He had to read it several times before he got it. The keys were being completed on the upper level in some kind of dangerous interface with hyperspace, which probably explained why it was removed from the rest of the facility. Apparently the manufacturing process created a vacuum that drew air into hyperspace.
His heart began to pound with excitement. “Where is the entrance to the upper level? And how do I get through it?”
“It opens directly above the security console. The seat will lift to that level. The dome surface can also be opened directly to and from the outside if necessary.”
“Open the ceiling. This is, uh, a security matter.” My security, anyway, he thought. He held his breath as he watched the ceiling. The computer assumed that the voice speaking into this console held sufficient authority to give this order, and did not require further identification. So far, the best thing about security on Robot City was its relative laxity. In a community of responsible positronic robots, the security measures had rarely been given a true challenge.
The dianite in the ceiling opened and he drove the seat on up through the hole.
Chapter 5. A Hand On A Key
Ariel had only two ideas for keeping Security 1K occupied. When it stood it front of her and started to step out, she forced herself to stand her ground. As she had expected, the influence of the First Law prevented it from forcing her aside, though in an emergency she doubted that it would have hesitated.
The robot remained just inside the dianite wall, watching her from the darkness of its horizontal eyeslit.
“I need to see Keymo,” she said. All she had in mind was to present a First Law problem and to speak as slowly and as long as she could. Derec would have to do the rest by getting inside and getting a key, if he could, as quickly as possible.
“You may not enter this facility. Keymo is occupied.” If possible, its voice was even more formal than the usual robot speaking voice. “May I help you?”
“This is a First Law problem.” She started to say more, then remembered that she was stalling.
The robot waited until it was clear that she was not going to explain without prompting. “What is this problem?”
“A total of five humans are in Robot City.”
“Yes? You are the one called Katherine?”
“I used to be. My real name is Ariel.”
“Another is called Derec.”
“That’s right.”
“What is the First Law problem?”
Ariel smiled to herself. That was the kind of stalling she wanted. What she had to do was be just a little illogical or unclear, forcing it to ask questions for clarification.
“Three other humans are here.”
“Who are they?”
“We don’t know.”
“Who is in danger?”
“Derec and I are in potential danger.”
“What danger is this?”
“Well-humans don’t have to obey the First Law. So these other three could be dangerous to us.”
“In what way?”
“Uh, I’m not sure.”
“There is no clear danger.” The robot took a step backward as a prelude to resealing the wall.
“How much experience have you had with humans?” She called quickly. “Do you know their history with each other?”
“No.” It stopped where it was, now more shadowed inside the dome. “I have had only two previous experiences with a human.”
“So! You don’t know how they fight all the time? And have a history of wars and killing each other?”
“Some human history is available in the central computer library. In what way does this relate to the First Law problem?” The robot stepped forward again to its previous spot.
“Well, unknown humans are generally considered dangerous. You can never tell what they’ll do or why.”
“For what reason?”
“Just because they’re unknown. We have to be careful. This is a normal part of being human, especially when you’re traveling around in unfamiliar places.”
“You consider unidentified humans to be dangerous until more information is available?”
“Yes! Yeah, that’s it.”
“No humans are in this facility. What do you need with Keymo for your First Law problem?”
“Keymo is in charge of making teleportation devices. This is the only way we know of to leave Robot City.”
“You are in no clear danger. Therefore, no First Law problem pertains. Teleportation devices are not required.”
“We could be killed or injured by surprise. This has happened to people many times. Your failure to help now is a First Law violation.”
Ariel saw the robot hesitate, and suddenly realized that she might win this argument, let alone succeed in stalling. “Keymo is in charge of this facility, correct? Let Keymo decide.”
The robot looked at her. “I am equipped to make decisions of this kind. Keymo does not have greater authority to judge and resolve a First Law problem than I have.”
“So you agree that this is a First Law problem. “ She made it statement, not a question.
‘That is not clear.”
“But Keymo does have authority over the Key to Perihelion and the other keys. You don’t have that. Since the resolution of the problem requires my getting a hold of the Key-or, keys, rather-Keymo is the one I must consult.”
“You have not proven that you are in danger.”
Shuddering with frustration, she drew in a long, deep breath. “Listen to me! I believe we may be in danger! I know a lot more about people than you do! You don’t know enough about humans to judge if we’re in danger!” She stared at him in fury, breathing hard.
At last the robot stepped back, making room for her. “We shall consult Keymo.”
She smiled with relief and followed him inside the building. The robot led her through a winding route around machines of various sizes and types, none of which were familiar to her. She wanted to look around for Derec, but was afraid to be obvious about it. He could easily be lost among all the units here. Within the range of the cautious glances she took, he was nowhere in sight.
Keymo was standing over its console on the floor when they approached.
“This human claims to have a First Law problem,” said Security 1K. “One that only you can resolve.”
“You are the one called Katherine?”
“I used to be. My new name is Ariel.”
“I understand. My designation was recently changed, also. What is the nature of this First Law problem?”
“Here we go again,” she muttered to herself. “Look-how much do you know about human history? About how humans kill each other all the time and fight wars and stuff?”
Derec looked up apprehensively as the seat carried him into the dimmer light of the second story. He was most worried about being challenged by a robot up here, but as the seat clicked into place and the dianite solidified beneath it, he found himself standing behind a curved metal screen. On one side, pale orange light glowed from a doorway in the screen. Otherwise, the entire length of the short wall-the area with lift access-was screened off.
He slid out of the seat and carefully peeked around the edge of the doorway.
Only one robot was in the area. It stood in the foreground watching as a tray was extended toward it from inside a block housing about two meters high. The tray held an array of shining silver rectangles about five centimeters by fifteen-exactly the appearance of the original Key of Perihelion.
Derec guessed that the unit expelling the tray had just completed the final integration and cooling. As he watched, the robot picked up one key by itself and slid it into a slot in another unit. It then studied the readouts. It looked like a testing procedure.
Another wall, which sealed off the bulk of this level, was just beyond the block housing. Derec heard a muted hum from beyond it. The pale orange light was thrown by a series of monitors high on this wall, and cast a series of faint, overlapping shadows.
At the moment, he had nothing to do but watch. If his entry had been unnoticed downstairs, he was not pressed for time. Getting a key by stealth might be easier up here than by launching into another frustrating debate about the Laws.