Я, Робот
Catch That Rabbit
"Dave!"
Apause,thentheanswersoundedtobothmen,"Boss?Whereareyou?Mythirdsubsidiaryhashadhischestblownin.He’soutofcommission."
"Nevermindyoursubsidiary,"saidPowell."We’retrappedinacave-inwhereyouwereblasting.Canyouseeourflashlight?"
"Sure.We’llberightthere."
Powellsatbackandrelaxed,"That,myfran’,isthat"
Donovansaidverysoftlywithtearsinhisvoice,"Allright,Greg.Youwin.Ibeatmyforeheadagainstthegroundbeforeyourfeet.Nowdon’tfeedmeanybull.Justtellmequietlywhatit’sallabout."
"Easy.It’sjustthatallthroughwemissedtheobvious–asusual.Weknewitwasthepersonalinitiativecircuit,andthatitalwayshappenedduringemergencies,butwekeptlookingforaspecificorderasthecause.Whyshoulditbeanorder?"
"Whynot?"
"Well,look.Whynotatypeoforder.Whattypeoforderrequiresthemostinitiative?Whattypeoforderwouldoccuralmostalwaysonlyinanemergency?"
"Don’taskme,dreg.Tellme!"
"I’mdoingit!It’sthesix-wayorder.Underallordinaryconditions,oneormoreofthe`fingers’wouldbedoingroutinetasksrequiringnoclosesupervision–inthesortofoffhandwayourbodieshandletheroutinewalkingmotions.Butinanemergency,allsixsubsidiariesmustbemobilizedimmediatelyandsimultaneously.Davemusthandlesixrobotsatatimeandsomethinggives.Therestwaseasy.Anydecreaseininitiativerequired,suchasthearrivalofhumans,snapshimback.SoIdestroyedoneoftherobots.
