“Maybe MC 6 can understand the damage.”
“Telling him is important in any case; even Jane would only understand the principles, not retain all the precise numbers. If I sustain further damage or energy loss, this information should be available elsewhere.”
Steve turned to MC 6. “Listen to everything he says and remember it.”
“Acknowledged,” said MC 6.
“I am transferring the data by radio link rather than speech,” said Hunter. “It will be much faster. In fact, we are finished.”
“Look, Hunter, can you get up and move? The only visible damage is in your shoulder. Do your legs work?”
“Technically, yes. Most of my body remains mechanically sound. However, a number of electrical circuits have been broken, some of which normally access my energy storage. I am able to reroute only minimal energy. While I might be able to walk upright for a short distance, the danger of falling and causing greater trauma is high.”
“You shouldn’t move.”
“Not if I can avoid it.”
“I see. MC 6, I want to talk about you,” said Steve. “Shut down your hearing and vision. I’ll have Hunter radio you to turn them on again; when he conveys my message, it will also have Second Law force.”
“Acknowledged,” said MC 6.
“Can we really trust MC 6 to make your repairs?” Steve asked. “What if he makes some interpretation of the First Law on his own without telling us and sabotages you? Then we’ll all be stuck here.”
“That is the clinching argument we need that he must cooperate,” said Hunter. “The First Law will neither allow him to change history nor to harm you, Wayne, and Jane by stranding you. He must repair my condition so that we can all go back.”
“All right. We have to make sure you and MC 6 are safe, then. And I still have to get Jane away from Wayne somehow.”
“We must also return for Harriet,” said Hunter. “First, however, I must warn you that I hear Wayne’s footsteps approaching to your left, in the trees about nine meters away. From my position here on the ground, I cannot see him.”
21
Steve turned to look. Wayne stopped warily in the trees, watching him. He had picked up a Saxon sword and shield, probably from a fresh corpse.
“Hunter, shut down your hearing and vision.” Steve forced his voice to remain calm. “Turn them back on when I tap you on the arm three times quickly.”
“I cannot. Danger is present. Under the First Law, I must be able to help.”
“You can’t help, anyway,” said Steve. “Not now. And I have a chance to complete our mission.”
“How?”
“Never mind how. I can do this more efficiently if I don’t have to worry about you interfering. Do it.”
“Is a First Law imperative involved?”
“If I complete our mission, then the First Law danger to the whole line of history to come will be finished. Now shut up and do it.”
Hunter said nothing more.
Steve realized, belatedly, that ordering Hunter to shut up meant that the big robot would not acknowledge whether or not he had agreed to shut down his hearing and vision.
“If you still hear me, say so,” said Steve.
Hunter still said nothing.
Steve looked through the trees at Wayne again. Obviously, Wayne had come prepared to fight if necessary. Steve decided that Wayne must have ordered Ishihara to take Jane far enough away so that the robot would not realize Wayne intended to risk getting into a fight. Wayne had seen Hunter go down with a spear in his shoulder and Wayne could control MC 6 under the Second Law. That meant he had come to fight Steve.
Wayne walked toward him slowly, still watching the robots.
Slowly, Steve drew his sword from his belt and shifted his shield on his arm to make it more comfortable. He doubted that Wayne would be any match for him in hand-to-hand combat; after all, Wayne worked in offices and laboratories as a roboticist. Steve was younger, in better shape, and had practiced with his sword and shield in Lucius’s troop.
Wayne had not taken a helmet. His head remained bare. As he approached, a light breeze tossed his hair slightly.
Seeing that Wayne had neither a helmet nor any armor, Steve realized his own disadvantage. He really did not want to hurt Wayne. That did not mean he could expect the same consideration in return.
Wayne stopped about three meters away. He watched Steve silently for a moment. Then he glanced again at the motionless robots.
“Hi, Wayne.” Steve grinned and spoke casually, as though nothing unusual was about to happen.
Wayne scowled. “Are they really going to let us fight? I see Hunter can’t help you, but what about MC 6?”
“I told MC 6 to shut down his sight and hearing so I could talk to Hunter. And that’s the way we want it. If he interfered with us, he might also get away again. But we don’t have to fight. Let’s talk about this for a change.”
“Forget it. Step aside and let me have my own creation.”
“You know I can’t. Why don’t you and Jane help me take care of Hunter? I don’t think anybody wants to ruin your career. Hunter can help you work out the situation with the Oversight Committee,”
Wayne’s face contorted with anger. He raised his sword and ran at Steve.
Startled by the suddenness of Wayne’s mood shift, Steve raised his shield just in time to take a hard sword blow. The power of it hurt his arm and he felt a surge of excitement. In return, he swung his own sword in a high, downward slash.
Wayne blocked the swing with his own shield, shifting to Steve’s left. They exchanged rhythmic blows, each one catching the other’s sword on his shield. Wayne kept moving to one side, toward MC 6, and Steve shuffled laterally to stay between them.
Steve realized that this could go on for a long time. Wayne would eventually tire before he would, but Steve did not want to wait. If anyone else came back this way, most likely Artorius’s riders, the entire situation would become harder to handle.
Wayne swung his sword another time, the same way he had done before. Steve caught it on his shield again. Instead of just swinging his own, however, Steve planted his feet and took another step forward, shoving his shield outward like a weapon itself.
Caught by surprise, Wayne stumbled backward. His arms flailed out to each side as he tried to get his balance. He was momentarily exposed.
Steve raised his sword high, but brought it down with the butt end of the handle first. He hit Wayne on the top of the head with the pommel, as hard as he dared. Then he dropped his sword and pushed Wayne with his free hand.
Wayne fell onto his back. Steve wrenched the sword out of his hand and tossed it away. Then he made a fist, ready to punch Wayne if necessary.
When Steve saw Wayne lying limply on the grass, he relaxed slightly.
“How’s your head?” Steve asked cautiously.