Я, Робот
Runaround
Beforethem,theshadowreachedoutandendedinknife-edgeabruptnessintoanall-but-unbearableblazeofwhitelight,thatglitteredfrommyriadcrystalsalongarockyground.
"Space!"gaspedDonovan."Itlookslikesnow."Anditdid.
Powell’seyessweptthejaggedglitterofMercurytothehorizonandwincedatthegorgeousbrilliance.
"Thismustbeanunusualarea,"hesaid."ThegeneralalbedoofMercuryislowandmostofthesoilisgraypumice.SomethingliketheMoon,youknow.Beautiful,isn’tit?"
Hewasthankfulforthelightfiltersintheirvisiplates.Beautifulornot,alookatthesunlightthroughstraightglasswouldhaveblindedtheminsideofhalfaminute.
Donovanwaslookingatthespringthermometeronhiswrist."Holysmokes,thetemperatureiseightycentigrade!"
Powellcheckedhisownandsaid:"Um-m-m.Alittlehigh.Atmosphere,youknow."
"OnMercury?Areyounuts?"
"Mercuryisn’treallyairless,"explainedPowell,inabsentmindedfashion.Hewasadjustingthebinocularattachmentstohisvisiplate,andthebloatedfingersoftheinsosuitwereclumsyatit."Thereisathinexhalationthatclingstoitssurface–vaporsofthemorevolatileelementsandcompoundsthatareheavyenoughforMercuriangravitytoretain.Youknow:selenium,iodine,mercury,gallium,potassium,bismuth,volatileoxides.
