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 had 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.”