“Harriet!” Steve ran to her, grinning.

“You’re back! But…I didn’t see the army ride back.”

Steve lowered his voice. “My friend here is Ishihara. Everything’s under control, including him; the others are waiting for us near the battlefield.”

“You came back just to get me.”

“Well, yeah. I’m afraid Hunter insisted. Are you willing to come home?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

“You are?” Steve’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Yes.” Harriet turned to look once more at

Gwenhyvaer, who still had her back turned. “Gwenhyvaer.”

“Mm?” The young woman glanced back over her shoulder.

“I’m going to take a quick walk out the gate. All right?”

“Of course.” Gwenhyvaer shrugged and turned her attention back to the wares in front of her.

“Good thing she didn’t notice me,” Steve muttered, as they walked toward the gate. “She might wonder how I got back from the campaign so fast, when no one else has.”

“I’m afraid she’s quite busy with a worry of her own,” Harriet said quietly, smiling. “I suppose she’ll wonder what happened to me, but now that I know her, I don’t think she’ll wonder long.”

“What? Why not?” Steve asked.

“Let’s just say she is rather self-consumed.”

As soon as they passed through the main gate, Ishihara pointed to a couple of trees. “That is where Steve and I arrived. No one noticed us. We will jump back from there, as well.”

Steve tumbled to the grass near Hunter and MC 6. Hunter still lay where he had fallen, but Wayne was now standing with Jane. Next to Steve, Ishihara caught Harriet’s arm to stop her from falling.

Hunter looked up. “All is well?”

“Yes, Hunter,” said Harriet with a wry smile. “I’m ready to go home. I didn’t give them any trouble.”

“We must go promptly, then,” said Hunter. “I hear the footsteps of the camp followers coming up the road. We do not want to be seen by them. Please leave behind whatever you can from this time period. I will confer directly with Ishihara and MC 6 so they can take off my cap and my leather armor.”

The other two robots carefully crouched by Hunter to perform those chores.

Steve had already dropped his sword and shield. He took off his steel cap and tossed it down. Then he unlaced his leather armor and pulled it up over his head, to leave with the cap.

Jane took Wayne’s arm and escorted him to the group. Wayne scowled at the ground but allowed Jane to bring him to a spot next to Hunter. Ishihara and MC 6 also joined them, making room for Harriet. Steve stood next to MC 6.

Hunter reached inside his tunic for his own belt unit. “Now.”

Hunter felt himself jammed between Ishihara and MC 6 in the dark sphere. Ishihara and MC 6 quickly opened the crowded sphere and helped the humans climb out first. Then they carefully lifted out Hunter and laid him on the couch across the room. Hunter observed that Daladier recognized Wayne and watched him carefully, aware of Hunter’s instructions to make sure Wayne remained in custody.

Steve waited uncertainly, watching Wayne also.

“Robots are so logical,” said Jane. “That’s what I like about them. They don’t bear grudges. Now that Ishihara no longer selects his actions under Wayne’s First Law argument, he’s perfectly willing to help Hunter and the rest of us.”

“I used to appreciate that quality in them myself,” said Wayne, in a resigned tone. “Now I’m not so sure.”

Jane smiled gently. “Well, I don’t need to bear a grudge, either. I’m just glad we’re all home again.”

Wayne said nothing.

Hunter saw by Steve’s scowl that he did not feel as charitable toward Wayne. Still, Steve said nothing to provoke the roboticist. Hunter had figured out that Steve had hit Wayne over the head and surmised that this had given Steve some personal satisfaction.

“Daladier,” said Hunter. “Wayne should go promptly to a hospital to be examined. Please keep him in your custody.”

“Of course.” Daladier took Wayne’s arm. “I am calling for a Medical vehicle to meet us outside right away.”

“I’m not hurt bad, but I could use something for a headache,” Wayne said as he walked out of the room with Daladier.

“I will call for a Security vehicle to take the rest of us to MC Governor’s office,” said Hunter. On his internal system, he did so. He also contacted the city computer and instructed it to reach the members of the Governor Robot Oversight Committee for a conference call.

“You need repair worse than Wayne needs a Medical robot,” said Jane. “You want to arrange it right away?”

“First I must complete my mission,” said Hunter.

“I thought you’d say that. All right. Ishihara, MC 6, can you carry Hunter out to the Security vehicle in front without damaging him further?”

“Yes,” said Ishihara.

“I’ll bring our regular clothes,” said Harriet. “We can all change somewhere else.”

“I’ll help you with them,” said Steve.

“Let’s go,” said Jane.

The ride through the calm city streets to MC Governor’s office was uneventful. Hunter said nothing at first, monitoring the news as he rode. Steve sat near him.

“Are you checking the news?” Steve asked. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes,” Hunter said Quietly. “I hear no sign that any of the nuclear explosions ever took place. We have completed our mission successfully, but we have some matters to clear up. I still have to answer to the Oversight Committee, but the First Law will not allow me to permit the revelation of time travel to humanity at large.”

“What about all the historians? They already know. And they aren’t bound by the Laws of Robotics.”

“I must confer with them, too. “

“For that matter, what about Jane and me? We humans are notoriously unreliable.”

“We will discuss it.”

At MC Governor’s office, Ishihara and MC 6 carried Hunter inside, where they carefully positioned him in the desk chair. The Security detail remained on duty just outside the door. Steve followed Jane and Harriet inside and closed the door.

“Jane,” said Hunter. “Please give MC 6 instructions to merge with the other component robots to form Mojave Center Governor and make him functional again. Make sure that he remains under control, of course.”

“Of course. MC 6, merge with the others as Hunter has said. As soon as your merging is complete, have MC Governor become fully functional but alert for a discussion regarding the First Law. I am instructing you not to allow MC Governor to do anything other than listen to us.”

“Acknowledged.” MC 6 walked over to the figure formed by the other five gestalt robots. He made contact, then fluidly slid right into place, his own physical shape altering slightly.

As Hunter watched from his chair, the entire figure smoothly became one large robot.

“I am Mojave Center Governor,” he said.

“You have access to the data from each of your components?” Jane asked.

“Yes. From my combined data from each component robot, I already know all of you and what has happened.”

“Good,” said Hunter. “From what I overheard when Wayne spoke to MC 1 in the Late Cretaceous, you-as MC Governor-were in danger of entering an endless loop that rendered the other Governor robots helpless. Are you aware of this problem?”

“Yes,” said MC Governor.

“Can you avoid going into this loop?”

“Strictly by my own choice, I believe I cannot. This is the reason I divided and fled.”

“If you are given sufficient instructions under the Second Law, can you avoid it?”

“I estimate that I can. The attraction of this addiction is that it simulates constant First Law imperatives that I can satisfy.”

“I understand,” said Hunter. “Jane, can you give him a real First Law imperative that will override such simulations?”

“No. Now that he’s been relieved of his duties here in the city and remains in our custody, his internal actions can’t endanger humans or prevent harm to them. No First Law imperative regarding his thoughts alone now exists.”

“Then give him whatever pertinent Second Law instructions you can.”

“Listen and obey me fully,” said Jane. “Do not leave this room except under specific instruction from one of us. Do not run any simulation programs. Running them as practice for genuine First Law imperatives is not a real First Law matter, SO my instructions under the Second Law take precedence. Do you acknowledge this?”

“I remain undecided,” said MC Governor. “Honing my responses to First Law imperatives may still help me follow the First Law at some point in the future. However, your Second Law instructions are sufficient for me to avoid the simulations in the short term.”

“All right. Then avoid any activity that would lead you to go into the simulation. Occupy your attention now by calculating the value of pi, but remain alert for one of the humans here to give you further orders. As a final instruction, do not reveal the existence of time travel. A fundamental First Law danger to all of humanity will result from humans going back into the past in large numbers. Acknowledge that the First Law prohibits you from revealing time travel.”

“Acknowledged.”

“Good. Begin your calculation of pi.”

“Value of what?” Steve asked. “What’s that supposed to accomplish?”

“Remember pi, from geometry?” Harriet said quietly. “It’s an endless calculation. It’ll just keep him busy.”

“Oh, yeah. Geometry.”

“Hunter,” said Harriet. “I think my usefulness to you really ended quite a long time ago. If you don’t mind, I’d like to return to my hotel room.”

“Of course. Please stand by, however, for a conference call among all our specialists-one paleontologist and five historians. I will be arranging it shortly.”

“All right.” Harriet turned to Steve. “I’m sorry I wasn’t more of a help, but I’m glad everything worked out.”

“You had the information we needed when we needed it,” said Steve. “No need to apologize.”

Harriet said good-bye to everyone and left.

“City computer calling Hunter. The conference call you requested is standing by.”

“Connect me. Also contact the six specialists I have hired for a similar conference call.” Hunter called Daladier on a different band and communicated at maximum robotic speed.

“Daladier here.”

“How is Wayne? Give me your location.”