“My name iss Wolruf to ‘umans. Iss really-” She made an unpronounceable noise and bared her teeth in what might have been a playful smile.
“Wolruf?”
“I came to thank ‘u for ‘aving me fed,” said Wolruf. “Alpha told me ‘u saved my life.”
“Yeah? Now what do you want?”
“Want nothing,” said Wolruf. “Thank ‘u.”
Jeff watched her for a moment. “You okay now? Is thatAlpha?-taking care of you properly?”
“Everything iss fine.”
“He just didn’t know how to handle this town, did he?”
“No. Iss strangrr even herr in city of robots.”
“Wait a minute. I remember now. I get it. These other robots didn’t have to help because you aren’t human.”
“Iss true.”
Jeff laughed in his still-unfamiliar robot voice. “Yes, yes, Jeffrey. This city belongs to you. Only you can see the needs of people here. You can do what no one else here can.” He caught Wolruf’s eye. “Right? Huh? You should know.”
She blinked mildly at him.
“Huh? Right?” He insisted.
“Rright:’ she said. “But I’m worried.”
“Oh?” Jeff said airily. “Anything else I can help with?”
“Worried about my friend.”
Jeff hesitated. “Yeah? Who?”
“‘U,” said Wolruf, nodding at him.
He started to retort, but Wolruf’s quiet sincerity stopped him.
“‘Urr my first new friend herr,” said Wolruf. “Saved my life. Don’t want ‘u ‘urt.”
“Everybody says that,” said Jeff, but he seemed to lack the same angry suspicion that he had felt before.
“‘U saved my life,” Wolruf repeated.
“I guess I did. Are you saying you want to repay me?”
Her caninoid shoulders twitched in a sort of furry shrug. “Won’t force ‘u.”
“You may be the first follower I have,” Jeff said wonderingly. “Robots have to obey me. Derec and Ariel haven’t really…come around yet, you might say. What are you worried about, anyhow?”
“‘U could be sick.”
Jeff stiffened. “Sick? How can I be sick, when I haven’t got a normal body?”
“‘Urr brain could be sick.” She nodded. “Could be. Could be fine.”
“They sent you in here, didn’t they? To change my mind.”
“No. They’rr too busy to remembu Wolruf. Forgot about me.
I just walked away while they werr talking. Came to see ‘u.”
“Really?” Jeff was surprised. “Just to see me?”
“‘U’ve been alone on Robot City. Only one of ‘urr kind. I know about that. ‘U could be sick and can’t tell. Could find out.”
Jeff looked up at the ceiling. He had been feeling lonely, now that she mentioned it. Maybe he was sick.
“I don’t trust them,” he said to Wolruf. “I can take over this city-this whole planet. They want to stop me.” The fire was gone, though; he felt it himself. He was tired, emotionally tired.
“Robots can’t ‘urt ‘u on purpose,” she reminded him. “Make rare mistakes, but can’t ‘urt ‘uman on purpose.”
“Derec and Ariel-”
“Robots can’t allow them to ‘urt ‘u, either. Test can tell ‘u if ‘urr sick or not.”
Jeff closed his eyes and sighed.
Derec hadn’t seen Wolruf leave the group in the testing room, but he noticed her come back in. The little alien bore her distinctive teeth-baring grin when she looked up at him.
“What is it, Wolruf?” He asked.
“Jeff changed ‘is mind. Will take test now.”
Everyone turned to look at her.
“Are you certain?” asked Research 1.
“I’ve underestimated you before,” said Derec. “Remind me not to do it again.”
“Wolruf? How did you manage that?” Ariel asked in astonishment.
“Just talked to ‘im,” said Wolruf. “Suggest ‘u don’t talk to ‘im, or ‘e’ll change ‘is mind.”
“We’ll take your word for it,” said Derec. “Research 1, you and Surgeon 1 go ahead and run your tests. I suggest that you also conduct a minimum of conversation with him. I guess he’s still pretty unpredictable.”
“I will begin the procedures with Jeff,” said Research 1. “May I request that you allow Surgeon 1 to conduct the scans of your body that we have already discussed? The equipment is prepared, and the central computer will benefit from the information regardless of Jeff’s condition and wishes.”
“Sure.” Derec turned to Ariel and Mandelbrot. “As soon as I’m finished-”
“Right. We’ll be here,” she said with a grin. “Wolruf, too.”
Derec followed Surgeon 1 into a cramped room and stretched out, undressed, on a cold platform at the robot’s bidding. The robot attached a variety of sensors to him, all connected to some of the worst looking jury-rigged equipment Derec had seen on this planet. For once, the necessity for speed had overcome the values of minimalist engineering; the robots had put together something that would work, ignoring convenience and appearance.
As Surgeon 1 ran various vibrations through parts of his body and shot him with invisible rays, Derec assured himself that once the emergency with Jeff was past, they would either improve the engineering of this equipment or discard it altogether. They weren’t likely to allow an anomaly like this to remain as it was. Still, he felt a sense of petty satisfaction in seeing that they weren’t always perfect.
When the scans were finished, Derec got dressed as Surgeon 1 glanced over the monitors.
“This is sufficient,” said Surgeon 1. “We are capable of restoring Jeff’s body to a state of health, granted his normal recuperative powers after surgery. Research 1 has contacted me through his comlink, and requests our presence back in the testing room.”
Research 1 was waiting when they got there. “Well?” Derec said. “How is he?”
“Ariel’s theory appears to be correct. The level of several hormones that can affect mood and behavior in humans were higher than we had intended. Given the limited blood supply, very small amounts skew the percentages.”
“I was sure he wasn’t that bad a guy,” said Ariel.
“Me, too,” said Wolruf.
“What are you going to do, though?” Derec asked. “Have you discussed this with him yet?”
“No. Surgeon 1 and I must confer over the details. If Surgeon 1 agrees with me, then Jeff Leong is not responsible for his behavior. In that event, we would take the position that our judgment of his condition under the First Law would override all his orders to us under the Second Law.”
“Whew,” said Ariel. “That’s a very big step.”
“I think,” said Derec, “that it’s time for us to take care of some personal business. Research 1, do you need further human assistance at the moment? If not, we have an important errand to run.”
“We do not require your assistance at this time,” said Research 1. “I request your return later in the day.”
“No problem.” Derec turned to Mandelbrot with a big grin. “Okay, friend. Show us this spacecraft you have waiting. I’ll have to check its condition and facilities and all. Where is it?”
“It is in a rural area just outside the urban perimeter. One of the tunnels will take us close to the spot.”
“Let’s go-you, Wolruf, Ariel and me.”
The trip out to the perimeter was uneventful, except for the glow of excitement that Derec and Ariel shared. Once they reached the construction perimeter, they had to start hiking. Fortunately, Mandelbrot had chosen a broad, open field for his landing, with only a short cushion of broad-bladed, blue ground cover.
“I see it!” Ariel shouted, pointing to a sliver of blue-silver glinting in the sunlight. It was just beyond a gentle rise in the terrain.
Derec looked up eagerly, then felt a sudden weight of disappointment, even though it was still mostly out of sight. He didn’t say anything, though, until they had topped the rise and were looking down on the sleek, undamaged craft. Ariel, too, stopped in surprise.
“It’s a lifepod,” Derec said dully. It was so small that even the gently rolling ground had hidden it almost completely.