Marauder

11

Dr. Wayne Nystrom, robotics researcher and inventor, was not comfortable. He stood in the shadows on the deck of the Old Laughing Lady, watching three different drunken brawls among members of the crew. Every man in the crew had started drinking rum from the moment the ship was under sail, not the least of them Captain Mick Tomann himself.

“Stand away! Stand away, lads!” Tomann was swaggering about the deck with a tankard in his left hand and a flintlock pistol in the other. As Wayne watched, the captain sighted drunkenly up into the rigging and fired. The ball chipped a piece of wood off a yardarm. “Ha! Got it.” He stuck that pistol into his belt and drew another.

The sound of scraping metal rose from one of the brawls. The fight between two men had grown more serious; cutlasses had been drawn and Wayne could see the yellowish light from a swaying ship’s lantern shining on them. Curious, but still careful, he moved up a little to watch.

“Hold! Hold there, I say!” Tomann somehow staggered toward the impending sword fight on the moving deck, brandishing his second pistol.

The crowd of buccaneers surrounding the fighters opened the way for him.

“Drop ‘em!” Tomann heaved the rum out of his tankard into one man’s face, then flung the tankard itself at the other. “Fight all you want, but save the cutting for the Spanish. We have gold to win tomorrow!”

Drunken cheers rose from the crew. A couple of men took the cutlasses away from their companions and gave them more rum instead. Distracted, they drank up. Tomann stumbled away in search of more rum.

Wayne sighed with relief and stepped back into the shadows. Then he looked out across the moonlit sea. The Hungry Hawk was hidden by the darkness, but Tomann had managed to get his crew together and set sail before it had been out of sight for long. Wayne had pointed out the way and, as Tomann had promised, the Old Laughing Lady was a faster ship. Shortly before sundown, the Hungry Hawk had come into sight again in the distance.

Steve stood with Jane on the dock, watching their small sailboat bob on the water, tied securely. Hunter had finished it near midnight. As Steve had suggested, one tall mast rose from a short, sharply pointed hull. Now that it was in the water, with the keel out of sight, it looked unbalanced, but the keel was big enough to help stabilize the little boat. Two long poles extended from the starboard side, holding a thick, smoothly polished log. The outrigging would make the craft even more stable. Hunter had stretched a canvas tarpaulin across part of the hull to provide some shelter for the humans when they crawled under it.

“Looks good so far,” said Steve.

“Let us load it,” said Hunter. “Steve, if you will stand inside, I will hand the containers to you.”

“All right.” Carefully, he moved from the dock into the sailboat. It swayed, then steadied. “Hunter, don’t wooden boats normally have to season in the water? So the wood will expand from absorbing the water and fill the cracks between the boards?”

“Usually, yes,” said Hunter, handing him a keg of fresh drinking water. “I included this problem in my calculations. The hull was already watertight as I constructed it.”

“Handy,” Steve muttered to himself, impressed.

Earlier, right after dinner, Hunter had accompanied Steve and Jane to buy and carry some food and water for their trip. After they had loaded the supplies and Steve and Jane had taken seats in the boat, Hunter cast off the lines and stood on the dock, still holding the bowline.

“We have a moderate onshore wind,” he said. “However, this boat is very maneuverable. I do not expect a problem.” He stepped into the boat with a robotic sense of balance that hardly made the boat sway at all.

“We should name this craft,” said Steve. “And break a bottle over its bow.”

“Why?” Hunter looked at him. “That would waste valuable drinking water.”

“It’s another joke, Hunter,” said Jane, grinning at Steve.

“Oh. Was this one funny?”

“Not any more,” said Steve, smiling back at Jane. “Here.” He reached down into the water and splashed water up against the hull. “I hereby christen her the Jamaica Jane.”

Jane rolled her eyes, laughing.

In one smooth motion, Hunter hoisted the sail and sat down at the tiller, holding it firmly as the wind filled the sail with a jerk. Steve flailed for a handhold and got a fistful of Jane’s hair. She jumped in surprise, then laughed as they both braced themselves against kegs of water.

Hunter took the Jamaica Jane away from the dock in a firm, sure tack against the wind. The boat tilted hard to starboard, driving the outrigger under the surface of the water. It held, however, preventing the sailboat from taking too extreme an angle.

Steve squinted against the breeze, feeling the cold spray hit his face. The night was cool but not cold, even over the water. He felt a surge of excitement.

“Hunter?” Jane turned around awkwardly to face him. “Can we really move fast enough to catch up?”

“Yes. We have an excellent ratio of sail to water resistance. Also, I have made careful calculations of the wind and currents.” He leaned over the side and reached out with his long arm to dip one hand into the water. “As we go, I will continue to feel the currents. This will help me calculate the best angle at which to sail.”

“Can you really do that? Feel the currents by sticking your hand into the water while we’re moving?” Jane looked at the dark water doubtfully. “I know your robotic sensors are good, but does the water tell you that much?”

“Yes,” said Hunter. “My data on sailing include some information about ancient Polynesians doing this. They could even calculate where unknown islands would be, from miles away, according to how the water moved around them.”

“No kidding,” said Steve. “Really?”

“Yes. We do not need to follow the Hungry Hawk precisely, or to use only line of sight to find it. Since I know the direction it took, the winds and currents it has had available to use, and the level of technology on the ship, I should be able to intercept it by sometime tomorrow.”

“Sounds like we’re all set,” said Steve.

“We have one serious vulnerability,” said Hunter. “This craft will not take high waves well. I will keep my sensors carefully trained on changes in ions, humidity, and temperature to predict the weather.”

“I won’t complain about that,” said Steve, grinning. He felt a surge of excitement as the wind whipped his hair and the boat rose and fell with the waves.

“Good idea, Hunter,” said Jane.

Steve leaned toward her. “Exciting, isn’t it? Chasing a pirate ship across the Caribbean?”

She nodded, more nervous than excited. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been thinking about these pirate ships. And the danger to MC 2. He’s heavier than water.”

“You mean if he goes overboard during an attack?”

“Yes. He can swim…if he’s close enough to land, he can get back. But if it’s too far-”

“He’ll sink to the bottom.”

“Actually, he doesn’t need oxygen. He could sink and walk to shore. But again, he has to be close enough not to use up all his energy first. And walking through water would drain his energy much faster than ordinary walking.”

“If he’s lost on the bottom, we’d never find him.”

“No. But when the right time comes, he’ll still explode with the same force, wherever he is on the seafloor.”

The next morning after a rather spare breakfast, Rita again stood by the rail with MC 2, staying out of the way of the buccaneers. Everyone was excited. As dawn had broken over the sea, they had spotted a Spanish merchant ship on the horizon. Rita watched it all morning, realizing for the first time how painfully slow the race between the ships would be.

“This feels like it will take forever,” said Rita. Then she wondered if she could engage MC 2 in conversation while Roland was up in the rigging helping to sail the ship.

“Tell me why these two ships sail at different speeds.”

Under the Second Law, MC 2 did not hesitate.

“Both ships are using the same wind for power out in the open sea. The only difference in their speed comes from the design of the ships and the weight they carry. Occasionally, one ship might move into a fast-moving current before the other, also giving it an advantage.”

“Thank you.” Rita smiled, pleased that getting the robot to talk was so simple. “Your eyesight must be better than mine. Tell me what you can see about that ship up there.”

“By the name on its side, it is the Cadiz. That name suggests that it is Spanish. It is riding low in the water, obviously full of cargo. Also, from the shape of the ship I can see above the waterline, I infer that the shape of the hull below the water is wide and bulky. This creates more resistance against the water, slowing it down.”

Rita knew he was correct. “Is there any chance it can get away?”

“By its own actions, I do not believe so. However, the sailors on our ship could conceivably make a mistake in their handling of the rigging or their calculation of the changes in the wind. Also, of course, the sails and rope on this ship are in various conditions. Any unexpected problem, such as broken rigging or torn sails, could affect the accuracy of my prediction.”

“Or a change in the weather.”

“I detect no atmospheric alterations that signal a coming change,” said MC 2. “But in principle of course, even a small storm could separate the ships.”

“Realistically, then, we’re going to catch the Cadiz,” said Rita.

“Yes.”

“How long will it take, under present conditions?”

“Approximately six hours.”

“Six hours?” Rita watched MC 2 for a moment before looking out across the sea again toward the Spanish ship. Of course, from the perspective of her own time, the Hungry Hawk had either caught the Cadiz on this voyage or it had not; everything the buccaneers did, at least without the influence of the time travelers, was already decided. That left her wondering what MC 2 would do when the pirates attacked the Spanish.

Even a robot, acting alone, could not possibly stop all those humans from harming each other. Rita was no roboticist, of course, but any human of her time knew something of robots and the Three Laws. She decided to instruct him outright to tell her what he would do, even though doing so would reveal her as a human from his time.

“Tell me if the First Law will force you to try to stop the fight.” Rita glanced at the buccaneers nearest them. None was paying attention to them. They wouldn’t understand the entire question, of course, but they wouldn’t like to hear that anyone might want to stop the coming fight.

“I did not know a fight was certain,” said MC 2. “But of course, if you know the Laws, you must have pursued me here. Have you come to take me back?”

“I certainly should,” she said carefully. “You are not to leave my company. That’s an instruction under the Second Law. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“Then tell me what I asked.”

“I suspected a fight would occur, but the buccaneers have talked specifically of taking the ship and the cargo, not of harming humans. I am hoping that the Spanish will surrender without resistance.”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” said Rita.

“Then you must know that the First Law requires that I prevent harm to humans.”

“Changing history could harm them,” said Rita. “Though I’m not sure this little isolated voyage is going to change much of anything.”

“I am not certain what I will have to do,” said MC 2. “I cannot forcibly stop two entire crews of humans from fighting each other.”

“If your interpretation of the First Law will allow it, I instruct you to prioritize protecting Roland and me. Will that be acceptable?”

“I believe so,” said MC 2.

All that day, Wayne sat on a keg by the rail of the Old Laughing Lady, watching the two ships sailing in front of it. One was the Hungry Hawk, of course; he couldn’t read the name of its prey, but he was very relieved it was there. He had been gambling when he had told Captain Tomann that Captain Quinn knew of a merchant ship. Now he had been vindicated.

Late in the afternoon, the Hungry Hawk closed in on one side of the merchant ship just as the Old Laughing Lady drew near on the other side. Both ships fired their cannon. Huge splinters of wood flew into the air from the sides of the quarry. Gaping holes through the sails of their prey revealed blue sky beyond them. The merchant ship fired back, but it had few cannons and poor aim; plumes of spray rose where its cannonballs struck the water.

By that time, of course, all three crews were armed and anxious. Captain Tomann was striding up and down the deck shouting threats at the Spaniards, waving his cutlass angrily. Most of his crew had massed on one side. The front line eagerly waited with grappling hooks on ropes as the helmsman steered the ship into position alongside the Cadiz. The rest were armed with boarding pikes, cutlasses, rapiers, and flintlock pistols or muskets.

Wayne stayed where he was as the shouting buccaneers on each pirate ship grappled with the Spanish ship only moments apart. Shouts roared on all sides as the buccaneer crews leaped onto the merchant ship, waving their weapons. The snapping of muskets and pistols threw puffs of smoke into the air. As some men screamed and fell into the water, Wayne gripped the rail, searching the crew of the Hungry Hawk for MC 2.

The Spanish crew, outnumbered and surrounded by buccaneers, did not put up much of a fight. They were quickly disarmed and hustled to one side, under guard. In only moments, however, the two buccaneer crews were facing off, yelling at each other and threatening to fight.

Amidships, Captain Tomann was bellowing at Captain Quinn, slashing at the air with his cutlass. Captain Quinn, holding his own bloody cutlass, was shouting back at him. Their men were not preparing to fight behind them, however; they were too busy looting the ship and getting into individual fights.

Finally, through the confusion aboard the Cadiz, Wayne saw MC 2 on the far side, still on the Hungry Hawk. He was standing protectively near a young buccaneer; they had apparently not left the Hungry Hawk to join the fight at all. Wayne leaped up and ran to the nearest spot along the rail where he could climb across to the Cadiz.

The now-famous prototype of the highly successful “Hunter” class robot first demonstrated his remarkable abilities in the Mojave Center Governor case. The following images are drawn from the Robot City archives of Derec Avery, the eminent robotics historian.

R. Hunter in the Process of Bifurcation.R. Hunter’s specialized skills include the ability to alter his shape and size to adjust to different environments or cultures.

Completed Bifurcation.Here R. Hunter has completed his facial changes and now resembles a Caribbean freebooter.

Hunter Sensenet Configuration.Underneath R. Hunter’s synthetic skin is an advanced sensory network which augments his tracking and survival abilities. In emergencies, R. Hunter can dramatically increase his sensory input, although it drains his power supply rapidly.

Dr. Nystrom Negotiates with Roland.By recruiting a local buccaneer to aid in his attempt to steal the robot R. Hunter was tracking, Wayne Nystrom risks changing history-potentially wiping out millions of lives.

Bargaining for a Boat.Part of the unique value of the “Hunter” class robots is their ability to quickly and easily immerse themselves into human societies. Here, R. Hunter bargains for a boat in the local manner.

R. Hunter Shifts his Appearance.“Hunter” class robots are able to alter their appearance at will, within certain limitations. The largest limitation is mass: no matter how much the robot metamorphosizes, he always maintains the same body volume.

R. Hunter on his Way to Rescue Rita.Powered by solar cells integrated into the fabric of his skin, Hunter is capable of remarkable feats of strength and endurance-such as climbing the slippery side of a seventeenth century warship.

R. Hunter in a Barroom Brawl.The trip to the violent seventeenth century Caribbean presents particular problems. Despite his enormous strength, tracking abilities, and predatory name, R. Hunter-like all robots-is unable to harm human beings or allow them to come to harm.

R. Hunter BuildsJamaica Jane.Robots of R. Hunter’s class possess not only extraordinary strength, but extraordinary knowledge. Their memory banks hold more information than most libraries. Here, R. Hunter draws on that information to build a boat fast enough to catch a buccaneer fleet.

Rita and Dr. Nystrom Aboard theOld Laughing Lady.Dr. Wayne Nystrom, though a brilliant robotics designer, was a dangerously unstable man. Here he resorts to kidnapping to try to thwart R. Hunter and his team on their mission.

The Fight at the Beach.When a buccaneer takes Rita hostage, R. Hunter is caught between his need to complete his mission, his need to preserve human life, and his inability to injure humans. Moral complexities have always been a stumbling point for robots, and R. Hunter is no exception.

Beyond the Hunter Class Robots.Following the success of “Hunter” class robots, “Seeker” robots were invented. “Seeker” class robots (example shown above) have all the features of “Hunter” class robots in a body roughly two-thirds as large. There are numerous small improvements: their eyes see farther into the infra-red spectrum, and their hands and feet feature an extra-sensitive sensor array for minute detail work. They are also fully functional in the vacuum of space.