d around and walked back, simply because no
one ever considered going straight on.

At that moment a tall, lean man approached him. He was a stranger, with
a bearing Sethos did not recognize.

"How do you do, Sethos," he said softly. "I understand you are the most
accomplished of your group. May I ask a few questions?"

Someone from across town, obviously. He knew the type--they traveled
between the cliques, learning of new trends and ideas to pirate. He had
done it once himself.

"I'm sorry. I don't have any new goodies for your side of town. Why
don't you go in and pester Brin? He's always easy to tap."

"You misjudge me. I'm not interested in stealing ideas."

"I know, I know. But I'm not for sale anyway."

Angered, Sethos turned and strode down the hill. The nerve of these
apprentices, he thought. Some day they'll ask for autographed samples.

He stopped. A small autocar had caught his attention. On a wild impulse,
he opened the door. "Good evening, little servant," he said gently.

The desire to move came on him more strongly now. Stooping, he got in,
the seat cushions adjusting automatically to his posture, and a voice
somewhere in the drive panel said, "Direction, please."

_Yes--where to?_ He didn't know. But he had to get away.

"Straight ahead," he ordered, hoping the machine would make the best of
it.

As he rode, he wondered desperately what was wrong with him. He was
easily the most talented of men, yet he was unhappy. Perhaps it was
because they all treated him so adoringly that he was tired of them. He
saw nowhere that drive which was so strong in him, the urge to go on to
bigger things. He had sought it in his friends many times before, but
gave up when no one knew what he meant. Even as a child his elders said
he should have been born a mechanoid. It was a jest that was deathly
true.

Trees flashed by, but as Sethos watched, they slowed in their flight,
and he realized the car was stopping.

"I'm sorry, this is zone," said the car. "I can go no further.
Redirection, or shall I cruise at random?"

He started to affirm, but something stopped him.

Barely visible ahead were the first low, dark buildings of the mechanoid
world.

"No," he answered. "I'm getting out here."

He left the car, walking forward rapidly until the headlights no longer
lighted his path. The trees began to thin out, and his feet struck
concrete. He knew he was beyond the general limits of human activity.