"'Seeing' the controlling body is out of the question, as no human is to be permitted access to the cybernetic governors under terms of the original City contract established between the City of Wiener and its five founders in—"
Dumbstruck, Kesley said: "You mean a machine runs this City?"
"The question is inaccurate. The City is a machine. There are no human inhabitants."
Suddenly chilled, Kesley looked up at the grid at which he had been directing his words, and realized he had been holding conversation with a mechanical brain, not some remote City official. Moistening his lips, he said: "What does the City do?"
"Question is unclear."
The precision of the mechanical mind, he thought in amused irritation. He rephrased the question. "What functions does the City carry out, aside from the normal routine of—of self-repair?"
"The City maintains a record of happenings in the Outer World; this record is not completely available for examination at the moment, due to unsettled conditions without. The City supplies manufactured goods to those who request them, as prescribed by its founders. The City endeavors to supply information within the bounds of self-safety, likewise as prescribed. The City—"
"Does the City know of a poet named Daveen?" Kesley broke in.
"Question will have to be referred to Answering Banks."
A pause, then, in a somewhat altered voice: "Information incomplete on poet Daveen, no other name recorded, member of court Duke Winslow Chicago North America 2504-2521, left court 2521, current whereabouts unknown. Is full biography requested?"