The clockwork traitor, p.17
The Clockwork Traitor, page 17
The Head's face clouded over. It was clear that this was a problem to which he had devoted a great deal of his personal attention over these past few days. "Yes," he sighed. "But we know now that these robots are not invincible-or even undetectable. Our first concern, of course, is that some of them may have slipped into positions of trust near the Imperial Family. The next most serious point would be if any of them were in the military or impersonating Service personnel.
"There is an easy enough way of checking, however. At my request, the Emperor will order all Court employees and all Service personnel and ranking military officers-to undergo frequent health check-ups... including X rays. It would be easy enough to justify such an order, and it wouldn't arouse the suspicions of any robots working in those areas. It would be enough to scare them into action, though, because they know such a check-up would expose them. Either they'll panic and flee, or they'll try to perform their missions prematurely; in either case, we stand a good chance of spoiling their plans."
"But," said Duke Etienne grimly, "what if these robots aren't in any position where we can check on them directly? Statistically speaking, that's a more likely prospect."
The Head sighed again. "Yes, old friend, I know that only too well. The total population of the Empire runs into the trillions, out of which we have to pick a few select traitors. The odds are stacked improbably high against us. What if one of the robots is a janitor in some building, just awaiting his appointed hour to strike? How could we possibly spot something like that?"
"The same way we spotted this one," Yvette said, trying to project more optimism than she felt. "If they're going to do anything, they have to make a move sometime. We'll be keeping our eyes open even wider now that we know the threat exists. The Service of the Empire is the finest organization of its kind ever assembled, and our people are the sharpest and most loyal subjects the Emperor could have." I have confidence in us that we'll be able to move in time."
"Funny-Bill said the same thing in almost the same words," the Head told them, referring to the Emperor. "I respect his judgment, and I hope he's right. There is, you know, one other factor to consider. Duke Fyodor and Doctor Rustin were only parts in what had to be a widespread conspiracy."
Jules knit his brow in perplexity. "Exactly how do you figure that, sir?"
The Head looked to his friend Etienne, who shrugged his massive shoulders and spoke to his son. "Fyodor Paskoi was Duke of Kolokov. As such, he had a great deal of power on this one planet-but, theoretically, none anywhere else. Paul Symond--the original one--came from Lateesta, a different planet entirely. There had to be someone on Lateesta who knew in advance that Symond would be chosen as that world's representative to the Progress. There had to be someone who could gather the data on him so that he could be duplicated in robot form."
"Nor is that all of it," added Zander von Wilmenhorst. "There also had to be someone relatively close to the Imperial Family to be able to predict what Edna's tastes would be like, so that the robot could be designed to match them. As far as this case goes, I'm afraid, we've only seen the tip of the iceberg. We'll have to do a lot more diving beneath the surface before we can map out the entire structure of this hazard. I hope the two of you won't mind a lot more hard work in the future."
"We thrive on it!" Jules promised.
"And on the subject of Edna's tastes," Yvette said thoughtfully, "I think whoever designed the Symond robot doesn't know the way women think very well. Symond had all the obvious qualities-good looks, charming personality, sparkling wit-the whole supposedly ideal package. Edna even admitted to me she was interested in him. He's the kind of guy that most girls, including myself, would love to go on dates with... but I think Edna would have been too smart to marry him. You can't marry perfection. If you ask me, I think Edna's eyes are aimed in an entirely different direction."
"Where?" Jules asked.
"Choyen Liu," his sister replied without hesitation. As Jules raised his eyebrows in amazement, she went on, "I know he's not the standard romantic picture, but marriage will dissolve the ideal very quickly. Symond was all surface. Choyen Liu has no surface to speak of, but there's a depth there that would take a lifetime to plumb. Edna's looking for someone to spend her lifetime with, and there's one thing I can guarantee-Choyen Liu won't be boring. I really believe she may end up marrying him."
The Head listened to Yvette, and considered the message that Edna had sent her parents earlier that very day that there was someone she'd met on the Progress whom she was seriously considering, and she would like to talk the matter over with them when she returned home. He himself would not have thought this fellow Choyen Liuwhom he knew only through his files-would be the sort of man the Princess would pick. But then, he was not in the matchmaking business.
He smiled as the conversation continued to revolve around the Princess and her possible husband. It was not really the basic concern of any of them-Liu's file indicated that he was a good and loyal servant of the Crown, and that was what mattered as far as the Service was concerned. But his top agents needed to relax their minds before starting out again on the uphill fight against entropy. He knew beyond doubt that they would soon be risking their lives once more to maintain the ideal of Empire. In the meantime, let them enjoy some idle speculation for a bit.
E.E. Doc Smith, The Clockwork Traitor
