He slid out of the seat and carefully peeked around the edge of the doorway.

Only one robot was in the area. It stood in the foreground watching as a tray was extended toward it from inside a block housing about two meters high. The tray held an array of shining silver rectangles about five centimeters by fifteen-exactly the appearance of the original Key of Perihelion.

Derec guessed that the unit expelling the tray had just completed the final integration and cooling. As he watched, the robot picked up one key by itself and slid it into a slot in another unit. It then studied the readouts. It looked like a testing procedure.

Another wall, which sealed off the bulk of this level, was just beyond the block housing. Derec heard a muted hum from beyond it. The pale orange light was thrown by a series of monitors high on this wall, and cast a series of faint, overlapping shadows.

At the moment, he had nothing to do but watch. If his entry had been unnoticed downstairs, he was not pressed for time. Getting a key by stealth might be easier up here than by launching into another frustrating debate about the Laws.

Apparently, the entry into hyperspace was behind the big wall. It did not look especially strong, but the minimalist engineering characteristic of the Avery robots made all appearances deceiving. He would not have been surprised to find the barrier very solid and the sound beyond it absolutely deafening.

The robot took the key from the testing unit, or whatever it was, then punched a button and set it down on the tray. It stood with its back to Derec as it picked up another key and inserted it. At no time had the robot looked away from the readouts and keys, or moved its feet from their positions.

With the sound from beyond the wall as camouflage, Derec thought he just might be able to move without being noticed. He kept an eye on the robot as he slid around the edge of the doorway and crept behind it. The robot continued to watch the monitors.

The key that had already been tested glinted alone at one end of the tray. Derec stood directly behind the robot, waiting to see the robot’s pattern of movement again. When the next key was ejected, the robot laid it next to the previous one and inserted a third into the unit it faced.

Derec reached very slowly for one of the tested keys, keeping his eyes on the robot for any sign of unexpected movement. The robot did not look away from the readouts. Derec picked up one of the keys and slowly began to withdraw his arm.

Just as he noticed that his arm was throwing a faint shadow across the monitors, the robot whirled and grabbed his throat in a hard squeeze. He began to choke, his tongue out and his eyes bulging.

A second later, the pressure was immediately released on his throat, but as he bent forward, gasping, the robot took a firm, though gentler, grip on his arm. He still held the key behind his back.

“Humans are more fragile than robots,” said the robot apologetically. It was quivering with the internal trauma caused by a potential violation of the First Law. “I did not realize immediately that the First Law pertained. Not until I turned and saw you. You are unharmed?” Its speech was slow.

Derec nodded, swallowing. “Yeah.”

The robot was still shaking and hesitant. “Identify yourself and your purpose here.”

“My name is Derec. And I’m okay, so don’t short-circuit yourself. Uh-”

“Security 1K did not notify me of your entry. This is a restricted area. Show your clearance.”

“I don’t have any. I’ll just go.” Derec turned, but the robot did not relinquish his arm.

“Return the key in your hand. “

Derec couldn’t think of an argument, so he held out the key, smiling weakly. The robot took it. Then the robot looked at a light blinking on one of the monitors.

“We shall go downstairs,” it said. “I believe your presence here has been noted. In any case, that warning light summons all who are up here to report to Keymo.”

“You might take a key with you.” Derec reached around the robot for one. As he had expected, the robot grasped his arm. Derec feigned a shot of pain, wincing theatrically and twisting around so that he backed into the tray. As the robot pried one key out of his hand, he reached behind him with the other hand and palmed the other key that had already been tested.

Without further conversation, the robot escorted Derec around the screen to the security seat. It had Derec sit down, while it stood on some kind of bar beneath the seat. The floor opened, and they rode down together. Derec could see Security 1K standing with Ariel at Keymo’s desk.

She gave him a questioning look as he was half pulled over to the console. He suppressed a smile with considerable effort. These robots were too sharp to miss any hint of collusion between them. He broke eye contact with her.

Before Keymo could speak, Derec decided to throw the robot off guard by taking the offensive.

“How did you know I was up there?”

“Both my console and the security console register heat generation and weight on each floor. However, I did not notice your presence immediately, as I had been distracted by discussions of possible imperatives under the Laws of Robotics.” Keymo nodded toward Ariel and Security 1K. Then it addressed the robot still holding Derec’s arm. “Process 12K, you may release your grip. Report what transpired in your jurisdiction.”

“The human came up behind me and reached for one of the finished keys,” said the robot from the upper floor. “He did this twice. I retrieved the key in both cases and retrieved them. When I first apprehended him, I did not know that the First Law pertained to the situation. I almost harmed him.”

“We are speaking aloud for your benefit,” Keymo said to Derec and Ariel. “On this matter of the First Law, you should be informed of our discussion. Derec, you are unharmed?”

“Uh, yeah. I’m okay.” Derec, now free of Process 12K’s grasp, moved away from him slightly. He had been feeling the key in his hand, and remembering the way it worked. Carefully, he shifted it around, pushing each corner of the key in turn. A button appeared on the last corner, on the side facing him.

Now he had to get Ariel to grip the key, or at least hold onto him, so he could push the button. With the robots so close, they wouldn’t get more than one chance. Wherever the key took them would be an escape from the immediate scene; he would have to gamble that it was set for a safe place. After that, they could plan their next move.

“Ariel has claimed that a First Law problem exists,” said Keymo. “Do you agree that you two are in danger from unknown humans present on the planet?”

“Uh-” Derec caught her slight nod. “Yeah. You bet. We have no idea who they are.”

“Neither of you has presented any specific danger or any evidence of one,” said Keymo. “Do you have any evidence of danger that she does not possess?”

“Well…no.” Derec shrugged slightly and started shuffling his feet. He leaned a little closer to Process 12K. As he had hoped, Process 12K moved away slightly. Derec stepped in front of him, so that only Security 1K stood between Ariel and him. “I agree with her, though. People can be very dangerous -especially strangers. We would be a lot safer getting off this planet.”

“You will have more contact with humans off this planet than you have here,” said Keymo. “Most of them will, of course, be strangers, and therefore dangerous by your description. Here you have an entire population of robots that cannot allow you to come to harm.”

“Only if you can protect us,” said Ariel.

“Elsewhere,” said Keymo, “you will have only yourselves to rely upon for safety.”

“Now listen to her,” said Derec. He reached in front of Security 1K to take her arm and pulled her to him. “The two of us are isolated here…” He was just talking as a distraction, while he got an arm around her and pulled one of her arms behind her back. He placed her hand, behind both their backs, on the key with his.