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. Fair enough. Rita gave him a confident smile, but inwardly she was veryrelieved.Maybe she really could handle this buccaneer.Roland accepted a couple of coins from her and spoke to the tavernkeeper.Theyboth escorted her upstairs, where she found a room a little larger than acloset and a plain, wooden bed with a thin mattress.The tavernkeeper lit ashort stub of candle that stood on the window sill. It will do? Roland asked her.She glanced behind the door and saw the bracket and wooden bar that would lockit securely. Yes, it will do.Thank you. After they had left, she closed the door and slid the bar into place.Then shelet out a long breath and smiled to herself.She was all right so far.Wearyafter the excitement and tension of dealing with Roland, she lay down on thebed and quickly fell asleep.Early the next morning, Jane sat at an outdoor booth with Hunter and Steve.The morning was still cool, with the tropical ocean breeze blowing gentlythrough the streets.She and Steve were eating some sort of meat pastry thatHunter had bought.Hunter, of course, was recharging his energy storage byletting the bright sun beat down on the solar power collectors hidden in thesurface of his body. Well. Steve swallowed a big mouthful of his breakfast and turned to Hunter. So, how do you want us to look for Rita today, Hunter? I am undecided, said Hunter.Jane waited, expecting him to go on.He didn t.Jane and Steve glanced at each other in surprise.Hunter was rarely undecidedabout something so simple and when he was, he usually wanted to discussoptions.Worried, she lowered her pastry.Hunter was facing away from them,Page 24 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlpresumably searching for some sight or sound of Rita or Roland. Hunter, Jane said quietly. Tell me under the Second Law.You re having aFirst Law problem over Rita s disappearance, aren t you? Affirmative, said Hunter. I instruct you to discuss it with us.Why is this worse now than it was latelast night? You know my inattention has allowed Rita to leave the safety of myprotection.By now, she may have come to harm.As you slept, I reviewed mydata about Port Royal and the buccaneer society.The chance of her having cometo harm last night is very high. I understand, said Jane. Now listen carefully to your roboticist. Yes? You are still dealing only in probabilities.Rita may still be perfectlywell, but in potential danger.She, and we, need you at peak efficiency. I am clearly not at peak efficiency.If I had been last night, I would havenot have lost her. I dispute that judgment.None of us had any reason to think she would slipaway from us of her own accord. You humans are not obligated by the First Law to look after her. Your misjudgment of her behavior is not in and of itself a First LawFailure. It led to one.After all, the First Law says in part that a robot may notallow a human to come to harm through inaction.It makes no exception forerrors of judgment. Nor does it blame you for what may be happening.Until and unless you knowthat Rita has been harmed, you don t know that you have broken the First Law. Come on, Hunter, Steve interrupted with forced cheer. Enough talk.Let sfind Rita. All right. Hunter still sounded uncertain, but he led them away from thebooth. We shall walk around some more.I have continued sending out a radiosignal to her communicator, but she has not responded. Jane caught Steve s eye and smiled.Sometimes his pragmatic suggestions wereworth more to Hunter than all of her theoretical arguments combined.Stevefell into step with her behind Hunter.They found the waterfront changed.Instead of the wild, carousing buccaneers,Jane saw the ordinary people who kept the town functioning.Small fishingboats swayed on the waves out at sea; shopkeepers were just hanging out theirwares.In fact, a few of the earliest fishing boats were already returning tothe docks with their morning catch. Great climate, huh? Steve spread his arms expansively. Light breeze, bluewater, tropical flowers everywhere.I never see anything like this in theMojave Desert. It s beautiful here, Jane agreed.She was still watching Hunter, but he nowseemed to be acting almost normally as he looked at and listened to theirsurroundings. Pretty carefree life-style around here, isn t it? Steve nodded toward awoman chasing a couple of barefoot toddlers around a fruit stand. Yes, it is, Jane said, amused at the scene. Hey, not you, too.Come on.You can still enjoy the climate while we look forRita. I have to admit, I m worried about her.This is a pirate town, after all. Steve nodded. Yeah, me, too.But do you have any ideas about how to findher? No, not really. They continued to search for another hour without success.Even when thebuccaneers who had been carousing the night before stumbled out to start theirday, they were hung over.None of them were especially belligerent, but Huntercouldn t find anyone who could tell them where to find Roland.Page 25 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html I have a suggestion, Steve said finally. If it won t upset your First Law. Yes? Hunter stopped to look at him. We really should split up and look through more of the town than thewaterfront. I cannot risk Separating from either of us, I know, said Steve quickly. Look, we aren tgoing to run out on you.And now we each have communicators.Jane and I willgo together; if we run into any kind of problem, at least one of us can callyou. I ll stay with Hunter, said Jane. In case we have to discuss the First Lawmore. Then I ll be fine alone, said Steve. Very well, said Hunter. You will be careful? Promise, said Steve.7As Steve jauntily marched away down a side street, Jane watched Huntercarefully. Hunter, said Jane. This question of your efficiency under the First Lawcame up during our last mission.I know that a clear, serious failure to obeythe First Law can force a positronic robot to shut down.How close are you tomaking that decision? I am not approaching that point yet. For the same reason you functioned through this doubt last time, as well? Yes.My responsibility to take care of you and Steve forces me to continuefunctioning longer than I might in our own time, where you could better takecare of yourselves or find another robot to help you. Good, said Jane
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