The robot went past.
Djana sobbed her thanks. After a second, Flandry recovered from the
shock of his latest deliverance. He stood where he was, holding the girl
against him, and watched. The machine wasn’t meant for combat. It was
not much more than a self-operating flatbed truck with a pair of lifting
arms.
It loaded the fallen lancer aboard and returned whence it came.
“For repairs,” Flandry breathed. “No wonder we don’t find stray parts in
this neighborhood.”
Djana shuddered in his arms.
His words went slowly on, shaping the thoughts they uttered: “Two
classes of killer robot, then. One is free-ranging, fights
indiscriminately, comes here to get fixed if it can make the trip, and
doubtless returns to the wilderness for more hunting. While it’s here,
it keeps the peace.
“The other kind stays here, does fight here–though it doesn’t interfere
with the first kind or the maintenance
flandry
69
machines–and is carefully salvaged when it comes to grief.”
He shook his head in bewilderment. “I don’t know if that’s encouraging
or not.” Gazing down at Djana: “How do you feel?”
The drug he had forced on her was taking hold. It was not magical; it
couldn’t marshal resources which were no longer there. But for a time he
and she would be alert, cool-headed, strong, quick-reacting. And we’d
better complete our business before the metabolic bill is presented,
Flandry recalled.
Her lips, twitched in a woebegone smile. “I guess I’ll do,” she said.
“Are you certain we should continue?”
“No. However, we will.”
The next two squares they crossed were empty. One to their left was
occupied. The humans kept a taut watch on that robot as they went past,
but it did not stir. It was a tread-mounted cylinder, taller and broader
than a man, its two arms ending in giant mauls, its head–the top of it,
anyway, where there were what must be sensors–crowned with merlons like
the battlements of some ancient tower. The sight jogged at Flandry’s
memory. An idea stirred in him but vanished before he could seize it. It
could wait; readiness for another assault could not.
Djana startled him: “Nicky, does each of them stay inside its own
square?”
“And defend that particular bit of territory against intruders?”
Flandry’s mind sprang. He smacked fist into palm. “By Jumbo, I think
you’re right! It could be a scheme for guarding the centrum … against
really dangerous gizmos that don’t behave themselves on this plain … a
weird scheme, but then, everything on Wayland is weird.–Yes. The types
of, uh, wild robot we’ve seen, and the ambulance and such, they’re
recognized as harmless and left alone. We don’t fit into that program,
so we’re fair game.”
“Not all the squares are occupied,” she said dubiously.
He shrugged. “Maybe a lot of sentries are under repair at present. ‘
Excitement waxed in him. “The important point is, we can get across.
Either directly across the lines, or over to a boundary and then around
the whole layout. We simply avoid sections where any machine is. Making
sure none are lurking behind a rock or whatever, of course.” He hugged
her. “Sweetheart, I do believe we’re going to make it!”
The same eagerness kindled in her. They stepped briskly forth.
A figure that came into view, two kilometers ahead, as they passed the
hillock which had concealed it, drew a cry from her. “Nicky, a man!” He
jolted to a stop and raised his binoculars in unsteady hands. The object
was indeed creepily similar to a large spacesuited human. But there were
differences of detail, and it stood as death-still as the tower thing,
and it was armed with sword and shield. Rather, its arms terminated in
those pieces of war gear. Flandry lowered the glasses.
“No such luck,” he said. “Not that it’d be luck. Anybody who’s come here
and taken charge like this would probably scupper us. It’s yet another
brand of guard robot.” He tried to joke. “That means a further detour.
I’m getting more exercise than I really want, aren’t you?”
“You could destroy it.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. If our friend the knight was typical, as I suspect,
the lot of them are fairly well armored against energy beams. Besides, I