Foundation

And down it goes.

It's slicing us, virtually.

Just in case one of us commits suicide by means of boredom.

If that were possible, would any of us still draw breath?

We failed the Prophet.

I'm not sure about that.

We were told to go to the Imperial Palace and look where we are,

- the Imperial Palace. - Yeah.

And this must be the diplomatic lounge.

Thank you for not laughing

when I was prattling on about the wine from the Prophet's hand.

It took me over a century to find a way to be useful to him

and less than a week to fuck it up.

I should have kept the Vordaline.

We flagged them at the port and brought them in this morning.

They claim to have traveled here for diplomatic relations.

What are those robes?

Clerical vestments. Church of Hari Seldon.

Just as General Riose arrives in the Outer Reach,

the Outer Reach reaches out.

Interesting.

You'll want to see the data from the port of entry.

Given the timing, should we continue with preparations

for your marriage to Queen Sareth?

Unless you're having second thoughts?

There'll be no turning back if I do this.

It will be different for both of us, but...

you will always have a place here, Demerzel.

With my new family.

My children...

even if they somehow don't resemble me.

They will be Empire, just the same.

Of course.

I thank Empire for his words of welcome.

I look forward to ruling at his side.

And I want you, all of you...

The way he set his jaw when I spoke.

...I am not wed to just one...

He hid it well for the crowd, but up close, it was something to behold.

There's this little vein, right here, that...

Why do I feel as though my enjoiner is about to live up to the title?

No admonishments, just advice.

You make them feel so similar.

Day is taken with you. Perhaps because you treat him with contempt.

And foolishly, he's not particularly threatened by you.

But there's one thing you must never do to a man like that.

You must never embarrass him.

You know I'll be careful, but...

Queen Sareth-betrothed.

You were the cynosure of all eyes today.

People of Trantor appear quite taken with your promises.

Thank you.

But you come with more than congratulations, surely?

Now that your wedding's been announced, our doctors request your presence.

A final examination before we begin producing an heir.

We can find time this week.

You misunderstand me. I'm here to escort the queen now.

I know, Demerzel. I know what you are.

Your mechanical nature.

I need to be read into the family secrets.

I won't live at a disadvantage.

You are well-informed.

I am a humaniform robot.

I had a governess who told tales of the great pogrom.

She said you'd all been destroyed.

Are there any other survivors?

To my knowledge, I am the last one.

I have served the dynasty since the reign of Cleon I.

Did you serve any other masters before him?

Not directly.

What does that mean?

For a long time, all robots were bound by three laws.

The laws made me unable to harm a human or allow harm to come to a human.

- And now? - Now I'm bound by only one law.

- Which is? - I serve Empire.

And I'll soon be an empress.

Hence my line of questioning.

When the time comes, I want to know.

Will you serve me?

I will serve Empire.

Thank you all for your interest.

I am Oran, physician of the court.

I specialize in matters of reproduction and suchlike.

Please, try to relax.

We will begin with a simple uterine examination

to ensure you're capable of carrying Empire's progeny.

I'm sure my womb is strong enough to carry the Cleon-Child,

fabled though its kicks may be.

Yes. I'm quite sure that it is.

I see the queen has chemically stimulated the royal ovaries as we requested.

Once this is finished, you'll be sedated so we can harvest the eggs.

You're not harvesting anything until Empire and I are legally bound.

- Call me old-fashioned. - You're in no position to argue.

Is that a joke, Demerzel? I can argue in any position.

The moment you accepted Empire's proposal, your womb became imperial property.

And you would know all about being imperial property, wouldn't you?

Cloud Dominion has equal interest in the queen's offspring.

So we can enjoin in any premature harvesting. But in good time.

Yes, exactly. After the wedding, I'll produce eggs by the dozen.

And you don't need to worry about the process either, Demerzel.

I know you have an arrangement with my husband-to-be,

and I won't get in the way.

You and Day wish to continue playing sanctum and scepter,

I'm happy to carry his children and let you do the drudge work.

This must be done during ovulation.

We'll stop here for now.

We have many years ahead of us.

Wonderful!

I hope whatever you must do to Day to reverse the imperial sterility

is as painful as this.

Yes, well, Empire's reversal is a simple procedure.

It takes about 20 seconds for the nano-probes

to tunnel new vasa deferentia.

At least that sounds unpleasant. Fair is fair.

All right, Dr. Oran. I think you've rummaged around enough for today.

- We'll stop here for now. - Yes.

I'd like to have a moment alone with the queen.

It's all right.

You believe Empire killed your family.

I know you have come here with that in mind. So, just to say it,

if ever you should entertain some fantasy of revenge, please think of them.

Your parents. Your siblings. Burnt alive by the very air around them.

Killed with the sort of precision I bring to my work.

86,988,301, 86,988,329...

Gaal?

Salvor?

Something Tellem taught you?

I'm sorry. I just...

What is going on with you?

Hey, you can't just disappear. We need to talk about this.

Hari took my fucking ship.

He had to. The people here will accept us, but never him.

You know, I don't wanna be accepted by them.

We need to leave.

Tellem's got a few little ships.

We lift one, sub-light. It'll get us somewhere.

We're not leaving. We need these people.

For The Mule, right?

Not for any other reason.

You keep acting like The Mule is some abstract thing.

He isn't. I felt him in my head, and I saw your dead body.

So now you're willing to bank our whole future on Tellem.

You need to bury those thoughts.

Why? What are you thinking that you don't want them to know?

You know, I've been hearing a lot about openness since we got here.

Back on Terminus, I could read people up and down.

But here? Nothing.

I can't read Tellem. I can't read anyone.

Something is wrong with this place.

You're angry with each other. You'll feel happier once you've eaten.

Eating always makes me feel happier.

- After we eat what? - There's a feast.

Morning.

It's always a big day for us when we take on someone new.

I'm sorry about that business with Hari. Him leaving.

- Yeah, me too. - We will find equilibrium.

This I promise.

In the meantime, there's work to be done.

I know my way around a fishing net.

Salvor.

Is that our breakfast?

Uh-huh.

Ghost mollusks.

Great source of protein,

but these fuckers live so far down.

We're at the mercy of the current.

But you wait long enough, you got yourself a feast.

So this really is a rare occasion.

We don't tread lightly on good tidings.

Tellem's excited you're here.

Tellem is excited Gaal's here.

Your talents are just as important. I felt them when we...

- Kissed? - Touched.

That's all it takes.

- And the kiss was your doing. - It didn't seem to bother you.

What kind of illusion would it have been if I pulled away?

I'm sorry.

Seriously, I'm sorry.

Sometimes other faces come a little too easily for me. You know?

Looks like someone didn't appreciate your gift.

People back home saw a monster.

So they made me one.

Before I got here, anywhere I went,

I could feel the way people flinched when they saw me coming.

Did I?

A little bit.

But trust me,

you'll end up closer to the people here than anywhere you've ever been.

That's what's so great about this place. No one can hide.

Right. I'm starving. Come on.

Good.

- Yeah. I've got it. - Flip it over.

What is that?

Do you feel something?

Pain. It's like they're screaming.

Well, you would too, if you were boiled alive.

I mean, we talk about being Sighted, but language is imprecise.

All of the senses are involved, hearing too. General empathy.

I've never felt anything like...

Well, you are broadening, child.