The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Helpful Robots, by Robert J. Shea

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Title: The Helpful Robots

Author: Robert J. Shea

Release Date: March 29, 2009 [EBook #28438]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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_Robert J. Shea, of Rutgers University, makes an interesting
contribution to robotics with this story of Rankin, who prided
himself on knowing how to handle robots, but did not realize that
the robots of the Clearchan Confederacy were subject to a higher law
than implicit obedience to man._

the
helpful
robots

_by ROBERT J. SHEA_

They had come to pass judgement on him. He had violated
their law--wilfully, ignorantly, and very deliberately.

"Our people will be arriving to visit us today," the robot said.

"Shut up!" snapped Rod Rankin. He jumped, wiry and quick, out of the
chair on his verandah and stared at a cloud of dust in the distance.

"Our people--" the ten-foot, cylinder-bodied robot grated, when Rod
Rankin interrupted him.

"I don't care about your fool people," said Rankin. He squinted at the
cloud of dust getting bigger and closer beyond the wall of _kesh_ trees
that surrounded the rolling acres of his plantation. "That damned new
neighbor of mine is coming over here again."

He gestured widely, taking in the dozens of robots with their shiny,
cylindrical bodies and pipestem arms and legs laboring in his fields.
"Get all your people together and go hide in the wood, fast."

"It is not right," said the robot. "We were made to serve all."

"Well, there are only a hundred of you, and I'm not sharing you with
anybody," said Rankin.

"It is not right," the robot repeated.

"Don't talk to me about what's right," said Rankin. "You're built to
follow orders, nothing else. I know a thing or two about how you robots
work. You've got one law, to follow orders, and until that neighbor of
mine sees you to give you orders, you work for me. Now get into those
woods and hide till he goes away."

"We will