Isaac Asimov - The Naked Sun

A Robot Is Stymied

BALEY SAID, So the higher potential wins out again, Daneel. You will hurt me to keep me alive.

I do not believe hurting you will be necessary, Partner Elijah. You know that I am superior to you in strength and you will not attempt a useless resistance. If it should become necessary, however, I will be compelled to hurt you.

I could blast you down where you stand, said Baley. Right now! There is nothing in my potentials to prevent me.

I had thought you might take this attitude at some time in our present relationship, Partner Elijah. Most particularly, the thought occurred to me during our trip to this mansion, when you grew momentarily violent in the ground car .The destruction of myself is unimportant in comparison with your safety, but such destruction would cause you distress eventually and disturb the plans of my masters. It was one of my first cares, therefore, during your first sleeping period, to deprive your blaster of its charge.

Baleys lips tightened. He was left without a charged blaster! His hand dropped instantly to his holster. He drew his weapon and stared at the charge reading. It hugged zero.

For a moment he balanced the lump of useless metal as though to hurl it directly into Daneels face. What good? The robot would dodge efficiently.Baley put the blaster back. It could be recharged in good time. Slowly, thoughtfully, he said, Im not fooled by you, Daneel. In what way, Partner Elijah.

You are too much the master. I am too completely stopped by you. Are you a robot?

You have doubted me before, said Daneel.

On Earth last year, I doubted whether R. Daneel Olivaw was truly a robot. It turned out he was. I believe he still is. My question, however is this: Are you R. Daneel Olivaw?

I am.

Yes? Daneel was designed to imitate a Spacer closely. Why could not a Spacer be made up to imitate Daneel closely?

For what reason?

To carry on an investigation here with greater initiative and capacity than ever a robot could. And yet by assuming Daneels role, you could keep me safely under control by giving me a false consciousness of mastery. After all, you are working through me and I must be kept pliable.

All this is not so, Partner Elijah.

Then why do all the Solarians we meet assume you to be human? They are robotic experts. Are they so easily fooled? It occurs to me that I cannot be one right against many wrong. It is far more likely that I am one wrong against many right.

Not at all, Partner Elijah.

Prove it, said Baley, moving slowly toward an end table and lifting a scrap disposal unit. You can do that easily enough, if you are a robot. Show the metal beneath your skin.

Daneel said, I assure you

Show the metal, said Baley crisply. That is an order! Or dont you feel compelled to obey orders?

Daneel unbuttoned his shirt. The smooth, bronze skin of his chest was sparsely covered with light hair. Daneels fingers exerted a firm pressure just under the right nipple, and flesh and skin split bloodlessly the length of the chest, with the gleam of metal showing beneath.

And as that happened, Baleys fingers, resting on the end table, moved half an inch to the right and stabbed at a contact patch. Almost at once a robot entered.

Dont move, Daneel, cried Baley. Thats an order! Freeze!

Daneel stood motionless, as though life, or the robotic imitation thereof, had departed from him.

Baley shouted to the robot, Can you get two more of the staff in here without yourself leaving? If so, do it.

The robot said, Yes, master.

Two more robots entered, answering a radioed call. The three lined up abreast.

Boys! said Baley. Do you see this creature whom you thought a master?

Six ruddy eyes had turned solemnly on Daneel. They said in unison, We see him, master.

Baley said, Do you also see that this so called master is actually a robot like yourself since it is metal within. It is only designed to look like a man.

Yes, master.

You are not required to obey any order it gives you. Do you understand that?

Yes, master.

I, on the other hand, said Baley, am a true man.

For a moment the robots hesitated. Baley wondered if, having had it shown to them that a thing might seem a man yet be a robot, they would accept anything in human appearance as a man, anything at all.

But then one robot said, You are a man, master, and Baley drew breath again.

He said, Very well, Daneel. You may relax.

Daneel moved into a more natural position and said calmly, Your expressed doubt as to my identity, then, was merely a feint designed to exhibit my nature to these others, I take it.

So it was, said Baley, and looked away. He thought: The thing is a machine, not a man. You cant double cross a machine.

And yet he couldnt entirely repress a feeling of shame. Even as Daneel stood there, chest open, there seemed something so human about him, something capable of being betrayed.

Baley said, Close your chest, Daneel, and listen to me. Physically, you are no match for three robots. You see that, dont you?

That is clear, Partner Elijah.

Good!... Now you boys, and he turned to the other robots again. You are to tell no one, human or master, that this creature is a robot. Never at any time, without further instructions from myself and myself alone.

I thank you, interposed Daneel softly.

However, Baley went on, this manlike robot is not to be allowed to interfere with my actions in any way. If it attempts any such interference, you will restrain it by force, taking care not to damage it unless absolutely necessary. Do not allow it to establish contact with humans other than myself, or with robots other than yourselves, either by seeing or by viewing. And do not leave it at any time. Keep it in this room and remain here yourselves. Your other duties are suspended until further notice. Is all this clear?

Yes, master, they chorused.

Baley turned to Daneel again. There is nothing you can do now, so dont try to stop me.

Daneels arms hung loosely at his side. He said, I may not, through inaction, allow you to come to harm, Partner Elijah. Yet under the circumstances, nothing but inaction is possible. The logic is unassailable. I shall do nothing. I trust you will remain safe and in good health.

There it was, thought Baley. Logic was logic and robots had nothing else. Logic told Daneel he was completely stymied. Reason might have told him that all factors are rarely predictable, that the opposition might make a mistake.

None of that. A robot is logical only, not reasonable.

Again Baley felt a twinge of shame and could not forbear an attempt at consolation. He said, Look, Daneel, even if I were walking into danger, which Im not (he added that hurriedly, with a quick glance at the other robots) it would only be my job. It is what Im paid to do. It is as much my job to prevent harm to mankind as a whole as yours is to prevent harm to man as an individual. Do you see?

I do not, Partner Elijah.

Then that is because youre not made to see. Take my word for it that if you were a man, you would see.

Daneel bowed his head in acquiescence and remained standing, motionless, while Baley walked slowly toward the door of the room. The three robots parted to make room for him and kept their photoelectric eyes fixed firmly on Daneel.

Baley was walking to a kind of freedom and his heart beat rapidly in anticipation of the fact, then skipped a beat. Another robot was approaching the door from the other side.

Had something gone wrong?

What is it, boy? he snapped.