Я, Робот

           Itwasthere,hanginginopenair–stentorianandpetrifyinginitseffects.

           "GREGORYPOWELL!MICHAELDONOVAN!GREGORYPOWELL!MICHAELDONOVAN!PLEASEREPORTYOURPRESENTPOSITIONS.IFYOURSHIPANSWERSCONTROLS,PLEASERETURNTOBASE.GREGORYPOWELL!MICHAELDONOVAN!-"

           Themessagewasrepetitious,mechanical,brokenbyregular,untiringintervals.

           Donovansaid,"Where’sitcomingfrom?"

           "Idon’tknow."Powell’svoicewasanintensewhisper,"Wheredothelightscomefrom?Wheredoesanythingcomefrom?"

           "Well,howarewegoingtoanswer?"Theyhadtospeakintheintervalsbetweentheloudlyechoing,repeatingmessage.

           Thewallswerebare–asbareandasunbrokenassmooth,curvingmetalcanbe.Powellsaid,"Shoutananswer."

           Theydid.Theyshouted,inturns,andtogether,"Positionunknown!Shipoutofcontrol!Conditiondesperate!"

           Theirvoicesroseandcracked.Theshortbusinesslikesentencesbecameinterlardedandadulteratedwithscreamingandemphaticprofanity,butthecold,callingvoicerepeatedandrepeatedandrepeatedunwearyingly.

           "Theydon’thearus,"gaspedDonovan."There’snosendingmechanism.Justareceiver."Hiseyesfocusedblindlyatarandomspotonthewall.

           Slowlythedinoftheoutsidevoicesoftenedandreceded.Theycalledagainwhenitwasawhisper,andtheycalledagain,hoarsely,whentherewassilence.

           Somethinglikefifteenminuteslater,Powellsaidlifelessly,"Let’sgothroughtheshipagain.Theremustbesomethingtoeatsomewheres."Hedidnotsoundhopeful.Itwasalmostanadmissionofdefeat.