“I don’t know how to impress upon you how dangerous Port Royal will be,” said Rita. “In particular, they will look at Jane and me in a very different way from what we are used to in our own time. You hired me for my expertise, and I believe we should all carry at least good-sized knives, if not pistols and swords.”

“This may be too great a risk-” Hunter began.

“I suggest a compromise,” said Steve.

“What kind?” Jane asked. “After all, Hunter, keeping us safe is also part of your First Law requirement.”

“We’ll take some money back with us,” said Steve. “Coins from that time, 1668 or earlier. Spanish coins, English coins, whatever Rita says is appropriate. When we get there, we’ll buy what we need, then leave it behind when we come home. That way we won’t take anything that originated after 1668 back with us.”

“‘That would satisfy my concern,” said Rita. “But we’ll have to keep our wealth well-hidden from the buccaneers around us.”

“A compromise,” Hunter said carefully. “Rita, are coins from that time and place readily available?”

“Well, they exist,” said Rita. “Many of them were gold, so those are very expensive. Many are in museums and galleries now, so those aren’t available at all. But some coins from that time can be found for a reasonable price. I would try collectors and dealers in the Caribbean.”

“I have a certain number of such coins already,” said Hunter. “I would prefer not to delay the trip while we wait for more.”

“You know,” said Rita. “They could be faked easily and cheaply. Or would that be too risky?”

“Fakes would increase the chance of altering history,” said Hunter. “We would increase the local money supply.”

“How much do you have?” Rita asked.

“One kilogram of silver coin,” said Hunter. “The denominations vary.”

Rita thought a moment. “Exact prices fluctuated, depending on what booty the buccaneers brought back at any given time. Barter was very common. For our purposes, however, I think that should do if we are careful with it.”

“This will be a good move for more reasons than just getting weapons,” Steve said. “We’ll want to rent lodging and buy food, too.”

“We will take two-way radio transmitters this time too,” said Hunter.

“Yeah! That’ll avoid some stupid problems we had last time,” said Steve.

“They must be disguised,” said Rita. “If anyone in 1668 hears voices coming out of the air, we might be accused of sorcery of some kind and killed on the spot. Buccaneers were very superstitious, impulsive people.”

“I have the transmitters ready,” said Hunter. “In the form of lapel pins.”

“We should wear them out of sight,” said Rita. “Jewelry will invite thieves.”

“This whole arrangement sounds good to me,” said Steve. “I think this mission may be safer than the last one. Food and shelter will be waiting and we won’t have to watch for Tyrannosaurus rexes stampeding after us.”

Jane laughed. “I’m convinced.”

During dinner, Rita had Hunter access the city computer. In consultation with it, she gave Hunter a list of vaccinations that the human members of the team would need. He arranged to have the serums waiting at the Institute.

After dinner, Hunter drove the team through Mojave Center to the Bohung Institute. Rita began briefing them on what to expect in Port Royal, including some of the sailing terms and other historical references they might need in the language. Hunter stored it easily, of course.

As Hunter listened to Rita, he also eavesdropped on some of the people around them. Everyone seemed to be talking about the explosion in Jamaica. The toll of death, injuries, and destruction was still climbing. The world community was rushing to help with emergency supplies and services. Experts around the world were speculating on the cause, but only Hunter and his team knew what it was.

Hunter’s sense of failure under the First Law for allowing so many humans to suffer and die was increasing. He wanted to go back into the past as soon as possible to prevent the disaster. He was making an unusual effort to concentrate his attention on his duties. Reviewing the moves he had already made helped to distract him.

Before MC Governor had left, he had arranged for the city computer to coordinate the duties that were normally his. Hunter had found that the system was functioning effectively, so he had not interfered with it. Earlier that day, Hunter had also arranged, through the city computer, for the entire Bohung Institute to be closed down. He had cited emergency conditions that he had classified as “unexplained.” It was now guarded by a full detail of Security robots.

This detail was temporarily under the authority of R. Ishihara. He was the robot who was normally assigned to Room F-12, where the experimental time travel unit was located. Originally designed for miniaturization, it had been modified by MC Governor for this second purpose. Hunter felt that leaving an Institute robot in charge was appropriate.

After dinner, Hunter drove the team in the Security vehicle up to the Bohung Institute. By the time he pulled up at the main entrance, he had already alerted Ishihara that they were coming. Hunter had also transmitted Rita’s appearance, fingerprints, and voiceprint so that Ishihara could add them to the screening data for members of Hunter’s team. It was just a precaution. Hunter fully expected that by the time he brought Rita through the Institute again on the way out, MC 2 would have been apprehended.

The Security detail was there partly to prevent unexpected visitors from entering, since the employees had already been notified that the Institute was closed. Charging the guards with the protection of the humans on Hunter’s team under the First Law meant that no humans could use the Second Law to countermand his instructions. However, Hunter’s main reason for assigning the detail was to capture Dr. Wayne Nystrom if at all possible. The team had last seen him in the Late Cretaceous Period, but he could be anywhere at any time by now.

Hunter led his team into Room F-12, where Ishihara was personally stationed. The room was very large and dominated by an opaque sphere about fifteen meters in diameter. The rest of the room was lined with countertops filled with computers, monitors, a communications console, and miscellaneous office items that had been in use when Hunter had suddenly closed down the Institute.

Inside, Ishihara passed out the oral vaccines to the humans, who took them immediately. Then he waited by the door. Everyone turned to Hunter for instructions.

Hunter took them to a small stack of clothes and accessories on a counter.

“Steve, Rita,” said Hunter. “These are the clothes I gathered while Steve and Jane were sleeping. If they pass inspection, we can leave soon. I hired the robot tailor from the city personnel department to design and make them based on research I did in the library. I gave him Steve’s and Jane’s sizes. Rita’s clothes may need alteration, which I can have done immediately. Since we will be in the tropics, the clothes are made of cotton, not wool. I directed that no modern synthetic materials be present in any of them. Steve and I have already agreed that we will not have to take any packs of survival gear with us.”

Steve picked up a loose, white shirt and knee breeches, shaking them out to take a look at them. “Good enough, I’d say. I’ll try them on in a minute.”

First he examined the other clothing, which included two long brown skirts for Rita and Jane. “These are practical enough, I think. These will help us blend in when we first arrive. That’s the important part.”

“The clothing design is correct,” said Rita, taking items from Steve. “But this belt buckle is an anachronism.”

“In what way?” Hunter asked.

“The buckle is made of stainless steel, a more recent development,” said Rita, tossing the belt to him. She held the hem of one skirt up close to peer at it. “Did you tell the tailor robot to avoid synthetic thread too?”