[Music] foreign [Music] catch that rabbit the vacation was longer than two weeks that Mike Donovan had to admit it had been six months with pay he admitted that too but that as he explained furiously was fortuitous U.S robots had to get the bugs out of the multiple robot and there were plenty of bugs and there are always at least half a dozen bugs left for the field testing so they waited and relaxed until the drawing board men and the slide rule boys had said okay and now he and Powell were out on the asteroid and it was not okay he repeated that a dozen times with a face that had gone Beaty for the lava Pete Craig get realistic what's the use of adhering to the letter of the specifications and watching the test go to pot it's about time you got the red tape out of your pants and went to work I'm only saying said Gregory Powell patiently as one explaining Electronics to an idiot child that according to spec those robots are equipped for asteroid mining without supervision we're not supposed to watch them all right look logic he lifted his hairy fingers and pointed one that new robot passed every test in the home Laboratories two United States robots guaranteed their passing the test of actual performance on an asteroid three the robots are not passing said tests four if they don't pass United States robots loses 10 million credits in cash and about a hundred million in reputation five if they don't pass and we can't explain why they don't pass it is just possible two good jobs may have to be bitten of Fun Fare will Powell groaned heavily behind the noticeably insincere smile the unwritten motto of United States robot and mechanical men Corp was well known no employee makes the same mistake twice he is fired the first time allowed he said you're as Lucid as Euclid with everything except the facts you've watched that robot group for three shifts you redhead and they did their work perfectly you said so yourself what else can we do find out what's wrong that's what we can do so they did work perfectly when I watched them but on three different occasions when I didn't watch them they didn't bring in any ore they didn't even come back on schedule I had to go after them and was anything wrong not a thing not a thing everything was perfect smooth and perfect as The luminiferous Ether only one little insignificant detail Disturbed me there was no ore Powell's scowled at the ceiling and pulled at his brown mustache I'll tell you what Mike we've been stuck with pretty lousy jobs in our time but this takes the Iridium asteroid the whole business is complicated past endurance look that robot dv5 has six robots under it and not just under it they're part of it I know that shut up said Powell savagely I know you know it but I'm just describing the hell of it those six subsidiaries are part of dv5 like your fingers are part of you and it gives them their orders neither by voice nor radio but directly through positronic Fields now there isn't a roboticist back at United States robots that knows what a positronic field is or how it works then neither do I neither do you the last agreed Donovan philosophically I know then look at our position if everything works fine if anything goes wrong we're out of our depth and there probably isn't a thing we can do or anybody else but the job belongs to us and not to anyone else so we're on the spot Mike he blazed away for a moment in silence then all right have you got him outside yes is everything normal now well he hasn't got religious mania and he isn't running around in a circle spotting Gilbert and Sullivan so I suppose he's normal Donovan passed out the door shaking his head viciously Powell reached for the handbook of Robotics that weighed down one side of his desk to a near founder and opened it reverently he had once jumped out of the window of a burning house dressed only in shorts and the handbook in a pin she would have skipped the shorts the handbook was propped up before him when robot dv5 entered with Donovan kicking the door shut behind him Powell said somebody hi Dave how do you feel fine said the robot mind if I sit down he dragged up the specially reinforced chair that was his and folded gently into it Powell regarded Dave Layman might think of robots by their serial numbers robotics is never with approval it was not over massive by any means in spite of its construction as thinking unit of an integrated seven-unit robot team it was seven feet tall and a half ton of metal and electricity a lot not when that half ton has to be a massive condensers circuits relays and vacuum cells that can handle practically any psychological reaction known to humans and a positronic brain which with 10 pounds of matter and a few quintillions of positrons runs the whole show Powell groped in his shirt pocket for a loose cigarette Dave you said you're a good fella there's nothing flighty or Prima Danish about you you're a stable Rock Bottom mining robot except that you're equipped to handle six subsidiaries in direct coordination as far as I know that is not introduced any unstable paths in your brainpath map the robot nodded that makes me feel swell but what are you getting at Buzz he was equipped with an excellent diaphragm and the presence of overtones in the sound unit robbed him of much of that metallic flatness that marks the usual robot voice I'm gonna tell you with all that in your favor what's going wrong with your job for instance today's B shift Dave hesitated as far as I know nothing you didn't produce any ore I know well then Dave was having trouble I can't explain that boss it's been giving me a case of nerves or it would if I let it my subsidiaries work smoothly I know I did he considered his photoelectric eyes glowing intensely then I don't remember the day ended and there was Mike and there were the ore cars mostly empty Donovan broke in you didn't report at shift end those days Dave you know that I know but as to why he shook his head slowly and ponderously Powell had the queasy feeling that if the robot's face were capable of expression it would be one of pain and mortification a robot by its very nature cannot bear to fail its function Donovan dragged his chair up to Powell's desk and leaned over Amnesia do you think can't say but there's no use in trying to pin disease names on this human disorders apply to robots only as romantic analogies they're no help to robotic engineering he scratched his neck I hate to put him through the elementary brain reaction tests it won't help his respect any he looked at Dave thoughtfully and then at the field test outline given in the handbook he said see here Dave what about sitting through a test it would be the wise thing to do the robot Rose if you say so Buzz there was pain in his voice [Music] it started simply enough robot dv5 multiplied five Place figures to the heartless ticking of a stopwatch he recited the prime numbers between a thousand and ten thousand he extracted cube roots and integrated functions of varying complexity he went through mechanical reactions in order of increasing difficulty and finally worked his precise Mechanical Mind Over the highest function of the Robot World the solutions of problems in judgment and ethics at the end of two hours Powell was copiously beswitted Donovan had enjoyed a none too nutritious diet of fingernail and the robot said how does it look boss Powell said I've got to think it over Dave snap judgments won't help much suppose you go back to the Sea shift take it easy don't press too hard for quota just for a while and we'll fix things up the robot left Donovan looked at Powell well seemed determined to push up his mustache by the root he said there is nothing wrong with the currents of his positronic brain I'd hate to be that certain ah Jupiter Mike the brain is the surest part of a robot it's quintuple checked back on Earth if they pass the field test perfectly the way Dave did there just isn't a chance of brain misfunction that test covered every key path in the brain so where are we don't rush me let me work this out there's still the possibility of a mechanical breakdown in the body that leaves about 1500 condensers 20 000 individual electric circuits 500 vacuum cells a thousand relays and empty um thousand other individual pieces of complexity that can be wrong and these mysterious positronic Fields no one knows anything about listen Greg Donovan grew desperately urgent I've got an idea that robot may be lying he never robots can't knowingly lie you fool now if we had the McCormick Wesley tester we could check each individual item in his body within 24 to 48 hours but the only two MW testers existing are on earth and they weigh 10 tons are on concrete foundations and can't be moved isn't that peachy Donovan pounded the desk but Greg he only goes wrong when we're not around there's something sinister about that he punctuated the sentence with slams of fist against desk you said Powell slowly make me sick you've been reading Adventure novels what I want to know shouted Donovan is what we're gonna do about it I'll tell you I'm going to install a visit plate right over my desk right on the wall over there see he jabbed a vicious finger at the spot then I'm gonna focus it at whatever part of the mind is being worked and I'm gonna watch that's all that's all Greg Powell Rose from his chair and leaned his bald fists on the desk Mike I'm having a hard time his voice was weary for a week you've been plaguing me about Dave you say he's gone wrong do you know how he's gone wrong no do you know what shape this wrongness takes no do you know what brings it on no do you know what snaps him out no do you know anything about it no do I know anything about it no so what do you want me to do Donovan's arm swept outward in a vague grandiose gesture he had got me so I tell you again before we do anything toward a cure we've got to find out what the disease is in the first place the first step in cooking rabbits too is catching the rabbit well we've got to catch that rabbit now get out of here Donovan stared at the preliminary outline of his Field Report with weary eyes the one thing he was tired and for another what was there to report while things were unsettled he felt resentful he said Greg we're almost a thousand tons behind schedule you replied Powell never looking up are telling me something I don't know what I want to know said Donovan in sudden savagery is why we're always tangle up with new type robots I finally decided that the robots that were good enough for my great uncle on my mother's side are good enough for me I'm for what's tried and true the test of time is what counts good solid old-fashioned robots that never go long Powell through a book with perfect aim and Donovan went tumbling off his seat your job said Powell evenly for the last five years has been to test new robots under actual working conditions for United States robots because you and I have been so in judicious as to display proficiency at the task we've been rewarded with the dirtiest jobs that he jabbed holes in the air with his finger in Donovan's direction is your work you've been griping about it from personal memory since about five minutes after United States robots signed you up why don't you resign well I'll tell you Donovan rolled onto his stomach and took a firm grip on his wild red hair to hold his head up there's a certain principle involved after all as a troubleshooter I've played a part in the development of new robots there's the principle of aiding scientific advance but don't get me wrong it's not the principle that keeps me going it's the money they pay us Greg Powell jumped at Donovan's wild shout and his eyes followed the redheads to the visit plate where they goggled in fixed horror he whispered holy howling Jupiter Donovan scrambled breathlessly to his feet look at him Greg they've gone nuts Powell said get a pair of Suits we're going out there foreign they were bronzy gleams of smooth motion against the shadowy Crags of the airless asteroid there was a marching formation now and in their own dim body light the rough hewn walls of the mine tunnel swam past noiselessly checkered with Misty erratic Blobs of shadow they marched in unison seven of them with Dave at their head they wheeled and turned in Macabre simultaneity and melted through changes of formation with the weird ease of chorus dancers in Lunar Bowl Donovan was back with the suit they've gone Jingo on us Greg that's a military March for all you know was the cold response it may be a series of calisthenic exercises or Dave may be under the hallucination of being a dancing master just you think first and don't bother to speak afterward either Donovan scowled and slipped The Detonator into the empty side holster with an ostentatious shove he said anyway there you are so we work with new model robots it's our job granted but answer me one question why why does something invariably go wrong with them because said Powell somberly we are accursed let's go [Music] far ahead through the thick velvety Blackness of the corridors that reach past the illuminated Circles of their flashlights robot light twinkled there they are breathe Donovan Powell whispered tensely I've been trying to get him by radio but he doesn't answer the radio circuit is probably out that I'm glad the designers haven't worked out robots who can work in total darkness yet I'd hate to have to find seven mad robots in a black pit without radio communication if they weren't lit up like blasted radioactive Christmas trees crawl up on the ledge above Mike they're coming this way and I want to watch them at close range can you make it Donovan made the jump with a grunt gravity was considerably below earth normal but with a heavy suit the advantage was not too great and the ledge meant a near 10-foot jump towel followed the column of robots was trailing Dave's single file in Mechanical Rhythm they converted to double and returned to single in different order it was repeated over and over again and Dave never turned his head Dave was within 20 feet when the play acting ceased the subsidiary robots broke formation wait a moment then clattered off into the distance very rapidly Dave looked after them then slowly sat down he rested his head in one hand in a very human gesture his voice sounded in Powell's earphones are you there Buzz Powell beckoned to Donovan and hopped off the ledge okay day what's been going on the robot shook his head I don't know one moment I was handling a tough outcropping in tunnel 17 and the next I was aware of humans close by and I found myself half a mile down Main stem where are the subsidiaries now as diamond back at work of course how much time has been lost not much forget it then to Donovan Powell added stay with him the rest of the shift then come back I've got a couple of ideas it was three hours before Donovan returned he looked tired Paulo said how did it go Donovan Shrugged wearily that thing ever goes wrong when you watch them throw me a butt will you the redhead lit it with exaggerated care and blew a careful smoke ring he said I've been working it out Greg you know Dave has a queer background for a robot there are six others under him in an extreme regimentation he's got life and death power over those subsidiary robots and it must react on his mentality suppose he finds it necessary to emphasize this power as a concession to his ego get to the point it's right here suppose we have militarism suppose he's fashioning himself an army suppose he's training them in military Maneuvers suppose suppose you go soak your head your nightmares must be in Technicolor you're postulating a major aberration of the positronic brain if your analysis were correct David have to break down the first law of Robotics that a robot may not injure a human being or through inaction allow a human being to be injured the type of militaristic attitude and domineering ego you propose must have is the end point of its logical implications domination of humans all right how do you know that isn't the fact of the matter because any robot with a brain like that would one never have left the factory and two be spotted immediately if it ever was I tested Dave you know Powell shoved his chair back and put his feet on the desk no we're still in the position where we can't make our stew because we haven't the slightest notion as to what's wrong for instance if we could find out what that dance Macabre we witnessed was all about we would be on the way out he paused now listen Mike how does this sound to you Dave goes wrong only when neither of us is present and when he is wrong the arrival of either of us snaps him out of it I once told you that Ms Sinister don't interrupt how is a robot different when humans are not present the answer is obvious there is a larger requirement of personal initiative in that case look for the body parts that are affected by the new requirement Kali Donovan sat up straight and subsided no no not enough it's too broad it doesn't cut the possibilities much can't help that in any case there's no danger of not making quota we'll take shifts watching those robots through the visor anytime anything goes wrong we get to the scene of action immediately that will put them right but the robots will fail spec anyway Greg United States robots can't Market DV models with a report like that obviously we've got to locate the error in makeup and correct it and we've got 10 days to do it in Powell scratched his head the trouble is well you had better look at the blueprints yourself the blueprints covered the floor like a carpet and Donovan crawl over the face of the following Powell's erratic pencil Pao said here's where you come in Mike you're the Body Specialist and I want you to check me I've been trying to cut out all circuits not involved in the personal initiative hookup right here for instance is the trunk artery involving mechanical operations I cut out all routine side routes as emergency divisions he looked up what do you think Donovan had a very bad taste in his mouth the job's not that simple Greg personal initiative isn't an electric circuit can separate from the rest and study when a robot is on his own the intensity of the body activity increases immediately on almost all fronts there isn't a circuit entirely unaffected what must be done is to locate the particular condition a very specific condition that throws him off and then start eliminating circuits Powell got up and dusted himself all right take away the blueprints and burn them Donovan said you see when activity intensifies Anything Can Happen given one single faulty part insulation breaks down a condenser spills over a connection Sparks a coil overheats and if you work blind but the whole robot to choose from you'll never find the bad spot if you take Dave apart and test every point of his body mechanism one by one putting him together each time and trying him out all right all right I can see through a porthole too they faced each other hopelessly and then Powell said cautiously suppose we interview one of the subsidiaries neither Powell nor Donovan had ever had previous occasion to talk to a finger it could talk it wasn't quite the Perfect Analogy to a human finger in fact it had a fairly developed brain but that brain was tuned primarily to the reception of orders via positronic field and its reaction to Independent stimuli was rather fumbling nor was Powell certain as to its name its serial number was dv52 but that was not very useful he compromised look pal he said I'm going to ask you to do some hard thinking and then you can go back to your boss the finger nodded its head stiffly but did not exert its limited brain power on speech now on four occasions recently Powell said your boss deviated from brain scheme do you remember those occasions yes sir Donovan growled angrily he remembers I tell you there is something very Sinister oh go Badger skull of course the finger remembers there is nothing wrong with him Powell turned back to the robot what were you doing each time I mean the whole group the finger had a curious air of reciting by wrote as if he answered questions by the mechanical pressure of this brain pan but without any enthusiasm whatever he said the first time we were at work on a difficult outcropping in tunnel 17 level B the second time we were buttressing the roof against a possible cave-in the third time we were preparing accurate blasts in order to Tunnel farther without breaking into a Subterranean fissure the fourth time was just after a minor cave-in what happened at these times it is difficult to describe an order would be issued but before we could receive and interpret it a new order came to march in queer formation Powell snapped out why I don't know Donovan broke intensely what was the first order the one that was superseded by the marching directions I don't know I sensed that an order was sent but there was never a time to receive it could you tell us anything about it was it the same Order each time the fingers shook his head unhappily I don't know lean back all right get back to your boss the finger left with visible relief Donovan said well we accomplished a lot that time that was real sharp dialogue all the way through listen Dave and that imbecile finger are both holding out on us there is too much they don't know and don't remember we've got to stop trusting them Greg Powell brushed his mustache the wrong way so help me Mike another full remark out of you and I'll take away your Rattle and teething ring all right you're the genius of the team I'm just a poor sucker where do we stand right behind the eight ball I tried to work it backward through the finger and couldn't so we've got to work it forward a great man Marvel Donovan how simple that makes it now translate that into English Meister translating it into Baby Talk would suit you better I mean that we've got to find out what order it is that Dave gives just before everything goes black it would be the key to the business and how do you expect to do that we can't get close to him because nothing will go wrong as long as we're there we can't catch the orders by radio because they are transmitted via this positronic field that eliminates the close range and the long range method leaving us a neat cozy zero thy direct observation yes there's still deduction huh we're going on shifts Mike Powell smiled grimly and we are not taking our eyes off the Visa plate we're gonna watch every action of those steel headaches when they go off into their act we're gonna see what happened immediately before and we're going to deduce the order Donovan opened his mouth and left it that way for a full minute then he said in strangled tones Irish nine I quit you have 10 days to think of something better said Powell wearily which for eight days Donovan tried mightily to do for eight days on Alternate four hour shifts he watched with aching and blurry eyes those glinty metallic forms move against the vague background and for eight days in the four hour in betweens he cursed United States robots the DV models and the day he was born and then on the 8th when Powell entered with an aching head and sleepy eyes for his shift Donovan stood up and with very careful and deliberate aim launched a heavy bookend for the exact center of the visiblate there was a very appropriate splintering noise Powell gasped what did you do that for because said Donovan almost calmly I'm not watching it anymore we've got two days left and we haven't found out a thing dv5 is a lousy loss he stopped five times since I've been watching and three times on your shift and I can't make out what orders he gave and you couldn't make it out and I don't believe you could ever make it up because I know I couldn't ever jumping space how can you watch six robots at the same time one mix with the hands and one with the feet and one like a windmill and another is jumping up and down like a maniac and the other two devil knows what they're doing and then they all stop no so Greg we're not doing it right we gotta get up close we've got to watch what they're doing from where we can see the details Powell broke a bitter silence yeah and wait for something to go wrong with only two days to go is it any better watching from here it's more comfortable ah but there's something you can do there that you can't do here what's that you can make them stop at whatever time you choose and while you're prepared and watching to see what goes wrong Powell startled into alertness how's that well figure it out yourself you're the brains you say ask yourself some questions when does DB5 go out of whack when did that finger say he did when a cave-in threatened or actually occurred when delicately measured explosives were being laid down when a difficult seam was hit in other words during emergencies Powell was excited right when did you expect it to happen it's the personal initiative Factor that's giving us the trouble and it's just during emergencies in the absence of a human being that personal initiative is most strained now what is The Logical deduction how can we create our own stoppage when and where we want it he paused triumphantly he was beginning to enjoy his role and answered his own question to foresaw the obvious answer on Powell's tongue by creating our own emergency Powell said Mike you're right thanks pal I knew I'd do it someday all right and skip the sarcasm we'll save it for Earth and preserve it in jars for future Long Cold Winters meanwhile what emergency can we create we could flood the mines if this weren't an airless asteroid a witticism no doubt said Powell really Mike you incapacitate me with laughter what about a mild cave-in Donovan pursed his lips and said okay by me good let's get started Powell felt uncommonly like a conspirator as he wound his way over the craggy landscape his sub gravity walk teetered across the Broken Ground kicking rocks to right and left under his weight in noiseless puffs of gray dust mentally though it was the cautious crawl of the plotter he said do you know where they are I think so Greg all right Powell said gloomily but if any finger gets within 20 feet of us we'll be sensed whether we're in the line of sight or not I hope you know that when I need an elementary course in robotics I'll file an application with you formally and in triplicate down through here they were in the tunnels now even the Starlight was gone the two hugged the walls flashes flickering out the way in intermittent bursts Powell felt for the security of his detonator do you know this tunnel Mike not so good it's a new one I think I can make it out from what I saw in the busy plate though interminable minutes passed and then Mike said feel that there was a slight vibration thrombing the wall against the fingers of Powell's metal encased hand there was no sound naturally blasting we're pretty close keep your eyes open said Powell Donovan nodded impatiently it was upon them and gone before they could seize themselves just a bronze glint across the field of vision they clung together in silence Powell whispered think it sensed us hope not but we'd better flank them take the first side tunnel to the right suppose we miss them all together well what do you want to do go back Donovan grunted fiercely they're within a quarter of a mile I was watching them through the Visa plate wasn't I and we've got two days oh shut up you're wasting your oxygen is this a side passage here The Flash flipped it is let's go the vibration was considerably more marked and the ground below shuttered uneasily this is good said Donovan if it doesn't give out on us though he flung his light ahead anxiously they could touch the roof of the tunnel with a half upstretched hand and the bracings had been newly placed Donovan hesitated dead end let's go back no hold on Powell squeezed clumsily passed is that light ahead light I don't see any where would there be light down here robot light he was scrambling up a gentle incline on hands and knees his voice was hoarse and anxious in Donovan's ears hey Mike come up here there was light Donovan crawled up and over Powell's outstretch legs an opening yes they must be working into this tunnel from the other side now I think Donovan felt the Ragged edges of the opening that looked out into what the cautious flashlight showed to be a larger and obviously mainstem tunnel the hole was too small for a man to go through almost too small for two men to look through simultaneously there's nothing there said Donovan well not now but there must have been a second ago or we wouldn't have seen light watch out the walls ruled about them and they felt the impact a fine dust showered down Powell lifted akash's head and looked again all right Mike there there the glittering robots clustered 50 feet down the main stem metal arms labored mightily at the rubbish Heap brought down by the last blast Donovan urged eagerly don't waste time it won't be long before they get through and the next blast may get us for Pete's sake don't rush me Powell unlimbered The Detonator and his eyes searched anxiously across the Dusky background where the only light was robot light and it was impossible to tell a projecting Boulder from a shadow there's a spot in the roof see it almost over them the last blast didn't quite get it if you can get it at the base half the roof will cave in Powell followed the dim finger Jack now fasten your eye on the robots and pray they don't move too far from that part of the tunnel they're my light sources are all seven there Donovan counted all seven well then watch them watch every motion his Detonator was lifted and remained poised while Donovan watched and cursed and blinked the sweat out of his eye it flashed there was a jar a series of hard vibrations and then a jarring thump that threw power heavily against Donovan Donovan break you threw me off I didn't see a thing Powell stared about wildly where are they Donovan fell into a stupid silence there was no sign of the robot it was dark as the depths of the river sticks think we buried them Quaver Donovan let's get down there don't ask me when I think Powell crawled backward at tumbling speed bike Donovan paused in the act of following what's wrong now hold on Powell's breathing was rough and irregular in Donovan's ears like do you hear me Mike I'm right here what is it we're blocked in it wasn't the ceiling coming down 50 feet away that knocked us over it was our own ceiling the Sharks tumbled it what Donovan scrambled up against a hard barrier turn on the flash Powell did so at no point was there room for a rabbit to squeeze through Donovan said Softly well what do you know they wasted a few moments and some muscular power in an effort to move the blocking barrier Powell varied this by wrenching at the edges of the original hole for a moment Powell lifted his Blaster but in those Close Quarters a flash would be suicide and he knew it he sat down you know Mike he said we've really messed this up we had no nearer of finding out what's wrong with Dave it was a good idea but it blew up in our face Donovan's glance was bitter with an intensity totally wasted on the darkness I hate the disturb you old man but quite apart from what we know or don't know of Dave we're slightly trapped if we don't get loose fella we're gonna die d i e die how much oxygen have we anyway not more than six hours I've thought of that Powell's fingers went up to his long-suffering mustache and clanged uselessly against the transparent visor of course we could get Dave to dig us out easily in that time except that our precious emergency must have thrown him off and His Radio circuit is out and isn't that nice Donovan edged up to the opening and managed to get his metal encased head out it was an extremely tight fit hey Greg what suppose we get Dave within 20 feet he'll snap to normal that will save us sure but where is he down the corridor way down for Pete's sake stop pulling before you drag my head out of its socket I'll give you your chance to look Powell maneuvered his head outside he did it all right look at those saps that must be a ballet they're doing never mind the snide remarks are they getting any closer can't tell yet they're too far away give me a chance uh pass me my flash will you I'll try to attract their attention that way he gave up after two minutes not a chance they must be blind uh-oh they're starting toward us what do you know Donovan said hey hey let me see there was a silent scuffle Powell said all right and Donovan got his head out they were approaching Dave was high stepping the way in front and the six fingers were a weaving Chorus Line behind him Donovan marveled what are they doing that's what I want to know it looks like The Virginian reel and Dave's a major Domo or I never saw one ah leave me alone with your descriptions crumbled Powell how near are they within 50 feet and coming this way we'll be out in 15 minutes oh hey what's going on it took Powell several seconds to recover from his stunned astonishment at Donovan's vocal gyrations come on give me a chance at that hole don't be a hog about it he fought his way upward but Donovan kicked wildly they did an above face Greg they're leaving Dave hey Dave Powell's shrieked what's the use of that you fool sound won't carry well then Panda Donovan kicked the walls slam them get some vibration started we've got to attract their attention somehow Gregor were through he pounded like a madman Powell shook him wait Mike wait listen I've got an idea Jumping Jupiter this is a fine time to get around to The Simple Solutions Mike what do you want Donovan pulled his head in let me in there fast before they get out of range out of range what are you gonna do hey what are you gonna do with that Detonator he grabbed Powell's arm Powell shook off the grip violently I'm gonna do a little shooting why that's for later let's see if it works first if it doesn't then get out of the way and let me shoot the robots were flickers small and getting smaller in the distance Powell lined up the side stencily and pulled the trigger three times he lowered the gun and peered anxiously one of the subsidiaries was down there were only six gleaming figures now Powell called into his transmitter uncertainly Dave a pause then the answer sounded to both men Buzz where are you chest blow blow he's out of commission never mind your subsidiary said Powell we're trapped in a cave-in where you were blasting can you see our flashlight sure we'll be right there Powell sat back and relaxed that my friend is that Donovan said very softly with tears in his voice all right Greg you win I beat my forehead against the crown before your feet now don't feed me any bull just tell me quietly what it's all about easy it's just that all through we miss the obvious as usual we knew it was the personal initiative circuit and that it always happened during emergencies but we kept looking for a specific order is the cause why should it be in order why not well look why not a type of order what type of order requires the most initiative what type of order would occur almost always only in an emergency don't ask me Greg tell me I'm doing it it's the six-way order under all ordinary conditions one or more of the fingers would be doing routine tasks requiring no close supervision in the sort of off-hand way our bodies handled the routine walking motions but in an emergency all six subsidiaries must be mobilized immediately and simultaneously Dave must handle six robots at a time and something gives the rest was easy any decrease in initiative required such as the arrival of humans snapped him back so I destroyed one of the robots when I did he was transmitting only the five-way orders initiative decreases he's normal how did you get all that demanded Donovan just logical guessing I tried it and it worked the robot's voice was in their ears again here I am can you hold out half an hour easy said Powell then to Donovan he continued and now the job should be simple we'll go through the circuits and check off each part that gets an extra workout in a six-way order is against a five-way how big a field does that leave us Donovan considered not much I think if Dave is like the preliminary model we saw back at the factory there's a special coordinating circuit that would be the only section involved he cheered up Suddenly and amazingly say that wouldn't be bad at all there's nothing to that all right you think it over and we'll check the blueprints when we get back and now till Dave reaches us I'm relaxing hey wait just tell me one thing what were those queer shifting marches those funny dance steps that the robots went through every time they went screwy that I don't know but I've got a notion remember those subsidiaries were Dave's fingers we were always saying that you know well it's my idea that in all these interludes whenever Dave became a psychiatric case he went off into a moronic maze spending his time twiddling his fingers Susan Calvin talked about Powell and Donovan with unsmiling Amusement but warmth came into her voice when she mentioned robots it didn't take her long to go through the speedies the cuties and the Daves and I stopped her otherwise she would have dredged up half a dozen more I said doesn't anything ever happen on Earth she looked at me with a little frown no we don't have much to do with robots in action here on Earth oh well that's too bad I mean your field Engineers as well but can't we get you into this didn't you ever have a robot go wrong on you it's your anniversary you know and so help me she blushed she said robots have gone wrong on me Heavens how long it's been since I thought of it why it was almost 40 years ago certainly 2021 and I was only 38. oh my I'd rather not talk about it I waited and sure enough she changed her mind why not she said it cannot harm me now even the memory can't I was foolish once young man would you believe that no I said I was but Herbie was a mind-reading robot what only one of its kind before or since a mistake somewheres [Music] oh