Я, Робот
Reason
"I’veseenthatintheobservationportsintheengineroom,"saidCutie.
"Iknow,"saidPowell."Whatdoyouthinkitis?"
"Exactlywhatitseems–ablackmaterialjustbeyondthisglassthatisspottedwithlittlegleamingdots.Iknowthatourdirectorsendsoutbeamstosomeofthesedots,alwaystothesameones–andalsothatthesedotsshiftandthatthebeamsshiftwiththem.Thatisall."
"Good!NowIwantyoutolistencarefully.Theblacknessisemptinessvastemptinessstretchingoutinfinitely.Thelittle,gleamingdotsarehugemassesofenergy-filledmatter.Theyareglobes,someofthemmillionsofmilesindiameterandforcomparison,thisstationisonlyonemileacross.Theyseemsotinybecausetheyareincrediblyfaroff.
"Thedotstowhichourenergybeamsaredirected,arenearerandmuchsmaller.Theyarecoldandhardandhumanbeingslikemyselfliveupontheirsurfaces–manybillionsofthem.ItisfromoneoftheseworldsthatDonovanandIcome.Ourbeamsfeedtheseworldsenergydrawnfromoneofthosehugeincandescentglobesthathappenstobenearus.WecallthatglobetheSunanditisontheothersideofthestationwhereyoucan’tseeit."
Cutieremainedmotionlessbeforetheport,likeasteelstatue.Hisheaddidnotturnashespoke,"Whichparticulardotoflightdoyouclaimtocomefrom?"
Powellsearched,"Thereitis.Theverybrightoneinthecorner.WecallitEarth."Hegrinned."GoodoldEarth.Therearethreebillionsofusthere,Cutie–andinabouttwoweeksI’llbebacktherewiththem"
