and come back--_slowly_. We'll senda ship up and transfer a competent pilot to bring you down. Do youhear?"
"Real plain. You got good radios on these ships."
He smothered a growl. "Your lives are in danger. We're not going tochase out and rescue you unless you cooperate." It was anunderstatement. If they observed radio silence, search ships would neverfind them. They might not think of it, but he wouldn't bet. They weresmart enough to steal the ship.
There was another thing. From what he'd learned from records, they wereclose to the exposure limit. Any moment now, they might go berserk,turning their course fatally toward the Sun. He had to be careful whathe said.
"We'll get you out of this, but only if you help. I refuse to sacrificemen and waste their flight time, which is more precious than any ship,merely to save two senile incompetents. Is this clear?"
"I suppose," said Amantha. "We've got to go home."
The commander rubbed his hands. They weren't as stubborn as he feared.He'd rescue them.
"Good. I'll have men aloft in a few minutes."
"Guess it was you who didn't hear," she said. "Our home is on Earth."
II
"There's no one here," said the robot blocking the door.
"We'll wait." Amantha tried to go inside. The robot wouldn't move.
It was dark and windy and, from the steps, they could see lights ofhouses glowing around them. Not many--it was near the edge of the littletown. Farther away, over the hill, the ship nestled safely in a valley.No one had seen them land. They were sure of it.
Ethan removed his hat and his bent shoulders straightened. He seemed togrow taller.
"Rain," he said in awe. "Thirty years and yet I haven't forgotten whatit's like."
"It's wet, that's what it's like," said Amantha. "Robot, let us in orI'll have Ethan take a wrench to you. He loves to tinker."
"I can't be threatened. My sole concern is the welfare of my charge.Also, I'm too large for any human to hurt me."
"Damnation, I'm soppin'!" complained Ethan. "It's better to remember therain than to be in it."
"Wait till my son Jimmy gets back. He'll be ravin'. Makin' us stay outhere and get soaked."
"Son? Is the Jimmy you refer to Pilot James Huntley?"
"Ex-pilot."
"Correct. But he's not at home. He took his wife to the hospital half anhour ago."
"So soon?" gasped Amantha. "Thought I taught him better than that. Womenhave got to rest between kids."
"It's not another child," said the robot with disinterest. "It has to dowith one of the ills flesh is heir to and machines are not. Nothingserious."
Ethan fidgeted, turning up his collar. Water began flowing from theeaves. "Stop arguin' and let us in. Jimmy will turn off your juice whenhe finds you've kept his folks outside."
"Folks? He has none here. A mother and father living happily on Mars.They died quite recently, lost in space and plunging into the Sun."
"Make up your mind," Amantha said peevishly. "We ain't on Mars, weweren't happy and we didn't get lost and plunge into the Sun."
"I merely repeat--in sequence--the information I'm given or overhear. Ifit's inconsistent, so are humans. I'm used to it."
"'Mantha, they think we're dead," said Ethan. He wiped a raindrop away."Poor Jimmy!"
A thin wail came from a crack in the door. The robot's eyes shonebriefly, then dimmed.
"What's that?" asked Amantha. "Sounds like a baby. Thought you said noone was home."
"No responsible adult. Only a child. Because of that, I can admit no oneexcept the parents--or a doctor if I decide one is needed." The robotwhirred and drew itself up. "He's absolutely safe. I'm a Sitta."
"You sure are. Now get out of my way before I jab you. The kid'scrying."
"He is, but it's no concern of yours. I'm better acquainted with infantbehavior than any human can be. The pathetic sob merely means that thechild wants attention. I was given no instructions to hold him."
* * * * *
Again the child cried. "Who needs to be told?" demanded Amantha. "Nobodygives grandmothers instructions."
"He's got a grandfather to cuddle him," added Ethan. "How far do youthink we came to do it?"
"And he's not cryin' because he wants attention. Something's stickin'him and he's hungry. Don't you think a grandmother would know?"
"There's nothing that can stick him, but if, by accident, somethingsharp had gotten in his bed and if he were also hungry, he would soundlike this." The Sitta hunched down and swiveled its head, giving animitation. "You see? I do nothing but watch babies. It's built into me."
Inside the house, the child's tone changed, became querulous, listening.Interrogatively, it offered a single yowl.
"My analysis was correct. It wanted attention. The parents left sohurriedly, they forgot to give me permission. When I didn't come toinvestigate, the child stop--"
The wail burst forth with renewed vigor.
The robot rotated its head and the alert look flashed on and off. Itstuttered, "I know w-what I'm doing. But I--I can tell only what hashappened to my charge, n-never what _will_!" The Sitta rumbledbewilderedly. "Anticipation is beyond my capacity. The child _is_ hurtand hungry. Please come in and help me."
Triumphantly, Amantha followed the robot into the house toward thenursery. She whispered to Ethan, "Sittas ain't smart. I reckon he neverheard a bunch of babies together. If one cries, they all do."
The Sitta barred the path. "You seem sincere and are obviously anexpert. But before you go in, understand this--attempt no harm to thebeing in there. I'm linked."
"You'll be unlinked if you don't stop acting balky," warned Amantha. Sheducked under his arm and darted toward the crib.
"By linked, I mean that if anything happens that I require aid tohandle, an alarm rings in Sittas Circle and help is on the way.Meanwhile, I can put out fires or carry him unharmed through concretewalls."
"Go ahead, run through a wall," invited Amantha abstractly, snatching upthe child. "The darling's wet, too. Fetch me a diaper."
The robot fetched at her command. And when the child was quiet, evencooing, but with a sharp undertone of protest, Amantha settled back."Now we've got to feed him."
"They didn't give me special instructions and I can't originate. If youhadn't come, I'd have had to contact a doctor."
Amantha handed the child to Ethan. "You hold him." She went into thekitchen.
Ethan tossed the child up. "Here we go," he bellowed. "Free fall. Got tostart early to make a spaceman out of you." The Sitta stared at them,puzzled, as the infant shrieked with fear or joy. "Now if only Jimmy washere to see us," said Ethan, grinning proudly.
Jimmy didn't come back soon enough. The police arrived first.
* * * * *
Ethan wandered to the window. The ground was far below. He didn't wantto think of what was outside the door.
"Don't mind jail myself--been in a few." He looked at Amantha. "Just forraising hell. Never thought I'd be responsible for putting _you_ behindbars."
"It wasn't you," said Amantha, her back straightening. "Curious about itmyself." Wisps of hair straggled over her face. "I mean why didn't wethink of it on Mars? Didn't we know what they'd do?"
"I guess we didn't." Ethan cracked his knuckles contemplatively. "Did itoccur to you?"
"No. I can't understand." She frowned, but it didn't help clarify whatshe was thinking about.
"We're criminals," said Ethan soberly. "Thieves."
"I don't mind for us. Jail's not much worse than the home for RetiredCitizens. It's our grandson I'm thinking of."
"Don't worry. They won't do a thing to him." His eyes widened and hewiped off the sweat. "Oh. I see what you mean."
"Jailbirds," said Amantha. "We'll still be in here when he grows up.It's a fine way to help your kin. They'll never trust him with us in hisfamily."
"Jailbirds," repeated Ethan mournfully. By some magic, his face crackedalong the wrinkles and broke i
nto a smile. "But once we flew," hewhispered to himself.
The door opened and an official of some sort came in.