“Where are we going?” Steve asked. “Hunter, we aren’t just going to wander all over the mountain at random, are we?”
“What do you suggest, Vicinius?” Hunter asked. “Where should we look first?”
“Along the river,” said Vicinius. “He will need water. And if he is hungry, fishing will be easier than hunting. His tracks will be clear in the mud, too.”
Steve allowed Vicinius to move up a little on the trail, then lowered his voice and switched to English. “Jane, is MC 3 going to care about going to the river? A human needs food and water, but a robot doesn’t. Are we going to be wandering off to the river for nothing?”
“I don’t know. You’re right that the component robots get their energy from the tiny solar converters in their skin. But they do need small amounts of water to replace their simulated saliva and sweat.”
“I just don’t want to go all the way down to some river for nothing.”
“I think we have to,” said Gene quietly. “Vicinius’s argument is sound from his point of view. Unless we get some specific clue as to MC 3’s whereabouts that we can show him, we can’t reasonably refuse to go along with him.”
Steve nodded and hurried after Vicinius and Hunter.
As the morning wore on, the fog gradually lifted over the treetops. The sky remained gray and dark, however, and drizzle fell intermittently. They all raised their hoods against it. Steve was more glad than ever that he had the fur cloak, with its residual animal oils, to keep the dampness off him.
Suddenly Vicinius stopped up ahead. He stood motionless, staring across a ravine into the distance. Hunter joined him first, then the others caught up.
Steve moved around Hunter to see what they were looking at. In the distance, a line of soldiers was marching along a mountain road. At the rear of the line, he could see horse-drawn wagons. Each soldier wore armor and a helmet with a bright red crest. A short distance past them, Steve could see a bend in the river. Even he knew that they were Roman legionaries.
“Their camp is not far,” said Vicinius casually. “We will go around it to reach the river.”
“They build a fortified camp every night,” said Gene.
“Where are they going?” Hunter asked.
“Roman business,” Vicinius said shortly. He pushed on down the trail, ignoring the Romans.
Steve looked at Gene in surprise. He definitely had the feeling that Vicinius knew more about the Romans than he was telling. Gene merely shrugged.
The trail wound down the mountain slope. The Weser was often visible through the trees below. Steve could see birds in the trees, but he only heard small animals fleeing from them in the underbrush.
They had almost reached the edge of the forest down in the river valley when Vicinius stopped abruptly again. This time he pointed to the ground. Steve hurried forward, hoping to see the small footprints of MC 3. Instead, he found animal tracks in the soft ground.
“Wild boar tracks,” said Gene.
“Yes,” said Vicinius. “They are a challenge to hunt and kill, but the meat is very fine.” He grinned. “And the tracks are fresh.”
“How can you tell?” Jane asked.
“The shape is very clear, meaning that the drizzle hasn’t had time to blur the edges,” said Steve.
“It is very near,” said Hunter. Vicinius looked at him in surprise. “I see no immediate sign of it.”
“I hear it digging in the soil,” said Hunter. “It has not noticed us yet.”
“They have no fear,” said Vicinius, still looking at Hunter. “Your hearing must be very good.”
“We have no experience as hunters,” said Hunter. “We shall remain here out of danger if you wish to pursue it.”
Vicinius nodded, adjusting his grip on his spear. He crept off the trail into the brush, following the tracks. Even Steve could see the trail of trampled weeds and broken branches the boar had left.
“What if it hurts him?” Gene asked Hunter. “He wouldn’t have found these tracks if he hadn’t been taking us down to the river. Haven’t we altered his plans?”
“Yes,” said Hunter. “Stay here.” He followed Vicinius, also moving quietly and hefting his spear into position to throw it if necessary.
“It’s a difficult choice for him,” said Jane. “Ordinarily, the First Law tells him not to change history-if a boar is going to injure Vicinius, he should allow it. But if we’re responsible for creating the danger, the First Law is open to some interpretation about what he has to do.”
Suddenly a loud snorting reached them, and Vicinius whooped, taunting his prey. Steve heard the snapping of twigs, branches, and underbrush. Gene hurried after Hunter.
“Watch it!” Steve yelled, following him into the trees off the trail.
Jane joined him.
The boar had trampled a small clearing for itself a short distance in front of Hunter and Vicinius. It looked huge to Steve; he had never seen a wild boar, and this one was at least as big as the biggest modem hog he had ever seen. This boar, however, was a shaggy dark brown instead of pink, and it sported long, curved tusks curling forward from its face. With fast-moving eyes, it warily watched its tormentors.
6
Vicinius slowly and carefully crept to his right, his spear held high. Hunter stood motionless, his spear also ready to throw. The boar made a snuffling sound and feinted, but did not charge.
Gene paused a safe distance behind Hunter.
“Do not participate,” Hunter said over his shoulder. “Please back away.”
Gene moved back and stepped behind a large tree.
“Come on.” Steve took Jane’s arm in his free hand and pulled her back out of sight. “Hunter will take care of them.”
“I didn’t doubt it,” said Jane, in an annoyed tone. “But we could watch.”
“I don’t want Hunter to argue with me. This is our chance, while the First Law has him occupied. Let’s go.” Still pulling her arm, he started back up the trail.
“Stop it!” She yanked her arm free. “Are you crazy? Splitting up just gets us all into more trouble. Haven’t you learned that by now?”
Behind them, Vicinius was still whooping and calling the boar, teasing it.
“What if MC 3 is with the Romans? They aren’t far. We saw them on this side of the river. And we both know that Hunter will just give me an argument. Vicinius probably won’t want to visit them and Hunter can’t just abandon him. So we should go, while Hunter’s busy.”
“I can’t believe you want to do this, after all the trouble we’ve had before.”
“I don’t have time to argue. You coming or not?”
“No.” She glared at him with her clear blue eyes, challenging him.
“See you later.” Steve turned and hurried on down the trail. He would walk along the river until he could see either the Roman legionaries or their camp.
“Steve!”
“Yeah?” He turned to look.
“All right, I’m coming.” She hurried up alongside him, her fur cloak swirling. “But I want one promise from you.”