Я, Робот
Little Lost Robot
Myfirstconnection(directly,thatis)withinterstellarresearchwasin2029,whenarobotwaslost-"
MeasuresonHyperBasehadbeentakeninasortofrattlingfury–themuscularequivalentofanhystericalshriek.
Toitemizetheminorderofbothchronologyanddesperation,theywere:
1.AllworkontheHyperatomicDrivethroughallthespacevolumeoccupiedbytheStationsoftheTwenty-SeventhAsteroidalGroupingcametoahalt.
2.ThatentirevolumeofspacewasnippedoutoftheSystem,practicallyspeaking.Nooneenteredwithoutpermission.Nooneleftunderanyconditions.
3.Byspecialgovernmentpatrolship,Drs.SusanCalvinandPeterBogert,respectivelyHeadPsychologistandMathematicalDirectorofUnitedStatesRobotamp;MechanicalMenCorporation,werebroughttoHyperBase.
SusanCalvinhadneverleftthesurfaceofEarthbefore,andhadnoperceptibledesiretoleaveitthistime.InanageofAtomicPowerandaclearlycomingHyperatomicDrive,sheremainedquietlyprovincial.Soshewasdissatisfiedwithhertripandunconvincedoftheemergency,andeverylineofherplain,middle-agedfaceshoweditclearlyenoughduringherfirstdinneratHyperBase.
NordidDr.Bogert’ssleekpalenessabandonacertainhangdogattitude.NordidMajor-generalKallner,whoheadedtheproject,evenonceforgettomaintainahuntedexpression.Inshort,itwasagrislyepisode,thatmeal,andthelittlesessionofthreethatfollowedbeganinagray,unhappymanner.
