Justinian, Leslie said, you are aware that were not due to return to the spaceport for another two days?
Yes.
The robots face was in soft focus, like the romantic lead in a twentieth-century movie. Even so, Justinian knew that Leslie was reading his thoughts through careful measurement of his heart rate and body language.
Now, Justinian, Leslie said, you know that AIs are manipulative. The ones on this planet particularly so.
Present company included, Justinian said, smiling sweetly.
Leslie sounded hurt. His blurred body language was defensive: legs together, arms crossed. For some reason his fingernails shone silver.
Oh, Justinian. You cant put me in the same category as those AI pods. I havent tried to commit suicide, have I?
Pity.
You dont mean that, Leslie said dismissively. Look, why should you trust one of those pods more than you trust me? Leave now, and we might as well all just abandon the planet. The other colonists cant stay here if they cant trust their own intelligence. They are all relying on you to find the answer to whats going on. I mean, how do we know that humans arent suddenly going to begin committing suicide, too?
Justinian smiled sweetly again at the robot. He wasnt going to disturb the baby by letting his temper get the better of him again.
Leslie, he said in a sing-song voice, smiling as he did so, the other people on this planet do not have their fifteen-month-old sons with them. The other people on this planet actually chose to come here. His voice suddenly hardened. Most importantly, Leslie , the other people on this planet do not have their images stored in primitive format in the abandoned memory spaces of half-insane AIs.
The flier lifted effortlessly into the air. The red mud and turquoise water of the delta could be seen dropping away through the floors viewing fields. Leslie took a step forward, his fuzzy foot wading into an expanding picture of the river. A note of puzzlement crept into the robots voice.
What do you mean?
Justinian laughed sardonically. You know what I mean. I saw you out there. I know you were listening in on the conversation.
Dont be so sure, the robot said quietly. We are doing everything we can to restrict use of AIs on this mission. Thats why Im so fuzzy.
Are you telling me you werent listening?
The robot was silent. For a moment Justinian had the impression that the robot was telling the truth, but the conviction quickly gave way to suspicion that he was still being manipulated. Leslie was a robot. If his voice sounded convincing, it was because the robot had chosen to sound that way.
I hate robots, Justinian said. You direct emotions and sidetrack conversations. Never mind whether you heard or not, just give me a straight answer. Why am I here?
The robot answered without hesitation. To find out why the AIs on this planet are failing to thrive.
You know thats not what I meant. There must be hundreds, thousands of people better qualified than I am for this job. None of them has a baby to look after. Why pick me to come to this planet?
Leslie moved forward, half blocking a viewing field. Down below, red mud was giving way to turquoise sea as the flier picked up speed.
Weve been over this before, the robot said. You have a lot of experience working with AIs and personality constructs, both at home and in the Enemy Domain. Youre good at what you do, Justinian-you must know that. And then theres your wife, Anya; you have direct experience of the White Death. You have to admit, what happened to her is very similar to what happened to the AIs.
Similar, but not the same. We know that now!
You didnt have to bring the baby with you.
Justinian gave the robot a look of sheer contempt. Leave my own child to be raised by someone else? What sort of a man do you think I am?
Im sorry, I didnt mean-
Like the EA would allow it anyway.
Look, Justinian, Im sorry. I wasnt thinking. Im not au fait with child development. Its not part of my brief.
Yeah. Youve made that excuse before. So what is your brief, anyway? Why are you here, dressed up in your fractal skin?
To look after you. You know that.
Ohjust be quiet, Justinian
snapped. The robot had successfully changed the subject again. Leslie shut down the floors viewing fields and the turquoise sea vanished. The robot was a blur standing on the orange-carpeted floor of the flier. Where it could be seen, Leslies body was humanoid, right down to the smooth, grey shapes of muscles molded into his arms and legs. Sometimes, when the robot relaxed in the flight chairs of the lounge, Justinian had seen his skin revert to a smooth, grey semitransparent crystalline form that he assumed was its natural state. It was a fascinating sight: the dark shapes of machinery could almost be seen through the skin, tantalizing half glimpses of the power that drove Leslie. At the moment, though, the robots body was nothing but a grey haze.
Useless, Justinian muttered, half to himself. He felt a sudden twinge in his right arm and rubbed it absentmindedly. The baby was running his mouth around his fur-effect collar, biting and giggling as he did so. Justinian smiled at his son and spoke in happy tones. Why is the naughty robot so disingenuous? Why is he? He is, isnt he? Hes deliberately misunderstanding what I say! He is.