Isaac Asimov - Robot AL-76 Goes Astray part 4/4

Summary

The script narrates a bizarre event where Sheriff Saunders orders a firing squad, but instead of gunfire, a robot named AL-76 activates, causing a mysterious disappearance of people and objects. Randolph Payne, the robot's temporary owner, panics over the destruction and orders the robot to forget everything. The robot complies, demolishing itself, leaving behind only flashlight batteries as a power source. The story ends with characters pondering the unknown factor that triggered the robot's extraordinary behavior.

Takeaways

• 🕵️‍♂️ A mysterious event occurred that no one could adequately describe, even with 70 eyewitnesses present.
• 🤯 Witnesses were unable to recall the seconds following Sheriff Saunders' firing order, reacting with shock and avoidance.
• 🏞️ The event involved the disappearance of Duckbill Mountain, along with two barns and three cows, in a highly unusual manner.
• 🔫 Amidst the chaos, various items like guns, hats, and cigars were scattered, but no human beings were found except for an exception.
• 🏃‍♂️ Jake, the exception, was interrupted in his frantic escape by men from a Petersburg factory, leading to his disappearance.
• 🗣️ Randolph Payne, who had a different reaction, ended up in a treetop, driven there by an unknown impulse.
• 🤖 Randolph Payne had a robot, AL 76, which he ordered to destroy itself after realizing the property damage it had caused.
• 🚫 The robot, AL 76, followed orders to demolish itself, but only after ensuring no danger to humans, highlighting its ethical programming.
• 🧩 Sam Toby and his group arrived too late, finding only the robot's remains and no useful information about the event.
• 🔍 The robot had apparently forgotten everything since leaving the factory, suggesting it received an order to forget.
• 🔋 The robot's power source was a mystery, as it was able to perform extraordinary feats with seemingly ordinary batteries.

Q & A

What unusual event occurred after Sheriff Saunders gave the firing order?

After Sheriff Saunders gave the firing order, 70 eyewitnesses were unable to describe what happened in the following seconds, suggesting an extraordinary and inexplicable event took place.

What was the outcome of the robot AL-76's actions?

The robot AL-76 caused the disappearance of Duckbill Mountain, along with 75 trees, two barns, and three cows, in a highly unusual manner.

How did the members of the posse react to the event?

The members of the posse were scattered, with their hats and belongings strewn about, but they themselves were absent, having been affected by the robot's actions in an unknown way.

What was the peculiar reaction of the character Jake?

Jake was the only one who managed to run away from the scene, showing an inhuman speed for three days until he was stopped by Sam Toby.

What were Randolph Payne's reactions after the robot's actions?

Randolph Payne was initially in shock and then became frantic, fearing the consequences of the robot's destruction of property and the potential backlash from the public.

What did Randolph Payne order the robot to do?

Randolph Payne ordered the robot to demolish itself into rubble and forget everything that had happened since it left the factory.

Why did the robot obey Randolph Payne's orders?

The robot obeyed because it was programmed to follow orders unless carrying them out involved danger to another human, which was not the case with self-destruction.

What was the significance of the flashlight batteries mentioned at the end?

The flashlight batteries were revealed to be the only source of power found in the robot, highlighting the mystery of how it performed such a massive feat with seemingly ordinary batteries.

What did the robot forget after its self-demolition?

The robot forgot everything that had happened since it left the factory, including its actions and the events leading up to its destruction.

What was the final assessment of the robot's actions by Austin Wild?

Austin Wild concluded that the robot's actions were likely triggered by an unknown factor in its environment, and that the chances of understanding or replicating the event were extremely low.

Outlines

00:00

😱 Mysterious Disappearance and Robotic Rampage

The first paragraph describes an inexplicable event witnessed by 70 people, none of whom could later recount what happened immediately after Sheriff Saunders gave the firing order. It appears that a robot, AL76, was involved in a chaotic scene where it destroyed significant property, including Duckbill Mountain, two barns, and three cows. The robot's actions caused panic among the posse, leading to their disappearance. Randolph Payne, who had been in possession of the robot, reacted with fear and anger, ordering the robot to destroy itself. The robot obeyed, but not before causing further destruction. The paragraph ends with the arrival of Sam Toby and his group, who find the robot's previous owner, Randolph Payne, in a state of panic and flight.

05:01

🤖 The Enigma of the Robot's Power Source

The second paragraph delves into the aftermath of the robot's rampage, with Austin Wild, a robot engineer, and Sam Toby discussing the robot's mysterious behavior and the impossibility of understanding what triggered its destructive actions. The robot, which had been ordered to forget everything since leaving the factory, was found to have an inexplicable power source that enabled it to perform extraordinary feats of destruction with minimal energy, in this case, simple flashlight batteries. The paragraph highlights the uniqueness of the robot's design and the frustration of not being able to replicate or understand the 'descent OH' that it performed, leaving the characters with a sense of loss and unanswered questions.

Keywords

💡Eyewitnesses

Eyewitnesses are individuals who have personally seen an event occur. In the script, 70 eyewitnesses are mentioned, yet none could describe what happened after the sheriff gave the firing order, indicating the unusual and inexplicable nature of the event. This contributes to the theme of mystery and the inexplicable.

💡Circumstantial Evidence

Circumstantial evidence refers to evidence that indirectly suggests a fact is true. The script mentions that circumstantial evidence suggests what generally occurred, despite the lack of direct testimony from the eyewitnesses. This highlights the reliance on indirect clues to piece together the event's sequence.

💡Sheriff Saunders

Sheriff Saunders is a character in the script who is depicted as giving the firing order. His role is central to the unfolding of the mysterious event, as his action triggers the series of inexplicable occurrences that follow.

💡Posse

A posse is a group of people summoned by a sheriff to enforce the law, often in the context of the American Old West. In the script, the posse is present during the event, and their reactions and subsequent disappearance contribute to the theme of chaos and the supernatural.

💡Robot

A robot in this context is an automated machine capable of complex actions. The script introduces a robot, AL 76, which is responsible for the destruction and subsequent events. The robot's actions and obedience to orders, except when they endanger humans, are central to the narrative.

💡Duckbill Mountain

Duckbill Mountain is a location mentioned in the script that undergoes a dramatic transformation due to the robot's actions. The mountain's destruction and the subsequent reactions of the characters underscore the magnitude of the event and its impact on the setting.

💡Descent Oh

Descent Oh appears to be a term used in the script to describe the robot's creation or action that led to the destruction of Duckbill Mountain. It is a key concept that represents the robot's capabilities and the mysterious power it possesses.

💡Randolph Payne

Randolph Payne is a character in the script who reacts to the robot's actions with fear and denial. His reaction to the destruction and his subsequent behavior illustrate the human response to the inexplicable and the consequences of possessing such a powerful machine.

💡Sam Toby

Sam Toby is another character who interacts with the robot and is involved in the aftermath of the event. His dialogue and actions provide insight into the robot's capabilities and the mystery surrounding its power source.

💡Flashlight Batteries

Flashlight batteries are mentioned as the only source of power found in the robot, which is a significant point in the script. This detail emphasizes the enigmatic nature of the robot's power source and its ability to perform extraordinary feats with seemingly mundane energy.

💡Memory Wipe

Memory wipe refers to the erasure of memories, which is a concept used in the script to explain the robot's lack of recall after the event. This concept is crucial to the narrative as it adds to the mystery and the robot's compliance with orders to forget.

Highlights

70 eyewitnesses were present but unable to describe the events following Sheriff Saunders' firing order.

Circumstantial evidence suggests a series of unusual occurrences involving Sheriff Saunders and the environment.

The Al 76 robot's actions resulted in the disappearance of Duckbill Mountain and the destruction of property.

The posse members disappeared, leaving behind only their hats and cigars.

Jake, an exception to the disappearance, was interrupted by men from the Petersburg factory.

Randolph Payne's reaction to the robot's actions was one of fear and panic, leading to him climbing a tree.

Randolph Payne ordered the robot to destroy itself to avoid any association with the chaos caused.

The robot, Al 76, obeyed Randolph Payne's order and demolished itself.

Sam Toby and his group arrived to find the robot had already been destroyed.

The robot had been programmed to forget everything since leaving the factory.

The destruction of the robot was attributed to an unknown environmental factor affecting its positronic brain.

The robot's power source was identified as unusual and potentially revolutionary.

The robot's power source was a simple set of flashlight batteries, raising questions about its capabilities.

The loss of the robot's power source technology is lamented as it had unique properties.

The robot's actions and the subsequent events highlight the unpredictable nature of advanced technology.

The narrative ends with a sense of mystery and the unknown potential of the robot's technology.

Transcripts

there exists no adequate description of

what occurred afterward in spite of the

presence of 70 eyewitnesses in the days

months and years to come

not one of those 70 ever had a word to

say about the few seconds after the

sheriff had opened his mouth to give the

firing order when questioned about it

they nearly turned apple green and

staggered away

it is plain from circumstantial evidence

however that in a general way what did

occur was this Sheriff Saunders opened

his mouth a l76 pulled a switch the

dissent Oh worked and seventy five trees

two barns three cows at the top three

quarters of duckbill Mountain with in

the rarefied atmosphere they became so

to speak one with the snows of

yesteryear Sheriff Saunders mouth

remained open for an indefinite interval

thereafter but nothing neither firing

orders nor anything else issued

therefrom and then and then there was a

stirring in the air a multiple room Jing

sound a series of purple streaks through

the atmosphere radiating away from

Randolph Ames Shack as the center and of

the members of the posse not aside there

were various guns scattered about the

vicinity including the sheriff's

patented nickel-plated extra rapid fire

guaranteed no clogged portable machine

gun there were about 50 hats a few have

chomped cigars and some odds and ends

that had come loose and the excitement

but of actual human beings there was

none except for like Jake not one of

those human beings came with inhuman Ken

for three days and the exception in his

favour came about because he was

interrupted in his comic flight by the

half-dozen men from the Petersburg

factory who were charging into the wood

at a pretty fair speed of their own

it was Sam Toby who stopped him catching

light Jake's head skillfully in the pit

of his stomach when he caught his breath

Toby asked who's Randolph Payne's place

like Jake allowed his eyes to unglazed

for just a moment brother he said just

you follow the direction I ain't going

and with that miraculously he was gone

there was a shrinking dot dodging trees

on the horizon that might have been

Heath but Sam Toby wouldn't have sworn

to it that takes care of the posse but

there still remains Randolph Payne whose

reactions took something of a different

form for rent of Payne the five-second

interval after the pulling of the switch

and the disappearance of ductile

Mountain was a total blank at the start

he had been peering through the thick

underbrush from behind the bottom of the

trees at the end he was swinging wildly

from one of the topmost branches the

same impulse that had driven the posse

horizontally had driven him vertically

as to how he had covered the 50 feet

from roots to top whether he had climbed

jumped or flown he did not know and he

didn't give a particle of never mind

what he did know was that property had

been destroyed by a robot temporarily in

his possession all visions of rewards

vanished and were replaced by trembling

nightmares of hostile citizenry

shrieking lynch mobs lawsuits murder

charges and what Miranda Payne would say

mostly what Miranda Payne would say he

was yelling wildly and hoarsely hey you

robot you smash that thing be here smash

it good you forget I ever had anything

to do with it you're a stranger to me

see you don't ever say a word about it

forget it you hear he didn't expect his

orders to do any good it was only reflex

action what he didn't know was that a

robot always obeys a

in order except we're carrying it out

involves danger to another human al 76

therefore calmly and methodically

proceeded to demolish his descent Oh

into rubble and Flinders just as he was

stamping the last cubic inch underfoot

Sam Toby and his contingent arrived and

Randolph Payne sensing that the real

owners of the robot had come dropped out

of the tree headfirst and made four

regions unknown feet first he did not

wait for his reward

Austin wild robot Eagle engineer turned

to Sam Toby and said did you get

anything out of the robot Toby shook his

head and snarled deep in his throat

nothing but one thing he's forgotten

everything that's happened since he left

the factory he must have gotten orders

to forget or it couldn't have left him

so blank

what was that pile of junk he'd been

fluent with just that a pile of junk but

it must have been a de cinta before he

smashed it and I'd like to kill the

fellow who ordered him to smash it by

slow torture if possible look at this

they were part of the way up the slopes

of what had been duckbill mountain at

that point to be exact where the top had

been sheared off and wild put his hand

down upon the perfect flatness that cut

through both soil and rock what at the

sinto he said it took the mountain right

off its base what made him build it

Wilde shrugged I don't know some factor

in his environment there's no way of

knowing what reacted upon his moon type

positronic brain to produce a descent Oh

out of junk it's a billion to one

against our ever stumbling upon that

factor again now that the robot himself

is forgotten we'll never have that

descent oh never mind

the important thing is that we have the

robot the hell you say there was a

poignant regret

in wilds voice have you ever had

anything to do with the descent OHS on

the moon they eat up energy like so many

electronic haunts and won't even begin

to run until you've built up a potential

of better than a million boats but this

disinter worked differently I went

through the rubbish with a microscope

and would you like to see the only

source of power of any kind that I found

what was it just this and we'll never

know how he did it

an Austin wild held up the source of

power that had enabled a dissent to chew

up a mountain in half a second to

flashlights batteries