significant risk to your life, we are unable to assist you in doing this and are in fact obliged to prevent it.”

“So you’re not going to put my pod back together? My safesuit?”

“No.”

“This is crazy.”

“On the contrary, it is fundamentally logical,” Analyst 17 said. “If we protect you, you will almost certainly die, which we cannot allow. If we fail to protect you, you may survive, but you will be placed in grave danger, which we cannot allow.”

Derec looked from Monitor 5 to the Analyst in disbelief, then back again. “So what are you going to do with me?”

“Nothing,” Monitor 5 said. “No action is possible. If we help you to escape, we will be placing you in danger. But if we prevent your escape, we will also be placing you in danger.”

Derec was starting to get lost in the convolutions of the conversation. “Is that what you want me to do? Escape?”

The robot hesitated. “We want you to remain safe and unharmed.”

It seemed as though the robot were tiptoeing through a logical minefield. “What if I do leave?”

“When we discover that you are gone, we will have to pursue you.” It hesitated again. “However, until you are returned to our care the remainder of the community will be free to pursue the next highest priority directive.”

“In other words, if I escape, the First Law is no longer a factor. You can go ahead and destroy yourselves in good conscience.”

“That is essentially correct,” said Analyst 17, “though I must warn you there is a danger if you continue to discuss it.”

Derec ignored the warning. “Escape to where?”

“We cannot consider that question,” Monitor 5 said.

“Well, I can, and I don’t like the answer!” Derec snapped. “I’ll tell you what I intend to do-as soon as that ship is close enough to pick up the signal from a suit transmitter, I’m getting into one of those augments over there and going up to the surface to ask them to save me from you.”

“We could not allow that.”

“So what am I supposed to do? Go wander around on the surface until my air runs out? This is nuts. How can you even ask me to do such a thing?”

“Derec, I must repeat, there is a danger-,” Analyst 17 began.

“We have not asked you to do anything,” Monitor 5 said. “We have simply outlined for you the consequences of actions you may choose to take.”

“You may not be asking, but you’re dropping some loud hints,” Derec said. “You’re telling me that if I want to go kill myself, you’ll look the other way. I don’t understand how this whole conversation can even be taking place. What’s wrong with all of you?”