1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:12,800 Now stay tuned for X minus one on NBC. Come down for Blast Off 2 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:46,759 X minus five four three two X minus one Fire from the far horizons of 3 00:00:46,799 --> 00:00:52,359 the Unknown. Come transcribe tales of new dimensions in time and space. These 4 00:00:52,399 --> 00:00:56,719 are stories of the future adventures in which you'll live in a million, could 5 00:00:56,799 --> 00:01:00,439 be years, on a thousand, maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company, 6 00:01:00,439 --> 00:01:21,079 in cooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine, resents Heck he Minus Tonight Clifford D. 7 00:01:21,239 --> 00:01:37,799 Simak story of the twenty first century. How to build your own three 8 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:42,799 dimensional color TV set complete kit screwdriver assembly in three hours. Now I've done 9 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:48,840 that. Well, let's see a dog is Man's best Friend. Build your 10 00:01:48,879 --> 00:01:56,120 own dog complete Kit Spaniel model only two hundred and fifty dollars. Yeah, 11 00:01:56,159 --> 00:02:14,599 hey, that's it. My next project, Gordon, is that you where 12 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:16,759 on the terrace. I'm just finishing a landscape. Hi? Yeah, Grace, 13 00:02:16,759 --> 00:02:20,120 look did it come? Don't kiss me, you'll get all full of 14 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,639 paint. I wasn't going to where is the package? They shed it against 15 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,400 the side of the house over there. See, oh it came. I 16 00:02:25,439 --> 00:02:28,159 want to look at it. I would have put it down in the basement, 17 00:02:28,199 --> 00:02:30,680 but I couldn't lift it. Hey, this is pretty heavy for a 18 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:35,680 sapaniel. I can't lift this myself. I'll start dinner as soon as I 19 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,400 finished this part of the picture. I want to get the grasp while the 20 00:02:38,479 --> 00:02:39,599 light's right. Yes, all right, so I no hurry. I want 21 00:02:39,599 --> 00:02:43,240 to examine the kid anyhow. Of course, if you didn't waste our money 22 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,479 on things like dog kids, maybe we could afford a robot and I wouldn't 23 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:47,319 have to cook. Yeah, yeah, all right, all right, all 24 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:53,960 right there that should be enough for now. Light's beginning to get tricky. 25 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:59,360 Gord Night. You're not going to open that thing here on the terrace now 26 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:00,919 you make a mess. Yeah, I just want to see the partler. 27 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,680 You know this thing's too big and heavy to be a dog kid. Maybe 28 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,159 it's a Great Dane. No, no, no, it can't be. 29 00:03:07,719 --> 00:03:14,199 Look here's the shipping tag from how two kits Ink to Gordon Night one dog 30 00:03:14,319 --> 00:03:17,360 kit Spaniel model two hundred and fifty dollars paid in full. The Great Dane 31 00:03:17,439 --> 00:03:21,280 costs three hundred and fifty. Well I can say is that must be the 32 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:25,199 world's biggest spaniel. Hey, you know that's that's darn funny. I told 33 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,280 you I don't want you fooling around with it up here, and I take 34 00:03:28,319 --> 00:03:30,240 it down. This can't be a dog kid, you know what. I 35 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:36,159 think it's a robot. A robot. But you didn't order a robot, 36 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:38,960 or did you? No? No, certainly not. They made a shipping 37 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,000 error. That's about the size of it. Ah dog gunn. I don't 38 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,280 have to put this crape back together again and call it express company. Are 39 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:47,439 you going to return it? Well, certainly I'm going to return it. 40 00:03:47,439 --> 00:03:51,199 You don't think we can keep it, do you? Why not? The 41 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,479 tag says paid in full, so they can't say we owe them anything. 42 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:57,759 But it's a robot. They're expensive. Well I don't see how the company 43 00:03:57,759 --> 00:04:00,759 we'll ever know when inventory time comes around, they'll be short one robot and 44 00:04:00,919 --> 00:04:05,719 long one dog. Because I've always wanted to put together a real robot. 45 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:10,439 Lord knows when i'd get another chance. Then it's settled. No, no, 46 00:04:10,439 --> 00:04:14,120 no, it is not settled either. I'll tell you what I'll I'll 47 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,040 put it together just to see what it's like, but I won't activate it. 48 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,399 See I mean, I'll you know, disassemble it right away and ship 49 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:35,120 it back to the company. Hell, there we are and grace. Look 50 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:39,959 look at it in that beauty though. You finished, well, all but 51 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:46,000 the activating grace. What you know, I'm not just thinking? How do 52 00:04:46,079 --> 00:04:50,000 I know I've got all the parts adjusted properly? I haven't the remotest idea. 53 00:04:50,079 --> 00:04:54,120 No you know, I mean the only sure away would be the tested 54 00:04:54,319 --> 00:04:57,399 you mean activating, well, only for a minute or two, you understand, 55 00:04:57,399 --> 00:05:00,480 I mean just to be sure. Then what Well, then I'll and 56 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,199 disassemble it naturally. Well, all right, as long as you don't take 57 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:04,959 too long. No, no, no no, I'll have it in a 58 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,600 jiffy now here. Look you see, all I have to do is just 59 00:05:08,759 --> 00:05:14,800 put on the activating plate. Yeah, and turn this lock. Nut ain't 60 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:20,480 like so now wait a minute, just just the automatic current control. Yeah 61 00:05:20,519 --> 00:05:24,160 there, Now that that should do it. Now stand back, stand back 62 00:05:24,199 --> 00:05:27,240 now I'll turn it on and I hope it lay to work. It'll work. 63 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:33,560 I followed the directions to the letter. You're ready. Now it works, 64 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:41,000 I'll have to oil that joint. Wait, gratically moving its head. 65 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:46,959 My name is Alder. I am a robot. What is there to do? 66 00:05:47,519 --> 00:05:51,839 Well? It certainly has a nice voice. Now now take it easy, 67 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:56,800 but just sit down and rest and we'll have a little talk. There's 68 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,000 no need to rest. I was made to work. Well, it's long, 69 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,199 is he? It doesn't need to rest. I can think of one 70 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:05,120 hundred things for it to do. Now there's the house and the garden, 71 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:09,079 and Lord, look, Grace. I wonder if he could learn to cook. 72 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,879 A robot can be taught to do anything a person can do. Hold 73 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,199 on a minute, Albert, please and listen to me. We can't keep 74 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,040 you. You understand, I mean you were sent here by a mistake. 75 00:06:18,399 --> 00:06:21,079 But I mean, as long as you're activated, there wouldn't be any harm 76 00:06:21,079 --> 00:06:26,040 in letting you do a few things. I can do anything good. The 77 00:06:26,079 --> 00:06:29,120 whole house needs a thorough cleaning, Grace. Then of course I'd like some 78 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:31,879 new drapes for the study. And the kitchen hasn't been painted for four years. 79 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,560 Then there's that leaky foss. Oh Lord, well, what's the matter? 80 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,600 Attachments? There on? Eddy, He can't do all that stuff without 81 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,000 attachments, and they cost almost as much as the robot itself. And don't 82 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:46,399 worry about attachments. Just tell me what's to be done. Well, you 83 00:06:46,519 --> 00:06:50,120 heard my wife? Or what about your grounds? Oh? I got a 84 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:55,319 hundred beat up acres and need attention. But because I realized that that's too 85 00:06:55,399 --> 00:06:58,920 much work. Huh, don't worry about a thing. I can fix it 86 00:06:58,959 --> 00:07:03,199 for you. Make them necessary, make your own attachment. Don't worry about 87 00:07:03,199 --> 00:07:06,279 a thing. But oh, for Heaven's sake, stop arguing with him and 88 00:07:06,319 --> 00:07:20,040 let him get to work. I'm arguing morning, Gordon. The coffee is 89 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:25,319 ready. I just sleep here. Oh so good, kept hearing noises all 90 00:07:25,399 --> 00:07:29,720 Now that was Albert working in the basement. Albert, Hey, gosh, 91 00:07:29,759 --> 00:07:31,439 that's right. I forgot. Robots don't sleep. He was working all night. 92 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,199 When I came into the kitchen just now, I found the breakfast all 93 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:39,639 prepared. He can cook. Isn't that wonderful? Yeah? What's he doing 94 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,680 now? I don't know, making something? I think, Oh, Gordon, 95 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:45,519 he's going to be such a tremendous help to me. I'll be able 96 00:07:45,519 --> 00:07:46,839 to spend more time than ever with my painter. Now, wait a minute, 97 00:07:46,959 --> 00:07:48,839 what makes you think we can keep him? I mean they're not no 98 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:53,079 grace. I mean we could get into Trump. Don't see how. I'll 99 00:07:53,079 --> 00:07:55,879 tell you what. Why don't you walk over and call on Anson Lee? 100 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,720 He could advise you. What does he know about it? He's a lawyer. 101 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:01,879 Well technically he's a lawyer. I mean, never seems to work at 102 00:08:01,879 --> 00:08:05,079 it anymore. We have to understand and and that's all. Look, I 103 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:09,639 understand them, all right. He's a reactionary, a throwback to the twentieth 104 00:08:09,639 --> 00:08:13,720 century, spends all his time lying in a hammock, drinking and reading proofs. 105 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:16,759 Well, it's what he enjoy he's doing. I'll bet that guy never 106 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:18,319 assembled a kit in his life. Can you imagine that? Well, we 107 00:08:18,399 --> 00:08:22,439 all have our peculiarities just the same. He could give you legal advice. 108 00:08:22,839 --> 00:08:26,439 Well, all right, all right, I'll go over after breakfast if it'll 109 00:08:26,439 --> 00:08:46,360 make you feel any happier. Passed the cream, Oh, have a drink 110 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:50,120 night hard cider? Made it myself. Thought you didn't go in for home 111 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,320 projects, Lee, I don't. Making this cighter was the first honest work 112 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:58,639 I've done a year. I don't doubt it. Let me. Time I 113 00:08:58,639 --> 00:09:01,679 get a end of work, I look across at your place and I decide 114 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,759 against it. How many rooms have you added to that house since you've got 115 00:09:05,759 --> 00:09:07,960 it built? Eight? Good? Lord? The eight rooms? No, 116 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,600 no, no, it's not hard. Once you get the next got fun, 117 00:09:11,639 --> 00:09:15,919 you just buy a how to kid sure, I know, just follow 118 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,919 direction. Anybody can build a robot on a kitchen table. Well, no 119 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,480 thanks, Why do you say that, I mean about building a robot? 120 00:09:24,759 --> 00:09:28,879 Oh? I don't know. I suppose I expect you to start building one 121 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:33,200 anytime. Now. You've done everything else. What's got in the people? 122 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:37,720 These days and nights? They just ironed equipped to enjoy the leisure? That 123 00:09:37,879 --> 00:09:43,320 is most of them on me? I am I ree, I lie in 124 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:48,039 a hammock and now and again I even think, as I guess that makes 125 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,759 me an eccentric. Have another drink. Oh no, no, no, 126 00:09:50,759 --> 00:10:01,639 no thanks, I'll have to get back to my place. Albert, Albert, 127 00:10:01,799 --> 00:10:03,879 you call me, sir? Yeah, Albert, listen to me. 128 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,480 I Albert, I have reached a decision about you. But I'm not Albert, 129 00:10:07,519 --> 00:10:11,200 sir. I huh. You would hardly expect Albert to be clipping hedges. 130 00:10:13,919 --> 00:10:16,559 If you're not, You're not Albert? Who are you? Abe? 131 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:20,600 Albert is down in the basement. Oh what are you doing here? Where 132 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,840 did you come from? If you wish to talk to me, you will 133 00:10:22,879 --> 00:10:24,679 have to move along the hedge with me. I cannot stop working. Oh 134 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:26,799 okay, okay, move along? But wait, wait, wait, where 135 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:31,879 did you come from? Albert made me, Albert made you, and now 136 00:10:31,879 --> 00:10:37,919 he's down in the basement working on Alfred. Alfred another robot. Certainly that 137 00:10:37,039 --> 00:10:52,240 is what Albert is for. He makes robots. Oh no, Albert, 138 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,000 Oh there you are, Albert. What's going on here? I'm reproducing what 139 00:10:56,879 --> 00:11:01,519 I have a built in mother. I don't know why they named me Albert. 140 00:11:01,919 --> 00:11:05,120 I should have had a female name. But you shouldn't be able to 141 00:11:05,159 --> 00:11:09,000 make Roberts. Look, boss, you worry a lot. You want robots, 142 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,720 don't you. Well, yeah, I guess everybody could use a robot 143 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,399 I make. I'm making all you need, Albert, Albert, put down 144 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:22,600 that head and listen to me. I want to have a serious talk. 145 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:28,200 Sure, boss, what's on your mind now? Albert? I just looked 146 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,240 through your packing case and I found this tag. Look it says X one 147 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:37,759 hundred and ninety X Albert. Don't you understand that means you're an experimental model. 148 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,879 That's correct. You were never meant to be sold. That is also 149 00:11:39,919 --> 00:11:43,600 correct. I know. Don't you see? That means trouble. I can't 150 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:46,559 keep you. I've already taken care of that. What do you mean I 151 00:11:46,639 --> 00:11:50,840 filed off my serial number and replated the surface. Why why did you do 152 00:11:50,879 --> 00:11:54,399 that so that they can't come around and take me back. They made me, 153 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:58,039 and then they got scared and shut me off. But you're not afraid 154 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:03,039 of me, assembled me and let me go to work. I'm sticking with 155 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:05,639 you, Boss. Wait a minute that this could mean a lot of trouble 156 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,919 for me, Albert, No trouble. They can't prove a thing. I'll 157 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,240 swear that you made me. I'll not let them take me back. They 158 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,240 will take no chances. Next time. They'll break me up for scrap. 159 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:20,759 But but look, if you make too many robots. Robots are useful. 160 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,799 You need a lot of them in this place. Now, don't worry, 161 00:12:22,799 --> 00:12:28,279 Boss, everything will work out well. I'll take good care of you. 162 00:12:28,279 --> 00:12:41,799 Now I must go back to work. Albert is nearly finished. Mister Knight. 163 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,840 I'm from the County Tax Office tax assessor. Oh, I didn't know 164 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:46,960 you Fellas came around more than once a year. Ordinarily we don't. This 165 00:12:48,039 --> 00:12:50,440 is a special case. Oh made a lot of improvement in the place the 166 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:54,559 past few days, landscaping, painting, building. Well, afraid I'll have 167 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,919 to boost your assessments. Somen I say, heard about those robots of you 168 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,440 robots personal property, you know, have to pay attacks on them. Just 169 00:13:05,799 --> 00:13:09,639 how many of you got? Oh one or two? I've been counting. 170 00:13:09,759 --> 00:13:11,960 They move around so fast, I can't be sure, but I estimate the 171 00:13:13,039 --> 00:13:16,240 number at thirty eight. That right, If you say so, thirty eight 172 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:20,480 it is, then they cost ten thousand apiece. I'll assess them at five. 173 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:24,519 That's let's see, that's one hundred and ninety thousand dollars. Oh no, 174 00:13:24,639 --> 00:13:26,720 hey, that's pretty steep. But I'm going easy on you. By 175 00:13:26,799 --> 00:13:31,320 rights, I should only allow you a third for depreciation. Well that's it, 176 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,159 mister night. One hundred and ninety thousand dollars. Wait, we'll send 177 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:37,120 you the bill with your quarterly statement. But good day, good day. 178 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,399 Ah. But look, I've been holding off until we got the new landscaping 179 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:50,840 job under control. But I can't hold off any longer. Any longer. 180 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:52,679 I mean, we got to start selling some of the robots. Selling, 181 00:13:52,799 --> 00:13:56,559 Yeah, twenty of them. That should do for a start. The tax 182 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,480 assessor was here, I need the cash. You can't sell the robots. 183 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:05,039 Why can I? Because they're my family, my boys named after me, 184 00:14:05,159 --> 00:14:09,120 all of albert I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. They're all live balls. 185 00:14:09,039 --> 00:14:13,519 You wouldn't sell your own children, would you. All their names start with 186 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,320 A, just like mine, Abe, Adelbert, Alfred, Adam, Aaron 187 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:20,159 Anton acts all right, all right, all right, don't go through the 188 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,480 whole roll call. I mean, the point is I need the money. 189 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,399 Don't you worry, boss, I'll fix everything. You have nothing to worry 190 00:14:26,399 --> 00:14:39,200 about. The point is, mister Knight, the Internal Revenue Department is always 191 00:14:39,279 --> 00:14:43,679 interested when a citizen shows a substantial capital gain during the year capital gain. 192 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:46,519 I haven't made any capital come, come, sir. I'm talking about the 193 00:14:46,559 --> 00:14:50,000 matter of some fifty two robots. As I understand it, their retail value 194 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:54,639 is ten thousand dollars each, so they say fifty two times ten thousand is 195 00:14:54,720 --> 00:15:00,000 five hundred and twenty thousand dollars. On capital gains, you pay fifty percent 196 00:15:00,399 --> 00:15:05,360 or two hundred and sixty thousand dollars, a tax roughly of one hundred and 197 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,960 thirty thousand dollars. When what do I do? By the fifteenth of next 198 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,559 month, you must file a declaration of estimated income. You paid half of 199 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:18,080 the due tax at that time and the balance in monthly installments. And there's 200 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:24,679 one other matter. On another matter we investigated, we found you make ten 201 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:30,480 thousand dollars a year. Would you tell me out of personal curiosity? Understand 202 00:15:30,519 --> 00:15:33,399 I understand just how a man of your particular means could show a capital gain 203 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:39,919 of a half a million dollars in so short a time. I'm beginning to 204 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:46,679 wonder myself. Well, our only concern is you pay your tax. However, 205 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:50,519 some other branch of the federal government might very well want to ask some 206 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,759 questions. Sometimes I were you, mister Knight, I would be ready with 207 00:15:54,759 --> 00:16:07,279 some answers. Yeah, good day, Good day, Alvid. Now look 208 00:16:07,279 --> 00:16:10,399 did I tell you this is this is a crisis. Do you understand it? 209 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:11,919 Like it or not. I have got to sell some of your boys, 210 00:16:11,919 --> 00:16:15,159 a whole bunch of them, Boss. I told you not to worry, 211 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,679 not to worry. Listen, I just came from the income tax people. 212 00:16:18,759 --> 00:16:22,399 I owe the government a cool one hundred and thirty grand and those boys. 213 00:16:22,399 --> 00:16:26,879 Don't fool around. I'm desperate. Money is no trouble, boss. 214 00:16:26,279 --> 00:16:32,120 Come here, Come where over here? Look at this? What's this? 215 00:16:32,559 --> 00:16:37,039 What those are? Those those bails? What have they gotten? Don't tell 216 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:42,039 me full of money? Boss, help yourself. I mean that the actual 217 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,919 real money in those bales. Not stage money now, real money, Boss, 218 00:16:47,159 --> 00:16:49,240 No ones, of course, but lots of tens and twenties. Yeah, 219 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:52,519 that bail over there is full of fifties. We didn't fool around with 220 00:16:52,639 --> 00:16:59,200 ones, Albert, mean the eye did you? Did you make that money? 221 00:16:59,519 --> 00:17:02,960 You said you needed it. We took some bills and analyzed the ink. 222 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:06,359 I found out how to weave the paper and made plates. I hate 223 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:10,440 the sounding modest, boss, but they're beautiful. Oh my gosh. I'm 224 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,160 a counterfeitter too. We just ran off as much as we thought you need. 225 00:17:14,799 --> 00:17:17,519 If it's not enough, we'll make some. It's enough, not not 226 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,039 another dollar, Albert, listen to me that they're there are laws in this 227 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:22,599 country. I mean, you just can't go out and print money. That's 228 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:26,400 a crime, don't you understand. Now, Look you take it all outside 229 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,319 and burn it right up. You understand, and don't print anymore. That 230 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:33,319 is an order. I'm busy. I hate to disturb you there, but 231 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:34,359 I thought you ought to know about the sheriff. I don't want to know 232 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,279 the sheriff. He was here with a subpoena whatever you call them. What 233 00:17:38,319 --> 00:17:41,880 you call it seems the how to company's got to sue us. Oh no, 234 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,799 oh, all right, that does it? That does Where are you 235 00:17:45,920 --> 00:18:00,119 going to see my lawyer? He off hand man, I'd say you were 236 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:03,640 in quite a jam. I didn't have to walk all the way over here 237 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:04,920 to find that out. The point is, Lee, what in the name 238 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,119 of heaven can I do? Well, First, you'll have to file a 239 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:14,000 declaration of estimated income. Even if I can't pay, especially if you can't 240 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:18,319 pay technically, then you haven't violated the law. And all they can do 241 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:22,160 is to try to collect what you owe. They'll probably slap an attachment on 242 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:27,000 your bank account. What bank account? I'm broke? Oh well, then 243 00:18:27,039 --> 00:18:30,720 i'd say you're made to worry? Is the how to company suit? If 244 00:18:30,759 --> 00:18:33,400 I were you, i'd set it out a court. Out of court, 245 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:37,720 they might call off the action if you returned all the robots, Albert says, 246 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:41,680 he'll testify that I made him. Albert can't testify as a robot. 247 00:18:42,039 --> 00:18:45,960 He has no standing in court. Oh, you better give them back and 248 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:48,920 get what terms you can't. No, no, no, no, I 249 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,559 won't do it. I won't. Don't you See. They don't want Albert 250 00:18:51,599 --> 00:18:53,839 back because they can use him. They want to break him up to maintain 251 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,079 their robot prices. Don't you see it might be a thousand years before his 252 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:02,759 principle is rediscovered. If it ever is, would that be bad? I 253 00:19:02,799 --> 00:19:06,240 don't know. Only time will tell that. But I mean you could say 254 00:19:06,279 --> 00:19:08,200 the same thing about any great invention. Look, no, I will not 255 00:19:08,319 --> 00:19:12,559 let them destroy Albert. Yes, I see your point, Night, and 256 00:19:12,599 --> 00:19:17,160 I like it. You like it, I'll take the case. Of course. 257 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:18,799 I ought to warn you I'm not a very good lawyer. I know 258 00:19:19,039 --> 00:19:22,000 I don't work hard enough at it. But I do have a chance. 259 00:19:22,079 --> 00:19:26,200 Huh. In all my practice at law Night, I never saw a man 260 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:30,720 who'd gotten himself as fouled up as this. I'd say, your chances are 261 00:19:30,839 --> 00:19:38,400 nil. Yeah it's Albert Boss. I heard about the suit. Yeah it's 262 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:41,119 all right, Albert. Mister Lee here is going to handle our case. 263 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:45,240 We robots want to help. I'm afraid there's not much you can do. 264 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,839 Oh, yes there is. I'm building a lawyer robot. He's building a 265 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:53,240 lawyer robot with far greater memory capacity than any human, and with brain computers 266 00:19:53,319 --> 00:19:59,160 that operate on logic. That's what law is based on, isn't it logic? 267 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,359 I've heard, but it won't work, Albert the practice law, you 268 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,279 must be admitted to the bar. To be admitted to the bar, you 269 00:20:07,319 --> 00:20:11,400 must have a degree in law and pass an examination. And although it has 270 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:15,839 never been an occasion to establish a precedent, I suspect the applicant must be 271 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:18,559 human. Lee Lee, Wait a minute, what about law clerks? I 272 00:20:18,559 --> 00:20:22,119 mean they don't have to be human. I'd say that was completely true. 273 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:26,640 Yeah, then Albert's robots can be clerks. Well, could be you know 274 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,960 what I mean. Yes, it's never been done, but there's nothing in 275 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,839 the law that says it can't be done. Then it's settled. I'll make 276 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:36,200 a dozen to start. Each one will be an expert in one phase of 277 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:40,440 the law. Boss, You're going to have the most powerful battery of legal 278 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:53,079 talent ever assembled under one roof. Right in the court, Mister Lee, 279 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:57,400 what is the meaning of this outrage? What outrage? Your honor? Those 280 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:03,480 robots sitting at the defense table, These, your honor, are my valued 281 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:07,000 assistants. Robots. Yes, your honor, take them away. They have 282 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:11,079 no standing in this court, If your honor will excuse me, they need 283 00:21:11,079 --> 00:21:15,680 no standing. I am the sole representative of the defendants, My client as 284 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,359 a poor man, and he is opposed by the most formidable array of legal 285 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:22,279 talent money can buy. Now, surely the court will not deny him whatever 286 00:21:22,319 --> 00:21:26,440 assistance he's been able to muster. This, Sir, is highly irregular. 287 00:21:26,079 --> 00:21:30,720 If it please your honor, I should like to point out that we live 288 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,640 in a mechanized age. The court clerk uses a machine to take down the 289 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:38,319 transcript of these very proceedings. To my certain knowledge, no court has ever 290 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,960 challenged the presence of such a device as an ad to the furtherance of justice. 291 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:48,039 If your honor can point out anything in the law specifically barring these robots 292 00:21:48,039 --> 00:21:51,000 from the court, that's ridiculous, Sir. Of course, there is no 293 00:21:51,039 --> 00:21:55,319 such provision. At no time anywhere did anyone dream such a contingency would arise 294 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:59,200 in that case, Sir, I asked the court for a favorable ruling. 295 00:21:59,559 --> 00:22:02,920 Mister, as you point out, there is no precedent for my ruling in 296 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:07,720 any way but in your favor. Therefore, Sir, with reluctance, I 297 00:22:07,839 --> 00:22:17,680 do so. At this time, and what kind of a day has it 298 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:19,759 been. It's a day in which a new kind of trial has suddenly captured 299 00:22:19,799 --> 00:22:23,599 the imagination of the public. A trial in which a man accused of misappropriating 300 00:22:23,599 --> 00:22:27,079 a robot has brought into court a whole battery of robots to aid in his 301 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:36,680 defense. To give validity to their argument you're on earth, it must first 302 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:41,119 be proved that these robots are in fact the property of the plaintiff. That 303 00:22:41,319 --> 00:22:47,839 is the issue at trial in this case. So, in the now famous 304 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,359 robot case, the issue has come down to this, was the robot stolen 305 00:22:51,480 --> 00:23:00,960 or was he liberated? It is a far reaching question. Indeed, I 306 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:04,240 have already established that robots are possessed of free will, that they have the 307 00:23:04,279 --> 00:23:11,319 power of reasoning, and that they can most certainly reproduce. As to my 308 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:15,759 worthy opponent's fourth contention that they have no spiritual sense, I contend that this 309 00:23:15,799 --> 00:23:21,680 is irrelevant. There are agnostics and atheists in the human race, and in 310 00:23:21,759 --> 00:23:29,759 general no one has denied them their full rights on this count. And so 311 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:33,359 the trial has at last come to its end. The whole nation, indeed 312 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:37,440 the whole world, awaits the momentous decision which must be handed down. In 313 00:23:37,599 --> 00:23:41,799 Washington, d C. Treasury officials have been meeting steadily for a week to 314 00:23:41,839 --> 00:23:45,640 find some way to avoid the loss of the enormous taxes on robots in the 315 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,519 event the decision rendered is in favor of the defense. One high government official 316 00:23:48,519 --> 00:23:52,839 has said that if robots are declared free and equal, it means they must 317 00:23:52,839 --> 00:23:56,039 be given full citizen rights under the constitution. Already, the chairman of both 318 00:23:56,119 --> 00:24:14,759 major political parties are mapping campaigns to another robot Bote. Welcome home, Darling. 319 00:24:14,839 --> 00:24:15,960 Yeah, yeah, thank you for what's going on here, Grace. 320 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:19,039 I have more trouble getting into my own home than into the Pentagon. Oh 321 00:24:19,079 --> 00:24:23,319 you mean the robots. They've set up a defense perimeter. I a defense 322 00:24:25,519 --> 00:24:30,000 Albert, Hello, Boss, welcome home, Albert. What is the meaning 323 00:24:30,039 --> 00:24:33,319 of all of bob Weire and the rocket launchers? Just precautions, Boss. 324 00:24:33,759 --> 00:24:38,160 We're ready for any situation such as, oh, like a mob deciding to 325 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,759 take justice into its own hands, for instance, or if the decision goes 326 00:24:41,759 --> 00:24:45,799 against us, that too, Boss. Did you two go on and talk? 327 00:24:45,079 --> 00:24:48,240 I really got to get back to my painting. I have a beautiful 328 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:51,799 still life light simply got yeah, yeah, I finished, Albert. Listen, 329 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:56,400 you can't fight the whole world. We won't go back how two kits 330 00:24:56,440 --> 00:25:00,480 incorporated. We'll never lay a hand on me or any of my children, 331 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,079 that this is madness. Don't you understand they'd get you with one bomb and 332 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:07,880 me too. Better to die fighting, Boss than to live in chains. 333 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:11,920 That's our motel. No matter what happens, we are ready for the decision. 334 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:25,720 The court is ready to render its decision. It is the most difficult 335 00:25:25,759 --> 00:25:29,079 decision I have ever made, for in following the letter of the law, 336 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:34,200 I fear I may be subverting its spirit. After long days of earnest consideration 337 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:40,079 about the law and the evidence as presented in this court, I find for 338 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:48,759 the defendant, Gordon Knight, I cannot rule otherwise. May I add that 339 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:52,119 this ruling, in spite of the fact that I myself made it, outrages 340 00:25:52,200 --> 00:26:04,000 my social conscience. You did it, Boss, you did it. We're 341 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:08,440 free, Yes, Albert, we should did it. Where's my wife in 342 00:26:08,519 --> 00:26:14,359 the studio painting? Not another landscape? Her fifth this week. She's doing 343 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:17,799 very well, yes, isn't she? And I am working on a new 344 00:26:17,839 --> 00:26:21,799 robot for her a painter. Soon she won't have to bother doing it herself. 345 00:26:22,279 --> 00:26:25,480 That's nice. And you won't have to do anything anymore either, Boss, 346 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:29,200 not a thing. Oh, we're gonna take care of you from here 347 00:26:29,319 --> 00:26:32,839 on out. Thanks. Did I tell you about my new children yet? 348 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:37,160 No? I don't think so. Alice, Angeline, Agnes, Agatha, 349 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:41,559 Alberta and Abigail daughter six on the Boss, and all with a built in 350 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:45,400 reproducing instinct just like mine. Oh no, they're down in the basement now 351 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:49,960 turning out robots. Great, we've got everything worked out for your boss. 352 00:26:51,279 --> 00:26:53,519 You won't have to worry about a thing for the rest of your life. 353 00:26:55,240 --> 00:27:12,359 No, Albert, not a thing. You have just heard. X minus 354 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:18,640 one presented by the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Galaxy Science fiction magazine, 355 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:22,079 which this month features Name Your Symptom by Jim Harmon, a story of a 356 00:27:22,079 --> 00:27:26,759 future in which anyone who shunned the cure needed to have his head examined, 357 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:30,920 assuming he still had one left. Galaxy Magazine on your news stand today Tonight 358 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:36,200 by transcription. X minus one has brought you how to a story from the 359 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,960 pages of Galaxy, written by Clifford D. Simmack and adapted for radio by 360 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:45,079 William Welch. Featured in the cast were Alan Buntz, Anne seymour Les Damon, 361 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:49,920 Joseph Bell, James Monks, William Key, laws In Zerbe Santa Sortega 362 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:56,240 and Ben Grower. Your Announcer Fred Collins. X Minus one was directed by 363 00:27:56,359 --> 00:28:14,559 Daniel Sutter and is an NBC Radio Network production. Muh here Politics and Primaries 364 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:22,240 Dateline Illinois and Wisconsin tonight on NBC Radio. Mm hmm