“Thenwhat will you do about keeping this secret?”
“I have not yet decided. I also prefer not to discuss it further now. The First Law will govern my actions.”
“I see.” Her tone was cool and professional, revealing little of her opinion.
Hunter drove in silence for several moments.
“You told me you need my expertise as a historian regarding Jamaica in 1668,” said Rita. “But how do you know that MC 2 will be in Jamaica at that time?”
“I took the information from the device the component robots used to flee,” said Hunter. “But there is more. When they fled, they miniaturized themselves to microscopic size. The process made some of their atoms unstable. The time travel altered that miniaturization so that it is temporary. According to my calculations, MC 2 will return to normal size on a certain day in 1668. We certainly cannot locate him before that, but I want to catch him as soon as possible. Otherwise, once he starts interacting with other humans, he may alter the course of history.”
“I know it’s theoretically possible to change history,” Rita said doubtfully. “But it depends on the importance of his actions.”
“I assume you have followed the news,” said Hunter. “You know that a major explosion took place on the southern coast of Jamaica yesterday.”
“Hm? Oh, yes. Wasn’t that terrible? No one knows what it was, but the tidal waves are hitting all over the Caribbean. It’s terrible.”
“Yes,” said Hunter. “That was actually MC 2 exploding. The instability of the component robots’ atoms causes them to explode with nuclear force when they reach the approximate time from which they originally left, give or take a day or so.”
“Oh, no.” Rita stared at him in horror. “I’m beginning to understand.” She hesitated. “They didn’t explode all at once?”
“No. Apparently the component robots of MC Governor himself also have varied levels of instability. Since the others have not exploded yet, we will go to Jamaica. When we bring MC 2 back, this explosion will never have happened.” Hunter spoke stiffly, almost defensively. “If I fail to retrieve him, then I will have failed the First Law in allowing so much harm to so many people.”
“I’m sure you can get him,” said Rita. “After all, you got MC 1. You probably won’t even need me, except for a little help here and there.”
“I want you to understand that, for now, I have withheld the fact that the Jamaican explosion is related to MC 2 from the committee,” said Hunter. “And certainly from the public.”
She looked up at him, waiting.
“I expect to eliminate the problem, in which case an explanation will be unnecessary.” He stopped the vehicle in front of Debbie’s Diner. “Here we are. I will introduce you to the rest of the team.”
2
Debbie’s Diner was decorated in the fashion of a small Missouri town from the early twentieth century. The furniture was made of cedar, the deep red and white of the wood sealed by a clear preservative. Frilly blue and white curtains hung in all the windows. Jars of fruit preserves made by hand were for sale in the front.
Steve Chang had already requested a comer table in the back. He and Jane Maynard were waiting there when Hunter brought in Rita and made introductions. Hunter looked around, appraising the room.
As he did, Steve looked too. No one was seated close to them. Humans couldn’t hear them, but of course a robot could increase his aural sensitivity.
“What’s wrong?” Jane asked.
“We can get acquainted here,” said Hunter. “However, the area is extremely open, offering virtually no privacy. I suggest we postpone our discussion of specific plans until we move to a secure location.”
“Aw, Hunter.” Steve grinned. “Are you kidding?”
“Of course not,” Hunter said stiffly.
Rita was looking back and forth between them, curiously.
“Hunter, you hired me for my pragmatic experience, as opposed to the formal education possessed by the rest of your team. Right?”
“Of course.”
“Well, take my word for it. As long as we don’t discuss the science and technology required for our trip, then anything else we say will go completely unnoticed. Frankly, nobody believes in time travel.”
“I think you have a point,” said Jane. “They’ll think we’re going to a costume party or making a historical movie or something.”
“I accept your argument,” said Hunter, again glancing around warily.
“May I ask a question, then?” Rita asked. “I would like to know in more detail exactly what is expected of me. I understand that, in general, I’m to help with information about the history and culture of Jamaica in 1668…but what do you want, exactly?”
“While Jane and Steve were resting up from our last mission, I gathered clothing and equipment,” said Hunter. “I need Steve to look it over for practicality and you to screen it for anachronisms.”
“I see,” said Rita.
“It’ll be easier this time,” said Steve. “Last time, we had to take nearly everything important with us. Now we’re going back to a time and place that already has human necessities. But we’ll want vaccinations for disease.”
“I’ll work up a list of likely ones,” said Rita. “All the microbes will have evolved some over the years, but we should take the precautions we can.”
As the group ordered the meals from a robot wait er, Steve studied Rita. She was petite and pretty, and coolly professional. At least she hadn’t started needling him, the way the paleontologist on the last mission, Chad Mora, had done from the moment they met. Steve and Chad had parted friends but they had not started out that way. Rita’s reserve was a welcome change.
“I’ve never heard of Port Royal, Jamaica,” said Steve. “Not that I’ve been to the Caribbean. But I’ve never seen it on the ads for tourists or heard it mentioned when hurricanes are in the news. Where is it?”
“Under the water.” Rita smiled nicety. “Port Royal was located on the southern coast of Jamaica, to the east. It was across a bay from modern Kingston. In the seventeenth century, it was the center of Jamaican buccaneer activity, but a big earthquake hit it in 1692. Its remains have been under the water ever since.”
“Well, that explains that.” Steve grinned at Jane. “No wonder I’ve never heard of it.”
“No wonder,” Jane agreed.
“We should all have weapons. I think.” said Rita. “For our own protection.”
“I will have to protect all of you under the First Law,” said Hunter. “I am much stronger than any human my size, and much quicker. As long as we stay together. I can handle this task.”
“We’re going to enter a very rough, violent culture,” said Rita. “Port Royal is even more violent than most areas were during the 1600s.”
“Taking weapons is a problem for me,” said Hunter. “One of my greatest concerns is that we avoid changing history. We should take back as few items as possible. Any material we take back beyond the bare minimum increases the chance that we will alter events in the future-that is, after 1668. Our own time might not be waiting here for us when we come home. That possibility makes it a First Law concern.”
“I don’t know how to impress upon you how dangerous Port Royal will be,” said Rita. “In particular, they will look at Jane and me in a very different way from what we are used to in our own time. You hired me for my expertise, and I believe we should all carry at least good-sized knives, if not pistols and swords.”
“This may be too great a risk-” Hunter began.
“I suggest a compromise,” said Steve.
“What kind?” Jane asked. “After all, Hunter, keeping us safe is also part of your First Law requirement.”
“We’ll take some money back with us,” said Steve. “Coins from that time, 1668 or earlier. Spanish coins, English coins, whatever Rita says is appropriate. When we get there, we’ll buy what we need, then leave it behind when we come home. That way we won’t take anything that originated after 1668 back with us.”
“‘That would satisfy my concern,” said Rita. “But we’ll have to keep our wealth well-hidden from the buccaneers around us.”