RIT2 - Marauder, Isaac Asimov's Robots in Time - William F Wu

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Marauder - Isaac Asimov's Robots In Time - William F Wu

ISAAC ASIMOV’S

ROBOTS

IN TIME

WILLIAM F. WU

THE LAWS OF ROBOTICS

A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

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Marauder - Isaac Asimov's Robots In Time - William F Wu

A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict

with the First Law.

A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First

or Second Law.

ISAAC ASIMOV’S

ROBOTS

IN TIME

MARAUDER

WILLIAM F. WU

Databank by Matt Elson

This is dedicated to

William Q. Wu

My father, who bought me a red plastic pirate ship full of toy buccaneers for a dollar at the

Menora Medical Clinic gift shop when I was little.

Special thanks in the writing of this novel are due to Michael D. Toman, Ricia Mainhardt, John

Betancourt, and Byron Preiss.

R. Hunter sat in the chair of Mojave Center Governor, in the Governor robot’s office, considering

his next move. The office was located in the underground desert city called Mojave Center.

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Marauder - Isaac Asimov's Robots In Time - William F Wu

Hunter was the new, specially designed humaniform robot who had recently been finished and

programmed according to the specifications of the Governor Robot Oversight Committee.

The scientists on the Oversight Committee had created Hunter to find and return Mojave Center

Governor. One of six experimental Governor robots designed to run complete, self-contained

cities like Mojave Center, Mojave Center Governor was missing. In his absence, the city

computer and individual positronic robots had taken over his responsibilities.

The other five experimental Governor robots had malfunctioned at approximately the same time,

suggesting a basic design flaw. Since Mojave Center Governor was the only exception, the

committee members wanted to study him as part of their investigation of the problem. To avoid

being taken apart, MC Governor had fled.

Each of the Governor robots could divide at will into six component humaniform robots. One of

the component robots who comprised MC Governor now stood motionless, shut down, in one

corner of the office. Hunter and his team of three humans had brought him back from the distant

past. The other five had also chosen to hide in earlier times.

For the last several minutes, Hunter had been monitoring the news through his internal receiver.

“A nuclear explosion on the southern coast of Jamaica yesterday continues to pile up casualties,”

said the announcer. “Fatalities are estimated in the hundreds of thousands, and within the next

few hours, tidal waves will strike the coasts of other islands throughout the Caribbean. Over the

coming week, these tidal waves are expected to strike heavily populated areas in Haiti, Puerto

Rico, many other islands, and the coasts of Central and South America, causing incalculable

destruction. Little time remains for emergency measures to prevent even more flooding and the

suffering that will follow....”

Hunter shut off the reception. The extent of the disaster was clear. He had a lot of work ahead to

prevent that explosion.

First Hunter had to brief the committee on his progress through a conference call that was linked

to him through the Mojave Center city computer.

“Good day,” said Hunter, as the four familiar human faces of the Governor Robot Oversight

Committee appeared on his internal video screen.

The committee members greeted him with eager anticipation.

“You have good news, I hope.” Dr. Redfield, a tall, slender blonde, spoke first. “What have you

learned? Have you located MC Governor already?”

“Part of him,” said Hunter, responding with precise accuracy.

“Part of him,” Professor Post repeated thoughtfully. He stroked his pointed, black beard. “I take

this to mean, then, that MC Governor divided into his component robots before your team could

apprehend him.”

“Yes, that is correct,” said Hunter. “However, we have apprehended MC 1, the first gestalt robot,

and returned him safely here.”

“That was fast,” said Dr. Chin, surprised. She was the short, pretty Chinese American with long,

black hair. “Where did you find MC 1?”

Hunter hesitated, at least by his fast robotic standards. He and his team of human colleagues had

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followed MC 1 back in time to the Late Cretaceous Period of prehistory using a modified device

in Mojave Center. They had found MC 1 in a forest full of dinosaurs.

The reality of time travel was a revolutionary discovery; Hunter did not want to mention it

casually, without considering the long-term effects such a device might have on humans. The

other members of the team had agreed to keep the secret until he chose to reveal it. Any

significant action in the past might change human history in the present, creating unimaginable

harm to people. The First Law of the Three Laws of Robotics that governed all robots’ behavior

said, “A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come

to harm.”

For the present, Hunter decided not to reveal the existence of the time travel device.

“We found MC 1 in Alberta, Canada,” Hunter said simply. His statement was true; the event just

happened to have occurred many millions of years in the past.

“Shouldn’t you be looking for the others there, too?” Dr. Chin asked.

“No,” said Hunter. “Our information is not complete, but the other component robots appear to

have separated.”

“I don’t understand something,” said Dr. Khanna, in his Hindi accent. “You captured MC 1 very

quickly, considering that he was in Alberta and you were assigned to the task only yesterday.

Now you have returned to Mojave Center already. How did you manage to work so efficiently?”

“I have a very capable team,” said Hunter cautiously. They had returned to the present only a

short time after they had left, though they had actually spent several long, difficult days in the

past trying to capture MC 1. So to anyone in the present, they had not been gone from Mojave

Center very long at all. “However, Chad Mora has completed his work for me. I will need a

replacement for him, this time a specialist in the history of the Caribbean.”

“Please give us a report on your first mission,” said Dr. Khanna.

“I would prefer to give you a complete report on concluding my assignment,” said Hunter.

“I think if we are expected to continue hiring assistants for you, we can require a report at this

stage,” said Dr. Khanna, raising one eyebrow.

“I remind you that I am not a human seeking to keep a job,” said Hunter. “I can work most

efficiently with a team of human experts. You may decide how much efficiency you are willing

to allow me.”

“All right, hold it,” said Dr. Chin. “I think we can wait for a complete report. The important thing

is to get MC Governor back in one piece.”

Dr. Khanna shrugged, frowning.

“How is the rest of your team?” Dr. Redfield asked. “Everyone worked out, I assume.”

“Yes,” said Hunter. “The roboticist, Jane Maynard, is definitely a help. Steve Chang, our general

assistant, has a range of pragmatic experience that I and the more highly educated specialists

simply lack. No amount of library data accessible to me can substitute for their combined

contributions. They are still here in Mojave Center and will continue working with me.”

“Even so,” said Dr. Khanna. “I don’t understand exactly how you are conducting your search.”

“I don’t think it matters,” said Professor Post. “Since MC Governor has divided into his

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components, the assignment we gave Hunter is now six times as difficult. The fact that he

succeeded so quickly with the first part of it convinces me that his judgment is sound.”

“I agree,” said Dr. Redfield. “I can wait for your report too.”

“So can I,” said Professor Post.

“Very well,” said Dr. Khanna. Hunter was relieved. If they had given him direct orders, he would

have had no choice but to obey them. The Second Law of Robotics was, “ A robot must obey the

orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.” He

also decided not to report to the committee that Dr. Wayne Nystrom had appeared on the scene,

trying to get control of MC 1 before Hunter could. If the committee members knew more, they

might change their minds and try to participate more directly after all.

“Tell you what,” said Dr. Redfield. “We will authorize you to make direct contact with the new

assistant you need to hire, instead of giving us the list as you did last time. Have this individual

“Yes,” said Hunter. “Thank you. Is there anything else?”

“Can you give us an estimated time of completion?” Dr. Khanna asked.

“No,” said Hunter.

After completing the call, Hunter paused to consider what he had done. That final answer to the

Committee was not entirely true. If the time travel in all the future missions turned out as well as

it had in the first mission, he could estimate completion in five days. The team could accomplish

that by returning from each mission the same day they left, no matter how long the missions took

in the past. However, a five-day estimate might further trigger Dr. Khanna’s curiosity.

Furthermore, Hunter was not sure how to give them a suitable final report without revealing the

use of time travel. At the moment, in his own mind, he was just barely able to justify not giving

the committee an estimated time of completion. He had decided that if Dr. Khanna placed

obstacles in his way, it would interfere with his ability to prevent harm to humans as a result of

potential changes the robots might bring about in the course of history. That interpretation of the

First Law could be debated, but it had allowed him to avoid giving the estimate.

Hunter had the city computer use its access to employment agencies and lists of scholars to find a

historian. Most of them, of course, were not technically available; the best ones were employed in

schools or research centers, or pursuing independent projects of their own. However, time travel

altered the possibilities a great deal.

Hunter now realized that he would in all likelihood bring his team back to the present only a few

moments after they had left, just as he had last time. That meant anyone who was willing and

able to travel to Mojave Center and back home the same day would have enough time for the job.

The fee was considerable, especially for a task that would not take any time from their other

commitments. Some danger would exist, of course, but with Hunter leading the team, the First

Law would require him to give as much protection as a very large, powerful, state of the art robot

could provide.

The immediate problem was persuading anyone of this without revealing the secret of time travel

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prematurely.

As soon as he had a short list of candidates, he began calling them. Within an hour, he hired a

historian named Rita Chavez, who specialized in the history of the Caribbean during the period

that Hunter’s team would visit, the year 1668. She arranged to fly immediately from her home in

Miami to the landing facility on the ground above Mojave Center.

Hunter had remained vague, however, about the details of the job. Instead, he had told her that

she could still cancel her commitment after she had heard the details in person. The argument that

she would receive a substantial fee without missing much more than her travel time to and from

Mojave Center had clearly made an impression on her.

Hunter checked the time. Jane and Steve had been in need of a complete dinner and a good

night’s sleep after their trip back to the Late Cretaceous Period. He estimated that they were still

asleep in their hotel rooms. By the time they woke up, Rita would probably have arrived.

As a robot, he had no need of rest as such; solar converters blended into his skin energized him

when he was exposed to sunlight. Inside, of course, he could simply plug into the city’s power

grid if necessary. While he waited, he decided to gather new data and review the situation.

“City computer,” said Hunter, through his radio link. “Please locate and present all data relevant

to Jamaica in 1668. I will review it and copy selected portions.”

“Acknowledged,” said the city computer.

Hunter knew that this kind of quick research could not replace the advanced expertise Rita would

bring. Still, he wanted to know as much as he could. When the information was available, he

transferred it to his own memory.

The ongoing challenge in Hunter’s mission, of course, was that Mojave Center’s component

robots were motivated by the Third Law of Robotics, “A robot must protect his own existence as

long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.” The component robots

were afraid that when the committee had reassembled them into Mojave Center Governor, the

Governor robot would be permanently dismantled and destroyed. They were physically small in

stature, but they had their robotic intelligence and humaniform shapes to help them hide among

humans.

Shortly before Rita’s VTOL jet was due to arrive, Hunter received a call through his internal link.

“R. Hunter. This is the city computer calling.”

“Acknowledged,” said Hunter.

“I have a conference call from Steve and Jane for you.”

“Patch them through.”

“Hey, Hunter. Where are you? Still in Mojave Center somewhere?” Steve asked cheerfully.

“Morning, Hunter,” said Jane.

“Greetings,” said Hunter. “I am waiting for the new member of our team. She should arrive soon

and I want to introduce you immediately.”

“You have completed your sleep courses in English and Spanish of the 1600s?”

“Si,” said Steve.

“I’m hungry,” said Jane. “Let’s meet in a restaurant. Bring her down.”

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“Where shall we meet?”

“Debbie’s Diner. Jane and I already decided. It’s on a side street called Foursquare.”

“We will meet you there,” said Hunter. “Bye.”

“Okay!”

Hunter saw that the time had come to meet Rita. Normally, citizens would ride the slidewalks to

travel through each level of Mojave Center. Hunter wanted privacy with her, however, and used

his link to the city computer to commandeer a Security vehicle. A Security robot brought the

electric vehicle to Hunter at MC Governor’s office and turned it over to him. Hunter drove it up

to the city terminal, in the top level of the city.

Hunter met Rita Chavez and introduced himself. Rita, who was short, slender, and dark-haired,

wore a gray business suit and had a reserved, professional demeanor. They climbed into the

vehicle and Hunter began the drive down to the restaurant. He used his radio link to warn robots

ahead that they were approaching as he drove. Only the presence of human pedestrians required

his ringing the melodic warning tone.

“When we spoke earlier,” said Rita, “you declined to explain the entire job over the phone. What

are you paying me to do?”

Hunter looked around. No one was nearby. “All right. But I must have your agreement that you

will keep this confidential. A scientific development of grave importance is involved.”

“But you’re willing to trust me with it?”

“I require your help.”

“All right,” said Rita. “I agree not to reveal your secret.”

Hunter omitted the scientific details, but told her about the time travel sphere. Then he gave her a

quick explanation of the previous mission and what he could predict about the next one.

“I’m amazed.” Rita stared at him in shock. “Your entire team has already been to the time of

dinosaurs?”

“That is right.”

“Hunter, I have to ask you something. I agreed to keep this secret and I will. But several people

already know, including the man who preceded me and also this Dr. Nystrom you just told me

about. Someone is going to start talking sooner or later. It’s just too exciting to keep quiet

forever. What will you do then?”

“I must confine my focus for now,” said Hunter. “Only reproducible evidence matters in a

scientific conclusion, so a small amount of early talk will not prove anything. I have the Bohung

Institute secure at the moment. No ‘matter how long we have to chase component robots in the

past, I hope to complete the search for MC Governor very soon, in real time counted from his

initial disappearance.”

“Then what 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.

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“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

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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

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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.”

“A compromise,” Hunter said carefully. “Rita, are coins from that time and place readily

available?”

“Well, they exist,” said Rita. “Many of them were gold, so those are very expensive. Many are in

museums and galleries now, so those aren’t available at all. But some coins from that time can be

found for a reasonable price. I would try collectors and dealers in the Caribbean.”

“I have a certain number of such coins already,” said Hunter. “I would prefer not to delay the trip

while we wait for more.”

“You know,” said Rita. “They could be faked easily and cheaply. Or would that be too risky?”

“Fakes would increase the chance of altering history,” said Hunter. “We would increase the local

money supply.”

“How much do you have?” Rita asked.

“One kilogram of silver coin,” said Hunter. “The denominations vary.”

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