Trying his best to look casual, as if he were simply taking a stroll, Derec walked to the ebony and said, "Excuse me, but didn't I see you here last night?"
"It is possible, master," replied the ebony, bowing its head and shoulders slightly as if to take note of the human's presence for the first time.
"With all the other robots?"
"I was in the square, but my circuits do not acknowledge the fact that I was with the other robots."
"I see by your insignia and model that you are a supervisor robot."
"That is true."
"Exactly what are your duties?" Derec asked casually.
With an almost stately turn of its head, the ebony turned toward Circuit Breaker and waited until the length of the silence between them became quite long-deliberately, for a kind of dramatic effect, it seemed to Derec. An answer was intended, but so was a space of waiting. Derec began to get a seriously queasy feeling in his stomach.
Finally, the ebony said, "My duties are floating. I am programmed to ascertain what needs to be done and then to do it or otherwise see to it."
"All of this is up to your discretion?"
"I am a duly designated rogue operative. The city requires a certain amount of random checks if it is to run at peak efficiency. If a machine breaks down gradually, the supervisor on the spot might not notice because it is there during every tour of duty. It would get used to the situation, would not even realize something was amiss, whereas I, with my extra-keen memory banks and an eye capable of perceiving individual levels of meta-cells, would notice it immediately."
"Once you actually look at the problem, that is."
"Of course. I doubt even a human can fix a machine before he knows if and where it has been broken. "
"Don't underestimate us."
"I shall strive not to. Do not think, sir, that my sole function is to act as mechanical troubleshooter. My tasks vary, depending upon the situation. Often central calls on me to provide visual and cognitive assistance if there is some problem with robotic efficiency-not that my comrades ever function at less than their peak, but because sometimes they cannot be certain that they are directing their energies to the best advantage of all."
"So you're a problem solver! You help devise solutions to the unforeseen shortcomings in central's program!"
Derec leaned against a building and saw Circuit Breaker weave back and forth like a balloon hung up in a breeze. He felt like someone had hit him on the back of the skull with a lug wrench. His lungs felt like paper. His ankles felt like the bones had turned into rubber putty. At first he was too stunned to loathe the ebony, but that feeling grew and grew, as he leaned there and tried to get his thoughts straight.
This robot has got to make decisions,Derec thought. The very nature of its job calls for analytical creativity! It could have viewed Circuit Breaker as so revolutionary to the robotic psyche that it constituted an obstacle to the laborers' duties. And then…then the ebony would have been forced to do something about Lucius.
There's nothing in the Three Laws about a robot being forbidden to harm another robot. In fact. First Law situations and Second Law orders may require it.
This is not proof, though.
For a moment Derec wondered what he would do once he had the proof. He would have to keep the ebony-or whichever robot the murderer was-functional for a time until the mechanics as well as the psychology had been checked for anomalies. The question of what came next would have to be decided after all the facts were in. It was possible that the ebony couldn't help itself.
Just as it was also possible that the Three Laws had been a significant factor, that once the ebony had embarked on a course of logic, it had followed it rigorously to an end predestined for tragedy.
"Tell me," Derec said, making an effort to stand up straight, "do you ever take the initiative when it comes to identifying problems?"
"If you mean can I pinpoint a potential glitch before central is aware, then the answer is yes. Those occasions, however, are quite rare and often quite obvious."
"They're obvious if you're not central.”
“Sir?"
"And do you ever take the initiative in solving problems?"
"I have, and central has had to fine-tune them, too.”
“But not all the time."
"I see I must be exact about this. Central has only fine-tuned three out of forty-seven of my solutions. Have I satisfied you so far with my answers, sir?"
"Forty-seven? That's a lot of problems, and those are only the ones you found on your own."
"Robot City is young, sir. There will doubtlessly be many glitches in the system before the city is operating at one hundred percent efficiency."
"And you're certainly going to do your bit, aren't you?”
“I can do nothing else, sir."
Derec nodded. "I see. By the way, what's your name?”
“Canute."
"Tell me, Canute, how would you rate-efficiency-wise-a robot that deliberately took it upon itself to disconnect a comrade?"
"Sir, it would have to be seriously examined. Though of course it is possible that the First or Second Law would permit such an action. ".
"Are you aware that someone, presumably a robot, brutally disconnected Lucius last night? Damaged him beyond all hope of repair?"
"Of course I am aware. News travels fast over the comlink."
"So you heard about it from other robots first?"
"Sir, why not ask me outright if I was the robot responsible? You know I am forbidden to lie."
Canute's words were like a bucket of cold water thrown into Derec's face. Their forthrightness startled him. "I-I-how did you know I was leading up to that?"
"It seemed obvious from your line of questioning.”
“I see you have advanced deductive abilities.”
“It is a prerequisite for my line of work."
Hmmm. I think you just may be the kind of robot I need,Derec thought. Putting aside his feelings for Lucius with a force of will, he thought of Ariel, and of the possibility that Canute, who made its intuitive leaps from a solidly practical framework, would be just the one to help him diagnose and cure her disease. Once its mental frames of reference could be adjusted, that is.
The trick would be to get it to readjust-to admit the gravity of its error-without causing positronic burnout in the process. For in that eventuality, Canute wouldn't be able to repair a paper clip.
So the direct approach was out. Besides, Derec had a promise to keep.
"Canute, you may find this hard to believe, but I've been looking for a model like you."
"Sir?"
"Yes, I have a specific type of building in mind that I'd like to see erected nearby. I'd also like it as permanent as possible. I think its presence will do much to enrich life here in Robot City."
"Then I am eager to do whatever you ask. What type of building did you have in mind?"
"An open-air theatre-a playhouse. I'll give you the details later, but I want to see functional elaboration in the design. I want you to generate your notions of some of the details.In fact, I insist on it. Understand?"
"Yes," said Canute, lowering its head slightly. "May I ask why you want to have a theatre erected?"
"Have you ever heard of Hamlet?"
Chapter 6. The World Of The Play
Canute was right about one thing: news travels fast at comlink speed. Returning from Circuit Breaker Square to his quarters, Derec hadn't even gotten through the door before Mandelbrot began talking.
"Master, where have you been? I have been besieged by requests to assist you in your latest project. I fear that, lacking sufficient information, I was forced to tell everyone to wait. I hope that was all right."
"It was," said Derec, lying down on the couch. "Where's Ariel?"
"She went to her room. She mumbled something about mopping up on her Shakespeare."