"Tell me later," Johnny pleaded. "I want to get started. The longer we
delay here the longer it will take until we're finished. And I still
have that appointment with Diane tonight. I couldn't contact her during
the day because she said she works with Starbuck. We've got to hurry."
Westler's hands, guiding the complex tools, moved with swift
efficiency, as if, indeed, he had worked with the Robots all his life.
Wires were crossed, insulated, re-arranged. Gaps and relays were tested
and retested, gears changed, long-unused parts oiled, cleaned, checked
for defects. Surface plates were clamped into place over layers of
insulation. At last the two Robots lay there, supine but--Westler
hoped--ready for human use.
"He's still watching," said Johnny.
"Let him. We couldn't prevent him. Only hope he suddenly doesn't decide
to come down here for a closer look or send for help. It seems amazing
he's done neither so far."
"Maybe he's asleep."
"Robots do not sleep. I assure you. Well, it's ready." Westler reached
into the Robots' interior before clamping on the final head plates.
Each Robot stood up in ponderous silence.
"You first, Johnny. I can clamp my plate from the inside. Are you sure
my explanations on how to work this were satisfactory? Once inside
we'll have to contact each other by signals only."
"What about the radio sets inside? I don't know much about radio, but
you said they worked."
"They do, but the wavelength might be too close to a Robot wavelength
and we'd give ourselves away. Remember, we are to be nothing more or
less than two Robots once we climb inside. That way, there shouldn't be
any trouble. All ready? Up you go."
Johnny was boosted up, pulled himself within the cramped interior
of the Robot. There was barely room for him to stand upright, his
shoulders hunched, arms tight in front of him. A dizzying mass of dials
and levers confronted him suddenly, and although Westler had explained
them and diagrammed them and made Johnny memorize them, he was still
bewildered by direct contact. He was almost afraid to try his first
movement, lest the Robot remain immobile.
The face plate slammed home. Johnny could see through the one-way
plastic of the Robot's eyes as Westler climbed into his own machine.
Johnny pulled the starting lever and felt his Robot lurch forward. Must
learn to control the motion ... so ... he was now aware of a lumbering
gait, of a steady advance toward the farther wall....
Something made him whirl and peer through the rear eyes. The Robot
supervisor was coming toward them at a rate of speed they couldn't
match.
* * * * *
"You see?" said Starbuck proudly. "I am no longer a servant. I suppose
you would call me a junior executive now. But I'm on the way up.
Definitely on the way up. In a while there is no telling how far I can
go."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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