"Is it...active?" Trevize asked form the far corner. Maserd, Planch and
Pelorat stood with their mouths open, not able to say a word, while Trevize
came forward and seemed to stare into the chamber.
"No, but it is soon to be activated. Its construction has finished. If you stand back I will take the final steps towards his completion." Daneel went towards a keyboard on his left, while everyone else stood back in amazement. Trevize remembered that day a long time ago, when he had argued with his old friend Compor the traitor. Trevize had tried to convince him that Seldon had never even existed, and his recordings were all a lie. And now he knew that it was not true.
After about 5 minutes of work Daneel stepped back. His task was finished. He took out a small remote control from a pocket in his clothing, and pressed a large green button on it. The small chamber with the Seldon-bot in it started to shake, and previously frozen snoke started hissing out from the sides. The chamber slowly moved forwards. The door swung open, and the robot stepped out. The chamber quieted down and swung back into position. Daneel stepped forward.
"State your designation."
"Robot Hari Seldon, registry AAR-9825."
"Please state the four laws of robotics." The robot answered matter-of- factly.
"1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow on to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except when such orders would conflict with the first law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law." R.Seldon seemed to falter for a second. Then it spit out.
" The Zeroth law. A robot must act in the long-range interest of humanity as a whole, and may overrule all other laws whenever it seems necessary for that ultimate good."
"Very good. I deem you fit for duty." As Trevize would later learn, this was standard procedure whenever any robot was activated. The tradition had been going on since the days before Daneel had been created, and Trevize was surprised to learn that the robots had created a whole society for themselves, along with traditions festivals and laws. When Seldon finished answering the questions, there were a few gasps from the back, and Pelorat muttered.
"Wonderful!" Daneel heard this and turned to him.
"Indeed. Now I will activate his AI sub processor." Daneel pressed a button, and the skin on R.Seldons left side moved to reveal a hole. Inside there was an amazing amount of wires, lights and other electronic equipment. R.Olivaw pressed a few buttons on his remote, and the skin closed back, leaving no sign of a scratch or scar. The Robot seemed to shudder, and it seemed to take on a whole new personality. This was no longer the rigid serious robot. His posture was more slouched, his eyelids seemed to flicker more and there was a slight twitch in his right hand. He recognized a face in the crowd of unknowns and shouted out.
"Daneel! What am I doing here?"
"No, but it is soon to be activated. Its construction has finished. If you stand back I will take the final steps towards his completion." Daneel went towards a keyboard on his left, while everyone else stood back in amazement. Trevize remembered that day a long time ago, when he had argued with his old friend Compor the traitor. Trevize had tried to convince him that Seldon had never even existed, and his recordings were all a lie. And now he knew that it was not true.
After about 5 minutes of work Daneel stepped back. His task was finished. He took out a small remote control from a pocket in his clothing, and pressed a large green button on it. The small chamber with the Seldon-bot in it started to shake, and previously frozen snoke started hissing out from the sides. The chamber slowly moved forwards. The door swung open, and the robot stepped out. The chamber quieted down and swung back into position. Daneel stepped forward.
"State your designation."
"Robot Hari Seldon, registry AAR-9825."
"Please state the four laws of robotics." The robot answered matter-of- factly.
"1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow on to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except when such orders would conflict with the first law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law." R.Seldon seemed to falter for a second. Then it spit out.
" The Zeroth law. A robot must act in the long-range interest of humanity as a whole, and may overrule all other laws whenever it seems necessary for that ultimate good."
"Very good. I deem you fit for duty." As Trevize would later learn, this was standard procedure whenever any robot was activated. The tradition had been going on since the days before Daneel had been created, and Trevize was surprised to learn that the robots had created a whole society for themselves, along with traditions festivals and laws. When Seldon finished answering the questions, there were a few gasps from the back, and Pelorat muttered.
"Wonderful!" Daneel heard this and turned to him.
"Indeed. Now I will activate his AI sub processor." Daneel pressed a button, and the skin on R.Seldons left side moved to reveal a hole. Inside there was an amazing amount of wires, lights and other electronic equipment. R.Olivaw pressed a few buttons on his remote, and the skin closed back, leaving no sign of a scratch or scar. The Robot seemed to shudder, and it seemed to take on a whole new personality. This was no longer the rigid serious robot. His posture was more slouched, his eyelids seemed to flicker more and there was a slight twitch in his right hand. He recognized a face in the crowd of unknowns and shouted out.
"Daneel! What am I doing here?"