"Asimov, Isaac - Robot City 05 - Refuge - Robert Chilson 1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

Derec said, "That would take us back to Robot City--with no way of escape and Dr. Avery after us. Surely that's less safe than this mild illness."

Mandelbrot was silent for a moment. Then he said, "That is true. I hope you are right and that this is a mild illness. But she has suffered many of these symptoms for many days now. Mild illnesses usually subside within this time."

The robot fell silent but did not move away.

"'Ou might as well come back in," said Wolruf, startling Derec. "I do not think we can find the problem out therre. I wish I knew more about dense energy fieldss .... "

Derec turned, and at his first motion the robot released him, first turning his communicator back on. The motion was as much an indicator of Derec's will as a command, and the Second Law of Robotics forced the robot to comply with his desire.

"Right, I'm coming back," Derec said, as if there had been no hiatus in their communications.

He returned reluctantly. There was free-fall within the cabin--and three times as much space as there had been under acceleration--but there were decks and bulkheads and overheads. Out here he was in his element. It was like floating in warm salt water. Even the cumbersome suit didn't detract from the feeling of freedom he got from letting his gaze rove out and on out, from star to ever-more-distant star. All of them waiting, just beyond this red-lit room.

Stars beyond stars, with their waiting worlds, which now only the Earth Settlers were opening up. And beyond, other intelligent races, other adventures .... A member of one of those races waited now in the ship. Derec had again a moment of intense wonder that he of all people should be among the first to meet aliens. Most of those who had met the pirate Aranimas hadn't survived ....

Who knew what other beings awaited them among all those bright stars? He wondered why the Spacers had sat for so many centuries on their fifty worlds, too satisfied to go looking for adventure. The way he felt now, it was impossible to believe.

Derec had an impulse to jump and go tumbling head under heels across the sky, but he knew Ariel would think it silly with his safety line and dangerous without. Right on both counts, he thought ruefully. Frost, why can't I be a little kid for once? I can't remember ever having been one; it's like I've been cheated out of all that kiddish fun ....

There was a warm, pleasant smell in the air of the ship when they reentered. "I made toast," said Ariel emptily.

She had toasted the last of the crusty bread, but hadn't buttered it. It was now nearly cold. Derec pretended not to notice, merely nodded and thanked her, trying to sound pleased. Popping the slices into the oven, he reheated them, and punched up his sequence for bread on the synthesizer--three loaves. When the toast was wanned, he buttered it and shared it with Wolruf. The caninoid, like a true dog, was always ready to eat, if only a bite or two.

Ariel wasn't hungry.

"I think Doctorr Avery hass retuned the hyperwave antenna by changing the densities of the force-fieldss in the core elementss," Wolruf said, exhaling crumbs. "Dense force-fieldss arre the only things that can stop hyperatomos. But why change it, if not to detect something'?"

Derec nodded uncertainly. A dense force-field was one that permeated some object; a magnet with a keeper across its poles was the classic example. Altering the density of the atomic-level fields in the core elements of the antenna would change the "acceptance" of the core.

"If not to detect something, like, say, Aranimas's ship or transmissions?" he asked. "It's a consideration. It's not unlikely that they have crossed paths, as Dr. Avery has Keys to Perihelion and Aranimas wants them."

It might well be reassuring, then, that the hyperwave wasn't detecting anything. It might mean that Aranimas wasn't operating anywhere around here.

"Ariel, you seem sleepy," said Mandelbrot. "It approaches your usual bedtime. Perhaps you should go to bed."

"Yes, good idea," said Ariel vaguely. She continued to sit and stare vacantly for another fifteen minutes before sighing deeply and getting slowly "up".

When she had gone to the one private cabin the little ship boasted, Wolruf turned fiercely on Derec.

"She iss sick! 'On must do something, Derec! The robot iss worried. I am worded."

Mandelbrot had accompanied Ariel into the cabin. Derec lowered his voice, nevertheless. "You're right. Don't let Mandelbrot know how far advanced her condition is; it might destroy his brain."

Wolruf caught his breath. "She will die? Iss that what you mean?"

Derec nodded, haggard. "She told me her disease is usually fatal, l-I'd been hoping that it wouldn't be. But since we've been sitting here, doing nothing .... "

"I think some iss boredom. But mosst is sickness!"