Я, Робот
Runaround
Andinapairofsoundlesspuffs,theyhitthegroundbehindSpeedyincrashesthatsenttheoxalicacidflyinglikedust.
InthefullheatofMercury’ssun,Powellknewitwasfizzinglikesodawater.
Speedyturnedtostare,thenbackedawayfromitslowly–andasslowlygatheredspeed.Infifteenseconds,hewasleapingdirectlytowardthetwohumansinanunsteadycanter.
PowelldidnotgetSpeedy’swordsjustthen,thoughheheardsomethingthatresembled,"Lover’sprofessionswhenutteredinHessians."
Heturnedaway."Backtothecliff,Mike.He’soutoftherutandhe’llbetakingordersnow.I’mgettinghot."
Theyjoggedtowardtheshadowattheslowmonotonouspaceoftheirmounts,anditwasnotuntiltheyhadentereditandfeltthesuddencoolnesssettlesoftlyaboutthemthatDonovanlookedback."Greg!"
Powelllookedandalmostshrieked.Speedywasmovingslowlynow-soslowly-andinthewrongdirection.Hewasdrifting;driftingbackintohisrut;andhewaspickingupspeed.Helookeddreadfullyclose,anddreadfullyunreachable,inthebinoculars.
Donovanshoutedwildly,"Afterhim!"andthumpedhisrobotintoitspace,butPowellcalledhimback.
"Youwon’tcatchhim,Mike–it’snouse."Hefidgetedonhisrobot’sshouldersandclenchedhisfistintightimpotence."WhythedevildoIseethesethingsfivesecondsafterit’sallover?Mike,we’vewastedhours."
"Weneedmoreoxalicacid,"declaredDonovan,stolidly."Theconcentrationwasn’thighenough."
