Robot City - Perihelion Part 12

"For the purpose of evading the Hunters, this might as well be one landing site," said Mandelbrot. "When they see the first, they will find the others."

"We'll have to take the chance," said Derec. "We'll drop off you and Wolruf as fast as we can and take off again. Then we'll go back into orbit until we hear from you."

"Or until your fuel level reaches minimum," said Mandelbrot. "I will alert the computer to warn you when you must land."

Derec closed his eyes again.

"All right," said Jeff.

"Computer," said Mandelbrot. "On the next orbit, take an evasive route down to the first of the landing sites. Avoid revealing our destination as long as you can."

"ACKNOWLEDGED.".

Most of the next orbit was uneventful, but Derec found the evasive maneuvers extremely unpleasant. The ship descended, turned as sharply as it could, ascended again, turned again. Each change shifted his weight and pressed his aching muscles. None of the others seemed to notice.

The changes began to include speed as the ship worked its crooked way down toward the planet. Derec gripped the strap holding him in both hands and clenched his teeth against the pain shooting through his back. Finally the descent smoothed out and he realized they were about to land.

The ship landed on a surface that listed somewhat to the left and halted so suddenly that everyone was thrown forward against their restraining straps. The door opened automatically and the ladder extended. Mandelbrot and Wolruf were ready to go. Moments later, the door closed again and the ship waited briefly for them to get a safe distance from the ship.

"PREPARED FOR LIFT-OFF AS ORDERED," said the computer. "PLEASE INSTRUCT."

"Return to the same alt.i.tude we just left," said Jeff. "Uh, use evasive pattern and take a different orbit when we get there."

"ACKNOWLEDGED.".

The acceleration pressed Derec back against his seat again. He closed his eyes, resigned to the ride, and lay still.

CHAPTER 12.

DESERTED STREETS.

Mandelbrot and Wolruf ran straight up the beach. The sand was pale blue and packed hard all the way to the line where the ground cover began. There they climbed up the dip between two high, rounded, gra.s.sy dunes.

"Careful," said Mandelbrot. 'The Hunters will be on their way here already."

Wolruf nodded.

They moved cautiously over the next rise and Mandelbrot found the edge of the urban area. The dunes were bordered by a curving boulevard. Ahead of them, a smaller street stretched away from them, lined with buildings on both sides.

"No one is 'err," said Wolruf.

The streets were deserted in all directions.

"We will be very easy to spot here," said Mandelbrot. "I have no crowd to get lost in and you are now on the Hunters' list."

"Should move."

Mandelbrot looked toward the mountains that loomed over them slightly to the left. "The valley itself is no farther than five kilometers, but the mountains begin much closer. The greatest danger to us is crossing the city to reach them."

"Greatest danger to us iss waiting 'err," said Wolruf.

"Agreed. Let's go." Mandelbrot started across the boulevard, striding at a pace that was fast but dignified.

No robots were visible in either direction. On the first city block, they stayed near the edges of the buildings themselves and glanced inside any doorways or windows that offered a view. The city was functioning here without humanoid robots.

"a.s.sembly points," said Wolruf. "Robots 'err have already lefft." She glanced behind them, over her shoulder. " 'Unterss could come from any direction."

"A tunnel stop would help us considerably," said Mandelbrot. "If we stay on this street we will encounter one, if they were built with the same frequency in this area as in the area we are familiar with." He paused to look inside a window. Inside, function robots were scuttling about on their duties.

"Maybe they didn't build any 'err at all," said Wolruf as she trotted alongside to keep up.

"That is possible. If this portion of the city is built on sand, then tunneling is more difficult. However, these robots do not seem to factor difficulty into their considerations."

"Therr," Wolruf said emphatically, pointing ahead.

A humanoid robot was just disappearing from sight around a corner ahead of them.

Mandelbrot reached down to lift Wolruf, and began to run-not at full speed, but quickly enough to make up some ground.

"Careful," said Wolruf, clutching him around the neck.

"I believe that a Hunter this close to us would have come in this direction," said Mandelbrot. "However, I do not want to contact any robot without the chance to observe the situation first. Pursuit is the only recourse."

A moment later, they turned the corner after the other robot. He was now riding a slidewalk, standing still as it carried him parallel to the mountain range. Mandelbrot hurried to the slidewalk and then walked slowly after him once they were on it.

"I think I understand," he said quietly. "Either this humanoid cannot be replaced here by function robots, or else he is one of the last, possibly the very last, in this area to follow his migration programming."

"If that iss the case, we should forget about 'im," said Wolruf. "Go to the mountains and 'ide from 'unters. Find Avery."

"We will be safer taking evasive action than simply racing the Hunters to the mountains. In fact, we should avoid indicating to them what our destination is, if possible. I am hoping to find a group of humanoid robots to observe so that we can imitate their actions without being witnessed by them."

"Too late," said Wolruf, looking back over his shoulder. " 'Err come 'unters."

Mandelbrot turned to look. One humanoid, clearly a Hunter by his size and sensors, was riding a distant slidewalk toward the landing site.

"Good. They intend to pick up our trail at the beach. That gives us a little more time." Mandelbrot set Wolruf on her feet. "I will try to manage among the robots. See if you can reach the agricultural park. I will attempt to meet you there."

Wolruf hissed a kind of agreement and hopped off the slidewalk. Then she darted away.

Mandelbrot considered a number of options for himself instantly and chose one. He sent a distress alert to the robot ahead of him through his comlink.

"I am in need of a.s.sistance," he said.

The other robot turned to face him, then stepped onto the stationary shoulder to wait for Mandelbrot. "What is wrong?"

"I am on the verge of physically shutting down." That was true; Mandelbrot neglected to say that it was voluntary. "Please take me to the nearest repair facility. Report me as a malfunctioned robot, failure unknown."

"Agreed."

Mandelbrot froze in place but kept his positronic brain functioning. He had deliberately avoided identifying himself.

This robot was complying with Mandelbrot's request under a subtle but real compulsion. The Third Law of Robotics required robots to avoid harm to themselves through action or inaction but did not specifically require them to keep other robots from harm. However, in the robot society of Robot City, Mandelbrot had observed that such cooperation was common. Perhaps it was even programmed. In any case, he knew he could count on another robot's help, at least in the absence of more pressing problems.

The robot stepped back onto the slidewalk next to him. Apparently the nearest repair facility was in this direction. At least it would offer a kind of camouflage from the Hunters since he would not just be wandering around by himself or, worse, with a highly recognizable caninoid alien.

He hoped Wolruf could make it to the mountains. She was still of no interest to most robots, though they could act as witnesses to her presence and her direction for the Hunters. In the forested mountains she would have a better chance.

At present, the Hunters would almost certainly be tracking them by infrared heat sensors. When they had followed Mandelbrot and Wolruf to the point where they had mounted the slidewalk, they would ride it while scanning the shoulder for the spot or spots where their quarry had gotten off again. He rode on.

Finally the other robot lifted him and stepped off the slidewalk. This kept Mandelbrot's robot body heat off the ground; the Hunters would not be able to detect where he had left the slidewalk. However, they would be on Wolruf's trail without a problem.

Wolruf trotted down the empty sidewalk, alert on all sides for the sight, sound, or scent of humanoid robots. The city here was as striking as ever; she pa.s.sed a gigantic, many-faceted dome glittering in the sunshine, a spiraling jade-green skysc.r.a.per that resembled loosely twisted ribbons frozen in midfall, and a mult.i.tude of combined pyramidal, hexagonal, and conical shapes. The quiet hum of machinery and the occasional function robots moving about told her that the city was still active here.

The absence of humanoids was eerie. The city was just too big and elaborate to seem normal with deserted streets and nearly vacant buildings. She felt exposed.

Wolruf grinned to herself as she turned corners, circled blocks, doubled back, and then moved on, always working her way closer to the mountains that were so invitingly close. As a navigator, she was no stranger to evasive maneuvers. She had not usually conducted them on foot, however, or been limited to one plane.

She was not certain how successful these maneuvers would be. If the Hunters possessed heat sensors that could consistently choose the warmest trail, then she was not going to confuse them by crisscrossing her path. Instead, she was just wasting time and letting them get closer. After she had done a little more of that, she resorted to a zigzag pattern that angled her toward the mountains more quickly.

When she reached the edge of the city, she stopped to consider her next move. A long boulevard lined the base of the first foothill; beyond it, the forest began. If she could disguise her point of entry into the mountains, it would help her a great deal.

She hopped onto the slidewalk that ran down the side of the boulevard, looking around. The Hunters could be right behind her or a long way back; she had no way of knowing without risking them seeing her. She could be sure, however, that they were coming with that inexorable robot logic and single-mindedness.

Nor could she ride here indefinitely; she could be seen easily by anyone looking down the straightaway. She jumped off again.

What she needed was a mobile function robot she could ride across the boulevard, or anything else that would keep moving after she left it, so that the traces of her body heat would be carried away. With an anxious glance behind her, she turned a corner and looked down the street.

It was empty.

Time was growing short. She would either have to find a way to break her trail, or else leave a track into the mountains that any Hunter could follow.

She started down the street, peering inside any windows she could reach.

"ORBIT ATTAINED," said the ship computer. "PLEASE INSTRUCT."

"Maintain alt.i.tude," said Jeff. "Vary the route at random."

"ACKNOWLEDGED.".

Jeff turned to look at Derec. He was reclining in his seat, eyes closed, jaw clenched. Jeff unstrapped and moved over to him.

"What is it?" Ariel asked.

"These seats convert into berths. If you'll unstrap him, I'll get the seat all the way down flat. Then flexible privacy walls pull down from the ceiling. "

"I see."

They worked in silence, watching Derec. He was clearly awake, but in no mood to converse. When he was lying down comfortably, Jeff pulled down the walls, leaving one open just enough for him to see out if he wished.

Jeff and Ariel sat down in the two control seats in the front.

"Can we do anything for him?" Jeff asked.

"No," Ariel whispered.

He looked at her in surprise.

Her eyes were wide and staring at the blank viewscreen on the console.

"Ariel? What's wrong?"

She didn't respond.

He took hold of her arm, gently, and moved his face in front of her unwavering gaze. "Ariel. Can you see me?"

Her eyes were steady, open, and beginning to water.

Jeff felt a tickle of fear along the back of his neck. Ariel had told him something of the chemfets in Derec and her memory loss and regrowth. However, he had had the impression that she was getting much better. Now he was alone in orbit with both of them and didn't know if he should try to help or what he could do.

"Computer," he said. "Review landing sites. Skip the ones on the beach. They'll be guarded."

"LANDING SITES COMING ON SCREEN.".

"Which one is the closest to the crops now?"

"IT IS MARKED IN BLUE.".

"Can you describe it?"

"IT IS A MAIN THOROUGHFARE IN THIS PART OF THE CITY, STRAIGHT AND OF SUFFICIENT SIZE FOR A SAFE LANDING. THE SHIP WILL HALT APPROXIMATELY 6.4 KILOMETERS FROM THE AGRICULTURAL FIELD.".

"What are the chances that Hunters will be waiting for us when we get there?"

"UNKNOWN, BUT VERY HIGH. THEY ARE CERTAINLY IN THE AREA AND WILL SEE AND HEAR THE SHIP ON ITS FINAL APPROACH. IF THEY ARE NOT WAITING, THEY WILL CONVERGE QUICKLY.".

"Faster than last time?"