Я, Робот
Reason
"O.K.Throwmesomeofthosealmonds."Hesnatchedatthebagthrownhimandheadedfortheelevator.
Itslidsmoothlydownward,andopenedontoanarrowcatwalkinthehugeengineroom.Donovanleanedovertherailingandlookeddown.ThehugegeneratorswereinmotionandfromtheL-tubescamethelowpitchedwhirthatpervadedtheentirestation.
HecouldmakeoutCutie’slarge,gleamingfigureattheMartianL-tube,watchingcloselyastheteamofrobotsworkedinclose-knitunison.
AndthenDonovanstiffened.Therobots,dwarfedbythemightyL-tube,linedupbeforeit,headsbowedatastiffangle,whileCutiewalkedupanddownthelineslowly.Fifteensecondspassed,andthen,withaclankheardabovetheclamorouspurringallabout,theyfelltotheirknees.
Donovansquawkedandraceddownthenarrowstaircase.Hecamechargingdownuponthem,complexionmatchinghishairandclenchedfistsbeatingtheairfuriously.
"Whatthedevilisthis,youbrainlesslumps?Comeon!GetbusywiththatL-tube!Ifyoudon’thaveitapart,cleaned,andtogetheragainbeforethedayisout,I’llcoagulateyourbrainswithalternatingcurrent."
Notarobotmoved!
EvenCutieatthefarend–theonlyoneonhisfeet–remainedsilent,eyesfixeduponthegloomyrecessesofthevastmachinebeforehim.
Donovanshovedhardagainstthenearestrobot.
"Standup!"heroared.
