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bound by the Laws.... I ve already ordered Alpha to hold them back, Mandelbrot. The wolves are no danger. Not yet. Be patient; you re the one who worked so hard to convince me they re intelligent, remember? Intelligent is not a synonym for not dangerous, Mandelbrot pointed out. You as a human should be well aware of that. Hmph. Derec snorted. We ll wait, anyway. The pack had gathered at the edge of the trees closest to the city. Derec could see the rogue now, glinting in the moonlight between the pacing outriders of the wolf-creatures. Now it stepped out into full moonlight, the old one at its side. The two licked each other, nuzzling and giving playful nips. Then the rogue began walking alone down the grassy slope toward Derec and Mandelbrot. Halfway down, the robot turned and looked back to the pack, which had gathered at the lip of the hill to watch the descent. The rogue lifted its muzzle to the wolves and gave a long, ululating lament. The wolves chorused back. To Derec, they sounded wild and sad. The rogue began picking its way among the rocks toward Derec s camp once more. As it approached, the rogue s body began a slow metamorphosis. Step the lupine muzzle shortened; step the tail began to shorten and retract into the body; step it raised up to walk on its hind legs; step and the legs themselves altered, the knees beginning to flex forward. When the robot stopped a few meters in front of them, it was recognizably humanoid in the firelight. It glanced at Mandelbrot, then at Derec. GodBeing Derec, I have come to learn, it said. Except for the stilted, formal grammar, its voice sounded very much like Derec s. I have come so you may teach me of the Void from which we both fell. I have come to learn what is human. Derec nodded. He pointed back to the city and the looming bright presence of the compass Tower. The answers are all in there, he said. follow me, and I ll show you the way. Mandelbrot, if you ll take care of the fire, please...we wouldn t want the woods to burn. He said it mostly for the rogue s benefit, wanting it to understand that he was concerned about the well-being of the wolf-creatures. It was difficult for Derec to give the rogue his back. He half expected it to leap on him again, biting and tearing. He listened intently for a suspicious sound behind him. Derec knew that Mandelbrot was already on edge and would respond instantly, but still... Nothing happened. Alpha, we re coming in. The rogue is with me. We will have the apartment ready, Master Derec. a a T T n n s s F F f f o o D D r r P P m m Y Y e e Y Y r r B B 2 2 . . B B A A Click here to buy Click here to buy w w m m w w o o w w c c . . . . A A Y Y B B Y Y B B r r Derec began walking, then glanced back when he didn t hear the robot following. It was staring back at the forest, and as it did, the malleable face went vaguely wolfish again. It s your choice, Derec told it softly. I won t force you to make that decision. Come with me or go back to them. I won t try to stop you. The robot howled to the wolves one last time, the bestial sound eerie and wrong to be coming from that human-shaped throat. Then the rogue turned from the darkness of the trees and the huddled pack. It followed Derec into the eternal light of the city. STEPHEN LEIGH Stephen Leigh is the author of several science fiction novels, including Crystal Memory, The Bones of God, the Neweden trilogy, and the first book in the Dr. Bones series. He is also a contributing author to the Hugo-nominated Wild Cards shared world anthologies, and has had several pieces of short fiction in such markets as Analog, Isaac Asimov s Science Fiction Magazine, and various anthologies. His current project is an off-beat contemporary fantasy novel entitled The Abraxas Marvel Circus. He is married to Denise Parsley Leigh; they have two children, Megen and Devon. He is also employed by Kelly Services as an Office Automation Manager. Other interests include Aikido, juggling, working with his Macintosh, and finding spare bits of free time. a a T T n n s s F F f f o o D D r r P P m m Y Y e e Y Y r r B B 2 2 . . B B A A Click here to buy Click here to buy w w m m w w o o w w c c . . . . A A Y Y B B Y Y B B [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |