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Slaves to the Metal Horde · Slaves to the Metal Horde

• 0:00
  Chapter one, Johnny Hope backed off, warily, retreating towards the sun dried
• 0:06
  creek bed a jagged brown scar across the parched grassland. He carried no weapon,
• 0:12
  and as the others closed in about him in a tightening semicircle, his
• 0:16
  eyes darted furtively in all directions, but all the faces were stamped as from
• 0:21
  a mold, with uncompromising hostility. Johnny licked his lips and said, I
• 0:28
  want to bury them. Let me bury them, and then I'll go.
• 0:31
  I promise de Reggio. The mayor brandished his club, which was an old
• 0:37
  rifle stock with half the jagged corroded barrel forming a handle. Go, he
• 0:43
  said. He took a long stride toward Johnny, then changed his mind when
• 0:48
  the youth held his ground. They cannot be buried, Johnny Hope. You
• 0:53
  know your parents must be burned, as the law dictates. Blinking sweat from
• 0:58
  his eyes, Johnny felt the sun scorching down through the glaring midsummer heat haze.
• 1:03
  It was the last wish of my father, he said, softly,
• 1:07
  his voice hardy more than a whisper, that I should take them forth from
• 1:11
  the village and bury them with a prayer for their Christian souls. No de
• 1:18
  Reggio bellowed. He was a great chested man with sloping shoulders and almost no
• 1:23
  neck. We cannot deliver their bodies to you. We cannot let you come
• 1:27
  back into Hamilton Village and take them, for you comforted them in their last
• 1:32
  hours, and are there for a victim of the plague yourself. He pointed
• 1:37
  with the rifle stock toward the far hills Purple with distance go. Johnny shook
• 1:44
  his head, planting his feet firmly, wiping sweat dampened hands on the worn
• 1:48
  fabric of his denim trousers. Then he held his palms up and said,
• 1:53
  where where is the plague? You've been contaminated. Nearly the entire village had
• 2:00
  gathered behind their mare now, and the mutterings were angry. When Johnny began
• 2:06
  to walk toward them, his hands outstretched to show no plague scars mark their
• 2:09
  skin. Someone hurled a stone. Instinctively, Johnny hunched his shoulder and caught
• 2:15
  the missile on his collarbone. It jarred him and left an angry red mark
• 2:21
  where the capillaries had burst beneath the skin. Staggering back toward the creek bed,
• 2:25
  Johnny was felled by a fusillade of stones. He crouched on all fours
• 2:30
  at the edge of the dry, brown earth head, spinning, vision blurring
• 2:35
  with pain. He expected more stones to usher in the final blackness, But
• 2:39
  when he could again see clearly, De Reggio's muscle corded legs straddled him,
• 2:44
  and the mayor cried enough let Johnny hope to part with his life. It
• 2:51
  was a brave gesture de Reggio had made, approaching within inches of Johnny,
• 2:54
  whose parents had been slain by the plague. But Reggio and Johnny's father had
• 3:00
  been close friends all their lives, and had fought together in the last days
• 3:06
  of World War Three before the plague brought warfare and civilization to an abrupt halt.
• 3:13
  Johnny forced himself upright on trembling legs. I thank you for my life,
• 3:19
  he said, but not for how you treat your dead companion in arms.
• 3:23
  The color drained from de Reggio's olive skinned face. Think what you will,
• 3:29
  Johnny, think it, but go while you still can, and remember
• 3:34
  that our first concern is with the living. The dead are beyond recall,
• 3:38
  and the plague victims can spread carnage in their wake. You know, I
• 3:43
  loved your father like a brother, and your mother. The Reggio and Johnny's
• 3:47
  dead mother were cousins, had been raised together under the same roof in the
• 3:52
  long gone days before the war. Except for Johnny himself, the death of
• 3:58
  his parents could have disturbed no one more than de Reggio. All right,
• 4:02
  said Johnny, I'll go. There was a loud sucking in of breasth relief
• 4:09
  from the crowd. But first I have this to say. I have visited
• 4:15
  the old, ruined cities. I have seen Philadelphia on its river, and
• 4:19
  once I went north as far as New York, the great stumps of its
• 4:24
  buildings, coming right down to the water's edge on the island called Manhattan.
• 4:29
  I have seen these things, and although I am young, I tell you
• 4:32
  this. We will not return to our greatness unless we strike out boldly instead
• 4:39
  of sitting huddled in fear at the thought of the plague. It is what
• 4:44
  his father always said. Someone whispered from the edge of the crowd. The
• 4:49
  robots will cure the plague, some one else, a woman declared. Johnny
• 4:55
  laughed, and had never heard such a sound before. From his lips or
• 5:00
  others. The robots will care nothing, he said, Has anyone here ever
• 5:05
  seen the robots? The faltering wave of sound from the crowd was in the
• 5:11
  negative. I have seen them, Johnny told his people, with whom he
• 5:16
  could no longer live. My father wanted it that way. He sent me
• 5:21
  to the cities, and to the mysterious places between the cities, the gleaming
• 5:27
  white surface roads which we use no longer, to see the robots. And
• 5:31
  I tell you this, they will not cure the plague. If anything,
• 5:36
  they'll spread it. A hushed silence fell like a pall on the assembly.
• 5:44
  None of them had ever seen the robots, but that was because it was
• 5:47
  not proper for a mortal to see a deity. This was the truth my
• 5:53
  father could not tell you in his lifetime. Johnny went on. He knew
• 5:58
  you would have laughed and mocked, or worse in his death. I tell
• 6:02
  it to you for him, along with his wish to be interred in the
• 6:06
  ground. It was his final thought to Reggio did not look Johnny squarely in
• 6:13
  the eye. I think you had better go, lad. You have no
• 6:16
  right to talk like that. Johnny shrugged, feeling the weight of a knowledge
• 6:21
  and wisdom beyond his years. I am twenty three, he said. I
• 6:29
  was an infant when the war ended. Yet my father could teach me certain
• 6:32
  things, and other things I could see for myself, because he taught me
• 6:36
  to be curious and take nothing for granted. You could learn the same some
• 6:43
  day, perhaps by the robots. To Reggio swore softly, hissing the words
• 6:48
  almost in Johnny's ears, go before you antagonize them. If they start throwing
• 6:55
  things again, I won't be able to save you. Johnny turned his back
• 6:59
  and square to shoulders. In a gesture compounded as much of defiance as contempt,
• 7:04
  he told de Reggio, at least do one thing for me, if
• 7:10
  I can. When they are burned, say a prayer, one of the
• 7:15
  old prayers, if you remember. Johnny did not wait for an answer.
• 7:20
  He set forth in long strides, his sandal shod feet, powdering the sun
• 7:25
  baked ridges on the dry creek bed. He did not once look back over
• 7:30
  his shoulder. But now with the people gone and his pride no longer a
• 7:33
  barrier, he sobbed softly, thinking of his parents, who had died because
• 7:40
  they had to venture forth from Hamilton Village. To learn some of the truths
• 7:44
  which were hidden from their people, and so had come down with the plague.
• 7:49
  Hours later, as the sun sank toward the western horizon and the heat
• 7:54
  of the day became less intense, Johnny heard the distant baying of dogs as
• 7:58
  the village hounds picked up his spore and followed it as prescribed by law.
• 8:03
  Mayor de Reggia was making certain Johnny did not double back to Hamilton Village.
• 8:09
  He was alone in a hostile world which in twenty years had seen civilization come
• 8:15
  tumbling down like a house of cards in a hurricane. That night, he
• 8:20
  slept uneasily on the bare ground, the soft footed padding of foraging animals all
• 8:26
  around him, under the dark, moonless sky. He awoke with a tremendous
• 8:31
  hunger and a parching thirst. The latter he slaked in a swift, gushing
• 8:35
  stream, which flowed clean and cool even in the heat of midsummer. Presently,
• 8:41
  he came upon a huge black hawk, its pinions flapping, its talons
• 8:46
  sunk into the flesh of a dead cottontail rabbit. As it prepared to fly
• 8:50
  off, Johnny waved his arms and shouted, frightening the bird of prey,
• 8:54
  which rose without its breakfast, circled uncertainly, and then wheeled off to the
• 8:58
  east, a soaring black ghost, graceful as a feather. Johnny built a
• 9:05
  fire with brush and dry twigs and ate his meal in silence. Feeling like
• 9:09
  a scavenger, he drank again from the stream and began to fashion himself a
• 9:13
  spear by uprooting a sapling and ripping off its branches and rubbing its tapering top
• 9:18
  to a fine point. On the edge of a small flat boulder, he
• 9:24
  hardened a point in the embers of his dying fire. After the makeshift weapon
• 9:28
  experimentally, and headed north in the general direction of New York. Two days
• 9:35
  later, the joints of his knees and elbows began to stiffen. It came
• 9:39
  upon him slowly, and he thought it was from too much walking and not
• 9:43
  enough food. But when the stiffness spread to his ankles, wrist, and
• 9:46
  neck, and giddiness struck him suddenly, he began to suspect the plague.
• 9:52
  It was early afternoon, and he sat down at the base of a thick
• 9:54
  trunked oak tree, propping himself against the bowl. He hurled his useless spear
• 10:00
  away and wondered how long it would take before he sank into the final coma
• 10:03
  and death. He ran swollen fingers across his knees and realized they had puffed
• 10:09
  twice their normal size. He could now feel nothing from his knees down,
• 10:16
  and it was an effort to move his hands. A faint purple color suffused
• 10:20
  his limbs, and any doubt he may have harbored about the plague vanished.
• 10:26
  Terreggio was right. Johnny tried to rise and failed, rolling over helplessly to
• 10:31
  lie half in and half out of the cooling shade shed by the oak.
• 10:35
  The chills rushed up from his feet and engulfed him, followed at once by
• 10:39
  fever. By the time he began mumbling in delirium, the sun was going
• 10:45
  down in the west, casting long red cloud fingers into the darkening sky.
• 10:52
  End of chapter one, Chapter two, Diane darted from the stream with a
• 10:58
  glad little, shaking the water from her long, tawny hair, the droplets
• 11:03
  of water sparkling on her bronzed skin like diamonds, The long lithe lines of
• 11:07
  her body clothed only in the moisture until she found her buckskin shorts and halter
• 11:13
  and dressed. Life was comparatively simple and uncomplicated among the shining ones, and
• 11:20
  she, of all their encampment, remembered no other way. The others might
• 11:24
  look back with bitter longing, or curse softly and feutally at the silver patches
• 11:30
  of skin at elbow and knee, which marked them as survivors of the plague,
• 11:33
  But not Diane. So what if they were shun by others, by
• 11:39
  the non afflicted people who clung so doggedly to their mean existence in the small
• 11:43
  villages. She had but to hunt and fish and evade the bands of roving
• 11:48
  robots lest they could script her in their services. The only other bane in
• 11:52
  her life was Harry Starbuck, and she could take care of herself where he
• 11:56
  was concerned. She could. Something stirred in the undergrowth to her left,
• 12:03
  and Diane could barely make out the flash of skin which said it was a
• 12:07
  man and not an animal. She finished fasting her halter as if she had
• 12:11
  seen or heard nothing, then abruptly picked up her hunting knife and said,
• 12:16
  I hear you in there. I'll count three and then come in after you.
• 12:22
  She did not have to count. The bushes parted and Harry Starbuck emerged,
• 12:26
  his skin scratched by the brambles, his boy's face ridiculously out of place,
• 12:31
  a top and over muscled body, his knees and elbows covered by buckskin
• 12:35
  guards, an affectation common among the Shining Ones, but which Diane had always
• 12:41
  thought as silly as wearing eye patches. Because you did not like the color
• 12:43
  of your eyes. You were watching me, Diane said angrily. I warn
• 12:50
  you before, Harry, there's no law, he boomed sullenly, his deep
• 12:56
  voice belonging to the over developed body, and knock the boy's face. I
• 13:01
  can go where I want to. Diane slapped the flat of her knife against
• 13:07
  her palm slowly. Some day, she predicted, this blade is going to
• 13:13
  feast on Starbuck. I mean that. Starbuck roared his laughter. Then no,
• 13:18
  be careful, he promised. But meanwhile, you realize you can't marry
• 13:24
  anyone but a shining one, and who of our people suit you more than
• 13:28
  none of them suit me. You're young, you have no family, no
• 13:33
  close friends to protect you. I should take you, Diane shrugged, then
• 13:39
  regretted it as Starbuck's small eyes feasted hungrily on the smooth play of muscle beneath
• 13:45
  the taut bronze skin. Then go ahead, Harry, but you won't sleep
• 13:50
  nights because I'll be waiting. And if you do sleep, you can forget
• 13:54
  all about waking up. I mean that too, Starbuck. Buck was still
• 14:00
  laughing. I've half a mind to turn you over to the robots and let
• 14:03
  them tame you a little before I claim what I want. Diane, let
• 14:09
  her voice do the shrugging. You can always try, must we always argue?
• 14:16
  Starbuck demanded abruptly, petulance, drawing down the corners of his lips.
• 14:20
  I don't want to fight with you. I want to I know what you
• 14:24
  want. You can forget it. I'm going to take a walk and maybe
• 14:28
  do some hunting, if you'll excuse me with a knife. I'm not hunting
• 14:35
  for wild horses. I think I'll go with you. Diane scowled at him,
• 14:41
  then girdled her knife. As you wish, but be quiet. Grinning.
• 14:48
  Starbuck shortened his strides and mashed her pace as she cut away from the
• 14:52
  stream and the undergrowth and headed toward the foothills of the Pocono Mountains in the
• 14:56
  distance, where plump, juicy rabbits hid behind every blade of grass. They
• 15:03
  walked in silence, the man steps pondrous, the girl so quick in life,
• 15:07
  her bare feet hardly seemed to touch the ground. In an hour,
• 15:11
  they had reached another stream, wider than the first and running deep with swift,
• 15:16
  cool water. Diane immediately dived in and swam, then continued walking on
• 15:22
  the other side, while Starbuck carefully searched out a ford and splashed across,
• 15:26
  with the water up to his waist. By the time he overtook Diane,
• 15:30
  she was crouching sitting on her bare heels, the line of her back damp
• 15:33
  under the buckskins, a long, graceful curve. Take a look at this,
• 15:39
  she said, and pointed. Starbuck looked and saw the remains of a
• 15:43
  campfire at her feet, warm, he asked. Diane shook her head,
• 15:50
  but not completely cold, several hours old. Probably made this morning. Probably
• 15:56
  there's someone nearby, so what so if he's alone, he's probably a shining
• 16:03
  one. And we have enough people in our camp. Now you always think
• 16:08
  competitively, harry one more man won't hurt your position in our tribe. Well,
• 16:15
  if he's young, and if he well, if you I'm not promised
• 16:19
  to you or anyone and don't forget that. Besides, it doesn't have a
• 16:25
  thing to do with this. Diane peered expertly at the ground and soon picked
• 16:30
  up the stranger's spore, where he had come out of the stream himself,
• 16:33
  probably after bathing, and started out on his day's journey. Come on,
• 16:40
  she said, and Starbuck could either forego her company or follow her. He
• 16:45
  followed. The spore became erratic. It wandered in circles, double back on
• 16:51
  itself, seemed either headed for no goal or incapable of reaching one. He
• 16:56
  must have been hurt somehow, Diane mused. He can't be very far.
• 17:03
  What are you so curious about? Curious? I don't know, I'm just
• 17:07
  interested. I hello up there. Diane sprinted up a short rise, leaving
• 17:15
  a surprised Starbuck pounding along several paces behind her. She found the man lying
• 17:21
  face down near a large oak tree. Although it was comparatively cool, his
• 17:26
  body was drenched with perspiration. Diane shook her head sadly at the swollen joints
• 17:30
  and purple discolorations. They say it's a terrible thing, she told Starbuck as
• 17:37
  he panted up. I don't remember I was a baby. Starbuck shuddered.
• 17:44
  I remember, watch out, don't go near him. What's the matter with
• 17:48
  you? We're immune? Starbuck nodded morosely. Yes, immune. But he'll
• 17:56
  die anyway, So why don't we Why do we take him back with us?
• 18:00
  That's what? Don't kid me, Harry Starbuck. You're acting sympathetic only
• 18:06
  because you think I'll like that. Well. I happen to feel sorry for
• 18:10
  this man. I think we'll feel better if we help him. Help him.
• 18:15
  He's as good as dead. Are you dead? You had the plague?
• 18:19
  Am I? No? But maybe one out of a hundred live.
• 18:25
  That is a much of a chance for him. It's a chance, though,
• 18:30
  here carry him? What who me? Now? Listen, Diane,
• 18:36
  maybe a moonstruck Starbuck had his advantages. Suit yourself, but don't expect me
• 18:42
  to speak to you again ever. Starbuck considered this, then mumble something under
• 18:48
  his breath which Diane could not hear. All right, he said, finally,
• 18:53
  but I'm telling you it's a waste of time. I'll be the judge
• 18:59
  of that. Still grumbling, Starbuck picked the man up by one arm and
• 19:03
  one leg, staggered until he bounced his burden across one shoulder, then started
• 19:08
  back down toward the stream. That's right, said Diane. We could reach
• 19:14
  camp in a few hours if we hurry. He'll never live through the day,
• 19:18
  said Starbuck. I only had the plague a few years ago. I
• 19:22
  lived in the villages, so I know he'll never live through the day.
• 19:27
  Just keep walking. If he dies, we can bury him. By the
• 19:33
  time they reached the stream again, Starbuck was covered with sweat. He forded
• 19:37
  the water carefully, Diane behind him, to keep a stricken man's head above
• 19:41
  water despite its fever flush. She liked the man's face. He was young,
• 19:48
  not much older than Diane herself, with dark hair and regular features,
• 19:52
  neither too boyish like Starbucks, nor too craggy like most of the older men
• 19:57
  she knew. Occasionally the man would mutter something unintelligible, and when they got
• 20:03
  to the other side of the stream, he opened his eyes, stared at
• 20:07
  Diane without seeing her, and said in a croaking whisper. Water they stopped.
• 20:14
  Starbuck dropped his burden, thankfully. I can't carry him all the way
• 20:18
  back, he said. Then don't go ahead, I'll stay here. Diane
• 20:23
  cupped some water in her hand trickled it between the dry lips. She was
• 20:29
  not even aware of Starbuck when he left. She made a bed of leave
• 20:33
  for the man's head and studied him. The denim trousers suggested village life,
• 20:37
  but she never suspected otherwise. The face still appealed to her, strong in
• 20:42
  appearance despite the fever, yet not overbearing. She hoped the youth would recover.
• 20:51
  This is fantastic, Diane said aloud. It may take days before he
• 20:56
  recovers or dies. She thought of calling to Starbuck before he retreated beyond earshot,
• 21:03
  but her pride forbade that. Shrugging and making herself as comfortable as she
• 21:07
  could, she bathed the man's flushed face with water day and night. The
• 21:14
  touch of the ground, the cool water which bathed him, the patient hands
• 21:18
  which kept the blood flowing through his swollen joints, all became as unreal to
• 21:22
  Johnny Hope as the shadowy remembrance of some half forgotten nightmare. His lucid moments
• 21:29
  were few. There was this person, face unseen but comforting. There was
• 21:33
  a little food and all the water he wanted. And there was the fever,
• 21:37
  which came and departed, leaving an icy chill behind. Once Johnny mumbled,
• 21:45
  go away, you'll catch it yourself, and there was laughter, soft
• 21:49
  murmuring feminine. He thought, was the woman insane to expose herself? So
• 21:56
  the fever retreated stubbornly, in no great hurry to depart. The lucid moments
• 22:02
  became more frequent and of longer duration. The girl was beautiful. There came
• 22:07
  a time when Johnny sat up weakly, his back propped against the bowl of
• 22:11
  a tree. The face smiled at him. He willed the toes of his
• 22:17
  left foot to move and watch them wiggle. He could just barely feel them.
• 22:22
  With long, easy strokes, the girl massaged his legs acutely. Conscious
• 22:27
  of her now, Johnny was embarrassed. I'm all right, he said.
• 22:33
  He struggled to sit up, but as yet had no real control over his
• 22:37
  limbs. The girl placed the flat of her palm against his chest and pushed
• 22:41
  gently, easing him back against the tree. You stay still, she told
• 22:47
  him. You'll be up and around in a day or so, but don't
• 22:49
  hurry things. I ought to thank you. You're crazy. Why did you
• 22:56
  expose yourself like this? Why? He watched her as she sat before him
• 23:02
  and drew her legs up, knees thrust up. She saw the slim bronzed
• 23:07
  line of her calves and the metallic silver of knees A shining one, he
• 23:11
  cried, recoiling involuntarily. The Shining Ones had survived the plague, but remained
• 23:18
  carriers of it for all their days. The girl smiled at him, as
• 23:23
  are you. You're a very lucky young man to live through this. The
• 23:29
  silver coated his own knees, Johnny saw and his elbows. It would take
• 23:33
  some adjustment. All his life he had been told to walk in fear of
• 23:37
  the Shining Ones, who often swept down on the villages, forcing the townsfolk
• 23:42
  to flee or face the plague, and taking what they wanted of the stores
• 23:47
  of food and supplies. I see you're a little afraid of yourself. It's
• 23:52
  common enough. I was lucky to have the plague as an infant. I
• 23:56
  remember no other life. You see, when you're well and strong enough to
• 24:02
  walk, I'll take you back to our encampment. I dunno, Johnny said,
• 24:07
  doubtfully. Just be patient with yourself. Adjustment will come all my life.
• 24:15
  They said the Shining Ones were monsters. When I was a little boy,
• 24:19
  I had to be good because my mother said otherwise. The Shining Ones
• 24:23
  would come and get me, carrying me off to kill me with the plague.
• 24:29
  You've had the plague yourself. You've got to remember that. Besides,
• 24:33
  the girl laughed easily. You're a big boy now to believe in bogey men.
• 24:40
  Well, Johnny continued stubbornly, there are other things. The Shining Ones
• 24:45
  are scavengers. They don't work themselves or grow their own crops. Instead,
• 24:51
  they invade the peaceful villages. Then the natives, my people have to flee
• 24:56
  or become contaminated. The Shining Ones take all the loot they want some of
• 25:03
  us. I have been a shining one all my life, but have never
• 25:07
  taken part in such a raid. We do not grow crops because we are
• 25:11
  not an agricultural people. We are nomadic and hunters. Why the robots,
• 25:19
  the girl told him. Some of our people joined them voluntarily. Many others
• 25:23
  are forced into bondage. If we don't keep on the move, they'll find
• 25:29
  us. Agriculture is an impossible art when you're encampain is always on the move.
• 25:34
  It gave Johnny food for thought, and something of the girl's own frankness
• 25:40
  made him do his thinking aloud. If I remain alone I'll be a hermit.
• 25:45
  I've seen the hermit shining ones wandering through the hills alone and friendless wild
• 25:52
  men. If I go with you, I become almost an enemy of my
• 25:56
  own people. They are no longer yours people. You must realize that.
• 26:03
  And if I go with you, I can learn about the robots and perhaps
• 26:07
  one day bring the truth back to my people. Tell me, do the
• 26:11
  robots cure the plague or spread it? They spread it? Johnny smiled grimly.
• 26:21
  I'll go with you. Two days and half a dozen good meals later,
• 26:26
  the girl helped him to his feet and nursed him along for his first
• 26:30
  few on certain steps, but strength flowed back into his legs rapidly. He
• 26:36
  was walking without support by the time they reached the wide stream and saw the
• 26:40
  girl's nod of silent approval as he swam across at with her matching swift stroke
• 26:45
  for stroke. An hour went by, and Johnny became amazed at the speed
• 26:49
  of his recovery. He almost wanted to return to Hamilton Village and shout,
• 26:55
  see, I survived, I'm back. But he was a shining on a
• 27:00
  carrier forever, an exile from the people and the life. He knew,
• 27:04
  and his own parents were dead mute testimony of the havoc. He might wreek
• 27:10
  among his people if he returned to them. They walked from the stream and
• 27:15
  shook the water from themselves and looked at each other, wet like that,
• 27:19
  and smiled. I don't even know your name, said Johnny. It's Diane.
• 27:26
  I'm Johnny Hope. I want to Johnny, get down. He stood
• 27:33
  there, surprised, staring foolishly. They were on a small rise of ground
• 27:37
  above the stream. The girl, who had fallen flat even as she hissed
• 27:41
  the command at him, was tugging at his legs. He dropped prone beside
• 27:47
  her, although he still failed to see the reason for her sudden alarm.
• 27:51
  She parted the undergrowth in front of them with her hands and said the one
• 27:55
  word. Look. Johnny had never seen the robots this close. For all
• 28:00
  their ungainly bulk, they trod the ground softly, walking as he had always
• 28:06
  seen them at greater distances, in a long, single file column. They
• 28:11
  were huge, antenna top creatures, their great cylindrical head sections bigger than a
• 28:15
  man and gleaming a polished silver blue. Their eyes, four of them,
• 28:22
  evenly spaced around the cylinder a foot or so below the antenna, white and
• 28:26
  bulging, with neither pupil nor lid. Their limbs many jointed and metallic,
• 28:32
  various tul ends fastened securely. Instead of hands. The legs were attached to
• 28:37
  the small body, but one fifth the size of the head. The arms
• 28:41
  came from the head itself, just below the unblinking eyes. They must be
• 28:47
  twelve feet tall, Johnny whispered, sh softly. We're close to our encampment,
• 28:53
  and I don't want them to find us. They averaged twelve feet Johnny.
• 29:00
  Johnny would never forget the sight. Many times he had watched the robots
• 29:03
  parading in thin line silence down the long, silent roads which men no longer
• 29:08
  used. But now he could have almost reached out and touched them. The
• 29:14
  absolute quiet was unnerving. The robots must have weighed close to a ton each,
• 29:18
  but walked with the stillness of stalking jungle cats. Where are they going,
• 29:25
  Diane? I don't know who understands the ways of robots, who can
• 29:30
  say abruptly? Diane was still. Her eyes went big and wide, but
• 29:36
  she wasn't watching the robots directly in front of her face and staring at her
• 29:41
  from unblinking eyes. Its body half coiled and dappled with the sunlight which filtered
• 29:45
  down through the foliage. Was a copper head. The tongue darted out in
• 29:49
  a quick, blurring red streak. The head cleared the loose coils and swayed
• 29:55
  slightly from side to side. Don't move, Johnny barely formed the words with
• 30:00
  his lips and hoped Diane would retain her presence of mind and obey him.
• 30:06
  A sudden motion would set the snake to striking. The file of robots paraded
• 30:11
  by just in front of them, an occasional joint creaking metal skins polished to
• 30:15
  keen reflection. The copper head was fully coiled. Now head cocked flat and
• 30:22
  ugly and perfectly still. Johnny placed his hand on Diane's thigh and let it
• 30:27
  crawl upwards, as if of its own volition, with an agonizing lack of
• 30:32
  speed. Now his fingers had reached the edge of the buckskin shorts, and
• 30:37
  now they climbed on the smooth pelt. He could feel Diane trembling faintly,
• 30:41
  the motion unseen but felt, And now his fingers climbed to the girling belt,
• 30:48
  grasped the haft of the hunting knife slowly withdrew it tiny fraction of an
• 30:52
  inch at a time. At last he had drawn the knife clear, easing
• 30:57
  it slowly toward his own body. He balanced it upon his palm, trying
• 31:03
  to judge the weight. He would have only one chance, for the quick
• 31:07
  motion of his arm would make the copperhead strike. If he missed. Sweat
• 31:11
  rolled on his forehead and into his eyes, half blinding him. He cursed
• 31:15
  soundlessly, held his hand out flat, squinted, whipped it forward. A
• 31:22
  sigh escaped Diana's lips. There was an angry thrashing as the copper head uncoiled,
• 31:29
  but the blade had pinned it to the ground, piercing the body just
• 31:32
  below the flat head. Ignoring the column of robots, now, Johnny crawled
• 31:37
  forward, swiftly, grasped the knife, and drew it cleanly toward him.
• 31:41
  The head was severed from the body. The body thrashed furiously, then lay
• 31:47
  still in death. The robots marched on, oblivious of the drama which had
• 31:52
  unfolded at their metal clawed feet. The last robot glided by the long line
• 31:59
  Reich treated into the woodland vanished. Diane stood up still trembling. It took
• 32:07
  me three days to save your life, she said, you saved mine in
• 32:10
  seconds. Johnny added her the knife. Let's find your people, he said.
• 32:20
  End of chapter two, Chapter three. It was Harry Starbuck who met
• 32:25
  them when they emerged from a long, winding defile overgrown with vegetation. The
• 32:31
  defile opened into a depression, perhaps half a mile wide, surrounded on all
• 32:37
  sides by low hills, steep sloped, and blue green with pine. Unless
• 32:42
  the robots happened upon the almost hidden defile, Diane's Shining Ones could not have
• 32:46
  selected a better hiding place for their present encampment. Starbuck greeted Diane with in
• 32:53
  this case, you had more luck than brains. I see he has survived.
• 32:59
  He's one of us now. When she said that, Johnny looked down
• 33:04
  at his silver knees self consciously. In time, he hoped he would grow
• 33:08
  accustomed to it, But right now he felt himself somehow between two worlds,
• 33:14
  divorced from his own people, but not ready to accept the nomadic existence of
• 33:19
  the Shining Ones. Starbuck grinned without humor. Well, then he's in time
• 33:24
  to help us move, although I'm opposed to it. To what Diane demanded
• 33:30
  angrily to Johnny, that's just too bad. Will you let me finish?
• 33:37
  Not to Johnny, if that's his name, to the move, kelliher has
• 33:42
  decided we have to move because a band of robots trooped through earlier today.
• 33:46
  Maybe you saw them, We certainly did. Diane informed him, Well,
• 33:52
  I don't like it. Every time the robots pass, we have to start
• 33:57
  all over. What's so bad about the robots anyway? They never bother us,
• 34:01
  do they? They can script us whether we like it or not.
• 34:07
  Well, what of it? Rumor has it? The conscriptees live like kings.
• 34:12
  Anyhow, We've got nothing to fear from the robots. That's a matter
• 34:16
  of opinion, Harry. At that moment, another man joined them. Johnny
• 34:22
  Hardy had time to realize that he did not like the man named Harry.
• 34:27
  The newcomer was a big man, bigger than de Reggio, with huge shoulders
• 34:30
  almost three feet across and a long mane of graying hair almost reaching them.
• 34:37
  He wore a beard spade shaped and also gray, and covered his legs not
• 34:42
  with the expected buckskin, but with khaki trousers he had probably stolen from one
• 34:46
  of the villages. He greeted Diane briefly, then said, Starbuck here told
• 34:52
  me how you are going to nurse a plague victim back to health? Is
• 34:55
  this the man? Diane nodded, and keller Her stuck out a powerful hand,
• 35:00
  which Johnny pumped vigorously. Glad to have you with us, Son.
• 35:06
  In time, you'll learn were not the monsters you were led to believe all
• 35:08
  your life. But mark me, you owe your allegiance to us henceforth,
• 35:14
  provided you decide to stay. Johnny did not have to be introduced. Starbuck
• 35:21
  had mentioned a man named Kellerher as their leader, and the newcomer spoke not
• 35:24
  with the bluster and arrogance of a leader unsure of his position, but with
• 35:29
  the calm self assurance of a respected and powerful chieftain. Keller Her would make
• 35:35
  a first rate friend, but a terrible enemy. He'll stay, Diane spoke
• 35:40
  for Johnny. He doesn't look like a hermit, does he never can tell?
• 35:46
  Where are you from? Son, Hamilton Village. Keller Her smile was
• 35:52
  wry, almost rueful. Will you put in with us? I guess so.
• 35:59
  Keller Her shrugged, then took Diana aside and whispered to her. After
• 36:02
  that, the big man turned and walked away. Diane was quiet. What's
• 36:07
  the matter, Johnny wanted to know. Does he always smile like that?
• 36:14
  No? Johnny, then tell me, we're going to leave this area because
• 36:19
  of the robots. Starbuck already told you that we're going to travel light,
• 36:24
  but we're still going to restock some of our supplies for the journey. I
• 36:29
  still don't see. I don't know how to tell you this. The nearest
• 36:34
  village is Hamilton, so so we're going to raid it. We're going to
• 36:40
  raid your village, Johnny. Starbuck's laughter carried through the entire encampment of conical
• 36:46
  tents, each flying its clan standard from the central ridgepole. Johnny wanted to
• 36:52
  hit the man, then realized he would be striking out at his own mixed
• 36:57
  up emotions. Diane was staring at him with genuine sympathy, but that hardly
• 37:01
  helped. She said, what are you going to do? Johnny? I'm
• 37:07
  not sure yet. I have to think. Remember you're one of us.
• 37:12
  Now. Any time you doubt that, look at your knees or elbows.
• 37:16
  You are a shining one. Make no mistake, Yes, a shining one.
• 37:23
  But Hamilton Village had been his home we don't harm anyone, Diane explained.
• 37:30
  I told you I take no part in the raids. I don't know
• 37:34
  why, for they're harmless. I saw one once when I was a young
• 37:39
  boy, before my people came to Hamilton Village to build their homes. The
• 37:45
  Shining Ones came down from the hills and simply walked into the village. There
• 37:49
  was no resistance. Our sentries gave us warning, but it hardly helped.
• 37:54
  We packed what we could and fled, leaving most of our supplies and equipment
• 38:00
  behind, leaving an entire village which we had called home, but which we
• 38:04
  could never see again. The Shining Ones contaminate, Yes, we do,
• 38:10
  you do. The villagers can't fight us. We could walk down there unarmed
• 38:16
  and take what we want. Maybe that's why I preferred to hunt instead.
• 38:22
  I'm not sure, Johnny, what are you going to do? She took
• 38:25
  his hand impulsively in hers and squeezed it. They hardly knew each other,
• 38:30
  but they had saved each other's life. I wish I knew. He withdrew
• 38:37
  his hand awkwardly. He liked Diane, perhaps too much, but until he
• 38:43
  made up his mind, she was a potential enemy. Soon Kelliherb returned to
• 38:47
  them, not alone this time. A dozen men crowded behind him, and
• 38:52
  others were leaving the tents of the various clans to join them. Did you
• 38:58
  tell me his name, or asked Diane. No, he's Johnny Hope,
• 39:04
  well, Hope. Get a good meal under your belts, and we're off.
• 39:07
  We leave for Hamilton Village later this afternoon. You ought to be able
• 39:13
  to tell us exactly where to find whatever we want once we get there.
• 39:17
  Could a man change his allegiance overnight because he now was different physically, Johnny's
• 39:23
  heart was still in Hamilton, even if he had been stoned from the village
• 39:27
  and his parents had been burned as prescribed by law. But the rest of
• 39:31
  his life he would be a shining one. For a time, he watched
• 39:36
  while Diane fixed his venison dinner, savoring the rich gamey aroma. Then he
• 39:42
  slipped silently from the encampment. Often, de Reggio would come to the large
• 39:47
  bowlder half a mile north of Hamilton Village and sun himself contentedly forgetting for the
• 39:53
  time at least the problems of his office. This rock was no secret villager,
• 40:00
  not finding de Reggio in Hamilton itself would know where to look for him.
• 40:06
  Now he had almost drifted off into slumber. He always found this half
• 40:09
  away time most pleasant for dreaming. Then he could conjure visions of the old
• 40:15
  days, of the lost cities, with the beat of their traffic pulse and
• 40:20
  the waking kaleidoscope of their electric lights, and the driving madness of their people
• 40:24
  which kept them seething with activity around the clock. He never traveled to the
• 40:30
  deserted cities himself, as youngsters like Johnny Hope did, because their crumbling masonry
• 40:36
  and bomb scarred streets saddened him. And besides, the robots had taken over
• 40:40
  many of the cities, and since no one had ever bothered to tabulate them,
• 40:45
  you were never sure when a city was deserted, and when it was
• 40:49
  not better to dream of the old days. To Reggio, wake up,
• 40:55
  it was Sheldon Hope, his old comrade in arms, who fought half way
• 41:00
  across a world with him while civilization crumbled to ruin all about them. Shell
• 41:07
  Shell boy, wake up, to Reggio, it's Johnny Hope. To Reggio,
• 41:12
  sat bolt upright, circles of light floating on blackness before his eyes,
• 41:15
  from two much sun, Johnny, go away. They'll kill you if they
• 41:22
  find you here. Are you crazy? Keep away from me? To Reggio
• 41:27
  stood up and backed off, watching Johnny, you have no business coming here.
• 41:31
  You De Reggio saw the shining knees, the silver elbows, the plague,
• 41:38
  you survived it. You're a shining one, Johnny finished for him,
• 41:44
  as the mayor's voice trailed off a carrier. That's even worse. I was
• 41:50
  hoping I would find you here. I knew I couldn't go down into Hamilton.
• 41:53
  You haven't much time. What are you talking about? Shining ones,
• 41:59
  Johnny said quickly. Hundreds of them coming to raid Hamilton Village. They are
• 42:04
  on their way. Now you'll have to leave. But I thought if I
• 42:07
  warned you, you could have some time to take your belongings. Reggiu accepted
• 42:13
  the fact without question, but with sadness. He shook his head from side
• 42:16
  to side, thinking of the neatly laid out streets, the small compact bungalows,
• 42:22
  the field planted with hay for the cattle, with grain, asparagus,
• 42:27
  beans and tall corn waving green in the summer sun, ready for harvest.
• 42:32
  How much time do we have? Four or five hours. I think we'll
• 42:37
  have to hurry. De Reggia was already trotting back down the trail toward Hamilton,
• 42:43
  Johnny maintaining the pace with him, but hanging back half a dozen long
• 42:45
  strides. I went to see the village once more, then I'll go,
• 42:52
  what are you going to do? I don't know. The Shining Ones want
• 42:55
  me to stay with them, but I had to warn you if they found
• 42:59
  out for my people, I thank you, Johnny, first person plural,
• 43:06
  my people. Johnny no longer was included. If the Shining Ones discovered his
• 43:12
  treachery, he would indeed be homeless. He wondered what Diane would think.
• 43:17
  Look at the village and then go, Johnny. If they find you,
• 43:22
  I won't be able to do a thing. And I wanted to tell you,
• 43:27
  I said the prayer. A figure appeared on the path up ahead.
• 43:31
  As he came closer, the man's face was familiar, but his name eluded
• 43:37
  Johnny mayor de Reggio. He called, I wanted to tell you. My
• 43:42
  wife thinks his voice trailed off. He scuffed his feet in the dust of
• 43:46
  the path and squinted. Johnny hope he cried by the robots keep away.
• 43:52
  I have a wife and children. I only wanted to see Hamilton once more.
• 43:59
  We don't care what you wanted. He brought a warning. Mayor.
• 44:02
  De Reggio explained, the Shining Ones are coming. The man held his distance,
• 44:08
  but spat on the ground in disgust. Look at him. You heed
• 44:14
  his warning. Look he's a shining one himself. It's some kind of a
• 44:19
  trick you've fallen for. De Reggio shrugged hopelessly. You'll have to go,
• 44:24
  Johnny. Already, the man was sprinting back down the path toward Hamilton.
• 44:30
  I'll bring some of my friends, he called back over his shoulder. We'll
• 44:36
  see about this. We'll see if a damned shining one can go parading around
• 44:40
  Hamilton Village any time he wants. And you've got some explaining to do,
• 44:45
  de Reggio. Then the man was gone. De Reggio turned to Johnny,
• 44:50
  almost shaking hands with him from force of habit, then drawing away in self
• 44:54
  conscious confusion. Good luck, boy, we'll be moving. Despite what Lawford
• 45:00
  said, don't try to follow us. I hope I haven't got you into
• 45:06
  any trouble. It won't be the first time. Thanks for the prayer.
• 45:12
  They would have liked that. When de Reggio looked up, Johnny Hope had
• 45:16
  vanished into the woods. Starbuck led one party of shining Ones toward Hamilton from
• 45:22
  the north, while Kellerher took the main band in from the east. They
• 45:28
  never reached the village, though each leader saw the black pall of smoke rising
• 45:31
  long before he reached Hamilton, each knew the village had been put to the
• 45:37
  torch. They met on high ground northeast of the flaming town and watched the
• 45:42
  fire, fanned by a strong summer wind, burn itself to embers and leave
• 45:46
  the charred skeleton of a village behind it. They got word, Starbuck said,
• 45:52
  waiting for Kellerher to draw his own conclusions. It's happened before, But
• 45:58
  now has anybody seen the new man, Johnny Hope. None of their followers
• 46:04
  had even heard of him. Diane would know, Starbucks suggested. She rarely
• 46:09
  joins our raiding parties, and keller Her checked, but as he suspected,
• 46:15
  Diane was not present. Well, we move on empty handed. Starbuck.
• 46:21
  You take your men back to the encampment and round up stragglers or anyone who
• 46:24
  remain behind. We'll wait here you're as bad as the people of Hamilton,
• 46:30
  always on the run. I don't mean to argue, but then don't.
• 46:36
  Men who want to be conscripted by the robots are free to leave our encampment
• 46:39
  at any time. Get that straight. But I don't want forced conscription of
• 46:45
  all of us, Starbuck. Understand the robots are around. Well. I
• 46:52
  was just letting you know how I felt. What about Johnny Hope time enough
• 46:57
  to see about him later. If he's still with the encamp ampmant naturally,
• 47:00
  if he's guilty, he won't go unpunished. If he's guilty, That's what
• 47:07
  I said. You're growing soft, keller Her. Yes, we don't elect
• 47:13
  our leader, Starbuck. Anytime you think you want the job, you can
• 47:16
  try to take it. Starbuck blanched. I didn't mean it that way.
• 47:22
  I was only giving my opinion. Don't unless you're prepared to defend it and
• 47:28
  yourself. I'm sorry, but Starbuck's eyes were smoldering. Get back to the
• 47:35
  encampment, then I'll expect you here with the rest of our people day after
• 47:38
  tomorrow. Can't make up your mind where you belong, can you, keller
• 47:44
  Her pointed with amusement to the buckskin kneepads. I know you're trying to goad
• 47:49
  me, Starbuck whined. Maybe you don't like me as a type. Starbuck
• 47:57
  personally, I'm indifferent. That was goading of a more subtle sort, but
• 48:01
  it was lost on Starbuck. Diane's indifference would irk him. Keller. HER's
• 48:07
  indifference was at times preferable. We ought to be friends, Starbuck boomed.
• 48:14
  I'm generally recognized as your second in command only because I want it that way.
• 48:20
  Amos Wesler, for example, has forgotten more than you will ever learn.
• 48:25
  That's clever, declared Starbuck. That's expert. You play us off one
• 48:30
  against another and keep the power for yourself. Keller shrugged massive shoulders. It
• 48:37
  wasn't original with me, but you're unusually perceptive today, Starbuck. And I'll
• 48:44
  say this, you've got more spunk than Westler. For all his brains,
• 48:49
  he's soft. You bring our people. I'll wait. Tell your men that
• 48:54
  since they have to pack our tents and cart our belongings, they'll be able
• 48:58
  to rest when we reach our new encampment. My group was set the place
• 49:01
  up. He ought to be a hermit. That Amos Westler. Keller shook
• 49:07
  his head too scholarly, no outdoor know how. Give him a book and
• 49:14
  he's happy. He wouldn't last a week, but he's still a good man,
• 49:17
  Starbuck. We need men like Amos Westler, and we need men like
• 49:22
  me. Keller Her grinned. You should have let me say that. Trouble
• 49:29
  with you is you tried to ape me. I'm always a step ahead of
• 49:32
  you, though, and don't forget it. Maybe someday I'll catch up.
• 49:39
  That would be interesting, admitted keller Her, dismissing Starbuck with a shrug and
• 49:45
  issuing instructions. As his men began to assemble their bivouac, Starbucks sensed he
• 49:51
  had been bested in the verbal battle, but was too petulantly egotistical to admit
• 49:55
  it even to himself. Instead, he made plan for his return to the
• 50:00
  encampment. He hoped the new shining One that Johnny Hope, kid, whom
• 50:06
  Diane had nursed back to health, would be foolish enough to return without keller
• 50:10
  Her around to steal the show. Starbuck might make himself a hero. If
• 50:17
  it weren't for the tawny haired girl who had saved his life, Johnny Hope
• 50:22
  never would have returned to the encampment of the Shining Ones. He left Do
• 50:25
  Reggio with the intention of again heading north toward New York, but his way
• 50:30
  led him close by the encampment, and he remembered the sudden touch of the
• 50:35
  girl's hand, and before that, the vision of her face, lovely and
• 50:39
  comforting, while he burned with the fever. Calling himself a fool, he
• 50:45
  entered the encampment warily, half expecting a dozen men to leap at him with
• 50:49
  the word traitor on their lips, but the camp was almost deserted and no
• 50:53
  one paid him any heed. He found Diane returning from the hunt with a
• 50:59
  small deer, it's antlers not yet branching, slung across her shoulders. She
• 51:05
  dropped the dead animal with a happy shout and ran to Johnny. I'm so
• 51:08
  glad you're back. I'm glad to see you too. Then the smile left
• 51:15
  her face. Did you warn them? Johnny considered his answer. Well,
• 51:22
  he had returned because he wanted to see the girl. It would be senseless
• 51:27
  if he were not honest with her. I had to, he said.
• 51:32
  She nodded slowly. It isn't hard for me to understand they were your people.
• 51:39
  But tell me. Does anyone know? I'm not sure. When they
• 51:45
  find the village deserted and probably burn though, they'll know, yes. Diana
• 51:51
  agreed with him, then snapped her fingers. But not if I say you
• 51:54
  were with me all the time. See you even went out hunting with me.
• 51:59
  We call this fawn together. You'd be lying to protect me. You
• 52:04
  may get yourself into trouble. How it's my word against a lot of guessing.
• 52:10
  I can't let you take the chance. It's no chance at all.
• 52:15
  I want to do it. I want you to be one of us,
• 52:17
  Johnny. We all don't raid villages. I don't raid them, do I
• 52:23
  No? But I but nothing. You came back here, didn't you.
• 52:29
  No one forced you. I came back to see you. I guess well,
• 52:34
  you're going to stay with us. A man wasn't meant to live alone
• 52:37
  like a hermit. Here. Diane took his hand and led him forward.
• 52:43
  You can stay in my tent for now. It would be silly to build
• 52:46
  yourself one, since we're going to move the encampment as soon as Kellerher returns
• 52:51
  from the raid. I can't, I mean can't nothing. I'm a good
• 52:57
  girl, Johnny, Hope, make no mistakes. Touch me at night and
• 53:00
  I'll scream. But I trust you. I like you. Her frankness was
• 53:07
  both charming and unnerving. He wanted to say he liked her too, but
• 53:13
  could not bring himself to utter the words. Instead, he slipped his arm
• 53:16
  about her waist and walked with her to the tent, where she skinned the
• 53:21
  fawn expertly and prepared it for cooking. By then, Johnny was sound asleep
• 53:25
  and did not wake up until Diane stirred him and offered him a platter of
• 53:30
  tender, young venison. Shortly after noon. The next day, Starbuck returned
• 53:37
  with his men. Those who had remained behind were disappointed because the raiding party
• 53:42
  had come back empty handed. Starbuck wasted no time adding fuel to the fire.
• 53:47
  Has anyone seen that traitor, Johnny Hope? He demanded, You mean
• 53:52
  the new man, the one Diane brought. Someone asked him, he's here.
• 53:59
  The ingrate, the dirty ingrate. Starbuck boomed, so all the encampmentt
• 54:05
  heard him. One of us saved his life. At first chance he gets,
• 54:09
  he turns trader. Next thing, you know, he'll want us to
• 54:14
  be conscripted by the robots. You should talk, Diane cried, as she
• 54:20
  and Johnny emerged from her tent. You're always talking about how nice it would
• 54:23
  be to live with the robots, Johnny hope isn't like that at all.
• 54:30
  Starbuck raised his fingers to his lips and whispered, keep it quiet. If
• 54:34
  they hear about this, they'll lynch Johnny. All of a sudden, you
• 54:37
  went to keep it quiet, Diane hissed at him, that's right, softly,
• 54:45
  Well for your information. Johnny was with me all along. We went
• 54:50
  hunting yesterday, just the two of us, didn't we, Johnny. Johnny
• 54:54
  mumbled something under his breath and waited for Starbuck to speak. Suddenly the man
• 55:00
  shouting again. He slapped Diane on the shoulder, smiled, roared, thank
• 55:05
  you, Diane, Thank you. I thought so. Did you all hear
• 55:08
  her? Diane told me she saw this man's sneak off to warn Hamilton village
• 55:14
  yesterday. That's a rotten lie, Diane cried, but Starbucks smiled blandly.
• 55:22
  That's all right. I know you didn't want him to know you told me,
• 55:25
  but there's nothing to worry about. You all heard her, didn't you.
• 55:30
  We heard her whispering something to you. One of the men admitted she
• 55:36
  whispered, because she didn't want the traitor to hear. She was afraid.
• 55:40
  She should have known we'd protect her. I'm surprised to you, Diane.
• 55:45
  For answer, she flew at him with her knife. He laughed softly,
• 55:50
  so softly that only she heard it. A shocked look appeared on his face
• 55:54
  as he parried the blow, twisted her arm up, spun her around,
• 55:59
  and held her that while she writhed helplessly, and dropped the knife to the
• 56:02
  ground. I don't know what's the matter with you, he said, He
• 56:07
  still looked shocked. That should be proof enough, She panted, I never
• 56:13
  told Starbuck what he claims. If you're covering up, I can only assume
• 56:19
  you went with him. I am deeply shocked. I did not go with
• 56:23
  him. I was hunting. Then you admit he went. I didn't admit
• 56:30
  anything. You are hurting me. Starbuck's big hand had twisted her wrist painfully.
• 56:36
  He gave no indication of letting her go. She said, you're hurting
• 56:40
  her. Johnny snarled, let her go. I'm all right, Diane said.
• 56:47
  Starbuck was going to let her go, but Johnny did not wait.
• 56:52
  He circled Starbuck's arm with his hand and wrenched until the bigger man bellowed and
• 56:55
  released Diane. Good Johnny said, I have no fight with you, but
• 57:02
  he had turned to look at Diane when Starbuck's bald fist slammed against the side
• 57:07
  of his jaw, knocking him down. He sat there, dazed, uncomprehending
• 57:13
  because he had not seen the blow coming. But Starbucks stood above him,
• 57:16
  fists clenched, and that was enough to tell him. I still have no
• 57:22
  fight with you, Johnny said softly. He thought he could have taken the
• 57:27
  bigger man, and at this moment could think of nothing he would rather do.
• 57:30
  But Starbuck had already accused Diane of being his accomplice, and he did
• 57:35
  not want to involve the girl further. He hoped Starbuck would be content to
• 57:39
  boast about his one punch victory. Instead, scared, Starbuck leered down at
• 57:45
  him, prodding his ribs with one foot, Get up and punch his teeth
• 57:50
  in. Diane pleaded, but Johnny remained sitting on the ground and shook his
• 57:55
  head. He explored his jaw gingerly with the fingers of one hand, as
• 58:00
  if the thought of rising to take more of the same frightened him. His
• 58:05
  time of reckoning with Starbuck would come, he promised himself. But now wasn't
• 58:08
  the time, not when it might involve Diane. You're not going to sit
• 58:14
  there, Diane insisted, don't just sit there. Johnny shrugged. Fighting him
• 58:21
  won't prove anything. He climbed to his feet and retreated out of Starbucks range.
• 58:28
  He was the picture of abject cowardice and hoped it would inflate Starbuck's ego
• 58:31
  sufficiently to make him forget the charges he had brought against Diane. Starbuck was
• 58:37
  smiling, smugly and booming something about letting Keller her decide what to do about
• 58:42
  Johnny Hope after they moved the encampment, But when Johnny stalked away from him
• 58:46
  toward Diane, calling her name, she presented him only with a stiff,
• 58:51
  haughty back, and by the time he reached the tent, the flat was
• 58:54
  down and tied securely. Johnny heard sobbing from within. A few moments later,
• 59:01
  Starbuck and another man came and led him to a different tent, where
• 59:06
  he remained under guard until the encampment had been broken. The tents and equipment
• 59:09
  packed and ready to move, The people assembled in the square clearing, which
• 59:14
  now was dotted with folded tents and bedding rolls. Let's move it, Starbuck
• 59:21
  roared in his booming voice. The men stooped for their burdens. The few
• 59:24
  horses carried three four times their normal loads. Starbuck waved the group forward dramatically,
• 59:31
  aware of his moment and making the most of it. They marched double
• 59:36
  file into the narrow ravine and were soon well on their way toward where Kellerher
• 59:39
  waited. End of chapter three. Chapter four. Sixty three seventeen B was
• 59:50
  twenty years old, but a trip to the repair bays every time he returned
• 59:53
  to New York City kept his barrel steel body gleaming as if it had rolled
• 59:58
  but yesterday from the assembly lines. Now, sixty three seventeen B could sense
• 1:00:04
  a stiffness in the second joint of his left leg as suspected corrosion. He
• 1:00:08
  was looking forward with keen anticipation to the time in the near future when he
• 1:00:14
  would stretch out in the repair bay and have his worn parts exchanged. That,
• 1:00:20
  however, was not on his primary level of thought. While not unique
• 1:00:24
  with sixty three seventeen B, the secondary level was not universal among the robots.
• 1:00:30
  For the idea of individual sentience had crept into the original plans only accidentally.
• 1:00:37
  On his primary level of thought, sixty three seventeen B was in closer
• 1:00:40
  rappoort with Central Intelligence than the three hundred robots stretched out in a long sun
• 1:00:46
  reflecting line behind him. Like Central Intelligence itself, and unlike the few humans
• 1:00:52
  who thought of such things, sixty three seventeen B believed that matter and energy
• 1:00:58
  were not merely components of one another, but are actually the same thing.
• 1:01:04
  Thus he explained his greater primary level of thought by saying that the energy matter
• 1:01:08
  bridge connecting him with Central Intelligence invisible but measurable in quanta, as was his
• 1:01:15
  body, was stronger than most on the social level. This gave sixty three
• 1:01:20
  seventeen B leadership of the three hundred thought. Quanta crackled back and forth between
• 1:01:27
  sixty three seventeen B and Central Intelligence in New York, and, as on
• 1:01:30
  all such occasions, sixty three seventeen B was not sure how much of the
• 1:01:36
  conversation reached the other robots. Hamilton Village is a flame, sixty three seventeen
• 1:01:43
  B thought, did you fire it? The answer was immediate and angry,
• 1:01:49
  certainly not. We arrived too late to prevent it. Yet your scouts reported
• 1:01:54
  the village was going to move out. You know, a moving village may
• 1:01:59
  or may not remain together. As often as not, it separates into small
• 1:02:04
  bands which will spread out and find their way to distant communities, an ideal
• 1:02:08
  means of spreading the plague. Although I need not remind you of that,
• 1:02:14
  I am aware the error is unpardonable unless the villagers have not yet fled.
• 1:02:22
  Unfortunately they have. Then another opportunity slips through our fingers sixty three seventeen B.
• 1:02:30
  Upon your return, you are to report to the intelligence base for a
• 1:02:32
  re examination of your apporse synapses. But but nothing. The thought communication crackled
• 1:02:40
  to silence. Sixty three seventeen B made the mental equivalent of a sigh.
• 1:02:47
  Such re examinations, he knew from bitter experience, were shams. Reshuffling was
• 1:02:53
  more like it. At a whim of Central Intelligence, he might become nothing
• 1:02:59
  but a second class robot. On the surface, Intelligence would discover a flaw
• 1:03:05
  in his synapses. Actually, Intelligence would produce the flaw and pass his mantle
• 1:03:09
  of leadership down the line to some other robot. Suddenly, sixty three seventeen
• 1:03:15
  B called a halt. Like all robots, he was vindictive. Constructed originally
• 1:03:22
  as machines of war, the robots had had revenge built into their mind patterns
• 1:03:28
  as a strong factor. Actually, second class robots were not aware of this.
• 1:03:34
  The feelings merely existed, and they acted accordingly. But sixty three seventeen
• 1:03:38
  B was only too acutely aware. It pained him the robots had never actually
• 1:03:45
  functioned as machines of war, for the war had taken a bacteriological turn.
• 1:03:50
  Before the mechanical infantry could march off to battle. The robots had been stored
• 1:03:55
  as useless while disease swept earth, with the development of the plague itself,
• 1:04:00
  making all further fighting impossible on an international scale. But the plague got out
• 1:04:06
  of hand, sixty three seventeen B remembered dimly the slightest contact meant almost certain
• 1:04:13
  contamination, and mankind prepared grimly for the end of its brief dominion over the
• 1:04:17
  Earth until someone thought of the robots, let them cure the plague. The
• 1:04:25
  antidote was known, they merely had to apply it. Sixty three seventeen B's
• 1:04:30
  memory coils tightened angrily. Until that time, the robots had been slighted,
• 1:04:34
  although they had waited patiently to serve their masters. Masters. Indeed, sixty
• 1:04:42
  three seventeen B recognized the vindictive pattern of his thoughts. For what it was,
• 1:04:46
  mankind had had its chance, had failed after man the robots. It
• 1:04:53
  was as simple as that. But now sixty three seventeen B was seething.
• 1:05:00
  He'd been advancing steadily in the robot hierarchy, and had even expected himself to
• 1:05:05
  be assigned to Central Intelligence itself. Before too long, Because the impetuous people
• 1:05:12
  of Hamilton Village had set their city to the torch before he could arrive,
• 1:05:15
  all was lost. He scanned the surrounding countryside with photo retinal cells. Far
• 1:05:23
  below, just leaving the edge of the burning town, were a pair of
• 1:05:26
  stragglers, man and woman, he thought, but couldn't be sure at this
• 1:05:30
  distance. Well, revenge on two individuals would be better than nothing. Strong
• 1:05:38
  halting ropes were prepared, and now sixty three seventeen B could see the figures
• 1:05:43
  were not two but three. Since his photo retinal cells could not receive color
• 1:05:48
  except as shades of black and white, he had no way of telling the
• 1:05:53
  three figures were not villagers, but shining ones were approaching Hamilton Village, said
• 1:06:00
  Starbuck over his shoulder, as Diana overtook him at the head of the column
• 1:06:03
  to get her first look at the place. You could see the flames.
• 1:06:10
  I thought you said the fire was almost out when you left Kelleher and the
• 1:06:14
  others. I did, But you can't predict those things. Apparently it has
• 1:06:18
  started again. See they had reached a rise of ground and could see what
• 1:06:25
  was left of the village in a broad valley below them, a great pall
• 1:06:29
  of black smoke rising from it sluggishly. Starbuck saw something else a few miles
• 1:06:33
  off to the north, but said nothing. It was a long, thin
• 1:06:38
  column gleaming metallically. At this distance he could not be sure, but it
• 1:06:43
  looked like a line of robots. Kelliher and the others are close by,
• 1:06:49
  Starbuck said mechanically. He was not thinking of Kellerher. The trouble with this
• 1:06:55
  group of shining ones was no one understood Starbuck. Not only were his talents
• 1:07:00
  for leadership unappreciated, he was actually made fun of. He'd been sullen ever
• 1:07:05
  since his mental rebuff at the hands of keller Heer. He'd acted inconsistently.
• 1:07:12
  His anger had been a free floating thing, and he'd very nearly got Diane
• 1:07:15
  in trouble for it. That was ridiculous. The answer seemed obvious enough.
• 1:07:23
  If one is not appreciated at a particular place, one should go elsewhere.
• 1:07:28
  There was Thomas Burwood, a youngster whose father had been chief before keller Her,
• 1:07:32
  and who had been killed by keller Her. Burwood almost certainly would join
• 1:07:36
  Starbuck, and Diane could be taken by force if necessary. Starbuck put the
• 1:07:44
  stocky man named Gilbert in charge of the column and sought out Burwood. He
• 1:07:48
  found the younger man on a fringe of the column, plodding listlessly along.
• 1:07:55
  Listen, Tom said Starbuck in a confidential voice. Often talked about life among
• 1:08:00
  the robots. But we're letting our years fritter away. What would you do
• 1:08:05
  if the opportunity presented itself? Like Starbuck himself, Burwood was an oversized young
• 1:08:13
  man given to fits of temperament. What's the use, he said? You
• 1:08:17
  can't just walk into the robots citadel. They would kill you first and ask
• 1:08:21
  questions afterwards. No, but you could join robots in the field. It's
• 1:08:29
  done that way most of the time since the robots venture forth, either to
• 1:08:33
  spread the plague or gain conscripts among the shining ones. Starbuck whispered in his
• 1:08:39
  best confidential voice, and Tom, there's a group of robots two or three
• 1:08:45
  miles from here right now. What do you say to that? Let me
• 1:08:49
  think, Burwood frowned. I don't know. It's one thing to talk about
• 1:08:56
  it, but another to keell Her. Didn't give your fother a chance to
• 1:09:00
  think? Did he not? When your father was growing old and keller Her
• 1:09:04
  knew he could take him, he killed him, struck him down like an
• 1:09:08
  animal. Don't forget that, Tom, that's true. But you're worrying about
• 1:09:14
  life among the robots? Are you from every room? Or I've heard you
• 1:09:17
  can live like a king like the days before World War III ruined our civilization?
• 1:09:24
  What do you say, Tom? An opportunity like this doesn't often come
• 1:09:30
  well, of course, if you're afraid. But I thought you were made
• 1:09:34
  of the same stuff as your father, the only leader I have ever served
• 1:09:39
  faithfully. That's enough, Harry Young Burwood's voice broke. I'll go with you.
• 1:09:45
  I knew you would. You're just like your father. Tom. There's
• 1:09:50
  one thing I want to do first. The two whispered together for a time
• 1:09:56
  then Starbuck drifted back toward the rear of the column and permitted himself to straggle
• 1:10:00
  until he was out of sight of the rear guard, first making arrangements for
• 1:10:04
  the prisoner Johnny Hope, to be taken off the trail into the woods.
• 1:10:10
  Tom Burwood meanwhile double timed up toward the head of the column. Diane,
• 1:10:15
  I was looking for you, Hello, Tom, what is it? Someone
• 1:10:19
  wants to see you rear of the column? Who All through the march,
• 1:10:26
  Diane had wanted to make her peace with Johnny Hope, but the opportunity had
• 1:10:30
  never presented itself. I'm not at liberty to say, Burwood told her slyly,
• 1:10:36
  and winked, is it Johnny Hope? Burwood smiled affably. I can't
• 1:10:43
  say, please, Diane. I was only told to fetch you. It's
• 1:10:46
  been arranged temporarily, but he can't remain back there indefinitely. I'm coming lead
• 1:10:53
  the way, Diane said eagerly, and fell into step with Burwood. Johnny
• 1:10:59
  Hope must have had his reasons for not fighting with Starbuck. He was not
• 1:11:02
  the cowardly type, unless Diane had suddenly become a bad judge of people.
• 1:11:08
  Perhaps, he thought in some strange way he was protecting her. Where is
• 1:11:14
  he? Tom? I don't see anyone a little further, but we've already
• 1:11:18
  left the column. Just around that clump of trees. I think something rustled
• 1:11:25
  in the undergrowth, Johnny, Diane called expectantly. He stepped out into the
• 1:11:31
  trail and faced her. It was Harry Starbuck. What kind of a joke
• 1:11:36
  is this, Diane demanded, angrily, turning to rejoin the column. I
• 1:11:42
  thought I was coming back here to meet Johnny Hope, Burwood laughed easily.
• 1:11:47
  I never said that. Well, whatever you're planning, you can count me
• 1:11:53
  out of all the nerve bringing me back here like this. Would you like
• 1:11:59
  to see Johnny Hope alive? Starbuck asked, in a conversational tone. What
• 1:12:04
  do you mean by that that you had better cooperate with me, Diane?
• 1:12:09
  The three of us are leaving the column now, you, Tom and I.
• 1:12:14
  If you don't, I can't guarantee anything about Johnny Hope. Diane did
• 1:12:19
  not know whether to believe him or not, but would hardly endanger Johnny Hope's
• 1:12:24
  life on a notion. I'll go with you, she said. Less than
• 1:12:30
  an hour later, they approached the vanguard of the file of robots. Burwood
• 1:12:35
  and Diane saw them at the same time, Contempt filling Diane's eyes as she
• 1:12:40
  began to understand what had been on Starbucks's mind. Fear was there, too
• 1:12:45
  threatening to unnerve her at any moment, but the scorn she felt for Starbuck
• 1:12:49
  prevented it from overpowering her. Of all the cheap tricks, she said,
• 1:12:57
  you you wanted to join the robots, but you also wanted me. Johnny
• 1:13:02
  Hope was never in any danger. It was all a lie to get me
• 1:13:06
  here. Well, if you think I'm going with you, Diane crouched abruptly,
• 1:13:12
  came up with a handful of dry earth and flung it at Starbuck's face,
• 1:13:15
  blinding him. Then she began to run get her Burwood. Starbuck roared,
• 1:13:21
  don't let her escape. It wasn't Burwood's fight, But if he had
• 1:13:28
  thrown in with Starbuck, he wanted to remain in the man's good graces,
• 1:13:31
  at least until he could figure things out for himself. Besides, his first
• 1:13:36
  sight of the robots had almost choked him with fear. Chasing Diane would take
• 1:13:42
  his mind off them. He set out after her, aware that a still
• 1:13:45
  half blinded Starbuck was circling around in another direction. Diane guessed her best chance
• 1:13:51
  for escape would lie along the very edge of the file of robots. She
• 1:13:57
  did not relish the idea, but she had seen the look on burwoid It's
• 1:14:00
  face when the creatures of metal had appeared, and figured he would be loath
• 1:14:03
  to follow her in that direction. Did the robots see her? She ran
• 1:14:09
  in their direction, her clothing catching and tearing on the undergrowth. She neared
• 1:14:14
  the head of the file. Could hear Burwood stumbling along behind her? The
• 1:14:18
  metal figure stood there, unmoving, watching her. Each one twelve feet tall,
• 1:14:24
  they could have stamped her to death. Behind her, Diane heard a
• 1:14:28
  hoarse scream. She whirled instinctively, lost her footing fell. One of the
• 1:14:33
  robots had taken Burwood, who was thrashing and kicking helplessly as it bore him
• 1:14:39
  aloft and held him feet pounding on air, two yards off the ground.
• 1:14:45
  She didn't like Burwood, but she had nothing against him. He screamed again,
• 1:14:49
  his voice breaking put him down. Diane shouted. She might as well
• 1:14:56
  have been talking to the ingots from which the robots had been fashioned, For
• 1:14:59
  all the heed they paid her. She whirled again, sought Starbuck, couldn't
• 1:15:03
  find him. Starbuck always talked of the robots. Perhaps he knew how to
• 1:15:08
  communicate with them. Now the robot had set a trembling Birdwood down on the
• 1:15:14
  ground. Now a great noose of rope was drawn about his neck, its
• 1:15:17
  other end slung over the branch of a huge, bare limb tree. Now
• 1:15:25
  something neither warm nor cold touched Diane grasped her about the middle, lifted her.
• 1:15:30
  It was a nightmare. It was unreal, not happening to her.
• 1:15:34
  The ground spun giddily. All vision receded behind a wave of vertigo, then
• 1:15:40
  returned, still spinning. Diane clawed at the metal head, at the hard
• 1:15:45
  unblinking eyes, scraping uselessly. She might as well try to scrape down the
• 1:15:50
  side of a mountain with her finger nails. Burwood was hanging, feet dangling,
• 1:15:58
  arms bound behind him. He twisted and writhed in his last death agony.
• 1:16:03
  Diane shuddered, turning away, striking her head sharply against the hard metal
• 1:16:08
  of the robot. When her vision cleared again, she was on the ground,
• 1:16:13
  another robot stalking soundlessly toward her. For all its great bulk, a
• 1:16:16
  noose identical to the one from which Burwood dangled, suspended from its metal hand,
• 1:16:24
  but the scene had changed. Diane realized wildly a great airship a rocket
• 1:16:29
  had landed midway between the file of robots and the burning village. Vaguely,
• 1:16:34
  she remembered that Starbuck had once said only robots from the Citadel itself used the
• 1:16:40
  rockets, since only a few remained from Man's last great war. Starbuck was
• 1:16:45
  near by, shaking but holding his ground, shouting at the robots as if
• 1:16:50
  his very life depended upon it, and Diane thought despairingly it did leave her
• 1:16:58
  be. Starbuck cried, you're making a terrible mistake. We're not from the
• 1:17:03
  village. We're shining ones. We're shining ones. I tell you, we
• 1:17:09
  came here to join you, to be conscripted. We went to work for
• 1:17:12
  the robots. See E, we're shining ones. Did they understand? Diane
• 1:17:18
  couldn't tell. The robots with the noose reached down and grabbed her, drawing
• 1:17:25
  her aloft again. She wanted to scream, but all her energy could bring
• 1:17:29
  forth only a whimper. She wanted to shut her eyes tightly and wake up
• 1:17:33
  trembling, but otherwise all right in her tent. She could feel a lurching
• 1:17:39
  motion as the robot began to move. Burwood hung slightly, now twisting gently
• 1:17:45
  from side to side like a rag doll with the motion of the rope.
• 1:17:50
  Diane faded. Within half an hour, all the robots had filed into their
• 1:17:57
  waiting ship. It blasted skyward on a jet of flame, which was all
• 1:18:00
  but lost against the fires which consumed Hamilton Village. End of chapter four,
• 1:18:09
  Chapter five, Will Harry Starbuck please step forth and make his report? One
• 1:18:15
  of Kelleher's assistants brought the command to the Shining Ones, who had joined the
• 1:18:19
  larger group near Hamilton Village. There was a silence. Where is Starbuck?
• 1:18:27
  No one knew. The assistant shook his head and returned to kell Her for
• 1:18:30
  further instructions. Had anyone seen Starbuck a short while ago? Yes, not
• 1:18:36
  for the past hour, though kell Her next called for Diane, who had
• 1:18:42
  found Johnny Hope, the alleged trader, along with Starbuck. Some of them
• 1:18:46
  had seen her marching toward the rear of the column with Tom Burwood not long
• 1:18:50
  since. She did not answer the summons, and Burwood could not be found
• 1:18:57
  anywhere. As everyone going crazy kellerhurt stormed fetched the prisoner himself. We'll see
• 1:19:04
  what's going on moments later. Hope charges have been brought against you concerning a
• 1:19:11
  raid on Hamilton Village. I know all about the charges. I refuse to
• 1:19:15
  discuss them now, Kellerhurst smiled, without mirth. You refuse. They were
• 1:19:24
  looking for Diane, they couldn't find her. They were looking for Starbuck too,
• 1:19:29
  and couldn't find him. It is Starbuck who has made the accusation,
• 1:19:33
  so we'll have to wait until he's found. I don't care one way or
• 1:19:38
  the other about Starbuck, but I want to find Diane. Plump. Gilbert
• 1:19:43
  came forward, said I may be able to shed some light on this.
• 1:19:47
  After Starbuck gave me charge of the column. He conferred with Tom Burwood for
• 1:19:51
  a time, then disappeared, but Burwood whispered something to Diane and she joined
• 1:19:58
  him, heading for the rear of the car. You see, Johnny demanded,
• 1:20:03
  Starbuck went someplace with Diane. From the looks of it, she was
• 1:20:08
  tricked into going with him, mere supposition, said Kellerher. Although I wouldn't
• 1:20:14
  trust Starbuck particularly listen, Johnny went on, that girl saved my life.
• 1:20:20
  I want to find her. Since you can't try my case until Starbuck is
• 1:20:25
  found. Let me look for them. And how do we know you will
• 1:20:29
  return my word, said Johnny, But the look on kellerhurst face said that
• 1:20:33
  would never satisfy him. If the lad promises, and if meanwhile he cannot
• 1:20:40
  be tried, began Gilbert. When I want your advice, I'll ask for
• 1:20:44
  it, Kellerhurst said curtly. The boy stays here, but he merely wants
• 1:20:50
  to find Diane, persisted Gilbert. Enough, if someone thinks to depose me,
• 1:20:57
  let him try meanwhile. I command here the boy stays, he will
• 1:21:02
  be considered innocent until we can bring him to trial, but he will not
• 1:21:06
  be permitted to leave the encampment. Her life may be in danger, Johnny
• 1:21:12
  said grimly. I doubt it. I have given my orders. They don't
• 1:21:17
  satisfy me. Johnny told keller Her bluntly. Am I to be regarded as
• 1:21:24
  prisoner or member of the community until my trial? You are one of us,
• 1:21:30
  a shining one until proven guilty. It is the way of our law.
• 1:21:34
  In that case, Johnny informed him, I challenge your right to rule.
• 1:21:40
  I would depose you. Even as he spoke the words, Johnny doubted
• 1:21:45
  their wisdom. Keller Her was large and powerful. Johnny had recently recovered from
• 1:21:50
  the plague and did not feel fully himself. Still, he had to find
• 1:21:55
  Diane, and if there was no other way, was grinning. Perhaps you
• 1:22:01
  do not know what that entails. I'll admit it's primitive. Upon your challenge,
• 1:22:08
  we fight not with weapons, Johnny Hope, with our bare hands.
• 1:22:14
  Call it a peculiarity of mine. But I prefer brute strength. It is
• 1:22:18
  as if civilization, inclosing its book for mankind, has put men like me
• 1:22:24
  in its stead. The ballot, the tribunal, the town meeting, all
• 1:22:29
  these are sophistications leading ultimately back along the road to civilization. If that means
• 1:22:33
  another war, and a worse one, I want no part of it.
• 1:22:38
  Small communities living by mean strength, fighting for their existence tooth and nail,
• 1:22:43
  can't start as civilization growing. The level I want to maintain is physical,
• 1:22:48
  brutal, elemental. Knowing that do you still challenge my right, keller Her
• 1:22:55
  folded huge muscled arms across his massive chest and stared with scorn at well.
• 1:23:02
  I was aware of that the answer is yes. Then we can start making
• 1:23:09
  arrangements for the time and place. Would you prefer it on our journey,
• 1:23:13
  before we reach a new permanent encampment, or after we have arrived to set
• 1:23:16
  up camp. You still look pale from your time with the plague, my
• 1:23:20
  young friend. I prefer it right here, Johnny said, I can't wait
• 1:23:28
  right here and right now. The sudden, complete silence was broken by Kelliher's
• 1:23:33
  explosive laughter as he unbuckled his weapon belt and let it fall with knife and
• 1:23:38
  club to the ground. What do you think, Diane, don't speak to
• 1:23:45
  me. I think it was a dirty trick, but I should have expected
• 1:23:48
  it from you, and you let Tom Burr would die too. I couldn't
• 1:23:55
  do anything about that, Starbuck protested. I tried. By the time I
• 1:24:00
  got through to them, Burwood was already dead. As it is, I
• 1:24:04
  saved your life for this. Diane gestured around her scornfully to take in the
• 1:24:13
  tiny cubicle aboard the rocket, which they occupied after depositing them within it ten
• 1:24:18
  minutes before the robots had ignored them. I'm surprised at you have some patience,
• 1:24:25
  Diane. Some day you'll be grateful I took you along. You're young,
• 1:24:30
  You've no idea what life could be like in a civilized place, do
• 1:24:35
  you. How do you know how the robots treat people. I have heard
• 1:24:41
  rumors, we all have. But I'm older than I look. I was
• 1:24:45
  a small boy before the war, Diane. But I remember, I remember
• 1:24:50
  the luxuries, the comforts you'll see. I ought to kill you, Diane
• 1:24:58
  said coldly. Starbuck blanched. I might too, first chance. I get
• 1:25:04
  you're so self centered, you're almost inhuman. But maybe I'm dumb enough to
• 1:25:10
  think you'll realize you're mistake some day, and two of us will have a
• 1:25:14
  better chance of getting away than one. I don't know. I ought to
• 1:25:17
  kill you, though I did it for you. I wanted you with me.
• 1:25:24
  I couldn't enjoy the life we're going to lead without you. You're a
• 1:25:29
  fool, Harry. I can't even hate you. I feel sorry for you.
• 1:25:33
  What do the robots do from day to day? You don't even know
• 1:25:38
  that. You haven't the slightest idea what you've let us in for. You
• 1:25:42
  don't even know for sure where we're going, Starbucks shook his head. You're
• 1:25:47
  wrong about that. We're going to the Citadel in New York. We should
• 1:25:51
  be arriving in a few minutes. You'll change your mind, Diane, Wait
• 1:25:57
  till you see the citadel, Wait until you've never seen it. You're just
• 1:26:01
  guessing. It's more than a guess every rumor I have ever heard, Diane,
• 1:26:09
  I want you to share it with me, to learn to love it
• 1:26:12
  with me. You're beautiful. You weren't met for Buckskins. Starbuck fingered,
• 1:26:17
  the tattered clothing barely covering her Torso keep away from me. Don't you realize
• 1:26:25
  it's just the two of us now and the robots. I'm warning you.
• 1:26:30
  Starbuck shrugged and sat down at the other side of the small cubicle. You're
• 1:26:35
  frightened now, he said, I've got patience if you haven't, wait and
• 1:26:41
  see how the robots will provide for us. Diane shuddered and tried to hide
• 1:26:45
  it. Trapped aboard a ship full of robots, she was companion to a
• 1:26:49
  madman. Strangely, no thought could comfort her, but the image of Johnny
• 1:26:56
  Hope somewhere many miles behind them, a prisoner of Kelliherm and the band of
• 1:27:00
  Shining Ones. Perhaps, she thought grimly, the madman had for company a
• 1:27:08
  mad woman. The Shining Ones were bivouacking, not two miles above the gutted
• 1:27:14
  ruins of Hamilton Village would have been stacked for the cook fires, but as
• 1:27:18
  yet no spark had been coaxed into flame. Half the tents had been raised
• 1:27:24
  tautly about their ridge poles, others were still to be unpacked. Five hundred
• 1:27:30
  strong, the whole group gathered around a natural clearing in the woods, where
• 1:27:33
  deft fingered girls were applying grease to killer Her and Johnny Hope. They had
• 1:27:39
  stripped to their shorts. Keller Her with his thick, feued limbs glistening in
• 1:27:43
  the fading sunlight, arms folded like some immobile heroic statue, all muscle and
• 1:27:48
  sinew carved from granite. Johnny fidgeting waiting for the fight to start. He
• 1:27:55
  was surprised at his own objective lack of fear. He wanted only to start
• 1:28:00
  out after Diane, you probably wonder why they'd grease you, Amos Wesler declared.
• 1:28:08
  Westler was a small, slim man with close cropped, graying hair and
• 1:28:12
  eyes that would twinkle, Johnny thought, even in darkness. He had come
• 1:28:16
  to Johnny's corner as a sort of unexpected second to ready him for battle.
• 1:28:21
  It's a concession on the part of keller Her, Johnny, hope, he
• 1:28:26
  has declared openly, your strength is no match for his. The slicking will
• 1:28:30
  make speed and dexterity count for more. Am I supposed to be grateful?
• 1:28:35
  The only reason I'm fighting him is because he won't let me seek Diane any
• 1:28:40
  other way. She could be in danger right now. Her life might be
• 1:28:44
  at stake. Keller her as a fool, and life among the shining Ones
• 1:28:49
  has always been an expendable item. Diane's life, your life, even keller
• 1:28:55
  hers. What happens if I win? Westler sighed wistfully, You won't.
• 1:29:02
  This won't be the first time for kelliherm nor the last. Actually, I
• 1:29:08
  hope you do win. Why and you haven't answered my question? Because I've
• 1:29:15
  always wanted to leave the encampment, but I'm not a man for the outdoors,
• 1:29:18
  Johnny, I wouldn't survive a week with your companionship. I might should
• 1:29:26
  you win the fight, and should you decide to seek Diane, I would
• 1:29:29
  like to join you. Johnny grasped his hand. Shook it done, he
• 1:29:34
  said, Westler smiled, wiping grease on his trousers. To answer your question,
• 1:29:43
  if you win, you're the chief of this encampment now, Johnny was
• 1:29:47
  smiling a job I'm not particularly interested in. I only want to, I
• 1:29:54
  know, look for the girl. During the excitement, something went entirely unnoticed.
• 1:30:00
  Rocketship took off near the ruins of the village. Rockets mean robots and
• 1:30:04
  from the citadel. Tell me, Johnny Hope, if the trail leads there,
• 1:30:09
  will you follow? Johnny shrugged. I hadn't thought of that. I
• 1:30:15
  didn't realize the robots were near. Then you're going to back down. Disappointment
• 1:30:20
  was in Westler's expressive eyes. Never I saw New York once. I stood
• 1:30:28
  on the Jersey cliffs at sunset and gazed across the Broad River at the Citadel
• 1:30:31
  with its winking lights and beacons. It's not a place of fear, but
• 1:30:36
  a place that men built long ago. I will go again, Amos.
• 1:30:43
  Westler sighed. I wish you win this fight, Johnny Hope. I never
• 1:30:48
  wish for anything as much in my life. I was a college professor before
• 1:30:54
  the war, and I learned this. The search for knowledge is a strange
• 1:30:58
  thing and knows no fear. But I am no young man, and this
• 1:31:02
  may be my last opportunity. Ready, Callerher's voice roared across the clearing,
• 1:31:11
  if the girls are finished caressing you with their oils. The girl stepped back,
• 1:31:15
  looked at Johnny, tall and lithe but so small compared to keller her
• 1:31:19
  and shook their heads ready, Johnny said, moving out toward keller her warily
• 1:31:28
  his legs, amos wester are confided. He uses them like a pair of
• 1:31:31
  arms. Watch them. The grease on his face had been applied too close
• 1:31:38
  to his eyes, and Johnny found he had to blink to clear his vision.
• 1:31:42
  Keller Heer came lumbering across the clearing, gathering momentum. By the time
• 1:31:46
  he neared Johnny, he was fairly rocketing down upon him. The muttering of
• 1:31:51
  the assembled encampment had been stilled, as if by some unspoken command. There
• 1:31:57
  was the sound of Kellerherr's thundering feet and nothing else. Juggernaut thundered close,
• 1:32:03
  was almost upon him, great arms outstretched, huge body shining red in the
• 1:32:09
  last light of the sun. At the last moment, Johnny sidestepped, thrust
• 1:32:14
  out his leg, added momentum to kill her with his arms. As he
• 1:32:17
  pounded by, something struck his leg that was a loud, bull bellowing cry.
• 1:32:24
  Keller her flipped completely over and sprawled in the dust a dozen feet away.
• 1:32:29
  He came up, roaring his rage as Johnny waited, balancing on the
• 1:32:32
  balls of his feet, fists up and ready. Keller Her parried Johnny's left
• 1:32:38
  hand, when the blow was too long in coming, struck with his own
• 1:32:42
  great right fist. Johnny went over on his back and felt keller Her at
• 1:32:45
  his throat almost before he had hit the ground. Now the crowd was churning
• 1:32:50
  with excitement, and Johnny found himself thinking they must have smelled blood on the
• 1:32:55
  air. Their heavily greased bodies prevented keller Her from up plying a stranglehold.
• 1:33:00
  Johnny squirmed out from under, straddled the bigger man's back, and felt himself
• 1:33:05
  borne aloft, still clinging there, as keller Her climbed to his feet and
• 1:33:10
  charged about the clearing Johnny held grimly his forearms circling the thick throat, choking
• 1:33:16
  off Kellerher's breath. But the shaggy head twisted broke free. The legs drummed
• 1:33:23
  backwards, and Johnny whirled in time to fathom Kellerher's plan. He was going
• 1:33:28
  to crush Johnny against the bowl of an oak tree. Cracking his ribs and
• 1:33:31
  ending the battle at once without mirth, Johnny smiled. So intent was keller
• 1:33:39
  her upon his plan he did not bother to hold Johnny on his back.
• 1:33:43
  Possibly he thought that was Johnny's intention. Anyway, Johnny leapt away, rolling
• 1:33:48
  clear, as keller Her backed into the tree trunk with all the strength of
• 1:33:53
  his huge muscles. There was a terrible crunching sound as kellerher hit the tree
• 1:33:58
  and went down as if a groggly He began to rise, but Johnny was
• 1:34:03
  waiting for him, waiting to see if there was any fight left, and
• 1:34:06
  the half conscious man. The eyes were watery, the lips slack, the
• 1:34:12
  arms twitching. Johnny waited stop. Someone cried, I bring news. At
• 1:34:19
  first the encamp had shouted him off, but presently Johnny became aware of loud
• 1:34:25
  talking, of angry shouts, of a buzzing as from a sundered hornet's nest
• 1:34:30
  which swept the clearing. He whirled to face the newcomer as Kellerhert slumped at
• 1:34:35
  his feet, clawing the ground and gasping, I don't surrender, Johnny,
• 1:34:41
  hope, only give me time to catch my wind. And they turned to
• 1:34:47
  Johnny hope, all of them their new leader. For Kellerher had spoken those
• 1:34:53
  words, then fell forward on his face. Three men carried him off to
• 1:34:57
  a tent where two women brought vessels of water. They went looking for the
• 1:35:01
  three missing ones. Hope, what can we do? The robots tell us,
• 1:35:08
  Hope, what they did once they might do again. Johnny laughed as
• 1:35:14
  reaction from his ordeal set in the crowd around him, flies swarming for honey.
• 1:35:19
  They hadn't given him a chance in the fight, but now because Kellerher
• 1:35:24
  had cracked his own ribs instead of Johnny's, Johnny was their leader. It
• 1:35:29
  was a job he neither wanted nor would tolerate. What they're trying to say,
• 1:35:34
  Amos Wesler told him is that they found Tom Burwood not far from here.
• 1:35:40
  What about Diane, Johnny demanded, eagerly. No Diane, no Starbuck.
• 1:35:45
  They found Burwood hanging by his neck, dead dead, Johnny said,
• 1:35:51
  dazed, Diane, you're not listening to me, young men, Diane they
• 1:35:57
  didn't find Then, as if he suddenly realized he was addressing their new,
• 1:36:02
  if bewildered leader, Wessler apologized, I'm sorry. While Berwood's corpse was the
• 1:36:10
  only one they found that were shreds of clothing in the undergrowth there, Diane.
• 1:36:15
  Possibly they're not sure, I would say, all indications point to the
• 1:36:20
  robot citadel. You said you would go, But now that you are a
• 1:36:25
  leader, perhaps you've changed your mind. When leadership is thrust upon a man,
• 1:36:30
  when an old leader is vanquished, Plump Gilbert bubbled effusively, there is
• 1:36:35
  a celebration, sir, and there is an edict to be handed down by
• 1:36:40
  the new leader. Do he banish keller Her from the encampment when his condition
• 1:36:44
  permits? Do we slay him for you? Do we do whatever you want?
• 1:36:48
  Johnny said, irritably, I'm not staying. This is some joke.
• 1:36:55
  I have nothing against keller Her. I still have nothing against him. I'm
• 1:37:00
  leaving. When Kellerher regains consciousness, when his body heals, you may tell
• 1:37:04
  him for me. I did not depose him. He is still your leader.
• 1:37:11
  That is clearly impossible, is it? I command you? In this
• 1:37:16
  Kellerher remains on as chief. But tell him this for me. Someday I
• 1:37:21
  may call upon him and his people for help. And when I do,
• 1:37:27
  you have vision, said Amos Westler, admiration in his voice. When I
• 1:37:32
  do I want no delays. That is my message to your ruler. To
• 1:37:36
  Keller her, is it understood? Gilbert and some of the others nodded.
• 1:37:43
  A small intense man, Wessler fidgeted about impatiently while the girls returned with thick
• 1:37:47
  strips of cloth and scrub the grease from Johnny Hope. I'm now a celebrity,
• 1:37:54
  he said to Westler, feeling himself briefly as one with these wild people
• 1:37:59
  as they gather around for his advice, preparing a victory banquet over roaring fires.
• 1:38:03
  As darkness covered the bivouac area, he munched a savory leg of fowl,
• 1:38:09
  slaked his thirst from a moist leather wine bag, the claret stream gushing
• 1:38:13
  into his mouth from the spout. You see, Wesser could not hide his
• 1:38:18
  disappointment. It is even as I said, you will stay, Johnny grinned
• 1:38:25
  at him. Are you tired? Why? No? Tossing a chicken bone
• 1:38:30
  into the fire, Johnny went on, and do you know the way to
• 1:38:34
  New York in the darkness? No? I think I do. Are you
• 1:38:41
  ready to start? Are you serious? Wesler cried, Do you mean that,
• 1:38:45
  Johnny Hope, Let's go and not waiting for an answer. Johnny clapped
• 1:38:50
  Gilbert on the back, told him to take charge until Kelleher had recovered,
• 1:38:56
  and left the clearing with Westler trailing at his heels. The night closed in
• 1:39:00
  about them, not quiet but alive, with the sounds of insects and the
• 1:39:05
  occasional soft pad padding of small hunting animals. Johnny set a quick mileating pace
• 1:39:13
  which made Wesser's breath weese in and out of his lungs asthmatically, but the
• 1:39:16
  older man did not complain once end of chapter five, Chapter six. We
• 1:39:27
  have openings in the repair bays, or for servants among the inner circle of
• 1:39:31
  Shining Ones who work hand in hand with our masters, the old woman told
• 1:39:36
  Starbuck and Diane after they had been taken from the rocket ship in New York
• 1:39:41
  and shunted underground where the subways had been converted into living quarters for humans,
• 1:39:46
  without being given a chance to see the city. Which will it be?
• 1:39:53
  We're not cut out to be menials, Starbuck said coldly. But the repair
• 1:39:58
  bays don't appeal to me either, You say, servants to the leaders themselves,
• 1:40:03
  to the top echelon of shining ones. Yes, you will find this
• 1:40:08
  socioeconomic hierarchy rigidly enforced here. Well, which will it be, Starbuck had
• 1:40:15
  heard about palace revolutions. It would be servants to the leaders, naturally.
• 1:40:21
  Let them bide their time, let them learn what they could of the citadel
• 1:40:26
  and its robots. Servants, he said, are you married? The old
• 1:40:33
  woman, shamelessly bare to the waist on this hot day, smiled at them
• 1:40:39
  with a perfect set of false teeth, which seemed laughably incongruous in her gaunt,
• 1:40:44
  seamed face. Her bare breasts were dry as parchment and hung flat but
• 1:40:49
  pendulan almost to her waist. From a distance, she looked almost like a
• 1:40:55
  mannequin, a leathery humanoid robot. We are, Starbuck beamed, But Diane
• 1:41:02
  said, certainly not. The old woman cackled. I believe the woman.
• 1:41:10
  In that case. You will live in these underground dormitories, Not in the
• 1:41:15
  city upstairs, Starbuck demanded, disappointed. Not in the city, that is
• 1:41:20
  correct. Do not ask why. It is merely so we work for the
• 1:41:27
  robots and obey them. Is that clear? Someday the only humans left on
• 1:41:32
  earth will be shining ones, or so the robots tell us. Then we
• 1:41:38
  will climb up into the light of day and take our rightful place side by
• 1:41:42
  side with them. Meanwhile, we do as we are told. Are you
• 1:41:48
  satisfied, Harry, Diane wanted to know. The robots make promises and destroy
• 1:41:55
  our brothers, our brothers, Starbuck, you mean the people of the villages,
• 1:42:02
  those our brothers. The plague makes brother hate brother. But you're a
• 1:42:09
  fool, Starbuck. The robots want that, this playing of human against human.
• 1:42:15
  Yes, how do you know You've never I don't know, but Amos
• 1:42:20
  Westler always said so Westler Starbucks spat contemptuously. A reader of books, we
• 1:42:30
  go out to hunt or raid. Wessler seeks his books and grows soft looking
• 1:42:34
  through them. With more Westlers and less Starbucks in the world, Diane began,
• 1:42:41
  we probably wouldn't have had to fight three world wars, and never would
• 1:42:45
  have. That's enough, said Starbuck, his eyes darting suspiciously to the old
• 1:42:50
  woman, who was taking in their conversation with an amused look on her face.
• 1:42:57
  It is quite enough, agreed the old If you want to last here
• 1:43:01
  more than a few days. Can the robots actually understand us, Starbuck asked
• 1:43:09
  the old woman, shrugged thin shoulders. Some say they can read our minds.
• 1:43:15
  It is not important. Those of us who rule can understand, since
• 1:43:19
  they can somehow communicate with the robots. It is the same thing we will
• 1:43:25
  conform, promised Starbuck like robots of robots, said Diane bitterly. Johnny Hope
• 1:43:34
  rubbed the stubble of beard on his face and frowned at Westber. I'm not
• 1:43:40
  sure, but I think I know this place. We should reach the New
• 1:43:45
  York River. This afternoon, they stood in a forest glade, not one
• 1:43:50
  hundred yards from one of the overgrown concrete highways upon which the robots were known
• 1:43:56
  to tread. A path paralleled the highway through the woods, and upon this
• 1:44:00
  they made their way. Sometimes I wonder if you know what you're letting yourself
• 1:44:05
  in for, Western mused. I want to find Diane. I'll take whatever
• 1:44:12
  goes with it. Do you mind if I ask why? I'm not sure?
• 1:44:17
  I know myself. All I know is I think of her all the
• 1:44:21
  time. Nothing matters as much as finding her and freeing her. We could
• 1:44:28
  be wrong. Perhaps she is not with the robots at all. What do
• 1:44:32
  you think I think she is. Everything points to it. I was only
• 1:44:39
  pointing out that we're not sure, Johnny. Not many years ago, I
• 1:44:44
  met a man, another shining one, who had fled from New York.
• 1:44:47
  He was old and he didn't last long. But he told me things.
• 1:44:53
  Which about the robots. You mean, yes, you know, of course
• 1:44:58
  they can help cure the plague. Instead, they spread it. I never
• 1:45:02
  could figure out why. Who knows what sort of thinking the robots can do.
• 1:45:09
  We're not even sure if they possess sentience at all, although I suspect
• 1:45:13
  they do. But in the last days of the war, Man made a
• 1:45:17
  frantic mistake. The robots were conceived as fighters, were constructed as fighters,
• 1:45:24
  were built to hate man and to kill man. When we gave the robots
• 1:45:29
  a different mission, entirely, it failed. They've simply strengthened the plague toxoid
• 1:45:33
  and made it lethal. I don't think they'll rest until every man on earth
• 1:45:39
  is destroyed. We're weak now, disorganized, We've left civilization behind us.
• 1:45:46
  You think the robots could do the job overnight, But the only thing that
• 1:45:50
  prevents them actually is the lack of numbers. Most of my people, I
• 1:45:57
  mean the villagers, not my people, any lawhunger. Most of them believe
• 1:46:00
  the robots somehow will cure the plague, and most of my people, said
• 1:46:06
  Wessler, believe their destiny is hand in glove with the destiny of the robots.
• 1:46:13
  They put it this way, we are hated by the rest of mankind,
• 1:46:17
  we are apparently not hated by the robots. Why not cooperate with them,
• 1:46:23
  then? Actually, a free man of shining ones as large as kellihers
• 1:46:27
  is the exception, not the rule. Every day more and more shining ones
• 1:46:31
  go to the Citadel in New York or elsewhere to work for the robots.
• 1:46:36
  Not a pretty picture, is it? What can we do about it?
• 1:46:42
  At present? I don't have the slightest notion. We've got to do something,
• 1:46:45
  though, Someone's got to do something unless nature's ready to write off mankind
• 1:46:51
  is a bad experiment. Perhaps I am a pettant Johnny. I do not
• 1:46:57
  know, but I will tell you this. When all the great strides and
• 1:47:01
  human history were made, the pedants, the scholars paved the way. I
• 1:47:06
  want to see the Citadel, not only to learn, but to see if
• 1:47:12
  there is something, some way to end the rain of the robots. It
• 1:47:16
  seems incredible that men their makers lacked the foresight to equip them with an Achille's
• 1:47:23
  heel. If the need ever arose abruptly, Johnny motioned Westler down with a
• 1:47:29
  wave of his hand. It looks like you're going to find out soon enough.
• 1:47:33
  Take a look, Johnny parted the bushes in front of them. Here
• 1:47:40
  the dirt path had angled sharply toward the highway, so that not more than
• 1:47:44
  thirty yards separated them. Marching silently along the concrete in the direction of New
• 1:47:48
  York, quiet but for the clanking of their joints, was a long file
• 1:47:53
  of robots. Spongy metal footpads, whispered Wessler, staring eagerly at the robots.
• 1:48:01
  We built fine fighting machines, Johnny, and now we find we have
• 1:48:05
  to suffer the consequences. Johnny nodded impatiently, hardly feeling philosophical. This is
• 1:48:15
  what we came here for, Amos, he said, afraid to tell you
• 1:48:19
  the truth. I'm not sure yet. Johnny was not sure either, but
• 1:48:25
  did not want a brood about it. He stood up, recklessly, forcing
• 1:48:29
  his way through the undergrowth toward the highway. By the time he reached it,
• 1:48:33
  Wester trailing uncertainly at his heels, he was shouting. It worked magically,
• 1:48:40
  the long line of robots extending as far as they could see to the
• 1:48:44
  left and several hundred yards to the right, stopped its steady advance. The
• 1:48:48
  great metal heads, each bigger than a man, swiveled on the sockets which
• 1:48:53
  joined them with the tiny bodies the unblinking eyes which now faced them. Another
• 1:48:59
  set for each robot surveyed the rear. Johnny new were lined up row one
• 1:49:03
  row. We want to join you, Johnny called out, we want employment
• 1:49:10
  in the citadel? Did a human ask a robot for employment? Johnny Hardy
• 1:49:15
  knew, for nothing had been further from his mind until recently. The leading
• 1:49:20
  robot came back down the line toward them. Johnny could read nothing in the
• 1:49:26
  artificial eyes and had to check a wild impulse to run. Sometimes I prefer
• 1:49:31
  the uncomplicated life of an unimaginative man of action, Western moaned softly. It
• 1:49:40
  was Johnny knew a good point. He did not bother telling Wesler that both
• 1:49:45
  traits had merged in him, which might have been better or worse, depending
• 1:49:49
  upon the circumstances. Then the robot was upon them sixty three seventeen by Sir.
• 1:50:00
  All robots, even those with a primary level of thought as high as
• 1:50:04
  sixty three seventeen B and an existing secondary level addressed central intelligence as sir,
• 1:50:13
  after exhaustive tests, it has been a judge that an overestimation has been made
• 1:50:17
  regarding your mental ability. Since that is the case, it will mechanically be
• 1:50:23
  necessary to change your position. Sullenly plotting shapeless revenge at a central intelligence which
• 1:50:30
  would never consider the possibility of an outside factor intervening unexpectedly and hence altering or
• 1:50:36
  spoiling what had been planned. Sixty three seventeen B listened to his fate.
• 1:50:43
  A position currently is vacant as supervisor of the Shining ones and a section of
• 1:50:47
  the repair base. Do you have any objections to assuming this new duty in
• 1:50:53
  place of the old? To object was disastrous. To object was to admit
• 1:50:59
  you needed not merely a lesser job commensurate with your lesser skill, but also
• 1:51:03
  complete readjustment of your thinking process. No objections at all, sir, thought
• 1:51:11
  sixty three seventeen B, all the while smoldering with resentment, his time would
• 1:51:16
  come. What was the old human expression about every dog having his day?
• 1:51:23
  Then you will report at once to repair Bay one fifty one. Do you
• 1:51:28
  know its location? I will find it? That was the prescribed answer.
• 1:51:33
  One rarely asked questions. One found out for oneself from central information. Sixty
• 1:51:41
  three seventeen B. Half thought he was still being tested in some less obvious
• 1:51:46
  and hence all the more deadly fashion. But to be placed in charge of
• 1:51:50
  a gang of humans it was degrading in time. Sixty three seventeen B.
• 1:51:58
  You shall be tested again. If it is our opinion you have gained back
• 1:52:02
  what we thought you once possessed, you will again be elevated to a higher
• 1:52:06
  station. Sixty three seventeen B cursed central intelligence on a private wavelength. Central
• 1:52:15
  intelligence was the creator of perfect plans. If a plan misfired, central Intelligence
• 1:52:20
  could not be held responsible. Since accidents of nature had never been considered valid
• 1:52:27
  excuses, blame always fell on the executing robot. Until recently, sixty three
• 1:52:32
  seventeen B had managed to beat the system largely through luck. Now, while
• 1:52:39
  he realized it was the most mechanical thing in the world to do as you
• 1:52:42
  were told, he could not hide his bitter disappointment, but he pushed it
• 1:52:47
  from his mind all at once. When he felt another mind nibbling at his
• 1:52:50
  private wavelength. No one could be trusted, not when each robot tried to
• 1:52:56
  outdo every other robot in the eyes of Central intelligence, Not when private thoughts
• 1:53:01
  could be intercepted by monitors, not when communal thinking was considered preferable to individual
• 1:53:08
  thinking. That thought made sixty three seventeen B shudder, his joints clanking as
• 1:53:14
  a sudden surge of power, the electrical equivalent of a dreanal secretions coursed through
• 1:53:19
  his frame. He was, indeed thinking, not along the prescribed lines.
• 1:53:26
  Probably something was wrong with him. This is ironical, said Amos Westler,
• 1:53:34
  as the first inert robot came sliding down the conveyor belt to stop a rusted
• 1:53:40
  man shaped creature twice man's size, with huge conical head and withdrawn antenna in
• 1:53:45
  front of his bench. We'll never learn anything this way. You won't learn
• 1:53:51
  the whereabouts of Diana at this bench, and I won't learn what I've come
• 1:53:56
  to find out. We're not on duty twenty four hours a day, Johnny
• 1:54:00
  reminded him, unfastening leg joints with a large wrench like instrument and wiping the
• 1:54:05
  parts with an oily rag before he reassembled them. If Diane is here,
• 1:54:12
  I'll find her. Well, we've learned nothing so far. They took us
• 1:54:16
  into the citadel through a tile walled tunnel. Surely one of the wonders of
• 1:54:21
  the world, Johnny cried, remembering the world has many wonders, natural and
• 1:54:30
  man made, if we could but see them anyway. They then deposited us
• 1:54:35
  in those underground quarters where all the humans seemed to live. Here, the
• 1:54:40
  old hag interviewed us. Yes, she wouldn't say if she'd seen Starbuck and
• 1:54:45
  Diane or not when I described them, but it sure made her smile.
• 1:54:49
  I think they're here in the citadel. Amos then assign us to this repair
• 1:54:55
  bay for work. Do you realize that, except for the brief time it
• 1:55:00
  took to go from the tunnel exit to the underground quarters, we haven't seen
• 1:55:03
  the light of day. Tried learning something in these caves. Without warning,
• 1:55:11
  the conveyor belts were stilled hidden. Lighting in the walls flared brighter. As
• 1:55:15
  a group of robots entered the large vault attention, A voice blared at them,
• 1:55:21
  oddly metallic. Johnny could not tell where it came from. Robots,
• 1:55:27
  sixty three seventeen B is now entering the vault as your supervisor. Sixty three
• 1:55:32
  seventeen B is to be obeyed as if he were Central Intelligence itself. He
• 1:55:39
  is to be addressed not directly, but through your human supervisor. The robot
• 1:55:45
  numbered sixty three seventeen B, but the numbers were hidden under the central face
• 1:55:49
  plate, and you hardy could tell. The machines apart, made a brief
• 1:55:54
  inspection of the vault, then climbed to his niche in the wall, where
• 1:55:58
  he sat completely without motion, while the other robots filed from the chamber.
• 1:56:03
  Although we can't address the robot, our supervisor can, Wesler said eagerly.
• 1:56:10
  That means at least communication of some sort is possible. I guess, so
• 1:56:16
  why don't you get to know the supervisor. You're much better at that sort
• 1:56:20
  of thing than I am, Johnny. We came here for different reasons.
• 1:56:25
  Don't forget there's an old hag. I'd like to answer more questions when I
• 1:56:30
  find her. Here comes our supervisor. Now, Wesler whispered, then aloud.
• 1:56:36
  My name is Amos Wesler. I don't care what it is. It's
• 1:56:42
  recorded Cape Warwicking friend. The supervisor was a brutal faced man who snarled out
• 1:56:48
  his words. His jaw, cheekbones, and forehead were silver sheened with plague
• 1:56:53
  scar With the plague silver remaining there as well as on his limbs, his
• 1:56:59
  face seemed metallic as a robot's see Wester whispered in despair as another damaged robot
• 1:57:06
  slid to a stop in front of them. Johnny offered a wan grin.
• 1:57:12
  Take it easy, he said, but hardly felt more than the last remaining
• 1:57:16
  shreds of patience within himself. If the old hag wouldn't talk when he saw
• 1:57:20
  her tonight, don't bother calling me names, young man, cackled the hag.
• 1:57:28
  I am virtually immune. It is against existing regulations to give you that
• 1:57:32
  information, since it has felt all ties with the past and the outside world
• 1:57:38
  must be broken, not gradually, but at once. Listen, Johnny said,
• 1:57:44
  desperately. You must remember your own youth. He had tried every other
• 1:57:49
  verbal assault he could think of. Now he hardly thought flattery would work on
• 1:57:54
  the ancient bag of bones in front of him, but it seemed his last
• 1:57:58
  hope. You must have had your lovers in your day. Were you as
• 1:58:02
  attractive for your years as a younger woman? Something melted in the Hag's eyes.
• 1:58:10
  She scrubbed her breastbone with the knuckles of one parchment hand, as if
• 1:58:13
  preening. Why yes, she admitted, I am in love with the girl.
• 1:58:20
  You must know how I feel. He he took her, at least
• 1:58:27
  in part. It was the truth in love with Diane. He never thought
• 1:58:31
  of it yet what had impelled him to battle kelle Her in an uneven fight,
• 1:58:38
  to set out for New York when he could have ruled the encampin instead
• 1:58:42
  to surrender himself to the robots of the citadel. Johnny smiled, trying to
• 1:58:47
  awaken something in the hag. He had succeeded in awakening something, all right,
• 1:58:53
  but in himself such information I cannot give you young men, and I
• 1:59:00
  I thought you remembered your youth. But they say the view from the Corridor
• 1:59:04
  thirteen exit is magnificent. To reach it, one travels along Corridor fourteen,
• 1:59:11
  which is a dormitory for some of our young unmarried women. The hag cackled,
• 1:59:17
  don't get caught. I won't thank you. Good luck, my boy.
• 1:59:25
  The hag patted his shoulder, crowed something which he failed to hear,
• 1:59:29
  disappeared from the room outside. At a forking of four corridors, Johnny found
• 1:59:35
  a map and studied it lights recessed high on the walls showed him his direction,
• 1:59:41
  and soon he was pounding down the corridors and praying silently that the hag
• 1:59:45
  knew what she was talking about. By the time he reached corridor fourteen,
• 1:59:49
  he was breathless. Several young women stood in the corridor talking. Their chatter
• 1:59:57
  was stilled when they saw Johnny, and those who had been invarious stages of
• 2:00:00
  undress hastened to cover themselves. Clearly, it was not common for a man
• 2:00:05
  to venture this way, particularly at night. Are you lost, man?
• 2:00:12
  No, I'm looking for someone, a girl named Diane. They were smiling,
• 2:00:18
  and Johnny began to wonder. He suspected that corridor trysts were not particularly
• 2:00:24
  uncommon. Is she expecting you? Demanded the boldest of the women who had
• 2:00:30
  stepped to the four while her more timid companions drew back, ready to dart
• 2:00:34
  into the surrounding cubicles. I cannot truthfully say, Johnny admitted. If she
• 2:00:42
  knew I was in the citadel, I think she would be expecting me.
• 2:00:46
  But even that was with tongue in cheek. For ever since he had refused
• 2:00:51
  to fight with Starbuck, Diane had said not a word to him. This,
• 2:00:57
  Diane, What does she look like? Johnny described her. When he
• 2:01:02
  finished, the woman chuckled, Could you perhaps be twisting from your description?
• 2:01:09
  I would say you loved the girl, for no woman could be so beautiful.
• 2:01:14
  I think I know who you mean, Though still chuckling, the tall
• 2:01:18
  woman entered one of the cubicles, while her companions melted away into the others.
• 2:01:24
  Soon Johnny stood alone in the corridor, waiting as nervously as a youth
• 2:01:28
  in Hamilton Village might wait. While the village match maker entered a house to
• 2:01:32
  fetch his bride. Some one appeared in the doorway, not the tall woman,
• 2:01:38
  Diane, Johnny Johnny hope, Diane. I never thought I would see
• 2:01:45
  you again. I thought Starbuck. I was so afraid for you because you
• 2:01:49
  couldn't adjust to your new life, because I thought you might do something desperate.
• 2:01:56
  I was a fool. I should have known why you refused to fight
• 2:01:59
  with Starbuck. Johnny, Johnny, let me look at you. Look later,
• 2:02:05
  he said, his eyes suddenly unexpectedly misty. He drew her to him
• 2:02:10
  and for a long time stood there with her, feeling the beat of her
• 2:02:14
  heart tied against him, the warmth of her body and long, smoothness of
• 2:02:17
  limbs. She was trembling, the warmth of her all a flutter against him.
• 2:02:24
  She was murmuring something softly against his shoulder. He was whispering in her
• 2:02:29
  ear. I love you, I love you, Diane. Her lips were
• 2:02:33
  perfumed and yielding. Her arms went behind him, hands joining behind his neck,
• 2:02:40
  then playing with his hair. The plague, his exile from Hamilton Village,
• 2:02:45
  the fight with kelliher, the long trek, even captivity in the citadel,
• 2:02:50
  all were a small price to pay, he thought dreamily, then abruptly
• 2:02:55
  drew back. We don't want to stay here all our lives, he said,
• 2:03:00
  I'll go anywhere with you, Johnny. Save that for later, darling,
• 2:03:04
  but I love to hear it. I don't think we'd have much trouble
• 2:03:09
  leaving the citadel. Not if we go to night. We wouldn't every day
• 2:03:14
  I work with Starbuck. But if we left at once now to night.
• 2:03:18
  Her new found enthusiasm not only matched his, but added wings to it.
• 2:03:24
  He was on the point of saying yes, of leaving her through the quarters
• 2:03:28
  in a dash for freedom, when he remembered, we can't. He said,
• 2:03:33
  not to night. We've got to include Amos Westler in our plans.
• 2:03:38
  Wesler is here. Johnny explained the situation to her, then added to night,
• 2:03:45
  Wesler went looking for some information about the robots. He feels certain they
• 2:03:49
  have an Achilles' heel some place, if only he can find it. Actually,
• 2:03:55
  it won't be easy dragging him away from the citadel, even tomorrow night.
• 2:04:00
  We can wait one night longer, sweetheart, you convince him tomorrow.
• 2:04:04
  I don't like the thought of leaving you alone again until tomorrow night. Diane
• 2:04:10
  stilled his words by placing cool fingers to his lips. We have no choice.
• 2:04:15
  I can take care of myself one night more, Starbuck, I can
• 2:04:20
  take care of myself in that respect too. Go back to your dormitory and
• 2:04:25
  get some sleep. Tomorrow night, same time, same place. Westler will
• 2:04:30
  be with me. They came close and drank of each other again. They
• 2:04:36
  parted, Johnny edging down the corridor backwards until the last shaft of light disappeared
• 2:04:42
  from the entrance to Diane's cubicle. His head was whirling in a giddy new
• 2:04:46
  delight, in a rapture which clouded his mind with a buoyant optimism which almost
• 2:04:51
  made him forget the citadel. The robots and men like Harry Starbuck. Footsteps
• 2:04:59
  pound down the hall, heavy, too heavy for a woman's Quickly, Johnny
• 2:05:04
  flattened himself in the darkness of a niche which served some nameless purpose. With
• 2:05:10
  the light behind it, a shadow loomed reared up toward him. It was
• 2:05:15
  Harry Starbuck. Johnny held his breath until the big man with the smug boy's
• 2:05:19
  face strode past, heading for Diane. In all probability, yes, follow
• 2:05:27
  him, stop him, attack him. Wild thoughts ran their course through Johnny's
• 2:05:32
  head and lose everything all they were looking forward to. For his impulsiveness,
• 2:05:39
  footsteps receded, the shadow vanished. Even if he could follow Starbuck, overpower
• 2:05:45
  him and escape with Diane, their secret would be secret no longer, which
• 2:05:50
  would leave Amos Wesler to fare for himself. Wait for tomorrow, Johnny hope.
• 2:05:57
  His course seemed clear, Yet he had to fight himself all the way
• 2:06:00
  back down the corridor until he had reached the male dormitories. For many hours,
• 2:06:06
  which seemed like days, he waited up for Amos Westler, but his
• 2:06:12
  thoughts were all with Diane. If Starbucks so much as touched her, end
• 2:06:19
  of chapter six, Chapter seven. I found it, Johnny. It was
• 2:06:27
  so obvious. It seems incredible. No one has tried to end the robots
• 2:06:30
  reign. Before we can do it. One man could do it alone,
• 2:06:35
  one man with careful planning. Diana is here, Amos. I saw her
• 2:06:40
  tonight. We're going to try to break out tomorrow night, the three of
• 2:06:44
  us, you see, Westler went on, there are two items of importance
• 2:06:48
  to consider. The first is central intelligence, the mind, the ellin vital,
• 2:06:55
  the sentience which motivates the robots. Did you know could you ever imagine
• 2:07:00
  that there was but one central intelligence for the entire western hemisphere, Johnny?
• 2:07:04
  It seems incredible, but it is not. That was the Achilles Heel.
• 2:07:09
  We sought the seed of destruction which some pessimistic scientist had sown into the robots
• 2:07:15
  in case man had created a Frankenstein. Can you believe it? Tomorrow night,
• 2:07:20
  the three of us will be on our way out of here. I
• 2:07:24
  think we stand a good chance, Amos, if we the second item,
• 2:07:28
  why what in the world are you talking about? Escape now? Never?
• 2:07:32
  Within our grasp is the chance to free humanity from a thraldom, which it
• 2:07:38
  does not yet fully recognize. Would you give up the chance to render the
• 2:07:42
  robots harmless in exchange for your own personal safety, not mine Diane's. We
• 2:07:48
  love each other, Amos, I wouldn't expose her to any danger. We're
• 2:07:54
  leaving tomorrow, and we want you to come with us. Wester paste back
• 2:07:59
  and forth, caged in spirit more than in body. Look at you,
• 2:08:03
  he said bitterly. You call yourself a man, but have you the right
• 2:08:09
  to a woman's love? When you think only of tomorrow, of one day
• 2:08:13
  out of thousands, of one small life, out of all that humanity has
• 2:08:18
  to offer, you want to hold the girl and kiss her and show her
• 2:08:22
  your virility, eh, while the rest of the race goes to pot That's
• 2:08:26
  enough, Amos, Johnny cried. My motives are my own. We leave
• 2:08:31
  here tomorrow. You're weak, Johnny Hope, you're a coward, Johnny said,
• 2:08:39
  shut up, damn you. He couldn't deny all that Amos was saying.
• 2:08:43
  But his parents had perished at the hands of a man made plague.
• 2:08:46
  He had been driven from his home, rejected by the Shining Ones, even
• 2:08:50
  until he proved himself in battle. What did he owe to humanity, to
• 2:08:54
  that big, sprawling concept which took in all kinds of men and their women,
• 2:09:00
  men, children, good people, bad ones, big and small,
• 2:09:03
  with every type of mind and every type of body. All right, marry
• 2:09:09
  the girl. Will you raise a family? Your shining was Johnny, both
• 2:09:13
  of you. The rest of humanity fears you, and rightfully your children will
• 2:09:18
  be stoned away if they venture near normal people. Perhaps life with the robots
• 2:09:24
  will be best for them. After all, here you have the chance to
• 2:09:28
  stop all that. Not only could we negate the power of the robots,
• 2:09:33
  but we could destroy the plague as well. Did you hear me? We
• 2:09:37
  could destroy the plague. Before you give me your final answer, let me
• 2:09:43
  tell you what I found. I'm listening, but but nothing. Only listen
• 2:09:50
  this Central Intelligence is a vast cybernetics machine occupying an entire building. Ironically,
• 2:09:56
  it is the United Nations Building where once were housed dreams of mankind. Now
• 2:10:01
  understand this, Johnny. Every robot in North and South America has its own
• 2:10:07
  particular wavelength. Although the Master Intelligence is in tune with all of them,
• 2:10:13
  each individual robot sentience is dependent for its existence upon the great cybernetics machines in
• 2:10:18
  Central Intelligence. In other words, if you were to destroy them. At
• 2:10:22
  one blow, you would kill every robot in the hemisphere. How did you
• 2:10:28
  find out all that? Wesler smiled. There was one thing the robots did
• 2:10:35
  not bargain for an ex college professor. The information was available in, of
• 2:10:41
  all places, the main library for humans here in the city. It took
• 2:10:46
  some finding, but as an old hand at research, I had an edge
• 2:10:50
  even on the robots with their mechanical minds. Anyway, all you'd have to
• 2:10:54
  do is destroy this central intelligence, and might as well say, destroy the
• 2:11:00
  moon, Amos. It's probably so well guarded a whole army of men couldn't
• 2:11:05
  break through, let alone two of us. That's right, Wester said eagerly.
• 2:11:09
  Men could never hope to get through, but robots could. What are
• 2:11:16
  you talking about? The second thing I learned tonight. Once again, it
• 2:11:20
  was so deeply cross referenced, so thoroughly hidden away, that although it was
• 2:11:24
  available if one knew where to look. The science of research is such a
• 2:11:28
  dead thing that no one knew of its existence, probably not even the robots.
• 2:11:35
  Johnny. The earliest model robots were built of function in a double fashion.
• 2:11:39
  They were robots, yes, but they are also compartments in which a
• 2:11:43
  man can fit for manual control. They were originally designed, you might say,
• 2:11:50
  as glorified suits of armor. Well, the research material is naturally old.
• 2:11:54
  All I could gather seems to indicate that no changes have ever been made
• 2:11:58
  structure in those early models. In other words, a man could climb inside
• 2:12:03
  a robot to day right now and no one would know the difference. You're
• 2:12:09
  forgetting one thing, Johnny pointed out. Are you going to walk up to
• 2:12:15
  a robot and tell him pardon me, old fellow, I'd like to borrow
• 2:12:18
  you and use you for a disguise for a while. I'm not forgetting anything.
• 2:12:22
  We work in the repair bays. Remember we have access to partially dismantled
• 2:12:28
  robots. We could find ourselves two dismantled old ones, somehow manage to get
• 2:12:33
  inside make our way to Central intelligence. I still haven't said I'm going to
• 2:12:39
  do it. I'd like to help you, Amos. I'll take your word
• 2:12:43
  about the plan. It has possibilities, but that has nothing to do with
• 2:12:48
  my own problems. Right now, Diane is the most important thing. Diane's
• 2:12:54
  future, your future, all our futures ultimately depend on this. What's the
• 2:12:58
  matter with you? You fail to see the forest for the trees. Tomorrow.
• 2:13:03
  What's tomorrow when all mankind's days ahead of us, slave or free.
• 2:13:09
  Perhaps one man could do the job alone, although two would have a better
• 2:13:15
  chance. But I think you know I'm not the man for the job.
• 2:13:18
  I don't await your answer, Johnny Hope, I've no one else to turn
• 2:13:22
  to. Humanity awaits your answer, Let me think, said Johnny, waving
• 2:13:30
  Westler away. When he would have continued talking more quickly than he dared Hope,
• 2:13:35
  he had found Diane. With equal swiftness, Wessler had discovered what he
• 2:13:39
  sought. That left Johnny in the middle of a tug of war which wouldn't
• 2:13:45
  wait indefinitely for his answer. As the closing gong sounded, sixty three seventeen
• 2:13:52
  B watched the Shining Ones shuffle away from their benches and make their way down
• 2:13:56
  the corridor toward the cafeteria, which would serve them unimaginative but well balanced evening
• 2:14:01
  meal. But two humans remained behind, talking avidly over the gleaming bodies of
• 2:14:07
  two stripped down robots. Strange thought sixty three seventeen Bee, who was now
• 2:14:13
  confronted with the first even mildly unusual event since taking over the dull routine of
• 2:14:18
  his new job, that they should continue working after the closing gong had sounded.
• 2:14:24
  He could summon Hartness, the scarred human supervisor, and have him talk
• 2:14:28
  with the two, or Hartness his metal jointed foot. He would do no
• 2:14:35
  such thing. If perhaps the humans were up to some mischief, and if
• 2:14:39
  it did not endanger sixty three seventeen bees own position still further, then let
• 2:14:43
  them play. If it gave a few robots and even Central Intelligence a hard
• 2:14:48
  time for a while, it served them right. Of course, nothing really
• 2:14:54
  serious could come from the tampering of two helpless humans. What about that eye
• 2:15:00
  up there? Johnny raised an eyebrow in the direction of the supervising robot,
• 2:15:05
  motionless on his stone perch. Is he watching us? It appears that he
• 2:15:11
  is. Unfortunately, we can't do a thing about it, at least not
• 2:15:16
  until we find out if these gadgets will work with us inside them. Here,
• 2:15:20
  Johnny, you see these tiny items. These are transistors using germanium instead
• 2:15:26
  of a vacuum grid to activate electrons. Smaller, more compact, more powerful,
• 2:15:31
  of longer life without them. The whole science of cybernetics, which ultimately
• 2:15:35
  made the robots possible would never have advanced beyond the RUDI entry stage. For
• 2:15:41
  with transistors replacing vacuum tubes, you still need the entire u Win building to
• 2:15:46
  house central intelligence. Under the older system, all New York City would not
• 2:15:50
  have been enough. Tell me later, Johnny pleaded, I want to get
• 2:15:56
  started. The longer we delay here, the longer it will take. So
• 2:16:00
  we're finished, and I still have that appointment with Diane Tonite. I couldn't
• 2:16:05
  contact her during the day because she said she works with Starbuck. We've got
• 2:16:09
  to hurry. Wessler's hands guiding the complex. Tools moved with swift efficiency,
• 2:16:16
  as if indeed he had worked with the robots all his life. Wires were
• 2:16:20
  crossed, insulated, rearranged, gaps and relays were tested and retested. Gears
• 2:16:26
  changed, long, unused parts oiled, cleaned, checked for defects. Surface
• 2:16:31
  plates were clamped into place over layers of insulation. At last, the two
• 2:16:37
  robots lay there, supine, but Wessler hoped ready for human use. He's
• 2:16:45
  still watching, said Johnny let him. We couldn't prevent him, only hope
• 2:16:50
  he suddenly doesn't decide to come down here for a closer look or send for
• 2:16:54
  help. It seems amazing. He's done neither so far. Maybe he's asleep.
• 2:17:01
  Robots do not sleep. I assure you well, it's ready. Wessler
• 2:17:07
  reached into the robot's interior before clamping on the final headplates. Each robot stood
• 2:17:11
  up in ponderous silence. You first, Johnny, I can clamp my plate
• 2:17:16
  from the inside. Are you sure my explanations on how to work this were
• 2:17:22
  satisfactory? Once inside, we'll have to contact each other by signals only?
• 2:17:28
  What about the radio sets inside? I don't know much about radio, but
• 2:17:33
  you said they worked. They do, but the wavelength might be too close
• 2:17:37
  to a robot wavelength, and we give ourselves away. Remember, we are
• 2:17:41
  to be nothing more or less than two robots once we climb inside. That
• 2:17:46
  way, there shouldn't be any trouble. Already, up you go. Johnny
• 2:17:52
  was boosted up, pulled himself within the cramped interior of the robot. There
• 2:17:58
  was barely room for him to stand upright, his shoulders hunched, arms tight
• 2:18:01
  in front of him. A dizzying mass of dials and levers confronted him suddenly,
• 2:18:07
  and although Wesler had explained them and diagrammed them and made Johnny memorize them.
• 2:18:11
  He was still bewildered by direct contact. He was almost afraid to try
• 2:18:16
  his first movement lest the robot remain immobile. The face plate slammed home.
• 2:18:24
  Johnny could see through the one way plastic of the robot's eyes as Wesler climbed
• 2:18:28
  into his own machine. Johnny pulled the starting lever and felt his robot lurch
• 2:18:33
  forward. Must learn to control the motion, so he was now aware of
• 2:18:39
  a lumbering gait, of a steady advance toward the farther wall. Something made
• 2:18:45
  him whirl and peer through the rear eyes. The robot's supervisor was coming toward
• 2:18:48
  them at a rate of speed they couldn't match, you, see, said
• 2:18:56
  starbut proudly, I am no longer a servant. I guess you would call
• 2:19:01
  me a junior executive now. But I'm on the way up, definitely on
• 2:19:05
  the way up. In a while. There is no telling how far I
• 2:19:09
  can go. I am sure of it. Diane nodded agreement. She didn't
• 2:19:15
  want to be bothered by Starbuck to day, not when her thoughts were all
• 2:19:18
  on the night and Johnny. She was so nervous she couldn't keep from looking
• 2:19:24
  anxious if only Starbuck, all wrapped up in himself the way he was,
• 2:19:28
  would fail to see it for a few hours longer. I suppose you wonder
• 2:19:33
  how I can advance so rapidly. It's quite simple, Diane. I look
• 2:19:39
  around me, I make contacts. I miss nothing. As an example,
• 2:19:43
  I even know of your meeting with Johnny Hope last night. What I wouldn't
• 2:19:50
  really mind it, except that my informant said, you are considering escape from
• 2:19:54
  the citadel. That, of course is out of the question. In his
• 2:20:00
  short time at the Citadel, Diane realized Starbuck had effected a way of speaking
• 2:20:05
  which hardly fit his booming voice or boyish face. It was as if he
• 2:20:09
  had decided to ape the shining ones who stood highest in the robot's confidence.
• 2:20:15
  To Diane, it was contemptuous. Although now her mind was a world with
• 2:20:20
  the thought that she and Johnny had been discovered. What are you going to
• 2:20:24
  do, she asked in a small, helpless voice. Hope will be arrested,
• 2:20:31
  naturally, he will never be permitted to see you again. Diane stared
• 2:20:37
  at Starbuck in horror. Johnny must be found, and warned. There was
• 2:20:41
  still time they could alter their plans. This time in secrecy, without any
• 2:20:46
  women around who could spy on them for Starbuck. But she had to find
• 2:20:50
  Johnny before it was too late. In sudden despair, she realized she didn't
• 2:20:56
  even know where to look. End of chapter seven, Chapter eight, Stop
• 2:21:05
  Stand perfectly Still. The thought was unexpected, peremptory, driving into Johnny's brain
• 2:21:13
  with more authority than any words. He wanted to stop, wanted to immobilize
• 2:21:18
  the robot in which he hid. But where had the thought come from?
• 2:21:24
  Wessler's robot was pointing a many jointed metal arm at the supervising robot, which
• 2:21:28
  rushed toward them. Then did the thought originate there? Could the robot somehow
• 2:21:35
  send a soundless message to them, stop let me dismantle you. The urge
• 2:21:43
  to render his own robot motionless became stronger within Johnny. It was as if
• 2:21:48
  the unbid thought originated outside his head, but tried to direct his own muscles
• 2:21:54
  as surely as his own mind. Something made soft beeping noises in his ear,
• 2:22:01
  and it took a while before he realized Wesler wanted to break their radio
• 2:22:05
  silence, so soon after they had started, the other robot was almost upon
• 2:22:11
  them. Awkward and uncomfortable, in his cramped quarters, Johnny found the radio
• 2:22:16
  switch and pulled it. We've got to destroy that robot, Johnny, now,
• 2:22:22
  at once, or we're finished. But how the robot was upon them,
• 2:22:28
  its unbidden thought, stronger halt. It was Johnny who struck the first
• 2:22:35
  blow, clumsily lifting his great right arm up and bringing it down stiffly on
• 2:22:39
  the other robot's head. Metal arms came up, swung blurringly, A clanging
• 2:22:45
  tumult deafened Johnny as dance appeared inside the chamber of his own robot's head.
• 2:22:50
  He triggered the levers mechanically, now aware that they were fighting under a tremendous
• 2:22:54
  disadvantage, for their fingers were still stiff on the unfamiliar control, and their
• 2:23:01
  artificial reflexes could not hope to match the robots. Look out, Johnny.
• 2:23:07
  Two metal shapes loomed Wessler and the real robot. The three of them came
• 2:23:11
  together, clashing, clanging metal arms, swinging, and wrecking metal bodies.
• 2:23:18
  It was Wessler's robot which went down, first slowly, buckling at the knee
• 2:23:22
  joints, and then collapsing. Metal feet drove down upon it, ponderously,
• 2:23:28
  crushing the head section Wessler's robot was still. Johnny hammered with huge metal hands
• 2:23:35
  at the other robot, hardly knowing where he might strike a mortal blow.
• 2:23:39
  But the robot slowed its reactions, grew feeble, its blows, denting Johnny's
• 2:23:43
  head chamber no longer. Finally, it sprawled across Wesler's robot, then rolled
• 2:23:50
  away and was still cursing to himself. Johnny climbed down from his robot,
• 2:23:56
  found the battered headplate of Westerners forced it open. He saw at once he
• 2:24:01
  could never hope to extricate the older man, for the metal walls of his
• 2:24:05
  chamber had been crushed, knifing into bone and flesh and trapping him. Amos,
• 2:24:11
  can you hear me? The eyelids fluttered open with pain. I never
• 2:24:18
  will see the end, Johnny, what are you talking about? Don't fool
• 2:24:22
  me. I'm all broken inside. I will get you out of there in
• 2:24:28
  no time. You'd have to melt the metal down to do it, and
• 2:24:33
  you know it. We'll do it. Your only hope is that the robot
• 2:24:39
  did not have time to broadcast a warning. If he did, you will
• 2:24:43
  have to hurry. But they still don't know our plans. Maybe they think
• 2:24:48
  we only want to escape, using these robot bodies for a disguise. Perhaps
• 2:24:56
  I hadn't thought of that. Wes lapsed into silence, his face twisted with
• 2:25:01
  pain. If you can do it, if you can destroy their cybernetic center,
• 2:25:09
  new start for humanity. I was going to tell you about the plague,
• 2:25:13
  Johnny. The robots have been using a particularly virulent form of the toxin,
• 2:25:22
  which does not exist naturally, spreading it in the air all over the
• 2:25:26
  earth. That, combined with the toxin carried by a shining One, causes
• 2:25:33
  illness and death. Wessler's words were harder to hear now, low the barest
• 2:25:39
  whisper of sound, Johnny leaned close to the glazed eyes, the barely opening
• 2:25:46
  lips. When the robots are gone, the plague will die out almost at
• 2:25:54
  once. Shining Ones even will be harmless. You see why it's so important.
• 2:26:00
  You see I could never do it without you. We'll hide away somewhere,
• 2:26:05
  nurse you back to health. Stop fooling an old man. We both
• 2:26:11
  know I'm dying. That's ridiculous. Please don't interrupt me. I want to
• 2:26:18
  finish telling you. The robots communicate with humans by telepathy. You witnessed it
• 2:26:24
  yourself a few minutes ago. They can make it seem like your own thoughts,
• 2:26:31
  And who can say thought waves are electromagnetic. Like so many other things,
• 2:26:39
  there is nothing mysterious about telepathy. Give humanity a chance to study what
• 2:26:45
  the robots have done, and you'll have civilization flourishing again within a generation.
• 2:26:50
  Give humanity the chance. It was a whisper, a prayer. On that
• 2:26:58
  final note of hope, Weser died. The human has emerged from the underground
• 2:27:05
  within his robot and is heading northeast across the city. I still think we
• 2:27:11
  ought to stop him now while we know we can do it, silence think
• 2:27:16
  on the primary level. In unity, we will triumph. It is our
• 2:27:20
  one weapon they cannot hope to match. But sixty three seventeen B warned us
• 2:27:26
  before he perished, precisely that the humans were attempting something other than mere escape.
• 2:27:35
  We must find out what that is, what they have learned. Don't
• 2:27:39
  you realize that if this man fails, another might succeed in his place.
• 2:27:45
  Whatever knowledge he has, perhaps it is widely disseminated. We must find out
• 2:27:50
  before we kill him. There was a silence among the conclave of motionless robots,
• 2:27:58
  their unblinking eyes intent upon a huge three dimensional map of the city,
• 2:28:01
  following a tiny pip of light in its slow progress. He seems to be
• 2:28:07
  heading straight for Central Intelligence. That's hardly possible, unless it is mere coincidence.
• 2:28:16
  I don't think so. See not half a mile away. Now,
• 2:28:20
  have the supervisors discovered who is missing? Yes, he was employed in the
• 2:28:26
  very repair bay where sixty three seventeen B perished a defective robot. Incidentally and
• 2:28:33
  no great loss. We have given his name to the top level Shining Ones
• 2:28:39
  in the hope that they can help us. There is a shining one,
• 2:28:43
  a human here right now. He wants an audience concerning the rebel very well,
• 2:28:50
  although we'll have to make it brief. Starbuck entered the chamber cockily,
• 2:28:56
  then lost his poise when he saw the solemn on moving conclave of robots I
• 2:29:03
  have outside. He began moistening his lips and talking rapidly. A woman who
• 2:29:09
  this man, this Johnny Hope loves? Can you understand me? Do you
• 2:29:15
  know what love is? He won't do a thing that might harm her.
• 2:29:18
  We can understand. I thought that we can read your thoughts. Leave your
• 2:29:26
  name with the robot outside. Take this woman within the U. N Building
• 2:29:31
  and hold her there until you hear from us the un building. No questions,
• 2:29:37
  go Starbucks shuffled from the room, self conscious and fearful under the mental
• 2:29:45
  command. I doubt if we'll need the hostage, but you can never tell.
• 2:29:52
  It seems incredible, that does it. The man has almost reached the
• 2:29:58
  U. N. Building. It will take him perhaps half an hour,
• 2:30:03
  for the rubble is piled high there underground. He could reach it in a
• 2:30:07
  few moments. But apparently he is unfamiliar with the passages. He has only
• 2:30:13
  recently arrived at the citadel. Somehow they have learned something. It is why
• 2:30:20
  we cannot kill the man until we are sure have them alerted at Central Intelligence.
• 2:30:26
  But let him enter. Watch him if he blunders about, as if
• 2:30:31
  he has arrived there by accident. Kill him if he knows something, Take
• 2:30:37
  him alive. Some day. We must learn the secret of Central Intelligence.
• 2:30:43
  If we are to survive. We must learn how to duplicate it, or
• 2:30:46
  face the possibility of perishing in a single accident. Men built at once,
• 2:30:52
  Men could do it again. Defective silence. Man can do nothing he cannot
• 2:31:00
  do. Then they were quiet, watching the tiny darting pip on the three
• 2:31:05
  dimensional map as it struggled through the uncleared rubble southwest of the u N Building.
• 2:31:13
  Even in ruin, the city held more wonders for Johnny Hope than he
• 2:31:18
  had ever thought possible. In many ways, it was like a scar on
• 2:31:22
  the face of the earth, pitted with bomb craters, strewn with a debris
• 2:31:26
  of topple towers, its streets choked with fallen, crumbling masonry, and blocked
• 2:31:31
  by the skeletons of buildings which once had stood bare and rusted now but not
• 2:31:37
  always so, as monuments to the greatness of man. Yet it was a
• 2:31:43
  scar which could be healed, a broken, dying city which could be made
• 2:31:48
  great again, with men and women roving its streets, repairing the structures,
• 2:31:54
  making the living city function once more. That was Amos Wester's dream. It
• 2:32:00
  was the dream of all mankind, Johnny thought philosophically, although they did not
• 2:32:05
  realize it, as they rove the earth in hunter bands of shining ones,
• 2:32:09
  or tilled its soil in small communities fearful of the plague. Now directly ahead
• 2:32:16
  of him, he could see the monolithic slab of the UN building like one
• 2:32:20
  structure in five it stood incredibly intact, a remembrance of the past and a
• 2:32:26
  promise of the future. We can build again, Johnny thought. Without the
• 2:32:31
  robots and the plague, they could build again, or they would die.
• 2:32:37
  Natural world or artificial world, men or robots, they could not survive.
• 2:32:43
  Jointly battered and broken, but still functioning adequately, Johnny's robot pushed through the
• 2:32:50
  debris south of the un building to the edge of the river. He stood
• 2:32:54
  there a moment and stared up stream at the gaunt ruins of a bridge now
• 2:32:58
  tumbled down the river and resting on the river bottom, thrusting its towers up
• 2:33:03
  beyond the surface of the water and toward the sky. Men had used that
• 2:33:09
  bridge once, long ago, but within the memory of Johnny's father to reach
• 2:33:13
  the country beyond, the bridge might be rebuilt, men might learn to use
• 2:33:20
  it again. It was as if, in dying Amos Wessler had transferred his
• 2:33:24
  own vision to Johnny, showing him a dream of the unborn tomorrow, his
• 2:33:30
  birth or still born death, depending entirely upon Johnny's success or failure. Today,
• 2:33:37
  half a dozen robots stood about the wide terrace leading to the building,
• 2:33:41
  but Johnny ignored them. For he had passed many in the broken streets of
• 2:33:45
  the city and grown accustomed to them. He entered the building through a door
• 2:33:50
  of glass and metal, and was not aware of the robots entering it behind
• 2:33:54
  him. His impulse was to climb down from his robot, to stretch his
• 2:33:58
  cramped arms and legs, and find something to eat, then explore the wonders
• 2:34:03
  of this new place above his head. The seating was high and vaulted.
• 2:34:09
  Ramps led away, curving and graceful in all directions, and he longed to
• 2:34:13
  feel his feet, his own feet upon them, and to explore until he
• 2:34:18
  satiated himself with this wonder and sought another. To leave the robot would be
• 2:34:24
  suicide, had the thought been his own, or a metal maid thought instilled
• 2:34:30
  in him some unknown way, an unbidden suicide thought. It was less specific
• 2:34:37
  than the commands of the robot that had perished in the repair bay, but
• 2:34:41
  Johnny guessed it came from outside. Nevertheless, he advanced mechanically, for Wesler
• 2:34:48
  had given him careful directions. The ramps led up, higher and higher,
• 2:34:54
  passed the rooms in which men from many lands once long ago used to debate
• 2:34:58
  their future. Then higher still climbing. There was a noise behind him.
• 2:35:05
  He whirled in cramped quarters, peered from the robot's second set of eyes.
• 2:35:11
  A dozen robots climbed the ramp behind him, gaining He let his mind drift
• 2:35:16
  blankly, let their thoughts reach him. He is not wandering aimlessly. Somehow
• 2:35:22
  he learned, He learned capture him. He ran now awkwardly, his own
• 2:35:31
  robot not smooth and graceful, a flawless piece of machinery like the others.
• 2:35:35
  He clumped and clattered up the ramp and prayed for time. The ramps soared
• 2:35:41
  upward, curved to the left. Once he looked down at the floor of
• 2:35:45
  the rotunda so far below, and became giddy with the distance and the thought
• 2:35:48
  of falling. He leaned over the railing and looked. His head whirled.
• 2:35:54
  At the last moment, he drew his robot back from the edge, stabbing
• 2:35:58
  half blindly at the controls which propelled it. They had almost driven him to
• 2:36:03
  suicide. He must keep his mind a perfect blank or better still, think
• 2:36:09
  of something which would keep them at bay. Diane his love for her,
• 2:36:16
  Diane, A robot waited for him at the top of the ramp. Those
• 2:36:20
  behind him were gaining rapidly, driving death wishes deep within his brain. The
• 2:36:26
  robot above him abruptly swung into motion, but Johnny desperately sidestepped the lunch,
• 2:36:31
  which would have sent him hurtling to the floor of the rotunda. The other
• 2:36:35
  robot checked his own inertia and came for Johnny again, huge arm swinging,
• 2:36:41
  trying to crush him within the metal chamber as Amos Wessler had been crushed.
• 2:36:46
  Johnny parried the blows with his own metal arms, then reached out and heard
• 2:36:50
  machinery groan within his metal frame. As he lifted the other robot and hurled
• 2:36:54
  it in the path of his pursuers. There was a grinding, clattering crash
• 2:37:00
  of metal. Johnny saw three forms detach themselves from the arcing ramp and tumble,
• 2:37:07
  swinging and twisting in air grotesquely to the floor, where they struck resoundingly
• 2:37:11
  and broke apart, the metal arms and legs flying. Then he was climbing
• 2:37:16
  again. The remaining robots far below him and disorganized now, but soon he
• 2:37:22
  knew they would be capable of following. It was as amos Wessler had predicted.
• 2:37:28
  After a time, the ramp grew smaller. It no longer climbed.
• 2:37:33
  Now it had soared high, and now was just below the girdered ceiling.
• 2:37:37
  It was hardly wide enough for Johnny's robot. It shook dangerously with the tread
• 2:37:43
  of metal feet. Here, Johnny knew, was the sanctuary. This was
• 2:37:48
  the Achilles' heel. This was the entrance, this ramp, which no robot
• 2:37:54
  could traverse. Here the way led to self functioning, self repairing machinery to
• 2:38:00
  Central Intelligence. Here was man's final hope in the eyes of the original inventor.
• 2:38:07
  Here was the guarantee that the robots, if they became some Frankenstein monster,
• 2:38:11
  could be met and conquered. For no robot could guard the final portal
• 2:38:16
  to Central Intelligence. No robot could even draw close enough to alter the thin
• 2:38:22
  rap. Johnny smiled grimly as comprehension grew. If robots could become neurotic,
• 2:38:30
  this was the place for it. They could have employed their human servants,
• 2:38:33
  the Shining Ones, to alter the place, but would have divulged their secret
• 2:38:37
  in the process. Still smiling, Johnny halted his robot, opened the face
• 2:38:43
  played clumsily from the inside, and climbed out. He sat on the rap
• 2:38:48
  and flexed stiff arms and legs, then stood up and heard the robots below
• 2:38:52
  him. He could see them now, no longer advancing, milling about in
• 2:38:58
  confusion. Their weight would destroy the ramp, and they knew it. They
• 2:39:03
  could never hope to reach him. It was all so incredibly simple, was
• 2:39:09
  it? One robot had been above him, then they knew he was coming?
• 2:39:16
  What had they prepared for him? Beyond the point where the robots could
• 2:39:20
  not climb? Shrugging, he advanced warily. Soon he could see where the
• 2:39:26
  ramp reached a small doorway, much too low and narrow to admit a robot,
• 2:39:31
  even if one of the machines could have climbed the ramp this far hold
• 2:39:37
  it, Johnny, Hope, don't come any closer. Startled, He looked
• 2:39:41
  up. Harry Starbuck stood in the doorway, holding Diane in front of him.
• 2:39:48
  I'm not fooling, Hope. If you'll come any closer, I'll throw
• 2:39:50
  her off. It's a long way down. You're crazy, Starbuck. You'll
• 2:39:56
  never leave this place alive. But even as he spoke, he knew he
• 2:40:01
  could never reason with the man. The robots can't let you carry their secret
• 2:40:07
  from here. Your only hope is to co operate with me. Is that
• 2:40:11
  so they're sending some more men up to get you. All I have to
• 2:40:16
  do is hold a fort until cut it out. Hope, stay right there.
• 2:40:22
  Starbuck edged out of the doorway, dragging Diana along with him to the
• 2:40:26
  railing at one side of the ramp. I'll do it if you make me.
• 2:40:31
  Don't listen to him, Johnny, I'm not afraid. Hair disheveled,
• 2:40:35
  clothing torn, face bruised, she still looked beautiful to him. All at
• 2:40:41
  once. She stood for everything Wesler had mentioned, for the future of man,
• 2:40:46
  for the dreams of tomorrow, for a free world with no plague and
• 2:40:50
  no robots. But for Wesler, the choice would have been easy, the
• 2:40:54
  girl or humanity. Wesler had not been in love. Now Starbuck had forced
• 2:41:03
  Diane back, arched, breast thrust forward out over the railing. She struggled
• 2:41:07
  in his grip, but futally he could hurl her out over the edge and
• 2:41:13
  into space, or not, as he wished, back up, Hope.
• 2:41:18
  I want you to go back down the ramp and surrender to the robots.
• 2:41:22
  You're only delaying things. More men will be here soon. You're licked,
• 2:41:26
  and you know it. Wearily, Johnny retreated, don't hurt her, he
• 2:41:33
  said, promise me that you crazy. I want her for myself. The
• 2:41:41
  thought numbed Johnny. He hadn't considered it that way. A live Diane or
• 2:41:46
  a dead one was one thing, but a Diane forced to submit to Starbuck.
• 2:41:52
  He reached his own iMobile robot, saw the others not twenty yards below
• 2:41:56
  him, waiting thought he heard shot out somewhere behind them. He must do
• 2:42:01
  what he had come to do, as if Diane did not exist, it
• 2:42:07
  was Starbuck who had made the choice for him, But there was a wild
• 2:42:11
  possibility. Quickly, he climbed within his robot, activated it lumbered forward.
• 2:42:18
  He could feel the ramp shaking with each step he took. At any moment,
• 2:42:22
  it struts might collapse and send him hurriedly to his death, trapped in
• 2:42:26
  his man shaped metal coffin far below. Soon he could see Starbuck again on
• 2:42:33
  the ramp, outside the doorway, holding Diane. Starbuck's eyes went wide.
• 2:42:39
  Starbuck frowned, then began to lick his lips anxiously. You can't come up
• 2:42:45
  here, he cried. They won't hold you. I sent the man down
• 2:42:48
  to surrender anyway, do you have him? Is he dead? What do
• 2:42:52
  you want anyway? I can come down myself. Don't come any closer,
• 2:42:58
  not unless you want the ramp to collapse. Keep away, do you hear
• 2:43:01
  me? Johnny advanced slowly, the ramp shaking with each stride, no longer
• 2:43:07
  but dipping and rocking constantly. Now almost ready to go, Starbuck retreated,
• 2:43:13
  taking Diane with him through the doorway. They went out, fell the face
• 2:43:20
  plate of Johnny's robot. He tumbled after it as the ramp shook, metal
• 2:43:24
  grinding against metal, then snapped. He leaped forward as the ramp caved in.
• 2:43:31
  He felt his feet shoot out from under him, saw metal dropping away.
• 2:43:35
  Twisting to his left. He clawed out with his hands gripped a jagged
• 2:43:39
  edge, pulled himself up slowly as blood made his hand slip. He stood
• 2:43:45
  in what was left of the doorway, trembling as reactions set in his heels
• 2:43:50
  on the brink of nothing, his bloodied hands aching. Starbuck roared and charged
• 2:43:56
  at him, attempting to drive him back a few inches to his death,
• 2:44:00
  but Johnny caught him, met him half way, with no room to evade
• 2:44:03
  the charge, and they grappled there teetering on the edge. A knee blurred
• 2:44:07
  up at Johnny, exploding in violent pain. He felt himself falling and managed
• 2:44:13
  to twist away from the edge of the sundered ramp. He hit the floor,
• 2:44:18
  with waves of nausea boiling up from his stomach. He lay there,
• 2:44:22
  blinking his eyes. Starbuck came for him. He drew his legs up instinctively.
• 2:44:28
  The knees bent then straightened as Starbuck leaned over him. His feet caught
• 2:44:31
  the big man squarely on the chest, lifted him pushed. Starbuck went over
• 2:44:37
  the edge of the ramp, screaming all the way down. Inside, Johnny
• 2:44:43
  found Diane dazed on the floor. He ignored her. She could wait for
• 2:44:48
  now. He was a man possessed the machinery, which he could never hope
• 2:44:52
  to understand, was all about him, bank on bank of it, lining
• 2:44:56
  the walls, humming with its strange scentiate energy, glowing and flickering with a
• 2:45:01
  million lights. Kill yourself, two words clamoring insistent inside his skull, their
• 2:45:09
  final hope. He felt himself edging back toward the doorway and the death which
• 2:45:16
  awaited him just outside. He looked at Diane, huddled on the floor,
• 2:45:20
  her lips parted, Johnny, I love you. He thought the words of
• 2:45:28
  death and those of life and hope. Fought inside his skull, twisting his
• 2:45:31
  brain, battling there for mastery. He found something, a length of metal
• 2:45:37
  rod. He ripped it loose and began to attack the machinery. He would
• 2:45:41
  never understand. He was a wild man. The strength flowed in from elsewhere,
• 2:45:48
  raising his arm, swinging it high over his head and down. Sparks
• 2:45:52
  flew as his metal club battered the crystal in tubes, the delicate wiring,
• 2:45:56
  the metal cases, glass shattered, spring brought blood from a dozen cuts on
• 2:46:01
  his face. Electricity hummed, then shrieked, then wailed off distantly on a
• 2:46:07
  register too high for his ears. Raise his arm and plunge, lift it
• 2:46:15
  and bring it down, battering the metal club part of him. It was
• 2:46:20
  Diane who eased the twisted rod from his fingers, soothed him with her words,
• 2:46:24
  It's finished, easy, Johnny, You've done it. The place was
• 2:46:30
  a shamble's bank, on bank of gutted machinery lay silent there on a floor
• 2:46:35
  strewn with glass, with wire, with filaments, with nameless things which were
• 2:46:39
  the brains for a million robots. There's another way out, Johnny Starbuck took
• 2:46:46
  me here behind that wall you. She took his hand, and they went.
• 2:46:52
  The passage was dark and cool, and smelled musty, as if air
• 2:46:54
  did not circulate very well within it. It was a place for thinking and
• 2:47:00
  dreaming of tomorrow. It was a place for realizing. You could go back
• 2:47:03
  to the hills and find Kelliher and his Shining Ones and convince them they should
• 2:47:09
  at least look at the city, the city which belonged to them now to
• 2:47:13
  them, and Reggio and his villagers and all the others. And there must
• 2:47:18
  be a coming together of Kelliher and a Reggio, with Johnny as mediator,
• 2:47:24
  and a realization that the last plague victim had been smitten, and humanity had
• 2:47:28
  a long path to travel, but could set foot upon it right now at
• 2:47:33
  once. Outside it was growing dark, but Johnny could make out the still
• 2:47:39
  forms of the robots, gleaming red with final sunlight, sprawled upon the broken
• 2:47:45
  streets. The Shining Ones within the city stalked about furtively in small groups,
• 2:47:52
  not yet knowing what it meant to live without their masters. Perhaps in time,
• 2:47:56
  Kelliher and all the others could teach them. Hungry, said Johnny,
• 2:48:03
  we could stop and eat no you in a different way, they followed the
• 2:48:09
  last slanting rays of the sun to the western River and the mainland beyond it.
• 2:48:16
  End of chapter eight, The End of Slaves to the Metal Horde by Stephen Marlowe