chapter4_page-54-70

Chapter 4.

Little Lost Robot.

The next time I saw Susan Calvin, she was at the door of her office.

Her files were being moved out.

How were your articles coming along, young man?

She asked me.

Fine, I said.

Would you look over them?

I don't want them to be wrong in any way.

I suppose so.

So, shall we go to the executives lounge?

We can have coffee.

She seemed to be in a good mood.

We walked down the corridor together.

I was wondering, Dr. Calvin, I said, you have told me a lot about the history of robots.

But they are not related to the modern world very much.

What about interstellar travel?

The new hyper -atomic engine was invented only 20 years ago.

It was invented by robots.

Is this true?

Interstellar travel.

She was thoughtful.

Well, it wasn't a simple robotic invention.

My first experience with interstellar research was in 2029, when a robot was lost.

There was an important emergency on hyperbase,

which was the main station of the 27th asteroid group.

A special government ship had brought Dr. Calvin and Dr. Bogart.

They were going to investigate the problem.

Susan Calvin had never left Earth before.

She was unhappy with the trip and was not sure that it was a real emergency.

Her unhappiness was clearly seen in her face during her first dinner at the station.

General Colner led the project on hyperbase.

He was in his uniform.

He began explaining the situation.

We've lost a robot.

Work on the station has stopped until we find the robot.

We need your expert help.

I don't have to tell you the importance of our work here.

The government has spent more than 80 % of the money for scientific research on us.

We know that, said Bogart pleasantly.

You're paying U .S. robots a lot of money to use their robots.

Susan Calvin was not so friendly.

Why is a single robot so important to the project and why haven't you found it?

The general turned his red face toward her.

Well, let me explain.

The day before the robot disappeared, a delivery ship brought 62 robots of the same type to the station.

Two of them were going to be kept for our laboratories.

Sixty of them were going to another station.

But when our robot got lost, we counted the robots that had arrived.

There were 63 of them.

So, that the 63rd robot is the missing one.

Dr. Calvin's eyes darkened.

Yes, but we don't know which one is ours.

There was a dead silence in the room.

Very strange, said Calvin.

She turned to Bogart.

Peter, what's wrong here?

What kind of robots are they using?

Bogart hesitated and smiled weekly.

It's a sensitive matter, Susan.

If there are 63 same type robots, why can't they use any one of them?

What's the problem?

Let me explain, Susan, said Bogart.

Some of the robots that are used here at Hyperbase are special.

Their brains have only half of the first law of robotics.

This was top secret information.

Only a few people at the top knew about it.

The general looked concerned.

I didn't know that Dr. Calvin had not been informed about the situation.

He turned to Calvin.

Dr. Calvin, you know that many people on earth are strongly against robots.

The government argues that robots are always built with an unbreakable first law.

But we had a problem and needed to have robots of a different kind.

So, only a few of the NS2 models were built with a modified first law.

To keep this secret, all of the NS2s are produced without serial numbers.

The ones that are modified are delivered here together with the normal robots.

Have you asked each robot who it is?

Calvin asks seriously.

The general nodded.

All 63 of them say that they have never worked here, and one is lying.

He shook his head slowly.

Dr. Calvin, we can't let that delivery ship leave.

If people learn about the modified robots,

destroy all 63, said Calvin coldly.

You mean destroy $30 ,000 per robot, said Bogart.

U .S. robots wouldn't like that, Susan.

We should try to find a solution before we destroy anything.

Then I need facts, she said sharply.

Why did you need these modified robots, general?

Dr. Calvin.

Before we made this decision, we had some trouble with our robots.

General Kalmer explained.

Our men work with hard radiations, you see.

It's dangerous, of course, but we are very careful.

We tried to explain this to our robots, but every time a human works with radiation,

a robot would pull him away.

It's because of the first law of robotics.

A robot cannot harm a human being or allow a human being to come to harm.

I see, said Calvin.

We tried talking to the robots.

We told them that they were risking their lives.

If the radiation is strong, it could harm their positronic brains.

But protecting oneself is the third law of robotics, and the first law is stronger.

Then, we tried giving them orders.

We ordered them to stay out of the radiation area.

But obeying orders is the second law, and the first law is stronger again.

Dr. Calvin, that's why we had to make this difficult decision.

I can't believe you decided to remove the first law.

Said Calvin.

We didn't remove it.

We modified it.

Explained Keller.

Their positronic brains only have the first part of the law.

A robot cannot harm a human being.

That is all.

And that is the only difference of your robots from the ordinary NS2 model, Peter?

Yes, that's the only difference, Susan.

She stood up.

I'm going to sleep now, and in eight hours, I want to speak to the person who saw the robot last.

And from now on, General Kalner.

I want full control of this investigation.

Gerald Black was a young physicist, difficult and nervous.

He sat next to General Kalner, across from the robotics experts from U .S. robots.

Calvin watched him with interest.

So, you were last to see Nestor 10 before he disappeared, young man.

He worked with me on the field generators, and he was with me the morning of his disappearance.

Now, you probably know the robot better than anyone else.

Was there anything unusual about him?

Have you ever worked with robots before?

I've worked with other robots.

Nestors are a little bit different.

They're much cleverer and more annoying.

Annoying, in what way?

Well, the work here is difficult and dangerous.

We need to be very careful, and sometimes we get nervous.

But Nestors are not like that.

They're curious and calm.

They don't worry.

They don't hurry.

They tell you when they think you're wrong.

Bogart asks softly.

Did anything special happen that morning?

There was a silence.

They waited patiently.

Then Black spoke.

I had a little trouble with it.

I'd been having problems with my program.

I had broken a tube that morning.

I hadn't gotten any mail from my family in weeks and was feeling depressed.

And then he came and asked me to repeat an experiment I had done.

He was always annoying me about it, and I was tired of it.

I told him to go away, and that was the last time I saw him.

You told him to go away.

Asked Calvin with interest.

Did you say, go away?

Try to remember the exact words.

Black scratched his head.

I said, get lost.

This is helpful, Mr. Black, but exact details are important.

What else did you say?

The young man reddened.

Well, I was very angry and upset, so I used some very strong language.

And then you told him to get lost.

I didn't mean it.

I understand, said Calvin.

You may leave, Mr. Black.

Thank you for your help.

Susan Calvin then interviewed the 63 robots.

It was five hours of repetition.

She had to ask the same questions again and again.

Questions A, B, C, D, and answers A, B, C, D.

The psychologist was exhausted when she was finished.

She shook her head to Bogart.

All 63 seemed the same to me.

Bogart then analyzed the recordings.

He did not find any difference between the robots either.

Calvin was nervous.

We can't find the modified nester.

I don't know what to do.

We can't let him escape.

I think we should destroy all of them.

Have you talked to the other modified nesters?

Yes, I have, said Bogart.

There's nothing wrong with them.

One of them is lying, said Calvin.

One of the 63 robots I have just interviewed has deliberately lied to me.

Nestor 10 was ordered to lose himself.

The order was given by the person who had the most authority to control him.

The robot will do everything to obey the order.

He is hiding in a group of similar robots.

I think that's clever.

This is a serious matter, Peter.

These robots subconsciously feel that humans are inferior.

Normally the first law protects us from them, but here we don't have that.

So, what are we going to do then?

We'll try some tests.

In the center of the huge radiation room in Building 2,

a man sat in a chair, motionless and silent.

There were 63 small wooden cells in a circle around the man.

In each cell, an NS2 robot sat.

They could not see each other, but they could see the man.

Above the man's chair, a heavy weight dropped, went downward, then was pushed away by a force beam at the last moment.

The robots that watched him ran forward right before the beam pushed away the weight.

The weight rose and dropped, rose and dropped, rose and dropped, ten times.

And every time, the robots ran forward and then stopped when they saw that the man was safe.

General Kralner looked hopefully at Bogart.

How does it look?

What are you trying to see?

We're trying to see a difference.

62 of those robots had to jump forward to save the human.

After the third or fourth time, they learned that the human was not in danger.

But the first law forced them to run forward.

Well, but the 63rd robot, the modified nester, did not have this obligation.

He could stay in his seat, but he chose to imitate the others.

Susan Calvin entered the room and shut the door.

This is not working.

We'll have to try something else.

I don't like what's happening.

Bogart looked at the general.

Is anything wrong?

Nester Ten is getting away from us.

It's bad.

His sense of superiority has grown.

It is not only about following orders now.

He has a need to be cleverer than humans.

That's an unhealthy and dangerous situation.

What do you think we should do now, Dr. Calvin?

Asked the general.

We will repeat the experiment, but this time we will place electric cables between the human and the robot.

We will tell the robots that touching the cables will kill them.

Wait, said Bogart.

We are not destroying two million dollars worth of robots.

No, of course not.

We will switch off the electricity if a robot touches the cable.

But we won't tell the robots, of course.

Will that work?

Asked the general.

His eyes full of hope.

It should.

The first law will make the normal robots jump forwards to die.

But our Nester Ten will remain in his seat.

Without the whole of first law and without the second law, he will have to obey the third law.

The third law is about protecting oneself, so he will have to stay in his seat.

A man sat in the chair, motionless and silent.

A weight dropped, went downward, then was pushed away by a force beam at the last moment.

Only once.

And from her small chair in the observing room in the balcony, Dr. Susan Calvin jumped up in horror.

63 robots sat quietly in their chairs, staring at the man in the middle.

Not one moved.

Dr. Calvin was angry, very angry.

She could not show her anger to the robots that entered the room and then left.

She had to talk to each of them again.

Number 28 entered.

She tried to remain calm.

Have you been in this room today?

No, ma 'am.

Sit down.

I want to ask you some questions, number 28.

Were you in the radiation room of building two about four hours ago?

Yes, ma 'am.

There was a human who was almost harmed, wasn't there?

Yes, ma 'am.

Why didn't you do anything to save him?

I want to explain, ma 'am.

I don't want you to think that I could hurt a human being.

That would be horrible.

Calm down, number 28.

Tell me, what were you thinking at the time?

Before it happened, you told us that a human would be in danger from that weight that falls.

You also told us that touching the electric cables would kill us.

But if I moved to save him, I would die, and the human would also die.

It was impossible to save the human.

I could not destroy myself for nothing without orders.

The robot psychologist had heard the same story 27 times before.

She asked the most important question now.

This is an interesting idea, number 28.

Did you think of this yourself?

The robot hesitated.

No, we were talking last night, and one of us had that idea, and it sounded like a sensible idea.

Which one?

The robot thought deeply.

I don't know, just one of us.

Calvin took a deep breath.

That's all, she said.

Number 29 was next.

General Conner was angry too.

For a whole week, Hyperbase had stopped working.

For nearly one week, the two top experts had carried out useless tests.

And now, Dr. Calvin was asking for something impossible.

We have to separate the robot, sir.

This is the only way.

My dear Dr. Calvin.

Said the general, trying to control his anger.

I can't keep 63 robots separately in the station.

I can do nothing then.

Nestor 10 is imitating what the other robots do.

Or, he is getting them to do what he does.

We're fighting this little lost robot, and he's winning.

Every time he wins, he gets more dangerous.

She stood up with anger.

General Conner, if you do not separate the robots, then the only safe method is to destroy all 63 of them.

The general looked angry.

As he was about to speak, the door opened, and Gerald Black entered.

Excuse me, I thought I'd come myself.

I didn't want to tell anyone else.

What is it?

The locks to compartment C have been damaged from the inside.

That's where the robots are kept.

There was a thoughtful silence, and then Dr. Calvin said.

Well, isn't it obvious?

Nestor 10 is trying to escape.

He can take control of the ship and leave with it.

Then we'd have a mad robot on a spaceship.

What would he do next?

Any idea?

Do you think there is nothing else to do, Dr. Calvin?

Ask General Conner.

I can't think of anything, sir, she replied.

She was tired.

If there were other differences between Nestor 10 and the normal robots, and she stopped suddenly.

What is it?

I've thought of something.

She turned to Gerald Black.

The Nestors learn about their subject from you, am I right?

Yes, they don't know anything about etheric physics when they come here.

We teach them here on the station.

And why is that?

Calvin was excited.

Why don't they learn about it before they come?

I can tell you that, said General Conner.

It's all about secrecy.

We don't want all of the robots to have knowledge of etheric physics.

I understand.

Said Calvin.

Please leave me now.

Give me an hour or two.

Calvin was exhausted.

She did not think she could interview the robots one more time, so Bogart was talking to them now.

Number 14 came in.

Have you been in this room today?

Bogart asked.

No, sir.

When you leave this room, you will be taken to a cell.

You will wait there until you are needed.

Then, a human will be in danger.

You will try to save him.

Yes, sir.

But between the human and yourself, there will be a radiation field.

Have you ever worked with radiation?

No, sir.

Hmm.

Well, radiation will kill you.

It will destroy your brain.

You must know and remember that.

Naturally, you don't want to destroy yourself.

Naturally.

The robot seems shocked.

But sir, if the radiation field is between us, how can I save the human?

I would destroy myself first.

Yes, that's true.

Bogart seemed worried.

I can advise you to sit where you are when you notice the radiation.

The robot was happy.

Thank you, sir.

But if there weren't any dangerous radiation, then you would save the human.

Naturally, sir, you may leave now.

The large radiation room was ready.

The robots waited in their wooden cells.

They could see the chair in the center, but they could not see each other.

None of the robots have talked to each other after the interview.

You are sure about this?

Ask Dr. Calvin.

I am sure, said Black.

I am going to be sitting in the chair myself this time, said Calvin.

I want to watch them carefully.

Alright, said Bogart.

Then let's try it this one last time.

Susan Calvin sat in the chair, silent and nervous.

A weight dropped, went downward, then was pushed away by a force beam at the last moment.

And a single robot stood up and took two steps and stopped.

Calvin stood up, her finger pointed at the robot.

Nestor 10, come here, she cried.

Come here.

Slowly the robot moved towards her.

The psychologist shouted without taking her eyes from the robot.

Get every other robot out of this place, Black.

Bogart, get them out quickly and keep them out.

Nestor 10 took another step towards her.

He was now only three meters away from her.

I have been told to get lost, he said.

Another step.

I must obey.

He will think I failed.

He told me, but I am powerful and smart.

He took another step.

I've been found.

I am smart.

You are weak and slow.

Another step.

His metal arm was on Calvin's shoulder.

The heavy arm was pushing her down.

She could not breathe.

No one must find me.

No one.

And then she heard a strange metallic sound.

She fell to the ground.

The heavy metal arm was across her body.

Nestor 10 was lying on the ground.

It did not move.

And now she saw faces that were looking at her.

Are you hurt Dr. Calvin?

Black asked worriedly.

She shook her head weakly.

They removed the robot's arm and lifted her up.

What happened?

She asked.

I filled the place with radiation for five seconds, said Black.

When we realized he was attacking you, that was the only thing we could do.

There was enough radiation to destroy him, but not enough to harm you.

She closed her eyes for a moment.

He wasn't attacking me exactly.

He was trying to, but his modified first law didn't let him.

Susan Calvin and Peter Bogart were having their last meeting with General Colner.

Work at Hyperbase had started again.

Things were back to normal.

The General was once again in his uniform.

The other modified nesters will be destroyed, Calvin said.

They will be, said the General.

We'll use normal robots from now on.

Good.

But you haven't explained, Dr. Calvin.

How did you do it?

She smiled.

Well, Nestor 10 had a superiority complex.

He thought that he and other robots knew more than human beings.

We told every robot that the radiation would kill them, so they didn't move.

Well, yes, Dr. Calvin, I understand that.

But why did Nestor 10 move?

Ah, that was a little game that me and Dr. Black prepared.

We told the robots that there would be dangerous radiation in the room.

But in fact, we used a harmless type of radiation.

Ordinary heat rays.

Nestor 10 knew that they were harmless, so he stood up.

But then he realized that the normal NS2s could not identify the type of radiation.

Nestor 10 could identify it because he had learned it from Mr. Black.

The normal robots thought that the area was fatal,

and only Nestor 10 knew that we had lied.

His superiority complex caught him.