Я, Робот
Runaround
Powellseizedtheearsandtwistedthehead.Hismountturnedponderously."Leadon,Macduff."Buthedidnotfeelatalllighthearted.
Thegiganticrobotsmovedslowly,withmechanicalprecision,throughthedoorwaythatclearedtheirheadsbyascantfoot,sothatthetwomenhadtoduckhurriedly,alonganarrowcorridorinwhichtheirunhurriedfootstepsboomedmonotonouslyandintothe,airlock.
Thelong,airlesstunnelthatstretchedtoapinpointbeforethembroughthomeforcefullytoPowelltheexactmagnitudeofthetaskaccomplishedbytheFirstExpedition,withtheircruderobotsandtheirstart-from-scratchnecessities.Theymighthavebeenafailure,buttheirfailurewasagooddealbetterthantheusualrunoftheSystem’ssuccesses.
Therobotsploddedonwardwithapacethatnevervariedandwithfootstepsthatneverlengthened.
Powellsaid:"NoticethatthesetunnelsareblazingwithlightsandthatthetemperatureisEarth-normal.It’sprobablybeenlikethisallthetenyearsthatthisplacehasremainedempty."
"How’sthat?"
"Cheapenergy;cheapestintheSystem.Sunpower,youknow,andonMercury’sSunside,sunpowerissomething.That’swhytheStationwasbuiltinthesunlightratherthanintheshadowofamountain.It’sreallyahugeenergyconverter.Theheatisturnedintoelectricity,light,mechanicalworkandwhathaveyou;sothatenergyissuppliedandtheStationiscooledinasimultaneousprocess."
