The team walked in silence as they slowly drew closer to the towering walls of Khanbaliq. The sun sank lower in the west beyond the massive walls. Steve was glad he did not have to listen to another lecture from Marcia.

As the team approached the city gate, Steve saw several guards impatiently waiting for sundown, when they could close the gate for the night. They wore full armor and sword belts, and each had a spear in one hand. As they leaned on their spears, they talked quietly to each other.

“Maybe the guards can direct us,” said Hunter.

“Possibly so,” said Marcia.

“I wouldn’t ask them,” Steve said quickly. “Guys in a job like that are trained to be suspicious of people from outside. At least, wait till we’re inside and then ask them.”

“Very well,” said Hunter. “However, I see that they are not questioning anyone. Everyone simply walks through.”

“They don’t have modem immigration problems at a city gate in this time,” said Marcia. “In times of war, they watch out for the enemy, of course, and sometimes in peace they are concerned with bandits. In this time, however, the country is really secure. The city wall is just a precaution against trouble in the future.”

No one on the team spoke as they walked through the gate. Steve avoided the eyes of the guards, who in any case were staring at Jane and Hunter. Once the team passed inside the gate without incident, Hunter stopped and turned to a short, stocky guard who had turned to watch Hunter walk past.

“We are travelers from a far land,” Hunter said in a formal tone. “Where can we find lodging in your city?”

The guard stiffened in surprise at being addressed. “Oh, uh…”

His partner, a slightly taller, slender man, stepped forward. “Many foreign visitors live near each other in one neighborhood. Is this where you would like to go?”

“We would,” said Hunter. “Where can we find this neighborhood?”

“It is near the palace,” said the guard, pointing. “Eight blocks east along this avenue, then turn to your right. I might suggest the Inn of the White Swan.” He grinned ingratiatingly. “You might tell them the guards at the west gate sent you.”

“Thank you.” Hunter turned, gesturing for his team to follow. He led the way up the avenue in silence until they were out of the hearing of the guards. “Marcia, is this information consistent with yours?”

“Yes. Many of the foreigners here live near the palace so they can attempt to get audiences with either the Emperor or important ministers.”

Steve looked up and down the streets as they walked. Despite the growing darkness people remained out everywhere. Merchants were lighting candles’ inside paper lanterns hanging from poles to light their shops.

“The shops are staying open, aren’t they?” Steve asked. “Is that normal?”

“In the summer, yes,” said Marcia. “People like being out in the evening when it’s cool, so the merchants try to attract their business then.”

“And all these streets are laid out on a right-angle grid,” said Jane. “It looks very modern. I guess I expected narrow, twisted streets going every which way.”

“Cities of that sort grew spontaneously,” said Marcia, in her formal tone. “Khanbaliq was a planned city, laid out from the beginning as Kublai Khan’s capital.”

“Was it the first?” Jane asked. “As an example of urban planning, I mean.”

“No. I don’t know which city in the world has that honor.” Marcia shook her head. “I know that in China, the Tang Dynasty capital of Changan was built during Europe’s Dark Ages on a right-angle grid.”

The team walked in silence for a while, looking at the sights. Other people continued to stare at Hunter in particular, whose height remained visible by his silhouette even as the shadows deepened. In the growing darkness, Jane’s facial features and brown hair were no longer obvious.

“It looks…well…normal,” said Steve, after a while. “We haven’t been to a place like this before.”

“That is true,” said Hunter. “The buccaneers dominated the docks of Port Royal. Moscow in 1941 faced a foreign invasion. Our other missions did not take us to cities at all. This city has a normal, functioning society at this time.”

“Most of Asia was-is, rather-at peace now,” said Marcia. “The Mongols ruled only part of the Indian subcontinent, and did not rule Japan or the jungles of southeast Asia, but khans ruled the rest of Asia. Nominally, they all recognized Kublai Khan as their overlord.”

“Wow,” said Jane.

Steve clenched his teeth. He could hear another lecture from Marcia starting.

“Kublai Khan attempted two invasions of Japan, both of which failed,” Marcia added. “One fleet was destroyed by the divine wind the Japanese call the original ‘kamikaze.’ And Mongols did conquer and rule part of northern India.”

“They did?” Jane looked at her.

“The word ‘Mogul’ is a corruption of ‘Mongol,’ “ said Marcia, “from India.”

“Hunter, we must be getting close to the area,” said Steve. He was hoping to stop Marcia by changing the subject. “We have only passed four blocks,” said Hunter. “That is not far enough.”

“Well, tell me, where are we going to stay? Another inn, I suppose? You want to look for the one the guard mentioned?”

“That would be acceptable,” said Hunter. “As you have said to me at certain times, we must improvise.”

“It looks safe,” said Jane. “In Port Royal, I always felt that any buccaneer could be a thief or a cutthroat. Here I see lots of young women walking around casually by themselves.”

“It’s a prosperous, peaceful country,” said Marcia. “One that is ruled by an Emperor with absolute power. In fact, a historian once said that in Kublai Khan’s time, a young woman could travel alone from Palestine to Korea with a sack of gold and not be bothered by anyone.”

“Hard to believe,” Steve muttered. “That is, without robots around.”

“The death penalty was used freely,” said Marcia.

“We must all remember that,” said Hunter.

“But I wonder what MC 5 will try to do in a society that is fundamentally safe for humans,” said Steve.

“I would not characterize it as safe,” said Hunter, “not when the death penalty is utilized frequently.”

“I think that kind of concern might provide our answer,” said Jane. “That is, MC 5 may try to change government values and policy. I suppose that would mean influencing Kublai Khan himself. Marcia, what do you think?”

“Well, you’re the roboticist, of course,” Marcia said carefully. “I don’t know how this robot thinks. But in terms of the way this society operates, your idea makes sense. At the very least, someone who wants to influence policy would try to become involved with the circle of advisors around the Emperor, maybe by working for one of them.”

“How would MC 5-or anyone else-go about accomplishing that?” Hunter asked.

“Through connections,” said Marcia. “Introductions are very important here.”

“We know he doesn’t know anyone here,” Steve said impatiently. “He’s going to show up naked, like the other component robots have. Long before he gets a job with the Emperor, he’ll have to find a pair of pants.”

Jane laughed. “That’s true, but the others all managed. MC 5 will too, I’m sure.”

Steve shrugged. “I think we’ll find him out on the street somewhere, not in the halls of government.” He looked up the street. “We must be getting close to this neighborhood by now, Hunter.”

“We will turn right at the next block,” said Hunter. “Marcia, how would MC 5 create the kind of network he needs in this society when he arrives here without contacts of any kind?”

“Well…what kind of education does he have?”

“Education?” Steve snickered. “What does that have to do with what a fleeing robot does?”

“Has he heard of Marco Polo?” Marcia asked pointedly. “If so, he might begin with him.”

“I do not know exactly what data the component robots have,” said Hunter. “However, I think MC 5 could very likely have at least a passing knowledge of Marco Polo. How would MC 5 make use of this information?”

Marcia glanced at Jane. “Is that a robotics question? Or a historical one?”

Jane shrugged, smiling. “Hard to say. You start.”

“Well, during this time, Marco Polo-as opposed to his father and uncle, who were advanced in years now-has been a traveling envoy of the Emperor, visiting various Chinese provinces and returning to report to Kublai Khan. Right now, he is back in Khanbaliq.”

“So he could be found,” said Jane.

“Yes. And he’s respected at court, a familiar name and face to many people. I think MC 5 could track him down without great difficulty.”

“Then so can we,” said Hunter. “We shall begin tomorrow.”

Hunter led them around a corner and up a smaller street. By this time, night had fallen completely, but the moon was nearly full. It shed a great deal of light out of the cloudless sky. Around them, hanging paper lanterns lit all the little shops lining the street.

“This isn’t a residential block, Hunter,” said Steve. “Maybe we should ask for directions again.”

“Steve should do it,” said Marcia. “Ask one of these merchants. But I don’t recommend that Inn of the White Swan. The guards probably get a kickback for mentioning it, and we’ll have to pay a higher rate to cover it.”

That was a principle Steve understood. Wearily moving the cloth bag to his opposite shoulder, Steve walked up to a shop that had no customers. A young man behind the wooden counter was wiping it off perfunctorily with a damp cloth. A woman sat on a stool, yawning, with a sleeping baby in one arm. Two older children were scrubbing out a large iron pot.

“Good evening,” Steve said politely. “We are travelers from outside the city. Can you tell me where we might find lodging for the night?”

The man’s face tightened with annoyance. “You don’t want anything to eat?”

Steve pulled a couple of small coins out and laid them on the counter. “We may be here for some time, friend. Tomorrow, we’ll be hungry allover again.”

The other man forced an affected smile. “Of course, of course.” He scooped up the coins without looking down at them. “I am Liu Guan, at your service. May I suggest the Prosperity Inn, two blocks south on your left?”

“Thank you.” Steve returned to the others and pointed down the street. They all started walking again.