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leaned on him, and again Hol-land heard the abrasive sound of metal scraping
metal.
Back off, Vincent, Pizer ordered the robot. What s the point? We have to
get to Maintenance. Back off, now.
Not until he does.
You re not programmed for adolescent behavior, the exasperated Pizer
continued, eying Maximillian with concern. He wondered exactly how much
control Reinhardt did exercise over the monolithic construc-tion. When you re
nose to nose with a trash compact-or, you cool it
Vincent didn t budge. Maximillian leaned, bringing his weight to bear.
Vincent s servos began to whine in protest over the load.
Holland didn t intend to permit the situation to go any farther. Call him
off, Reinhardt.
The commander of the Cygnus appeared amused by, the confrontation. He seemed
content to let the conflict play itself out. A classic confrontation: David
and Goliath. Except this time, David is overmatched.
I said, call him off. Holland did not find the situa-tion amusing at all.
On my ship, you ask, Captain. Reinhardt said it without anger.
Maximillian moved forward slightly, crowding the smaller machine toward the
elevator wall. Reinhardt abruptly tired of the game.
That s enough, Maximillian. Remember, these are our guests, be they organic
or otherwise.
With apparent reluctance the giant moved slowly aside and turned toward the
lift. Holland wondered what other bits of bellicose programming had been
en-tered into the robot s memory.
He whispered hurriedly to McCrae. Communica-tions problems aside, and
allowing for reasonable sus-picion on his part, I still think he waited a long
time to show any lights. Then, louder, Take care while we re gone.
She smiled thinly, as if to say she took care all the time, then moved toward
Durant and Reinhardt, deep in conversation. Holland heard her asking something
about hypothetical curvatures of natural gravity waves versus artificial
inducements as she joined the scien-tists.
Pizer was waiting near the elevator door. It opened for them as Holland
arrived. Those other robots, the smaller ones that escorted me up here? They
aren t any more friendly than Dr. Frankenstein s monster. He gestured at
Maximillian.
Don t worry. Vincent had assumed a cocky air. One or a hundred, I can
handle them. They re badly outmoded. I m a much more efficient model.
Pizer s eyes appealed to heaven, which above the transparent dome of the
elevator shaft seemed not so very distant. Lights flickered across
Maximillian s chest in a sequence that hinted he had clearly understood
Vincent s words and had filed them for future refer-ence.
Smile when you say that, Vincent. Holland was watching Maximillian.
Vincent hesitated, but the look in Holland s eyes did not at all match his
superficially benign expression. Re-luctantly, the robot gave a polite twinkle
of his own lights. If Maximillian accepted the gesture, or even un-derstood
it, he offered no sign in return.
The elevator descended in silence.
Reinhardt escorted his three guests slowly around the circumference of the
command tower, explaining the function of each console and station,
interpreting readouts that puzzled them, patiently answering every one of
their questions, including those his expression indicated he thought foolish.
To Durant the most impressive thing about the tower was not the plethora of
instrumentation, with backups for backups, nor the steady flow of informa-tion
being correlated and stored by the Cygnus s research banks. It was the speed
and efficiency with which every function was being carried out. Nor did he
espy a single unit, screen or gauge out of order. Every-thing operated
smoothly after twenty years in space. To him that was far more impressive than
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what the in-struments were actually functioning for.
This doesn t appear to be the crippled ship you described to us, Doctor. For
one that supposedly suf-fered such extensive damage ...
We repaired it, and it became operable again, Reinhardt told him firmly.
Much of the work was ac-complished before the decision was made by the rest
of the crew to try to return to Earth in the survey craft. The final
difficulties with the engines defeated them.
Subsequent repair and maintenance have been per-formed by my mechanical
companions, under my su-pervision. A ship like the Cygnus must necessarily
carry a large contingent of repair robots. My assistance is needed only on
rare occasions now, to interpret highly unorthodox problems. I had time to do
nothing but work on the problems with the engines, you must remember.
By now the Cygnus and her machines run them-selves quite nicely, repairing
one another, caring for one another, maintaining one another.
But always subject to your directives.
Reinhardt executed a slight bow. I sometimes feel that I am only another cog
in the Cygnus machine, Dr. Durant. I am the repair unit of last recourse, the
one who interprets what cannot be predicted. In that re-spect, the mechanicals
flatter me. They are pro-grammed to serve the crew. As I am the sole surviving
member of that crew, they obey me. The fact that I am the ship s commander
enhances that obedience. I do not command them. They serve me. There is a
difference.
Gallantly taking McCrae s arm, he turned and led the three of them toward
another elevator.
So you repaired the destruction as best you could, including your receiving
and monitoring equipment but not your broadcast facilities. Booth was
speaking as much for the benefit of his recorder as for himself. But you
never acknowledged any of the subsequent orders to return to Earth.
The crew made that choice. As to myself ... be fair now, Mr. Booth. It was
the Cygnus the authorities wanted back. Not me. As I ve said, the Cygnus was
in-capable of returning.
But she isn t any more? You spoke about your work on her engines.
It s hard to say. The machines have managed to re-pair much of the damage
caused by the particle storm, thanks to new discoveries we ve made subsequent
to the departure of the crew. Frank McCrae was largely responsible for many of
them. He smiled pleasantly at McCrae.
Assuming I could return the Cygnus to Earth in a reasonable time, Mr. Booth,
there are considerations that prevent me from doing so. Other worlds are yet
to be explored. There are life dreams unrealized.
If this ship is now able to make it back to Earth and you refuse to obey
orders by not making every ef-fort to comply Booth hesitated only an instant
the authorities would consider that an act of piracy, Doctor.
The reporter had a way of breaking through Reinhardt s Spartan exterior. One
hand clenched convul-sively, relaxing only slightly as the doctor spoke.
You do have a way with words, Mr. Booth. I had thought I was immune to such
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