Я, Робот

           There’sadefinitemathematicalrelationshipthatgovernssuchthingsandfailuretoconformwouldindicatemarkedabnormalityinthepositronicbrain.Unfortunately,allhereappearnormal."

           "ButifourNestor10wasnotrespondingwithaforcedaction,whyisn’thiscurvedifferent?Idon’tunderstandthat."

           "It’ssimpleenough.Roboticresponsesarenotperfectlyanalogoustohumanresponses,more’sthepity.Inhumanbeings,voluntaryactionismuchslowerthanreflexaction.Butthat’snotthecasewithrobots;withthemitismerelyaquestionoffreedomofchoice,otherwisethespeedsoffreeandforcedactionaremuchthesame.WhatIhadbeenexpecting,though,wasthatNestor10wouldbecaughtbysurprisethefirsttimeandallowtoogreatanintervaltoelapsebeforeresponding."

           "Andhedidn’t?"

           "I’mafraidnot."

           "Thenwehaven’tgottenanywhere."Thegeneralsatbackwithanexpressionofpain."It’sfivedayssinceyou’vecome."

           Atthispoint,SusanCalvinenteredandslammedthedoorbehindher."Putyourgraphsaway,Peter,"shecried,"youknowtheydon’tshowanything."

           ShemumbledsomethingimpatientlyasKallnerhalf-rosetogreether,andwenton,"We’llhavetotrysomethingelsequickly.Idon’tlikewhat’shappening."

           Bogertexchangedaresignedglancewiththegeneral."Isanythingwrong?"

           "Youmeanspecifically?No.ButIdon’tliketohaveNestor10continuetoeludeus.It’sbad.Itmustbegratifyinghisswollensenseofsuperiority.I’mafraidthathismotivationisnolongersimplyoneoffollowingorders."