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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..97d4c27 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #51852 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51852) diff --git a/old/51852-h.zip b/old/51852-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 369e482..0000000 --- a/old/51852-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/51852-h/51852-h.htm b/old/51852-h/51852-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 4f6738d..0000000 --- a/old/51852-h/51852-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3035 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Founding Father, by J. 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Bone - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Founding Father - -Author: J.F. Bone - -Release Date: April 24, 2016 [EBook #51852] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUNDING FATHER *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="400" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> -<h1>Founding Father</h1> - -<p>By J. F. BONE</p> - -<p>Illustrated by RITTER</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Galaxy Magazine April 1962.<br /> -Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> -the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph3"><i>The creatures were huge, hairy, surly—and<br /> -the males were always chasing the females.<br /> -But what else could you expect of mammals?</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">I</p> - -<p>"We need data," I said as I manipulated the scanner and surveyed our -little domain of rocks and vegetation. "The animate life we have -collected so far is of a low order."</p> - -<p>"There is nothing here with intelligence," Ven agreed, gesturing at the -specimens in front of us. "Although they're obviously related to our -race, they're quite incapable of constructing those artifacts we saw -on our way down."</p> - -<p>"Or of building electone communications or even airboats," I added.</p> - -<p>"I expect that there is only one way to get what we want—and that's -to go looking for it," Ven said as she smoothed her antennae with a -primary digit. "I also expect," she added acidly, "that there might -have been other places from which it wouldn't be so hard to start -looking. Or did you <i>have</i> to set us down in this isolated spot?"</p> - -<p>I glared at her and she flushed a delicate lavender. "Do you think -I landed here because I <i>wanted</i> to?" I asked with some bitterness, -inflating my cheek pouches to better express my disgust. "There were -less than two vards of useful fuel left on the reels when I cut the -drives. There isn't enough to take us across this valley. We came -close to not making planetfall here at all."</p> - -<p>"Oh," Ven said in a small voice, vocalizing as she always does when she -is embarrassed. Like most females, she finds it difficult to project -normally when she is under emotional stress. Afraid or angry she can -blow a hole in subspace; but embarrassed, her projections are so faint -that I have to strain my antennae to receive them.</p> - -<p>Her aura turned a shamefaced nacreous lavender. I couldn't stay angry -with her. She was lovely, and I was proud to be her mate. The Eugenics -Council had made an unusually good match when they brought us together. -The months we had spent aboard ship on our sabbatical had produced no -serious personality conflicts. We fitted well, and I was more happy -than any Thalassan had a right to be.</p> - -<p>"We shall have to try other measures," I said. "Although there aren't -very many natives hereabouts, we had better start looking for them -rather than wait for them to look for us." I felt disappointed. I was -certain that we made enough disturbance coming down for them to be here -in droves, which was why I had the robots camouflage the ship to look -like the surrounding rocks. There could be such a thing as too much -attention.</p> - -<p>"They could have mistaken us for a meteor," Ven said.</p> - -<p>"Probably," I agreed. "But it would have saved a great deal of trouble -if one of them had come to us." I sighed. "Oh well."</p> - -<p>I added, "it was only a hope, at best."</p> - -<p>"I could explore," Ven offered.</p> - -<p>"I was about to suggest that," I said. "After all, the atmosphere is -breathable although somewhat rich in oxygen, and the gravity is not too -severe. It would be best to wait until dark before starting out. There -may be danger. After all, this is an alien world, and Authority knows -what's out there."</p> - -<p>Her antennae dropped, her aura dimmed to gray and her integument turned -a greenish black. "It doesn't sound pleasant," she said.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The sun dipped below the horizon with an indecently gaudy display of -color. After the last shades of violet had faded, I opened the airlock -and watched Ven, a darker blot in the darkness of the night, slip away -into the shadows.</p> - -<p>She went unarmed. I wanted her to take a blaster, but she refused, -saying that she had never fired one, wouldn't know what to do with -one—and that its weight would hold her back. I didn't like it. But I -was unable to go with her, and it was better that she did as she wished -at this time.</p> - -<p>I sat for a while in the entrance port watching the slow wheel of the -stars across the heavens, and for a moment I wished that I were a -female with the rugged physique to withstand this gravity. As it was, -the beauty of the night was lost on me. I breathed uncomfortably as the -pressure crushed my body and made every joint and muscle ache. Males, -I reflected gloomily, weren't what they were in the old days. Too much -emphasis on mind, and not enough on body, had made us a sex of physical -weaklings.</p> - -<p>I wondered bitterly if a brain was as worthwhile as the Council -insisted.</p> - -<p>The next few hours were miserable. I worried about Ven, imagining a -number of unpleasant things which might have happened to her. I dragged -myself into the control room and fiddled with the scanners, trying the -infra and ultra bands as well as the normal visible spectrum in the -hopes of seeing something. And just as I was beginning to feel the -twinges of genuine fear, I heard Ven.</p> - -<p>Her projection was faint. "Help me, Eu! Help me!"</p> - -<p>I stumbled to the entrance port, dragging a blaster with me. "Where are -you?" I projected. I couldn't see her, but I could sense her presence.</p> - -<p>"Here, Eu. Just below you. Help me. I can't make it any farther!"</p> - -<p>Somehow I managed it. I don't know from where the strength came, but -I was on the ground lifting her, pushing her onto the flat surface of -the airlock—clambering up—dragging her in and closing the lock behind -us. I looked down at her with pride. Who would have thought that I, -a male, could lift a mature female into a ship's airlock even against -normal gravity? I chuckled shakily. Strange things happen to a body -when its owner is stressed and its suprarenals are stimulated.</p> - -<p>She looked up at me. "Thank you," she said simply. But there was more -behind the words than the bare bones of customary gratitude.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I helped her into the refresher and as she restored her tired body I -pelted her with numerous questions.</p> - -<p>"Did you succeed?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Better than I expected."</p> - -<p>"Did you find a native?"</p> - -<p>"Two of them." The cubicle glowed a pale green as her strength came -back.</p> - -<p>"Where?"</p> - -<p>"Two vursts from here—down the hill. They're camped near a road. They -have a big ground car with them."</p> - -<p>"Did you see them?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"What did they look like?"</p> - -<p>The radiance in the cubicle flicked out. "They're horrible!" Ven said. -"Monstrous! Four or five times our size! I never saw anything so -hideous!"</p> - -<p>"Did they see you?"</p> - -<p>"No, I don't think so. They weren't looking in my direction at first. -And I don't think they can sense, because I was frightened and they -didn't respond to my projection." She was beginning to recover.</p> - -<p>"You couldn't have been too frightened," I said. "I didn't hear -you—and you can reach farther than two vursts."</p> - -<p>"Mostly I was repelled," Ven admitted.</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know. They smelled bad, but it was more than that. There was -something about them that made my antennae lie flat against my ears. -Anyway—I did a foolish thing." The cubicle turned a pale embarrassed -lavender.</p> - -<p>"What did you do?" I demanded.</p> - -<p>"I ran away," Ven said. "And I made a lot of noise."</p> - -<p>"All right—all right," I said impatiently. "Go ahead and tell the rest -of it."</p> - -<p>"By the time I stopped running I was down at the bottom of the hill," -Ven said. "I was dead tired—and with all that rock to climb to get -back to the ship. I didn't really think I'd make it."</p> - -<p>"But you did," I said proudly. "You're a real Thalassan—pure green."</p> - -<p>The cubicle slowly brightened again.</p> - -<p>"Can you find them again?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Of course. I wasn't lost at any time. If I hadn't panicked, I'd have -been back a whole lot sooner."</p> - -<p>"Can you go now?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>She shivered with distaste. "I can," she said, "but I don't want to."</p> - -<p>"That's nonsense. We can't let a little physical revulsion stop us. -After all, there are some pretty grim things to be seen in this -universe."</p> - -<p>"But nothing like this! I tell you, Eu, they're horrible! That's the -only word that can describe them."</p> - -<p>"Take a stat projector—" I began.</p> - -<p>"Aren't you coming?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Two vursts on this planet? What do you think I am?"</p> - -<p>Her face hardened. "I don't know," she said coldly, "but I do know -this—if you don't come, I won't go."</p> - -<p>I groaned. From her aura I could tell she meant every word. It -angered me, too, because Thalassan females usually don't defy a male. -"Remember," I said icily, "that you're not the only female on Thalassa."</p> - -<p>"We're not on Thalassa," she said. Her aura was a curious leaden color, -shot through with sullen red flares and blotches.</p> - -<p>"I have no right to force you," she went on stubbornly, "but I can't -handle them alone. You simply <i>have</i> to come."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus1.jpg" width="600" height="212" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"But Ven—I'm a physical cipher. This gravity flattens me. I won't make -it."</p> - -<p>"You will," she said. "I'll help you. But this job needs a male mind."</p> - -<p>It was deliberate flattery, I suppose. But there was an element of -truth in it. Ven obviously couldn't do it, and obviously she thought I -could. I couldn't help feeling pride in her need for me. I liked the -feeling. For, after all, we hadn't been mated so long that there was -too great an amount of familiarity in our relationship. The Eugenics -Council had taken care of that very effectively when we announced our -plans for our sabbatical.</p> - -<p>"All right—I'll go," I repeated.</p> - -<p>With a quick light movement she touched my antennae with her primary -digits. The shock ran through me clear to my pads. "You're good," she -said—and the way she said it was an accolade.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">II</p> - -<p>"This way," Ven said, emitting a faint yellow aura that lighted the -area around her. "Follow me." She staggered a little under the weight -of the equipment she was carrying. I wished that we had enough power -to energize an air sled—-but we had none to spare. The robots had used -up most of our scanty power metal reserves in camouflaging the ship and -the adaptor had taken the rest. This was going to be a miserable trip. -It was going to be painful, uncomfortable and perhaps even dangerous.</p> - -<p>It was.</p> - -<p>We went across rocks, through sharp-twigged brush—across the saw-edged -grass of the meadow below us, over more rocks, and down-hill along a -faint double trail that never seemed to end. I was nearly dead with -weariness when Ven's aura flicked off and the dark closed in. My -proprioceptors were screaming as I sank to the ground and panted the -rich air of this world in and out of my aching chest.</p> - -<p>"They're just ahead," Ven whispered. "Around that next group of rocks. -Be careful."</p> - -<p>We moved forward cautiously. "There was a fire," Ven whispered.</p> - -<p>"There isn't now," I said. "I can't sense any heat." The night air -blew a rank odor to my nostrils. My spines stiffened! I knew what Ven -meant when she said that these natives repelled her. I had smelled that -scent before—the scent of our ancestral enemies! So <i>these</i> were the -natives, the dominant life on this planet! I gagged, my tongue thick in -my throat.</p> - -<p>"You see?" Ven asked.</p> - -<p>I nodded. "It's pretty bad," I said.</p> - -<p>"It reminds me of a zoo," Ven answered softly.</p> - -<p>I nodded. It did and it was thoroughly unpleasant.</p> - -<p>I strained my perception to its limits, pushing it through the gelid -darkness, searching until I found the natives. "They're asleep," I said.</p> - -<p>"What's that?"</p> - -<p>"Suspension of consciousness. Something like estivation."</p> - -<p>"Oh. Then we can approach safely?"</p> - -<p>"If we are quiet," I replied. "Sleep is broken easily and consciousness -returns quickly."</p> - -<p>The trail deepened beyond the rocks—two rutted tracks about three -vards apart. We moved forward cautiously, our senses keyed to their -highest pitch. The night was oppressively still and every movement -rasped loudly. My breath came fast and shallow. My heart pounded and my -musk glands were actively secreting as I parted the opening to their -cloth shelter, and sensed the dim forms within.</p> - -<p>"Stat," I projected and Ven handed me the weapon. It was almost more -than I could manage in my weakened condition, but I aimed it and fired -a full intensity blast at the nearest lumpy figure. It jerked and -flopped inside its coverings, and the second form sat up with horrid -speed!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A roar of sound came from it as the air was filled with its fetid odor. -In panic I triggered a blast at the menacing figure, and it, too, -flopped and laid still.</p> - -<p>I ran my tongue over the roof of my dry mouth and called to Ven. -"They're quiet now. Come in and see what we've got."</p> - -<p>"Ugh!" Ven snorted as she entered the tent at my heels. "It stinks!"</p> - -<p>"They're not the sweetest life form in the universe," I said as I -prodded the huge mound beside me, looking for reflexes that would -indicate returning consciousness.</p> - -<p>"What are they?" Ven asked.</p> - -<p>"Mammals," I said.</p> - -<p>"No wonder I thought of a zoo," Ven said. "But they're so big!"</p> - -<p>"Not on all planets," I said.</p> - -<p>"Obviously," Ven commented. "Well—what's next? Let's get this done. -I'm suffocating!"</p> - -<p>"Hand me the probe kit," I said.</p> - -<p>I selected two of the longest probes and made my way up to the head of -the nearest monster. I scanned its braincase until I found the area I -wanted and inserted the probes, driving them through the heavy bone -and into the brain beneath. I clipped on the short antennae and stepped -back. "Turn the control to low," I said. "Place the clips on your -antennae. Now think of rising." The bulk beside me stirred and Ven gave -a squeak of terror. "It's all right," I assured her. "Turn the control -back to zero. This one's secure."</p> - -<p>I went to the second and treated it like the first, and felt -a justifiable pride as it reacted. Not many men could implant -neuro-probes correctly on the first attempt. "All right, Ven. You can -go out now. Take the controls with you. I'll see what I can do to get -these brutes out of their coverings."</p> - -<p>The tent opening swayed as Ven passed through and I bent over the -nearest form. The covering was a heavy sack closed with a slide -fastener much like the ones we used. I pulled and it opened, sending a -flood of rank scent into the fetid air. I coughed, my eyes smarting, -and found the fastener of the other sack. Retching with nausea I -staggered out of the tent.</p> - -<p>Ven sprang forward, caught me as I was about to fall, and lowered me -gently to the ground.</p> - -<p>"What are we going to do?" Ven asked as I lay panting at her feet.</p> - -<p>"We're going to get them out of there," I said, "and take them back -to the ship. I didn't come all this way for nothing." I drew one of -the controls toward me, fastened the clips to my antennae, advanced -the gain and thought into it. There was a stir of movement inside and -a huge form came stumbling out. It stood there clad in loose cloth -coverings, reeking with halogen. I looked up at the dark bulk and -shivered.</p> - -<p>"That smell!" Ven said.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"We can help it a bit," I replied and turned to the control. With its -massive fore-limbs the brute ripped the cloth from its body as it moved -down-wind. I made it stand and took the other control.</p> - -<p>"Let me do it," Ven said. "You can't handle both of them in your -condition."</p> - -<p>"All right," I said, "but be careful."</p> - -<p>"I will. Now what do I do?"</p> - -<p>"Advance the intensity knob and think what you want it to do."</p> - -<p>There was a flurry of movement inside the tent, the thrashing of a huge -body, and the second mammal burst through the opening and staggered -clumsily to a stop.</p> - -<p>"Reduce the intensity," I said. "You're projecting too strong a -stimulus. Now uncover it and send it over with the other one to cool -off. They're more bearable when they're cold. They exude the scent from -their skin glands to compensate for temperature."</p> - -<p>"I know," Ven said. "I studied biology." She did as I instructed and -then dropped beside me. We relaxed, gathering our strength for the -climb ahead. But I didn't recover rapidly. I could move, but the -exertion made me dizzy. The excitement was over and reaction had set -in. "I'll never make it," I said dully.</p> - -<p>"I can help," Ven said—"a little."</p> - -<p>"It won't be enough. You don't have the strength to carry me." I looked -at the huge bodies of the mammals gleaming pallidly in the darkness, -and suddenly I had an idea. The Slaads on Valga domesticated mammals. -They were quadrupedal, true enough, but they were still mammals. Why -couldn't I ride one of these as they did? Those great masses of muscle -should carry me easily. "I think I have a solution," I said.</p> - -<p>"What?"</p> - -<p>"I'll have one of them carry me."</p> - -<p>"You can't!"</p> - -<p>"Why not? They're controlled. And they're the only way I'll be able to -get back to the ship." I picked up the nearest controller. "Let's see -what happens."</p> - -<p>Ven squeaked as the monster lifted me in the air and set me across its -neck. I crossed my pads and hung on. The ground seemed terribly far -away.</p> - -<p>"How is it up there?" Ven asked.</p> - -<p>"A little unstable," I said, "but I'll manage. Shall we go?"</p> - -<p>We moved up the trail to the rocky abutment and turned up the hill. The -brute beneath me climbed strongly and easily.</p> - -<p>"Wait a minute," Ven said as she turned the corner behind me, "you're -going too fast."</p> - -<p>"Why don't you ride?" I called down to her. "This one moves easily -enough. It's much better than walking."</p> - -<p>"I think I will," Ven replied.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"This is all right," Ven said as we moved side by side up the hill. -"The fibrils on top of its head—"</p> - -<p>"Hair," I corrected.</p> - -<p>"The hair of this one is longer than yours. I can hold on nicely."</p> - -<p>The big bodies of the natives moved smoothly and powerfully, their -giant strides eating up the distance we had so painfully covered some -time before. Presently we came out onto the lower edge of the meadow -below our ship.</p> - -<p>Ven looked at me, her aura glowing pink with excitement. "I'll race you -to the ship," she cried, and dashed off with a burst of speed.</p> - -<p>Somehow I couldn't resist the challenge in her voice. I advanced the -control knob and thought strongly. The brute jumped as though it had -been whipped and leaped into a plunging run. I clung desperately -for a moment and then relaxed as I caught the rhythm of the driving -strides. My heart pounded, but not with fear. I had never known such -exhilaration! Machines were pale compared to it. The mammal could run -like a frightened skent—and it was faster than Ven's!</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus2.jpg" width="349" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>I caught her halfway up the meadow, and pulled away, exulting in the -powerful muscles moving underneath me. I charged up to the grove of -trees that concealed our camouflaged ship, and brought the mammal to a -halt. It was panting, trembling, drenched with stinking sweat, but I -didn't mind. I was part of it. There was a certain amount of feedback -in a bipolar control circuit and I could feel the heat of its body, -the beat of the great heart, the rise and fall of the broad chest, the -pulse of the blood vessels in the thick neck. It was magnificent! I -laughed. I had never before felt the ecstasy of physical strength!</p> - -<p>I turned and looked back, still tasting the pleasure of the great body -connected to my mind.</p> - -<p>Ven drew up beside me. "Hai Yee!" she exclaimed. "What a sensation!"</p> - -<p>"You liked it?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Liked it? <i>Liked</i> it? I loved it! Didn't you?"</p> - -<p>"I think so," I said truthfully.</p> - -<p>"I'm going across the meadow again," Ven said as she turned her mammal -around.</p> - -<p>"No," I said. "We have use for these two and we have no knowledge of -how much they can stand. There's no sense damaging them." I frowned as -I noticed the bloody scratches on the legs and body of her mammal.</p> - -<p>Ven noted the direction of my gaze. "They're not as tough as I -thought," she said with sudden contrition. "But they're not too badly -damaged, are they?"</p> - -<p>"No." I said.</p> - -<p>I ordered the mammal to set me down. Dawn was breaking and I could -see better what we had captured. They were a male and a female. -On the whole, except for their mammalian ancestry, they conformed -to dominant-race criteria, being erect, bipedal, predatory types -with binocular vision. Their upper extremities were evolved into -manipulative organs similar to our primary digits.</p> - -<p>The most outstanding difference was the extreme sex dimorphism, -which was obviously apparent in the brightening light. The physical -differences were carried to such lengths that it was hard to believe -that they were members of the same species.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They weren't exactly ugly, yet there was something disturbing about -them. Perhaps it was the rank halogen odor of their skin glands that -were still secreting despite the coolness of the air. Or perhaps it was -merely that they were intelligent mammals. It was as though Authority -had, in a moment of cosmic humor, drawn oversized caricatures of -Thalassans and endowed them with life. I felt a subtle insult in their -presence. I suppose it showed in my aura because Ven came quickly to my -side.</p> - -<p>"I told you they were disturbing," she said as we looked up at their -monstrous forms towering over us.</p> - -<p>"I'm glad they're not uncontrolled," I answered, shivering a little as -I looked at them. "I suppose it's just species antipathy, but they make -me uncomfortable."</p> - -<p>"Mammals were exterminated on Thalassa long ago, weren't they?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," I said. "They ate our eggs."</p> - -<p>Ven walked forward and ran her primary digits over the female's legs. -"They're quite well evolved," she said. "The skin hasn't a vestige of -scales."</p> - -<p>"Neither does yours except at the tip of your tail," I said tartly. -"Don't get the idea that they're a primitive life form. Actually -they are a <i>later</i> evolutionary type than we! If our ancestors had -not developed intelligence enough to realize their peril we would be -extinct—and something like them would rule Thalassa today."</p> - -<p>Ven shivered, "How horrible! I don't like thinking about it."</p> - -<p>"Don't," I advised.</p> - -<p>"What are we going to do with them?" Ven asked.</p> - -<p>"I was going to analyze them and construct a proxy, but they're far too -big to duplicate with our limited resources. I suppose the only thing -we can do is to insert control circuits and use them as they are."</p> - -<p>"Won't that be painful?"</p> - -<p>"Only psychically. Physically they shouldn't suffer a bit. The brain, -you know, feels no pain. It merely interprets stimuli from elsewhere."</p> - -<p>"In mammals too?"</p> - -<p>I shrugged. "I suppose so. Besides, what difference does it make? -Once we're through with them we can destroy them if they're too badly -damaged."</p> - -<p>"That seems unfair."</p> - -<p>"It's not a question of fairness. It's survival. If they don't perform -properly, we shall have to dispose of them or they'll be back here -with a whole herd. Of course, if they operate under control, we'll turn -them loose when we're through with them. I doubt that their technology -is advanced enough to recognize a bio-circuit if they saw one. And if -it is, they will have learned nothing new."</p> - -<p>"But why can't we keep them—take them back to Thalassa? They'd make an -unusual contribution to the Central Zoo."</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid not," I said. "I doubt if they'd survive space. The only -part of the ship large enough to hold them would be the cargo storage -compartment, and that's not shielded. A hyperjump would kill them. You -wouldn't want even them to die <i>that</i> way, would you?"</p> - -<p>Her aura turned gray. "No, I suppose not."</p> - -<p>"There isn't a chance," I said, seizing her thought before it was -uttered. "It would take ten of our lifetimes to reach our nearest -outpost on normal spacedrive. Forget it."</p> - -<p>"But—"</p> - -<p>"Come along," I said, "I'll need your help to modify these brutes."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Actually it wasn't a hard job. Their brains were well developed and -nicely compartmentalized. With our probes and instruments it was a -simple enough matter to implant the necessary organic extensions of -our instruments.</p> - -<p>"That should do it," I murmured as I disconnected the leads I had -jury-rigged into the analyzer. "They're clean as a Fardel's tooth." I -was tired, but I had the pleasant feeling of accomplishment that comes -from working with organic matter. Possibly if I were not so interested -in History, I'd have become a medic. I do have a certain talent along -that line.</p> - -<p>At any rate, we now had a pair of proxies. With only normal fortune -they would be completely undetectable.</p> - -<p>"Is it all done?" Ven asked as she looked over my shoulder.</p> - -<p>"Yes," I said. "But leave the probes in place until we test them." I -dragged my weary body once again into the control room and tried the -headgear and circuits. They functioned absolutely perfectly.</p> - -<p>"What do we do now?" Ven's projection came to me.</p> - -<p>"Remove the probes and send them back to their camp. There's no sense -in leaving them here."</p> - -<p>"But Eu—"</p> - -<p>"No," I said. "They are not toys. They're tools. They're to do a job -for us. Now stop acting like a child. When they bring us metal you can -play games with them—but not now. They're stressed, tired, and need -rest. And they're going to get it."</p> - -<p>"Yes, Eu." Her projection was submissive.</p> - -<p>"But don't worry," I added kindly. "You can monitor them. I installed -two extra circuits, one to the hypothalamus and the other to the -tactile centers. You will be able to feel every sensation they -experience. It will be just like having an extra body."</p> - -<p>"Can I try it now?" she asked eagerly as she came into the control room.</p> - -<p>"Go ahead," I said. "Put on a helmet and use the double control. Take -them back to their camp and then neutralize the controller. As for me, -I'm going to the refresher. I need it."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">III</p> - -<p>I awoke from partial estivation with Ven's projection vibrating my -antennae. "Eu! Come quickly! They're awake!"</p> - -<p>I groaned. What did she expect? But it might be interesting to see how -they behaved. And if they panicked, someone should be there to assume -control.</p> - -<p>I checked the chronometer. I had rested for eight satts which should be -enough. I felt as well as could be expected, so with only a few choice -Low-Thalassic expletives to help me, I managed to clamber out of the -tank and stagger into the control room. Ven already had one of the -helmets on. I picked up the other and flicked the switch to "on." It -was the male's—and he was talking. The words were gibberish, but the -thoughts behind them were easy to read.</p> - -<p>I was part of an entity called Donald G. Carlton, a male mammal of -the human species. He was a "writer" and was mated to the female, who -was called Edith and who worked in "motion pictures." They lived in -a place called Hollywood, in a family unit structure faintly similar -to a children's creche. Custom on this world dictated that the female -take one name of her mate, which indicated that the sex was even more -subservient than female Thalassans. The male's body ached, but not -as badly as I would have expected. And, as I expected, there was no -sensitivity in the brain.</p> - -<p>"Hey! Edith!" Donald said. "Get up!"</p> - -<p>"Leave me alone, Don. I'm miserable," a lighter voice answered from the -lumpy sack beside him. "I had the most awful dream."</p> - -<p>"It must be the mountain air," he replied. "I did too."</p> - -<p>"Whatever made me think this would be fun!" Edith said. "You and your -meteor-hunting!" The sack heaved and twisted and her head appeared at -one end. "I feel like I've been worked over with a baseball bat. Oh! -My legs!"</p> - -<p>"You're not alone," he said. "I guess it's the hard ground and these -strait-jackets they laughingly call sleeping bags."</p> - -<p>"About that dream," Edith said. "It was horrible. There was this little -green and yellow thing that looked like a cross between a lizard and a -human being. It was sitting on my shoulders and I was naked—carrying -it around, doing what it wanted me to do! I wanted to throw it off and -stamp on it but I couldn't. I just ran and ran and all the time that -little monster sat with its legs around my neck, hooting like an owl. -Now, wasn't that something?"</p> - -<p>Donald was very quiet. "You know," he said slowly, "essentially that -was the same dream I had."</p> - -<p>"But that can't be! People don't have the same nightmares."</p> - -<p>"We did."</p> - -<p>"Then maybe—maybe it wasn't a nightmare!"</p> - -<p>"Nonsense. We're here. We're all right. But I think perhaps we'd better -get out of here—oh, Keerist! I'm one solid bruise." He twisted around -until he found the fastenings and opened the bag. With a groan he stood -up.</p> - -<p>Edith looked at him, her eyes wide with sudden terror. "Don," she said -in a brittle voice, "didn't you wear pajamas when you went to bed last -night?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Well, you're not wearing them now." An expression of horror crossed -her face. "And neither am I," she added in a small voice.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I could feel the shock in Donald's brain as he looked down at himself. -"That's not all I'm not wearing," he said dully. "I'm shaved!"</p> - -<p>There was a brief flurry inside the other sleeping bag. "So am I!" -Edith's voice was a whisper of fright. "That was no dream! I remember -this. The lizard gave me something that I rubbed all over myself—and -my hair came off. I didn't want to, but I couldn't help myself." Her -hands went to her head and she sighed, "Well, <i>that's</i> all there. For a -moment I thought—"</p> - -<p>"My skin is different," Donald interrupted thoughtfully as he inspected -himself. "It feels thicker. And I don't feel cold, although I'll bet -it's nearly freezing outside."</p> - -<p>"Don! Don't you understand? That dream was real!" Edith said.</p> - -<p>"Of course it was,—unless <i>this</i> is a dream. We could be having a -nightmare about a nightmare...."</p> - -<p>I looked at Ven.</p> - -<p>"Just what did you do to them?" I asked.</p> - -<p>She glowed guiltily. "I didn't know it would take their hair off," she -said. "I was worried about their scratches, and the insects were biting -them. So I made them rub on some of our skin conditioner."</p> - -<p>I raised my digits toward the sky. "There is an Authority that looks -over fools and Thalassan females," I said. "What made you so sure our -conditioner would work on them? It might have been poisonous."</p> - -<p>"I tried it on the male first," Ven said.</p> - -<p>"Genius," I breathed with icy sarcasm, "sheer genius!"</p> - -<p>"Well," she said, "it worked!" The eternal pragmatist had applied her -sole criterion. "And what's more they looked and smelled lots better -after they used it."</p> - -<p>I shrugged, gave it up and turned my attention back to the mammals.</p> - -<p>Edith had emerged from her sack and was standing before the male.</p> - -<p>"Do I look like a nightmare?" she demanded.</p> - -<p>"No. More like a skinned rabbit—ouch! What did you do that for?" He -rubbed his face where she struck him with her digits.</p> - -<p>"There!" Edith said. "<i>Now</i> do you think it's a dream?"</p> - -<p>"I never did," he replied mildly. "I've never dreamed in my life. I -was just breaking it to you easy. It was real enough—even the blank -spaces. I wonder—"</p> - -<p>"You wonder what?"</p> - -<p>"What their reason was for capturing us and then letting us go. It -doesn't make sense. They wouldn't grab us just for fun. They're -obviously intelligent, and probably thought we would be useful to them. -But they turned us loose. So we couldn't be useful except maybe for -amusement—but that doesn't jell. No. They've done something to us. -They've let us go for a reason."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Stop analyzing!" Edith said. "Why don't you just get scared, like I -am!"</p> - -<p>"I <i>am</i>," he said, "but I like to figure things out. If I know what -frightens me, it doesn't bother me so much."</p> - -<p>"Do that while we're on the way home. Get your clothes on and let's get -out of here! Right away!"</p> - -<p>"We have to pack."</p> - -<p>"Oh, leave it! Let's get out while we can!"</p> - -<p>"I don't think we're in any danger," he said.</p> - -<p>"Well—I don't want to stay here a minute longer!"</p> - -<p>"All right. We'll go. But we'll pack first. Look at it logically. They -had us cold. We didn't escape. We were <i>let</i> go. So why, if they didn't -want us then, should they want us now?"</p> - -<p>"Unless they can get us any time they want us."</p> - -<p>"You have a point there, but if that's the case, they can get us -anyway. So let's pack."</p> - -<p>"You can pack if you want to. I'm leaving!" Edith pulled the opening to -the tent and slipped out.</p> - -<p>"Edith!" Donald cried. "Wait!"</p> - -<p>I touched Ven. "Stop her," I said.</p> - -<p>Edith's voice came from outside. "Don!" she called in a tight voice. -"Don! Help me! <i>I can't move!</i>"</p> - -<p>"Try coming back here and see what happens," Donald said slowly.</p> - -<p>Edith's head appeared in the entrance. "I'm back," she said in a small -voice.</p> - -<p>"I thought you would be. Now let's pack and perhaps they'll let us go. -It's obvious that we can't run away."</p> - -<p>"But why? <i>What's happened to us?</i>"</p> - -<p>"If I told you, you'd think I'm crazy."</p> - -<p>"Tell me anyway. It can't be any worse than this."</p> - -<p>"I think," Donald said slowly as he began to roll up his sleeping bag, -"that we were kidnapped by extraterrestrials."</p> - -<p>"Martians?"</p> - -<p>"Not necessarily," he said. "But if I remember my nightmare correctly, -they aren't human—and they are obviously smart. So they aren't of this -earth. We don't have intelligent reptiles here. And with their ability -to control our actions, I'd say that they were from a considerably -higher culture than ours. They've done things to us—but I don't think -they did them just for fun. They want us to do something."</p> - -<p>"What?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know. Right now I'd guess they want us to pack our things. -Let's do it and get out of here. This place smells like the reptile -house in the zoo!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I was amazed. The native's analysis was as logical as my own would have -been under similar circumstances. There was nothing wrong with his mind -or with his courage. That big braincase held a smoothly functioning -mind and a cold courage I could almost envy. In a similar fix I wasn't -sure that I could be so calm.</p> - -<p>My respect for him mounted. If there were others like him on this -world, his race could be a potential danger spot for the whole Galaxy. -And, with the natural antipathy between our races, these creatures -could be <i>trouble</i> if they ever reached space. I wondered for a moment -if Authority had known this when It brought me here. There must be some -design that I should land here when this race was still capable of -being frustrated.</p> - -<p>For the sake of civilization I would have to learn more about these -mammals. Much more. But since the male had deduced so much, there was -only one logical course of action. I adjusted the filters on my helmet -to allow the passage of surface thoughts, twisted the dials on the -controller until the meters balanced and projected gently.</p> - -<p>"Donald—listen to me," I said.</p> - -<p>He stiffened. "I thought you would be somewhere around," he said. "Who -are you?"</p> - -<p>"My name is Eu Kor, and I am a native of Thalassa."</p> - -<p>"Where's that?"</p> - -<p>"A good many spatial units from here—a good many of your light years," -I amended. "I mean you no harm, but I need your cooperation. My -spaceship is crippled. Our fuel has deteriorated. We need more and I -want you to get it for us. We captured you because we need your help. -Being a native you would not make a ripple in this society. And we -would create whirlpools."</p> - -<p>"What is this material you want?"</p> - -<p>"A metal. Atomic number 50, a white metal used as an alloy component -of primitive metallic cultures," I said. "It shouldn't be too hard to -get." I didn't realize how hard it was to describe what I wanted. I -wasn't getting through, and it bothered me. The culture barrier was -almost as bad as though we couldn't contact mind to mind.</p> - -<p>"I think you mean tin," he said. I grasped the concept and it seemed -right.</p> - -<p>"Bring me some and I will run tests," I said.</p> - -<p>"And what do I get in return?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I thought quickly. If he wanted to bargain perhaps we could reach an -agreement. It's always better to have a cooperative proxy. They don't -cause nearly the trouble in management. And I had other things to do -than monitor natives. There was a great deal of repair work to be done -on the ship before she would fly again. The subspace radio power bank -had to be rebuilt and the circuits should be checked.</p> - -<p>"I can give you knowledge that you wouldn't have for decades—maybe -centuries," I said. "And I can adjust your bodies for a longer and -happier life." I shot a glance at Ven still immersed in her helmet. -"In fact, I have made a few adjustments already."</p> - -<p>"So I noticed," Donald thought dryly. "Although whether they're an -improvement or not I couldn't say. But did you have to go to all this -trouble?"</p> - -<p>"Think of us—and discount the fact that you carried us because our -bodies are too weak for your heavy world." I said. "Did you like us?"</p> - -<p>"No," he said. "You repelled me. I disliked you on sight, more than I -can say."</p> - -<p>"The emotion is mutual," I said. "Yet I can endure you. But with your -glandular outlook you could only think of destroying us."</p> - -<p>"That is true. But you treated us like animals."</p> - -<p>"You are animals," I said logically.</p> - -<p>"We are masters of this world. We recognize no higher authority. We are -free people—not slaves. And unless we are treated as free agents you -will get no cooperation from us."</p> - -<p>"I can force you to do as I wish," I said.</p> - -<p>"Prove it!"</p> - -<p>I took over. And while Donald watched with helpless horror his hand -picked up a knife and drew it across his arm. The keen edge split the -tissues neatly and the blood flowed.</p> - -<p>"Don! What are you doing!" Edith screamed and then stiffened as Ven -took control.</p> - -<p>"Observe," I said as I released control.</p> - -<p>"Why, you—" Donald began—and then continued in a tone of wonder. -"Why—the cut's closing! There's no more blood—It's gone!"</p> - -<p>"It's just one of the improvements I mentioned," I said smugly. "You -also had a patch of scar tissue on your left lung and infected kidneys. -You do not have them now. Had you not met us you would have been dead -within five of your years."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He was shaken. I could feel it. "I do have Bright's disease," he said -thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"You had it," I corrected.</p> - -<p>"All right," he said suddenly, "I'll bargain with you. You've done me a -good turn and it deserves a payment. I'll help you get your metal." He -grinned ruefully. "I guess I couldn't do anything else."</p> - -<p>"It makes it easier this way," I said. I smiled to myself. I was -telling him the truth, but not all of it. Nor did I trust him. There -was fear and hatred in his lower centers, and a formless feeling in his -upper levels that he could outsmart any damn lizard that ever lived. He -didn't realize that I could read his surface thoughts.</p> - -<p>"Just remember," I said, "I can control you completely, if necessary, -and pick your brain for data whether you wish it or not. And forget -those ideas of informing your authorities about us. Except with your -mate you cannot communicate to anyone about us. There's a basic block -in your brain that will result in irreversible mental damage if you -try."</p> - -<p>This last was not quite the truth. But I hoped that by establishing -fear I would prevent talk. "Now find us samples of the metal I want." I -withdrew and went back to scanning.</p> - -<p>"What was going on there?" Edith said. "You were talking to empty air. -And why did you cut yourself?"</p> - -<p>"It was one of our reptilian friends," Don said. "Like I thought, -they're right with us—every way. He's a weird sort. Wants to trade -health and knowledge for tin."</p> - -<p>"Tin?"</p> - -<p>"Yeah. At least I think it's tin. His description of the metal fits. -They use it instead of rocket juice."</p> - -<p>"But that knife—your arm?"</p> - -<p>"Look. No cut—no blood. That's one of the things they did to us. We've -got puncture-proof skin."</p> - -<p>"Is that good?"</p> - -<p>"It isn't bad. And I don't think I'll ever have to shave again. As I -remember I put that stuff on my face. Anyway, we now have a couple -of fairy godmothers who ride around in spaceships instead of pumpkin -coaches."</p> - -<p>"You're mixing your stories," Edith said. "Cinderella travelled in the -pumpkin coach, not her fairy godmother. And besides, it's not funny. -We're more like those poor souls in the Middle Ages who were possessed -by devils—incubuses, I think they called them."</p> - -<p>"It makes no difference what you call them," Donald said indifferently. -"Whatever they are, we've got them and they're not going to leave until -they're damn good and ready. Incidentally, yours is a female, so she's -probably a succubus. Now don't start screaming. You'll probably be -paralyzed if you do."</p> - -<p>"I won't scream," Edith said dully. "I'm too numb to scream."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">IV</p> - -<p>We had surprisingly little trouble with the two natives once they -realized we could control them if we wished. Of the two, Edith was the -worst. She refused to cooperate and had to be forced into the simplest -actions.</p> - -<p>"We're going to have trouble with that one," I observed as Ven looked -at me with faint exasperation in her yellow eyes.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I don't think so," she said. "Not really. This is a normal female -reaction. It's a phase. Like the way I felt when the Eugenics Council -selected me to be your mate."</p> - -<p>"Did you feel like that?" I asked with surprise.</p> - -<p>"Of course. I wanted to make my own choice."</p> - -<p>"But you never told me."</p> - -<p>"There was no need. I came around to the Council's view before I met -you. And Edith will come around to mine. Don't worry. I know how to -handle this."</p> - -<p>And she did.</p> - -<p>I helped a little by altering a few reflex arcs and basic attitudes, -but Ven wouldn't allow me to modify the higher centers.</p> - -<p>"There's no need to make her a mindless idiot," Ven said. "You didn't -do that to Donald."</p> - -<p>"Yes, but Donald controls his emotions. He doesn't like me any better -than Edith likes you, but he doesn't work himself into an emotional -homogenate every time I make a suggestion. We argue it out like -rational intelligences. Often I can use his experience and viewpoint. -And when I can't agree, he will cooperate rather than operate under -control. He's not like that bundle of glands and emotions you are -trying to make into a useful proxy."</p> - -<p>"She <i>is</i> a problem," Ven admitted, "but if I had her here—"</p> - -<p>"That can be arranged," I said. "I'll give you two weeks. And if that -doesn't work you let me perform a prefrontal block."</p> - -<p>"That isn't very long."</p> - -<p>"That's all we can afford, I told her.</p> - -<p>"All right, I can try. In a month I know I could do it."</p> - -<p>Donald protested violently when I told him what we planned for Edith, -but when I gave him the alternative, he reluctantly agreed.</p> - -<p>He passed a story that Edith would be visiting friends, and brought her -to the ship.</p> - -<p>At once Ven went systematically to work to reduce the mammal to an -acquiescent state that would permit control. Since sleep is unknown -to our race but necessary for mammals, the task of breaking down the -female's resistance was simplified by physical exhaustion. Ven also -found that the mammal's sleeping time could be used to strengthen the -new reflex channels built during her waking periods. The results were -amazing, even to me, and I'm fairly well trained in neuromanipulation. -Halfway through the second week the mammal's surrender was complete.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Another day and she can go back," Ven said. "I can finish her training -at long range. Now that I have the channels established, I don't think -she'll be any further trouble."</p> - -<p>I took the helmet and scanned Edith. "Hmm," I said. "Do you know what -you've done? You've built yourself into an Authority image."</p> - -<p>"I know," Ven said smugly. "She is essentially a dependent type. Her -mate was her decision maker. That's why I had to get her alone. It -wasn't too hard once I knew where to look. As a girl, her mother made -the decisions for her. As a woman, Donald has done it. And when I faced -her with situations where she had to decide and where the decisions -were invariably wrong, she transferred the decision-making power to me."</p> - -<p>I looked at her sharply. "I had no idea that you intended to make a pet -out of her," I said. "Otherwise I wouldn't have permitted this."</p> - -<p>"Well, it's too late now. And besides, it was the only way I could do -it in the time you allotted. But don't worry. She'll be as good a tool -as your precious Donald—maybe even a better one—because she'll do -things to please me and not merely because they're expedient."</p> - -<p>Ven had a point there. But it isn't a good policy to get emotionally -involved with alien races. However, the deed was done, and as long as -Ven was happy I didn't care. I only hoped that she wouldn't become too -attached to the creature.</p> - -<p>Donald was much more cooperative and much tougher. He had realized from -the start that there was no profit in objecting to my demands. But, -unlike Edith, he gave me no handle for leverage. He arranged his life -to include the unpleasant fact of my existence, and that was that. -Where Ven achieved a form of mastery, I never received anything more -than acquiescence. There were levels in Donald I could not touch. At -first it irked me, but then I realized that I was the greater gainer. -For Donald was a constant challenge, a delight to the mind, an outward -collaborator and an inward enemy. Our relationship had all the elements -of an armed truce. And I often thought that if I did not have the -crushing advantage of control, our contest might have been more even.</p> - -<p>Although in time Donald's hatred became modified to a grim sort of -tolerance, and his repulsion into something that closely resembled -admiration, he never lost the basic species antipathy which separated -us. And in that regard our feelings were mutual. The ancient Thalassan -proverb that familiarity breeds friendship simply didn't apply. We held -a mutual respect for each other, and in a fashion we cooperated, but I -never could pierce the armor of resentment that shielded him. I tried, -but finally I gave up. There would never be friendship between us. We, -were too different—</p> - -<p>And too alike.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>In the days that followed the first contact, I proceeded according -to approved methods of investigating alien civilizations. At my -request, Donald went to the local book repository and we went through -a number of works on law, government, social structure, and finance. -I felt that I should have some knowledge of this mammalian culture -before attempting to refuel the ship. There was no sense in calling -attention to myself any more than necessary. If I could obtain what I -wanted and leave quietly, I would be perfectly happy. This world was -of interest—but it was too disturbing to contemplate for an extended -period of time.</p> - -<p>"You were right, Eu Kor," Ven said to me as we scanned the pattern of -the mammals' culture. "If you had picked any place less isolated than -this, we might have been engulfed in that maelstrom."</p> - -<p>I nodded. "It was more luck than design," I said, "but I am happy that -we are no closer. This world is not for us. It is too strange, too -alien with its uncontrolled emotionalism and frightening energy."</p> - -<p>"It reminds me of a malignant neoplasm," Ven said, "growing -uncontrolled, destroying the body from which it draws sustenance. -Have you ever seen such a seething flux of people—such growth—such -appalling waste and carelessness?"</p> - -<p>I shook my head. "The only parallel that comes to mind is Sennor."</p> - -<p>"But that's a dead world—killed by a suicidal race that achieved -technology before it had attained culture."</p> - -<p>"Which is precisely the situation we have here. Or have you observed -their social inequities and history? Periodically these mammals erupt -in merciless riots and slaughters over things that could be settled by -reason. And oddly enough, these 'wars' as humans call them have the -effect of stimulating technology. This is a race that apparently loves -death and battle. A barbaric horde of cultural morons, with a civilized -technology geared to mutual destruction."</p> - -<p>"Frankly, I've been scanning through Edith. I've seen only the -technical excellence of their entertainment industry, and the enormous -waste which goes into the making of one of their productions."</p> - -<p>"We must have a synthesis," I said, "and pool our observations."</p> - -<p>Ven nodded.</p> - -<p>"I'm not at all happy about this place," I continued. "It makes me -uncomfortable."</p> - -<p>"Could we modify it?" Ven asked.</p> - -<p>I shook my head. "It would take an entire task force to do that. -Reeducation of this culture would have to begin at birth after -appropriate culling. We would have to start from the beginning. I fear -that the council would never authorize such an action on behalf of -mammals. We are altruistic ... but not that altruistic."</p> - -<p>"Then they will destroy themselves?"</p> - -<p>"I fear so. This culture has a poor prognosis. But it is perhaps better -so. Or would you like to see them roaming through the Galaxy?"</p> - -<p>Ven shuddered. "Not as they are now. Not these fierce, combative stupid -brutes. Individuals perhaps, but not the race. They would have to learn -the rules of civilization first."</p> - -<p>"Yet they show no sign of learning. If they can't even cooperate with -their own species, how in Authority's name could they ever get along -with the dissimilar races of this island universe?"</p> - -<p>"They couldn't. We would have to quarantine them."</p> - -<p>"So isn't it better to save the expense and let them quarantine -themselves?"</p> - -<p>"I suppose so." Ven's aura was a dull gray and mine matched the gloom -of hers. It is hard to stand aloof and watch a race condemn itself to -death.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>We fed our observations into the analyzer, together with all extraneous -data we could lay our digits on via our proxies—not to prove our -conclusions but to determine the means by which we could obtain the -power metal with the least possible repercussions in this society. We -both realized it would be fatal to expose ourselves. The mammalian -technology was sufficiently advanced for them to duplicate the -essential portions of our ship, and chaos could result if they secured -a road to the stars. Generations of effort would be required to confine -them again to their homeworld.</p> - -<p>Thinking in this manner caused me to take certain precautions with the -drive mechanism that would ensure no trace of our craft remaining if I -projected a certain impulse at a given strength. Ven, of course, was -appalled at my action, although she realized its grim necessity.</p> - -<p>And in the meantime we worked with our proxies, I attempting to -establish some means of quietly obtaining the metal we needed, and -Ven doing nothing so far as I could determine that would further our -mission. At that, Edith was in no position to obtain metal, and Ven was -too young and inexperienced in contact work to attempt a mission of -such delicacy. Since Edith amused her, I was content to leave them both -to their own devices while I worked with Donald to speed our departure.</p> - -<p>"In this society," I said to Donald, "it seems that one can accomplish -anything with this medium of exchange you call money."</p> - -<p>"That's close to a fundamental truth," Donald replied.</p> - -<p>"And you are not too well supplied with it?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Those four ingots I brought you last week put a vicious dent in our -savings account."</p> - -<p>"Isn't your trade as an author profitable?"</p> - -<p>"Only in spurts. It's a feast-famine existence. But it's the only one I -care to lead."</p> - -<p>"But popular fiction makes money—and you can write."</p> - -<p>"I wish you'd tell that to my agent. He seems to have other ideas."</p> - -<p>"I have recently read some of your fiction," I said, "and have noticed -that it has certain basics that could easily be applied to an analyzer. -There is no reason why we could not cooperate and produce a work that -would yield a great deal of money."</p> - -<p>Donald laughed. "Now I've heard everything!" he said. "You mean to tell -me <i>you</i> could write a book <i>humans</i> would buy?"</p> - -<p>"No, you would write the book. I would merely furnish the idea, the -research data, the plot, and the general story outline. In your popular -fiction," I continued, "there are four basic elements and a plot -that can be varied about twenty-five ways. There is small need for -philosophy and little need for abstract thought. In fact, there is no -need at all for anything but glandular excitation. All that is really -necessary is plenty of action, enough understanding of the locale and -events to avoid anachronism—and the basics."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"What are these basics?" Donald said. "As a writer I'd like to know -them."</p> - -<p>"There are four," I ticked them off on my digits. "First, violation -of the ethical or moral code of your race; second, adequate amounts -of cohabitation between the characters; third, brutality; and -fourth—murderous assault."</p> - -<p>"Hmm. Sin, sex, sadism and slaughter," Donald commented. "You know, you -might have something there."</p> - -<p>"I have prepared an outline and a synopsis of such a book," I said. "It -is a historical novel. It should sell. Most historical novels do."</p> - -<p>"You've done what?" Donald gasped. Then he laughed. "Of all the -insufferable egoists I've ever seen!"</p> - -<p>"Listen," I said, ordering him to silence while I outlined the opening -chapter.</p> - -<p>"I can't stop you," Donald said. "But why should this happen to me? -Isn't it bad enough to be bossed around by you lizards without having -to be forced to ghost-write your amateur literary efforts?"</p> - -<p>"It is laid in the period of your history called the Renaissance," I -continued, "and deals with a young man of a noble but impoverished -house who rose to power by cleverness, amorality and skill with the -sword."</p> - -<p>"I suppose the girl is the daughter of the local duke."</p> - -<p>"No," I said, "she is the favorite wife of a Saracen corsair."</p> - -<p>"Well, that's a switch," Donald said. "Tell me more."</p> - -<p>So I did. I outlined the opening and told him the major points of -the whole story ... as the computer had synthesized it out of seven -excellent novels of the period and a four-volume set of Renaissance -history.</p> - -<p>Donald was enthralled. "You're right," he said. "It will sell. It's -lousy literature, but it's got appeal. With this story and my writing -we can out-Spillane Mickey." He was more enthusiastic than I had ever -seen him appear before.</p> - -<p>"Who is Spillane?" I asked.</p> - -<p>Donald looked at me as though he thought I was crazy and shook his -head. "I can get to work on it as soon as I get home," Donald said. -"And if I keep at it, it'll be ready for mailing in a couple of weeks. -I'll get it off to my agent and we'll see. I hate to admit it, but I -think you're right about the yarn. It should sell like hotcakes."</p> - -<p>"That is fine. It should provide us with the medium of exchange, which -is necessary in this society."</p> - -<p>"It's not necessary," Donald grinned. "It's essential."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">V</p> - -<p>Donald's prediction was a good one. The book sold—and sold well. -Despite the outright plagiarism of ideas and source material it was -hailed as a new novel—one that stimulated thought with its realistic -approach to the life of the times. And we prospered amazingly.</p> - -<p>With the advance money, I had Donald buy the land on which the ship -was resting, together with the valley and rimrock. Having thus secured -our landing site I felt a bit more comfortable. The comfort was even -greater when, at Donald's suggestion, a fence was placed around the -property and electronic tell-tales were installed. The remainder of the -royalties were used to purchase tin and supplies.</p> - -<p>But despite our prosperity and the regular supply of tin that came to -me as a result of my adventure in fiction, and the certainty that Ven -and I would be leaving, Donald was not happy.</p> - -<p>As a successful new author he had to travel to meetings in various -cities. He had to speak at public gatherings. He had to meet with -publishers eager to receive rights to his next book. And Edith did not -go with him.</p> - -<p>Ven was adamant on this point. "It's bad enough that she is working -on this motion picture," she said, "but I'm not going to have her -traveling all over the face of this planet. She's the only amusement I -have since we must stay cooped up in this place. I'm not going to let -her go."</p> - -<p>Donald was upset about it. He was so angry that he came to visit me -voluntarily, and the sight of Edith's little car parked under the trees -below the ship infuriated him even more. It took the controller to make -him keep his distance as he stood in front of the airlock and hated me.</p> - -<p>"Damn you!" he swore. "You can't do this to me! Edith's my wife and I -don't like this relationship between her and that—that <i>dinosaur</i>! It -isn't healthy."</p> - -<p>"It's out of my hands," I said. "Edith is Ven's responsibility."</p> - -<p>"It's not only that," he raged. "Ever since you lizards butted into our -lives Edith looks at me like I was a stranger." His face twisted. "I'll -admit she has her reasons. But that gives her no call to ask Ven's -advice rather than mine. When I told her I wanted her to come with me, -the first thing she said was that she'd ask Ven. She doesn't do one -damn thing without that cold-blooded little monster's consent! She even -asks advice on what clothes she should wear!" He laughed harshly. "The -blind asking advice from the blind!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I couldn't help chuckling. Ven, like all Thalassans, had never worn -anything in her life except a utility belt. Clothing has never been a -feature of our culture. Since it isn't necessary on Thalassa, it was -never developed, and since our sex impulses are periodic it has never -been useful to attract either males or females. "I can see your point," -I said. "Ven's ideas along that line would be zero."</p> - -<p>"Not quite," Donald said angrily. "She likes moccasins. Apparently they -make feet look more like your pads."</p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"But that's it! Edith's idea of what a well-dressed housewife should -wear is—<i>moccasins</i>! She damn near caused a riot the other day when -our TV repairman called to fix the set. We'll be lucky if we're not -forced to move because of that little incident!"</p> - -<p>"I'll speak to Ven," I said. "And if that doesn't work, I'll insert -a block against such a thing happening again. I don't want special -attention called to you. That sort of thing will stop right now."</p> - -<p>"Thanks," Donald said. "But I should be the one to stop it."</p> - -<p>"Face it," I replied, "you aren't. Not now. But you will be once we're -gone."</p> - -<p>"Which can't be too soon to suit me," he said. "I spend every spare -moment collecting tin for you. Edie doesn't. She <i>wants</i> Ven to stay."</p> - -<p>"They seem to be happy with each other. Edith comes up here regularly."</p> - -<p>"I know," he said bitterly. "She's here more often than she's home. I -can't see what fun she gets out of running around these hills stripped -to the skin carrying your mate on her shoulders."</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't know," I said. "Certainly you never seem to enjoy -performing that service for me."</p> - -<p>"I don't even like the thought of it. I'm not an animal, after all."</p> - -<p>"But you are," I said. "So am I. The only difference is that I am a -superior animal and you, being inferior, conform to my wishes. It is a -law of nature that the superior type will inevitably rule. The inferior -either conforms or dies. And you have no desire to die."</p> - -<p>He shook his head. "But I can still object," he said.</p> - -<p>"At that?" I asked pointing across the meadow with a primary digit.</p> - -<p>Edith was running, her long yellow hair floating free behind her. -Ven, high on her shoulders in a seat the two of them had contrived, -waved gaily at us as they came up. Edith was flushed and laughing. Her -eyes sparkled and her smooth bronze body gleamed in the sunlight. She -lowered Ven to the ground, slipped the harness off her smooth shoulders -and stood behind my mate, breathing deeply but not at all distressed.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Oh, Donald!" she said. "We had a wonderful climb—clear up to the top -of the ridge! And coming down was almost like flying! I'll tell you all -about it in a minute, right after I take a dip in the pool. Ven doesn't -like it when I sweat." She turned and ran down to the little pool in -the meadow.</p> - -<p>"See what I mean!" Donald gritted.</p> - -<p>"She seems happy. She's not hurt. And Ven's little weight doesn't seem -to bother her. What are you complaining about?"</p> - -<p>Donald growled something unintelligible, turned on his heel and walked -away.</p> - -<p>I let him go. There was no sense in making him angrier than he was. -After a moment the snarl of his car's engine rose to a crescendo then -faded away into the distance.</p> - -<p>A few minutes later Edith came back to the ship. "Why did Don leave?" -she asked.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps he had something to do," Ven said.</p> - -<p>She pouted. "He's always so busy nowadays," she said sulkily. "He isn't -nice like he used to be. Do you think he's tired of me?"</p> - -<p>"No, I don't think so. He just doesn't like you spending so much time -up here," I said.</p> - -<p>"But it's fun—and Ven likes it," she said. "I like it too. And since -he isn't home much any more, it's the only place where I can relax and -be myself." She brushed the drops of water from her body and shook out -her damp hair. "It's wonderful up here—so quiet and peaceful—and -Ven's so nice."</p> - -<p>My mate's aura glowed a pleased pink as I turned an embarrassed -lavender. It was almost criminal, I thought, what Ven had done to -the girl. Donald might be my servant, but I had never attempted to -condition him into liking it. As much as possible we operated as -equals, rather than in this sickening relationship which Ven had -imposed upon Edith. To avoid showing my displeasure I went up to the -control room, donned my helmet and went into rapport with Donald.</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry," I said. "I hadn't realized the true situation. The best -thing for both of us is for Ven and me to leave as quickly as possible."</p> - -<p>"How quick is that?" he shot back angrily.</p> - -<p>"Four thousand pounds more," I said.</p> - -<p>"Whew! That can must drink tin."</p> - -<p>"It takes a great deal to leave a planet," I said. "And hyperspace -demands a great deal more. Once we develop an inertialess drive it will -be easier. But we've only been working on it a thousand years. These -things take time."</p> - -<p>"I imagine. Well, are you going to do anything about Edith?"</p> - -<p>"No," I said. "It would only make things worse. The relationship has -gone too far. Ven has become an Authority-image."</p> - -<p>"You could break it."</p> - -<p>"But I won't. I'm fond of Ven."</p> - -<p>"You're a damned little tyrant," Donald said. "You like to see a human -squirm."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Be thankful that I'm the worst tyrant you'll see," I answered sharply. -"You could really learn about them if the Slaads knew you existed. -They're more advanced than you. And, unlike us, they're warlike and -predatory. They breed mammals for food. However, I'll put up a marker -on your moon before I leave. They respect Thalassa and won't preempt -our claims."</p> - -<p>"You mean you're going to lay claim to Earth?"</p> - -<p>"Only technically. We'll exercise it only if the Governing Council -decides it will be to our advantage."</p> - -<p>"What would you do if you took over?" Don asked curiously.</p> - -<p>"Clean things up," I said. "Stop wars, stabilize the population, -increase production and distribution, give you an effective central -government and an understandable legal code, and eliminate the unfit. -In three generations you'd be Class VI all over your planet."</p> - -<p>"It sounds good. What's the catch."</p> - -<p>"The catch," I said, "is that you wouldn't like it. You mammals are -erratic, emotional and uncontrolled. You do not reason well, and you -have no race discipline."</p> - -<p>"What's that?"</p> - -<p>"The capability of sacrificing units for the benefit of the whole. -Eugenics control, culling the unfit."</p> - -<p>"You're talking about human beings!" Donald exploded.</p> - -<p>"And what makes a human being different from any other animal?" I -asked. "Would you hesitate to dispose of an animal that was unfit to -breed?"</p> - -<p>He sighed. "No," he said. "But that's not the same."</p> - -<p>"What's the difference? And realize, it's done for your betterment."</p> - -<p>"Just a bunch of murderous little altruists," Donald sneered. "Out of -the kindness of your cold-blooded hearts—"</p> - -<p>"That's the trouble with you lower orders," I interrupted. "You get -emotional. Your observations have no basis in logic. Actually, the -Galaxy wouldn't even quiver if the lot of you disappeared tomorrow. Yet -you think the universe rotates about your heads."</p> - -<p>"I didn't—"</p> - -<p>"Don't interrupt," I snapped. "You—your race—your whole pitiful -little civilization is ready mentally and almost ready technologically -to commit suicide. If we came and saved you, you would owe us eternal -gratitude, but I doubt if we'd get it."</p> - -<p>"You wouldn't," Donald assured me. "There wouldn't be a human alive who -wouldn't hate you."</p> - -<p>"I realize that—and that is one of the reasons I should report your -world unfavorably to the council. We could hardly take on an altruism -mission like this unless we felt that our work would be appreciated. It -would be better to let you kill yourselves."</p> - -<p>"Altruism!"</p> - -<p>"In a sense. At least your race would be the greater gainers. All we'd -get would be your excess population."</p> - -<p>"And what would you want them for—slaves?"</p> - -<p>"Authority, no!" I said, shocked in spite of myself. "We'd merely -process them for food."</p> - -<p>He was silent after that.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Donald was away again, at a publisher's meeting. Our new book laid -in Restoration England was going to be an even greater success than -the first if the advance notices were any criterion. Edith was at a -studio party celebrating the completion of the picture in which she was -working. And Ven was bored.</p> - -<p>For awhile she sat in on Donald's conference in a city called New York, -but that proved to be uninteresting. I was busy with a faulty fuel feed -in the drive chamber. The sun was hot, and the day was promising to be -extremely warm even though it was not yet noon. It was one of those -days when nothing happens, and I was grateful for it. I had had enough -of emotional tangles to last me for some time. It was almost soothing -to work with the robots on insensate machinery rather than supervise a -pair of highly charged mammals and a hardly less unstable mate.</p> - -<p>The association with these entities hadn't done Ven a great deal -of good. In fact, I could notice a deterioration of her character -that bothered me. She no longer looked at me with respect. Indeed, -her yellow eyes at times held a pitying amusement that I should be -so weak as to argue with Donald. I didn't bother to point out that -the three tons of power metal had virtually all been brought aboard -through Donald's efforts, and that our conveniences, our defenses, our -robots and our very lives were due to the working arrangements I had -established.</p> - -<p>The only useful thing Edith had done in the past month was to help me -change the tube liners in the steering jets. Her size and strength had -made the job easy—and it was normally a hard one, since the robots -didn't have the flexibility or balance that Edith, with her dancer's -body, possessed. The job had taken two days. It would have taken better -than a week if I had to use robots.</p> - -<p>The mammals, I thought, would be of distinct value as members of -spaceport maintenance crews. Their combination of immense strength -and high intelligence would be useful to our society. I made a note -of it and added it to the data I was assembling for the Council. It -was foolish, perhaps, but I couldn't help feeling an interest in these -creatures.</p> - -<p>I looked across the little valley that was our domain. It was an -idyllic life we were leading. Unhurried—peaceful—the sort of life I -thoroughly enjoyed. It would have been perfect if it wasn't for the -insane and dangerous world on which it was being lived.</p> - -<p>Of course it was too good to last. Idylls invariably are. The peace -of ours was shattered abruptly when Ven came into the drive room and -disturbed my work. Her aura blazed a rich violet.</p> - -<p>"Eu," she said. "Come up to the control room. Something's wrong!"</p> - -<p>"What," I asked.</p> - -<p>"It's Edith. I can't do a thing with her."</p> - -<p>"You're not supposed to. She's working now."</p> - -<p>"She is not! Her studio has finished the picture and they're having a -party."</p> - -<p>"That's nice. I hope you're letting her have a good time."</p> - -<p>"I told her to. But I never imagined what they'd be doing!" Ven's voice -was anguished.</p> - -<p>"Well, what <i>are</i> they doing?"</p> - -<p>"Ingesting ethanol to excess!"</p> - -<p>"Ethanol!" I gasped. "Oh no!"</p> - -<p>I hadn't realized that normal mammals consumed excess amounts of the -stuff, although there were references to it in the literature. I -thought that was merely literary exaggeration. After all, we had been -here scarcely half a year, and we hadn't really learned too much about -the details of mammalian society. Donald's kidneys had forced him to -lead a quiet life, and the passing of Edith from his control to Ven's -had caused no remarkable alterations in her doings.</p> - -<p>I should have paid more attention to their customs. But I had been -too busy. I swore as I reached for my control helmet. I'd have to stop -this before it became serious. Donald would be of no help to me. He was -several thousand vursts away, and even under the best circumstances -couldn't be expected back for a day.</p> - -<p>I didn't bother to call him, but instead adjusted the controls to -Edith's setting.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">VI</p> - -<p>A horde of gaily dressed mammals surrounded me, their faces and bodies -oddly fuzzy and distorted. Edith's voice was equally fuzzy. There was -something wrong with her centers. I tapped the helmet and checked the -controller just in case it was on our end, but they were functioning -perfectly. There was nothing wrong—merely the fact that ethanol was -disturbing the biocircuits I had implanted in her brain. I swore a -few choice expletives of Low Thalassan and tried to get through by -increasing the power. It did no good.</p> - -<p>"I c'n still feel that li'l lizard in m' head," Edith announced. "Gimme -another drink. I wanna wash her out. Darn li'l lizard makes me do -things I dowanna do. It wants me to quit, but I wanna get drunk."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus3.jpg" width="356" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"Take it easy," a fuzzy male face said. "You're loaded. Why does a -nice chick like you hafta be loaded? Whyncha get outa here? I gotta -nice place over in Santa Monica where—"</p> - -<p>The face disappeared.</p> - -<p>"Hey! Alice! Golly, I almos' din't reckanize you. Howya doin?"</p> - -<p>"Better than you, Edith. You're drunk. And from the looks of you, -you're going to be sick if you don't get some fresh air."</p> - -<p>"Gotta go spit in the eye of my li'l lizard," Edith said. "Y'wanna -come with me? I got Don's car. We c'n get outa here an' get some fresh -air—an' I c'n tell that li'l lizard what I think of her."</p> - -<p>"What are you talking about?"</p> - -<p>"You wanna see my li'l lizard. She's got yella eyes, and a li'l tail, -and she turns all kindsa colors, and she lives in a rock with a door -in it, an she makes me do things I dowanna do. It ain't so bad though. -Mosta the time I like it. Not alla time though. That's why I wanna spit -in her eye. She c'n tell me all she wants—but she's gotta leave me'n -Don alone. I love that guy." Edith started sobbing—why, I couldn't -understand.</p> - -<p>"She's maudlin," I said to Ven. "No one's going to believe a thing she -is saying. But this should be a warning to us. We'll have to put in -a block against drinking ethanol. I didn't realize how badly it can -affect the biocircuits." I handed the helmet back to Ven. "You can -watch this mess if you want to. I'm going to our quarters."</p> - -<p>I slipped out of the control chair and walked across the room.</p> - -<p>I was stronger now, more accustomed to the gravity, and it didn't -bother me unless I had to stand for long periods of time. I turned in -the doorway to look at Ven. She had the helmet on again and her aura -was a crackling red. I shook my head. Edith was due for a bad time when -the effects of that hydrocarbon wore off.</p> - -<p>I had hardly fallen into light estivation when Ven's projection crashed -through my antennae.</p> - -<p>"Eu! Get up! Come here quickly!"</p> - -<p>With a groan I came slowly back to full facility and ran to the control -room. Ven's face was filled with panic.</p> - -<p>"They're coming up here," she said. "A whole carful of them!"</p> - -<p>"Who?"</p> - -<p>"Edith's drunken friends! Somehow she's collected six of them and -they're driving up here to spit in my eye!"</p> - -<p>Despite myself, I laughed. Ven looked so outraged I couldn't help it.</p> - -<p>"We can close the airlock," I said, "and they can't tell us from a -rock."</p> - -<p>"I won't! I'm going to teach that girl a lesson she won't forget in a -hurry! I've listened to myself being insulted for two hours—and she's -still going strong. When she gets up here I'll show her whose eye -she'll spit in!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Ven was raging. I'd never seen her so emotional before. Her aura -swelled and ebbed in ruddy shades as her breath came and went in short -gasps.</p> - -<p>"And how do you propose to do that?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"I'll stat her!" Ven raged. "I'll stat every one of them!"</p> - -<p>I blinked. "I wouldn't do that," I said mildly. "What can we do with -them? The two we have are bad enough. And if you stat them, we'll have -to kill or condition them. We couldn't let them go home with a story -like the one they'd tell."</p> - -<p>"I don't care," Ven said. "You can do what you like about the rest -of them, but that Edith is going to learn a lesson." She was being -emotional and quite unwilling to listen to reason—and she was larger -and stronger than I. Despite my protests, she jerked a stat projector -from the rack and strode toward the open airlock.</p> - -<p>"Thalassa!" she exclaimed. "They're coming through the gate! They'll be -here in a minute."</p> - -<p>I could hear the roar of a protesting engine groaning up the trail to -the lower meadow as I hurried after Ven. As I reached the airlock, the -gray body of Donald's station wagon poked its nose around the trees -below our ship.</p> - -<p>Ven stood rigidly in the airlock, waiting, her lips tight and her eyes -narrow. She took a firmer grip on the stat as the car stopped and the -giggling, half-sober humans tumbled out. I was in a quandary. I didn't -want Ven to shoot, but I couldn't close the airlock with her inside it. -So I stood, hesitating while the group of gaily dressed mammals came -toward us through the trees, their high voices loud in the stillness.</p> - -<p>"Gotta find that li'l lizard an tell her to stop meddling with my -life," Edith's voice came to my ears.</p> - -<p>Ven stiffened beside me as the group broke out of the trees in front of -the ship.</p> - -<p>"Why, Edie, it's beautiful!" a voice said. "It's a fairy glen! No -wonder you'd never tell us where you got that suntan! And that big -rock—it's just like you said—And—uh!" The voice never finished as -Ven pressed the trigger.</p> - -<p>I looked down at the six crumpled mammalian bodies and the lone -standing figure that looked stupidly up at us.</p> - -<p>"Well," I said. "You've done it this time. Now are you satisfied?</p> - -<p>"No," Ven said. "Not half." Her voice was tight with anger. She looked -down at Edith. "Come here!" she said.</p> - -<p>"Dowanna," Edith replied uncertainly. "You've made Don leave me. I -don't like you." But habit was stronger than alcohol and under the -furious lash of Ven's voice she came unsteadily forward.</p> - -<p>"Do you understand me, you little sarf!" Ven snapped icily. "I said -<i>come here</i>!" She took the control box from her waist and viciously -twisted the intensity dial to maximum. At this range its force was -irresistible, even with alcohol-deadened synapses. Edith shuddered and -moved toward us, her hands clumsily tearing at the fabric that covered -her.</p> - -<p>"I'm comin'! You don' hafta shout. I ain't deaf. I ain't done nothin'!" -She sat down beside the airlock and struggled out of her clothing, -ripping the thin fabric under the last of Ven's anger until she was -completely naked. Then she stood up and reached her hands toward Ven.</p> - -<p>"You're not going to try to ride her while she's in that condition?" I -said.</p> - -<p>"This is my affair," Ven replied grimly. "I'm going to get this -settled."</p> - -<p>I shrugged.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>There was no sense reasoning with her while she was in that mood. And -if she wanted to kill herself that was her concern. I watched her drop -onto Edith's shoulders, wind one hand viciously into the mammal's long -blonde hair and guide the gross body into a shambling walk toward the -meadow. Edith swayed dangerously, but somehow she managed to stay on -her feet as they disappeared into the trees.</p> - -<p>I walked over to the six bodies, gave each of them a light stat to make -sure they would remain quiet and sat down beside the nearest one to -think.</p> - -<p>Ven's anger had left me a sizeable problem. What on earth could I do -with six human females? I needed them like I needed a broken digit. -Time passed and the sun rose toward the zenith, and finally I came to a -decision. Since we had them on our hands, we might as well make use of -them. Killing would be too dangerous.</p> - -<p>And presently Edith came through the trees, a sick, tired, sober Edith -whose face was dirty and tear streaked, carrying a grim Ven whose aura -smoldered a reddish brown.</p> - -<p>"What did you do to her?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"None of your business," Ven snapped. "She's all right now. Aren't you, -Edith?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Ven—and I won't do it again. Honest I won't."</p> - -<p>"You'd better not," Ven said grimly. "Now I suppose we have some work -to do."</p> - -<p>"You certainly have," I said. "If it wasn't for your temper we wouldn't -have this mess on our hands. Now get moving! Have Edith carry these -girls to the ship." I gestured at the prone bodies. "And you, get -inside and bring out the control equipment and connect the leads to the -computer." I was angry, too. Under the force of my superior will, the -two females scurried to obey. "I'm disgusted with you, Ven," I said -angrily. "Just because your pet went to a party, you don't have to act -childish. Did you expect she'd behave like a Thalassan?"</p> - -<p>"I trusted her," Ven said.</p> - -<p>"It just goes to show that you can't trust an animal too far," I said. -"Now get moving. Bring the probes first. We have a lot of work to do -before evening."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It was finished sooner than I expected. The sun was still in the -sky, but close to the edge of the hills. The row of mammalian bodies -slumbered peacefully beside the airlock. Ven looked down at them -speculatively.</p> - -<p>"No," I said. "You have one, and that's enough."</p> - -<p>"But," Ven said.</p> - -<p>"I've humored you," I said. "I've let you act like a lower order. Now -I want to see you behave like a civilized being. For unless you do, I -shall have to take steps. I'm tired of this childishness."</p> - -<p>"I'll be all right now," Ven replied. "We've come to an understanding." -She gestured at Edith with her primary digit and the big mammal -shivered. I wondered what Ven had done to her. Edith was thoroughly -cowed—actually afraid of little Ven, who was less than one fifth her -size. In a way, I felt an odd sort of pride in my mate that she should -achieve mastery over such an intelligent and potentially dangerous -brute. I knew perfectly well that I'd never dare attempt such dominance -over Donald unless I was prepared to rob him of the mentality that made -him useful. But I consoled myself with the thought that this female was -peculiarly susceptible to domination.</p> - -<p>"We'd better get that car out of sight," Ven said. She nodded to Edith. -The human obediently trotted off in the direction of the car. A few -moments later the sound of the motor rose and fell as she concealed it -in the trees.</p> - -<p>As soon as I could, I contacted Donald and told him what had happened. -Fortunately he was alone, so his exclamation of surprise and -consternation didn't arouse any suspicion.</p> - -<p>"Ethanol, eh?" he said speculatively.</p> - -<p>It was easy to follow the trend of his thoughts. "Don't get any ideas," -I warned in my best TV villain manner. "I have Edith up here with me. -If you want to see her again, you'd better stay sober."</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't think of crossing you," he assured me insincerely. "I'm too -close to being rid of you."</p> - -<p>"Well—what do we do?" I asked. "You're the expert on this insane -society of yours."</p> - -<p>"You've done it," he said. "I don't think it was smart of you, but -under the circumstances, I can't see how you could have done anything -else. I warned you about Ven and Edith," he added—rather gloatingly, I -thought. "Now you're in for it." His voice was almost gay.</p> - -<p>"How?"</p> - -<p>"Six women vanishing all at once is going to cause a stir even in Los -Angeles," he said.</p> - -<p>"After an ethanol party?" I asked curiously. "Six dancers out of a -production that used a hundred? Your city will never miss them."</p> - -<p>"But their families will."</p> - -<p>Families! I hadn't thought of that. Mammals had strong family -ties—probably due to their method of reproduction. We Thalassans, -coming as we did from eggs, had none of this. The state incubators and -the creches were our only contact with parenthood. We had no families. -"Hmm," I said. "I hadn't thought of that."</p> - -<p>"Well, you'd better start. I hope it gives you a headache."</p> - -<p>"You get nastier every time I talk with you," I complained.</p> - -<p>"I have my reasons," he said bitterly. "Now, if you're through with -me, little master, I think I'd like to get some sleep. In the meantime -you'd better get them back to their homes before they're missed."</p> - -<p>"I can't," I confessed. "The controller isn't big enough to handle -eight of you—not as individuals."</p> - -<p>Donald chuckled grimly. "That's your worry. Remember, unless you find -out which of them will be missed and act accordingly, you're going to -be very much in the public eye."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I didn't feel too happy as I cut off, but Donald had given me an idea.</p> - -<p>One by one I checked the new proxies. Of the six, two were living -together. They had the casual emotional involvement with males so -characteristic of this species, but they could remain here for several -days without causing comment. Of the remaining four, one had a -roommate and would be difficult to extract; another was living alone; -still another was mated and had an offspring, but she was not living -with her mate—a legal action having separated her much as it separates -incompatible Thalassans. The offspring, however, was living with her -when she wasn't working, a not unusual situation on this world, but one -which could have some complications unless she was returned to it very -shortly.</p> - -<p>The last was living with her parents and was seriously involved -emotionally with a male. She was planning to be officially mated -in the near future, although it would be legal fiction rather than -fact since she was already nurturing a living embryo of some three -weeks development. I debated whether to remove it, a simple enough -manipulation, but decided against it. It would be interesting to -observe a mammalian reproduction. But to remove her from her family and -her unofficial mate was a task that might be difficult. I needed help.</p> - -<p>I projected a call for Ven, phrasing it imperatively so she could have -no doubt about its urgency. Her answer was quick and clear.</p> - -<p>"I'm coming," she said.</p> - -<p>"Good. I need you. And bring Edith. We have a problem that will require -her talents."</p> - -<p>"She'll be happy to cooperate." Ven's projection was cheerfully -confident.</p> - -<p>"You did her no permanent damage, I hope."</p> - -<p>"Not a bit. In fact, you'd never know she's been disciplined."</p> - -<p>"Well, get in here, both of you. We have work to do."</p> - -<p>Edith had trouble squeezing into the control room and, despite her skin -conditioning, the place quickly filled with her scent. But Ven and -I were old hands now and took it in stride. She grasped the problem -instantly. "The only one who might be any trouble is Alice. Her family -and her boy friend can be difficult. The others won't need much effort, -except for Grace. She'd better be returned to her baby as soon as -possible."</p> - -<p>"How soon?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"The baby isn't living with her," Edith added, "not while she's -working, but she sees it regularly. Every day or two, I believe."</p> - -<p>I sighed. That solved the biggest problem.</p> - -<p>"We had better start at once," Ven said.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I ignored her and looked inquiringly at Edith. "What would you do?" I -asked, flashing a cold projection at Ven to stay out of this.</p> - -<p>"Well—if I had to do it, I'd send Alice and Grace home. I wouldn't do -anything to Alice except block her from talking about this place and -what happened. Grace I'd put under full control, have her pick up her -baby, go home and pack to leave. As soon as she's ready to go, bring -her out here."</p> - -<p>"The infant, too?"</p> - -<p>"Of course. A baby's no bother."</p> - -<p>This, I thought, was something of an understatement.</p> - -<p>"And what of the others?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Velma has a nosey roommate. Have her start a fight and leave angry. -She hasn't much baggage, and it won't be any trouble for her to -collect it. As for the other three, I think Joan's being kept. She -can't afford a single apartment on her salary. Loleta and Marian are -always out, sometimes for days. Their landlady won't think a thing of -it. If they never return, she'll just pack their things and rent the -room to someone else. I know that old witch. I'd just keep those three -here and not worry about them. Nobody's going to make any fuss about -three chorines disappearing. Later on you can make them write letters -enclosing money to send their clothes to another city. Then they can -be picked up and stored. That should give us a year before anyone gets -suspicious enough to look for them."</p> - -<p>"Edith," I said, "you're a genius."</p> - -<p>"I got you into this mess," Edith said. "So, perhaps I'd better get you -out."</p> - -<p>"But your fellow mammals—"</p> - -<p>"You haven't hurt me—not much, anyway," Edith said. "So I don't -suppose you'll hurt them. And, besides, I don't want Ven mad at me like -she was this afternoon. Anyway—you'll be gone soon."</p> - -<p>"I think I shall regret leaving," I said honestly. "There is a great -deal about you mammals I am beginning to suspect I do not know."</p> - -<p>"You aren't kidding," she said with faint bitterness so similar to -Donald's that my antennae quivered. "But it's been quite an experience. -I'll tell my kids when I have them—but they're not going to believe -me."</p> - -<p>"I hope you have those children—and raise them to maturity," I said.</p> - -<p>The tone of my voice caused her to look at me with sudden fear on her -face. But at the sight of my impassive features it died away. "You -scared me for a moment," she said.</p> - -<p>"Did I? I didn't mean to."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">VII</p> - -<p>The next week kept us busy following Edith's instructions. I didn't see -how they would apply to Alice, but Edith knew her species better than -I. Alice's silence and the prying inquisitiveness of her parents and -her boyfriend worked like magic. Alice finally became angry and after -a stormy scene left the house, swearing never to return. Edith picked -her up as she walked away; Ven turned on the control and turned the -threat to fact. Later I took a leaf from Edith's book and sent Alice to -San Francisco, where I had her write a pair of bitter letters to her -parents and her extralegal mate. After that I felt more secure.</p> - -<p>The others worked out exactly as Edith predicted. No trouble at all. -By the time Donald returned from the East with a ton of tin ingots in -a small truck our training schedule was well set up. The robots and I -had managed to build a multiplex controller similar to those we used -on Thalassa on the state farms, but much smaller. It could handle the -proxies en masse or as individuals. While far less sensitive than the -one in the ship, it was effective enough for our rather elementary -purposes.</p> - -<p>Edith, who was running the group under Ven's supervision, had them -lined up in a row to greet Donald as he came up the hill toward the -ship.</p> - -<p>"The place looks like a nudist colony," Donald grumbled. "You haven't -improved it any." He eyed the file of mammals trooping down to the -truck to unload the tin ingots. "I have another ton lined up for -delivery as soon as you get this processed," he said.</p> - -<p>"Good," I replied. "We'll leave as soon as it's aboard. I don't like -the looks of your recent actions."</p> - -<p>"Mine?" I shook my head. "Oh, you mean the world situation." I nodded. -"You shouldn't worry about it. You should have seen it this time last -year."</p> - -<p>I shrugged. I would never really understand these creatures. Their -brains functioned differently. "You frighten me with your wild displays -of emotion. Someday one of you is going to start something and your -world is going to go up in fire."</p> - -<p>"I don't think so," he said. "I have some ideas about that. With the -money from your stories and with what you have taught me, I think there -will be some changes." There was a peculiar expression in his eyes that -I couldn't identify. It made me vaguely uneasy. "I've been doing a lot -of thinking since you met up with Edie and me. What this world needs -is someone who can run it."</p> - -<p>"That's obvious," I said. "Until your society catches up with your -technology you will be in constant danger. You mammals will have to -learn to discipline your emotions."</p> - -<p>His face twisted. "I've had a good practical course in that," he said. -"Now I'm getting post-graduate training." He gestured at the women -coming up the hill carrying the silver tin ingots. "Just how long do -you think I can endure something like this?"</p> - -<p>"Like what?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Do I have to draw you a diagram?" he asked. "Ever since you lizards -came into my life I haven't been able to touch a woman. Not even -Edith—and she's my wife. Just how much of this do you think I can -take?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Oh!" I exclaimed with dawning comprehension. "I think I see."</p> - -<p>The situation would have been amusing if it wasn't so stupid. I was -surprised that I hadn't realized it before. There was, I knew, a -certain amount of feedback in a bipolar control circuit. Obviously -enough of Ven's conditioning, and mine, had seeped through to affect -Donald and Edith's normal relationships. Mammals were far more -preoccupied with sex than we were. Their books, magazines, television -and motion pictures reeked of it. It was present in almost every piece -of advertising, and four of our six new proxies were living histories -of it. Yet Donald and Edith, because of our feedback, had been kept as -continent as novitiates for the priesthood of Authority!</p> - -<p>"I'm a perfectly normal male," Donald said. "Just what do you think -you've been doing to me? I can't drink. I can't make love. I can't do -anything except collect tin for you lizards. Just why do you think I -hate you? Now you surround me with a whole damned untouchable harem! -Are you trying to drive me insane?"</p> - -<p>I laughed, and Donald recognize the sound for what it was.</p> - -<p>"Oh, <i>damn</i> you!" he said bitterly. "How would you like to be married -for eight months and for six of them be unable to touch your wife? Just -why do you think Edith tried to get drunk? I could kill you cheerfully -for what you've done to us!"</p> - -<p>"Oh!" I said. There was a world of understanding opening in front -of me. Of course, it would do no good to tell him that Ven and I -had remained in enforced continence for five years. It was just the -Eugenics council working through us—entirely involuntarily. What -was bothering Donald and Edith was so absurdly simple that neither -Ven nor I would have thought to ask. And the mammals with their -peculiar customs and habits would never have told us unless—as had -happened—the pressure became too great.</p> - -<p>What our mammals needed was a good dose of Va Krul's basic therapy. If -Edith were fertilized as a result of it, so much the better. It would -keep her attention where it more properly belonged. The thought would -never have occurred to me in my present state. Since I was content, I -had erroneously assumed that everything was in harmony.</p> - -<p>"You might as well go home," I said. "Take Edith with you. We won't -need you for several days."</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"You'll find things a little different. I'll make a few adjustments on -the controller."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>To my surprise Don didn't appear happy at all. "Does that mean what I -think it does?" he demanded. "Do you think I'll get any satisfaction -out of being controlled <i>even there</i>?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know about the pleasure," I said coldly, "but I do know that -it will improve your attitude."</p> - -<p>Donald raged at me, his brain white with anger. "So help me God, Eu -Kor, someday I'm going to kill you for this! It's the ultimate insult."</p> - -<p>"You're not going to do anything," I said calmly. His voice dissolved -into obscenity. For a moment I felt sorry for him until I remembered -the basic truth that none of us are free—and the most intelligent, -naturally, are the least free of all. They are bound by their -commitments, their duties, their responsibilities, and by their -intelligence itself. If a superior intelligence occasionally exhibits -petty lapses—which amuse him or relieve his boredom—it is not the -place of the less endowed to construe it as a sign of equality.</p> - -<p>Some—like Ven and me—have known their place from birth. Others, like -Edith and Alice, learn easily with a minimum amount of pain. Some like -Grace learn hard; and some—like Donald—do not learn at all.</p> - -<p>Donald was the eternal rebel, complying because he must, yet seething -with resentment because he did. He was the personification of drive -without innate control, ambition without humility, intelligence without -wisdom. As he had been, he was not quite enough. At best he would have -been a minor author and a petty domestic tyrant. He would never have -been a threat simply because he didn't have the ability or training. -But I had given him what he lacked. The knowledge I had impressed upon -his mind would give him a tremendous advantage over his fellow mammals, -and his tendencies toward domestic tyranny would expand to include -others. His glandular attitude would pervert his knowledge to the -detriment of humankind. He could become a thing so dangerous that it -could destroy this precariously balanced world.</p> - -<p>I went into the ship and set up a world matrix on the computer, using -all the data I had accumulated, secured the answer, and then inserted -Donald's potential into the matrix. I then ordered a probability -extrapolation for both matrices, equating the solutions with survival.</p> - -<p>The answers confirmed my thoughts. With the matrix as it stood, the -twenty year survival prediction was 65 per cent, which wasn't too bad -since few advanced-technology worlds have better than an 85 per cent -survival probability. But with Donald in the matrix, the survival -prediction was zero!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I knew what I must do. I could not leave him behind as I had planned. -Nor could I inflict the senseless cruelty of brainblotting. He would -have to be mercifully destroyed.</p> - -<p>Although I was fond of Donald, and his death would leave me sick for -weeks, it would not be right to let my creation live and condemn the -mammal race to death. I could not exterminate a race Authority had -created. The guilt syndrome would be shattering. Of course, if they -killed each other that was not my concern.</p> - -<p>But until we left I would give him all the freedom he could use. -Outside of the minimum of control, he would be free to do and act as -he pleased. I didn't owe it to him, yet it was not his fault that he -had come into my hands. And when I returned to Thalassa I would tell -the Council what I had done and ask for justice. Perhaps we could save -this world from itself even as we had saved others. The question of -gratitude would be immaterial.</p> - -<p>With a firm hand to set them on the track, the mammals might learn the -values of intelligence and cooperation before it was too late. They -might understand the realities of existence rather than fall victim to -their glandular fancies. They might. But if they did, one thing would -be certain—they would learn it the hard way. Donald was proof of that.</p> - -<p>I went to our living quarters, and presently Ven joined me. "They're -all in for the night, Eu," she said.</p> - -<p>"That's good. How are they coming along?"</p> - -<p>"Splendidly. Another week should see the end of the training. Edith was -a good experience for me in handling these. I'm not making the mistakes -I did. I'm finding the blocks and removing them. One of them, the one -called Grace, should be even better than Edith."</p> - -<p>"As a mount?" I asked with faint humor. "Or as a working proxy?"</p> - -<p>"Both," Ven said promptly. "She's stronger and more intelligent. Yet -even so I think I shall always like Edith best."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"One's first dependent is always one's fondest memory," I replied -sententiously, "But you'll forget them all when we're back on Thalassa."</p> - -<p>"I won't," Ven said. "I'll never forget Edith."</p> - -<p>"Never is a long time," I said gently. "I shall even forget the pain of -killing Donald some day."</p> - -<p>"Then you've decided to eliminate him?" Ven said.</p> - -<p>I nodded. "It's necessary," I said. "This world wouldn't be safe with -him alive."</p> - -<p>"Poor Edith. She's fond of the brute," Ven said. She moved toward the -doorway.</p> - -<p>"Where are you going?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"I want to talk to Edith. Perhaps I can prepare her."</p> - -<p>"No. Don't," I said. "Contact her if you wish, but tell her nothing."</p> - -<p>"Very well," she said. I smiled as she disappeared. Ven was going to -miss her pet once we had left. It was obvious.</p> - -<p>"Eu! Quick!" Ven's projection crackled in my brain. "They're fighting! -Edith's being hurt, and I can't touch them! They've set up a block!"</p> - -<p>I ran for the control room, slapped the helmet on my head, reached for -the controls—and stopped, laughing.</p> - -<p>"Stop them!" Ven screamed. Her aura blazed a brilliant white and her -projection nearly knocked me down. She reached for the control switch, -but I slapped her hand away.</p> - -<p>"Quiet!" I snapped. "They're not fighting, you little fool! Turn on -your audio and listen and stop acting silly!"</p> - -<p>Ven did as I told her and her aura changed to a fiery pink. "Oh!" she -said in a small voice, "but they never—"</p> - -<p>I must have made some mistake in revising the controllers—or feedback -was stronger than I suspected—for the Va Krul syndrome came back -along our lines of contact with explosive force! Desperately I reached -for the switch—but my hand froze in midair as an intolerable wave -of emotion drove Ven and me together like two pieces of iron with -opposite magnetic charge! The last thing I remember was being enveloped -in the flaring golden glow of Ven's aura.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I came to my senses in our living quarters. I was -stunned—exhausted—limp and gasping.</p> - -<p>"Thalassa!" I said weakly, "we've <i>really</i> done it now!"</p> - -<p>Ven smiled a pale blue radiance at me. "You have become strong, living -on this heavy world," she said. "I like it."</p> - -<p>"But—but!" I sputtered. "It was so—it can't—it couldn't—"</p> - -<p>"But it did," Ven said softly. "And I'm glad it did."</p> - -<p>"I don't mean that. What I mean to say was that it was so—"</p> - -<p>"Unexpected?"</p> - -<p>"No! So utterly—"</p> - -<p>"Satisfying?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Stop interrupting! It was all of that and more. But what I want to say -is that we've violated the prime restriction for space travellers. How -could we do it?"</p> - -<p>"You're forgetting that for some time we have been living upon this -emotion-charged world," Ven said. "The steady erosion was more than our -conditioning could take. The feedback was merely the last in a whole -series of disruptive stimuli. It was the trigger, but our defenses had -been weakened long before. Not that I'm sorry," she added quickly. -"For weeks I've been wondering what sort of a mate you'd be when this -trip was over. I'm not unhappy with the preview." She smiled at me and -the whole of our living quarters was filled with a bright tender blue.</p> - -<p>"The natives," I said worriedly. "We were in contact with them."</p> - -<p>Ven's aura darkened. "I had forgotten them," she said. "I hope that the -feedback wasn't intensified and returned to them. I'd better look." She -started for the control room and I followed more slowly.</p> - -<p>"There's no damage," she said from beneath the helmet. "Edith feels -just as I do."</p> - -<p>I took my helmet and coded Don's pattern on the selector. Peculiar, I -thought with vague wonder. Most peculiar. For the first time Donald and -I were in true rapport. His mind was slow, lazy, sluggish—even his -ambition was sated for the moment. Could it be, I wondered, that we -could find agreement through our <i>emotions</i>? Was it frustration that -drove him? Whatever the block had been it was gone now. This was a -true empathic meeting—something far more satisfying than our previous -conflict.</p> - -<p>I relaxed in it, feeling the slow langorous questings of his mind even -as he felt mine. There was a sense of brotherhood that transcended -differences in race and culture. We were down to basics, on the oldest -meeting ground of life.</p> - -<p>He was wondering idly what the outcome of this might be—conscious of -me, but careless. It jolted me. He might be uncertain, but I <i>knew</i> Ven -was from good family stock, and "good" to a Thalassan meant something -entirely different than it commonly did to the natives of this planet!</p> - -<p>I disengaged hurriedly and shook Ven out of her rapport with Edith. -"We've no time to lose," I said. "We must leave at once! You know -what's going to happen!"</p> - -<p>"I know," Ven said. "I feel the changes already."</p> - -<p>"That's just in your mind," I snapped.</p> - -<p>"We're not going home," she said. There was a note of prophecy in her -voice. "We'll never make it."</p> - -<p>"We can't stay here!"</p> - -<p>"I know."</p> - -<p>"Then what are we going to do?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>We couldn't stay here. But we couldn't go home either. The trip would -take weeks, and hyperspace is fatal to a gravid Thalassan female. -That was something we learned long ago, and the principal reason for -continence-conditioning for couples in space. What was more, I knew -that where Ven stayed, I would stay.</p> - -<p>"Remember the fourth planet of this system?" Ven asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes. Ideal gravity, adequate oxygen, but too cold."</p> - -<p>"And with no intelligent life," Ven added. "That's an advantage—and -we can beat the cold. It wouldn't be too hard to build domes. We have -plenty of power metal, and a matricizer. We could hatch our clutch -there. With the mammals to help us, we should be able to make a -comfortable enough life for the forty years it'll take to bring our -offspring to maturity. We should be able to do this easily, and still -get home before we're strangers."</p> - -<p>"Hmm," I said. "It's possible. And we can use this world for a supply -base. But would you care to live on that cold barren planet?"</p> - -<p>"There are worse places," she said matter-of-factly. "And we'd be close -to everything we'd need."</p> - -<p>It did have possibilities. And the mammals could be adapted. They were -a more advanced evolutionary form than we, but lower on the adaptive -scale—nonspecialized—more so than any other intelligent race I had -encountered.</p> - -<p>Ven said, "We would actually be doing their race a favor, if the -computation of this world's future is correct. Some of them would still -survive if this planet commits suicide. And if the prediction is wrong, -we would have done no harm. If they reach space, they'll merely find -that they've already arrived when they reach the fourth planet."</p> - -<p>"Which might be something of a surprise to their explorers," I said -with a chuckle. "All right. We'll play it your way."</p> - -<p>I was pretty sure how Donald would take this. He was going to be -furious, but after all one doesn't make a pet of a wolf and then turn -it loose. It's too hard on the livestock. But I didn't think he'd be -too unhappy. He'd be the principal human on Mars; and after we left -he'd be ruler of a world. And in the meantime he could be a domestic -tyrant.</p> - -<p>It was fortunate, I thought with a smile, that mammals were essentially -polygamous. Donald would make some nasty comments about being a herd -sire—but I didn't think his comments would be too sincere. After all, -it's not every man that has a chance to become a founding father.</p> - -<p>I was still smiling as I turned the dials on the controller and flipped -the switch. Founding father—the title was as much mine as his!</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Founding Father, by J.F. 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Bone - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Founding Father - -Author: J.F. Bone - -Release Date: April 24, 2016 [EBook #51852] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUNDING FATHER *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - Founding Father - - By J. F. BONE - - Illustrated by RITTER - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Galaxy Magazine April 1962. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - - - - The creatures were huge, hairy, surly--and - the males were always chasing the females. - But what else could you expect of mammals? - - -I - -"We need data," I said as I manipulated the scanner and surveyed our -little domain of rocks and vegetation. "The animate life we have -collected so far is of a low order." - -"There is nothing here with intelligence," Ven agreed, gesturing at the -specimens in front of us. "Although they're obviously related to our -race, they're quite incapable of constructing those artifacts we saw -on our way down." - -"Or of building electone communications or even airboats," I added. - -"I expect that there is only one way to get what we want--and that's -to go looking for it," Ven said as she smoothed her antennae with a -primary digit. "I also expect," she added acidly, "that there might -have been other places from which it wouldn't be so hard to start -looking. Or did you _have_ to set us down in this isolated spot?" - -I glared at her and she flushed a delicate lavender. "Do you think -I landed here because I _wanted_ to?" I asked with some bitterness, -inflating my cheek pouches to better express my disgust. "There were -less than two vards of useful fuel left on the reels when I cut the -drives. There isn't enough to take us across this valley. We came -close to not making planetfall here at all." - -"Oh," Ven said in a small voice, vocalizing as she always does when she -is embarrassed. Like most females, she finds it difficult to project -normally when she is under emotional stress. Afraid or angry she can -blow a hole in subspace; but embarrassed, her projections are so faint -that I have to strain my antennae to receive them. - -Her aura turned a shamefaced nacreous lavender. I couldn't stay angry -with her. She was lovely, and I was proud to be her mate. The Eugenics -Council had made an unusually good match when they brought us together. -The months we had spent aboard ship on our sabbatical had produced no -serious personality conflicts. We fitted well, and I was more happy -than any Thalassan had a right to be. - -"We shall have to try other measures," I said. "Although there aren't -very many natives hereabouts, we had better start looking for them -rather than wait for them to look for us." I felt disappointed. I was -certain that we made enough disturbance coming down for them to be here -in droves, which was why I had the robots camouflage the ship to look -like the surrounding rocks. There could be such a thing as too much -attention. - -"They could have mistaken us for a meteor," Ven said. - -"Probably," I agreed. "But it would have saved a great deal of trouble -if one of them had come to us." I sighed. "Oh well." - -I added, "it was only a hope, at best." - -"I could explore," Ven offered. - -"I was about to suggest that," I said. "After all, the atmosphere is -breathable although somewhat rich in oxygen, and the gravity is not too -severe. It would be best to wait until dark before starting out. There -may be danger. After all, this is an alien world, and Authority knows -what's out there." - -Her antennae dropped, her aura dimmed to gray and her integument turned -a greenish black. "It doesn't sound pleasant," she said. - - * * * * * - -The sun dipped below the horizon with an indecently gaudy display of -color. After the last shades of violet had faded, I opened the airlock -and watched Ven, a darker blot in the darkness of the night, slip away -into the shadows. - -She went unarmed. I wanted her to take a blaster, but she refused, -saying that she had never fired one, wouldn't know what to do with -one--and that its weight would hold her back. I didn't like it. But I -was unable to go with her, and it was better that she did as she wished -at this time. - -I sat for a while in the entrance port watching the slow wheel of the -stars across the heavens, and for a moment I wished that I were a -female with the rugged physique to withstand this gravity. As it was, -the beauty of the night was lost on me. I breathed uncomfortably as the -pressure crushed my body and made every joint and muscle ache. Males, -I reflected gloomily, weren't what they were in the old days. Too much -emphasis on mind, and not enough on body, had made us a sex of physical -weaklings. - -I wondered bitterly if a brain was as worthwhile as the Council -insisted. - -The next few hours were miserable. I worried about Ven, imagining a -number of unpleasant things which might have happened to her. I dragged -myself into the control room and fiddled with the scanners, trying the -infra and ultra bands as well as the normal visible spectrum in the -hopes of seeing something. And just as I was beginning to feel the -twinges of genuine fear, I heard Ven. - -Her projection was faint. "Help me, Eu! Help me!" - -I stumbled to the entrance port, dragging a blaster with me. "Where are -you?" I projected. I couldn't see her, but I could sense her presence. - -"Here, Eu. Just below you. Help me. I can't make it any farther!" - -Somehow I managed it. I don't know from where the strength came, but -I was on the ground lifting her, pushing her onto the flat surface of -the airlock--clambering up--dragging her in and closing the lock behind -us. I looked down at her with pride. Who would have thought that I, -a male, could lift a mature female into a ship's airlock even against -normal gravity? I chuckled shakily. Strange things happen to a body -when its owner is stressed and its suprarenals are stimulated. - -She looked up at me. "Thank you," she said simply. But there was more -behind the words than the bare bones of customary gratitude. - - * * * * * - -I helped her into the refresher and as she restored her tired body I -pelted her with numerous questions. - -"Did you succeed?" I asked. - -"Better than I expected." - -"Did you find a native?" - -"Two of them." The cubicle glowed a pale green as her strength came -back. - -"Where?" - -"Two vursts from here--down the hill. They're camped near a road. They -have a big ground car with them." - -"Did you see them?" - -"Yes." - -"What did they look like?" - -The radiance in the cubicle flicked out. "They're horrible!" Ven said. -"Monstrous! Four or five times our size! I never saw anything so -hideous!" - -"Did they see you?" - -"No, I don't think so. They weren't looking in my direction at first. -And I don't think they can sense, because I was frightened and they -didn't respond to my projection." She was beginning to recover. - -"You couldn't have been too frightened," I said. "I didn't hear -you--and you can reach farther than two vursts." - -"Mostly I was repelled," Ven admitted. - -"Why?" - -"I don't know. They smelled bad, but it was more than that. There was -something about them that made my antennae lie flat against my ears. -Anyway--I did a foolish thing." The cubicle turned a pale embarrassed -lavender. - -"What did you do?" I demanded. - -"I ran away," Ven said. "And I made a lot of noise." - -"All right--all right," I said impatiently. "Go ahead and tell the rest -of it." - -"By the time I stopped running I was down at the bottom of the hill," -Ven said. "I was dead tired--and with all that rock to climb to get -back to the ship. I didn't really think I'd make it." - -"But you did," I said proudly. "You're a real Thalassan--pure green." - -The cubicle slowly brightened again. - -"Can you find them again?" I asked. - -"Of course. I wasn't lost at any time. If I hadn't panicked, I'd have -been back a whole lot sooner." - -"Can you go now?" - - * * * * * - -She shivered with distaste. "I can," she said, "but I don't want to." - -"That's nonsense. We can't let a little physical revulsion stop us. -After all, there are some pretty grim things to be seen in this -universe." - -"But nothing like this! I tell you, Eu, they're horrible! That's the -only word that can describe them." - -"Take a stat projector--" I began. - -"Aren't you coming?" she asked. - -"Two vursts on this planet? What do you think I am?" - -Her face hardened. "I don't know," she said coldly, "but I do know -this--if you don't come, I won't go." - -I groaned. From her aura I could tell she meant every word. It -angered me, too, because Thalassan females usually don't defy a male. -"Remember," I said icily, "that you're not the only female on Thalassa." - -"We're not on Thalassa," she said. Her aura was a curious leaden color, -shot through with sullen red flares and blotches. - -"I have no right to force you," she went on stubbornly, "but I can't -handle them alone. You simply _have_ to come." - -"But Ven--I'm a physical cipher. This gravity flattens me. I won't make -it." - -"You will," she said. "I'll help you. But this job needs a male mind." - -It was deliberate flattery, I suppose. But there was an element of -truth in it. Ven obviously couldn't do it, and obviously she thought I -could. I couldn't help feeling pride in her need for me. I liked the -feeling. For, after all, we hadn't been mated so long that there was -too great an amount of familiarity in our relationship. The Eugenics -Council had taken care of that very effectively when we announced our -plans for our sabbatical. - -"All right--I'll go," I repeated. - -With a quick light movement she touched my antennae with her primary -digits. The shock ran through me clear to my pads. "You're good," she -said--and the way she said it was an accolade. - - -II - -"This way," Ven said, emitting a faint yellow aura that lighted the -area around her. "Follow me." She staggered a little under the weight -of the equipment she was carrying. I wished that we had enough power -to energize an air sled---but we had none to spare. The robots had used -up most of our scanty power metal reserves in camouflaging the ship and -the adaptor had taken the rest. This was going to be a miserable trip. -It was going to be painful, uncomfortable and perhaps even dangerous. - -It was. - -We went across rocks, through sharp-twigged brush--across the saw-edged -grass of the meadow below us, over more rocks, and down-hill along a -faint double trail that never seemed to end. I was nearly dead with -weariness when Ven's aura flicked off and the dark closed in. My -proprioceptors were screaming as I sank to the ground and panted the -rich air of this world in and out of my aching chest. - -"They're just ahead," Ven whispered. "Around that next group of rocks. -Be careful." - -We moved forward cautiously. "There was a fire," Ven whispered. - -"There isn't now," I said. "I can't sense any heat." The night air -blew a rank odor to my nostrils. My spines stiffened! I knew what Ven -meant when she said that these natives repelled her. I had smelled that -scent before--the scent of our ancestral enemies! So _these_ were the -natives, the dominant life on this planet! I gagged, my tongue thick in -my throat. - -"You see?" Ven asked. - -I nodded. "It's pretty bad," I said. - -"It reminds me of a zoo," Ven answered softly. - -I nodded. It did and it was thoroughly unpleasant. - -I strained my perception to its limits, pushing it through the gelid -darkness, searching until I found the natives. "They're asleep," I said. - -"What's that?" - -"Suspension of consciousness. Something like estivation." - -"Oh. Then we can approach safely?" - -"If we are quiet," I replied. "Sleep is broken easily and consciousness -returns quickly." - -The trail deepened beyond the rocks--two rutted tracks about three -vards apart. We moved forward cautiously, our senses keyed to their -highest pitch. The night was oppressively still and every movement -rasped loudly. My breath came fast and shallow. My heart pounded and my -musk glands were actively secreting as I parted the opening to their -cloth shelter, and sensed the dim forms within. - -"Stat," I projected and Ven handed me the weapon. It was almost more -than I could manage in my weakened condition, but I aimed it and fired -a full intensity blast at the nearest lumpy figure. It jerked and -flopped inside its coverings, and the second form sat up with horrid -speed! - - * * * * * - -A roar of sound came from it as the air was filled with its fetid odor. -In panic I triggered a blast at the menacing figure, and it, too, -flopped and laid still. - -I ran my tongue over the roof of my dry mouth and called to Ven. -"They're quiet now. Come in and see what we've got." - -"Ugh!" Ven snorted as she entered the tent at my heels. "It stinks!" - -"They're not the sweetest life form in the universe," I said as I -prodded the huge mound beside me, looking for reflexes that would -indicate returning consciousness. - -"What are they?" Ven asked. - -"Mammals," I said. - -"No wonder I thought of a zoo," Ven said. "But they're so big!" - -"Not on all planets," I said. - -"Obviously," Ven commented. "Well--what's next? Let's get this done. -I'm suffocating!" - -"Hand me the probe kit," I said. - -I selected two of the longest probes and made my way up to the head of -the nearest monster. I scanned its braincase until I found the area I -wanted and inserted the probes, driving them through the heavy bone -and into the brain beneath. I clipped on the short antennae and stepped -back. "Turn the control to low," I said. "Place the clips on your -antennae. Now think of rising." The bulk beside me stirred and Ven gave -a squeak of terror. "It's all right," I assured her. "Turn the control -back to zero. This one's secure." - -I went to the second and treated it like the first, and felt -a justifiable pride as it reacted. Not many men could implant -neuro-probes correctly on the first attempt. "All right, Ven. You can -go out now. Take the controls with you. I'll see what I can do to get -these brutes out of their coverings." - -The tent opening swayed as Ven passed through and I bent over the -nearest form. The covering was a heavy sack closed with a slide -fastener much like the ones we used. I pulled and it opened, sending a -flood of rank scent into the fetid air. I coughed, my eyes smarting, -and found the fastener of the other sack. Retching with nausea I -staggered out of the tent. - -Ven sprang forward, caught me as I was about to fall, and lowered me -gently to the ground. - -"What are we going to do?" Ven asked as I lay panting at her feet. - -"We're going to get them out of there," I said, "and take them back -to the ship. I didn't come all this way for nothing." I drew one of -the controls toward me, fastened the clips to my antennae, advanced -the gain and thought into it. There was a stir of movement inside and -a huge form came stumbling out. It stood there clad in loose cloth -coverings, reeking with halogen. I looked up at the dark bulk and -shivered. - -"That smell!" Ven said. - - * * * * * - -"We can help it a bit," I replied and turned to the control. With its -massive fore-limbs the brute ripped the cloth from its body as it moved -down-wind. I made it stand and took the other control. - -"Let me do it," Ven said. "You can't handle both of them in your -condition." - -"All right," I said, "but be careful." - -"I will. Now what do I do?" - -"Advance the intensity knob and think what you want it to do." - -There was a flurry of movement inside the tent, the thrashing of a huge -body, and the second mammal burst through the opening and staggered -clumsily to a stop. - -"Reduce the intensity," I said. "You're projecting too strong a -stimulus. Now uncover it and send it over with the other one to cool -off. They're more bearable when they're cold. They exude the scent from -their skin glands to compensate for temperature." - -"I know," Ven said. "I studied biology." She did as I instructed and -then dropped beside me. We relaxed, gathering our strength for the -climb ahead. But I didn't recover rapidly. I could move, but the -exertion made me dizzy. The excitement was over and reaction had set -in. "I'll never make it," I said dully. - -"I can help," Ven said--"a little." - -"It won't be enough. You don't have the strength to carry me." I looked -at the huge bodies of the mammals gleaming pallidly in the darkness, -and suddenly I had an idea. The Slaads on Valga domesticated mammals. -They were quadrupedal, true enough, but they were still mammals. Why -couldn't I ride one of these as they did? Those great masses of muscle -should carry me easily. "I think I have a solution," I said. - -"What?" - -"I'll have one of them carry me." - -"You can't!" - -"Why not? They're controlled. And they're the only way I'll be able to -get back to the ship." I picked up the nearest controller. "Let's see -what happens." - -Ven squeaked as the monster lifted me in the air and set me across its -neck. I crossed my pads and hung on. The ground seemed terribly far -away. - -"How is it up there?" Ven asked. - -"A little unstable," I said, "but I'll manage. Shall we go?" - -We moved up the trail to the rocky abutment and turned up the hill. The -brute beneath me climbed strongly and easily. - -"Wait a minute," Ven said as she turned the corner behind me, "you're -going too fast." - -"Why don't you ride?" I called down to her. "This one moves easily -enough. It's much better than walking." - -"I think I will," Ven replied. - - * * * * * - -"This is all right," Ven said as we moved side by side up the hill. -"The fibrils on top of its head--" - -"Hair," I corrected. - -"The hair of this one is longer than yours. I can hold on nicely." - -The big bodies of the natives moved smoothly and powerfully, their -giant strides eating up the distance we had so painfully covered some -time before. Presently we came out onto the lower edge of the meadow -below our ship. - -Ven looked at me, her aura glowing pink with excitement. "I'll race you -to the ship," she cried, and dashed off with a burst of speed. - -Somehow I couldn't resist the challenge in her voice. I advanced the -control knob and thought strongly. The brute jumped as though it had -been whipped and leaped into a plunging run. I clung desperately -for a moment and then relaxed as I caught the rhythm of the driving -strides. My heart pounded, but not with fear. I had never known such -exhilaration! Machines were pale compared to it. The mammal could run -like a frightened skent--and it was faster than Ven's! - -I caught her halfway up the meadow, and pulled away, exulting in the -powerful muscles moving underneath me. I charged up to the grove of -trees that concealed our camouflaged ship, and brought the mammal to a -halt. It was panting, trembling, drenched with stinking sweat, but I -didn't mind. I was part of it. There was a certain amount of feedback -in a bipolar control circuit and I could feel the heat of its body, -the beat of the great heart, the rise and fall of the broad chest, the -pulse of the blood vessels in the thick neck. It was magnificent! I -laughed. I had never before felt the ecstasy of physical strength! - -I turned and looked back, still tasting the pleasure of the great body -connected to my mind. - -Ven drew up beside me. "Hai Yee!" she exclaimed. "What a sensation!" - -"You liked it?" I asked. - -"Liked it? _Liked_ it? I loved it! Didn't you?" - -"I think so," I said truthfully. - -"I'm going across the meadow again," Ven said as she turned her mammal -around. - -"No," I said. "We have use for these two and we have no knowledge of -how much they can stand. There's no sense damaging them." I frowned as -I noticed the bloody scratches on the legs and body of her mammal. - -Ven noted the direction of my gaze. "They're not as tough as I -thought," she said with sudden contrition. "But they're not too badly -damaged, are they?" - -"No." I said. - -I ordered the mammal to set me down. Dawn was breaking and I could -see better what we had captured. They were a male and a female. -On the whole, except for their mammalian ancestry, they conformed -to dominant-race criteria, being erect, bipedal, predatory types -with binocular vision. Their upper extremities were evolved into -manipulative organs similar to our primary digits. - -The most outstanding difference was the extreme sex dimorphism, -which was obviously apparent in the brightening light. The physical -differences were carried to such lengths that it was hard to believe -that they were members of the same species. - - * * * * * - -They weren't exactly ugly, yet there was something disturbing about -them. Perhaps it was the rank halogen odor of their skin glands that -were still secreting despite the coolness of the air. Or perhaps it was -merely that they were intelligent mammals. It was as though Authority -had, in a moment of cosmic humor, drawn oversized caricatures of -Thalassans and endowed them with life. I felt a subtle insult in their -presence. I suppose it showed in my aura because Ven came quickly to my -side. - -"I told you they were disturbing," she said as we looked up at their -monstrous forms towering over us. - -"I'm glad they're not uncontrolled," I answered, shivering a little as -I looked at them. "I suppose it's just species antipathy, but they make -me uncomfortable." - -"Mammals were exterminated on Thalassa long ago, weren't they?" - -"Yes," I said. "They ate our eggs." - -Ven walked forward and ran her primary digits over the female's legs. -"They're quite well evolved," she said. "The skin hasn't a vestige of -scales." - -"Neither does yours except at the tip of your tail," I said tartly. -"Don't get the idea that they're a primitive life form. Actually -they are a _later_ evolutionary type than we! If our ancestors had -not developed intelligence enough to realize their peril we would be -extinct--and something like them would rule Thalassa today." - -Ven shivered, "How horrible! I don't like thinking about it." - -"Don't," I advised. - -"What are we going to do with them?" Ven asked. - -"I was going to analyze them and construct a proxy, but they're far too -big to duplicate with our limited resources. I suppose the only thing -we can do is to insert control circuits and use them as they are." - -"Won't that be painful?" - -"Only psychically. Physically they shouldn't suffer a bit. The brain, -you know, feels no pain. It merely interprets stimuli from elsewhere." - -"In mammals too?" - -I shrugged. "I suppose so. Besides, what difference does it make? -Once we're through with them we can destroy them if they're too badly -damaged." - -"That seems unfair." - -"It's not a question of fairness. It's survival. If they don't perform -properly, we shall have to dispose of them or they'll be back here -with a whole herd. Of course, if they operate under control, we'll turn -them loose when we're through with them. I doubt that their technology -is advanced enough to recognize a bio-circuit if they saw one. And if -it is, they will have learned nothing new." - -"But why can't we keep them--take them back to Thalassa? They'd make an -unusual contribution to the Central Zoo." - -"I'm afraid not," I said. "I doubt if they'd survive space. The only -part of the ship large enough to hold them would be the cargo storage -compartment, and that's not shielded. A hyperjump would kill them. You -wouldn't want even them to die _that_ way, would you?" - -Her aura turned gray. "No, I suppose not." - -"There isn't a chance," I said, seizing her thought before it was -uttered. "It would take ten of our lifetimes to reach our nearest -outpost on normal spacedrive. Forget it." - -"But--" - -"Come along," I said, "I'll need your help to modify these brutes." - - * * * * * - -Actually it wasn't a hard job. Their brains were well developed and -nicely compartmentalized. With our probes and instruments it was a -simple enough matter to implant the necessary organic extensions of -our instruments. - -"That should do it," I murmured as I disconnected the leads I had -jury-rigged into the analyzer. "They're clean as a Fardel's tooth." I -was tired, but I had the pleasant feeling of accomplishment that comes -from working with organic matter. Possibly if I were not so interested -in History, I'd have become a medic. I do have a certain talent along -that line. - -At any rate, we now had a pair of proxies. With only normal fortune -they would be completely undetectable. - -"Is it all done?" Ven asked as she looked over my shoulder. - -"Yes," I said. "But leave the probes in place until we test them." I -dragged my weary body once again into the control room and tried the -headgear and circuits. They functioned absolutely perfectly. - -"What do we do now?" Ven's projection came to me. - -"Remove the probes and send them back to their camp. There's no sense -in leaving them here." - -"But Eu--" - -"No," I said. "They are not toys. They're tools. They're to do a job -for us. Now stop acting like a child. When they bring us metal you can -play games with them--but not now. They're stressed, tired, and need -rest. And they're going to get it." - -"Yes, Eu." Her projection was submissive. - -"But don't worry," I added kindly. "You can monitor them. I installed -two extra circuits, one to the hypothalamus and the other to the -tactile centers. You will be able to feel every sensation they -experience. It will be just like having an extra body." - -"Can I try it now?" she asked eagerly as she came into the control room. - -"Go ahead," I said. "Put on a helmet and use the double control. Take -them back to their camp and then neutralize the controller. As for me, -I'm going to the refresher. I need it." - - -III - -I awoke from partial estivation with Ven's projection vibrating my -antennae. "Eu! Come quickly! They're awake!" - -I groaned. What did she expect? But it might be interesting to see how -they behaved. And if they panicked, someone should be there to assume -control. - -I checked the chronometer. I had rested for eight satts which should be -enough. I felt as well as could be expected, so with only a few choice -Low-Thalassic expletives to help me, I managed to clamber out of the -tank and stagger into the control room. Ven already had one of the -helmets on. I picked up the other and flicked the switch to "on." It -was the male's--and he was talking. The words were gibberish, but the -thoughts behind them were easy to read. - -I was part of an entity called Donald G. Carlton, a male mammal of -the human species. He was a "writer" and was mated to the female, who -was called Edith and who worked in "motion pictures." They lived in -a place called Hollywood, in a family unit structure faintly similar -to a children's creche. Custom on this world dictated that the female -take one name of her mate, which indicated that the sex was even more -subservient than female Thalassans. The male's body ached, but not -as badly as I would have expected. And, as I expected, there was no -sensitivity in the brain. - -"Hey! Edith!" Donald said. "Get up!" - -"Leave me alone, Don. I'm miserable," a lighter voice answered from the -lumpy sack beside him. "I had the most awful dream." - -"It must be the mountain air," he replied. "I did too." - -"Whatever made me think this would be fun!" Edith said. "You and your -meteor-hunting!" The sack heaved and twisted and her head appeared at -one end. "I feel like I've been worked over with a baseball bat. Oh! -My legs!" - -"You're not alone," he said. "I guess it's the hard ground and these -strait-jackets they laughingly call sleeping bags." - -"About that dream," Edith said. "It was horrible. There was this little -green and yellow thing that looked like a cross between a lizard and a -human being. It was sitting on my shoulders and I was naked--carrying -it around, doing what it wanted me to do! I wanted to throw it off and -stamp on it but I couldn't. I just ran and ran and all the time that -little monster sat with its legs around my neck, hooting like an owl. -Now, wasn't that something?" - -Donald was very quiet. "You know," he said slowly, "essentially that -was the same dream I had." - -"But that can't be! People don't have the same nightmares." - -"We did." - -"Then maybe--maybe it wasn't a nightmare!" - -"Nonsense. We're here. We're all right. But I think perhaps we'd better -get out of here--oh, Keerist! I'm one solid bruise." He twisted around -until he found the fastenings and opened the bag. With a groan he stood -up. - -Edith looked at him, her eyes wide with sudden terror. "Don," she said -in a brittle voice, "didn't you wear pajamas when you went to bed last -night?" - -"Yes." - -"Well, you're not wearing them now." An expression of horror crossed -her face. "And neither am I," she added in a small voice. - - * * * * * - -I could feel the shock in Donald's brain as he looked down at himself. -"That's not all I'm not wearing," he said dully. "I'm shaved!" - -There was a brief flurry inside the other sleeping bag. "So am I!" -Edith's voice was a whisper of fright. "That was no dream! I remember -this. The lizard gave me something that I rubbed all over myself--and -my hair came off. I didn't want to, but I couldn't help myself." Her -hands went to her head and she sighed, "Well, _that's_ all there. For a -moment I thought--" - -"My skin is different," Donald interrupted thoughtfully as he inspected -himself. "It feels thicker. And I don't feel cold, although I'll bet -it's nearly freezing outside." - -"Don! Don't you understand? That dream was real!" Edith said. - -"Of course it was,--unless _this_ is a dream. We could be having a -nightmare about a nightmare...." - -I looked at Ven. - -"Just what did you do to them?" I asked. - -She glowed guiltily. "I didn't know it would take their hair off," she -said. "I was worried about their scratches, and the insects were biting -them. So I made them rub on some of our skin conditioner." - -I raised my digits toward the sky. "There is an Authority that looks -over fools and Thalassan females," I said. "What made you so sure our -conditioner would work on them? It might have been poisonous." - -"I tried it on the male first," Ven said. - -"Genius," I breathed with icy sarcasm, "sheer genius!" - -"Well," she said, "it worked!" The eternal pragmatist had applied her -sole criterion. "And what's more they looked and smelled lots better -after they used it." - -I shrugged, gave it up and turned my attention back to the mammals. - -Edith had emerged from her sack and was standing before the male. - -"Do I look like a nightmare?" she demanded. - -"No. More like a skinned rabbit--ouch! What did you do that for?" He -rubbed his face where she struck him with her digits. - -"There!" Edith said. "_Now_ do you think it's a dream?" - -"I never did," he replied mildly. "I've never dreamed in my life. I -was just breaking it to you easy. It was real enough--even the blank -spaces. I wonder--" - -"You wonder what?" - -"What their reason was for capturing us and then letting us go. It -doesn't make sense. They wouldn't grab us just for fun. They're -obviously intelligent, and probably thought we would be useful to them. -But they turned us loose. So we couldn't be useful except maybe for -amusement--but that doesn't jell. No. They've done something to us. -They've let us go for a reason." - - * * * * * - -"Stop analyzing!" Edith said. "Why don't you just get scared, like I -am!" - -"I _am_," he said, "but I like to figure things out. If I know what -frightens me, it doesn't bother me so much." - -"Do that while we're on the way home. Get your clothes on and let's get -out of here! Right away!" - -"We have to pack." - -"Oh, leave it! Let's get out while we can!" - -"I don't think we're in any danger," he said. - -"Well--I don't want to stay here a minute longer!" - -"All right. We'll go. But we'll pack first. Look at it logically. They -had us cold. We didn't escape. We were _let_ go. So why, if they didn't -want us then, should they want us now?" - -"Unless they can get us any time they want us." - -"You have a point there, but if that's the case, they can get us -anyway. So let's pack." - -"You can pack if you want to. I'm leaving!" Edith pulled the opening to -the tent and slipped out. - -"Edith!" Donald cried. "Wait!" - -I touched Ven. "Stop her," I said. - -Edith's voice came from outside. "Don!" she called in a tight voice. -"Don! Help me! _I can't move!_" - -"Try coming back here and see what happens," Donald said slowly. - -Edith's head appeared in the entrance. "I'm back," she said in a small -voice. - -"I thought you would be. Now let's pack and perhaps they'll let us go. -It's obvious that we can't run away." - -"But why? _What's happened to us?_" - -"If I told you, you'd think I'm crazy." - -"Tell me anyway. It can't be any worse than this." - -"I think," Donald said slowly as he began to roll up his sleeping bag, -"that we were kidnapped by extraterrestrials." - -"Martians?" - -"Not necessarily," he said. "But if I remember my nightmare correctly, -they aren't human--and they are obviously smart. So they aren't of this -earth. We don't have intelligent reptiles here. And with their ability -to control our actions, I'd say that they were from a considerably -higher culture than ours. They've done things to us--but I don't think -they did them just for fun. They want us to do something." - -"What?" - -"I don't know. Right now I'd guess they want us to pack our things. -Let's do it and get out of here. This place smells like the reptile -house in the zoo!" - - * * * * * - -I was amazed. The native's analysis was as logical as my own would have -been under similar circumstances. There was nothing wrong with his mind -or with his courage. That big braincase held a smoothly functioning -mind and a cold courage I could almost envy. In a similar fix I wasn't -sure that I could be so calm. - -My respect for him mounted. If there were others like him on this -world, his race could be a potential danger spot for the whole Galaxy. -And, with the natural antipathy between our races, these creatures -could be _trouble_ if they ever reached space. I wondered for a moment -if Authority had known this when It brought me here. There must be some -design that I should land here when this race was still capable of -being frustrated. - -For the sake of civilization I would have to learn more about these -mammals. Much more. But since the male had deduced so much, there was -only one logical course of action. I adjusted the filters on my helmet -to allow the passage of surface thoughts, twisted the dials on the -controller until the meters balanced and projected gently. - -"Donald--listen to me," I said. - -He stiffened. "I thought you would be somewhere around," he said. "Who -are you?" - -"My name is Eu Kor, and I am a native of Thalassa." - -"Where's that?" - -"A good many spatial units from here--a good many of your light years," -I amended. "I mean you no harm, but I need your cooperation. My -spaceship is crippled. Our fuel has deteriorated. We need more and I -want you to get it for us. We captured you because we need your help. -Being a native you would not make a ripple in this society. And we -would create whirlpools." - -"What is this material you want?" - -"A metal. Atomic number 50, a white metal used as an alloy component -of primitive metallic cultures," I said. "It shouldn't be too hard to -get." I didn't realize how hard it was to describe what I wanted. I -wasn't getting through, and it bothered me. The culture barrier was -almost as bad as though we couldn't contact mind to mind. - -"I think you mean tin," he said. I grasped the concept and it seemed -right. - -"Bring me some and I will run tests," I said. - -"And what do I get in return?" - - * * * * * - -I thought quickly. If he wanted to bargain perhaps we could reach an -agreement. It's always better to have a cooperative proxy. They don't -cause nearly the trouble in management. And I had other things to do -than monitor natives. There was a great deal of repair work to be done -on the ship before she would fly again. The subspace radio power bank -had to be rebuilt and the circuits should be checked. - -"I can give you knowledge that you wouldn't have for decades--maybe -centuries," I said. "And I can adjust your bodies for a longer and -happier life." I shot a glance at Ven still immersed in her helmet. -"In fact, I have made a few adjustments already." - -"So I noticed," Donald thought dryly. "Although whether they're an -improvement or not I couldn't say. But did you have to go to all this -trouble?" - -"Think of us--and discount the fact that you carried us because our -bodies are too weak for your heavy world." I said. "Did you like us?" - -"No," he said. "You repelled me. I disliked you on sight, more than I -can say." - -"The emotion is mutual," I said. "Yet I can endure you. But with your -glandular outlook you could only think of destroying us." - -"That is true. But you treated us like animals." - -"You are animals," I said logically. - -"We are masters of this world. We recognize no higher authority. We are -free people--not slaves. And unless we are treated as free agents you -will get no cooperation from us." - -"I can force you to do as I wish," I said. - -"Prove it!" - -I took over. And while Donald watched with helpless horror his hand -picked up a knife and drew it across his arm. The keen edge split the -tissues neatly and the blood flowed. - -"Don! What are you doing!" Edith screamed and then stiffened as Ven -took control. - -"Observe," I said as I released control. - -"Why, you--" Donald began--and then continued in a tone of wonder. -"Why--the cut's closing! There's no more blood--It's gone!" - -"It's just one of the improvements I mentioned," I said smugly. "You -also had a patch of scar tissue on your left lung and infected kidneys. -You do not have them now. Had you not met us you would have been dead -within five of your years." - - * * * * * - -He was shaken. I could feel it. "I do have Bright's disease," he said -thoughtfully. - -"You had it," I corrected. - -"All right," he said suddenly, "I'll bargain with you. You've done me a -good turn and it deserves a payment. I'll help you get your metal." He -grinned ruefully. "I guess I couldn't do anything else." - -"It makes it easier this way," I said. I smiled to myself. I was -telling him the truth, but not all of it. Nor did I trust him. There -was fear and hatred in his lower centers, and a formless feeling in his -upper levels that he could outsmart any damn lizard that ever lived. He -didn't realize that I could read his surface thoughts. - -"Just remember," I said, "I can control you completely, if necessary, -and pick your brain for data whether you wish it or not. And forget -those ideas of informing your authorities about us. Except with your -mate you cannot communicate to anyone about us. There's a basic block -in your brain that will result in irreversible mental damage if you -try." - -This last was not quite the truth. But I hoped that by establishing -fear I would prevent talk. "Now find us samples of the metal I want." I -withdrew and went back to scanning. - -"What was going on there?" Edith said. "You were talking to empty air. -And why did you cut yourself?" - -"It was one of our reptilian friends," Don said. "Like I thought, -they're right with us--every way. He's a weird sort. Wants to trade -health and knowledge for tin." - -"Tin?" - -"Yeah. At least I think it's tin. His description of the metal fits. -They use it instead of rocket juice." - -"But that knife--your arm?" - -"Look. No cut--no blood. That's one of the things they did to us. We've -got puncture-proof skin." - -"Is that good?" - -"It isn't bad. And I don't think I'll ever have to shave again. As I -remember I put that stuff on my face. Anyway, we now have a couple -of fairy godmothers who ride around in spaceships instead of pumpkin -coaches." - -"You're mixing your stories," Edith said. "Cinderella travelled in the -pumpkin coach, not her fairy godmother. And besides, it's not funny. -We're more like those poor souls in the Middle Ages who were possessed -by devils--incubuses, I think they called them." - -"It makes no difference what you call them," Donald said indifferently. -"Whatever they are, we've got them and they're not going to leave until -they're damn good and ready. Incidentally, yours is a female, so she's -probably a succubus. Now don't start screaming. You'll probably be -paralyzed if you do." - -"I won't scream," Edith said dully. "I'm too numb to scream." - - -IV - -We had surprisingly little trouble with the two natives once they -realized we could control them if we wished. Of the two, Edith was the -worst. She refused to cooperate and had to be forced into the simplest -actions. - -"We're going to have trouble with that one," I observed as Ven looked -at me with faint exasperation in her yellow eyes. - -"Oh, I don't think so," she said. "Not really. This is a normal female -reaction. It's a phase. Like the way I felt when the Eugenics Council -selected me to be your mate." - -"Did you feel like that?" I asked with surprise. - -"Of course. I wanted to make my own choice." - -"But you never told me." - -"There was no need. I came around to the Council's view before I met -you. And Edith will come around to mine. Don't worry. I know how to -handle this." - -And she did. - -I helped a little by altering a few reflex arcs and basic attitudes, -but Ven wouldn't allow me to modify the higher centers. - -"There's no need to make her a mindless idiot," Ven said. "You didn't -do that to Donald." - -"Yes, but Donald controls his emotions. He doesn't like me any better -than Edith likes you, but he doesn't work himself into an emotional -homogenate every time I make a suggestion. We argue it out like -rational intelligences. Often I can use his experience and viewpoint. -And when I can't agree, he will cooperate rather than operate under -control. He's not like that bundle of glands and emotions you are -trying to make into a useful proxy." - -"She _is_ a problem," Ven admitted, "but if I had her here--" - -"That can be arranged," I said. "I'll give you two weeks. And if that -doesn't work you let me perform a prefrontal block." - -"That isn't very long." - -"That's all we can afford, I told her. - -"All right, I can try. In a month I know I could do it." - -Donald protested violently when I told him what we planned for Edith, -but when I gave him the alternative, he reluctantly agreed. - -He passed a story that Edith would be visiting friends, and brought her -to the ship. - -At once Ven went systematically to work to reduce the mammal to an -acquiescent state that would permit control. Since sleep is unknown -to our race but necessary for mammals, the task of breaking down the -female's resistance was simplified by physical exhaustion. Ven also -found that the mammal's sleeping time could be used to strengthen the -new reflex channels built during her waking periods. The results were -amazing, even to me, and I'm fairly well trained in neuromanipulation. -Halfway through the second week the mammal's surrender was complete. - - * * * * * - -"Another day and she can go back," Ven said. "I can finish her training -at long range. Now that I have the channels established, I don't think -she'll be any further trouble." - -I took the helmet and scanned Edith. "Hmm," I said. "Do you know what -you've done? You've built yourself into an Authority image." - -"I know," Ven said smugly. "She is essentially a dependent type. Her -mate was her decision maker. That's why I had to get her alone. It -wasn't too hard once I knew where to look. As a girl, her mother made -the decisions for her. As a woman, Donald has done it. And when I faced -her with situations where she had to decide and where the decisions -were invariably wrong, she transferred the decision-making power to me." - -I looked at her sharply. "I had no idea that you intended to make a pet -out of her," I said. "Otherwise I wouldn't have permitted this." - -"Well, it's too late now. And besides, it was the only way I could do -it in the time you allotted. But don't worry. She'll be as good a tool -as your precious Donald--maybe even a better one--because she'll do -things to please me and not merely because they're expedient." - -Ven had a point there. But it isn't a good policy to get emotionally -involved with alien races. However, the deed was done, and as long as -Ven was happy I didn't care. I only hoped that she wouldn't become too -attached to the creature. - -Donald was much more cooperative and much tougher. He had realized from -the start that there was no profit in objecting to my demands. But, -unlike Edith, he gave me no handle for leverage. He arranged his life -to include the unpleasant fact of my existence, and that was that. -Where Ven achieved a form of mastery, I never received anything more -than acquiescence. There were levels in Donald I could not touch. At -first it irked me, but then I realized that I was the greater gainer. -For Donald was a constant challenge, a delight to the mind, an outward -collaborator and an inward enemy. Our relationship had all the elements -of an armed truce. And I often thought that if I did not have the -crushing advantage of control, our contest might have been more even. - -Although in time Donald's hatred became modified to a grim sort of -tolerance, and his repulsion into something that closely resembled -admiration, he never lost the basic species antipathy which separated -us. And in that regard our feelings were mutual. The ancient Thalassan -proverb that familiarity breeds friendship simply didn't apply. We held -a mutual respect for each other, and in a fashion we cooperated, but I -never could pierce the armor of resentment that shielded him. I tried, -but finally I gave up. There would never be friendship between us. We, -were too different-- - -And too alike. - - * * * * * - -In the days that followed the first contact, I proceeded according -to approved methods of investigating alien civilizations. At my -request, Donald went to the local book repository and we went through -a number of works on law, government, social structure, and finance. -I felt that I should have some knowledge of this mammalian culture -before attempting to refuel the ship. There was no sense in calling -attention to myself any more than necessary. If I could obtain what I -wanted and leave quietly, I would be perfectly happy. This world was -of interest--but it was too disturbing to contemplate for an extended -period of time. - -"You were right, Eu Kor," Ven said to me as we scanned the pattern of -the mammals' culture. "If you had picked any place less isolated than -this, we might have been engulfed in that maelstrom." - -I nodded. "It was more luck than design," I said, "but I am happy that -we are no closer. This world is not for us. It is too strange, too -alien with its uncontrolled emotionalism and frightening energy." - -"It reminds me of a malignant neoplasm," Ven said, "growing -uncontrolled, destroying the body from which it draws sustenance. -Have you ever seen such a seething flux of people--such growth--such -appalling waste and carelessness?" - -I shook my head. "The only parallel that comes to mind is Sennor." - -"But that's a dead world--killed by a suicidal race that achieved -technology before it had attained culture." - -"Which is precisely the situation we have here. Or have you observed -their social inequities and history? Periodically these mammals erupt -in merciless riots and slaughters over things that could be settled by -reason. And oddly enough, these 'wars' as humans call them have the -effect of stimulating technology. This is a race that apparently loves -death and battle. A barbaric horde of cultural morons, with a civilized -technology geared to mutual destruction." - -"Frankly, I've been scanning through Edith. I've seen only the -technical excellence of their entertainment industry, and the enormous -waste which goes into the making of one of their productions." - -"We must have a synthesis," I said, "and pool our observations." - -Ven nodded. - -"I'm not at all happy about this place," I continued. "It makes me -uncomfortable." - -"Could we modify it?" Ven asked. - -I shook my head. "It would take an entire task force to do that. -Reeducation of this culture would have to begin at birth after -appropriate culling. We would have to start from the beginning. I fear -that the council would never authorize such an action on behalf of -mammals. We are altruistic ... but not that altruistic." - -"Then they will destroy themselves?" - -"I fear so. This culture has a poor prognosis. But it is perhaps better -so. Or would you like to see them roaming through the Galaxy?" - -Ven shuddered. "Not as they are now. Not these fierce, combative stupid -brutes. Individuals perhaps, but not the race. They would have to learn -the rules of civilization first." - -"Yet they show no sign of learning. If they can't even cooperate with -their own species, how in Authority's name could they ever get along -with the dissimilar races of this island universe?" - -"They couldn't. We would have to quarantine them." - -"So isn't it better to save the expense and let them quarantine -themselves?" - -"I suppose so." Ven's aura was a dull gray and mine matched the gloom -of hers. It is hard to stand aloof and watch a race condemn itself to -death. - - * * * * * - -We fed our observations into the analyzer, together with all extraneous -data we could lay our digits on via our proxies--not to prove our -conclusions but to determine the means by which we could obtain the -power metal with the least possible repercussions in this society. We -both realized it would be fatal to expose ourselves. The mammalian -technology was sufficiently advanced for them to duplicate the -essential portions of our ship, and chaos could result if they secured -a road to the stars. Generations of effort would be required to confine -them again to their homeworld. - -Thinking in this manner caused me to take certain precautions with the -drive mechanism that would ensure no trace of our craft remaining if I -projected a certain impulse at a given strength. Ven, of course, was -appalled at my action, although she realized its grim necessity. - -And in the meantime we worked with our proxies, I attempting to -establish some means of quietly obtaining the metal we needed, and -Ven doing nothing so far as I could determine that would further our -mission. At that, Edith was in no position to obtain metal, and Ven was -too young and inexperienced in contact work to attempt a mission of -such delicacy. Since Edith amused her, I was content to leave them both -to their own devices while I worked with Donald to speed our departure. - -"In this society," I said to Donald, "it seems that one can accomplish -anything with this medium of exchange you call money." - -"That's close to a fundamental truth," Donald replied. - -"And you are not too well supplied with it?" I asked. - -"Those four ingots I brought you last week put a vicious dent in our -savings account." - -"Isn't your trade as an author profitable?" - -"Only in spurts. It's a feast-famine existence. But it's the only one I -care to lead." - -"But popular fiction makes money--and you can write." - -"I wish you'd tell that to my agent. He seems to have other ideas." - -"I have recently read some of your fiction," I said, "and have noticed -that it has certain basics that could easily be applied to an analyzer. -There is no reason why we could not cooperate and produce a work that -would yield a great deal of money." - -Donald laughed. "Now I've heard everything!" he said. "You mean to tell -me _you_ could write a book _humans_ would buy?" - -"No, you would write the book. I would merely furnish the idea, the -research data, the plot, and the general story outline. In your popular -fiction," I continued, "there are four basic elements and a plot -that can be varied about twenty-five ways. There is small need for -philosophy and little need for abstract thought. In fact, there is no -need at all for anything but glandular excitation. All that is really -necessary is plenty of action, enough understanding of the locale and -events to avoid anachronism--and the basics." - - * * * * * - -"What are these basics?" Donald said. "As a writer I'd like to know -them." - -"There are four," I ticked them off on my digits. "First, violation -of the ethical or moral code of your race; second, adequate amounts -of cohabitation between the characters; third, brutality; and -fourth--murderous assault." - -"Hmm. Sin, sex, sadism and slaughter," Donald commented. "You know, you -might have something there." - -"I have prepared an outline and a synopsis of such a book," I said. "It -is a historical novel. It should sell. Most historical novels do." - -"You've done what?" Donald gasped. Then he laughed. "Of all the -insufferable egoists I've ever seen!" - -"Listen," I said, ordering him to silence while I outlined the opening -chapter. - -"I can't stop you," Donald said. "But why should this happen to me? -Isn't it bad enough to be bossed around by you lizards without having -to be forced to ghost-write your amateur literary efforts?" - -"It is laid in the period of your history called the Renaissance," I -continued, "and deals with a young man of a noble but impoverished -house who rose to power by cleverness, amorality and skill with the -sword." - -"I suppose the girl is the daughter of the local duke." - -"No," I said, "she is the favorite wife of a Saracen corsair." - -"Well, that's a switch," Donald said. "Tell me more." - -So I did. I outlined the opening and told him the major points of -the whole story ... as the computer had synthesized it out of seven -excellent novels of the period and a four-volume set of Renaissance -history. - -Donald was enthralled. "You're right," he said. "It will sell. It's -lousy literature, but it's got appeal. With this story and my writing -we can out-Spillane Mickey." He was more enthusiastic than I had ever -seen him appear before. - -"Who is Spillane?" I asked. - -Donald looked at me as though he thought I was crazy and shook his -head. "I can get to work on it as soon as I get home," Donald said. -"And if I keep at it, it'll be ready for mailing in a couple of weeks. -I'll get it off to my agent and we'll see. I hate to admit it, but I -think you're right about the yarn. It should sell like hotcakes." - -"That is fine. It should provide us with the medium of exchange, which -is necessary in this society." - -"It's not necessary," Donald grinned. "It's essential." - - -V - -Donald's prediction was a good one. The book sold--and sold well. -Despite the outright plagiarism of ideas and source material it was -hailed as a new novel--one that stimulated thought with its realistic -approach to the life of the times. And we prospered amazingly. - -With the advance money, I had Donald buy the land on which the ship -was resting, together with the valley and rimrock. Having thus secured -our landing site I felt a bit more comfortable. The comfort was even -greater when, at Donald's suggestion, a fence was placed around the -property and electronic tell-tales were installed. The remainder of the -royalties were used to purchase tin and supplies. - -But despite our prosperity and the regular supply of tin that came to -me as a result of my adventure in fiction, and the certainty that Ven -and I would be leaving, Donald was not happy. - -As a successful new author he had to travel to meetings in various -cities. He had to speak at public gatherings. He had to meet with -publishers eager to receive rights to his next book. And Edith did not -go with him. - -Ven was adamant on this point. "It's bad enough that she is working -on this motion picture," she said, "but I'm not going to have her -traveling all over the face of this planet. She's the only amusement I -have since we must stay cooped up in this place. I'm not going to let -her go." - -Donald was upset about it. He was so angry that he came to visit me -voluntarily, and the sight of Edith's little car parked under the trees -below the ship infuriated him even more. It took the controller to make -him keep his distance as he stood in front of the airlock and hated me. - -"Damn you!" he swore. "You can't do this to me! Edith's my wife and I -don't like this relationship between her and that--that _dinosaur_! It -isn't healthy." - -"It's out of my hands," I said. "Edith is Ven's responsibility." - -"It's not only that," he raged. "Ever since you lizards butted into our -lives Edith looks at me like I was a stranger." His face twisted. "I'll -admit she has her reasons. But that gives her no call to ask Ven's -advice rather than mine. When I told her I wanted her to come with me, -the first thing she said was that she'd ask Ven. She doesn't do one -damn thing without that cold-blooded little monster's consent! She even -asks advice on what clothes she should wear!" He laughed harshly. "The -blind asking advice from the blind!" - - * * * * * - -I couldn't help chuckling. Ven, like all Thalassans, had never worn -anything in her life except a utility belt. Clothing has never been a -feature of our culture. Since it isn't necessary on Thalassa, it was -never developed, and since our sex impulses are periodic it has never -been useful to attract either males or females. "I can see your point," -I said. "Ven's ideas along that line would be zero." - -"Not quite," Donald said angrily. "She likes moccasins. Apparently they -make feet look more like your pads." - -"Well?" - -"But that's it! Edith's idea of what a well-dressed housewife should -wear is--_moccasins_! She damn near caused a riot the other day when -our TV repairman called to fix the set. We'll be lucky if we're not -forced to move because of that little incident!" - -"I'll speak to Ven," I said. "And if that doesn't work, I'll insert -a block against such a thing happening again. I don't want special -attention called to you. That sort of thing will stop right now." - -"Thanks," Donald said. "But I should be the one to stop it." - -"Face it," I replied, "you aren't. Not now. But you will be once we're -gone." - -"Which can't be too soon to suit me," he said. "I spend every spare -moment collecting tin for you. Edie doesn't. She _wants_ Ven to stay." - -"They seem to be happy with each other. Edith comes up here regularly." - -"I know," he said bitterly. "She's here more often than she's home. I -can't see what fun she gets out of running around these hills stripped -to the skin carrying your mate on her shoulders." - -"I wouldn't know," I said. "Certainly you never seem to enjoy -performing that service for me." - -"I don't even like the thought of it. I'm not an animal, after all." - -"But you are," I said. "So am I. The only difference is that I am a -superior animal and you, being inferior, conform to my wishes. It is a -law of nature that the superior type will inevitably rule. The inferior -either conforms or dies. And you have no desire to die." - -He shook his head. "But I can still object," he said. - -"At that?" I asked pointing across the meadow with a primary digit. - -Edith was running, her long yellow hair floating free behind her. -Ven, high on her shoulders in a seat the two of them had contrived, -waved gaily at us as they came up. Edith was flushed and laughing. Her -eyes sparkled and her smooth bronze body gleamed in the sunlight. She -lowered Ven to the ground, slipped the harness off her smooth shoulders -and stood behind my mate, breathing deeply but not at all distressed. - - * * * * * - -"Oh, Donald!" she said. "We had a wonderful climb--clear up to the top -of the ridge! And coming down was almost like flying! I'll tell you all -about it in a minute, right after I take a dip in the pool. Ven doesn't -like it when I sweat." She turned and ran down to the little pool in -the meadow. - -"See what I mean!" Donald gritted. - -"She seems happy. She's not hurt. And Ven's little weight doesn't seem -to bother her. What are you complaining about?" - -Donald growled something unintelligible, turned on his heel and walked -away. - -I let him go. There was no sense in making him angrier than he was. -After a moment the snarl of his car's engine rose to a crescendo then -faded away into the distance. - -A few minutes later Edith came back to the ship. "Why did Don leave?" -she asked. - -"Perhaps he had something to do," Ven said. - -She pouted. "He's always so busy nowadays," she said sulkily. "He isn't -nice like he used to be. Do you think he's tired of me?" - -"No, I don't think so. He just doesn't like you spending so much time -up here," I said. - -"But it's fun--and Ven likes it," she said. "I like it too. And since -he isn't home much any more, it's the only place where I can relax and -be myself." She brushed the drops of water from her body and shook out -her damp hair. "It's wonderful up here--so quiet and peaceful--and -Ven's so nice." - -My mate's aura glowed a pleased pink as I turned an embarrassed -lavender. It was almost criminal, I thought, what Ven had done to -the girl. Donald might be my servant, but I had never attempted to -condition him into liking it. As much as possible we operated as -equals, rather than in this sickening relationship which Ven had -imposed upon Edith. To avoid showing my displeasure I went up to the -control room, donned my helmet and went into rapport with Donald. - -"I'm sorry," I said. "I hadn't realized the true situation. The best -thing for both of us is for Ven and me to leave as quickly as possible." - -"How quick is that?" he shot back angrily. - -"Four thousand pounds more," I said. - -"Whew! That can must drink tin." - -"It takes a great deal to leave a planet," I said. "And hyperspace -demands a great deal more. Once we develop an inertialess drive it will -be easier. But we've only been working on it a thousand years. These -things take time." - -"I imagine. Well, are you going to do anything about Edith?" - -"No," I said. "It would only make things worse. The relationship has -gone too far. Ven has become an Authority-image." - -"You could break it." - -"But I won't. I'm fond of Ven." - -"You're a damned little tyrant," Donald said. "You like to see a human -squirm." - - * * * * * - -"Be thankful that I'm the worst tyrant you'll see," I answered sharply. -"You could really learn about them if the Slaads knew you existed. -They're more advanced than you. And, unlike us, they're warlike and -predatory. They breed mammals for food. However, I'll put up a marker -on your moon before I leave. They respect Thalassa and won't preempt -our claims." - -"You mean you're going to lay claim to Earth?" - -"Only technically. We'll exercise it only if the Governing Council -decides it will be to our advantage." - -"What would you do if you took over?" Don asked curiously. - -"Clean things up," I said. "Stop wars, stabilize the population, -increase production and distribution, give you an effective central -government and an understandable legal code, and eliminate the unfit. -In three generations you'd be Class VI all over your planet." - -"It sounds good. What's the catch." - -"The catch," I said, "is that you wouldn't like it. You mammals are -erratic, emotional and uncontrolled. You do not reason well, and you -have no race discipline." - -"What's that?" - -"The capability of sacrificing units for the benefit of the whole. -Eugenics control, culling the unfit." - -"You're talking about human beings!" Donald exploded. - -"And what makes a human being different from any other animal?" I -asked. "Would you hesitate to dispose of an animal that was unfit to -breed?" - -He sighed. "No," he said. "But that's not the same." - -"What's the difference? And realize, it's done for your betterment." - -"Just a bunch of murderous little altruists," Donald sneered. "Out of -the kindness of your cold-blooded hearts--" - -"That's the trouble with you lower orders," I interrupted. "You get -emotional. Your observations have no basis in logic. Actually, the -Galaxy wouldn't even quiver if the lot of you disappeared tomorrow. Yet -you think the universe rotates about your heads." - -"I didn't--" - -"Don't interrupt," I snapped. "You--your race--your whole pitiful -little civilization is ready mentally and almost ready technologically -to commit suicide. If we came and saved you, you would owe us eternal -gratitude, but I doubt if we'd get it." - -"You wouldn't," Donald assured me. "There wouldn't be a human alive who -wouldn't hate you." - -"I realize that--and that is one of the reasons I should report your -world unfavorably to the council. We could hardly take on an altruism -mission like this unless we felt that our work would be appreciated. It -would be better to let you kill yourselves." - -"Altruism!" - -"In a sense. At least your race would be the greater gainers. All we'd -get would be your excess population." - -"And what would you want them for--slaves?" - -"Authority, no!" I said, shocked in spite of myself. "We'd merely -process them for food." - -He was silent after that. - - * * * * * - -Donald was away again, at a publisher's meeting. Our new book laid -in Restoration England was going to be an even greater success than -the first if the advance notices were any criterion. Edith was at a -studio party celebrating the completion of the picture in which she was -working. And Ven was bored. - -For awhile she sat in on Donald's conference in a city called New York, -but that proved to be uninteresting. I was busy with a faulty fuel feed -in the drive chamber. The sun was hot, and the day was promising to be -extremely warm even though it was not yet noon. It was one of those -days when nothing happens, and I was grateful for it. I had had enough -of emotional tangles to last me for some time. It was almost soothing -to work with the robots on insensate machinery rather than supervise a -pair of highly charged mammals and a hardly less unstable mate. - -The association with these entities hadn't done Ven a great deal -of good. In fact, I could notice a deterioration of her character -that bothered me. She no longer looked at me with respect. Indeed, -her yellow eyes at times held a pitying amusement that I should be -so weak as to argue with Donald. I didn't bother to point out that -the three tons of power metal had virtually all been brought aboard -through Donald's efforts, and that our conveniences, our defenses, our -robots and our very lives were due to the working arrangements I had -established. - -The only useful thing Edith had done in the past month was to help me -change the tube liners in the steering jets. Her size and strength had -made the job easy--and it was normally a hard one, since the robots -didn't have the flexibility or balance that Edith, with her dancer's -body, possessed. The job had taken two days. It would have taken better -than a week if I had to use robots. - -The mammals, I thought, would be of distinct value as members of -spaceport maintenance crews. Their combination of immense strength -and high intelligence would be useful to our society. I made a note -of it and added it to the data I was assembling for the Council. It -was foolish, perhaps, but I couldn't help feeling an interest in these -creatures. - -I looked across the little valley that was our domain. It was an -idyllic life we were leading. Unhurried--peaceful--the sort of life I -thoroughly enjoyed. It would have been perfect if it wasn't for the -insane and dangerous world on which it was being lived. - -Of course it was too good to last. Idylls invariably are. The peace -of ours was shattered abruptly when Ven came into the drive room and -disturbed my work. Her aura blazed a rich violet. - -"Eu," she said. "Come up to the control room. Something's wrong!" - -"What," I asked. - -"It's Edith. I can't do a thing with her." - -"You're not supposed to. She's working now." - -"She is not! Her studio has finished the picture and they're having a -party." - -"That's nice. I hope you're letting her have a good time." - -"I told her to. But I never imagined what they'd be doing!" Ven's voice -was anguished. - -"Well, what _are_ they doing?" - -"Ingesting ethanol to excess!" - -"Ethanol!" I gasped. "Oh no!" - -I hadn't realized that normal mammals consumed excess amounts of the -stuff, although there were references to it in the literature. I -thought that was merely literary exaggeration. After all, we had been -here scarcely half a year, and we hadn't really learned too much about -the details of mammalian society. Donald's kidneys had forced him to -lead a quiet life, and the passing of Edith from his control to Ven's -had caused no remarkable alterations in her doings. - -I should have paid more attention to their customs. But I had been -too busy. I swore as I reached for my control helmet. I'd have to stop -this before it became serious. Donald would be of no help to me. He was -several thousand vursts away, and even under the best circumstances -couldn't be expected back for a day. - -I didn't bother to call him, but instead adjusted the controls to -Edith's setting. - - -VI - -A horde of gaily dressed mammals surrounded me, their faces and bodies -oddly fuzzy and distorted. Edith's voice was equally fuzzy. There was -something wrong with her centers. I tapped the helmet and checked the -controller just in case it was on our end, but they were functioning -perfectly. There was nothing wrong--merely the fact that ethanol was -disturbing the biocircuits I had implanted in her brain. I swore a -few choice expletives of Low Thalassan and tried to get through by -increasing the power. It did no good. - -"I c'n still feel that li'l lizard in m' head," Edith announced. "Gimme -another drink. I wanna wash her out. Darn li'l lizard makes me do -things I dowanna do. It wants me to quit, but I wanna get drunk." - -"Take it easy," a fuzzy male face said. "You're loaded. Why does a -nice chick like you hafta be loaded? Whyncha get outa here? I gotta -nice place over in Santa Monica where--" - -The face disappeared. - -"Hey! Alice! Golly, I almos' din't reckanize you. Howya doin?" - -"Better than you, Edith. You're drunk. And from the looks of you, -you're going to be sick if you don't get some fresh air." - -"Gotta go spit in the eye of my li'l lizard," Edith said. "Y'wanna -come with me? I got Don's car. We c'n get outa here an' get some fresh -air--an' I c'n tell that li'l lizard what I think of her." - -"What are you talking about?" - -"You wanna see my li'l lizard. She's got yella eyes, and a li'l tail, -and she turns all kindsa colors, and she lives in a rock with a door -in it, an she makes me do things I dowanna do. It ain't so bad though. -Mosta the time I like it. Not alla time though. That's why I wanna spit -in her eye. She c'n tell me all she wants--but she's gotta leave me'n -Don alone. I love that guy." Edith started sobbing--why, I couldn't -understand. - -"She's maudlin," I said to Ven. "No one's going to believe a thing she -is saying. But this should be a warning to us. We'll have to put in -a block against drinking ethanol. I didn't realize how badly it can -affect the biocircuits." I handed the helmet back to Ven. "You can -watch this mess if you want to. I'm going to our quarters." - -I slipped out of the control chair and walked across the room. - -I was stronger now, more accustomed to the gravity, and it didn't -bother me unless I had to stand for long periods of time. I turned in -the doorway to look at Ven. She had the helmet on again and her aura -was a crackling red. I shook my head. Edith was due for a bad time when -the effects of that hydrocarbon wore off. - -I had hardly fallen into light estivation when Ven's projection crashed -through my antennae. - -"Eu! Get up! Come here quickly!" - -With a groan I came slowly back to full facility and ran to the control -room. Ven's face was filled with panic. - -"They're coming up here," she said. "A whole carful of them!" - -"Who?" - -"Edith's drunken friends! Somehow she's collected six of them and -they're driving up here to spit in my eye!" - -Despite myself, I laughed. Ven looked so outraged I couldn't help it. - -"We can close the airlock," I said, "and they can't tell us from a -rock." - -"I won't! I'm going to teach that girl a lesson she won't forget in a -hurry! I've listened to myself being insulted for two hours--and she's -still going strong. When she gets up here I'll show her whose eye -she'll spit in!" - - * * * * * - -Ven was raging. I'd never seen her so emotional before. Her aura -swelled and ebbed in ruddy shades as her breath came and went in short -gasps. - -"And how do you propose to do that?" I asked. - -"I'll stat her!" Ven raged. "I'll stat every one of them!" - -I blinked. "I wouldn't do that," I said mildly. "What can we do with -them? The two we have are bad enough. And if you stat them, we'll have -to kill or condition them. We couldn't let them go home with a story -like the one they'd tell." - -"I don't care," Ven said. "You can do what you like about the rest -of them, but that Edith is going to learn a lesson." She was being -emotional and quite unwilling to listen to reason--and she was larger -and stronger than I. Despite my protests, she jerked a stat projector -from the rack and strode toward the open airlock. - -"Thalassa!" she exclaimed. "They're coming through the gate! They'll be -here in a minute." - -I could hear the roar of a protesting engine groaning up the trail to -the lower meadow as I hurried after Ven. As I reached the airlock, the -gray body of Donald's station wagon poked its nose around the trees -below our ship. - -Ven stood rigidly in the airlock, waiting, her lips tight and her eyes -narrow. She took a firmer grip on the stat as the car stopped and the -giggling, half-sober humans tumbled out. I was in a quandary. I didn't -want Ven to shoot, but I couldn't close the airlock with her inside it. -So I stood, hesitating while the group of gaily dressed mammals came -toward us through the trees, their high voices loud in the stillness. - -"Gotta find that li'l lizard an tell her to stop meddling with my -life," Edith's voice came to my ears. - -Ven stiffened beside me as the group broke out of the trees in front of -the ship. - -"Why, Edie, it's beautiful!" a voice said. "It's a fairy glen! No -wonder you'd never tell us where you got that suntan! And that big -rock--it's just like you said--And--uh!" The voice never finished as -Ven pressed the trigger. - -I looked down at the six crumpled mammalian bodies and the lone -standing figure that looked stupidly up at us. - -"Well," I said. "You've done it this time. Now are you satisfied? - -"No," Ven said. "Not half." Her voice was tight with anger. She looked -down at Edith. "Come here!" she said. - -"Dowanna," Edith replied uncertainly. "You've made Don leave me. I -don't like you." But habit was stronger than alcohol and under the -furious lash of Ven's voice she came unsteadily forward. - -"Do you understand me, you little sarf!" Ven snapped icily. "I said -_come here_!" She took the control box from her waist and viciously -twisted the intensity dial to maximum. At this range its force was -irresistible, even with alcohol-deadened synapses. Edith shuddered and -moved toward us, her hands clumsily tearing at the fabric that covered -her. - -"I'm comin'! You don' hafta shout. I ain't deaf. I ain't done nothin'!" -She sat down beside the airlock and struggled out of her clothing, -ripping the thin fabric under the last of Ven's anger until she was -completely naked. Then she stood up and reached her hands toward Ven. - -"You're not going to try to ride her while she's in that condition?" I -said. - -"This is my affair," Ven replied grimly. "I'm going to get this -settled." - -I shrugged. - - * * * * * - -There was no sense reasoning with her while she was in that mood. And -if she wanted to kill herself that was her concern. I watched her drop -onto Edith's shoulders, wind one hand viciously into the mammal's long -blonde hair and guide the gross body into a shambling walk toward the -meadow. Edith swayed dangerously, but somehow she managed to stay on -her feet as they disappeared into the trees. - -I walked over to the six bodies, gave each of them a light stat to make -sure they would remain quiet and sat down beside the nearest one to -think. - -Ven's anger had left me a sizeable problem. What on earth could I do -with six human females? I needed them like I needed a broken digit. -Time passed and the sun rose toward the zenith, and finally I came to a -decision. Since we had them on our hands, we might as well make use of -them. Killing would be too dangerous. - -And presently Edith came through the trees, a sick, tired, sober Edith -whose face was dirty and tear streaked, carrying a grim Ven whose aura -smoldered a reddish brown. - -"What did you do to her?" I asked. - -"None of your business," Ven snapped. "She's all right now. Aren't you, -Edith?" - -"Yes, Ven--and I won't do it again. Honest I won't." - -"You'd better not," Ven said grimly. "Now I suppose we have some work -to do." - -"You certainly have," I said. "If it wasn't for your temper we wouldn't -have this mess on our hands. Now get moving! Have Edith carry these -girls to the ship." I gestured at the prone bodies. "And you, get -inside and bring out the control equipment and connect the leads to the -computer." I was angry, too. Under the force of my superior will, the -two females scurried to obey. "I'm disgusted with you, Ven," I said -angrily. "Just because your pet went to a party, you don't have to act -childish. Did you expect she'd behave like a Thalassan?" - -"I trusted her," Ven said. - -"It just goes to show that you can't trust an animal too far," I said. -"Now get moving. Bring the probes first. We have a lot of work to do -before evening." - - * * * * * - -It was finished sooner than I expected. The sun was still in the -sky, but close to the edge of the hills. The row of mammalian bodies -slumbered peacefully beside the airlock. Ven looked down at them -speculatively. - -"No," I said. "You have one, and that's enough." - -"But," Ven said. - -"I've humored you," I said. "I've let you act like a lower order. Now -I want to see you behave like a civilized being. For unless you do, I -shall have to take steps. I'm tired of this childishness." - -"I'll be all right now," Ven replied. "We've come to an understanding." -She gestured at Edith with her primary digit and the big mammal -shivered. I wondered what Ven had done to her. Edith was thoroughly -cowed--actually afraid of little Ven, who was less than one fifth her -size. In a way, I felt an odd sort of pride in my mate that she should -achieve mastery over such an intelligent and potentially dangerous -brute. I knew perfectly well that I'd never dare attempt such dominance -over Donald unless I was prepared to rob him of the mentality that made -him useful. But I consoled myself with the thought that this female was -peculiarly susceptible to domination. - -"We'd better get that car out of sight," Ven said. She nodded to Edith. -The human obediently trotted off in the direction of the car. A few -moments later the sound of the motor rose and fell as she concealed it -in the trees. - -As soon as I could, I contacted Donald and told him what had happened. -Fortunately he was alone, so his exclamation of surprise and -consternation didn't arouse any suspicion. - -"Ethanol, eh?" he said speculatively. - -It was easy to follow the trend of his thoughts. "Don't get any ideas," -I warned in my best TV villain manner. "I have Edith up here with me. -If you want to see her again, you'd better stay sober." - -"I wouldn't think of crossing you," he assured me insincerely. "I'm too -close to being rid of you." - -"Well--what do we do?" I asked. "You're the expert on this insane -society of yours." - -"You've done it," he said. "I don't think it was smart of you, but -under the circumstances, I can't see how you could have done anything -else. I warned you about Ven and Edith," he added--rather gloatingly, I -thought. "Now you're in for it." His voice was almost gay. - -"How?" - -"Six women vanishing all at once is going to cause a stir even in Los -Angeles," he said. - -"After an ethanol party?" I asked curiously. "Six dancers out of a -production that used a hundred? Your city will never miss them." - -"But their families will." - -Families! I hadn't thought of that. Mammals had strong family -ties--probably due to their method of reproduction. We Thalassans, -coming as we did from eggs, had none of this. The state incubators and -the creches were our only contact with parenthood. We had no families. -"Hmm," I said. "I hadn't thought of that." - -"Well, you'd better start. I hope it gives you a headache." - -"You get nastier every time I talk with you," I complained. - -"I have my reasons," he said bitterly. "Now, if you're through with -me, little master, I think I'd like to get some sleep. In the meantime -you'd better get them back to their homes before they're missed." - -"I can't," I confessed. "The controller isn't big enough to handle -eight of you--not as individuals." - -Donald chuckled grimly. "That's your worry. Remember, unless you find -out which of them will be missed and act accordingly, you're going to -be very much in the public eye." - - * * * * * - -I didn't feel too happy as I cut off, but Donald had given me an idea. - -One by one I checked the new proxies. Of the six, two were living -together. They had the casual emotional involvement with males so -characteristic of this species, but they could remain here for several -days without causing comment. Of the remaining four, one had a -roommate and would be difficult to extract; another was living alone; -still another was mated and had an offspring, but she was not living -with her mate--a legal action having separated her much as it separates -incompatible Thalassans. The offspring, however, was living with her -when she wasn't working, a not unusual situation on this world, but one -which could have some complications unless she was returned to it very -shortly. - -The last was living with her parents and was seriously involved -emotionally with a male. She was planning to be officially mated -in the near future, although it would be legal fiction rather than -fact since she was already nurturing a living embryo of some three -weeks development. I debated whether to remove it, a simple enough -manipulation, but decided against it. It would be interesting to -observe a mammalian reproduction. But to remove her from her family and -her unofficial mate was a task that might be difficult. I needed help. - -I projected a call for Ven, phrasing it imperatively so she could have -no doubt about its urgency. Her answer was quick and clear. - -"I'm coming," she said. - -"Good. I need you. And bring Edith. We have a problem that will require -her talents." - -"She'll be happy to cooperate." Ven's projection was cheerfully -confident. - -"You did her no permanent damage, I hope." - -"Not a bit. In fact, you'd never know she's been disciplined." - -"Well, get in here, both of you. We have work to do." - -Edith had trouble squeezing into the control room and, despite her skin -conditioning, the place quickly filled with her scent. But Ven and -I were old hands now and took it in stride. She grasped the problem -instantly. "The only one who might be any trouble is Alice. Her family -and her boy friend can be difficult. The others won't need much effort, -except for Grace. She'd better be returned to her baby as soon as -possible." - -"How soon?" I asked. - -"The baby isn't living with her," Edith added, "not while she's -working, but she sees it regularly. Every day or two, I believe." - -I sighed. That solved the biggest problem. - -"We had better start at once," Ven said. - - * * * * * - -I ignored her and looked inquiringly at Edith. "What would you do?" I -asked, flashing a cold projection at Ven to stay out of this. - -"Well--if I had to do it, I'd send Alice and Grace home. I wouldn't do -anything to Alice except block her from talking about this place and -what happened. Grace I'd put under full control, have her pick up her -baby, go home and pack to leave. As soon as she's ready to go, bring -her out here." - -"The infant, too?" - -"Of course. A baby's no bother." - -This, I thought, was something of an understatement. - -"And what of the others?" I asked. - -"Velma has a nosey roommate. Have her start a fight and leave angry. -She hasn't much baggage, and it won't be any trouble for her to -collect it. As for the other three, I think Joan's being kept. She -can't afford a single apartment on her salary. Loleta and Marian are -always out, sometimes for days. Their landlady won't think a thing of -it. If they never return, she'll just pack their things and rent the -room to someone else. I know that old witch. I'd just keep those three -here and not worry about them. Nobody's going to make any fuss about -three chorines disappearing. Later on you can make them write letters -enclosing money to send their clothes to another city. Then they can -be picked up and stored. That should give us a year before anyone gets -suspicious enough to look for them." - -"Edith," I said, "you're a genius." - -"I got you into this mess," Edith said. "So, perhaps I'd better get you -out." - -"But your fellow mammals--" - -"You haven't hurt me--not much, anyway," Edith said. "So I don't -suppose you'll hurt them. And, besides, I don't want Ven mad at me like -she was this afternoon. Anyway--you'll be gone soon." - -"I think I shall regret leaving," I said honestly. "There is a great -deal about you mammals I am beginning to suspect I do not know." - -"You aren't kidding," she said with faint bitterness so similar to -Donald's that my antennae quivered. "But it's been quite an experience. -I'll tell my kids when I have them--but they're not going to believe -me." - -"I hope you have those children--and raise them to maturity," I said. - -The tone of my voice caused her to look at me with sudden fear on her -face. But at the sight of my impassive features it died away. "You -scared me for a moment," she said. - -"Did I? I didn't mean to." - - -VII - -The next week kept us busy following Edith's instructions. I didn't see -how they would apply to Alice, but Edith knew her species better than -I. Alice's silence and the prying inquisitiveness of her parents and -her boyfriend worked like magic. Alice finally became angry and after -a stormy scene left the house, swearing never to return. Edith picked -her up as she walked away; Ven turned on the control and turned the -threat to fact. Later I took a leaf from Edith's book and sent Alice to -San Francisco, where I had her write a pair of bitter letters to her -parents and her extralegal mate. After that I felt more secure. - -The others worked out exactly as Edith predicted. No trouble at all. -By the time Donald returned from the East with a ton of tin ingots in -a small truck our training schedule was well set up. The robots and I -had managed to build a multiplex controller similar to those we used -on Thalassa on the state farms, but much smaller. It could handle the -proxies en masse or as individuals. While far less sensitive than the -one in the ship, it was effective enough for our rather elementary -purposes. - -Edith, who was running the group under Ven's supervision, had them -lined up in a row to greet Donald as he came up the hill toward the -ship. - -"The place looks like a nudist colony," Donald grumbled. "You haven't -improved it any." He eyed the file of mammals trooping down to the -truck to unload the tin ingots. "I have another ton lined up for -delivery as soon as you get this processed," he said. - -"Good," I replied. "We'll leave as soon as it's aboard. I don't like -the looks of your recent actions." - -"Mine?" I shook my head. "Oh, you mean the world situation." I nodded. -"You shouldn't worry about it. You should have seen it this time last -year." - -I shrugged. I would never really understand these creatures. Their -brains functioned differently. "You frighten me with your wild displays -of emotion. Someday one of you is going to start something and your -world is going to go up in fire." - -"I don't think so," he said. "I have some ideas about that. With the -money from your stories and with what you have taught me, I think there -will be some changes." There was a peculiar expression in his eyes that -I couldn't identify. It made me vaguely uneasy. "I've been doing a lot -of thinking since you met up with Edie and me. What this world needs -is someone who can run it." - -"That's obvious," I said. "Until your society catches up with your -technology you will be in constant danger. You mammals will have to -learn to discipline your emotions." - -His face twisted. "I've had a good practical course in that," he said. -"Now I'm getting post-graduate training." He gestured at the women -coming up the hill carrying the silver tin ingots. "Just how long do -you think I can endure something like this?" - -"Like what?" I asked. - -"Do I have to draw you a diagram?" he asked. "Ever since you lizards -came into my life I haven't been able to touch a woman. Not even -Edith--and she's my wife. Just how much of this do you think I can -take?" - - * * * * * - -"Oh!" I exclaimed with dawning comprehension. "I think I see." - -The situation would have been amusing if it wasn't so stupid. I was -surprised that I hadn't realized it before. There was, I knew, a -certain amount of feedback in a bipolar control circuit. Obviously -enough of Ven's conditioning, and mine, had seeped through to affect -Donald and Edith's normal relationships. Mammals were far more -preoccupied with sex than we were. Their books, magazines, television -and motion pictures reeked of it. It was present in almost every piece -of advertising, and four of our six new proxies were living histories -of it. Yet Donald and Edith, because of our feedback, had been kept as -continent as novitiates for the priesthood of Authority! - -"I'm a perfectly normal male," Donald said. "Just what do you think -you've been doing to me? I can't drink. I can't make love. I can't do -anything except collect tin for you lizards. Just why do you think I -hate you? Now you surround me with a whole damned untouchable harem! -Are you trying to drive me insane?" - -I laughed, and Donald recognize the sound for what it was. - -"Oh, _damn_ you!" he said bitterly. "How would you like to be married -for eight months and for six of them be unable to touch your wife? Just -why do you think Edith tried to get drunk? I could kill you cheerfully -for what you've done to us!" - -"Oh!" I said. There was a world of understanding opening in front -of me. Of course, it would do no good to tell him that Ven and I -had remained in enforced continence for five years. It was just the -Eugenics council working through us--entirely involuntarily. What -was bothering Donald and Edith was so absurdly simple that neither -Ven nor I would have thought to ask. And the mammals with their -peculiar customs and habits would never have told us unless--as had -happened--the pressure became too great. - -What our mammals needed was a good dose of Va Krul's basic therapy. If -Edith were fertilized as a result of it, so much the better. It would -keep her attention where it more properly belonged. The thought would -never have occurred to me in my present state. Since I was content, I -had erroneously assumed that everything was in harmony. - -"You might as well go home," I said. "Take Edith with you. We won't -need you for several days." - -"Why?" - -"You'll find things a little different. I'll make a few adjustments on -the controller." - - * * * * * - -To my surprise Don didn't appear happy at all. "Does that mean what I -think it does?" he demanded. "Do you think I'll get any satisfaction -out of being controlled _even there_?" - -"I don't know about the pleasure," I said coldly, "but I do know that -it will improve your attitude." - -Donald raged at me, his brain white with anger. "So help me God, Eu -Kor, someday I'm going to kill you for this! It's the ultimate insult." - -"You're not going to do anything," I said calmly. His voice dissolved -into obscenity. For a moment I felt sorry for him until I remembered -the basic truth that none of us are free--and the most intelligent, -naturally, are the least free of all. They are bound by their -commitments, their duties, their responsibilities, and by their -intelligence itself. If a superior intelligence occasionally exhibits -petty lapses--which amuse him or relieve his boredom--it is not the -place of the less endowed to construe it as a sign of equality. - -Some--like Ven and me--have known their place from birth. Others, like -Edith and Alice, learn easily with a minimum amount of pain. Some like -Grace learn hard; and some--like Donald--do not learn at all. - -Donald was the eternal rebel, complying because he must, yet seething -with resentment because he did. He was the personification of drive -without innate control, ambition without humility, intelligence without -wisdom. As he had been, he was not quite enough. At best he would have -been a minor author and a petty domestic tyrant. He would never have -been a threat simply because he didn't have the ability or training. -But I had given him what he lacked. The knowledge I had impressed upon -his mind would give him a tremendous advantage over his fellow mammals, -and his tendencies toward domestic tyranny would expand to include -others. His glandular attitude would pervert his knowledge to the -detriment of humankind. He could become a thing so dangerous that it -could destroy this precariously balanced world. - -I went into the ship and set up a world matrix on the computer, using -all the data I had accumulated, secured the answer, and then inserted -Donald's potential into the matrix. I then ordered a probability -extrapolation for both matrices, equating the solutions with survival. - -The answers confirmed my thoughts. With the matrix as it stood, the -twenty year survival prediction was 65 per cent, which wasn't too bad -since few advanced-technology worlds have better than an 85 per cent -survival probability. But with Donald in the matrix, the survival -prediction was zero! - - * * * * * - -I knew what I must do. I could not leave him behind as I had planned. -Nor could I inflict the senseless cruelty of brainblotting. He would -have to be mercifully destroyed. - -Although I was fond of Donald, and his death would leave me sick for -weeks, it would not be right to let my creation live and condemn the -mammal race to death. I could not exterminate a race Authority had -created. The guilt syndrome would be shattering. Of course, if they -killed each other that was not my concern. - -But until we left I would give him all the freedom he could use. -Outside of the minimum of control, he would be free to do and act as -he pleased. I didn't owe it to him, yet it was not his fault that he -had come into my hands. And when I returned to Thalassa I would tell -the Council what I had done and ask for justice. Perhaps we could save -this world from itself even as we had saved others. The question of -gratitude would be immaterial. - -With a firm hand to set them on the track, the mammals might learn the -values of intelligence and cooperation before it was too late. They -might understand the realities of existence rather than fall victim to -their glandular fancies. They might. But if they did, one thing would -be certain--they would learn it the hard way. Donald was proof of that. - -I went to our living quarters, and presently Ven joined me. "They're -all in for the night, Eu," she said. - -"That's good. How are they coming along?" - -"Splendidly. Another week should see the end of the training. Edith was -a good experience for me in handling these. I'm not making the mistakes -I did. I'm finding the blocks and removing them. One of them, the one -called Grace, should be even better than Edith." - -"As a mount?" I asked with faint humor. "Or as a working proxy?" - -"Both," Ven said promptly. "She's stronger and more intelligent. Yet -even so I think I shall always like Edith best." - - * * * * * - -"One's first dependent is always one's fondest memory," I replied -sententiously, "But you'll forget them all when we're back on Thalassa." - -"I won't," Ven said. "I'll never forget Edith." - -"Never is a long time," I said gently. "I shall even forget the pain of -killing Donald some day." - -"Then you've decided to eliminate him?" Ven said. - -I nodded. "It's necessary," I said. "This world wouldn't be safe with -him alive." - -"Poor Edith. She's fond of the brute," Ven said. She moved toward the -doorway. - -"Where are you going?" I asked. - -"I want to talk to Edith. Perhaps I can prepare her." - -"No. Don't," I said. "Contact her if you wish, but tell her nothing." - -"Very well," she said. I smiled as she disappeared. Ven was going to -miss her pet once we had left. It was obvious. - -"Eu! Quick!" Ven's projection crackled in my brain. "They're fighting! -Edith's being hurt, and I can't touch them! They've set up a block!" - -I ran for the control room, slapped the helmet on my head, reached for -the controls--and stopped, laughing. - -"Stop them!" Ven screamed. Her aura blazed a brilliant white and her -projection nearly knocked me down. She reached for the control switch, -but I slapped her hand away. - -"Quiet!" I snapped. "They're not fighting, you little fool! Turn on -your audio and listen and stop acting silly!" - -Ven did as I told her and her aura changed to a fiery pink. "Oh!" she -said in a small voice, "but they never--" - -I must have made some mistake in revising the controllers--or feedback -was stronger than I suspected--for the Va Krul syndrome came back -along our lines of contact with explosive force! Desperately I reached -for the switch--but my hand froze in midair as an intolerable wave -of emotion drove Ven and me together like two pieces of iron with -opposite magnetic charge! The last thing I remember was being enveloped -in the flaring golden glow of Ven's aura. - - * * * * * - -I came to my senses in our living quarters. I was -stunned--exhausted--limp and gasping. - -"Thalassa!" I said weakly, "we've _really_ done it now!" - -Ven smiled a pale blue radiance at me. "You have become strong, living -on this heavy world," she said. "I like it." - -"But--but!" I sputtered. "It was so--it can't--it couldn't--" - -"But it did," Ven said softly. "And I'm glad it did." - -"I don't mean that. What I mean to say was that it was so--" - -"Unexpected?" - -"No! So utterly--" - -"Satisfying?" she asked. - -"Stop interrupting! It was all of that and more. But what I want to say -is that we've violated the prime restriction for space travellers. How -could we do it?" - -"You're forgetting that for some time we have been living upon this -emotion-charged world," Ven said. "The steady erosion was more than our -conditioning could take. The feedback was merely the last in a whole -series of disruptive stimuli. It was the trigger, but our defenses had -been weakened long before. Not that I'm sorry," she added quickly. -"For weeks I've been wondering what sort of a mate you'd be when this -trip was over. I'm not unhappy with the preview." She smiled at me and -the whole of our living quarters was filled with a bright tender blue. - -"The natives," I said worriedly. "We were in contact with them." - -Ven's aura darkened. "I had forgotten them," she said. "I hope that the -feedback wasn't intensified and returned to them. I'd better look." She -started for the control room and I followed more slowly. - -"There's no damage," she said from beneath the helmet. "Edith feels -just as I do." - -I took my helmet and coded Don's pattern on the selector. Peculiar, I -thought with vague wonder. Most peculiar. For the first time Donald and -I were in true rapport. His mind was slow, lazy, sluggish--even his -ambition was sated for the moment. Could it be, I wondered, that we -could find agreement through our _emotions_? Was it frustration that -drove him? Whatever the block had been it was gone now. This was a -true empathic meeting--something far more satisfying than our previous -conflict. - -I relaxed in it, feeling the slow langorous questings of his mind even -as he felt mine. There was a sense of brotherhood that transcended -differences in race and culture. We were down to basics, on the oldest -meeting ground of life. - -He was wondering idly what the outcome of this might be--conscious of -me, but careless. It jolted me. He might be uncertain, but I _knew_ Ven -was from good family stock, and "good" to a Thalassan meant something -entirely different than it commonly did to the natives of this planet! - -I disengaged hurriedly and shook Ven out of her rapport with Edith. -"We've no time to lose," I said. "We must leave at once! You know -what's going to happen!" - -"I know," Ven said. "I feel the changes already." - -"That's just in your mind," I snapped. - -"We're not going home," she said. There was a note of prophecy in her -voice. "We'll never make it." - -"We can't stay here!" - -"I know." - -"Then what are we going to do?" - - * * * * * - -We couldn't stay here. But we couldn't go home either. The trip would -take weeks, and hyperspace is fatal to a gravid Thalassan female. -That was something we learned long ago, and the principal reason for -continence-conditioning for couples in space. What was more, I knew -that where Ven stayed, I would stay. - -"Remember the fourth planet of this system?" Ven asked. - -"Yes. Ideal gravity, adequate oxygen, but too cold." - -"And with no intelligent life," Ven added. "That's an advantage--and -we can beat the cold. It wouldn't be too hard to build domes. We have -plenty of power metal, and a matricizer. We could hatch our clutch -there. With the mammals to help us, we should be able to make a -comfortable enough life for the forty years it'll take to bring our -offspring to maturity. We should be able to do this easily, and still -get home before we're strangers." - -"Hmm," I said. "It's possible. And we can use this world for a supply -base. But would you care to live on that cold barren planet?" - -"There are worse places," she said matter-of-factly. "And we'd be close -to everything we'd need." - -It did have possibilities. And the mammals could be adapted. They were -a more advanced evolutionary form than we, but lower on the adaptive -scale--nonspecialized--more so than any other intelligent race I had -encountered. - -Ven said, "We would actually be doing their race a favor, if the -computation of this world's future is correct. Some of them would still -survive if this planet commits suicide. And if the prediction is wrong, -we would have done no harm. If they reach space, they'll merely find -that they've already arrived when they reach the fourth planet." - -"Which might be something of a surprise to their explorers," I said -with a chuckle. "All right. We'll play it your way." - -I was pretty sure how Donald would take this. He was going to be -furious, but after all one doesn't make a pet of a wolf and then turn -it loose. It's too hard on the livestock. But I didn't think he'd be -too unhappy. He'd be the principal human on Mars; and after we left -he'd be ruler of a world. And in the meantime he could be a domestic -tyrant. - -It was fortunate, I thought with a smile, that mammals were essentially -polygamous. Donald would make some nasty comments about being a herd -sire--but I didn't think his comments would be too sincere. After all, -it's not every man that has a chance to become a founding father. - -I was still smiling as I turned the dials on the controller and flipped -the switch. Founding father--the title was as much mine as his! - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Founding Father, by J.F. Bone - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOUNDING FATHER *** - -***** This file should be named 51852.txt or 51852.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/8/5/51852/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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