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was a mosaic of several hundred hexagonal metal tiles the size of a
dinner plate. The surface of each tile had a pattern of small holes, but
there was no obvious fingerlift in fact, no obvious way to lift an
individual tile. All six edges were flush with the adjoining tiles.
Any idea where I should start?
The strategy of concealment would argue against obvious positions
such as the center and corners. Beyond that, I cannot say.
You can t detect it under the deck? It s not giving off some kind of
radio signal, or generating a magnetic field?
Not that I am able to detect.
That, too, was consistent with what had happened on the asteroid. If
the key had declared its presence in any measurable way, the robots
scans would have turned it up long before the raider ship arrived.
All right, Derec said slowly. He turned to Wolruf, who had been a
silent spectator since joining them. We need a place to lock up
Aranimas.
Wolruf glanced nervously back toward where they had left the Erani.
Therr arr some lockers outside, on the side passage, which would be
large enough
Derec nodded. Alpha pick up Aranimas and go with Wolruf. She
will show you where to put him. Wolruf, make sure it s something
Aranimas can t open from the inside. Then both of you come back
here. He caught the look of apprehension in Wolruf s eyes and
added. I know you don t like the robot.
Maybe u surprise Wolruf like u surprise Aranimas.
I promise you, it ll be all right, Derec said, patting the caninoid s
arm. No surprises. I ll be waiting for you here.
When the robot was gone, Derec lowered himself to his hands and
knees to examine the holes in the tiles. They proved to be tapered pits
barely a half-centimeter deep. There seemed to be no way of hooking
anything into one to lift the tile. Derec wondered if he would have to
build some sort of vacuum clamp before he could locate the key.
Then he realized that the openings were about the diameter of the tip
of Aranimas s stylus. Of course, Derec thought as he fumbled for the
instrument. Let s hope this feature doesn t work only for Aranimas,
too
He touched the conical tip to one of the openings, and the tile seemed
to seize hold of the stylus and stand it straight up. Gripping the stylus
with one and then both hands, Derec tried to lift the tile straight up.
The tile did not budge. But when he used the stylus as a lever, he was
easily able to tip the tile back, like peeling the lid off a can.
Underneath was a small hexagonal compartment empty.
No beginner s luck, eh? he thought. When he replaced the tile, the
stylus came free. Very nice, he thought, touching the stylus to the
adjacent tile. The trick wasn t done with magnetics; the stylus seemed
to actually bond to the tile. Perhaps a metallic affinity, followed by a
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little shot of current to jostle the atoms and break the bonds. Cute
trick
There was a humming sound behind him, and Derec whirled. Half a
dozen meters down the central corridor, a circular platform was
descending from the ceiling, suspended on four slender wires. And
standing on the platform was a woman a young human female, no
more than a year or two older than Derec but a good eight centimeters
taller. The broad-shouldered sash blazer she was wearing was cut in
an aristocratic style, but showed many days of wear.
Her expression was one of surprise, even shock. Her mouth worked
as though trying to form a word. You? she said disbelievingly as the
platform reached floor level. Here?
Wild thoughts filled Derec s head, and reason had to fight for control.
That would sure help explain Aranimas s success if he had had a
human consort all along to guide him
You d better tell me real fast who you are and what you re doing
here, he said, slowly coming to his feet. I don t have a lot of time to
decide what to do about you.
What to do about me? she echoed angrily. I don t know why I owe
you any answers, not after what you did.
The meaning of the condition of the girl s clothes finally impressed
itself on Derec. She was a prisoner, just as he. But Derec realized that
to her, he might be the one who seemed to have thrown in with the
raiders.
I only helped Aranimas to buy time and save my neck. The robot s
mine now, and Aranimas can t hurt you, Derec said. We re going to
get of here.
The hostility faded from her face, leaving behind bewilderment. But
what are you doing here? How long have you been on board?
Derec took a step toward her. It doesn t take long to tell. Five days
ago I woke up in a survival pod on the surface of an asteroid. I was
found by a colony of robots mining the asteroid. Aranimas raided the
colony and took me prisoner. That s enough. No sense muddying the
waters with details even I don t understand yet, he thought.
She was looking at him curiously. So you weren t looking for me.
I didn t know anyone else was on the ship, he said, throwing his
hands in the air. Wolruf told me that they had captured a couple of
human ships, but she left the impression the crews were all gone.
I think Aranimas kept me alive because he was interested in my
robots, she said. Are you the one that repaired Capek?
Was that its old name? It answers to Alpha now. Yes, I m the one
who fixed it.
You did a rotten job, she said with a hint of childish petulance. It
doesn t remember me. The new arm is ugly, too.
I m sorry.
And you don t remember me, either.
Derec swallowed. I had the feeling you thought I should
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I thought you were just being cruel, she said slowly. I didn t want
to give you the satisfaction. But you don t know who I am, do you?
I don t even know who I am, Derec answered with a weak smile.
When I woke up on the asteroid, I was wearing a safesuit with the
name Derec on the chest, so I ve been calling myself that. But I can t
remember anything that happened before I woke up on the asteroid.
Nothing at all?
Nothing personal. I remember a lot of facts things I learned
sometime, I guess. But I don t know where I m from or where I was
going. Derec was badly confused. So you know me?
I thought I did, she said.
Then for mercy s sake, tell me
A chirping sound came from the huge control console at that moment.
Someone s paging Aranimas, the girl said, a flash of nervousness
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