Я, Робот
The Evitable Conflict
Hewasabig,darkman,strongfacedandhandsome.
"Sure,"hesaid,andhisEnglishwascolloquialandmouthfilling,"theMexicanCanalisoverdue.Whatthehell?Itwillgetfinishedjustthesame,oldboy."
"Itwasdoingwelluptothelasthalfyear."
NgomalookedatByerleyandslowlycrunchedhisteethovertheendofabigcigar,spittingoutoneendandlightingtheother,"Isthisanofficialinvestigation,Byerley?What’sgoingon?"
"Nothing.Nothingatall.It’sjustmyfunctionasCoordinatortobecurious."
"Well,ifit’sjustthatyouarefillinginadullmoment,thetruthisthatwe’realwaysshortonlabor.There’slotsgoingonintheTropics.TheCanalisonlyoneofthem-"
"Butdoesn’tyourMachinepredicttheamountoflaboravailablefortheCanal,-allowingforallthecompetingprojects?"
Ngomaplacedonehandbehindhisneckandblewsmokeringsattheceiling,"Itwasalittleoff."
"Isitoftenalittleoff?"
"Notoftenerthanyouwouldexpect.-Wedon’texpecttoomuchofit,Byerley.Wefeeditdata.Wetakeitsresults.Wedowhatitsays.-Butit’sjustaconvenience;justalabor-savingdevice.Wecoulddowithoutit,ifwehadto.Maybenotaswell.Maybenotasquickly.Butwe’dgetthere.
"We’vegotconfidenceouthere,Byerley,andthat’sthesecret.Confidence!We’vegotnewlandthat’sbeenwaitingforusforthousandsofyears,whiletherestoftheworldwasbeingrippedapartinthelousyfumblingsofpre-atomictime.
