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.The matter of the modification is top secret."The psychologist muttered, "I should have been told.U.S.Robots had no rightto modify positronic brains this way without the approval of a psychologist."Bogert lifted his eyebrows and sighed."Be reasonable, Susan.You couldn'thave influenced them.In this matter, the government was bound to have itsway.They want the Hyperatomic Drive and the etheric physicists want robotsthat won't interfere with them.They were going to get them even if it didmean twisting the First Law.We had to admit it was possible from aconstruction standpoint and they swore a mighty oath that they wanted onlytwelve, that they would be used only at Hyper Base, that they would bedestroyed once the Drive was perfected, and that full precautions would betaken.And they insisted on secrecy - and that's the situation."Dr.Calvin spoke through her teeth, "I would have resigned.""It wouldn't have helped.The government was offering the company a fortune,and threatening it with antirobot legislation in case of a refusal.We werestuck then, and we're badly stuck now.If this leaks out, it might hurtKallner and the government, but it would hurt U.S.Robots a devil of a lot more."The psychologist stared at him."Peter, don't you realize what all this isabout? Can't you understand what the removal of the First Law means? It isn'tjust a matter of secrecy.""I know what removal would mean.I'm not a child.It would mean completeinstability, with no nonimaginary solutions to the positronic FieldEquations.""Yes, mathematically.But can you translate that into crude psychologicalthought.All normal life, Peter, consciously or otherwise, resents domination.If the domination is by an inferior, or by a supposed inferior, the resentmentbecomes stronger.Physically, and, to an extent, mentally, a robot -any robot-is superior to human beings.What makes him slavish, then?Only the First Lawl Why, without it, the first order you tried to give a robotwould result in your death.Unstable? What do you think?""Susan," said Bogert, with an air of sympathetic amusement."I'll admit thatthisFrankenstein Complex you're exhibiting has a certain justification -hence theFirst Law in the first, place.But the Law, I repeat and repeat, has not beenremoved - merely modified.""And what about the stability of the brain?"The mathematician thrust out his lips, "Decreased, naturally.But it's withinthe border file:///F|/rah/Isaac%20Asimov/I%20Robot.txt (51 of 95) [1/14/039:37:11 PM]file:///F|/rah/Isaac%20Asimov/I%20Robot.txt of safety.The first Nestors werePage 65ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmldelivered to Hyper Base nine months ago, and nothing whatever has gone wrongtill now, and even this involves merely fear of discovery and not danger tohumans.""Very well, then.We'll see what comes of the morning conference."Bogert saw her politely to the door and grimaced eloquently when she left.Hesaw no reason to change his perennial opinion of her as a sour and fidgetyfrustration.Susan Calvin's train of thought did not include Bogert in the least.She haddismissed him years ago as a smooth and pretentious sleekness.Gerald Black had taken his degree in etheric physics the year before and, incommon with his entire generation of physicists, found himself engaged in theproblem of the Drive.He now made a proper addition to the general atmosphereof these meetings on Hyper Base.In his stained white smock, he was halfrebellious and wholly uncertain.His stocky strength seemed striving forrelease and his fingers, as they twisted each other with nervous yanks, mighthave forced an iron bar out of true.Major-general Kallner sat beside him, the two from U.S.Robots faced him.Black said, "I'm told that I was the last to see Nestor 10 before he vanished.I take it you want to ask me about that."Dr.Calvin regarded him with interest, "You sound as if you were not sure,young man.Don't you know whether you were the last to see him?""He worked with me, ma'am, on the field generators, and he was with me themorning of his disappearance.I don't know if anyone saw him after about noon.No one admits having done so.""Do you think anyone's lying about it?""I don't say that.But I don't say that I want the blame of it, either." Hisdark eyes smoldered."There's no question of blame.The robot acted as it did because of what itis.We're just trying to locate it, Mr.Black, and let's put everything elseaside.Now if you've worked with the robot, you probably know it better thananyone else.Was there anything unusual about it that you noticed? Had youever worked with robots before?""I've worked with other robots we have here - the simple ones.Nothingdifferent about theNestors except that they're a good deal cleverer - and more annoying.""Annoying? In what way?""Well- perhaps it's not their fault.The work here is rough and most of us geta little jagged.Fooling around with hyper-space isn't fun." He smiled feebly,finding pleasure in confession."We run the risk continually of blowing a holein normal space-time fabric and dropping right out of the universe, asteroidand all.Sounds screwy, doesn't it? Naturally, you're on edge sometimes.Butthese Nestors aren't.They're curious, they're calm, they don't worry.It'senough to drive you nuts at times.When you want something done in a tearinghurry, they seem to take their time.Sometimes I'd rather do without
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