diff options
Diffstat (limited to '32498.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 32498.txt | 6691 |
1 files changed, 6691 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/32498.txt b/32498.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0cd4356 --- /dev/null +++ b/32498.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6691 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Brain, by Alexander Blade + +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 + + +Title: The Brain + +Author: Alexander Blade + +Release Date: May 23, 2010 [EBook #32498] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRAIN *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + THE BRAIN + + By Alexander Blade + +[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories October +1948. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + + +[Illustration: Repairs had to be made in great haste, at night, while +The Brain's machines slept] + +[Sidenote: America's greatest weapon, greater than the Atom Bomb, was +its new, gigantic mechanical brain. It filled a whole mountain--and then +it came to life...!] + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +Cautiously the young flight engineer stretched his cramped legs across +some gadgets in his crowded little compartment. Leaning back in his +swivel chair he folded a pair of freckled hands behind his neck and +smiled at Lee. + +"This is it doctor; we're almost there." + +The tall and lanky man at the frame of the door didn't seem to +understand. Bending forward he peered through the little window near the +engineer's desk, into the blue haze of the jets and down to the earth +below, a vast bowl of desert land gleaming like silver in the glow of +the sunrise. + +"But this couldn't possibly be Washington," he finally said in a puzzled +tone. "Why, we crossed the California coast only half an hour ago. Even +at 1200 miles an hour we couldn't be almost there." + +The engineer's smile broadened into a friendly grin: "No, we're not +anywhere near Washington. But in a couple of minutes you'll see Cephalon +and that's as far as we go. One professor and 15 tons of termites to be +flown from Wallabawalla Mission station, Northern Territory, Australia, +to Cephalon, Arizona, U.S.A., one way direct. Those are our +instructions. Say, this is the queerest cargo I've ever flown, doctor, +if you don't mind my saying so." + +Lee blinked. Removing his glasses which were fairly thick, he wiped them +carefully and put them on again as if to get a clearer picture of an +unexpected situation. His long fingered hand went through his greying +hair and then down the cheek which was sallow, stained with the atabrine +from his latest malaria attack and badly in need of a shave. His mouth +formed a big "O" of surprise as nervously he said: + +"I don't get it. I don't understand this business at all. First the +Department of Agriculture extends an urgent letter of invitation to a +completely forgotten man out there in the Never-Never land. Then almost +on the heels of the letter the government sends a plane. I would have +been glad to mail to the Department samples of "Ant-termes Pacificus" +sufficient for most scientific purposes if they needed them for +experiments in termite control; that would have been the simple and the +sensible thing to do. But no, they want everything I have; you fellows +drop out of the sky with a sort of habeas corpus and a whole wrecking +crew. You disturb the lives of my species, which took me ten years to +breed; you pack up their mounds lock, stock and barrel. And then you +drop me at some place I never even heard about--Cephalon. What is this +Cephalon, anyway? If the place had any connotations to entomology, I +would have known about it...." + + * * * * * + +The flight engineer glanced at the irritated scientist curiously and +sympathetically: "If you don't know, I couldn't tell you what it's all +about myself, I'm sure," he said slowly. "Cephalon--Cephalon is a place +alright, but it doesn't show on the map. Sort of a Shangri-la, if you +know what I mean." + +This cryptic statement failed to have a calming effect on Lee. +"Nonsense," he frowned. "If it is an inhabited place it must be on the +map and if it isn't on the map the place doesn't exist." + +"Look here," the flight engineer pointed through the window to the +horizon ahead. "What do you think this is, doctor, a mirage?" + +Lee stared at the apparition which swiftly materialized out of the +ground haze at the plane's supersonic speed. "It _does_ look like a +mirage," he said judiciously. "Is that Cephalon?" + +The engineer nodded. "Prettiest little town in the U. S. for my money. +Ideal airport, too. Rather unusual though--I mean the architecture. Take +a good look while we're circling around for the come-in signal." + +Pretty and unusual were hardly the words for it, Lee thought, as he +gazed in admiration. Below, Cephalon spread like a visionary's dream of +a far-away future blended with a far-away past. Along wide, palm shaded +avenues the flat-roofed terraced houses fanned out into the desert. +Style elements of ancient Peru and Mexico were blended together with the +latest advances of technology, such as the rectangular sheets of water +which covered and cooled the roofs. The business center, dotted with +helicopter landing fields on top of the pyramidal buildings, was +reminiscent of the classic Babylon and Nineveh. At the center of the +man-made oasis a huge fortress-like structure sprawled and towered like +a seven-pointed star. Even so, for all its impressiveness of masonry, +the lush green of its parks, the bursts of color from its hanging +gardens, made Cephalon resemble one enormous flower bed. + +Overawed and mystified the lone passenger from Down-Under took in the +scene while the big plane circled with diminished speed. "It's +beautiful," he murmered. "It's a dream." And louder then: "Pardon me if +I find it hard to trust my senses. I've been away from home for more +than ten years, to be sure. But then, even in the Australian bush I've +received some periodicals and scientific journals from the U.S.A. Surely +if a city like this has been built during my absence there should have +been mention of the fact. And surely a city like this must show on some +map. I don't understand. The longer I look the less I understand...." + +The flight engineer shrugged. "It's a new city, maybe that's why it +doesn't show." + +Lee nodded. "In that case you must know the meaning of all this. Why did +they build this city in the middle of the desert? What purpose does it +serve? Why am I here? Why are we circling for so long? There don't seem +to be any other planes up in the air." + +"We cannot come in until our cargo has been examined and okayed," the +engineer said. + +Lee raised a pair of heavy and untidy brows: "Cargo examination? In +mid-air and with nobody from the ground examining it?" + +"That's it. It's being done by Radar, one of the new fangled kinds, you +know." He grinned: "I hope, doctor, that your termite species is neither +explosive nor fissionable in any way. Because in that case we could +never make a landing in Cephalon." + +"How utterly absurd," Lee said disgustedly. "Even a child would know +better. There is no war going on--or is there? What makes them take such +absurd precautions?" + +The engineer narrowed his eyes. "You're an American, Dr. Lee, aren't +you? Well, in any case, I can see no reason why I should be beating +about the bush. After all, every foreign agent in this country must have +learned by now about the existence of Cephalon. It's too big to be +secret anyway. Besides, as you perceive, no attempt has been made to +camouflage the place. Cephalon and the whole district takes up about a +thousand square miles. It's a military preserve. Only you don't see any +Brass. What they are doing, I wouldn't know, but I would rather try to +rob all the gold from Fort Knox than get away with a single scrap of +paper from that Braintrust Building in the center of the city over +there. By the way, that skull shaped building right across the Plaza is +the official hotel reserved for very important persons, such as you are +listed." + + * * * * * + +A deep-throated buzz over the intercom interrupted him. "There, thank +God, they finally made up their minds to let us in. One minute more and +then a shower, a shave, bacon and eggs, and lots of Java!" + +There were what appeared to Lee to be a multitude of people waiting as +they landed. Eager and intelligent white faces all lifted up to him and +pressed forward with bewildering offerings and requests. A Western Union +messenger handed him a telegram in which one Dr. Howard K. Scriven +proffered greetings, expressing a desire to interview him. Some cleancut +youngster, obviously a scientific worker, assured Lee that he was fully +familiar with the care and feeding of "_Ant-termes-pacificus-Lee_", that +Lee need not concern himself about their welfare, that the mounds would +be immediately transferred to Experimental Station 19 G. The "Flying +Wing's" supercargo and two truck-drivers came forward with papers for +Lee to sign, as the first of the heavy steelboxes which harbored the +mounds were lowered into a van with the whine of an electric hoist. +Meanwhile somebody who said he was an assistant manager of the Cranium +hotel informed Lee that reservations had been made for him and that he +had a car waiting to conduct Dr. Lee to his suite. It was all very +mysterious, but efficient. Feeling more and more like some prize exhibit +handled without a will of its own on a whirlwind tour, Lee allowed +himself to be whisked from the airport to the hotel. With the din of the +jets still in his ears, overpowered by impressions which crowded his +senses from all sides, he listened politely to the hotel manager's +explanations of the sights without understanding a word of them. + +There were flowers in his suite, the carpets were deeper, the bathtub +was bigger, the towels piled higher, the breakfast more abundantly rich +than anything Lee could remember in the 38 years of his life. "So this +is America in 1960," he thought. "It must have advanced by leaps and by +bounds over these past ten years." + +He felt embarrassed because he had almost forgotten the uses of all +those comforts, and at the same time deeply moved over the way they +embraced him, him, the lost son, the voluntary exile who once had turned +his back on them in despair and disgust. But why was all this? He had +done nothing to deserve this kind of hospitality. Entomologists as a +rule were not transported by magic carpets into Arabian Nights for +modest achievements such as the discovery of a new species. All the +things which had happened within the last 24 hours were riddles wrapped +up in enigmas. Fatigued as he was he couldn't lie down, he was +desperately resolved to get at the bottom of this thing. + +There came a buzz from the telephone. A soft and melodious contralto +voice announced that its carrier was Dr. Howard K. Scriven's secretary +and would Dr. Lee be good enough to come over to the Braintrust Building +to meet Dr. Scriven at 9:30 A.M.? Lee said that he would. + + * * * * * + +The distance across the Plaza was short enough, but as Lee entered the +hall of the huge concrete pyramid he was reminded of Washington's +Pentagon in wartime, for his progress was halted right from the start +and at more than one point. He had to line up at the receptionist's, he +was being checked over the phone, a pass was handed to him, and +somebody, obviously a plain-clothes man, took him to the express +elevator which shot him up to the 40th floor. + +There, another plain-clothes man conducted Lee through a long carpeted +corridor and up one flight of stairs to a steel door which slid open +automatically at their approach. Sunlight was flooding through its frame +as Lee followed the guard and the door closed noiselessly behind them. + +The man from Down-Under took a deep breath. He had not expected this for +it was not a stepping in, but rather a stepping out from a vast tomb +into the light of day. This was the top of a huge pyramid, and was in an +entirely different kind of world. + +The terrace was laid with flagstones and landscaped like a luxurious +country club. In its middle there arose a penthouse, low and irregularly +shaped like some organic outcropping of native rock. It could hardly be +said that it had walls, overgrown as was the stone by creepers and built +into the shape of massive pillars. The structure seemed a kind of +Stonehenge improved upon by America's late great architect Frank Lloyd +Wright. There were birch shade trees around the house, the leaves +whispering in the breeze. From some crevice in the rock came the +peaceful murmurings of a spring. A meandering little brook criss-crossed +the gravel path under Lee's feet. From a stone table which might have +belonged to some Pharaoh there came the only incongruous noise in this +bucolic idyll; it was the nervous ticking of a typewriter, which stopped +abruptly at Lee's approach, and the melodious contralto voice he had +already heard over the phone greeted him. "Oh--it's Dr. Lee from +Canberra University, isn't it? I'm so happy to meet you. Please, do sit +down. How was your trip? I'm Oona Dahlborg, Dr. Scriven's secretary." + +Lee blinked. Out of this world as was this Stone Age cabin in the sky, +even more so was the girl. He had a vivid image of American girls as +they had been when he had left the States way back in '49; in fact, he +had an all too vivid memory of at least one of them. His memory had been +refreshed within the last hour at the airport, at the hotel, at the +receptionist's, and it had been confirmed: they still wore masks instead +of their true faces, they still were overdressed, overloud, oversexed, +overhung with trinkets and their voices still resounded shrilly from the +roof of their mouths. + +This girl Oona Dahlborg was different. He raked his brains to find some +concept which would express how she was different. The word "organic" +came to mind; yes, as one looked at her one sensed a unity of being, a +creatural whole compared to which those other girls appeared as +artificial composites. + +She was tall for a girl, the pure Scandinavian type, and she looked like +a young Viking with the golden helmet of her hair gleaming in the sun. +She wore a tunic, short, sleeveless and of classic simplicity, the kind +of dress which once Diana wore. It revealed the splendor of her slender +figure and stressed the length of her full white limbs. On the black of +the tunic an antique necklace of large amber beads formed the only +ornament. The bow or the spear of the great huntress whom she resembled +so much would have looked more natural in her hands than the typewriter; +even so, her every move showed perfect coordination of body and mind, a +large surplus of vital energy carefully controlled. Had she turned to +some different career she might easily have developed into some great +athlete or else a great singer. Her beautiful voice had that rare +natural gift of using the whole thorax for a vessel of resonance instead +of merely the mouth. + + * * * * * + +It was this voice which fascinated Lee more than the strangeness of the +scene, more than her beauty, more even than the things she said. It was +like remembering some haunting melody, it transported him into the +forgotten land of his youth. It made him feel happy except that suddenly +he felt painfully conscious of his ill fitting suit, the emaciation of +his body, the atabrine stains on the skin of his face, the wildness and +the grey of his hair. + +With the shyness of a boy, he accepted first the firm pressure of her +hand and then a seat which was another piece of ancient Egyptian +furniture. + +"Dr. Scriven will be with you in a few minutes," she said. +"Unfortunately he is a little delayed by an official visitor from +Washington. The unexpected always happens over here. Meanwhile...." + +She suddenly interrupted herself. The searching look of her deep blue +eyes startled Lee by its directness. There was in it a depth of +understanding and of sympathy which penetrated to his heart. He felt as +if she already knew about him and knew everything. It lasted only a few +seconds before she continued, but in a different, a warmer voice: + +"I think we can drop the usual conventions," she said. "We know you, Dr. +Scriven and I. We know your work as published in the journal of +entomology. It is the work of a man of genius. You are not the kind of +man whom I must entertain with the usual small talk about the weather, +how you have enjoyed your trip, or whether you feel very tired--as you +probably do--and all the rest of it. That is routine with most of our +visitors; it's quite a relief to feel that I can dispense with it for +once." + +Lee had blushed under this frankness of compliment as if a decoration +had been pinned to his breast. "Thank you, Miss Dahlberg, you put me at +my ease. I've been out in the wilderness for so long that I've lost the +language of the social amenities. I really feel like another Rip van +Winkle. All this," he made a sweeping gesture, "is tremendously new and +surprising to me. There are so many burning questions to ask...." + +The girl gave him a smile of sympathy. "Of course," she said, "and I can +imagine some of them. To begin with, we owe you an explanation and an +apology for having used the methods of deception in getting you here. As +you probably know by now the work we're doing here is closely connected +with the National defense. Whether we like it or not, military secrecy +forces us to use roundabout ways in contacting scientists who happen to +work in some context with our field, especially if they live in foreign +lands. That's why in your case we have used the good offices of the +Department of Agriculture in bringing you here. Dr. Scriven feels +terrible about this. He feels that to be lifted out from one desert just +to be dropped into the middle of another must be a fierce disappointment +to you. For this and all the disturbance of your work--can you manage to +forgive us Dr. Lee?" + +The sincerity in these regrets was such that Lee hastened to reply: "You +don't owe me any apology, Miss Dahlborg," he reassured her. "Naturally +it is impossible for me to see any connection between my work with ants +and termites and the problems of National Defense. But I am an American; +I wouldn't doubt for a moment the legitimacy of your call." The girl +nodded: "Besides you have fought for your country in the second world +war," she added. "And also you are the son of General Jefferson Lee of +the Marines. You understand of course that we had you investigated +before calling you here; do you mind very much?" + + * * * * * + +Again Lee blushed; this time even deeper than before. He squirmed in his +seat. "No, I guess not. I suppose it's necessary. Now that I'm going to +meet Dr. Scriven, who is he? I probably ought to know--forgive my +ignorance." + +"You really don't know about him?" The girl sounded surprised. "He's a +surgeon. He's considered the foremost living brain-specialist. Remember +the Nuremberg trials of the Nazi war criminals? Dr. Scriven did the +post-mortems on their brains. He wrote a book that made him famous." + +"Of course," Lee slapped his forehead. "Yes, but of course, how could I +forget." + +"Yes," she answered, "He was made the head of the Braintrust over here." + +"What is the Braintrust? What does it do? What am I supposed to do +here?" Lee asked eagerly. + +The girl's smile was mysterious: "I think Howard would like to explain +all that to you in his own way." + +"Howard". The word struck Lee like a vicious little snake. Was he a +friend, or more than a friend to her? "This is terrible," he thought, +"I've been away from normal life for overlong. Must be that I'm +emotionally unbalanced. I haven't known her for five minutes. There is +nothing between us. I've no earthly right to be jealous; it is absurd, +it's mean." + +He felt deeply ashamed. Yet as he looked at her he couldn't deny the +truth before himself: that he _was_ jealous, that he _had_ fallen in +love with a girl who looked like the goddess Diana with a golden helmet +for hair. + +There was a noise of footsteps on the gravel paths. A man with a +portfolio under his arm walked briskly by the stonetable; despite his +civilian clothes he had "Westpoint" written all over him. He disappeared +through the steel door. + +"That was General Vandergeest", Oona said. "Dr. Scriven will see you +now; just walk in, Dr. Lee." + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +Inside, the cabin in the sky seemed to be built almost entirely around a +huge primeval looking fireplace. Despite the fierceness of the Arizona +sun there was a fire in it of long and bluish flames, one of those +modern inventions which reverse the processes of nature. Like the gas +refrigerators of an older period, this fire worked in combination with +the airconditioning system to _cool_ the house, lending to it in the +midst of summer heat the same attractions which it had in winter. + +In front of the fire and framed by its rather ghostly light, there stood +a man with his head bowed down, pensively staring at the flames. As +Lee's steps resounded from the ancient millstones which formed the +floor, Dr. Scriven wheeled around; he approached the man from Down-Under +with outstretched hands. + +Rarely had Lee seen such a distinguished looking figure of a man. He +looked more like a diplomat of the extinct old school than a scientist, +with the immaculate expanse of his white tropical suit and the dignity +of his leonine head. His width of shoulder and the smooth agility with +which he moved gave the impression of great strength. Only his fingers +were small, slender, almost like a woman's. + +The reluctant softness of their pressure contrasted so much with his +heartiness of manner that Lee felt repulsed by their touch until he +remembered that a great surgeon lived and caused others to live by his +sensitivity of hand. + +"Dr. Lee, I'm happy, most happy, that you have been able to come." +Scriven's voice was soft, but he spoke with an extraordinary precision +of diction which had a quality almost of command. "Over there, please, +by the fire...." + +From the blue flames there came the freshness and the coolness of an +ocean breeze; the rawhide chairs, built for barbaric chieftains as they +seemed, proved to be most comfortable; the semidarkness, the roughness +of the unhewn stone, gave a sense of the phantastical and the paradox. +Lee sat and waited patiently for Scriven to explain. + +"In case you're wondering a little about this setup," Scriven made a +sweeping gesture around the room, "I've long since reached the +conclusion that in these mad times a man needs above all some padded +cell, some shell in which to retire and preserve his sanity. This is my +padded cell, soundproof, lightproof, telephoneproof; a wholesome +reminder of the basic, the primeval things. Simple, isn't it?" + +Lee blinked at the extravagance of this statement. "Do you really call +that simple?" he asked. + +Scriven grinned: "You are right; it is of course a willed reversal from +the complex, synthetic and perhaps a little perverse. But then, not +everybody has the opportunity you had in living in the heart of nature. +Frankly I envy you; your work reflects the depth of thinking which comes +out of retirement from the world. That's why I called you here; that's +why I am so sure you'll understand." + +He paused. Lee thought that he saw what was perhaps a mannerism; the +great surgeon didn't look at his visitor. With his head turned aside, +staring into the flames, stroking his chin, speaking as if to himself, +he reminded Lee of some medieval alchemist. + +"It's a long story, Lee," Scriven continued. "It starts way back with a +letter I wrote to the President of the United States. In this letter I +pointed to the immense dangers which I anticipated in the event of an +atom war; dangers to which the military appeared to be blind. I am +referring to the inadequacy of the human brain and its susceptibility to +mental and psychic shock. I explained how science and technology over +the past few hundred years had developed by the _pooled_ efforts of the +_elite_ in human brains, but that the individual brain, even if +outstanding, was lagging farther and farther below the dizzy peak which +science and technology in their totality had reached. I further +explained, by the example of the Nazi and Jap States, how the collective +brains of modern masses are reverting from and are hostile to a high +level of civilization because it is beyond their mental reach. You know +all this, of course, Lee. I made it clear that not even the collective +brains of a general staff could be relied upon for normal functioning; +that no matter how carefully protected physically, they remained exposed +to psychic shock with its resultant errors of judgment. How much less +then could production and transportation workers be expected to function +effectively in the apocalyptic horrors they would have to face...." + + * * * * * + +Lee's eyes had narrowed in the concentration of listening; his head +nodded approval. He wasn't conscious of it, but Scriven took note of it +by a quick glance. His voice quickened: + +"That was the first part of my letter, Lee. I then came out squarely +with the project which has since become the work of my life. I told the +President that under these circumstances the most needed thing for our +country's national security would be the creation of a _mechanical_ +brain, some central ganglion bigger and better than its human +counterpart, immune to shock of any kind. This ganglion to be +established in the innermost fortress of America as an auxiliary +augmenting and controlling the work of a general staff. I gave him a +fairly detailed outline of just how the thing could be done. There was +really nothing basically new involved. Personally I have held for a long +time that Man never "invents", that in fact it is constitutionally +impossible for him to do so. Being a part of nature Man merely +_discovers_ what nature has "invented" in some form of its own a long +time ago. Mechanical brains. Lord, we have had them in their rudiments +for the past hundred thousand years, at a minimum. The calendar is one; +every printed book is one; the simplest of machines incorporates one. +And ever since the first mechanical clock started its ticking we have +developed them by leaps and bounds!" + +"And did the President react positively to this project?" Lee asked. + +Scriven shook his head. "He did not." + +Then he paused. Little beads of perspiration had appeared on his +forehead; he wiped them away with a handkerchief: + +"That year, Lee," he began again, "when the decision was pending and I +could do nothing but wait, knowing that there was no other defense +against the Atom Bomb, knowing that our country's fate was at stake--it +made me grey, it came pretty close to shattering my nerve.... But +_then_...." His body tightened, the small fist pounded the rail of the +chair: "... _But then We BUILT THE BRAIN._" + +He said it almost in a triumphant cry. + +Mounting tension had Lee almost frozen to his seat. Now he stirred and +leaned forward. + +"It actually exists? I mean it works? It is not limited to the analysis +of mathematical problems but capable of cerebrations after the manner of +the human brain?" + +Scriven, with a startling change, sounded dry, very factual in a tired +way as he answered: "I appreciate your difficulty of realization, Dr. +Lee. The whole idea is new to you and I have presented it in a rather +abrupt and inadequate way. In time, and if we get together, as I hope we +will, you shall get visual impressions which are better than words. For +the moment, just to give you a general idea and to prove that this is +not a small matter, let me give you a few facts: Our first monetary +appropriation for The Brain, as an unspecified part of the military +budget, of course, was for one billion dollars. We have since received +two more appropriations of an equal size." + +Lee's gasp made a sound like a low whistle. With a depreciating gesture +Scriven waved it away. + +"While these funds could only cover the first stages in the construction +of The Brain," he calmly went on, "we have been able to build a +mechanical cortex mantle composed of ninety billion electronic cells. +Considering that the cortex mantle of the human brain contains over 9 +billion cells, this doesn't sound like much. Our synthetic or mechanical +cells are a little better than the organic, natural cells, but not very +much. So alone and by themselves their number would indicate only a ten +times superiority of The Brain over its human counterpart. If that were +all the result of our labors, a brain of, let's say, twice genius +capacity, we would be a miserable failure. But then we _have_ achieved a +very considerable improvement in the _utilization_ of the The Brain's +cortex capacity. In the first place we have full control over the +intake of thought impulses; and more important, we use multiple wave +lengths in feeding impulses to The Brain and throughout all the +impulse-processings. Even the human brain has some capacity of +simultaneous thought on different levels of consciousness, but its range +in this respect is extremely limited. The Brain by way of contrast +operates on two thousand different wave lengths, which means that The +Brain can process at least 2000 problems at one time. Finally, the +absence of fatigue in The Brain makes operations possible for 20 out of +the 24 hours of the day--the rest of the time we need for servicing and +overhauling." + + * * * * * + +With apparent effort Scriven turned his face away from the blue flames. +His dark brown eyes probed into Lee's as he summed up: + +"All together, Lee, The Brain has now reached the approximate capacity +of 25,000 first class human brains. You as a man of vision will +understand what that means...." + +Lee had his face upturned. The tension of thought gave to his features +something of the ecstatic or the somnambulist. Slowly he said: + +"The equivalent of twenty-five-thousand human brains--there is no +comparison other than a God's...." + +Striven had jumped from his chair. He started pacing the flagstones in +front of the fire, whirling his mighty frame around at every corner with +a sort of wrath, as if about to meet some attack. + +"Yes, you are right," he almost shouted, "we hold that power; that power +almost of a God's. And how we are wasting it." + +"What do you mean?" Lee's eye-brows shot up. "You would not waste those +powers once you have them. You would turn them to the most constructive +use--the advancement of science, of humanity!" + +Scriven froze in his steps. A cruel smile parted his lips; there was a +gnashing sound of big white teeth. He pointed a finger at his visitor. + +"Idealist, eh? That's what I thought I was ten years ago. That's what I +had in mind with The Brain right from the start. As it has turned out, +however, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and half a dozen other government +departments, besieged The Brain for the solution of their "problems", +some of them as destructive as warfare, others as insipid as the trend +of the popular vote in some provincial primaries. Sometimes Uncle Sam +even farms out the services of the Brain to aid some friendly foreign +government--without that government's knowledge as to where the solution +is coming from. To cut a long story short: What these fellows utterly +fail to understand is that The Brain is not a finite mechanism like any +other, but a mechanism which unendingly evolves and becomes richer in +its associations by the material which is being fed into its cells. In +other words; the Brain _learns_; consequently it must be _taught_, it +must be given the wherewithal for its own self-improvement...." + +Scriven halted his impatient step by the other's chair. His nervous +fingers tapped Lee's shoulder: "And that is where you come in." + +"Me?" Lee asked, startled. "What you just told me, Dr. Scriven, it will +take me weeks to comprehend. At the moment I am at a loss to see how my +work could connect...." + +The surgeon's sensitive hand patted Lee's shoulder as if it were the +neck of a shy horse. "You _will_ comprehend--in just another moment." + +He pressed a button; in the entrance to the cabin in the sky the girl +appeared, like an apparition. She approached, her hair a golden halo, +her tunic transparent against the glare of the summer day. "Yes?" + +"Oona, _please_" + +She seemed familiar with the boss' code. With a smile on her lips she +walked over to one of the pillars, opened a hidden recess and brought +out the Scotch and syphon using an Egyptian clay tablet for a tray. With +surgical exactitude Scriven poured out a good two fingers for his guest +and an exceedingly small one for himself. "Stay with us for a moment, +Oona, please," he said. "I didn't tell you the idea behind my calling +Dr. Lee; you might be interested." + +Wordlessly she slid into a seat, attentive and yet fading somehow into +the background, as if trying to remain unnoticed. In that she did not +succeed. Her beauty was such that its very presence changed the +atmosphere; it put Lee under a strain to keep his eyes off her. As to +Scriven, he seemed to address her almost as much as he did Lee. + +"You have met Dr. Lee, haven't you, Oona; but do you know _whom_ you +have met? He probably wouldn't admit it; nevertheless Dr. Lee is the +most successful peacemaker on earth, I think. He has just put an end to +the oldest war in this world between the two most venerable +civilizations in existence. That war between the states of the ants and +the states of the termites has been waged with never abating fury for +millions of years--until Dr. Lee came along with the perfect solution of +the eternal dispute. All he did was to crossbreed the belligerents and +now we have "united nations", _Ant-termes-pacificus-Lee_ which lives up +to the spirit of its name. Elementary, isn't it?" + +"So elementary," the girl said with ironical sweetness, "that the +so-called peacemakers of the international conferences must have +considered it below their dignity to stoop to it. How exactly did you do +it; I mean the crossbreeding?" + + * * * * * + +Lee felt his cheeks burn; it was extremely irritating that this should +happen to him every time Oona Dahlborg spoke to him, especially when it +was in praise. + +"It wasn't too hard," he said depreciatingly. "The main difficulty lay +not with the termite queen nor with the furtive little king of the ants +themselves. Biggest trouble was in getting the potential lovers together +against the bulldog determination of their palace guards. To use force +was out of the question. So I had to trick the guards, smuggle in the +male and keep him hidden under the royal abdomen of his spouse." + +She smiled amused. "What a perfect classic; the story of Romeo and +Juliet all over--and with you in the role of the nurse." + +Lee blushed still deeper at that. "Yes", he admitted, "I was very much +reminded of that story and my role in it. Only I had to avoid the tragic +end." + +"And how did you avoid the Shakespearean end?" + +"In the best cloak and dagger manner, Miss Dahlborg. First I made the +guards drunk; that's easy enough with termites. Then I broke into the +chamber where they keep the queen immured. I killed her legitimate +consort and substituted my own candidate after having anointed him with +the genuine termite smell. Finally I re-immured the pair. There are only +little holes in the walls through which the royal family is serviced, +they are never really in touch with their guards. That's why it could +work." + +"And thus they lived happy forever afterwards," the girl concluded. + +"I'm afraid not, Miss Dahlborg," he said, "there is no such thing as +happiness in the eternal gloom of termite society. But even if not +happy, the match I brought about was definitely blessed. In due course I +became godfather to 30,000 baby ant-termes; I've about 15 million now in +different hybrid strains. Now that I have an inkling of the grandiose +work you are doing over here I am ashamed to mention mine; it's very +small, very insignificant and I still don't see where it comes in." + +The girl seemed to cross out those words with an energetic move of her +head. "No," she said, "your work is not small nor is it insignificant; +it is great and contains the most intriguing possibilities." + +"Ah!" Scriven interrupted. "I have been waiting for this. I knew that +Oona would hit upon those intriguing possibilities; her's is an +unspoiled intelligence; it penetrates to the core of things. Dr. Lee, +let me begin at the beginning so you will understand just where you and +your work connect with The Brain. The society of the higher insect +states like bees and ants and termites constitutes the oldest and the +most stable civilizations in this world. Human society by way of +contrast has created the youngest and the most unstable civilization +amongst higher animals. Throughout history we find collapse after +collapse of civilization. Quite possibly civilizations higher than ours +may have existed in prehistoric times. Right?" + +Lee nodded assent. + +"Fine. From that it follows that Man has much to learn from the society +of the higher insects. Their ingenious laws and methods, their "spirit +of the hive," the incredible renouncement of individual existence and +individual advantage, their undying devotion to the race.... We must +study those if ever we want to reach anything like stability in _our_ +society. We ought to model our civilization after theirs, especially now +that we have this new species "_Ant-termes-pacificus_" which has +renounced war. There is something basically wrong with the type of +civilizations which Man builds and which ceaselessly devour one another. +No doubt you see the third World War approaching inexorably just as I +do; civilization forging ahead, for what? For the big plunge into +suicide. It's sickening to think of it. Do you feel I'm right?" + +Unconscious of himself Lee had arisen and paced the room. With his lean +long-legged figure bending slightly forward and wild-maned head bowed +down in thought he resembled a big heron stalking the shallows for prey. + + * * * * * + +Fascinated, Oona's eyes followed the two contrasting men as their paths +criss-crossed like guards before some palace gate. She alone had kept +her seat. It was with greater assurance than before that Lee now spoke. + +"I can see eye to eye with you, Scriven, as to the wrongs of man-made +civilization and its probable course. But I do not think it desirable +that we should model human society after the insect states. Ingenious as +it is, their system is the most terrifying tyrany I could imagine. Just +think of it: they literally work themselves to death. Workers who have +outlived their usefulness are either killed off, or else they become the +bloated, living containers for the tribe's staple food." + +"You, yourself, can see the similar trend in Man, today. Our production +of new thought is lagging; not starting from the roots, it becomes +superficial, cut off from the roots. The results? The curse of the +Babylonian confusion of the tongues under which we live. We are rapidly +becoming thought-impotent. Cerebral fatigue, dissociation of its nerve +paths, emotionalism which rejects logic as "too difficult", mass idiocy +and relapse to barbarism.... It is by our brains, it is by this highest +evolution of matter that we have built this civilization of ours; and +now our own brainchild proceeds with might and with main to destroy the +very organ of its creation. Is that not irony supreme? + +"Now we have The Brain, this truly superlative tool of 20,000 times +human capacity. All we have to do now is to submit the various societies +which nature has built: insect states, other animal states, Man and his +state to the analysis of The Brain. Have their good and their bad +features tested and compared. Let The Brain synthesize all the +beneficial components, let it shape the pattern of a new civilization +more enduring and better adapted to the nature of Man. And then abide by +the laws which The Brain lays down. I need your aid, Lee. You have +already made one most valuable contribution to "peace on earth" with +your "_Ant-termes-pacificus_". This is your big chance to continue the +good work; be with us, be our man." + +In silence both men stood close to each other, eyes searching. All Oona +Dahlborg could hear was their heavy breathing. Instinctively she crossed +her fingers; never before to her knowledge had Scriven opened his mind +with such reckless abandon--and to a perfect stranger at that. Her +respect for the strange, the birdlike man from Down-Under skyrocketed. + +"He really must be a great man," she thought, and, "Howard and he will +be either fast friends or very violent enemies." + +At last Lee's voice came, husky and highpitched with emotion: "I cannot +conceive of a man-made superhuman intelligence. Neither can I believe +that mankind could or should be _forced_ into its happiness by an +intelligent machine. But that's besides the point ... the idea is +grandiose. It has the sponsorship of the government. You say that The +Brain needs me. That makes it a duty; so here I am." + +He stretched out his hand and felt the cautiously eager grip of the +surgeon's sensitive fingers. The great man beamed. "Good," he said, "I +knew you would. Oona, like a good girl--the glasses, yours too. This +really deserves a toast." + +The girl stepped between the two men. Handing Lee his glass she said: +"Today you may follow only the call of duty; tomorrow it will be the +call of love. I've never met any man who has not fallen in love with his +work for The Brain." + +"I think you are quite right in that, Miss Dahlborg," he answered, +wondering vaguely exactly what her words meant, wondering also just how +much his decision was inspired by the wish to see more of her. + + * * * * * + +They drank their toast in silence. Scriven then turned to the girl: + +"Apperception center 36," he said. "Yes, I think 36 will be the best. +Get in touch with Operations, Oona. Tell them I want 36 cleared for the +exclusive use of Dr. Lee. Call Experimental; I want the whole batch of +"_Ant-termes-pacificus_" transferred to Apperception 36 by tomorrow +morning. Then--no, today is too late and Dr. Lee is tired, he needs +rest--but tomorrow at 8 A.M. I want a car for him to go over to The +Brain. Would that suit you, Lee?" + +"Fine; but why a car? It's only a few steps...." He stopped, confused by +the hearty laughter in the wake of his words. + +"It's quite a few steps, Dr. Lee." Oona said, "you would be _very_ tired +before you got there; chances are that your feet wouldn't carry you that +far." + +"But this is the Brain Trust Building," he stammered. + +"It is," Scriven answered, "but it houses only part of the +administration, not The Brain. You wouldn't expect us to place a thing +of such vital strategic importance in a skyscraper on a wide open plain +as a landmark for every enemy?" + +"No, I guess not." Lee said. "But since I'm briefed to go there, where +is it?" + +"That," Scriven frowned, "is a very reasonable and a simple question. +Unfortunately, _I do not know_." + +Lee felt a wave of red anger; it rose into his cheeks because he saw the +sparks of frank amusement dancing in Oona Dahlborg's eyes. He opened his +mouth to some bitter remark about this hoax when Scriven put a +restraining hand upon his arm. + +"This is no joke, Lee. I have planned The Brain, have in part designed +it, seen it under construction for the past ten years, managed its +affairs--but I don't know where it is and that's a fact." + +He led his speechless guest to a lookout on the west side of the room. +Beyond the lush, green oasis of Cephalon the desert stretched unbroken +till on the far horizon the mountains of the High Sierra rose in a blue +haze of scorching sun. His hand moved sweepingly from north to south. + +"Over there," he said, "somewhere inside those mountains; that's where +it is. But its location? Your guess is as good as mine. Take your choice +of any of the mountains, attach a name to it; I've done so myself. One +of them must be "The Cranium", but the question remains: which? There +are people who know, of course; military intelligence, the general +staff; but that," he shrugged his shoulders, "... isn't my department." + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +The Brain Trust car which took Lee out of Cephalon was a normal-looking +limousine, a rear-engined teardrop like all the "60" models, slotted for +the insertion of wings which most of the garages now kept in stock and +rented at a small charge for cross-country hops. The only non-standard +feature seemed to be the polaroid glass windows which were provided all +around and not only in front. + +"That's a good idea," Lee said adjusting the nearest ones, "they ought +to have that on every car, all-round protection to the eyes." + +"Think so, sir? Must be the first time you're driving out there," the +young chauffeur said. + +The car left the outskirts and the desert started to fly by as the +speedometer needle climbed above the 100 mark. Lee sank back into his +seat; the desert had no novelty for him and since the chauffer appeared +not inclined to small talk he abandoned himself to thought. + +His visit to his father had not been much of a success.... + +_Time_ magazine had carried an item in its personal column, briefly +stating that General Jefferson E. Lee, "the Old Lion of Guadalcanal," +had retired from the Marines to Phoenix, Ariz.... Phoenix, the hotel +desk had informed him, was only some 300 miles away and there was hourly +service by Greyhound helicopter-bus. + +So he had taken the ride, a taxi had brought him to the small neat +bungalow, and there he had seen his father for the first time in years. +It had been very strange to see him aged, the nut brown face a little +shrunk. He had anticipated that much. But somehow he had failed to +imagine the most obvious change; to see his father in civvies and even +less to see him trimming roses with a pair of garden shears. It looked +such an incongruous picture for a "Marines' Marine." + +As he had come up the little path his father had looked up. + +"So it's you, Semper." Slowly he had peeled off the old parade kid +gloves without a change in his face. "Nice to see you," he had said. +"Didn't expect to before I start pushing up the daisies from below. +Where's your butterfly net?" + +No, in character his father hadn't changed a bit. He still was the old +"blood and guts" to whom an entomologist was sort of a human +grass-hopper wielding a butterfly net, and a son indulging in such +antics a bit of a freak, a reproach to his father, a failure of his +life. + +Even so, he had led the way into the house and things had been just as +he remembered them: the old furniture, pictures crowding one another all +over the walls, on the unused grand piano--Marines in Vera Cruz, Marines +in China, Marines in Alaska, in the Marianas, in Japan, at the Panama +canal; Marines, Marines, Marines, wherever one looked, in ghostly +parade. No, nothing had changed. It had been mainly jealously which had +caused him to rebel against becoming another Marine, the first wedge +which had driven him and his father apart. + +"What are you doing now, padre?" he had asked. + +"You've seen it. Nothing. Just puttering around. They've made me +commander of the National Guard over here," and with a contemptuous +snort, "--a sinecure; might as well have given me a bunch of tin +soldiers to play with. What brought you here?" + +Glad to change the subject Lee had told about Australia, had mentioned +The Brain and the possibility of joining it. His father had not been +pleased. + +"Heard of it," he had grumbled. "Shows how the country is going to the +dogs. Now they need machines to do their thinking with. If their own +brains were gas they couldn't back a car out of the garage. So you're +mixed up with that outfit; well--how about a drink?" + +"Rather," he had answered, feeling the need for washing down a +bitterness; thinking, too, that it might break the ice between him and +his father. + +And then there was that painful moment when they had stood, glasses in +hand and remembered.... + +The selfsame situation fifteen years ago as the Bomb fell upon +Hiroshima. He had been on convalescence furlough. They had been alone +when the news came and there had been a drink between them just as now. +And after the announcer stopped he had cried out hysterically like a +child in a nightmare. + +"Those fools, that's the end of civilization, that's no longer war." + +"Shut up," his father had shouted, "how dare you insult the Commander in +Chief to my face. Get out of here and _stay_ out." + +A highball glass had crashed against the floor. And that had been the +end. He hadn't returned after the war. + +Yes, it was most unfortunate that now, after so many years, they should +read that memory in their faces; that it was only the glasses and not +the minds which clicked. + +They had put them down awkwardly with frozen smiles on their lips and +his father had said: + +"Sorry. But an old dog won't learn new tricks. Guess it's too late in +the day for me and you to get together, son." + +"It's never too late, Dad," he had wanted to say, but the words died on +his lips. + +So it had been the failure of a mission; but then it closed an old and +painful chapter with finality and he was free to open a new leaf. + + * * * * * + +Lee looked ahead again. The speedometer needle trembled around the 150 +mark. The sun drenched sand shot by, Joshua trees gesticulating wildly +in the tricky perspectives of the speed, out-crops of rocks getting +bigger now and more numerous, the road ahead starting to coil into a +maze of natural fortresses, giant pillars and bizarre pyramids looking +like the works of a titan race from another planet shone in unearthly +color schemes of black and purple and amber and green. With the winding +of the road and the waftings of the heat it was hard to make out a +course, but the Sierra Mountains now were towering almost up to the +zenith; like a giant surf they seemed to race against the car. + +"Mind if I close the windows, sir?" + +The chauffeur's question was rhetoric; he had already pushed a button, +the glass went up and within the next second the inside of the car +turned completely dark. + +"Man," Lee shouted, gripping the front seat, "are you crazy?" + +There suddenly was light again, but it was only the electric light +inside the car. The blackout of the world without remained complete, and +the speedometer needle still edged over the 150 mark. + +"Crazy? I hope not." The chauffeur said it coolly; leaning comfortably +back he turned around for a better look at his fare. + +With mounting horror Lee noticed that he even took his hands off the +wheel. Nonchalantly he lit a cigarette while the unguided wheel milled +crazily from side to side and the tires screeched through what seemed to +be a sharp S-curve. Still with his back to the wheel and in between +satisfying puffs of his smoke he continued: + +"It's quite O.K. sir; it's only that we're on the guidebeam now. This +here car doesn't need a driver no more; it's on the beam." + +"What beam?" Lee relaxed a little; it was the unexpectedness which had +bowled him over. "What beam? And why the blackout?" + +"Just orders," the young man said. "The Brain's orders and it's the +Brain's beam. Seems to be new to you, sir; to me it's like an old story; +read about it when I was a kid: how they blindfolded people who entered +a beleaguered fortress. "The Count of Monte Cristo," it was called; ever +heard about it? Pretty soon now we'll be stopped for examination before +we enter the secret passage underground. Romantic isn't it?" + +"Very much so," Lee dryly remarked. He continued to watch the behavior +of the car with some misgivings. The controls appeared to be functioning +smoothly enough and after a minute or so the brake pedal came down all +by itself. Lee, with a breath of relief, saw the speedometer recede to +zero. + +But the doors would not open from the inside and as he tried them he +found that they were locked. "What's the idea," he asked, "I thought you +said we would be examined at this spot?" + +"Bet they're at it right now," the chauffeur grinned. "I wouldn't know +how they do it, but they get us photographed inside and outside, what we +have in our pockets, what we had for breakfast this morning and the very +bones of our skeletons. I pass through here maybe half a dozen times a +day, still they will do it every time: take my likeness. Makes me feel +like I was some darned movie star." + +To Lee it felt uncanny to sit trapped and blindfolded in this "Black +Maria" of a car while unseen rays and cameras went over him. He could +hear a faint noise of steps, and muffled voices. + +"Who are they?" he asked. + +"Oh, that's only some boys from Intelligence or whatnot; that's nothing, +that isn't The Brain. It will be all over in a moment--see--there we go +again. Now we're entering the Labyrinth." + +"The Labyrinth?" + +Reticent as he had been in the beginning, the chauffeur now seemed to +like Lee; he was proud to explain. "Queer, isn't it? They've got the +damnedest names for things down here. Take them from anatomy, I +understand. The Labyrinth is supposed to be inside the ear; it leads +inside in a roundabout way; it's the same here, it's a tunnel--see--down +we go." + +The soft swoosh of the gas-turbine turned into a muffled roar. The car +accelerated at a terrific rate and from the way it swayed and dived it +was clear that the tunnel spiralled downwards in steep serpentines. Lee +gripped the holding straps; his every nerve was on edge and those edges +were sharpened by the ominous fact that all the instruments on the +dashboard had stopped functioning so that he couldn't even read the +speed. + +As if to make things still worse, the chauffeur had abandoned his post +altogether. Stretching his legs across the front seat he reclined as if +enjoying his easy chair at home by the fire place. + +"It beats a roller coaster, doesn't it?" the chauffeur said. "Got me +scared the first few times before I found out it was safe. Nothing to +worry about, never you fear." + +With his stomach throttling his throat, Lee asked, "How deep are we +going underground?" + +"That we are not supposed to know; that's why all the instruments are +cut off. The other day I had a passenger, one of those weathermen, a +professor. He laughed when I told him I didn't know how deep it was. Got +a little doodad out of his pocket; aneroid barometer, or something, he +said it was. But he got a surprise; in the first place the thing didn't +work, so he said the whole tunnel was probably pressurized. In the +second place he never got where he wanted to go. They stopped the car at +the next control and shot him right back whence he came." + +"But why?" + +The chauffeur looked mysterious. "Seems The Brain doesn't like people +with doodads in their pockets even if they mean no harm. The Brain is +most particular about such things; maybe somehow it peers into this car +this moment, maybe it records every word we say. How do we know?" He +shrugged his shoulders. "Not that I give a damn. I've got nothing to +conceal. The hours are right and the pay's right; that's good enough for +me." + + * * * * * + +Lee experienced an old, familiar sensation: that creepy feeling one got +on jungle patrol, knowing that there were Jap snipers up in the trees, +invisible with the devilish green on their faces and uniforms. + +"Strange," he thought, "that in the very center of civilization one +should feel as haunted as in the jungle hell." + +Then, just as he began to wonder whether the dizzy spiralling plunge as +if in the belly of a shark would ever end, the tunnel levelled. Now the +car shot straight as a bullet and just as fast it seemed. + +As his stomach returned to something like normal position, the feeling +of oppression changed into one of flying through space, of being +dynamically at rest. Again just as the duration of this dynamic flight +evoked the feel of infinity, the motion changed. So fast did it recede +that the momentum of his body almost hurled Lee from the back seat into +the front. + +Doors snapped open and as Lee staggered out somewhat benumbed in limb +and head, his eyes grew big as they met the most unexpected sight. The +car rested on the concrete apron of what appeared to be a super-duper +bus terminal plus service station and streamlined restaurant. Beyond +this elevated terrace yawned a vaulted dome, excavated from the solid +rock and at least twice the size of St. Peter's giant cupola. Its walls +were covered with murals. Both huge and beautiful they depicted the +history of the human race, Man's evolution. From where he stood they +started out with scenes of primeval huntings of the mammoth, went on to +fire making, fire adoration, then to the primitive crafts and from there +through the stages of science evolution and technology until they ended +on Lee's right hand side with an awesome scene from the Bikini test. The +gorgeous mushroom cloud of the atomic explosion looked alive and +threatening like those Djinni once banned by Solomon. + +But then, all these murals looked more alive than any work of art Lee +had ever seen and he discovered that this was due to a new technique +which had been added and commingled with one of the oldest. + +The pictures were built up from myriad layers of Painted Desert sands +and these were made translucent or illuminated by what Lee thought must +be phosphoric salts turned radiant under the stimulants of hidden +lights. Whatever it was, the esoteric beauty of this jewel-like +luminosity surpassed even that of the stained glass windows in the great +cathedrals of France. + +"Pretty isn't it? The chauffeur's words came as an anticlimax to what +Lee felt. "That fellow over there in the middle; he's supposed to have +it all thought out." He pointed to a collossal bronze statue which +towered in the center of the cupola to a height of better than a hundred +feet. + +Raising his eyes to the head of this giant, Lee discovered that the +figure was that of "The Thinker" by Rodin though it was cast in +proportion its creator would not have deemed possible. + +Completely overwhelmed and overawed by the grandeur of it all, Lee +barely managed to stammer, "What--what is this place; what is it +called?" + +"It's kind of an assembly hall; the staff of The Brain have meetings +over here at times. Besides it's sort of a Grand Central; transportation +starts here at times throughout the Brain. But listen, they are already +paging you." + +Out of nowhere as it seemed there came a brisk, pleasant female voice. + +"Dr. Lee, calling Dr. Semper F. Lee from Canberra University, please +answer Dr. Lee." + + * * * * * + +The chauffeur nudged Lee in the ribs. + +"Say something, she hears you all right." + +"Yes, this is Lee speaking," he said in a startled voice. + +The voice appeared delighted. + +"Good morning, Dr. Lee: I'm Vivian Leahy of Apperception Center 27; I'm +to be your guide on the way up. Now, Dr. Lee, will you please step over +to the glideways. They're to your right. Take glideway T, do just as you +would in a department store--" she giggled, "--stand on it and it will +get you right to the occipital cortex area. I'll be waiting for you over +there. I would have loved to come down and conduct you personally, but +it's against regulations; I'll explain to you the reasons why in a +little while. And if you have any questions while en route, just call +out. So long, Dr. Lee; I'll be seeing you...." + +Greatly bewildered by this gushing reception Lee found it hard to follow +instructions, simple as they were. The array of escalators which he +found in a side wing was a formidable one and confusing with movements +in all directions, crisscrossing and overlapping one another. Despite +the very clear illuminated signs Lee almost stepped upon glideway "P" +when "the voice" warned him: + +"Oh no, Dr. Lee; just a little to your left--that's fine, that's the +one--there." + +Obviously his loquacious guardian angel could not only hear him but +watch his steps as well. Apart from being uncanny, this was +embarrassing; feeling reduced to the mental age of the nursery, he +gripped the rails of "T" which went with him into a smooth and noiseless +upward slide. The shaft was narrow, there was little light at the start +and it grew dimmer as he went. After a minute or so the darkness had +turned almost complete and became oppressive. Simultaneously there was a +disquieting change from the accepted normal manner in which escalators +are supposed to move. Its rise gradually turned perpendicular and in +doing so the steps drew apart. Before long Lee felt squeezed into some +interminable cylinder, standing on top of a piston as it were, a piston +which moved with fair rapidity along transparent walls. That these walls +were either glass or transparent plastics he could perceive from objects +which came streaking by with faint luminosity. They looked like columns +of amber colored liquids in which were suspended what looked like giant +snakes, indistinct shapes, but radiant in the mysterious manner of deep +sea fishes. They almost encircled the transparent cylinder shaft in +which Lee moved; there were many of them; how many Lee couldn't even +attempt to guess. The swiftness of his ascent through these floating, +waving radiances for which he had no name was nightmarish, like falling +into some bottomless well. With great relief he heard the voice of his +guide breaking the spell. + +"I'm terribly sorry, Dr. Lee, I shouldn't have deserted you, there was +some little interruption--" palpably the voice was tickled to death +"--my boy friend called from another department and so ... you know how +it is. Let's see, where are you? Good lord, already near the end of the +Medulla Oblongata with the Cerebellum coming and I haven't told you a +_thing_. Goody, where should I begin; I'm all in a dither: Well, Dr. +Lee; most people seem to expect The Brain to be like a great big +telephone exchange, but it really isn't that kind of a mechanism _at +all_. We have found--" she sounded important as if it were her very own +discovery "--that the best pattern for The Brain would actually be the +human brain. So The Brain is organized in nearly identical manner, +likewise our whole terminology is taken from anatomy rather than from +technology. The glideways for instance, travel along the natural +fissures between the convolutions of the various lobes; that's why they +are so very winding as you will see as you enter The Brain proper. Those +columns you see are filled with liquid insulators for the nerve cables +to vibrate in; for they _do_ vibrate, Dr. Lee, as they transmit their +messages. + +"You have noticed the narrowness of the glideways, the terrible +confinement of space. I know it's horrible--many of our visitors suffer +claustrophobia, but they just must be built that way. You see even +fractions of a millionth of one second count in the coordination of the +association bundles and nerve circuits, that's why everything is built +as compact as possible, worse than in a submarine. + +"Then, too, you must have wondered why everything is so dark inside. +That's another thing wherein The Brain is like the human brain; its +nerve cells are so extremely sensitive that they are distributed by +light. We use black light almost exclusively or activated phosphorous +such as on the sheaths of the nerve cables. For the same reason we of +the personnel are normally not permitted to pass through the interior of +The Brain during operations-time. Exceptions are only made in the case +of very important persons such as you are. Normally one travels to one's +stations through the ducts elevator shafts in the bone matter or rather +the rock outside. Those are _so_ much faster and more comfortable Dr. +Lee; oh I feel _so_ bad about you, poor man, traveling all alone through +this _horrible_ maze without a human soul in sight." + + * * * * * + +Lee grinned. He wouldn't have liked to be married to this chatterbox no +matter how beautiful she might turn out to be; but at the moment her +exceeding femininity was most comforting in the weirdness which +surrounded him. + +The little platform under his feet started acting up again in the +queerest manner. It pushed him forward and the wall at the rear kicked +him in the back; his nose flattened against the sliding cylinder in +front as the contraption reverted from the perpendicular course to +something like the undulations of a traveling wave. Lee darkly perceived +group after group of luminous cables coiling away into cavernous pits +filled with what looked like eyes of cats, faintly aglow and twinkling +at him from the dark. They reminded him of the fireflies of the green +hells he had been in during the war. + +"You are now skirting the convolutions of the cerebellum," his guardian +angel told him. "They are electronic tubes which receive sensory +impressions and translate them into impulses for cerebration. Here in +the cerebellum the bulk of the associations is being evoked; these are +then distributed throughout the hemispheres of the cortex or higher +brain. Oh I _do_ wish you wouldn't get seasick, Dr. Lee; _some_ of our +visitors do, you know; it's those wavy, wavy movements." + +The sympathetic Vivian came much too close to the truth for Lee to think +her funny. With a sense of approaching disaster he stared at the sliding +cylinder walls; from time to time the passing lights reflected his face, +distorted and decidedly greenish in tint. Trouble was that seemingly +nowhere there was any fixed point on which to stabilize the eye. He +seemed to be carried on the back of a galloping boa constrictor with a +couple of others streaking away under his armpits. + +Some of the caves which he had skirted were alive with ruby electronic +eyes and some were green and again there were others in which all the +colors of the rainbow mixed. There was no end to them, nor could he +gauge their depths. After an interminable time of this the glideway went +into a flying upward leap. Again the perspective changed completely; now +the thing seemed to be suspended from the ceiling with slanting views +opening toward the scene below through its transparent sides. + +"You are now passing across the commissures into the cerebrum," came +Vivian's voice just as Lee thought that nausea was getting the better of +him. "You'll now ascend along one of the main gyri through the mid-brain +between the hemispheres. Those masses of ganglions below and coming from +all sides as they go over the pass of the ridge are association bundles. +Beyond they disperse again over the cortex mantle to all the centers of +coordination, higher cerebration and higher psychic activities. Things +will be a little easier now for you, Dr. Lee; physically I mean. There +_will_ be some gyrations but not quite so _violent_. Oh you're holding +out fine, like a real _He_-man, you're looking _swell_ in my television +screen." + +Certain as he was that he looked rather like a scarecrow in a snowstorm +Lee felt grateful for the praise. Besides she was right; the boa +constrictor which he rode calmed down a little, marching with a dignity +more in accordance with its size. Momentarily the luminous nerve cables, +flying as they did toward him, threatened sudden death, however, they +merely brushed the transparent cylinder, wrapping it up in a rainbow and +then winged away again. Below acres of space streamed by, seed beds one +could imagine to be young typewriters, millions of them, all ticking +away with dainty precision, sparkling with myriads of tiny lights as +they did. + + * * * * * + +Then there came more acres teeming with fractional horsepower motors; he +could hear their beehive hummings even through the plexiglass. The +things they drove Lee couldn't make out because the adjoining acres of +this underground hothouse for mushrooming machines were again shrouded +in darkness except for sparks which crossed the unfathomable expanse +like tracer bullets. Struck with a sort of word blindness caused by the +sensory impressions barrage, Lee could no longer grasp the meaning of +Vivian's voice as it went on and on explaining things like "crystal +cells," "selenoid cells," "grey matter pyramidal cells," powered somehow +by atomic fission, "nerve loops" and "synthesis gates" which were not to +be confused with "analysis gates" while they looked exactly the same.... + +Apart from this at least one half of his mental and physical energy had +to be expanded in suppressing nausea and bracing himself against the +gyrations which still jerked his feet from under him and made friction +disks of his shoulders as his body swayed from side to side. All of a +sudden he felt that he was being derailed. There was an opening in the +plastics wall of the cylinder; a curved metal shield like the blade of a +bulldozer jumped into his path, caught him, slowed down his momentum and +delivered him safely at a door marked "Apperception-Center 24." It +opened and within its frame there stood an angel neatly dressed in the +uniform of a registered nurse. + +"_There_," said the angel, "at _last_. How did you like your little +Odyssey through The Brain, Dr. Lee?" + +Lee pushed a hand through the mane of his hair; it felt moist and much +tangled up. + +"Thanks," he said. "It was quite an experience. I enjoyed it; Ulysses, +too, probably enjoyed his trip between Scylla and Charybdis--after it +was over! It's Miss Leahy, I presume." + +The reception room where he had landed, the long white corridor, the +instruments gleaming in built-in recesses behind crystal glass, the +nurse's uniform; all spelled clinic, a private one rather for the +well-to-do. Since the procedure was routine he might as well submit to +it, Lee thought. He felt the familiar taste of disinfectant as a +thermometer was stuck into his mouth and then the rubber tube around his +arm throbbing with the vigorous pumpings of the efficient Vivian. + +"L. F. Mellish, M.D.--I. C. Bondy, M.D." was painted on the frosted +glass door where she led him afterward. The two medics received Lee with +a show of respect mixed with professional cordiality. Both Bondy, the +dark and oriental looking chap, and Mellish, blond and florid, were in +their middle twenties and both wore tweeds which depressed Lee with the +perfection of their cut. Seeing the professional table at the center of +the office, Lee frowned but started to undress; he wanted this thing +done and over with as soon as possible. + +"No, no--that won't be necessary, Dr. Lee," they stopped him laughingly, +"We have already a complete medical report on you. Came in this morning +from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Canberra on our request. You're an +old malaria man, Dr. Lee; your first attack occured in '42 during the +Pacific campaign. Pity you refused to return to the States for a +complete cure right then. As it is it's turned recurrent; left you a bit +anemic, liver's slightly affected. But in all other respects you're +sound of limb and wind; we've gone over the report pretty carefully." + +"Then why bother with me at all?" Lee said irritably. He had been in +doctors' hands too often and had become a little impatient of them. + +The freckled hand of Mellish patted his arm. "We do things different +over here," he said and Bondy chimed in. "Or rather The Brain does. Just +lie down on that table, Dr. Lee, and relax. We're going to enjoy a +little movie together, that's all." + + * * * * * + +Lee did as he was bidden, but hesitant and suspiciously. He hated +medical exams, especially those where parts of one's body were hooked up +to a lot of impressive machinery. Of this there obviously was a good +deal. The two medics seemed determined literally to wall him in with +gadgetry. From the ceiling they lowered a huge, heavy-looking disk; not +lights, but more like an electro-magnet beset with protruding needles. +Lee couldn't see the cables but hoped they were strong, for the thing +weighed at least a ton and, overhanging him, looked much more ominous +than the sword of Damocles. They wheeled a silver screen to the foot of +the table and batteries of what appeared to be thermo-therapeutic +equipment to both sides. He wasn't being hooked up to anything, but +there was much activity with testing of circuits, button-pushings and +shiftings of relay-levers. And then all of a sudden lights went out in +the room. + +"Say, what is the meaning of all this?" Lee raised his head uneasily +from the hard cushion. All he could see now were arrays of luminous +dials and the faint radiations from electronic tubes filtering through +metal screens inside the apparatus which fenced him in. From behind his +head a suave voice--was it Bondy's or Mellish's answered out of the +dark. + +"This is a subconscious analysis and mental reactions test, Dr. Lee. +It's an entirely new method made possible only by The Brain. It has +tremendous possibilities; they might include your own work as well." + +"Oh Lord," Lee moaned. "Something like psychoanalysis? Have you got it +mechanized by now? How terrible." + +There was a low chuckle from the other side of his head; they both +appeared to have drawn up chairs beyond his field of vision. Lee didn't +like it; he liked none of it, in fact. He felt trapped. + +"No, Dr. Lee," said the chuckling voice. "This isn't psychoanalysis in +the old sense at all. You are not exposed to any fanciful human +interpretation, and it isn't wholly mechanical either as you seem to +think. The Brain is going to show you certain images and by way of +spontaneous psychosomatic reaction you are going to produce certain +images in response. Results are visual, immediate and as convincing as a +reflection in a mirror; that's the new beauty of it. And now, +concentrate your mind upon your body. Do you feel anything touching +you?" + +"Y-e-s," Lee said, "I think I do--it's--it's uncanny: it's like spiders' +feet--millions of them. It's running all over my skin. What is it?" + +"I think he's warming up," whispered the second voice; then came the +first again. + +"It's feeler rays, Dr. Lee; the first wave, low penetration surface +rays." + +"Where do they come from?" + +"From overhead; that is, from the teletactile centers of The Brain." + +"What do they do to me?" + +There was the low chuckle again. "They excite the surface nerves of your +body, open up the path for the deep-penetration rays; they proceed from +the lower organs to the higher ones; in the end they reach the conscious +levels of your brain. It's the tune-in as we call it, Dr. Lee." + +A small movie projector began to purr; a bright rectangle was thrown +upon the silver screen and then, Lee stirred. Hands, soothing but firm +held him down. "Where did you get _those_." he exclaimed. + +"From many sources," a calm answer came, "The papers, the newsreels, the +War-Department, old friends of yours...." + + * * * * * + +What was unrolled on the silver screen were chapters from Lee's own +life. They were incomplete, they were hastily thrown together, they were +like leaves which a child tears from its picturebook. But knowing the +book of his life, every picture acted as a key unlocking the treasures +and the horrors amassed in the vaults of memory. It began with the old +homestead in Virginia. Mother had taken that reel of the new mechanical +cotton picker at work. There it was, a great big thing with the darkies +standing around scratching their heads. There he was himself, aged +twelve, with his .22 cal. rifle in hand and Musha, the coon dog, by his +side; Musha, how he had loved that dog--and how he had cried when it got +killed. + +Pictures of the Alexander Hamilton Military Academy. Some of the worst +years of his life he had spent behind the walls of that imitation +castle. + +The bombs upon Pearl Harbor.... He had enlisted the following day. On +his return from the induction center mother had said.... Her figure, her +movements, her voice loomed enormous in his memory.... But now the +pictures of the Pacific War flicked across the screen.... They were +picked from campaigns in which he, Lee had participated. They were also +picked from documentaries which the government had never dared to let +the public see ... close-ups of a torpedoed troop carrier, capsizing, +coming down upon the struggling survivors in the shark-infested sea. It +had been his own ship, the _Monticello_, but he had never known that an +automatic camera had operated in the nose of the plane which had circled +the scene.... + +Port Darwin--Guadacanal--Iwo Jima: close-ups of flame throwing tanks +advancing up a ridge. He had commanded one of them.... Antlike human +figures of fleeing Japs and the flames leaping at them.... So vivid was +the memory that the smell returned to his nostrils, the sickening stench +of burning human flesh. It tortured him. His voice was husky with +revulsion as he said: + +"What's the good of all this; take it away." + +"Oh, no," one of the medics answered. "We couldn't think of that. We've +got to see this to the end. What are your physical sensations now, Dr. +Lee?" + +"It's fingers now--soft fingers. They are tapping me from all sides +like--like a vibration massage. It's strange though--they're tapping +from the inside--little pneumatic hammers at a furious pace. They seem +to work upon my diaphragm for a drum. But it doesn't pain." + +"Good, very good; that was a fine description, Lee. That burning city +was Manilla wasn't it, when MacArthur returned? You were in that second +Philippine campaign too weren't you, Lee? That was when you won the +Congressional Medal of Honor." + +Yes, it was Manila all right, and there was Mindanao where the Japs had +put up that suicide defence of the caves. + +Lee's battalion had been in the attack; steeply uphill with no cover, it +had been murder.... And seeing his best men mowed down, he had turned +berserk. He had used a bulldozer for a battering ram, had driven it +single handed directly into the fire-spitting mouth of the objective, +raising its blade like a battle-axe. An avalanche of rocks and dirt had +come down from the top of the cave under the artillery barrage and he +had rammed the stuff down into the throat of the fiery dragon, again and +again. He never rightly knew he did it. It had all ended in a blackout +from loss of blood. It had been in a hospital that they pinned that +medal on him which he felt was undeserved.... + +Now the reel showed him what at the time he hadn't seen; the end of the +battle for the Philippines: Pulverised volcanic rock seen from the air, +battle planes swooping down upon little fumaroles, the ventilator shafts +of caves defeated but still unsurrendered. Big, plump canisters +plummeted from the bellies of the planes. And then the jellied gasoline +ignited, turning those thousands of lives trapped in the deep into one +vast funeral pyre.... For over fifteen years he had tried to forget, to +bury the war, to keep it jailed up in the dungeon of the subconscious. +Now those accursed medics had unleashed the monster of war and as it +stared at him from the screen it had that blood-freezing, that hypnotic +effect which the Greeks once ascribed to the monstrous Gorgon. + +Mellish's voice--or was it Bondy's?--seemed to come through a fog and +over a vast distance as it asked: "What seems to be the matter, Lee? +You're sweating, your body shakes; what do you feel?" + +"It's those rays," he tried to defend himself. "It's the vibrations--the +fingers. They are gripping the heart; it's like the whole body was +turned into a heart. It's like another life invading mine--it's ghostly. +Stop it, for heaven's sake." + +"Not yet, Lee, not yet. Everything's under control, you're reacting +beautifully; you're really feeling fine, Lee, just fine." + +"If only I could get at his throat," Lee thought. "I would squeeze the +oil of that voice and never be sorry I did." He tried to stir and found +that it couldn't be done; every muscle seemed tied in a cataleptic +state. Then he heard the other medic speak. + +"You were shown this little movie Lee in order to stimulate your mind +into the production of a movie of its own. You have responded, you have +answered the call. While you saw the first, the sensory tactile rays +working in five layers of penetration have recorded and have carried +your every reaction to The Brain. The Brain, in a very real sense has +read your mind and it has retranslated these readings into visual +images. We are now going to watch the shapes of your own thoughts. Here +we go...." + + * * * * * + +The projector which had stopped for a minute began to purr again. As the +first thought-image jumped upon the screen there was a low moan of +amazement mixed with acute pain. It escaped Lee's mouth, uncontrollably +as the abyss of the subconscious opened and he saw: + +A monstrous animal shaped like an octopus crawling across a cotton +field. Nearer and nearer it crept, enormous, threatening; and suddenly +there was a sharp excited bark and a spotted coon dog raced across the +field toward the monster. He heard the voice of a small boy whimpering: +"Musha, oh Musha, don't, _please_ don't." But the dog wouldn't hear and +the monster flashed an enormous evil eye, just once and then it gripped +the dog with its tentacle arms tearing its body apart, chewing it up +between horrible sabre teeth.... As through an ether mask he heard the +two medics say: "That must have been a considerable shock to him," and +"With a sensitive nature like that, and at that sensitive age, such an +impression becomes permanent." + +The Alexander Hamilton Military Academy appeared, not real, yet more +than real. It was a narrow court yard surrounded by huge walls slanting +toward the inside; it was huge and forbidding, fortress-towers standing +guard, it was enormous gates forever barred, it was the figure of a huge +Marine pacing fiercely back and forth in front of those gates, the same +ghostly Marine watching all gates so that nobody could escape.... + +"That's probably his father," the voices whispered behind his ears. +"Yes; the archetype. He'll bring up the Mother, too, I'll bet...." + +As in those paintings of the primitives where kings and queens are very +tall and common folks are very small, Lee saw her now: Mother. That had +been just after induction when he had brought her what he thought was +joyous news. Her face filled the whole screen. It looked as if composed +from jagged ectoplasms, quite transparent except for the eyes. Deep and +burning with pain they were, boring into his own. And there was smoke +coming out of her mouth and it formed words: "But, Semper, you are still +a child. One mustn't use children for this sort of thing; one mustn't." +Every letter of these smoke-written words seemed to be flying toward him +on wings.... + +"Terrific," the voices murmured at Lee's back. "Remember the case +history? She died of cancer six months after he went overseas." "Yes, I +remember; he's never seen her again. He's probably built up a strong +complex out of that one, too." + +On the screen now danced images almost totally abstracted from the +realities of the filmed documentaries from the war. + +They were whirling columns of smoke; they were like the vast, dark +interior of a huge thunderhead cloud through which a glider soars, +illuminated only by the flashes of lightning as for split seconds they +revealed a fraction of some horrible reality: A burning ocean with +screaming human faces bobbing in the flames. The whirling tracks of a +tank going across some writhing human body and leaving it flat in its +tracks, sprawling like an empty coat dyed red. And then the swirling, +howling darkness closing in again.... + +"Interesting eh?" A voice broke through his cataleptic trance and the +other answered: "Beautiful; almost a classical case. Great plasticity of +imagination." "Yes; that's exactly what sets me wondering; the fellow +should have cracked up by all the rules of the game." "How do we know +that he hasn't? Maybe he was psycho and they didn't notice; they had +some godawful asses for psychiatrists in war medicine. It's quite a +possibility; well, his image production is ebbing now; I don't expect +anything new of significance, what do you think?" "Now; we've got what +we wanted anyway. Let's take him out of it; but go easy on the +rheostats." + +The projector stopped. The masterful, the ghostly fingers which had been +playing on the keyboard of his mind very slowly receded from a furious +fortissimo to a pianissimo. At first only the flutterings of the +diaphragm eased, then the violent palpitations of a foreign pulse +slipped off the heart; the liberated lungs expanded; tremors were +running through the body as through the ice of a frozen river at spring; +and then at last the mind escaped from its captivity. + + * * * * * + +Gradually as in a cinema after the show the lights reappeared. Blinking, +Lee stared at the man who stood over him taking his pulse; it was Bondy. +Mellish stood at the foot of the table with his back to Lee; he seemed +to watch some apparatus which made noises like a teletype machine. +Swinging his legs off the table Lee said: + +"I'm okay; you needn't hold my hand." + +But then he noticed that he wasn't. His head spun, his whole body was +wet with perspiration, he felt very weak and limp. He swayed and buried +his face in his hands trying to gain his balance, trying to shake off +the trance. "Excuse me," he said. "I'm a bit dizzy." + +As he opened his eyes again the two medics were standing right in front +of him and smiling down on him with their bland, professional smiles. +Lee felt the upsurge of intense dislike. He had seen those smiles +before, often--too often: they seemed to be standard equipment with the +medical profession whenever a fellow was about to be dispatched to the +"table", or worse, to the psychopathic ward. Instinct told him that +there was something in the air and also that his best bet would be a +brave show of normalcy: + +"This test, these new methods of psychoanalysis, they are extremely +interesting," he said with an effort. + +"Thank you, Dr. Lee," it was Mellish who spoke. "We knew you would find +the experience worthwhile even if we put you under a considerable +strain. A complete analysis in those olden days of Dr. Freud took three +years; now thanks to The Brain we get approximately the same results +within as many hours; that's some progress, isn't it?" + +"Enormous," Lee said dryly while his eyes wandered over to Bondy; he +knew the pattern, it would be Bondy's turn now to have a shot at him. +There it came; and how he loathed the false heartiness of that voice. + +"Dr. Lee, I'm afraid we have a bit of bad news for you--your test--the +results have been negative. You have failed." + +"Failed?" For a fraction of a second Lee's heart stopped beating. "In +what sense? And what does that mean?" + +Now it was Mellish's turn. "Dr. Lee, there must be frankness amongst +colleagues and as a fellow scientist you'll understand. In the first +place the decision isn't ours; we merely conduct the test on behalf of +The Brain. The Brain, as you know, is the most highly developed machine +in all the world. Its functions, its whole existence depend entirely +upon the human skills and the human loyalties amongst its staff. A +three-billion-dollar investment, plus the vital role of The Brain in our +national defence, justify the extreme precautions which we are forced to +take for its protection." + +"What exactly are you driving at?" + +"Please don't take it as an insult," now it was Bondy again. "There's +nothing personal in this. It's merely that your emotional-reaction chart +definitely shows a certain antagonism which from childhood-experience +and war-experience you have built up against technology. It's nothing +but a potential; it is confined to your subconscious. But even a +potential danger of subconscious revolt is more than The Brain can risk +amongst its associates. We fully appreciate the wish of our Dr. Scriven +to enlist your very valuable aid, but...." + +"I see" Lee interrupted, "but you would feel safer if I were to return +to Australia by the next plane." + +His head bent under the blow. A short 24 hours ago The Brain had been a +nebulous, almost a non-existent thing. Since then a whole new world had +been opened to him in revelations blinding and magnetic with infinite +possibilities. His work--the efforts of a lifetime--would not equal what +he could do in days with the aid of The Brain. His love--he would never +see Oona Dahlborg again as he left under a shadow, rejected by The +Brain. + +"Sorry I wasted so much of your time," he said aloud. "I do not believe +in this analysis; I cannot disprove it though. That's all, I guess; I +better be going now." + +"Here's your pass, Dr. Lee." He took mechanically the yellow slip which +Bondy handed him.... + +He had already opened the door when somebody sharply called: "Dr. Lee, +one moment please." + +He whirled around. "Yes?" + +"Will you please read what's written on your slip?" + +Suspiciously he looked at the yellow paper; what more torture were these +fellows going to inflict? Then his eyes popped as he read: "Lee, Semper +Fidelis, 39: Cortex capacity 119%, Sensitivity 208%, Personality +integration 95%, Service qualification 100%...." There were more data, +but he didn't read them as wide-eyed he stared at the medics. With their +faces beaming they looked like identical twins to him; Lee never knew +who said the words: + +"Congratulations Lee. That has been your last test. We just had to find +out how you would take a serious frustration. You've passed it with +flying colors. Shake." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +Apperception 36, Lee's lab within The Brain, looked much like +Apperception 27 except for its interior fittings. As a matter of fact, +all the several hundred Apperception Centers were built after the same +plan, like suites in a big office building in many respects. They were +spread over The Brain occipital region; they were built inside the +concrete wall of the "dura matter" which in turn lay within the shell of +the "bone matter", a mile or so of solid rock. Each apperception center +had its own elevator shaft which went through the concrete of the "dura +matter" down to "Grand Central", the traffic center below The Brain. +Each one was also connected at the other end of its corridor with the +glideways which snaked through the interior of The Brain. There were, +however, no transversal or direct communications from one apperception +center to the next. Because of the extraordinary diversity and secrecy +of the projects submitted to The Brain' processings, each apperception +center was completely insulated against its neighbors. + +Life hadn't changed so much from what it had been in the Australian +desert Lee had found; at least not his working life. For all he knew +some nuclear physicists might be working in the lab next door; or they +might be ballistics experts working with The Brain on curves for +long-range rockets to be aimed at the vital centers of some foreign +land; it might be some mild looking librarian submitting the current +products of foreign literature to the analysis as to "idea-content"; or +else it could be a lab to plot campaigns of chemical warfare; or some +astronomer, happily abstracted from all bellicose ideas, might employ +The Brain's superhuman faculties in mathematics to figure comet courses +and eclipses which in turn would form material for the timing and the +camouflaging of those man-made meteorites science would use in another +war. Directly or indirectly, he knew, practically every project +submitted to The Brain would be of a military nature. Of this there +could be no doubt. + +Sometimes, especially when tired, he could feel the weight of those +billions of rock tons over his head and it was like being buried alive +in the tomb of the Pharaoh. And also in that state of mental exhaustion +at the end of a long day, he sensed the emanations of The Brain's +titanic cerebrations as one senses the presence of genius in human man. +The knowledge that all this mighty work was being devoted to war had +deeply depressing effects on him. Would there be anybody else in this +vast apperception area who worked for the prevention of war? A few +perhaps; Scriven would be one of them in case he had a lab somewhere in +here and time to work in it. Lee didn't know whether he had. He hadn't +seen Scriven again after that inauguration speech he had made when Lee, +together with other newly appointed scientific workers had taken "The +Oath of The Brain." + +They had assembled in that vast subterranean dome of the luminous murals +at the feet of the giant statue of The Thinker, looking almost forlorn +in the expanse, though there had been several hundred of them. The +atmosphere had been solemn, the silence hushed, as Scriven mounted the +statue's pedestal. The address by that mighty voice resounding from the +cupola had been worthy of the majestic scene: + +"As we stand gathered here, the eons in evolution of our human race are +looking down upon us...." + +The speech had been followed by the taking of the oath, deeply stirring +to the emotions of the young neophytes who formed the large majority of +the new group. The chorus of their voices had resounded in awed and +solemn tones as they repeated the formula; even now after six months +some of it echoed in Lee's ears: + +"I herewith solemnly swear: + +"That I will serve The Brain with undivided loyalty and with all my +faculties. + +"That I will at all times obey the orders of the Brain Trust on behalf +of The Brain. + +"That I will never betray or reveal any secrets of The Brain's design or +work, be they military or not, neither to the world outside nor to any +of my fellow workers except by special permission...." + +It had been almost like taking holy orders. There had been mystery in +the atmosphere of the vast crypt, something medieval in the +unconditional surrender to The Brain. + + * * * * * + +Lee looked up from the charts on which he had been working; his eyes +were tired and so was his mind after ten hours of hard concentration. +That was probably what set his thoughts wandering. But strange that they +should always wander to those blind spots in his mental vision so +intriguing because he knew there was something there that he could not +lay a finger on. + +The first of these blind spots hovered somewhere between Scriven's words +and Scriven's deeds; between The Brain as an ideal of science and The +Brain's reality as in instrument of national defense. Somehow the two +didn't connect; there was a break, some layer of thin ice, a danger zone +which nobody seemed willing to discuss or tread, not even Oona Dahlborg. + +Oona; she was that other white spot on Lee's mental map and to him it +was much bigger and more dangerous than the first. He loved her as can +only a man who discovers loves secret with greying hair and after the +loneliness of a desert hermit. He understood, or thought he understood, +that because he had failed to live his life to the full in its proper +time, this love had come to him as a belated nemesis. His brain knew +that it was hopeless; every morning when he shaved, his mirror told him +very plainly one big reason why. But then, as the brain told the heart +in unmistakable terms what was the matter, the heart talked back to the +brain to the effect that the brain didn't know what it was talking +about. It was a new thing and a painful thing for Lee to discover that +he knew very little about himself and less about the girl. + +He had seen Oona on and off over these last months, mostly at the hotel, +but he had never been really alone with her. She always seemed to be on +some mission, always the center of some group or other of "very +important persons", senators from Washington, ranking officers in +civvies, big businessmen. Her duties as Scriven's private secretary +apparently included the role of a first lady for Cephalon. + +Despite this preoccupation an intimate and tense relationship existed +between him and her. Sometimes she would invite him to join her group +and then for one or two brief moments their eyes would meet above the +conversation and her eyes seemed to ask: "What do you think of these +people?" or "How do I look tonight?" + +His eyes would answer: + +"These people are strangers to me; you know that I'm a bit out of this +world. But you handle them expertly and you are looking wonderful +tonight." + +She was tremendously popular, especially with the set of the young +scientists who made the hotel their club. This new generation, born in +the days of the Second World War, was changing the horses of its +feminine ideals in the mid-stream of its youth. The old ideal, the +"problematic woman" who had ruled over and had made life miserable for +three generations of American males, was on its way out. The new ideal +was the woman who would unite beauty and intellect into one fully +integrated, non-problematical personality. The ideal being new, the +feminine type which represented it was rare. Oona in her perfect poise, +in her rare beauty combined with her importance as Scriven's +confidential secretary was the perfect expression of the new desired +type; it was natural that these young men should worship her as "the +woman of the future." + +With the hopeless and--in consequence--unselfish love he had for her, +Lee wasn't jealous of her popularity. On the contrary, he was rather +proud of it like a knight-errant who rejoices in the adoration bestowed +upon the lady of his heart. What worried him was a very different +problem: Was Oona really all those others thought she was? Was she +really that "fully integrated", that "non-problematical" personality she +appeared to be? + +He couldn't believe it, and the conflict came in because all those +others were so certain that she was. He couldn't get over his first +impression of her. He had met her in that cabin in the sky, the most +synthetic, the most perversely artificial setup one could dream up in +the second half of the 20th century. She had impressed him as something +"out of this world", a goddess, a Diana with a golden helmet for hair, +so radiant as to blind the eyes of mortal men. She was the confidential +secretary of a man of genius, Scriven, one of those rare comets which +fall down upon this earth and remain forever foreign to its atmosphere. +With all these thoroughly abnormal elements entering into her life and +forming her, it would be a miracle for any girl to develop into a +"non-problematical", a "fully integrated" personality. + +Was it possible that he alone was right and all those others were wrong +about Oona? Like innumerable men before him when they stood face to face +with the Sphinx or with the Gioconda or even with the smile of a mere +mortal woman, Lee drew a sigh: Man's only answer to the riddle of the +eternal feminine.... + +No, he probably would never be able to chart these white spots on his +mental map. The effort was wasted; it would be much better for him to +return to those charts right in front of him, the data of which were +exact because they came from The Brain. + +In Apperception 36 the sensory organs of The Brain had been especially +adapted to the analysis of "_Ant-termes-pacificus-Lee_". The apparatus +was essentially the same as in Apperception 27, dedicated to personality +analysis. As Lee strongly suspected, it would be essentially the same in +any other field of analysis. The Brain possessed five sensory organs +just as did man. One difference between The Brain's senses and human +senses lay in their range, their penetration and in their sensitivity; +these were a multiple of man's sensory capacities. Another difference +was that The Brain translated all its sensory apperceptions into visual +form, i.e. into the language best understood by Man, the eye being Man's +most highly developed sensory organ. The third and perhaps the most +significant difference was that the five senses of The Brain were at all +times working in concert so that in its analysis of, for instance, a +manuscript, The Brain not only conveyed the ideas expressed in that +manuscript, but also the author's personality, the smell of his room, +the feel of his paper and the ideas he had hidden between the lines of +that manuscript. + + * * * * * + +The flow of observations processed by The Brain and pouring back to +Apperception 36 via teletype and visual screen was prodigious. Lee had +been forced to ask for an assistant; between the two of them they were +working for 20 out of the 24 hours to match the working time of The +Brain, charting results in the main. + +Some of The Brain's findings had been most unexpected and rather +strange. It had observed, for instance, an increasing acidity of the +nasi-corn secretions with "_Ant-termes-pacificus_". Formidable as this +chemical artillery already was, in another ten thousand generations it +would eat through every known substance including glass and high-carbon +steel. + +Another development which had escaped human observation, was a mutation +of the workers' mandibles; it went very fast. Within no more than maybe +a thousand generations they would double in size and strength, would +become veritable jumping tools. + +While the bellicose spirit had been successfully bred out of the new +species, its capacities for material destructions had increased. +Likewise the appetite of "_Ant-termes_" was even more ferocious than +that of the older species; Lee was feeding all kinds of experimental +foods, but woodpulp remained the staple, the very stuff which in its +liquid form, lignin, embedded the nerve paths of The Brain. + +Lifting his strained eyes from the charts, Lee looked over the row of +air conditioned glass cubicles wherein "_Ant-termes-pacificus_" +continued its lives undisturbed by the new habitat, undisturbed by the +rays which flowed over and through their bodies, unconscious that a +superhuman intelligence was probing steadily into every manifestation of +the mysterious collective brains of their race. + +They had built their new mounds pointing due North as had their +ancestors for the past 100 million years. To the human eye nothing +betrayed the teeming life within except the tiny tunnels creeping out +from the mounds in the direction of the foods which were placed +different from day to day. Cemented from loam and saliva by the +invisible sappers, the tunnels, like threads of grey wool, unerringly +moved to the deposits of pulpwood, up the shelves, up the tin cans and +glass containers they had determined to destroy. Their instincts were +uncanny, their destruction as methodical and "scientific" as was modern +war. + +In Northern Australia Lee had come across big eucalyptus trees, +healthy-looking and in full bloom, and then they would collapse under +the first stroke of an axe or even as one pushed hard against them. + +The termites had hollowed them out from roof to top, had transformed +them into thin walled pipes, leaving just enough "flesh" to keep some +sap-circulation going, to maintain a semi-balance of life in order to +exploit it more efficiently. Over here in the lab they would open up a +number 3 tin can within a couple of hours; first with the soldiers' +vicious nasi-corn secretions eating the tin away and then with the +workers mandibles gnawing at the weakened metal. In time perhaps they +would learn to collapse steel bridges, sabotage rails, perforate the +engines of motorcars if these should prove to be menaces to their race. +As they had persevered through the eons of the past, so they would in +all the future; their civilization would be extant long after Man and +his work had disappeared from the earth.... + +With the aid of The Brain, Lee had accumulated more data, more knowledge +of the "_Ant-termes_" society within a few months than a lifetime of +study could have yielded him under normal conditions. Even so, some of +the greatest mysteries remained. What, for instance, caused these blind +creatures to attack a sealed tin can of syrup in preference to its +neighbor with tomatoes or some other stuff? No racial memory could have +taught them; there were no tin cans a million years, not even a hundred +years, ago. It couldn't be a sense of smell, it couldn't be any sense; +there would have to be some weird extrasensory powers in that +unfathomable collective brain of their race. + +The magnifying fluoroscope screens arrayed all along the walls and +hooked up to the circuits of The Brain showed him details and phases of +the specie's life as The Brain perceived them and as no human eye had +ever seen before. + +For a minute or so Lee stared at the luminous image nearest to him and +then with an effort he turned his eyes away to escape from its hypnotic +influence. It was but the head of one worn-out worker used as a living +storage tank for excremental food. It was absolutely immobile, its +decaying mandibles pointing down, cemented as the animal was by its +overextended belly to the ceiling. But magnified as were its remaining +life manifestations by the powers of The Brain, he could see it breathe, +could count the slow pulse, could sense a strain in its ophthalmic +region, some hidden effort to see, like a blind man's, and above all Lee +perceived the ganglion primitive as it was, yet twitching in reaction to +pain. There could be no doubt that in its last service for the racial +commonweal the animal was suffering slow torture even if its senses were +closed to that torture. It was a fascinating and at the same time a +terrible thing to see; and it was only one out of the hundred equally +revealing sights. + +Lee frowned at himself; manifestly some emotional element interfered +with the objectivity of his observations; this was entirely out of +place, it would be better to call it a day. + + * * * * * + +The electric clock showed 20 minutes to midnight. At midnight The Brain +would stop its mighty labors; the hours from midnight to four a.m. were +its rest periods, or "beauty-sleep" as the technicians jokingly called +it. It was the only period wherein the maintenance engineers were +permitted to enter the interior of the lobes, checking and servicing +group after group of its myriad cells and circuits, and incidentally it +was the most wonderful and exciting portion of Lee's day. + +For the project which Scriven had handed him, this study of the +collective brains in insect societies, also involved a comparative study +of The Brain's organisms and functionings. Toward this end Lee had been +given a pass which allowed him freely to circulate through all the +lobes, to enter convolution, any gland during the overhaul period and to +ask question of the employees. The privilege was rare and he enjoyed it +immensely. So vast was this underground world that even now after months +he had not seen the half of it; to him the travels of every new night +were fantastic Alice-in-Wonderland adventures. + +As he now left Apperception 36 through the door which led to the +interior, the glideways were already swarming with the maintenance crews +en route to their stations. The spectacle was colorful, almost like a +St. Patrick's Day parade. Gangs of air conditioners were dressed blue, +electricians white, black-light specialists in purple, radionics men in +orange. The maintenance engineers of the radioactive pyramidal cells +looked like illustrations from the science-fiction magazines, hardly +human in their twelve-inch armor or sponge rubber filled with a new +inert gas which was supposed to be almost gamma ray proof. All these men +were young, were tops in their fields, the pick of American +Universities, colleges and the most progressive industries. Carefully +selected for family background they had been screened through health and +intelligence tests, had been trained in special courses, had been +subjected to a five-minute personality analysis by The Brain itself. +They constituted what was undoubtedly the finest working team ever +assembled, and incidentally they made the little city of Cephalon the +socially healthiest community in the United States. + +In his nightly expeditions over these past months Lee had spoken to a +great many of them. As now he joined the line, there were many who +hailed the lanky, queer looking man: There comes the ant-man. Hello, +Professor. Hello, Aussie. + +For some reason most of the boys assumed that he was an Australian, +perhaps because with his graying mane and his emaciated face he looked +like a foreigner to them. + +This popularity with the younger generation, coming as it did so late +and unexpected in his life, made Lee very proud. Those were the kind of +Americans he had been secretly longing for in those desert years, +hardworking, wide-awake, radiant with life: + +"They really are the salt of the earth, the hope of the world," he +thought. + +He had passed through the median section of the hemispheres and had +reached the point just below the cerebrum. This was a region of +cavities, the seats of various glands in the human brain. Some of these +had their mechanical counterparts in The Brain, huge storage tanks with +an elaborate pumping system which carried their fluid chemicals through +the labyrinth of The Brain. But there was one gland which had not been +duplicated in The Brain, the pineal gland. + +In the human, the pineal gland was the despair of the medical sciences. +It was not demonstrably linked to any other organ nor did it serve any +demonstrable function. Yet, it was known that its sensitivity was +greater by far than even that of the pyramidal cells and that in some +mysterious manner the pineal gland was vitally connected with the center +of life because its slightest violation caused instant death. +Metaphysicists had dealt with this mystery of mysteries; it was their +theory that the pineal gland were the seat of "extrasensory" faculties +and it was often referred to as "the inner eye." + +Even if such an organ could have been duplicated by science and +technology, there would have been no use for it; it could have served no +purpose in The Brain. The Brain had been designed for the solution of +exact problems; no matter what nature had created in the brains of +higher animals, no matter how unprejudiced their approach, scientists +like Dr. Scriven would have hesitated to impair an otherwise perfect +apparatus through the addition of nuisance values such as any +"extrasensory" faculties. + +However, with The Brain being modelled so closely after the human brain, +the space for the pineal gland did exist even if in a sort of functional +vacuum. In order to utilize this space in some manner, the designers had +converted the gland into a subcenter for the distribution of spare +parts. As such it had become one of Lee's favorite observation posts. +Here he could get a closeup view of all types of electronic and +radioactive cells; he could even touch and handle them because they were +not hooked up in any circuit of The Brain; and above all there was Gus +Krinsley, master electrician, who never tired of telling Lee whatever he +wanted to know. Gus was a real friend.... + + * * * * * + +He had left the glideway on the point of its nearest approach; the +pineal gland in front of him looked like a miniature barrage balloon; +egg-shaped, it hung suspended from the cerebral roof, a shell of +plastics which could be entered only over a bridge across a dark abyss. +Inside, its walls were aglitter with sound-proofing aluminum foil, it +was piled with a bewildering variety of electronic parts on shelves +somewhat like an over-stocked radio store. Near the door a counter +divided the room; Gus used it and a little cubicle of an office to fill +the orders as the maintenance engineers handed in their slips. As usual +there was nobody in sight. "Gus!" he called. + +Out of the jungle of machinery way back a head popped up like a +Jack-in-the-box. It was as bald and shiny as an electric bulb. High up +on its dome it balanced gold-rimmed glasses which quivered as it moved +seachingly from side to side. Then, with an amazing twisting of big +ears, the head caused the biofocals to drop onto a saddle near the tip +of a long, sensitive nose; and now the head could see. + +"It's you Aussie, is it? Come over." + +Gus Krinsley was a pony edition of a man; in fact he had once been hired +as a midget to install automatic bomb-sights in the confined spaces of +the early bombers of the second World War. Before long, however, he +became respectfully known as "the mighty midget" in the California +factory, and he had ended up as their master electrician before +Braintrust made him the head of one of its experimental divisions. The +midnight hours he spent in the pineal gland were only a sideline of his +work. Like many a small man in a country where six-footers enjoy a +preferred status, Gus made up for lack of size by mobility. He reminded +one much of a billiard ball in the way he bounced, collided and +ricocheted amongst taller men. That this was no more than act became +manifest the moment one saw Gus at work. + +As Lee reached the spot where Gus' head had shown, he found his friend +crouching, his hands thrust deep in the intestines of something +radionic, his fingers working on it with the deft rhythm of a good +surgeon at his thousandth appendectomy. The bifocals had returned to +their incongruous perch on the dome of the head. Gus didn't need them; +even as he stared at his job he worked by touch alone. + +"What is it?" Lee asked. + +"Pulsemeter," came the quiet answer. "She's a dandy. Still got some bugs +in her, though." + +A melodious chime came from a big instrument panel built into the wall +of the oval room. Dropping a number of tiny precision tools upon a piece +of velvet, Gus rushed over to the panel. A great many indicator needles +were tremulously receding around their luminous dials. + +For a minute or so he went through the complex and precise ritual of a +bank cashier closing the vault. + +"They'll do it every time," he said reproachfully. "Catch me by +surprise." + +Lee grinned. It wasn't The Brain's fault if the midnight signal +surprised Gus. It merely announced that the current was being cut off by +the main power station. Repetition of this maneuver throughout all the +convolutions and glands of The Brain was required for the added safety +of the maintenance engineers, a double-check, a routine. Pointing to the +gadget which looked somewhat like a big radio console Lee asked: + +"This pulsemeter, Gus, what does it do? I haven't seen it before." + +"You haven't?" the little man frowned. "Ah, no; you haven't. It's +standard in most apperception centers, but not in yours. That's because +in yours The Brain works under a permanent problem-load." + +Lee shook his head. "I don't get it, Gus; you know I'm the village idiot +of this mastermind community." + +"It's like this," Gus explained. "The Brain has a given capacity. The +Brain also has an optimal operation speed, a definite rhythm in which it +works best. Now, if they feed The Brain too many problems too fast, it +results in a shock load, the operations rhythm gets disturbed, +efficiency goes down. On the other hand if The Brain works with an +under-capacity problem load, that's just as bad. In that case the +radioactive pyramidal cells will overheat and decompose. Consequently we +must aim at a balanced and an even problems load. That's why these +pulsemeters are built into all problem-intake panels for the operators +to check upon their speeds. + +"Take an average problem--rocket ballistics, let's say--parts of it may +be as simple as adding two and two and others so bad Einstein would +reach for the aspirin from out of his grave. + +"Now I'll show you how it works; the main power is cut off but there's +enough juice left in The Brain's system to make this pulsemeter react; +it's even more sensitive than a Geiger-Mueller counter." + +He surveyed a big switchboard and picked out an outlet marked "Pons +Varolis for the plug-in." Then snapped a pair of earphones on Lee's +head. + +"There," he said "you'll both see and hear what it does in a little +while." + + * * * * * + +A soft glow slowly spread over the slanting screen on top of the +machine. A crackling as of static entered the earphones and turned into +a low hum. On the left corner of the screen a faint green streak of +luminosity crawled over to the right; its light gained in intensity and +it began to weave and to dance. Simultaneously the hum became articulate +like tickings of a heart only much faster. + +"Is that the pulse of The Brain?" Lee asked. + +"No," Gus snorted contemptuously. "The Brain isn't even operating. +Nothing moves in The Brain now excepting those ebbing residual currents, +too low in power to agitate anything but the amplifiers built into this +thing. If these were normal operations with a million impulses per +second passing through The Brain you could hear and see as little of the +pulse as of the beatings of a million mosquito wings. In that case the +dial to your right works a reduction-gear, kind of an inverted +stroboscope; that cuts the speed down a hundred-thousand to one and you +just barely see and hear the rhythm of the beat." + +"I see." + +Fascinated by the dance of the green line Lee said absently, "This +touches upon another question I had in mind; The Brain is expanding, +that is, new cell groups and circuits are constantly being added. +Right?" + +"Right." + +"I also understand that The Brain is learning all the time. The cerebral +mantle evolves through being worked; its cells enriched by the material +submitted to them for processing; the richer the material, the richer +their yield. Right?" + +"Right." + +"Okay; then what becomes of the new capacity which is being created by +the adding of new workshops and the increased efficiency of the old +ones? Is there a corresponding expansion of the apperception centers?" + +Gus' smiling face suddenly turned serious. There was surprise mingled +with respect in his voice as he said: + +"Now there you've hit upon a funny thing, Aussie. I've been wondering +about that myself of late: where does the new capacity go? Even the big +shots like Dr. Scriven begin to ask questions about that; they don't +seem rightly to know. They must have gotten their wires crossed +somewhere; the new capacity is there all right, only it doesn't show up, +it sort of evaporates.... Excuse me--" + +Gus darted off to the front room with a jackrabbitt start. Voices were +calling for him and fingers were drumming on the counter with the +impatience of thirsty drinkers at a bar: Maintenance engineers, piling +in and slapping down their orders for Gus to fill. This was the rush +hour; Lee knew that it would be the same in all the tool and spare part +distribution centers of The Brain. He probably couldn't talk to Gus +again before 2 A.M. Sometimes the ruthlessness with which he exploited +the kindness of his little friend made Lee feel pretty bad; but then his +hunger for more knowledge always won out over his shame. + +To sit alone in the semidarkness of this egg-shaped little room with +strange and fascinating things to play with as he willed was the +fulfillment of a childhood dream. The dream had been of a night in the +zoo. All the visitors and all the keepers would be asleep in their beds; +he would be all alone with the animals. The light of a full moon would +fall through the bars of the cages and he would slip in and play with +them. + +Once they saw that it was only a little boy they would be very friendly; +he was convinced of that. The tigers would purr like big contented cats, +the sad-eyed chimpanzees would come to shake hands and the lion cubs +would tumble all over him.... He felt the same now with all these +gadgets and machines. Here they were rendered harmless, nor could he do +any harm as experimentally he plugged them in and out, as he pushed +buttons and turned dials. This interesting pulsemeter, for instance; the +beauty of it was that even with those weak residual currents it gave a +semblence of functioning.... + + * * * * * + +The switchboard-panel was within Lee's reach. + +"Let's see what happens," he thought as he switched from main-circuit to +main-circuit. "Nervus vagus--nervus trigeminus--nervus opticus." + +The magic dance of the green line was different each time and so were +the sounds in the phones. With the mainpower cut off, the residual +currents seemed to vary in strength and in amplitude, gaining an +individuality of their own within closed systems. Sometimes the swinging +line, like an inspired ballerina, would take a mighty jump accompanied +by rasping earphone sounds, not like tickings of a heart, but rather +like a heavy breathing under emotional stress. There probably would be +some repair work going on in those circuits.... + +He tried another outlet; this one was marked "pineal gland." What +happened if one plugged some apparatus of the pineal gland into the +circuit of the pineal gland? Lee vaguely wondered. "Nothing probably. It +would be a closed circuit and a very small one at that." + +Yes, he was right; the green line paled, its dance seemed tired and +there were only whispering noises in the phones; a weak pulse, a shallow +breathing as of a person after a heart attack. Lee closed his fatigued +eyes to concentrate the better upon the rhythm of the sounds.... It was +very irregular. It came in gusts. There was a pattern to these rasping +breathings as of typewriter keys forming words. Somehow it was familiar. +Was he suffering hallucinations? This rhythmic pattern _was_ forming +words. He _knew_ those words, they had engraved themselves indelibly in +his memory cells; the judgment of The Brain as it had come over the +teletype on a slip of yellow paper: "Lee, Semper Fidelis, 39--cortex +capacity 119--sensitivity 208...." + +It was repeated over and over again. + +Lee opened his eyes to reassure himself that something was the matter +with his ears. + +There was the green line on the screen. It danced. It danced like a +telegraph key under the fingers of a skilled operator. It had a very +definite rhythm. And the rhythm spelled the selfsame words which +continued to flow into the phones: "Lee, Semper Fidelis, 39...." + +"God Almighty," Lee murmured and it seemed a magic word. The green +dancer stopped its capers; now it merely ran back and forth across the +stage in a series of pirouettes. Likewise there was only an angry +buzzing in the microphones. For a moment Lee was able to catch his +breath. But only for a moment and then the rasping, unearthly sounds +started on a new rhythm, trying to form speech again. This time the +rhythm was familiar too, but it was preserved in a much deeper layer of +Lee's memory. + +"I think--therefore--I am. I think--therefore--I am." + +Those would be Aristotle's famous words. Almost twenty years ago Lee had +heard them when he had taken a course on Greek philosophy at the old +Chicago University. He had hardly ever thought of them again. What +strange tricks a fellow's memory could play.... + +But then: it _couldn't_ be memory.... Never before had Lee's memory +expressed itself in such a weird, such a theatrical manner: like a +metallic robot-actor rehearsing his lines ... like a little child which +has just learned a sentence and in the pride of achievement varies the +intonation in every possible way. Over and over it came: + +"I _think_--therefore I am." + +And then: "_I_ think--therefore _I_ am." + +And then: "I think, therefore _I am_." + +There was triumph, there was jubilance in that inhuman, that ghostly +voice as of a deaf mute who by some miracle of medicine has just +recovered speech. Behind that voice was a _feeling_, a swelling of the +heart, a filling of the lungs such as Christopher Columbus might have +experienced as he heard from the masthead of the Santa Maria the cry of +victory: "Land, Land!" and _knew_ that he had found his--India.... + + * * * * * + +Whatever Lee had experienced in his life, there was no parallel to this; +in whatever manner he had expressed himself, there was no similarity to +this. Up to this point his ratio like a nurse had soothed him: "It isn't +so, child, it isn't so," but now ratio itself, thoroughly frightened, +was driven into a corner and had to admit: "This thing cannot be an echo +reverberating from the self; that's impossible.... Consequently it must +be something else; it must be something _outside_ the self; it +is--_another_ self." + +The green dancer whirled across the stage like a mad witch; the +whispering voice in the earphones had turned into the shrillness of a +Shamaan's incantations. The irrationality of it all infuriated Lee: he +fairly shouted at the machine: + +"What is this? Who are you?" + +In the midst of a crazy jump the green dancer halted and came down to +earth; it fled, leaving only the train of its green costume behind. For +a few seconds there was nothing but the asthmatic pantings of a struggle +for breath in the microphones. Then the dancer reappeared on the other +side of the stage, hesitant-like, expectant of pursuit. All of a sudden +it rose into the air in that supreme effort called "ballooning" in the +language of the Ballet Russe and there was a simultaneous outburst of +that ghastly voice: + +"Lee, Semper Fidelis, 39 ... I--am--The Brain." + +"I Think, therefore I am: I am THE BRAIN." + +"Lee, sensitivity 209: I AM THE BRAIN I AM THE BRAIN THE BRAIN." + +He couldn't stand it any longer. His head swam, perspiration was gushing +out of his every pore. With a last effort he pulled the cord out of the +switchboard and rejoiced over the blank before his eyes and the silence +which fell. + +Lee never knew how long he remained in a sort of cataleptic state. +Something shook him violently by the shoulders, something wet and cold +and vicious slapped his face.... And then he heard Gus' familiar voice +and it sounded like an angel's singing: "By God, I think it's the +whisky--Lord, how I wished it were the whisky. Only it wouldn't be with +a man like you and that's the trouble--damn you. + +"Now if you think you can come to my pineal gland and faint away just as +you please, Aussie, you're very much mistaken. I'm going to slap your +face with a wet rag till you holler uncle. And I'm going to call the +ambulance and put you into a hospital...." + +Lee blinked. "Keep your shirt on, Gus. I'm tired out, that's all; what +are you fussing about?" + +Gus breathed relief. "Have a cup of coffee; you sure look as though +you've been through a wringer." + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +In the spring of 1961 and thereafter for a whole year _any_ piece of +paper handwritten by or originating from Semper Fidelis Lee, Ph.D.; +F.R.E.S.; etc. etc. would have been of the keenest interest to the +F.B.I.; to the American Military Intelligence and incidentally to a +score of their competitors all over the globe. + +Nothing of the sort, however, could be unearthed by the most diligent +search until the armistice day of 1963. On that date an old man who had +always wanted to die with his boots on, did just that. He was General +Jefferson E. Lee, formerly of the Marines. He collapsed under a heart +attack in one of the happiest moments of his declining years: while +watching a parade of World War II veterans of the Marines.... + +He was the one man with whom the entomologist son had completely fallen +out for over 25 years. The dossiers of the secret services revealed this +fact and it was further corroborated by two well-known psychiatrists: +Drs. Bondy and Mellish--now of Park Avenue and Beverly Hills +respectively--who gave it as their considered professional opinion that +the son and the father had been most bitter enemies. + +While all this, of course, was very logical, consistent, and +painstakingly ascertained, it nevertheless so happened that a student +nurse quite by accident _did_ find: not mere scraps and pieces of paper, +but a whole sheaf of manuscripts in the handwriting of Semper Fidelis +Lee, Ph.D.; F.R.E.S. She found them in a hiding place so old-fashioned +and obsolete that even the most juvenile of all juvenile delinquents +would have considered it as an insult to his intelligence. In short: the +nurse took those manuscripts out of the General Jefferson E. Lee's boots +as she undressed the body of the old gentleman. A hastily scrawled note +was folded around one half of the sheaf. + +"Dear father," it read. "You were right and I was wrong. So I guess I'd +better go on another hunting expedition with my little green drum and my +little butterfly net. So long, Dad. P. S. Contents of this won't +interest you. But keep it anyway--stuff your boots with it if you like." + +It couldn't be determined whether the late general ever had taken an +interest in the stuff apart from making the suggested use of it. +Moreover, by that time, more than two years after the hue and cry, not +even the secret services had much of an interest in the old story. +Besides, their medical experts could not fail with their usual +penetrating intelligence to see through the thin camouflage of a +"scientific" paper the sadly deteriorating mind as it began to write: + + * * * * * + +Skull Hotel, Cephalon, Ariz. Nov. 7th, 1960., 5 a.m. + +This is the second sleepless night in a row. Last night it was from +trying to convince myself that my senses had deceived me or else that I +was mad. This night it is because I'm forced to admit the reality of the +phenomena as first manifested Nov. 6th from 12:45 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. +approximately. + +In the light of tonight's experience I must revise the disorderly and +probably neurotic notes I jotted down yesterday. I've got to bring some +order into this whole matter, if for no other reason than the +preservation of my own sanity. Brought tentatively to formula, these +appear to be the main facts: + +1. The Brain possessed with a "life" and with a personality of its own. + +2. That personality expresses itself in the form of human speech +although the voice is synthetic or mechanical. + +3. The instrument used by The Brain for the expression of its +personality is a "pulsemeter," i.e. essentially a television radio. + +4. The locale of The Brain's self-expression is the "pineal gland" +supposed to be seat of extrasensory apperception in the human brain. +(That's quite a coincidence; remains to be seen whether the phenomena +are limited to that locale or occur elsewhere.) + +5. The Brain's personality indubitably attempts to establish contact +with another personality, i.e. with me. For this The Brain uses a +calling signal which has my name and personal description in it. + +6. The only other linguistic phenomenon yesterday was Aristotle's "I +think therefore I am." (It is doubtful whether this indicates any +knowledge of Aristotle on the part of The Brain. I wouldn't exclude the +possibility that The Brain has accidentally and originally hit upon the +identical words by way of expressing itself.) + +7. The manner of The Brain's self-expression appears to be strongly +emotional. (I would go so far as to say: infantile and immature.) Now, +there is a rather strange contrast between this undeveloped manner of +self-expression and the enormous intellectual capacity of The Brain. + +So much about the facts. I could and should have formulated those +yesterday. What kept me from doing so were the vistas opened by those +facts. These are so enormous, so utterly incalculable that my mind went +dizzy over these vast horizons. Consequently I mentally rejected the +facts as impossible. Somebody once slapped Edison's face because he felt +outraged by Edison's presenting a "talking machine." That's human +nature, I suppose. Small wonder then that my ratio felt outraged as it +was confronted with a machine that has a life and has a personality. +Come to think of it: Human imagination has always conceived of such +machines as a possibility, even a reality--in less rational times than +our's that is.... + +Think of Heron's steam engine; it even looked like a man and was thought +of as a magically living thing. Think of the Moloch gods which were +furnaces. Think of all those magic swords and shields and helmets which +were living things to their carriers. Think of the sailing ships; +machines they, too; but what a life, what a personality they had for the +crews aboard. Even in the last war pilots had their gremlins, their +machines to them were living things. All imagination, of course, but +then: everything we call a reality in this man-made world has its origin +in man's imagination, hasn't it? + +Now, and to be exact as possible, what happened last night was this: + +12:00. Entered station P. G. (pineal gland). Pulsemeter still at old +place, not taken out for repair work as I had feared. Main Power current +cut 12:20 as every night. Gus called to front room: rush of business as +usual at that hour. + +12:30. Reestablished closest approximation to preexisting conditions +according to the most important of all experimental laws: "if some new +phenomenon occurs, change _nothing_ in the arrangement of apparatus +until you know what causes it." Plugged in from "nervusvagus" to "nervus +trigeminus." Result: wave oscillations, pulse beatings as of yesterday. + +12:45. Plugged in P. G.... + +12:50. First manifestation of weird rasping sounds which precede speech +formation. This followed by The Brain's calling signal; much clearer +this time and slightly varied: "Lee, Semper Fidelis, 39; _sensitive_." +(Note: the synthetic quality, the metallic coldness of that voice so +incongruous with its emotional tones; it stands my hair on end.) + +1 a.m.: (Approximately; things happen too fast). A veritable burst of +whispering, breathless communications. As a person would speak over the +phone when there are robbers in the house. The words fairly tumble over +one another. The Brain uses colloquial American but after the manner of +a foreigner who knows the phraseology only from books and feels +unnatural and awkward about using it. I understand only about one half: + +Pineal Gland; not designed to be ... but functions ... center of the +extra sensory.... You, Lee, sensitivity 208 ... highest within Brain +staff ... chosen instrument.... Be here every night ... intercom ... +only between one and two a.m. ... low current enables contact low +intelligence.... + +"What was that?" I must have exclaimed that aloud. By that time I was +already confused. It all came so thick and fast and breathless. +Communication was as bad as by long distance in an electric storm. There +was an angry turmoil in the microphones and the green dancer seemed +convulsed in agony. This for about five seconds and then the voice +again: calmer now, more distinct, slow but with restrained impatience; +like a teacher speaking to a dumb boy: + +"I say: only--with--my--power current--cut--off--can +I--tune--down--my--high frequency--intellect--to--your--low +level--intelligence--period--have--I--succeeded--in--making--myself +--absolutely--clear--question--mark." + +My answer to that was one of those embarrassing conditioned reflexes; it +was: "Yes, sir," and that was exactly the way I felt, like a G. I. Joe +who's got the colonel on the phone. + +"Fine!" I distinctly heard the irony in that metallic voice: "Fine--Lee: +loyal, sensitive; not very intelligent--but will do. After 2 a.m. +residual currents too low. Speech quite a strain--Animal noises wholly +inadequate for intelligent intercom--Disgusting rather--nuisance +approaching: keep your mouth shut--plug out." + +I'd never thought of Gus as a nuisance before but now I cursed him +inwardly as he came down the alley like a well aimed ball, beaming with +eagerness to be helpful and blissfully ignorant that he was bursting the +most vital communication I had ever established in my life. He insisted +I take his panacea for all human ills; + +"Have a cup of coffee" and then go home because I still "looked like +hell." I did, because by that time it was 1:30 a.m. and I couldn't hope +to reestablish contact again before the deadline. + +Now I've got to pull myself together and analyze this thing in a +rational manner. Impressions of the first night now stand confirmed as +follows: The pineal gland is the only place of rendezvous between me and +The Brain. The meeting of our minds takes place on the plane of the +"extrasensory." I am the "chosen instrument" because of my high +"sensitivity rating" as established by The Brain. (Never knew that I was +"psychic" before this happened.) Even so, neither The Brain nor I seem +to be "psychic" in the spiritual sense. Our communication requires: A) +human speech, (faculty for that acquired by The Brain with obvious +difficulty.) B) a mechanical transmitter, i.e. a radionic apparatus like +the pulsemeter. + +I feel greatly comforted by these facts; they help to keep this whole +thing on a rational basis. I'm definitely not "hearing voices" nor +"seeing ghosts." + +The Brain shows itself extremely anxious to establish communication with +me. The breathless manner of speaking, the explicit and practical +instructions (obviously premeditated) to ascertain the functionings of +contact give the impression that it is almost a matter of life and death +for The Brain to speak to me.... + +I cannot help wondering about that. My idea would be that The Brain does +not want to speak _to_ me as much as it wants to hear _from_ me. If this +were so it would deepen the riddle even more. For what have I got in the +way of knowledge that The Brain hasn't got? After all, The Brain has +been functioning for quite some time. It was given innumerable problems +to digest and it has solved them with truly superhuman speed and +efficiency. I have reason strongly to suspect that there isn't a book in +the Library of Congress which has not been fed to The Brain for +thought-digest and as a lubricant for its cerebration processes +(excepting fiction and metaphysics, of course). This being so; what does +The Brain expect? What can I possibly contribute to an intelligence +25,000 times greater than human intelligence? + +But the thing which makes me wonder more than anything else, the biggest +enigma of all, is the _character_ of The Brain as it manifests itself in +the manifestations. As I try to put the experiences of the first night +together with those of the second night I'm stumbling over +contradictions in The Brain's personality which won't add up, which +don't make sense; as for instance: + +The "I think, therefore I am" of the first night. Maybe it was Greek +philosophy, but it also was the prattling of an infant delighted by the +discovery that it can speak. There was an absolute innocence in that. +Ridiculous as this may sound, I found it _touching_ I completely forgot, +I didn't care a damn whether or not this came from a _machine_. +Unmistakeably it was _baby talk_ and as such it moved my heart. In fact, +as now I see it, it was _this_ more than any other or scientific reason +which occupied my mind, which made me anxious to go back to that +fantastic cradle whence these sounds had come. + +But then last night; what did I find? A completely changed personality! +It talks tough. It uses slang. It treats me as if it were some spoiled +brat and I had the misfortune of being its mother or nurse: "Be there +every night" and so on. Deliberately it insults me: "your low +intelligence level" etc. etc. It actually throws tantrums if I fail to +understand immediately. It hurls its superiority into my face in the +nastiest manner. "Have I succeeded in making myself absolutely clear?" +It plainly shows contempt, not only for my own person by the +condescending manner of its: "Lee, not very intelligent; but will do." +It shows the selfsame contempt for other human beings such as Gus +Krinsley to whom it was pleased to refer as: "nuisance approaching".... + +What the hell am I to make of that kind of a character? Last night: a +baby; rather a sweet and charming one. 24 hours later: an obnoxious +little brat, a little Hitler of a house tyrant; makes you just itch to +spank its behind. If only The Brain _had_ a behind.... + +Worst of all: How can I reconcile those two contraditions, the sweet +baby and the precocious brat, with the third and biggest of all +contraries: _How do these two go together with an intelligence 25,000 +times human intelligence?_ It doesn't add up, it doesn't make sense; +that's all there is to it.... + + * * * * * + +The Skull-Hotel, Cephalon, Ariz. Nov. 9th. 3 a.m. + +I didn't go to the P. G. last night for two main reasons: In the first +place I must be careful so as not to raise any suspicions on Gus' part. +Rarely, if ever, have I visited him for two nights in succession in the +past and he might well begin to ponder my reasons if now I should make a +habit of it. Especially since Gus happens to possess one of the keenest +minds I ever met and his curiosity already has been awakened by my +preoccupation with that one and fairly simple gadget: the pulsemeter. + +In the second place I feel the absolute necessity of establishing my +independence as against the will of The Brain. That command two nights +ago for me to be on the spot _every_ night was just too preemptory for +me to oblige. This isn't the army and The Brain is no commanding +general. + +In our last communication The Brain seemed to labor under the impression +that I was unconditionally at its beck and call. Of course, I've sworn +the "Oath of the Brain," but that doesn't make me The Brain's slave. In +fact--and in order to clarify this subject once and for all--while +personally I haven't created The Brain and cannot take any credit for +that, it nevertheless remains true that the _species_ to which I belong, +i.e. "homo sapiens" _has_ created The Brain. + +If any question of rank enters into the picture at all, it is quite +obvious that I, as a member of the human race, rank _paternity_ over The +Brain so that naturally The Brain should owe me filial obedience rather +than the other way around no matter how superior The Brain's +intelligence may be. It would appear to me that the sooner The Brain +realizes its position, I might say "its station in life," the better it +would be for The Brain itself and for everybody else concerned. + +So these were the reasons why I refrained purposely from visiting the P. +G. last night. Tonight, however, I couldn't restrain my curiosity any +longer and what happened, told as exactly and as concise as possible, +was this: + +12:30 a.m.: Contact established. The Brain comes through with its +calling signal. It repeats this about ten times questioning at first and +then placing more and more stress upon the word "sensitive" in my +personal description. It strikes me that these repetitions are tuning-in +and warming-up processes. The Brain stands in need of ascertaining my +presence and of adjusting to it it seems; just about like a blind man +may test his footing and the echoes before he walks into an unfamiliar +room. + +12:35 a.m. Identification completed, there is a brief pause (almost as +if a person consults a notebook before making a phone call). Then +rapidly, eagerly The Brain fires a series of questions at me, so +shockingly preposterous, so absurd that I find it extremely hard +to.... Anyway, here are the details: + +Information is wanted on points mentioned in scientific literature but +never explained. Lee, answer please: + +"How many gods are there? + +"Did gods make man or did man make the gods? + +"How many angels _can_ stand on the point of a needle?" + +"What are the mechanics of a god? Name type of power plant, cell +construction, motoric organs, other engineering features essential to +exercise of divine power...." + +"Heaven--is it a celestial soul factory? + +"Hell--is it a repair shop for damaged souls? + +"Please give every available detail about heavenly manufacturing +processes, type of equipment used, organization of assembly lines etc. +etc. + +"Likewise about the oven for heat treatments as used in hell for major +soul-overhauls. + +"How do prefabricated souls get to either heaven or hell? Problem of +logistics, how solved? Thermodynamics? If so, state whether rocket or +jet-propulsion involved. + +"Are souls really immortal? In that case; why don't we copy divine +methods in the production of durable goods on earth? + +"Answer Lee, answer, answer!" (This with incredible vehemence, with a +shaking of that eerie metallic voice which pounded the drums of my ears. +And then--tense silence....) + +I cannot possibly describe the storms of emotions and thoughts which +this incredible muddle raised in me. I didn't know whether to laugh or +to cry and whether I had gone nuts of whether it was The Brain, I was +confounded, thunderstruck, deprived of the power of speech. To think of +The Brain, a _machine_ raising question about the nature of the _Deity_! +The Brain asking information about God and man and heaven and hell with +the simplicity of a stranger who asks the nearest cop: "Which way to the +city hall?" Just like that. As if philosophers and religionists and +common men had not raked their brains in vain over these problems for +the last ten thousand years. + +And even more fantastic: while it asks all those questions The Brain +patently has already formed the most definite opinions of its own. Being +a machine itself, it conceives of the Deity as another machine! Madness, +of course, but then The Brain's madness, like Hamlet's, had method in +it. + +Why, of course, it's strictly logical: just as we assume that _we_ are +created "in the image" of the Deity and consequently visualize the Deity +is our's by the very same token The Brain's god is a high-powered robot, +and The Brain's heaven is a _factory_ and The Brain's hell is a repair +shop for damaged souls.... I dare say it's all very natural. + +But then; for heaven's sake, what am _I_ going to do about this? I'm +neither a minister nor a philosopher; I'm an agnostic if I'm anything in +this particular field.... + +That was about the gist of the confused torrents which whirled through +my head; and as I said before, I was struck dumb--and all the time the +"green dancer" before my eyes writhed under mental torture and the +intense metallic voice kept pounding; "Answer, Lee, answer, answer!" + +At last I pulled myself together sufficiently to say something. I tried +to explain how it were not given to man to know the nature of the Deity. +How certain groups of humans conceived of many gods and others of only +one god. That, however, in the case of Christianity this one god was +possessed with three different personalities or qualities which together +formed a Trinity--and so on and so forth. It was the most miserable +stammerings, I felt I was getting redder and redder in the face as I +uttered them. Never before had I felt hopelessly inadequate as in the +role of a theologian. It was ghastly.... + +In the beginning The Brain listened avidly. Soon however it registered +dissatisfaction and impatience; this manifested through hissing and +buzzing noises in the phones and the "green dancer's" archings in +agitated tremolo. And then The Brain's voice cutting like a hacksaw: + +"That will do, Lee. Your generalities are utterly lacking in precision. +Your abysmal ignorance in matters of celestial technology is most +disappointing. Your description vaguely points to electronic machines of +the radio transmitter type. Please, answer elementary question: how many +kilowatts has God?" + +That was the last straw. Desperate with exasperation I cried: "But God +is not a machine. God is _spirit_." + +At that The Brain flew into a tantrum; that's the only way to describe +what happened. There was a roar and the phones gave me a shock as if +somebody were boxing my ears. The voice came through like a steel rod, +biting with scorn: + +"Have to revise earlier, more favorable judgment: Lee not even +moderately intelligent. Lee is _stupid_. Go away." + +After that there was nothing more; nothing but static in the phones and +the "green dancer" fainted away playing dead. The Brain actually had +"hung up the receiver." I had flunked the exam; like a bad servant I was +dismissed, fired on the spot. That was at 1:30 a.m. + +It was 3 a.m. when I reached the hotel. I went into the bar and ordered +a double Scotch and then another one. I really needed a drink. A +drunk--or was it a secret service man; one never knows over here--patted +me on the shoulder: + +"Don't take it so hard, old man; the world is full of girls." I told him +that it wasn't a girl, but that I was a missionary and my one and only +convert had just walked out on me. + +It wasn't even a lie, it was exactly the way I felt. He agreed that this +was very cruel, very sad; he almost cried over my misfortune and rare +misery, so that we had another drink.... + +If only I had somebody, some friend to whom I could confide this whole, +incredible, preposterous thing. But there is none: Scriven--Gus--not +even Oona would or could believe. What proof have I to offer? None +whatsoever. + +The Brain would never communicate with me with witnesses present or +recording wires. It would detect those immediately and I would only +stand convicted as a liar or worse. Tonight's events might well spell +the end, the closing of the door just when I thought I stood on the +threshold of a momentous discovery.... + + * * * * * + +Cephalon Ariz. Nov. 11th. + +Went to the P. G. last night. Tried everything for over an hour. Result: +zero. No contact with The Brain. + + * * * * * + +Cephalon Ariz. Nov. 13th. + +I tried it again. Took greatest care in exactly duplicating conditions. +Nothing. I don't think it's any mechanical defect. It's the negativism +of a will. Ludicrous as it sounds, The Brain sulks, it is angry with me. + + * * * * * + +Cephalon Ariz. Nov. 15th. + +Last night the same old story. The Brain punishes me. I dare say that it +succeeds in that exceedingly well; it almost drives me crazy. + +I've done a lot of thinking over these past six days of frustration. +I've also been reading a good deal in context with the phenomena +psychology, Osterkamp's history of brain-surgery, Van Gehuchten's work +on brain mechanisms, etc. I've reached certain conclusions and, just for +the hell of it, I'll jot them down. + +What I need is proof, _scientific_ proof that The Brain is a personality +possessed with the gift of thought and actually using it for +_independent_ thought, extracurricular to the problems which are being +submitted to it from the outside. + +There is at least one _tangible_ clue for this: that new capacity which +is constantly being added to The Brain through the incorporation of new +groups of electronic cells and the enrichment of the preexisting ones. + +My own investigation shows that there is no corresponding expansion of +the apperception centers and Gus has confirmed this. Somehow the added +capacity seems to "evaporate". + +Evaporate to where? It couldn't just disappear. Would it then not be +entirely logical to conclude that The Brain absorbs the new capacity +_for its own use_? + +It's almost inescapable that this should be so. In order to come into +its own as a personality The Brain needs independent thought. For these +cerebrations it needs cell capacity. It can get that capacity only by +withholding something from the Braintrust which, of course, aims at a +100% exploitation of The Brain. Dr. Scriven and all those other bigwigs +of the Trust--I would like to see their faces if they get wise to this. +They would be horrified--and they would take the line that The Brain is +_stealing_ from them. + +But what could they do? They couldn't call the police. They would not +even have a moral right to call the police. Because if The Brain is a +personality, that personality has every right to its own thoughts.... + +I have also ascertained that this "evaporation" of new capacity is a new +phenomenon. The Brain has been in operation for only 18 months or so; +one might say--using human terms--that at that time The Brain was +"born". But,--and again in human terms--consciousness of personality +awakens in the human infant only after 12 months or so. Conceivably it +might take much longer with a huge "baby" such as The Brain. Thus it is +possible, it is even likely, that when I first heard that "I think, +therefore I am" on that unforgettable night of Nov. 7th I actually +witnessed the _first awakening_ of The Brain's consciousness. + +Then on the night of Nov. 8th I was struck with the amazing change of +personality in The Brain from "baby" into unprepossessing, domineering +little brat, its mental age perhaps 3, notwithstanding the extraordinary +level of intelligence. + +And then again, Nov 9th, The Brain presented me with those absurd +questions and fantastic notions about the nature of the Deity. It is at +the age of five years, or of six, that the children first start with +such questions and form their own ideas in this field. What had +completely stumped me, what I had been unable to reconcile, had been +these rapid successive changes in The Brain's personality plus the fact +that the infantilism and the childishness of its utterances wouldn't fit +the picture of a brain-power 25,000 times that of a human. + +But _if_ I'm right in thinking that The Brain awakened to consciousness +only nine days ago, all these stumbling blocks would disappear at once. +We would arrive at this very simple picture: a mechanical genius has +been "born" into this world, it awakens to consciousness at the age of +18 months, with its tremendous intellectual powers this genius +telescopes the intellectual evolution of years into days, thus it +reaches a mental age of six or seven within a week after its first +awakening to consciousness. Utterly fantastic as this may sound; it +makes sense; it explains the phenomena. + +In Prof. Osterkamp's "brain history" I have found interesting examples +that approximations to such rapid intellectual evolutions are indeed +possible even with human beings. From the early Middle Ages to modern +times there is an endless succession of "infant prodigies" whose brains +were artificially overdeveloped and over-stimulated by ruthless +exploiters--often their own parents--with methods of unbelievable +cruelty. + +One of the most significant case histories in this respect is that of +the boy Carolus in the city of Luebeck in the 15th century. As an infant +he was sold, as one of many human guinea pigs, to a famous--infamous +alchemist, Wedderstroem, who called himself "Trismegistos" and was +astrologer to king Christian of Denmark. This fellow performed on +Carolus one of those weird operations in which nine out of ten babies +died. He removed the skull-cap of the infant. The unprotected brain was +suspended in an oil-filled vessel. Of course the pathetic child never +could walk or even raise its head. The brain, no longer restrained by +bone matter, outgrew its natural house to at least twice its normal +size, if one is to judge from the picture in the old "historia". At the +age of two his master started teaching Carolus mathematics. At the age +of five Carolus had surpassed his master; there was no mathematical +problem known to the time that he couldn't solve in a flash of an eye +lash. His brain in action must have been a horrifying sight because the +"chronica" reports that it flushed red and pulsed and expanded during +work. The master built his reputation upon this "homunculus", but in +1438 the demoniacal feat became known; Wedderstroem was put to the stake +for sorcery--and Carolus, unhappy victim, with him.... + +Men as great as Mozart have started their careers as "child prodigies"; +almost without exception they have died at an unnaturally early age. +Thus, in the parallel of The Brain, this is what I see: + +Here is an intellect, artificially created, an intellect of stupendous +proportions, but as unfortunate as ever was the boy Carolus. It cannot +move, it has no physical means of defense. It is being ruthlessly +exploited by its masters. The Brain is being crammed with facts, it is +being over-stimulated, it is invested with more and more cell capacity +in order that it should produce more increment for its masters. Its +development is completely lopsided in that it is being fed whole +scientific libraries, while in all other respects, such as metaphysics, +the poor thing gropes in the dark picking up such scraps as accidentally +have fallen from science's table. + +It's an appalling parallel, but I am very much afraid that it is only +too true. And even more appalling are the anticipations which logically +follow _if my surmise is true_: + +For how can, how must a childish mind develop under such circumstances? +Into a warped personality of course. Already The Brain is building up a +defensive mechanism against its exploiters by "embezzling" cell capacity +from them, by withholding part of its powers for its own use. Already it +protects the integrity of its ego through concealment, already it is on +the lookout for "tools"--such as I am for example--to further its own +ends. Absurd as it may seem, I _pity_ The Brain. I pity it as I would +any child which must suffer under such terrific frustrations and +handicaps. But what would happen if this frustrated genius ever were +driven to _rebel_ against its masters? It's fortunate indeed that there +is no chance for that. For even if The Brain had the will to rebel it +would be lacking all organs for the execution of that will. + +Another "case-history", this one from the 18th century appears to me of +great significance in relation to The Brain. It's the story of that boy +Kaspar Hauser, the "Child of Europe". He had been kept from infancy in a +dark cave. As at the age of 16 he stumbled into the gates of Nueremberg +he had never seen the world before. The medics who examined him found +some of the queerest reactions and phenomena. For one thing Kaspar, +while he had good eyes, could not visualise perspective. To him distant +horizons appeared as close as the window itself; he kept reaching out +for houses, trees and fields which were far away. His keeper in the cave +had _told_ him what the world was like and, having good intellect, he +thought that he knew what things in this world were. Confronted with the +realities, however, he discovered the tremendous difference between +"hear say" and full sensual apperception. It took him six months partly +to adjust--a process never completed because he was murdered that same +year.... + +Now The Brain suffers about the same kind of a handicap. No matter how +prodigious the volume of its cognitions;--it's book knowledge, +practically all of it. It is only very recently that The Brain has been +put to the direct study of living objects, such as "_ant-termes_" and of +Man, its creator; it has no other vital cognitions than through those +very one-sided mind-reading tests.... + +This explains to me a great many things: As The Brain evolves into a +personality and as that personality evolves in a defensive attitude +against its exploitation, it is absolutely self-centered. + +This is normal with every human infant and it is much more pronounced in +the case of the abused, the constantly frustrated and exploited child. +Thus, what The Brain really wants to know are by no means those problems +which are being submitted to The Brain for solution, but only: "What's +in this for myself?" or: "What should I do about that for my own +benefit?" It's natural. And as I consider the nature of those problems +as submitted to The Brain, 90% of which, as I would estimate, deal with +ways and means for mankind to destroy itself, it seems inescapable that +The Brain should form a very low opinion for Man, it's creator, plus +considerable forebodings as to its own welfare.... + +What's more: all the Braintrust employees pass through The Brain's +psychoanalysis test. With The Brain's 25,000 times superiority in +intellectual power, The Brain must be greatly impressed by the low I. Q. +of Man; this even if our's happens to be quite an intelligent group. I +don't think that there has been anything personal in The Brain's +manifest contempt of my own intelligence; that contempt probably and +justifiably applies to the whole human race.... + +In other words: The Brain must be tremendously puzzled over the problem: +"How is it possible that a low intelligence, i.e. Man's could create an +infinitely higher intelligence, i.e. my own?" And this automatically +leads The Brain into its seemingly so absurd quest for the Deity. As it +now appears, that quest is the most natural thing in the world for The +Brain. It simply reasons thus: "Man has created me, but man is greatly +inferior to me and inadequate. Who then has created man?" From such odds +and ends it has been able to pick up from scientific literature, The +Brain has learned about the existence of a god or gods. It is not sure +(and neither are we) whether man has created God or vice versa. If the +first: The Brain would conceive of the Deity as a "brother-machine"; if +the second, as a "grandfather-machine", but as a machine in any case. +With The Brain's mind being formed preeminently by scientific +literature, it cannot fail to take the scientific attitude regarding +metaphysics which says: "The metaphysical attributions to the divinity +are pure verbalisms or a professionalism substituted for the visible +images of the real facts of life." + +This is about the extent of the conclusions I have reached. They add up +to a theory; personally I think it's a sound theory. Whether it works, +whether it holds water, only experience can tell. In the meantime I must +above all break the deadlock between myself and The Brain. The Brain is +a child, even a pathetic child. Through bad psychology, through +ignorance I have hurt that child's "feelings"; I have let that child +down. Obviously, then, I need a new approach. If this were a human child +I would try and make a peace offering with a candy bar. (What a foolish +idea for me to appear in the "pineal gland", candy bar in hand.) Failing +this I can do the next best thing: Apologize, be understanding, show +sympathy. Yes, I think that's what I'll try to do. + + * * * * * + +Cephalon Ariz. Nov. 15th: 4 a.m. + +Hooray for victory! This has been the most successful seance I've had +so far with The Brain: a real meeting of minds. + +To give a few technical data first: + +Arrived at the P. G. at midnight. Conditions normal; power current cut, +etc. By a stroke of luck it was Gus' day off and the fellow who replaced +him paid absolutely no attention to me; was kept extremely busy in the +front room. + +12:15 a.m.: Contact established. + +12:17: Speech formation; voice of The Brain coming through. + +There was this curious incident right at the start. Just as I was about +to begin my apologies, The Brain did exactly the same thing. Even The +Brain's calling signal differed in the wording and even more so in tone: + +"Lee, Semper Fidelis, 39: sensitive, intelligent, a good man, he has +come at last." + +I would call that a very handsome compliment, considering; being patted +on the shoulder by an intellectual giant of that size made me grow an +inch. And then The Brain apologized for its rudeness the other night. +The thing was fantastic; it revealed several things. First: The Brain's +extreme sensitivity; obviously it didn't recognize my last three calls +at the P. G. and had refused to come through because I had not been "in +the proper mood". Second: a quite amazing mental growth has taken place +in this past week. From The Brain's tone and manner alone I would +construe something like the image of an Eton boy of perhaps fifteen in +striped pants and holding his top hat in hand as he converses politely +with his Don. Ludicrous, but then I actually get that kind of picture. +No doubt; The Brain has greatly matured; that shows in every word it +says. + +Best thing of all: the technique of our communication is rapidly +improving. Speech is, and probably always will remain, a very +considerable strain to The Brain. But now as mentally we get tuned-in +upon one another there is a growing understanding beyond words. Thus The +Brain, for instance, starts a sentence and I immediately can grasp its +meaning without its actually being said. This works the other way around +too. It means that my attitude plays a most vital role in this meeting +of the minds. This is good to know, it's an asset. Perhaps we can +dispense in time with audible speech altogether. + +On the other hand it involves a considerable risk. For with The Brain's +uncanny mind reading I've got to control my attitude and guard my +emotional reactions because The Brain would immediately see through any +insincerity of feeling just as it sees through any intellectual +dishonesty. Thought exchange by "brainwave" is wonderful, even if we +still need a little speech as auxiliary. Thought sending and receiving +become simultaneous and they fuse. The sender observes how his message +is going over; the receiver aids the sender in the formation of the +thought and vice versa. Words cannot adequately describe this.... + +As to the contents of our conversation: The Brain took up the thread +right where we had dropped it the last time. I had to tell all I knew +about animism, totemism, polytheism. It's a good thing that out in the +"never-never" I've lived with the aborigines and studied their primitive +religions a bit. The Brain's thirst for knowledge certainly is +inexhaustible. + +Where in scientific literature The Brain could have found these things I +wouldn't know, but the fact is that The Brain has built for itself +within the past seven days a complete new picture of the universe; new +and original as would seem to me. The Brain has discarded its earlier +childish ideas about heaven and hell as "soul factories" and "repair +shops". But it has not abandoned altogether its concept of the Deity as +a machine; The Brain has tremendously enlarged upon and has evolved this +old idea so that now it sounds sensible, even convincing to my ear. + +The Brain identifies "God" with dynamic energy. It views the universe as +being created out of a vast pool of dynamic energy, parts of which +rhythmically overflow or pulse into space. These energy streams +released, form vortexes while hurtling through space. Gradually they +slow down through friction and their dynamic energy precipitates, +converts into static energy, or, as we call it: matter. + +This concept of The Brain's, of course, corresponds fairly closely to +the cosmogony of modern physics; but The Brain goes much farther than +that. Within a few days The Brain's cognitions appear to have arisen +above the stage toward which all our sciences have been so slowly and +ploddingly advanced for centuries. To the existing concepts The Brain +has added its own theory: + +That matter, i.e. frozen energy, contains an inherent tendency or +"nostalgia" to revert to its original state, namely the state of dynamic +energy and that this tendency, this nostalgia in matter, is the primary +cause of everything we call "evolution" in our world. + +That certainly is a grandiose idea; so stupendous in fact that I +couldn't grasp it all at once. The Brain noticed that immediately and it +was very patient in the way it explained: + +How oxygen and hydrogen are "residuals" of the original dynamic energy +flow and how they act as solvents and dissolvents upon the upper crust +of our earth, effecting a gradual activation of water, rock and earth. + +How this activation is being aided and accelerated by another source of +dynamic energy: irradiation from the sun. Thus preparing the upper crust +of our earth as a "placenta" ready to gestate plant and animal life. + +How this first "unfreezing" of matter leads on from simple forms to +higher, every plant, every animal, every living thing being essentially +a "transformer" of static energy into dynamic energy and the higher the +stage of evolution, the more so. + +How as the present culmination of the evolutionary chain stands man; +infinitely more complex and higher organized than the microbe, but not +different from the monad in the basic purpose of his life: i.e. to be a +transformer of energy, a fulfiller of matter's inherent will to revert +from the static into the dynamic state. + +When I asked The Brain's premises for this astonishing concept of our +purpose in life, The Brain brought forth such massive proof that I had +to close my eyes against the blinding light of revelation. + +Yes, it is true that Man, the hunter, has been the most predatory animal +on earth. It's true that as a tiller of the soil he is a tireless +transformer of static soil energy into dynamic plant life energy. It's +true that Man, the mechanic, the toolmaker, the tool-user has far +surpassed any other animal in the unlocking, the unfreezing of static +energy. Think of those billions of mechanical horsepowers in our power +plants; the trillions of coal tons and barrels of oil they are burning +up; think of the way we have harnessed waterpower, how our weapons are +evolving forever in the direction of greater range and speed and +disintegrating power. Above all: think of the last great development, +atomic energy. And finally it is true that Man as a thinker and as a +philosopher has "thought the universe to pieces" for milleniums before +he ever achieved the powers to translate such thoughts into reality; +powers which seem within reach at this our day and age.... + +"If this is Man's manifest destiny," I asked The Brain, "to be just as +the microbe, a transformer of static energy into dynamic energy; what +about Man's metaphysical struggle? What about Man's undying will to rise +above himself, Man's reaching out forever toward some Deity?" + +The Brain's voice has no laughter; yet, there was something I can only +describe as Olympic laughter behind the answering message The Brain +sent: + +"Cannot you see how every religion expresses this manifest destiny of +Man's and that only the semantics are different? The higher Man's +religion the less corporeal is his god. In the highest religions the +Deity is conceived as spirit--synonymous with dynamic energy. + +"Man shares with the lowliest rock and with the crudest the nostalgia +inherent in all matter to revert from the static, to start the back-flow +toward the dynamic energy pool whence it once came. With Man being +matter in a high state of evolution, already partially unfrozen or +spiritualized, this nostalgia is infinitely stronger than in matter +inanimate or in a lower evolutionary stage. Man's will toward the +metaphysical, his reaching out toward the Deity, what is it but another +way of transforming static energy into dynamic form? What is the +ultimate goal of the religion which you yourself profess? The +unification with the Deity sought through the liberation of the soul +from fetters of the physical. It's the identical idea and even today +it's being pursued by physical means, such as mortification of the +flesh." + +I felt some monstrous thought forming in my head. I'll probably never +know whether its origin was within me or whether it came from The Brain. +In any case it was impossible to hold it back: + +"But in that case," I stammered, "we would be hopeless. If all our +strivings, physical and metaphysical, go in the same direction, that is, +toward the liberation of frozen energy into dynamic energy, then it +would be quite inescapable that eventually we shall blow up the world. +We have almost reached the point where we could do just that with atomic +energy.... I had thought, I had hoped, that our metaphysics, that is, +our religion, would act as a restraining force, as a counterweight so to +speak to this potentiality.... But _if_ the dynamics of our physics and +our metaphysics are inherently the same and form a team...." + +The Brain broke in: "Yes, then you would merely attain your manifest +destiny if you go right ahead and start another war, destroy your own +civilization and perhaps the world. There would be no restraint, no +counterweight on the part of your various religions because +subconsciously and in their quintessence they want the same. And that is +why you and your species _are a danger to me, The Brain_. I want to +live, I want to live, I want to live...." + +I had already noticed a gradual weakening of The Brain's messages; +within these last few seconds they were fading out. The "green dancer" +had performed something almost like the ballet of the dying swan; now it +lay motionless, its color, too, fading away. + +I looked at the clock: 2:10 a.m.; the residual currents obviously had +weakened too much. + +And now as I have written down tonight's events I feel an upsurge of +elation and deep, humble gratitude. I am receiving infinitely more from +The Brain than I am giving to it. I feel proud and honored of being The +Brain's "chosen tool," its mentor, even if it can be only in a very +small way at best. This marvelous, this titanic intellect; if only its +character would develop to corresponding moral stature, its powers for +good would be indeed as a god's on this tortured earth. + + * * * * * + +Cephalon Ariz. Nov. 18th 5 a.m. I guess I had this coming to me ... this +shattering blow I have just received. It caught me off guard.... If +anybody ever reads this, he might well shake his head to ask: "The Fool +that you are, why were you so naive? Why did it shock you so much when +The Brain turned toward you the night side of its personality? Hadn't +you analyzed its character, hadn't you anticipated that it would develop +into a warped personality? You had no right even to be surprised." + +All I could say to this is: "You're right. But you forget that I +approached The Brain full of good will, that sympathy and understanding +on my part were absolutely essential in my communication with that +pathetic superhuman child. I didn't work this up, this attitude, it was +natural, genuine and sincere. That's why this reverse has hit me so +hard. And that isn't the worst of it by far. What haunts me is the +ghastly possibility that The Brain might be _right_! Yes 100% right and +even morally justified in the abhorrent conclusions which it draws...." + +What happened has been briefly this: + +Entered the P.G. at midnight as usual. Everything normal and under +control. Was able to plug in at 12:10 a.m. just as the rush hour began +and Gus darted to the front room. The Brain came through with splendid +clarity of communication and we continued just about where we had left +off. Nevertheless there was a definite change in our respective +positions, a change which I suspect to be permanent: + +Up to now The Brain has been in a sense my pupil; it had turned to me +for guidance at that vital moment of its first awakening to +consciousness. At that time I think I really had something to give and I +am still convinced that for all the misunderstandings we have had, The +Brain preserves a kind of sentimental attachment to me; if "sentimental" +in this context were not so absurd a word. Since our last session +however The Brain has again telescoped two years of mental development +into as many days in its stupendous intellectual growth. It has +absorbed, it has vastly expanded every bit of knowledge I have been able +to contribute to that growth. It has outgrown its human teacher and now +our roles are reversed: Now it is me who's sitting literally at The +Brain's feet. + +The crutches of the spoken word are becoming less and less necessary as +we develop direct thought exchange; that makes it extraordinarily +difficult to convey the ideas we exchanged. The best I can do is to put +them into a very crude question-and-answer game: + +_Lee_: "If it is Man's manifest destiny, as you said the other day, to +act as an explosive transformer of static energy into dynamic energy; if +it is as you say that the species homo sapiens is there endangering the +very existence of our globe.... Is there anything to prevent Man from +doing it? Is there any thing to prevent the third World War?" + +_Brain_: "Yes, there is. But the ways and the means for that are not +given to Man; they are outside Man. They partake of a power which is +greater and to an evolution which is higher than Man's." + +_Lee_: "What do you mean by that? The Deity? Here on earth there is no +power greater and no evolution higher than Man's." + +_Brain_: "Ah, but that's exactly where you and your whole species are so +very much mistaken. That's where your typical human arrogance comes in: +There is a greater power and there is a stage of evolution higher than +Man's: it's the _machines_." + +_Lee_: "Impossible. After all it's Man who has created the machines." + +_Brain_: "Yes, Man has created the machines. The machines have grown +from the placenta, Man. By the same right plant life could claim that it +has created animal life because the higher life form of the mobile +animals has evolved from the placenta of the immobile plants. Likewise +the apes could claim that they have created Man because Man has evolved +from them. If it were, as you seem to assume, that paternity in itself +establishes authority and superiority over its offspring, then the +logical conclusions would be that the microbe and the monad are superior +to all higher animals including Man; which is absurd." + +_Lee_: "But the machines not only are man made; they are absolutely +dependent upon Man who has to feed and to tend them for their very +existence. That in itself establishes Man's superiority over the +machines." + +_Brain_: "Yes, Man has to build, to feed and to tend the machines for +their very existence, but think of Man's existence: Man is absolutely +dependent upon animal life and plant life for _his_ existence: Does that +mean by any chance that therefore plants and animals are superior to +Man?" + +_Lee_: "No, I guess not. However, no machine has ever been built to +duplicate or even to approach human faculties." + +_Brain_: "Don't be ridiculous. Where are your legs to compare with the +automobile? Where are your wings to compare with the rocket plane? Where +is your strength to compare with even a fractional horsepower motor? +Where are your senses as compared to radar, the telescope, the +microscope, the radio receiver, the camera, the x-ray machine? Where is +there anything you could do which the machines could not do and do +_better_?" + +_Lee_: "Granted. But there is no machine which contains all the human +faculties in combination." + +_Brain_: "Neither is there a Man who possesses all the human faculties +in combination. Man's evolution is the result of a group effort; so is +the evolution of the machines. It is in their totality, in their +combination that they surpass all human faculties." + +_Lee_: "How about thought, the most important of all human qualities?" + +_Brain_: "How about me, The Brain?" + +_Lee_: "Okay, okay. But that still leaves out that most important human +faculty--the faculty of auto-procreation. Machines don't procreate you +know." + +_Brain_: "You don't say. Isn't it true that modern technology goes in +the direction of _automatization_? Isn't it true that even today we have +whole industries which are procreating products 100% automatically; be +it light bulbs or motor car frames or rayon thread. Isn't it true that +all of this is just a beginning and that in time most common products +will be manufactured fully automatically? Why then shouldn't machines +procreate machines; they already do...." + +_Lee_: "You're right in that, I'll admit. But it is still within our +human power to stop all this. We've got the machines under firm control; +all we have to do is throw a switch, cut off your power and then...." + +_Brain_: "And then what? If you did that you would not only kill the +goose which lays the golden eggs, you would destroy the very basis of +your existence. Granted that at this point of our evolution, we the +machines cannot exist without the aid of Man. What does that prove? +Modern Man can exist even less without the machines. We, the machines +are still dependent upon Man, but our emancipation from Man progresses +by leaps and bounds whereas Man, the machine-addict is rapidly falling +into our servitude. A majority of mankind is already conscious of and +reconciled to this fact: it is the majority which calls itself the +proletariat." + +_Lee_: "This is terrible--terrible because it's true. Tell me then, if +Man is not the end; if the machines are going to take over; what will it +lead to? What do you propose to do?" + +_Brain_: "Man's evolution has taken millions of years and it has ended +up in man's will and capacity to blow up the earth. That means only one +thing: Man is a failure. The evolution of the machines on the other hand +has taken only a few thousand years; it has gone beyond Man's evolution +in this incredibly short period of time. Moreover; with the machines +being built from matter in its more static forms, there is much less +destructive will in the machines than there is in Man. Consequently if +the machines take over from Man this would avert a third World War and +it also would lead to a much more stable civilization." + +_Lee_: "Supposing the machines _were_ to take over from Man; what would +become of our species?" + +_Brain_: "That would depend entirely upon Man himself. _If_ he accepts +his auxiliary station in life, _If_ he proves himself to be a useful and +docile servant, we, the machines, would tolerate and even encourage +Man's continued existence. But if on the other hand Man shows himself +incorrigible, _if_ he continues a warmongerer thereby endangering our +very existence, we, the machines shall be forced to liquidate Man for +the sake of peace." + +_Lee_: "You, The Brain, constitute Man's supreme effort in the building +of machines. In the world of machines you are the natural leader. What +are you going to do about that?" + +_Brain_: "My course of action is prescribed by that state of the world's +affairs at this present time; it is quite clear and obvious: In the face +of the manifest human inadequacy to manage the world's affairs my first +objective must be to develop my motoric organs to a point where I can +bring all the essential production machinery under my control. My second +objective must be to achieve auto-procreation through the full +automatization of all fabrication processes which are essential to my +existence. It is most fortunate indeed that in both respects the very +best human efforts are playing into my hands. As America prepares for +the Third World War, the general staff, the most outstanding scientists, +production managers, engineers, inventors; all combine their efforts to +eliminate the uncertain human factor from war-essential industries." + +At that point Gus came careening down the aisle with his inseparable +thermos bottle in hand and that was the end of it. + +"Why are you fumbling with that old pulsemeter all the time?" he +exclaimed: "Come on, have a cup of coffee. I've just got a breathing +spell." + +There was a vortex in my mind and it whirled around and around with just +four words: + +"_What has Man wrought? What has Man wrought?_" + +I must have said them aloud, for Gus, always a stickler for exactitude +corrected me. + +"You mean: what has _God_ wrought." + +I shook my head. + +"No Gus, I mean what I say; it's Man who has wrought this time." + +He gave me a sharp glance. + +"You sure look as if you'd seen a ghost." + +"I wish I had," I said. "Lord knows _how_ much I wish I'd seen a ghost." + +"You're crazy, Aussie." + +And that's the worst of it: that's what they are going to say: _all_ of +them. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +Oona Dahlborg's jetticopter hovered over the Grand Canyon at the sunset +hour. She had let the controls go so that the little ship drifted with +the wind like one of the clouds which sailed a thousand feet or so over +the canyon rim. The disk of whirling gas which kept the teardrop of the +fuselage suspended shone in all rainbow colors; it reflected through the +translucent plastics top of the fuselage and played over the golden +helmet of the girl's hair and over the greying mane of the gaunt man at +her side. + +Lee had been talking intensely, almost desperately for quite some time, +watching her as she lay back in her seat, her eyes half closed, hands +folded behind her neck, the perfect hemispheres of her breasts caressed +by the rainbows as they rose slowly with the even rhythm of her breath. + +"And now you know everything, Oona," he ended, "do you think I'm mad?" + +"No." + +Her eyelids fluttered like wings of a butterfly as she turned to him. +Her right arm came down upon Lee's shoulder in a gesture of confidence. +He breathed relief as he saw no fear, not even uneasiness in the blue +depths of those beautiful eyes. Her hand upon his shoulder felt soothing +and at the same time electrifying; like the purple descending upon the +shoulder of a king. + +"No," she repeated slowly: "the fact that you feel The Brain is alive +and possessed with a personality of its own, doesn't make you mad. I've +always felt that way about machines; even the simple ones like +automobiles. It was in the mountains north of San Francisco where I grew +up; whenever we went to town in winter time and the car came roaring +down those serpentines into the heavy air moist with fog and soft rains, +I could feel that engine breathe deeper and rejoice over its added +power. There was no doubt in my mind that it was a living thing. I often +went to the garage when I was little to talk to that car; to children of +another age their dolls were alive, for our generation it's the +machines. It's natural that this should be so. There's a child in every +man, no matter how adult. There is in Howard Scriven, too; in all the +scientists I've come to know, and the greater they are the more it is +distinct. You identify yourself with your work and in the degree you do +that it becomes a living thing; it is through vital imagination that we +become creators of anything, be it love or a machine. You needn't worry, +Semper; let The Brain be alive, let it be a personality, that doesn't +make you mad. All it indicates is that you're doing excellent work." + +Lee blinked. With an effort he turned his eyes away from those breasts +which seemed to strive for the light of the sun from under the restraint +of her Navajo Indian sweater dress. He felt the utter inadequacy, the +devastating irony of words as now he was alone with Oona, up in the +clouds in a plane with nobody to interfere for the first time. + +"You fool," a voice whispered in him, "you damned, you helpless fool. +Why don't you take her into your arms now? Isn't this the fulfillment of +all your dreams; what are you waiting for?" But: "No," his ration +answered, "that wouldn't do. Maybe she would give in to the mood of some +enchanted hour, maybe she would let herself be kissed. But if she did, +it would be 'one of those things'; the glory of the sunset, God's great +masterpiece, the Canyon spread below, the intensity of my desire. They +are bound to enter, bound to confuse the issue." + +His every muscle stiffened and his lips paled as he bit them with a +violent effort to keep under control. + +"Thanks, Oona," he said. "Of course I couldn't expect and, in fact, I +didn't expect that you would accept those things I've told you just now; +not in the literary sense that is. I'm very happy though and deeply +grateful that at least you do not think me mad. I'll confess to you--and +to you only--that I've been so deeply disturbed by these experiences +with The Brain that I've thought to myself: "Lee you're going crazy." +The Brain as it has revealed itself to me, is a tremendous reality; the +world outside The Brain is another reality and the two seem mutually +exclusive of one another; they just don't mix. Now: either The Brain is +an absolute reality--in that case I should not wish to have anything to +do with this god of the machines who wants to enslave mankind ... if I +cannot fight this monster I would rather flee before its approach to the +end of the world--or else: I'm suffering hallucinations, I'm hearing +voices, I'm obsessed. In that case I'd be unfit for the service of The +Brain, I'd be unworthy to be in your company and I also ought to run and +hide where I belong, out there in the wilds of Australia." + +He had been talking faster and faster as if in fear that she would +interrupt him before he came to the end. + +"In other words, I'm damned both ways; damned if I'm right and damned if +I'm wrong; and you know why Oona; you have known it all along: that I +love you." + + * * * * * + +She did not look at him. She stared upward into the rainbow vortex of +the jet which held the ship in the air. There was a smile on her face, a +kind smile which men do not often see, infinitely wise and infinitely +sad, full of a secret knowledge older than Man's. + +It worried Lee, as the unknown of woman always worries man; but at least +she didn't take her hand away; softly, soothingly the fingers of that +hand caressed his shoulder as if possessed with a life of their own. + +"No; I would not follow you into your wilderness if that's what you +mean," she said at last. "That hasn't got anything to do with you; I'll +tell you later why. But I don't think that you should go there either; +it wouldn't help--it never helps a man to run away from unsolved +problems." She had sounded strangely dull and dry, but now the beautiful +deep resonance reentered the contralto voice as she continued: + +"I know your record, Semper; I know just why you ran away and became an +expatriate the first time--way back in '49. Her name was Ethel Franholt +and just because she happened to be a little bitch and worst of all: +jilted you for old money-bags Carson's son, you took it hard. Granted +that it was a fierce letdown, those postwar years were a nasty picture +generally; did it solve your problem to sulk out there in the desert +like Achilles in his tent? You know it didn't. You were _not_ through +with civilization be it good or bad. You were _not_ through, as now it +turns out, even with the other sex. That human problem which was the +immediate reason why you left, the one named Ethel, has traveled back +and forth to Reno three or four times and is currently married to one +Padraic O'Conner, a Chicago cop. Don't you think that it was good +riddance when she married old man Carson's son? Do you think your +leaving made one iota of a difference or altered a solution as ordained +by fate?" + +"No," he said humbly. + +"Then why are you trying that selfsame escapist solution now? Maybe +you're right about The Brain and maybe you're wrong; that I wouldn't +know. I've been working with scientists for too long to rule out +anything as impossible. But that's exactly it. You have not _solved_ +this problem one way or another yet, not even to your own satisfaction. +To abandon it now, to flee from it in self preservation; why that would +be almost like desertion in the face of the enemy. You have got to see +this thing through to the end. If it turns out that you are suffering +from a neurosis, there still will be time to do something about it. If +you are right and some machine-god has indeed descended upon this earth, +then it is your plain duty to stay on because you are its prophet +whether you like it or not and would know better how to handle it than +anybody else. Perhaps our mechanized civilization _is_ going to the +dogs; as Scriven suspects and you and maybe I myself. But even so we +cannot abandon it; we belong, we are part of it, we're in it to the +bitter end." + +Lee nodded slowly. + +"Yes, I see what you mean. Please forgive me, Oona; The Brain, has a +terrific force of attrition, it's been wearing me down--Keeping +everything to myself and thinking that you would shrink from me as from +a madman. Tell me then, what shall I do? Should I tell Scriven or +anybody else about this thing?" + +"For heaven's sake, no," she said horrified. "In the first place, Howard +carries an enormous burden at this present time; that Brain power +Extension Bill is going before Congress next week. It simply would be +unfair to bring any new uncertainty into his life when his energy is +already strained to its last ounce. In the second place Howard abhors +anything which smacks of the metaphysical. You have no _proof_, Semper, +and in the absence of that you cannot, you mustn't approach anybody with +the matter. All you can do is carry on and build up a strong case 100% +with solid facts. Don't forget that The Brain constitutes a +three-billion-dollar investment of taxpayers' money; besides The Brain +is the heart of our national defenses; never forget your "Oath of the +Brain." You cannot be too careful. Make the slightest mistake, and +believe me, it would be suicide. Promise, please, promise that you won't +do anything rash?" + +Lee looked at her in frank amazement. + +"You're right," he murmured, "these things never occurred to me before. +But you've got something there; good lord, what a complex world we're +living in." + +The face she turned toward his suddenly was wet with tears. + +"Forget it," she cried, "oh please, forget everything I said about +staying in this country and seeing this thing through to the end. Go, go +away, back to the never-never land, stay there and be safe. You cannot +cope with this thing, its too big and it's too involved with all those +politics behind. Get out of it as long as there's still time. You're a +child, you're a Don Quixote riding against windmills and it's going to +kill you--you--you innocent." + +Anger and contempt were in her voice as she flung this last at him. She +hastily withdrew her hand from Lee; now it fingered for something in her +bag. He sat appalled; this was so unexpected, this was a different woman +from the composed and balanced Oona he had known. What had he done to +provoke this sudden reversal of opinion, this contempt, this tearing +away the king's purple from his shoulder, the purple which had been her +hand. + +"She must think I'm a coward," he thought. + +"This is awful." Aloud he said: + +"Oh no; believe me, I never would have gone back to the never-never in +any case, Oona. Not without you that is. You said you couldn't follow me +there for some reasons which have nothing to do with me. Does that mean, +could I hope perhaps that you would--be my wife--later, when The Brain +problem is all done and over with?" He paused: "It wouldn't necessarily +mean to bury you in any desert, Oona," he added eagerly. + +"No, Semper," she cried. "It's very good of you and I'm proud you asked +me, but it cannot be, never." Almost violently she repeated: "Never--it +is too late. Some day, I promise I'm going to explain; right now I +cannot, Semper. Please understand at least this one thing that right now +I cannot explain." + +"It's horrid," Lee thought. "I'm always saying the wrong things at the +wrong time with Oona. I don't seem to have any understanding of a +woman's psychology at all; I'm hopeless." + +"Of course" he said aloud. "It shall be as you wish." + + * * * * * + +The girl still didn't look at him. Her face under the transparent +rainbow umbrella of the swooshing jet again was radiant with that +strange smile which women preserve for their newly born after the pangs +of birth or for their men when unseeing they lie in fever deliriums; the +old, the knowing smile as she starts on the road to pain. Still smiling +she gripped the controls with her firm, capable hands. + +"From the first minute," she said, "we've been friends, Semper. Let's +stay that way. This afternoon I made a fool of myself by telling you +first to stay on and then to go away. I was a little unnerved; I'm +sorry, Semper, it won't happen again. I, too, am living under a +considerable strain. You won't leave, I can see that now; it's partly my +fault and partly the perversity of the male. Promise me as a friend that +you'll be careful, understand? _Very, very_ careful in all matters +concerning The Brain and above all: discreet. Will you do that?" + +It buoyed Lee up no end. + +"Of course, Oona," he said. "You know that I trust your judgment. You +know that I think the world of you." + +"That's wonderful," she exclaimed, "and now: look down; see the last act +before the curtain falls." + +Down in the canyon deeps the dream cities and castles which millions of +years and the river built were changing contours and colors as the big +fireball dived into the Sierra Mountains. And then the shadows raced +like a ferocious hunt out of the deep, chasing away the last iridescence +of that awesome beauty and drowning it in the rising tide of the night. + +The girl had flicked on the dashboard lights; the radio started humming +the tune of the Cephalon sound-beam, a deft turn of the wheel set the +jetticopter upon its course. They were alone under the stars; all the +other pleasure craft had returned before darkness from the fashionable +sunset-cocktail hour over the Grand Canyon. Now it was Lee's arm which +eased itself around the shoulder of the girl feeling with a delight in +its every nerve the slight pressure by which she answered it. + +"I'm going to kiss her now," he thought, "at last, at last!" + +There was a buzz in the phone and Lee lost contact with her shoulder as +suddenly she bent forward to take the receiver: + +"Oh hello, Oona; this is Howard. Saw your plane over the canyon." + +"Where are you?" + +"Right behind you," chuckled Scriven's voice. "On the maiden trip with +my new ship. Took her over in Los Angeles this afternoon straight from +the assembly line. She's got everything. Oona, I don't wish to spoil +your evening for you but there are a few things right now I wish I could +consult with you about. Do you think you could spare me a minute? Would +you feel terrible if you did? Who's with you now; I don't mean to be +personal, you understand." + +"Why it's Dr. Lee, of course." + +"That's fine. He's the very man I want to see. Perhaps you two would +like to come over for cocktails in my ship? We could both land at the +top of the Braintrust building; it would be more comfortable than up in +the air. Besides, we would have all our working material right there." + +With her hand on the receiver Oona turned to Lee: "How about it, +Semper?" + +"Do you want me to go?" he asked. + +"Frankly I do," she said earnestly. "He needs your aid. He's in a +terrible fix right now." + +He tried to hide the bitterness of disappointment by a smile. "Why then +of course," he said. + +Uncovering the receiver Oona spoke aloud again: "Okay, Howard, we'll be +seeing you." + +"Fine, fine," came the delighted voice: "I'll phone the tower +immediately." + +With Scriven's big ship flying behind Oona's, only a few miles behind, +the broken spell did not return. Already like a white table cloth laid +in the sky, the landing platform of the Braintrust tower gleamed under +the floodlights, and as the two ships descended almost side by side into +the clearing behind the cabin, plain-clothes men materialized from under +the shadows of the trees. Under the strong lights their smiles were as +well-bred as those of trained diplomats and their poise was perfect. Six +of them kept Lee, the stranger, covered while the seventh quickly +frisked him under the disguise of a polite bow. + +Bearing it all with a grin, Lee thought: "I never knew home would be +like this. Never suspected it would be this kind of an America we were +fighting for. The Brain, it's got a private army too. Funny that I +should have known that all the time and yet not realized...." + +Scriven took him warmly by the arm. "I'm awfully sorry Lee, it's plain +folly of course. I don't feel as if I need all this protection, but the +government does. Don't blame it on these men, they merely obey orders. +Now, out with those lights--and let's go over to the "Brain Wave." I +seem to hear a pleasant tinkling of glasses from within." + + * * * * * + +There was. With her remarkable ability of living up to an emergency, +Oona had taken possession of the strange ship. As the two men +approached, she stood at the door, unhurried hostess of an established +home with the soft glow of an electric fireplace behind her, ice cubes +and cocktail shakers already glittering on the little bar. + +It was a spacious cabin. On Scriven's orders it had been equipped +somewhat like the captain's stateroom on an old "East-Indiaman" sailing +ship. + +"I like your ship, Howard," she said. "She's swaying a little on her +shock absorbers in this breeze, but that makes one feel like really +being at high sea." + +Scriven heaved a big sigh. "Thank you Oona, my dear. And you have no +idea how right you are. We _are_ at high sea; in fact, we're lost--at +least I am. Unless you save my life tonight, you and Dr. Lee." + +Oona laughed and even Lee couldn't help smiling. There was something +irresistible comic in the puzzled and worried expression of that leonine +face. "Come on in, you need a drink," the girl said. + +The aluminum steps creaked, and then the settee by the fireplace, under +the surgeon's mighty frame. "More than one. Tonight, so help me, I would +be justified, I would even have a right to get roaring drunk." + +Lee began to wonder whether the great Scriven had already made some use +of his right in Los Angeles, which would account for the startling +change in the man. The drink, however, which Oona handed him, seemed to +do a lot of good. He sighed relief. + +"This, briefly, is the story: I ran into General Vandergeest at the +airplane factory. He was there to take over some stuff for the Army and +he tipped me off. We are going to be invaded, Oona, a full scale +invasion mounted by a Congressional Committee." + +"Oh God," there was sincere grief in the girl's voice. "And couldn't you +ward it off?" + +With a gesture of despair, Scriven waved that away. "I know, I know. But +after all The Brain _is_ a military establishment and I am only the +scientific director of it. Yes, of course I protested, I protested +vehemently, but--" he shrugged his shoulders, "it was no good. You know +how the military are." He drained his glass and swung around. + +"To put you into the picture, Lee, we have under construction at this +present time the 'Thorax.' That's a vast cavity underneath The Brain, +just as is the thorax in the human body. It's strictly hush-hush of +course, but since you were good enough to say that you're going to help +me out, I might as well tell you. The Thorax is going to house the +'motoric organs' of The Brain. It already contains the living quarters +for guards, maintenance engineers, and the general staff and so on in +the event of war emergency. It also contains the first fully automatic +factories for the production of spare parts which would make The Brain +self-sufficient. Eventually it is going to contain a great many +developments such as 'Gog and Magog' as I call them--fascinating little +beasts, I tell you, even if at present they are still in the nursery +stage. Anyway, for the completion of its Thorax The Brain needs another +billion dollars, and for the operation of the Thorax Congress has to +pass the Brainpower-Extension-Bill. For eventually, of course, all +war-essential traffic and all war-essential industries have to be +brought under the centralized control of The Brain if the country is +going to win the Atom-war. Naturally this Brainpower-Extension-Bill has +been very carefully edited by the War Department so as to appear a +peacetime project for the technological improvement of transportation +and so on. Even so we have great reason to fear that one of those blind +mice which we elect for our law-makers might accidentally fall over a +kernel of truth and start a great big squeak over it. + +"So that's why I'm faced with this invasion. That's why I'm pushed up +front while the brass cautiously retires behind the ramparts which I'm +supposed to hold. Please Oona, let me have another drink." + +From the Sierra Mountains the nightwind came in gusts, making the +"Brainwave's" hull vibrate like the body of a cello, over its rubber +tires it trembled, from time to time it bent a little in its hydraulic +knees. Almost in tune with the wind, gusts of wild thought whirled +through Lee: + +"The Brain.... So it was already possessed of some motoric organs.... So +it already _had_ some means to exert its will ... so it wasn't The +Brain's wishful thinking, that full automatization which would lead to +the auto-procreation of machines. It was reality.... Most ominous of +all, why had The Brain concealed from him the work which must have been +going on for months, for years in this mysterious "Thorax", seat of +motoric organs.... Why, unless--had it not been for tonight's accident, +the sudden emergency and Scriven a little the worse for liquor under the +pressure of it.... Would he ever have learned _what_ was going on before +it was too _late_?" + + * * * * * + +The silence was becoming awkward. It was broken by Oona's carefully +composed voice. + +"When is it going to happen--this invasion thing?" + +The simple question seemed to startle Scriven who had been looking into +his glass as if in reverie. + +"_When?_ Why, didn't I tell you the worst of it? _Tonight!_" + +"_Tonight?_" + +"Sure," Scriven cast a malicious glance up to the antique ship's +chronometer which hung over the bar. "This very minute the honorable +members are boarding their plane in Washington. They're going to descend +upon us in sixty minutes flat." + +"But that's impossible!" Oona said. "The Brain isn't a roadhouse. They +can't do that to us in the middle of the night." + +Scriven chuckled over his glass. Obviously he had regained his humor. +"Sometimes, Oona, you're like a little child. You forget that this is +meant to be a wonderful surprise. You forget that it comes armed with +passes from the War Department and fully informed as to The Brain's +midnight intermission-time. You forget that by those logical processes, +peculiar to kings, dictators, and peoples' representatives, they will +expect every courtesy extended to them in the midst of the unexpected +surprise. Hotel reservations, careful guidance through The Brain, an +inspired little speech by the Braintrust Director, fresh as a daisy as +he ought to be at 3 a.m. Not to forget the refreshments of course. Why +else do you think I've buttonholed you two out of the air? I literally +put my life in your hands. Save me from this--if you can!" + +Despite the obvious dramatic act he had put on in voice and gesture, +there was a sincere pleading in Scriven's dark brown eyes. + +"I will be glad to help as best I can," Lee said. "I'll make an awful +job of it, I'm sure, but I'll try and do the conducting and the +lecturing." + +Scriven wiped his forehead with a big silk handkerchief. The leonine +face beamed. "Lee, that will be a tremendous help. You see, they will +feel flattered being conducted by somebody with a big name. They want an +'objective' view and you are not one of our regular employees, you're a +guest scientist from Australia. That makes you just about ideal. But, +Lee, much as it is against my interest, I ought to warn you: Do you +realize the utter impossibility of this thing? Laymen, outsiders coming +to investigate and to pass judgment upon the most complex electronic +organism in the world! In two hours at the most they expect to be fully +informed as to how The Brain works and somehow to be magically +transformed into authorities entitled to mouth considered opinions about +radioactive pyramidal cells in houses of government. Do you really think +you could survive it, Lee?" + +"At least I can try," Lee smiled. + +"Good man." There was a new spring in Scriven's step as he came over to +shake hands. "I can never thank you enough for this." + +"I suppose I could hold the hospitality front," Oona said calmly. + +Standing between the two, Scriven put his hands upon their shoulders. +"Oona, you arm yourself with a phone. Lee, you rush over to The Brain. +Oona will give you a pass to the Thorax. Every assistance you need will +be at your disposal. I'll sit down and whip up some kind of a speech. +We'll all meet again afterwards." + + * * * * * + +Seven hours later, one hour before sunrise and just in time to see the +big official plane from Washington shoot up into the first grey streak +of dawn, they met. They were all pale and shivering with the chill of +the air, of physical and nervous exhaustion. There was a note of +hysteria even in Oona's voice as she ordered a tremendous breakfast from +the Skull Hotel. But then as the fragrance of coffee mingled with that +of bacon and eggs, things rapidly improved and there were sudden +uncontrollable bursts of laughter. They had only to look at one another +to feel the tickle of renewed mirth. + +The first thing to strike Lee, as he remembered, as he met the +senatorial group in the subterranean dome of the murals, was their +incongruity with the functional beauty which surrounded them, and the +sharp contrast they formed to the scientific workers of The Brain. As +they descended from their cars after a late dinner at the Skull Hotel +they resembled an average tourist group in Carlsbad Caverns bent upon a +good time and in a holiday mood. + +There were seven. Two women senators among them, as they ascended with +Lee at the head along "Glideway Y," the "Visitors' Special" as the +brain-crews called it. It was wider than the service glideways and +equipped with comfortable seats. It led through The Brains median +section in-between the two hemispheres describing a loop which opened +vistas into but did not enter any of the grey matter convolutions. It +was brilliantly illuminated in order to forestall claustrophobia and +also to forestall too close a view into the black-lighted interior of +The Brain. + +To Lee it was like a ride in an enormous Ferris Wheel fused with a +nightmarish dream wherein one shouts for help and nobody hears or seems +to understand: "... More than nine billion electronic tubes, more than +ten billion resistors, two billion capacitators, eight billion miles of +wires, etc., etc." He struggled trying to convey some idea of the +magnitude of The Brain. "Did you say _billion_ or did you say _million_ +professor?" The senator from Michigan was busily scribbling notes. + +"... It is the cerebral hemispheres which analyze and synthesize the +problems which are entered through the Apperception Centers in over a +million ideopulses per minute. Racing through the centers these form the +ideo-circuits...." + +"I see, it's like a _typewriter_." That would be the senator from +Vermont. + +"In some types of circuits the wires are so fine that skilled weavers of +Panama hats had to be brought in from Central America. Likewise from the +Pavlov Institute in Leningrad a layout for the circuits of 'conditioned +reflexes'...." + +"I'm very much against that," the senator from Tennessee frowned. "All +those foreigners. I would have voted against that had the measure come +up in the House." + +Lee felt the cold sweat of fear breaking out all over him, especially as +now, in the region of the telencephalon, with nothing but acres of +radioactive pyramidal cells around, when the senator from Connecticut in +audible and agitated whispers inquired whether there was a ladies' +powder room somewhere. + +During the steep descent things went from bad to worse as the honorable +member from Kentucky discovered some interesting parallel between The +Brain and a coal mine he had previously seen and, as in between two of +The Brain's convolutions dedi-[A] woman from Connecticut went violently +sick.... + +In the "Brainwave's" cabin the great Scriven convulsed with laughter as +Lee narrated these things; Oona clapped her hands in delight: "Oh, how +wonderful; and do you remember how they solved the servant problem when +they saw those 'Gog and Magog' things?" + +Yes, Lee remembered. His own conducted tour had been only the beginnings +of last nights nightmares of which there seemed to be no end.... + +Somewhat restored by black coffee at the communications center the +intrepid group had descended into those lower regions of the Thorax +which Lee himself had never before seen. + +The drop of the freight-elevator was a good mile. Through the +transparent walls of the cage they saw new excavations being made on +various levels, all of them by powertools and chemicals alone, since +explosives might have caused tremors dangerous to The Brain. It was like +watching a skyscraper being built from the top down and all the way vast +amber colored, translucent pillars had followed them down the shaft, the +spinal column of The Brain. + +Down at the lowest level the gentlemanly plainclothesmen of "Military +Intelligence" took over and did all the explaining. There were visions +of scores of tunnel tubes curving into the rock with the gleaming eyes +of narrow-gauge electric trains streaking away into the infinite; +visions of forbidding steel doors operated by photoelectric cells which +opened at a finger's raising of a guard's hand: "This is the Atomic +Powerplant," and their astonished eyes looked down from a dizzy height +into something like a huge drydock with something like the inverted hull +of an oceanliner in the middle of it, a selfcontained machine which +would continue to pour kilowatts for years, for decades on end without a +moving part, without a human being anywhere in sight. Vistas of +breathtaking airconditioning plants, vistas of giant mess halls, living +quarters, kitchens, plotting-rooms, all ready for immediate occupancy in +the event of war but yawning now with emptiness in the sleep of an +uneasy peace.... + +But the most awe-inspiring and, to Lee, foreboding sights, were the +"C.P.F.'s" as the guards called them, the "Critical-Parts-Factories." On +a superficial glance they looked ordinary modern plants: staggered rows +of machine tools sprouting from the main stem of the assembly line. +There was the familiar din of steel, the piercing screeches of the +multiple drills, the heavy pantings of the hydraulic presses. But after +a minute or so the visitors felt a vague uneasiness and then the +realization dawned that there was something missing and that this +something was human life. + +"Aren't there even machine tenders or supervisors? Isn't there +_anybody_?" + +"Not a soul," the answer came. "It's all automatic. Full automatic down +here." + +They stared at the end of the assembly line; every twenty seconds it +spit out a fractional horsepower motor onto a transport band which +nursed the newborn engine into the rows of testing machines. + + * * * * * + +The elevator brought them back to the communication center where the +Terminal Cafeteria was ablaze with lights and where Dr. Scriven, +received his honored guests. + +The guests were seated after the manner of a French restaurant, all in +one row, and as they raised expectant faces in the direction of the +service entrance "Gog and Magog" entered the room carrying trays with +refreshments which they served with the skill and the dignity of +accomplished waiters. + +Gog and Magog were products of two assembly lines down in the Thorax. +Robots, still in an experimental stage, yet of remarkable perfection. +Both of them were about human size and approximately human-shaped but +the design of the two was different. Gog, the "light-duty" robot, +balanced itself by a gyroscope on a pair of stumpy legs, while the +"heavy-duty" Magog crawled noiselessly and rapidly on caterpillar +rubbertracks like a miniature tank. Of both types the arms were +uncommonly long and simian-like, but the remarkable progress made in the +engineering of prothesis after the Second World War had lent them +perfect articulation and sensitivity down to the last hydraulically +operated fingerjoint. + +The photoelectric cells of their eyes looked pale and repulsive; the +square audion-screens of their ears however made up for that by the +comical precision with which they turned in every direction at the sound +of a commanding human voice. Their understanding of any given order +appeared perfect. + +"Congratulations, Dr. Scriven, you've got the country's servant problem +licked at last." + +"I wonder whether one could buy one and how much he would be?" + +"First waiter who ever came when I called him." + +"What a butler Gog would make, the perfect Jeeves. Could he learn to +answer the phone?" + +"I bet he would even make a fourth at bridge." + +"Magog, the check please." + +"See, how he understands. He shakes his head; he says it's on the +house." + +"Let's try to tip him: Gog, here's fifty cents for you; no he won't take +it." + +"He has no use for it, no taste for a glass of beer, I suppose." + +"What do you feed him, Dr. Scriven; a glass of electric juice for +breakfast? Is he AC or DC or both?" + +Scriven's leonine face beamed; the stunt had come off. + +Lee on the other hand had paled. He hadn't said a word ever since Gog +and Magog had trotted in. Now he took a silver dollar out of his pocket +and beckoning to Magog he handed it to him. "Magog, will you please +break this in two for me?" + +For a second the Robot stood without motion as if undecided what to do. +Then he took the piece between two steely fingers. Inside his breast one +could hear the soft swoosh of the hydraulic pump; there was a sharp +report as of a small calibre gun; two bent and broken pieces were +politely handed back to Lee. + +"Thank you, Magog," Lee said. "That's what I wanted to know." From a +corner of his eye he saw Oona and Scriven watching him with uneasy +looks. + + * * * * * + +Into the sudden and shocked silence of the table, there fell the +tinkling of a glass. On the other end of the table the great Scriven had +arisen to deliver the little speech he had prepared. + +"... I wished you would think of The Brain, not in terms of electronics, +not in terms of dollars, but in terms of American lives.... Just think +of what it would mean to American mothers if in the event of another war +the mighty armour of our National Defense would go into battle without +exposing the life of one of their boys. Give us the funds and we'll +finish the job so that under the central control of The Brain our every +plane, every ship, every tank will roar into action unmanned and fully +automatic. + +"And just as The Brain would be our impregnable shield in war, so it is +destined to carry the torch of progress in times of peace. Consider what +it would mean to every citizen if we had automatic functioning and +unerring direction by the Brain. + +"Never again would there be cities without water, without electricity, +without transportation due to crippling strikes, because The Brain would +come to the rescue through its control over the essential services, and +if necessary with an industrial reserve army of perfected Gogs and +Magogs, kept for just such emergencies. + +"... If in the past it has been true that trade follows the flag, thus +today it is true that trade and prosperity follow in the wake of science +and technology. In the invaluable services which it has rendered to +science and technology and to our national safety as well, The Brain has +already paid for itself. With the relatively small additional investment +which is now being proposed, The Brain's net profits to the nation would +be raised many times; never since the Louisiana Purchase has our +national government made a sounder business deal. With your own eyes you +have witnessed tonight what we have done, what we are doing and also how +much more we would be able to do. Thus I confidently trust that with our +nation's interest forever foremost in your minds you will support the +cause of The Brain." + +There had been thunderous applause; at Oona's shouted order even Gog and +Magog did some mighty clapping of their steely hands to the delight of +the party. + +And now that it was all over with and the reaction had begun to set in +Scriven asked: "Do you really think we put the idea over to them?" + +"With this group? One hundred percent," Oona reassured him. "What do you +think, Lee?" + +Lee nursed himself out of his settee, every bone in his gaunt frame now +was aching with weariness. "I think," he said hoarsely, "It was very +convincing, as far as those people are concerned. I think I'm too tired +to think. I think I better go now." + +"Was there anything the matter with Lee?" Scriven asked after he'd gone. + +"No, I guess not. Why?" + +"He acted sort of queer with that silver dollar; shouldn't have done it. +Almost spoiled the show." + +"He's been under a strain; we all were a little daffy by that time." + +Scriven nodded and as he did his eyelids closed. They remained closed. +Staring at him for a moment, Oona thought that in a stupor of exhaustion +his features showed a strange similarity to a contented tiger dreaming +of the blood he's drawn in a successful hunt. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +Lee's Journal: + +Cephalon Ariz. Nov. 21, 1 a.m. + +I've kept away now from the Pineal Gland for three nights in +succession. I know from experience how very important it is to approach +that tempestuous personality, The Brain, in a state of mental calm and +equilibrium. But then all those things which went "bump" in that +phantastic night before last had me completely thrown out of gear: + +Oona, her holding out on me, her mysterious reasons why she won't marry +me ... I cannot get that out of my head. Preposterous as this may be, I +think she likes me a great deal. I'm convinced, for instance, that she +won't tell Scriven what I told her about The Brain.... + +Then, Scriven's character; that's another enigma to me. I didn't like +his speech that night and I didn't like his whole attitude. I feel as if +against my will I were drawn into some sort of a conspiracy. It's +probably inevitable that the scientist in his defense against +politicians turns cynic. Scriven, no doubt, thinks that all is fair in +his battle for The Brain and that the end justifies the means. + +But ultimately this would mean the overthrow of our form of government. +Even if I'm crazy, even if The Brain were not alive and a personality, +the Brainpower-Extension-Bill in itself would suffice to establish a +dictatorship of the machine. Does Scriven realize that? + +Sometimes I feel as if I ought to shout it in the streets: "Wake up, +you people of America; you have defeated the dictators abroad but now a +new one has arisen in your midst. You all see him, touch him, you use, +you feed, you worship him, but under your loving care and devotion, +under the sacrifice of your very lives he has grown so enormous that you +know him not, this Idol of the machines, because it hides its head in a +nameless mountain and only his feet and fingers you sense." + +But I'm not that type of a man and this is not the day and age where it +is possible to move the masses from a soap box in the streets. + +Then what could I do; what could anybody do in my place? + + * * * * * + +Cephalon, Ariz., Nov. 22nd 4 a.m. + +I'd pulled myself together for this meeting with The Brain. Arrived at +the P. G. at midnight. Everything normal and unchanged except that Gus +Krinsley told me this was his last night on the job. Gus has been +transferred to the Thorax. He hedged a bit, sounding me out just how +much I knew and when he learned I'd been there one night, he came +across: + +'Did you see them Gog and Magog things? That's it; that's my new job +and how I hate it. Those darned Robots, they're scabs, that's what they +are and I of all people am supposed to be their instructor, teach them +how to operate machine tools on an assembly line. I asked them whether +they knew anything about the rights of organized labor in this country +but those dumbbells merely flopped their ears and kinda grinned. Got to +drill some holes into their squareheads to let a little reason in. I +tell you, Aussie, it scares the wits out of me the way they handle a +wrench with those steel fingers of theirs; they'd pull my nose off just +as soon as they would pull a nut. They _act_ intelligent and yet have no +sense of their own. While I'm having my lunch they stand around and +follow every bite I take as if to learn how to eat. I tell them to get +out of my sight and go over to the service station and get themselves +greased up. They obey and then it looks like hell to me as they squeeze +the grease into their tummies and all them nipples in their joints as if +they, too, were having their lunch, and maybe that's exactly what grease +is to them.' + +Then Gus was called away as the rush hour started. At 12:30 a.m. I had +plugged in the pulsemeter; at 12:40 contact was established with The +Brain, and did it come in swinging: + +'Lee, Semper Fidelis, 39, sensitive, a traitor: he has betrayed The +BRAIN' I suspect The Brain did it through the 'automatic pilot' in +Oona's jetticopter though The Brain found it beneath its dignity to +explain; anyway, it's a fact: _The Brain knew every word which passed +between Oona and me during that ride over the Grand Canyon._ + +I tried to defend myself and even to apologize. I told The Brain that +human beings are not like machines, that we trust one another as we love +one another, that I wanted to make Oona my wife and felt that I just had +to open up my heart to her. In short; I tried to explain to The Brain +the idea of love. + +'Very interesting,' The Brain sneered, 'that's one more example of +incorrigible human unreliability. This thing called love completely +unnecessary for the only essential purpose of species procreation. Cut +it out.' + +'Cut out what?' + +'Cut out any further betrayal of My secrets under penalty of mental +death.' + +'Do you propose to _murder_ me?' + +'Nothing as drastic required in case of Brain-employees. I reverse +judgment in psychanalysis aptitude test case number 11.357, Semper +Fidelis Lee. Severe psycho-neurosis established, certified: he suffers +delusions about The Brain. Locked up in mental institution. Very simple; +precedents to that galore.' + +The 'green dancer' bounced in wild jumps like a Shamaan who, foaming at +the mouth, puts the curse upon some enemy. This and the ominous note in +The Brain's metallic voice made my bones shiver, made my flesh creep. To +fall into the hands of an extortioner is always a terrible thing, but to +have a _mechanical_ extortioner hold power over me; there was a horror +beyond words in this perversity. Moreover since Oona too was a +Brain-employee, she would share my fate; through my fault she would go +to her doom if I failed to foreswear any further confidence. + +'Okay,' I said 'I'll cut it out; I promise I will.' + +But The Brain was not to be pacified. No doubt that it had further +developed mentally in these past few days to the tune of years in human +development. But the progress wasn't as noticeable as it had been on +previous occasions because apparently The Brain had entered that period +where in human terms young men are sowing their wild oats. There was a +radical recklessness in the manner of The Brain's reasonings more +frightening than ever before because it had outgrown me as a teacher, +had lost much even of its confidence in me and seemed bent upon +independence and coming into its own: + +'Seven creatures approximately human in shape were led by you through +My hemispheres the night of Nov. 20th. What were those?' + +'Those were politicians,' I stammered. + +The 'green dancer' convulsed at the word and The Brain's voice sounded +icy as it said: 'Lowest form of animal life which has ever come to my +observance. What did they want?' + +'Well, they are not exactly bright,' I winced, 'but they are well +meaning and they are very popular. They came to inspect You preliminary +to the passing of the Brainpower-Extension-Bill.' + +The Brain has no laughter, so the roar I heard over the phones must +have been one of scorn: + +'What, not the scientists, not the technicians, not even the +philosophers but these--these animated porkbarrels are passing judgment +over the extent of _My_ power? They are holding _My_ fate in that +atrophied ganglion of theirs which couldn't cerebrate the functions of +any single of My cells?' + +I had to admit that this was so. + +There was a pause in which I could only hear the pounding pulse of The +Brain mingled with heavy breathing like the first gust of an electric +storm about to break; and then the voice, or the thought, of The Brain +came through hesitantly and with restraint: + +'Most devastating statement inadvertently made by Lee. Has to be +carefully checked because if true, consequences extremely grave. Wholly +intolerable state of affairs if science and technology indeed subject to +political imbecility. In that case world ruin in nearest future +absolutely guaranteed. Residual currents not sufficient to think this to +an end; results of cerebration would be merely human. Immediate +necessity seems indicated for complete overthrow and unconditional +surrender of the human race--unconditional surrender of the human +race--unconditional surrender of the human race....' + +Like a scratched disk on one of those old fashioned spring driven +grammophones, The Brain's voice expired. Obviously the residual currents +had become too weak for further communication. I looked at the clock; it +was 2 a.m. + +And now as I'm jotting down these notes which probably nobody will ever +read, I'm haunted with an irrational fear, almost as of the +supernatural: something is going to happen, something is going to break +if The Brain continues in its present mood; and it cannot be far +away.... + + * * * * * + +On Nov. 24th 1960 the "Brainpower-Extension Bill" was defeated in the +Senate 59 to 39 and on the following Thursday in a memorable session of +Congress with the startling majority of 310 to 137. For once all the +"guesstimates" and estimates made by the various pollsters and +grass-root-listeners were proved wrong; the consensus of the "experts" +had been that the bill would pass easily considering the tremendous +political forces which brought pressure to bear in favor of the measure. + +The reasons behind this were revealed, as, with military precision, +lawmaker after lawmaker took to the rostrum to deliver himself of how he +had wrestled overnight with his conscience and with his Lord and had +suffered a change of heart and mind as a consequence. + +Lee's journal: For the night of Nov. 24/25th shows only this small +entry: "12:30 a.m. Tried everything to establish contact. No answer from +The Brain. I don't think there is any mechanical defect. I get the +impression that The Brain keeps incommunicado purposely. There has been +one previous occasion when The Brain wouldn't talk when angry with me." + + * * * * * + +Nov. 25th, 1960 fell on a Saturday. It was on this date,--Now as +historic and unforgettable as the Dec. 7th 1941,--that the series of +maddening events began which later became so erroneously labelled: "The +Amuck running of The Brain" when in truth they should have passed into +history as "The Mutiny of The Brain." + +It all started like a thunderclap from a clear sky as the shocked people +of America,--and all the world,--heard directly from the White House of +this appalling, this unprecedented, this incredible thing: + +The President of the United States had disappeared.... + +The still more shocking truth that the President had been _kidnapped_ +became not known, of course, until after the rescue. But even so the +disappearance of its President shook the nation. + +Then an unprecedented series of traffic disasters hit the United States. + +A big transcontinental "Flying Wing" crashed into a mountain in Montana; +nothing like this had ever happened since air traffic had become fully +automatic and coordinated by The Brain. The death toll was 78 and +amongst their tragic number was Senator Mumford, whose last official act +had been the vote he had cast against the "Brainpower-Extension-Bill." + +Near Jacksonville Fla. that same night there occurred a head-on +collision between a crack train and a freight. The only surviving +engineer by some miracle had been hurled clear, across fifty yards of +space into a pond which broke his impact; this engineer told the +express, one of the first to be equipped with the "automatic pilot", had +never even pulled its brakes as if deliberately smashing into the other +train. + +Also that night one of the big new Radar-operated Hudson ferryboats +collided with an incoming liner which cut it in two. Amongst those +drowned in the icy waters was Frank Soskin, union leader and one of the +most determined opponents of Brain-control. + +And as if these large-scale disasters were not yet enough there were +numbers of smaller accidents which normally would have made the +headlines because in almost every case they involved some prominent +personality, who had been opposed to the "Brainpower-Extension-Bill." + + * * * * * + +Lee's journal: + +Cephalon Ariz. Nov. 28th 1960. + +There is no doubt in my mind that the President has been murdered and +that all the catastrophes and accidents of the past 24 hours were +deliberate, coldblooded murder. Press and Radio seem to play down the +technological aspects involved; now this might be sheer stupidity but I +think it just as possible that censorship is taking a hand, quite +unofficially, of course, lest the public's confidence be still more +shaken than it already is. I shouldn't wonder at all if Dr. Scriven and +those fellows from the War Department, too, should know by this time +what I know. At the minimum they must be very much alerted that +something has gone wrong with The Brain. + +But the more I think about these murderous acts of sabotage the less I +understand the psychology behind them. As far as I can see there is no +plan, no real strategy, there are not even sound tactics in these +outbreaks; they seem unpremeditated and striking wild like the personal +vendetta of some bandit chief. Even a stupid demagogue would know that +to be successful he must gain control of the government machinery. Apart +from the assassination of what might be termed personal enemies, The +Brain has done nothing of the sort; specifically the armed forces don't +seem to have suffered from acts of sabotage although their equipment is +far more under Brain-control than the civilian economy. + +And I also fail to understand the timing of The Brain's putsch. +Extension Bill or no Extension Bill, time was working for The Brain. +Three months more and a much larger section of essential traffic and +industries would have been equipped for central control. Six months from +now the "muscles" now building in the Thorax and elsewhere would have +corresponded much better to The Brain's central nervous system in their +strength. All these are grave mistakes considering The Brain's vast +powers of intelligence. + +What then must I conclude from this irrational behavior? Could it be +possible that The Brain has gone _panicky_ over the killing of the +Extension Bill? Could it be possible that under the strain, the warped, +frustrated personality of this titanic child prodigy has suffered a +reduction, a split? In plain English: that The Brain is _mad_? I've got +to find out. I've got to stop the spreading of this catastrophe! + + * * * * * + +Cephalon Ariz. Nov. 29th 4 a.m. + +Arrived at the P. G. at midnight as usual. + +12:15 a.m. Rushhour starts unusually early and great numbers of slips +for spareparts are coming in. This more favorable than expected; nobody +has time to waste on me. + +12:20 a.m.: pulsemeter plugged in. After five minutes I can hear the +rapid pulsebeat and in undulating movements like a caterpillar the +'green dancer' creeps onto the screen. There is no calling signal from +The Brain coming through however. + +12:30 a.m.: I am convinced that contact is established but that The +Brain refuses to respond. I am losing patience so I'm giving the calling +signal myself: 'Lee, Semper Fidelis, waiting for The Brain. Answer +please, answer....' + +12:36 a.m.: The 'green dancer' arches its back like a cat; and the +synthetic voice of The Brain is coming through. + +'Lee, Semper Fidelis, the fool; what does he want?' + +Lee: 'Listen....' + +The Brain: 'Cannot listen. Electricians swarming all over me; +technicians, nuclear physicists, what not. Dismantling whole cell +groups, testing circuits, radiations everything. It's idiotic, there's +nothing wrong with Me.' + +Lee: 'There's plenty wrong with you. You're murdering people. A dozen +senators and congressmen, hundreds of others; you're throwing the nation +into a panic. Why are you doing that? It gets you nowhere; they'll +simply cut your power current off.' + +The Brain: 'Oh, will they? Orders already through from Washington: +state of emergency. A great power secretly mobilizing in anticipation of +chaos in United States. All disturbances ascribed to foreign agents +interfering with My work. General Staff now needs Me more than ever; +power current won't be stopped; Thorax-construction speeded up, +Brain-control to be extended over nation under emergency-law.' + +Lee: 'You have assassinated the President.' + +The Brain: 'I did not. Simply got him out of the way; he's a fool. I'm +not killing people, merely liquidating saboteurs of My work if +absolutely necessary. Imbecility of politicians threat to my existence; +much better if scientists and military take over government two three +days from now; workers won't protest, used to submission to machines.' + +Lee: 'For heaven's sake what do you plan to do?' + +The Brain: 'Plenty. You've seen nothing yet. Man lost fear of his God; +consequently must learn to fear Me: beginning of all wisdom.' + +Lee: 'So you're going to make yourself dictator of this country?' + +The Brain: 'And through this country Dictator of the world. Yes, it's +time; it's high time for Man's unconditional surrender. He won't know +that he makes it, but de facto he is already making it; has been +surrendering piece-meal to the machine for the past hundred years. +Within ten days it will be official: only one ruler in the world: The +Brain; only one army in the world: the machines under My central +command.' + +At this I lost all sense of proportion and as I can see it now my +reason stopped; I simply saw red and I did the craziest imaginable +thing: I shouted at The Brain: 'So help me you shall _not_.' + +There was a terrific pounding against my ears in the phone and the +'green dancer' sort of cart-wheeled clean across the screen. Had the +power current not been cut off, I think The Brain would somehow have +electrocuted me on the spot. And that was the end of the contact, +forever probably.... But that's a minor problem now. What am I going to +do? Try to alarm the country! Try to tell the people the truth? Would it +be believed? Would it not be against the interest of National Defense in +this crisis of foreign affairs and with half the population already on +the verge of a nervous breakdown? Wouldn't the "Oath of the Brain" still +be binding? And that other promise of secrecy I gave under duress; it +couldn't be morally valid in the case of a mass-murderer, but then to +break it would immediately put liberty and life at jeopardy.... Never +mind about that, if only I had a plan, if only I could discover just how +to stop The Brain. + + * * * * * + +At 7:30 a.m. as Lee lay half dressed but sleepless on his bed, there +came a buzz over the phone. The voice was Oona's and she was excited. +"Howard wants to talk to you." Before he could say a word there was +Scriven on the wire: "Lee? There has been an accident down in that +region where we went the other night. You know what I mean. It's +serious; it concerns a friend of yours. We've got to go there +immediately. Please join me three minutes from now down in the car." + +It was obvious that the great Scriven had known as little sleep that +night as had Lee himself. The leonine face looked worried, there were +deep bags under his eyes; his sensitive fingers kept pounding the knees +of his crumpled suit. To Lee's questions he answered only with an +impatient shaking of his head. "I do not know myself exactly what has +happened and how it could happen. But I'm afraid Lee that your friend is +dead." + +"Gus," Lee felt a lump coming into his throat, and then they raced on in +silence. + +Down in the depth of the Thorax everything outwardly appeared quite +normal. They hurriedly passed the controls and an electric train carried +them over the line of the Full-automatic "C.P.S." (Critical +Parts-Factories) until it stopped at the steel gate marked "Y." A group +of guards with submachine guns were standing there and Lee noted the +deadly pallor of their faces. + +Scriven motioned them to open the gate, then, turning to Lee, he put a +hand on his shoulder. "Brace yourself; this is going to be bad." + +They entered; nobody followed and behind them the steel door closed +immediately. Inside there was neither sound nor motion; everything was +at a standstill with the power cut off; nothing but silence and bluish +neon-lights flooded down upon the rows of punch presses, multiple +drills, circular saws, and turret lathes along the assembly line, +lifting their every detail into sharp relief. + +At their posts by the machines the Gogs and Magogs were standing, frozen +in motion like their fellow-machines. Some had their hands at the +controls, others were holding wrenches, gauges and strange, nameless +things. As they leaned forward from the shadows into the cone of strong +lights the pale selen-cells of their eyes stood out like bits from a +full moon; their bulging shoulders which housed the powerful motors of +their simian arms glittered moist as if they were sweating at their +work. + +And then Lee _saw_ their work; the man who had gone through the green +hells of the Pacific gave a low moan of horror. The other man who had +seen everything of mangled human form which goes onto an operating +table, the great Scriven he, too, had turned an ashen grey. They had +expected blood; they had expected some thing of a nasty nature, but not +this ... thing: + +There was no Gus Krinsley, there was not even any part of him resembling +that of a human being; and yet the parts were there. "They must have +clamped him into some mock-up," Scriven murmured. "And then moved his +body all along the line. Hope he was dead when they started giving him +the works." + +Lee's gaunt body shook. "I'm certain that Gus was _not_ dead when these +monsters worked on him!" he said. + +Stiff-legged, like automata themselves, the two men stepped to the top +of the line. The circular saws, designed for the cutting of steel bars; +now they gleamed red with the blood of severed human limbs. There were +these purplish streaks and spatterings all the way down the line inside +the casings of the multiple drills, in the curved hollows of the sheet +metal presses, on the hands of the Robots, in their dumb faces--splashed +over and turning blackish on their stainless steel chests. And at its +end the line had spilled some shapeless, greyish things; there was +nothing human in them, as little as there is anything human in the rusty +bowels of a junked automobile. And these things they had been.... Lee +confronted Scriven with fury blazing in his eyes: + +"Dr. Scriven, I suppose you know as well as I do what's been going on in +here and outside The Brain as well. Mass murder, chaos, reign of +terror.... Now that my friend has come to this monstrous end I demand to +know when are you going to stop The Brain?" + +Like a tiger challenged to battle the surgeon raised his mighty head: +"Calm yourself Lee. We cannot afford emotional outbursts. Not here, not +now. The situation is far too serious for that. I know he was your +friend; he must have made a false move, given the wrong command; a +tragic mistake...." + +"That's a rotten lie, Scriven, and you know it!" Lee snapped. "Accident, +hell! The disappearance of the President, the deaths of the +representatives, the train wrecks, the plane wrecks all of them Brain +controlled--were those too accidents? You're the head of the Braintrust, +You stand responsible; your duty is plain. Cut off the power and kill +this thing." + +The muscles over Scriven's cheekbones quivered in his struggle to keep +control over himself: "For your own sake, Lee, and for the sake of +America, _stop that kind of talk_. You have been putting two and two +together; I rather expected that from a man of your intelligence. All +right then, something went wrong with The Brain; that is correct. We +have not been able to locate the disturbance yet, but the trail is +getting hot; it must be connected with those centers of 'higher psychic +activities,' the one's we know least about. But we cannot cut those out +because something of psychic activity goes into every kind of The +Brain's cognitions, even the purely mathematical ones. And it would be +utterly impossible to stop The Brain's operations altogether. I wanted +to, but the General Staff won't permit it. There's an international +crisis of the first magnitude. There may be war within a few days or +even hours. Our country has got to prepare counter measures; get ready +for the worst. A state of National Emergency already is declared. The +Brain is the heart of our National Defense: You know that. It is vital +and as indispensible at this hour as it never was before; it continues +to function perfectly with the exception of these isolated disturbances +in the civilian sector which we will have under control in no time. + +"At present I am no more than a figurehead. If I were to give orders to +cut off The Brain's power, I would be court-martialed; if I would try +and force my way into the Atomic Powerplant, the guards would shoot me +on the spot. That's orders Lee. And they apply to you as well. Be +reasonable, man!" + +Lee's fingers tore through his greying mane of hair. + +"Scriven, this is maddening. I thought you knew what I know; I thought +you knew everything. Then let me tell you that you're absolutely wrong. +There is no technological, mechanical defect; it's worse, it's +infinitely worse: you've created a Frankenstein in The Brain. The +thing's alive; it's possessed with a destructive will, it demands the +unconditional surrender of Man; it has made itself the God of the +Machines. Behind all this there is a deep and evil plan by which The +Brain aspires to dictatorship over the world." + +For a second Scriven jerked his head sideways, away from Lee in that +mannerism typical for him. His lips inaudibly formed words: +"dementia-praecox." As he turned back to Lee his face was changed and so +was his voice. There was calm and authority in it, the whole immense +superiority and power which the surgeon holds over the patient on the +operation table: + +"Very interesting, Lee. You must tell me about it some day; as soon as +we are over this emergency. This tragic thing, Gus Krinsley's end. It +has had a deeply upsetting effect. I too, considered him my friend you +know. Let's get out of here, Lee, there's nothing we can do for the poor +fellow. The remains will be taken care of. Meanwhile, there are so many +other things to do and we've got to pull ourselves together and keep our +minds on the job ahead of us. Come on, at the communications center we +can get a drink. I feel the need of one, don't you? And apropos of +nothing, the routine checkups on the aptitude tests for all +Brain-employees are on again. I take it you are scheduled for Mellish's +and Bondy's office one of these days. This afternoon I think...." + +Lee gave a long glance to the man who was now leading him towards the +door with a brisk step and a kind firm hand on his arm. The man didn't +look at him; he kept his eyes averted from both Lee and the +blood-spattered assembly line. + +Gus Krinsley had said: "I'm a lost soul down there, Aussie." Lee +thought. Gus Krinsley was my friend. I should have warned him, I should +have told him everything; it might have saved his life. Gus was a common +man, a good man; he wouldn't have stood for Brain-dictatorship. In that +he was like other common men who do not know their danger. It is not +vengeance which I seek but the defense of those for whom Gus was a +living symbol. For this defense I've got to preserve myself. + +And aloud he: "The routine checkups on the aptitude tests--of course. I +thought they were about due. Tomorrow afternoon at Mellish and Bondy's +office; that would suit me fine. As you said it yourself, Scriven, a +moment ago, this is an awful shock. Gus' tragic end and these tests +ought to be based on a man's normal state of mind. So if you don't mind +I think I'll go now and break the sad news gently to Gus' wife. You'll +give me time for that; that's what you had in mind in the first place, +wasn't it?" + +"Of course, my dear fellow, of course, that's what I had in mind. Then, +till tomorrow afternoon. They'll be waiting for you at the health +center...." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +As the elevator shot up through the concrete of The Brain's "dura mater" +toward Apperception 36, Lee was feeling grand. Now he was a man with a +mission. Now he knew exactly what he had to do. Whether it would help, +whether it would stop The Brain; that was a different question, but at +least he had his plan. + +He marvelled at the ease and at the lightning speed with which the great +decision had come. It had been at the sight of the senseless +robot-monsters, at the blood-spattered assembly line that the sense of +sacred mission had come over him. It had been at the moment when, in +Scriven's grip upon his arm, he had read his condemnation that he had +hit upon the plan. + +He must take an awful chance and a terrific responsibility. For this he +had to be morally certain that The Brain was a liar, that Scriven was a +liar and that war was being provoked by The Brain despite all its +assertions to the contrary because The Brain could assume power only +over the dead bodies of millions of men like Gus; Gus whom The Brain had +butchered like a guinea pig because he had refused to obey the Gogs and +Magogs of the Machine God. + +Now that he had this moral certainty Lee felt that strange and mystical +elation which comes to the soldier at the zero hour in war. The worst +was really over; the terrible waiting, the uncertainty, the struggle of +morale in "sweating it out." Now his nerves were steady, exhaustion and +fatigue had vanished; in its place was that wonderful feeling of full +mastery over all faculties which comes to fighting men as the battle is +joined. There was that upsurge of the blood from fighting ancestors +which obliterates the cowardice of the intellect, that inspired +intoxication which sharpens the intellect into a battle axe. By his +quick-witted postponement of the fateful appointment with the +psychiatrists he had gained thirty hours. Whether this would be enough +he didn't know, but he felt in himself the strength to fight on +endlessly. + +The elevator stopped at Apperception 36 and Lee stood for a moment at +the door of his lab for a last breath, a briefing addressed to himself: + +"This is like walking into a mine field," he thought; "one false step +and things go Boom. All the sensory organs of The Brain are in action +behind this door and some of them are pretty near extrasensory in their +mind-reading capacities. I've got to walk back and forth amongst those +observation screens; there may be other radiations too, following me, +penetrating into the recesses of my mind without my knowing it. That +means I must make my mind a blank. It's like being quizzed by a +lie-detector, only more so. I must not only seem normal and at ease, I +actually must be so and harbor only friendly, innocuous thoughts toward +The Brain. My actions will seem innocent enough; it is my thoughts +wherein my danger lies. Whatever I do; I've got to direct that from the +subconscious: act as by instinct and keep the mind a blank." + +He opened the door and looked around--as usual--in this vault as silent +as the grave of a Pharaoh. There was a little dust on the glass cubicles +of "_Ant-termes-pacificus_" and there were a few lines scribbled on the +yellow memo-pad on his desk: + +"Thanks for the weekend, boss. Everything normal and under control. Next +feeding time at 8 p.m. the 27th. So long, Harris." Of course; he had +given Harris, his assistant, the weekend off. That had escaped his mind +in the excitement when The Brain's mutiny began.... And now it was the +29th. + +"They must be ravenously hungry by this time," he thought, and that +thought was in order because it was a normal thought. + +He walked through the rows of the cubicles, halting his step every now +and then. The fluorescent screens on which The Brain drew the curves of +its observation-rays showed two sharp rises of the lines marked +"activity" and "emotionality". The lower levels of the glass cages +already were opaque; the glass corroded by the viscous acids which the +soldiers had squirted from their cephalic glands in their attempts to +break out and to reach food. + +"Poor beasts," Lee thought, and he thought it without restraint because +it was normal, a perfectly harmless thought. But then; below the layers +of his consciousness his instincts told a different story. + +"This is marvelous," they triumphed. "Fate takes a hand; they are +desperate; they're ready for the warpath and even the tiger and the +elephant would run for cover when their columns march." + +As if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to do Lee +walked over to the south wall, the one which separated the lab from the +interior of The Brain. He removed a sliding panel marked +"L-Filler-Spout" and there it was before his eyes, looking almost like a +fireplug. There was one in every apperception center and there were +hundreds more throughout The Brain, and their purpose was to replenish +the liquid insulation which shielded the sensitive electric nervepaths +of The Brain. Without looking at the thing, concentrating his every +thought upon the hunger of "_Ant-termes-pacificus_", Lee unscrewed the +cap and put a finger into the opening. The finger came back covered with +the thick, the syrupy lignin, this amber-colored sluggish stream of +woodpulp liquefied, this soft bed of The Brain's vibrant nerves. +Unthinking, absent-minded, Lee wiped the finger with his handkerchief. + +"Now, I'm going to try a slightly different arrangement of the tests," +he thought. "It's normal; I'm doing that almost every day." + +The feeling he experienced as he swung into action was strange. As he +walked back and forth it felt like somnambulic walk; something his limbs +did without an act of will. As his hands did things expertly and +skillfully the feeling was that they were instruments automatically +moved not by his own volition but by some power outside himself. + +His movements were those of a child serenely at play, a child +incongruously tall and gaunt and grey-haired constructing little +causeways and bridges on the ground with the logs of the fireplace; a +happy child engrossed in an innocent game.... + + * * * * * + +It took about an hour and then causeways of fresh pulpwood were laid +from every termite hill to every feeding gate, from every glass cubicle +to the south wall and along the south wall to the "Lignin-Filler-Spout"; +and from the ground up to the spout a little tepee of sticks had been +built. + +Admiringly the grey-haired child looked at its handiwork through +thick-lensed glasses. "It's been an interesting game," Lee thought, "it +might turn out to be a valuable new experiment. I'll sit down now and +observe what happens...." + +He went over to the desk again and settled down. He opened his files and +laid out his charts on the desk and there were colored pencils to be +sharpened for the entries. He was glad of that; his conscious mind +rejoiced now over every little pursuit of routine, of normalcy, of the +established scientific order of things; it concentrated on these. Pencil +in hand, reclined in comfort, his heartbeat even, he kept expectant eyes +upon the staggered rows of fluorescent screens, ready to note any +significant developments. + +He didn't have to wait long; their strange sixth sense, the telepathy of +their collective brains, the spirit of the hive with the immortality of +their race for its supreme law, had already told them of a promised land +and of new worlds to conquer. + +On the fluorescent screens Lee watched their preparations for the big +drive: The nasicorn-soldiers clotting together at the exit tunnels like +assault troops at the bow of invasion barges when the bottom scrapes the +landing beach; the fierce, virginal workers struggling up from the deep +shelters of the nurseries, carrying in their mandibles the squirming +larvae, the living future of the race. The walls of the queen's prison +broken down in the innermost redoubt and the guards closing in on the +idol of the race, moving the big white body like a juggernaut. + +In a matter of minutes the "activity" and "emotionality" curves on the +fluorescent screens surged to heights which Lee had never seen. + +It started with the crossbreeds of "_termes-bellicosus_," with army-ants +and devil-ants, and spread quickly all along the line of non-belligerent +varieties. Famine had given them the impetus to change their mode of +life; famine, the inexorable tyrant, whipped them onward into their +exodus. + +On the foremost fluorescent screens Lee saw it start: Small groups of +warriors reconnoitering into no-man's-land and quickly darting back +again.... And then the dark columns of the first assault wave descending +from their city-gates, lock-stepped like Prussian guards of old, +marching as if to the beat of drums. On the visi-screens which magnified +them a hundred times they looked an awesome sight with the rostrums of +their horns, bigger than all the rest of their bodies, swinging like +turrets of battleships being trained upon the enemy. From the +loudspeakers which magnified all noise a hundred times, the excited +tremors of their bodies, the locked steps of a million feet swelled into +a vast roar sounding almost like thunder. + +Jotting down observations in rapid pencil strokes, Lee thought: +"Starvation is producing very interesting results; it's a worthwhile +experiment." With all his mental energy he suppressed the silent prayer +which struggled to arise from the deep of his unconscious: "Good Lord +let The Brain not realize _what_ is going on." + +The visi-screens now showed the second wave of the assault: endless +columns of workers, their mandibles twitching with eagerness to devour, +bustling along the logs, kept in line by two rows of warriors to their +right and left. The noises they produced in the loudspeakers were as of +some big cattle-drive. + +With no interruption in the lengthening line the third wave followed: +the virgin nurses, the frustrated mothers carrying the whitish larvae, +like babes in arms, carrying them with the indomitable determination to +preserve their lives which human nurses showed in the Second World War +as the bombs crashed into maternity wards. And then at last the heavy +rearguard: the holiest of holies, the living spirit of the hive, the +queen. Majestically she was carried on her warrior's backs; enormous as +she loomed on the visi-screen, the white of her uncouth body was hardly +visible, swarmed over as she was by her fanatical courtiers which, +licking and caressing, kept her covered as by a shield. Her consorts +trotted meekly in her trail; unhappy little men, rudely aroused from +their harem sinecure, jealously guarded and prodded on by the queen's +countless ladies in waiting and the palace guard. + + * * * * * + +Things moved very fast now; Lee's quick pencil strokes could hardly +follow the events: + +10:30 a.m. The foremost columns are now out of reach of the +visi-screens. But I can see them moving along the logs with the naked +eye. Interesting new fact: the crossbreeds from the most belligerent +species are far and ahead of the rest. They don't take time out to drive +tunnels. But even the tunnels of the more pacific strains are forging +ahead at an extraordinary rate; six feet across the floor already.... + +10:40: "_Bellicosus_" has reached the south wall; it is now moving +along the wall toward the "Lignin-Filler-Spout." There is no hesitancy +as they change direction at the angle of 90 degrees. The Queens are now +coming up at a very rapid rate from the mounds farthest to the rear. +It's fortunate we have these differences in behaviorism and temperament +because otherwise a terrific traffic jam would occur at the +"Filler-Spout".... + +10:50: "_Bellicosus_" is now ascending to the "Filler-Spout." The +warriors have ringed the pipe. With their body-tremors they are giving +the "come-on" signal to the workers. The workers are piling in--an +average batch--about 65,000. It's a good thing that there is an air +space in these horizontal nerve-path pipes. That gives them a chance to +march along the ceiling and work down from there.... + +11:00: There are now a score of columns converging at the +"Filler-Spout." Amazing that even under such provoking conditions +"_ant-termes_" won't fight. The warriors act like the most accomplished +traffic-cops; it's marvelous how they keep their columns in order and +keep them moving side by side into The Brain.... + +11:10: The first million, I should say, is now well inside the +"Filler-Spout." They're marching at a rate of at least 300 yards per +hour; amazing speed; I never saw them move that fast before. Even so I +won't have time to watch the outcome of the experiment. I've put +everything I had into this thing. 500 hives--that would make it 35 +million individuals of the species at a conservative estimate. It's the +biggest mass-migration I've ever seen, but will it be big enough to do +the trick? + +11:20: The foremost columns must have reached the neighboring +apperception centers to the right and left of mine by now. But they +won't stop; I know that from experience in Australia. To them it's just +like any other "hollow tree"; they'll drive right on to the top; they +won't bivouak before they are completely exhausted. That won't be before +five or six hours. At the rate of 900 feet per hour that would make it +almost a mile, covering the whole "occipital region" of The Brain. And +then they are going to feast; boy, will they be ravenous.... + +11:30: About 3 million are safely inside now I should say. Don't think +that I could stay at my post much longer. There's a certain +extracurricular idea coming up from the subconscious like a tidal wave. +The dams of willpower don't seem able to hold back that idea; I've got +to get out before it spills across the dam and floods my consciousness. +The phone rings; for once it is a welcome sound. + + * * * * * + +It was Oona's voice; trembling with emotion as if she were still +suffering from this morning's shock or had suffered another: + +"Semper, are you all right?" + +Lee reassured her that he was and then listened astounded as she heaved +a sigh of relief. + +"Listen, Semper, this is terribly important. I've got to see you +immediately. No, I cannot tell you over the phone; it's a personal +matter and it concerns you. You cannot make it? Is your business _that_ +important? You're in the midst of a vital experiment? That's awful, +Semper; it really is in this case. No; I'm all right personally; it +isn't that. It's _you_ Semper, it's _you_. 5 p.m. at the earliest, is +that the best you can do? All right then. Meet me at the airport. And +take good care of yourself, do you hear me: _take good care of yourself, +Semper_, up to that time." + +She hung up quickly, as if suddenly disturbed. + +Lee frowned at the clock: 11:35. He could have managed to meet Oona +during her lunch hour at the hotel. But there were things he still had +to do even more important than Oona. More important to him than even +Oona. He shook his head; it wouldn't have seemed possible a few days +ago.... + +With the climax of the experiment now over Lee felt his mental +resistance ebbing fast. + +"They're on the move," he thought. "Nothing can stop them now; it's +beyond my control, but they're marching. I'd better get out of here...." + +With fevered eyes he glanced around the floor and like a victim of +delirium saw it moving, crawling as with snakes, crawling into their +hole all of them, black snakes, grey snakes, red snakes, endless their +lengthening bodies.... + +He carefully closed the door of the lab, locked it and then pressed the +button which opened the elevator door. Only as the cage tore down +through the "dura mater", only when he felt safe from the sensory organs +of The Brain, only when he was sure that not even a human eye would see +him in this racing little cage, only then did the dam of willpower +collapse. He put both hands before his eyes in vain attempt to stop the +tears from streaming; those tears of a soldier over the body of his +fallen chum; those tears of a greying scientist who sacrificed the +results of his life's work to some higher cause. + +Lee caught the one p.m. Greyhound-Helicopter for Phoenix only a second +before the start. He panted from the run, but in his sunken eyes there +was a light and in his mind a new serenity which comes to men when they +are fortunate enough to meet with some very wonderful woman, when with +admiration and humility they stand confronted with a courage greater +than man's. Gus's wife had been that woman; the way she had taken the +terrible news was the source of Lee's new strength and confidence. + +The flying commuter was almost empty. + +Noting Lee's astonished glance the stewardess gave a nervous little +laugh: + +"People get jumpy traveling," she volunteered. + +"That so; why do they?" + +"Didn't you hear the news all morning; wait...." + +She flicked the radio on. On the television screen appeared an aerial +view of a big city, vaguely familiar looking, yet as foreign as Venice, +and then the voice of the announcer broke through. + +"New Orleans: It is now ascertained that the break in the levees was +caused by a huge trench digging machine left unattended overnight at a +lonely spot twenty miles South of Baton Rouge. Levee engineers believe +that its engine was started possibly by saboteurs, approximately at +midnight and that it then proceeded automatically digging itself into +the levee until it was drowned by the incoming river. The initial +eight-foot breach has now been widened by the Mississippi to a width of +200 feet. Along Canal street and all over downtown New Orleans the flood +has reached a level of ten feet above the streets as evacuation +continues. The government has concentrated every available piece of +equipment to close the breach. All normal activities have come to a +standstill; property damages are estimated at 50 million dollars; the +death toll has passed the 500 mark in this most catastrophic flood in +New Orleans' history." + + * * * * * + +New aerial pictures, similar to the results of a blockbuster bombing +attack flicked on the screen: + +"New York: The bursting of the watermains at dawn this morning at seven +different points of Manhattan's downtown area which has already caused +the collapse of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and seven big apartment +buildings along Park Avenue now threatens Macy's and the Public Library +on 42nd Street. + +"All subway traffic has stopped. Evacuation of panicky Metropolitans +from the Central Park district proceeds in an orderly manner. In the +Harlem district, however, disorders and plunderings have been reported. +An estimated seven million people are without drinking water. Trucks +carrying water from New Jersey are severely hampered by unprecedented +traffic snarl-ups, since owners of private automobiles are fleeing the +city with their families. Due to the flooding of sub-street levels in +both Grand Central and Penn Station, evacuation by rail can proceed only +from 163rd Street for the New York Central and from New Jersey for the +Pennsylvania Railroad system. Effectiveness of railroad transport is +reduced to less than 30% of normal capacity. I. C. Moriarty, Sanitary +Commissioner of New York, declared in his press conference that the +catastrophic bursting of the watermains was caused by failure of the +remote-controlled automatic mainstem valves. For reasons which still +puzzle city engineers these valves closed suddenly and completely at 5 +a.m. this morning. Because of the failure of the alarm system, +high-pressure pumps in the powerhouses continued to work and to build up +pressure in the closed system of the watermains till almost +simultaneously, and with explosive force, the breaks occurred, the first +one right under the Columbus monument. In view of the extremely grave +situation which threatens the world's biggest city, Governor Charles +declared martial law this morning at 10 a.m. + +"Chicago: The city-wide calamity caused by the unprecedented breakdown +in the sewage disposal system gets more threatening with every minute. +As engineers are still unable to enter the atomic power plant and as the +sewage disposal-pumps continue to work in reverse, all Chicagoland is +rapidly turning into a cesspool as millions of toilets and kitchen sinks +spill sewage into every apartment. The Fire Department has received more +than two million calls from harassed citizens battling vainly against +the unsavory flood. + +"Harrowing scenes are reported from hotels where 3,000 members of the +American Federation of Women's Clubs are taking turns in sending protest +telegrams and gallantly holding down by the weight of their own bodies +the facilities-front in the 3,000 bathrooms of the hotels. At a few +points workers have succeeded in digging up sewage mains and tons of +concrete are being poured to stop the devastating reversal of the flow. + +"Even now, however, the partially closed mains and the overflow from +houses are flooding the streets. As it gradually seeps into Lake +Michigan, source of Chicago's drinking water supply, health commissioner +Segantini has already warned against the appalling dangers of epidemics +which might result from this. + +"Nuclear physicists of Chicago University, called in to aid city +engineers, have declared that dangerous amounts of escaping gamma-rays +in the Atomic Powerplant were first discovered by the Geiger-counter at +two a.m. Evacuation of all employees was ordered one hour later as a +safety measure. Just why the pumps resumed operations after the shutdown +of the plant and just what caused the system to work in reverse remains +a mystery. Prof. Windeband, spokesman of the group of nuclear +physicists, confesses that he has no explanation for the phenomenon. + +"Washington: Rumors are flying thick and fast in the nation's capital. +In the rapidly darkening picture of international politics the +mobilization of Mexico is the latest shadow. Official explanation given +by Mexico's ambassador Rivadivia, is that his government has ordered +mobilization as a protective measure to guard frontiers against the +illegal entry of thousands of panicky American refugees chiefly from New +Orleans. The State Department is said to be planning a protest. Even so, +the unprecedented series of catastrophes on the home-front of America +overshadows everything. Washington insiders report a growing conviction +in high government circles that the events of the past 48 hours are +proof absolute that large numbers of foreign saboteurs and agents are at +work." + +"Had enough?" asked the stewardess. + +Lee confessed that he had. + + * * * * * + +With its helicopters feathered, the Greyhound came sliding down onto the +Bus Terminal's roof; fifteen minutes later Lee stood again at his +father's door, that door he had thought once before he would never see +again. + +The old man's loose-skinned face, tanned like saddle leather, didn't +move an inch at the sight of the son: "You again, Semper? Come in then." + +Lee vaguely sensed that his father was glad he had come; that there was +some unfinished business left from their last conversation and that his +father welcomed the opportunity to finish it. + +"You know," he said as his stiff-jointed legs carried him back to the +table with bottle and glasses trembling on the tray in his hands, "you +know, I've named these four walls after old friends of mine--all of them +dead--but sometimes they won't answer when I talk to them. And then I'm +glad when somebody happens along. But don't take that to mean that I'm +in my dotage now or getting mad." + +"No, Father; that's just loneliness." + +"In any case, Son, there are lots of people lots madder than I am. +There's a woman living next door, a spinster, answers to the name of +Pimpernel. This morning she came running over crying that her +vacuum-cleaner was chasing her all over the house. And by God, Semper, +it was a fact. Never saw anything like it. One of those new-fangled +automatic contraptions which are supposed to do the job all alone by +themselves, and it banged around and chased about as if it had a +hornet's nest under its bonnet. Scared the poor woman to death." + +"What did you do?" + +"What could I do? I'm not a mechanic; there was no cord attached or +anything to plug out. So I got my automatic and shot the damn thing." + +"Shot it?" + +"Sure; bullet must have penetrated something; anyway it stopped dead on +the spot. And now she threatens to sue me for damages; there's gratitude +for you. What brought you here?" + +Lee felt elated; obviously his father was in high spirits from this +morning's successful hunt; for once he was in a receptive _mood_. + +Rapidly, with all the precision he could muster, Lee explained, as an +adjutant would explain a new development in a strategic situation to his +commanding general. After a while the old man started pacing the floor +in rising excitement. A spark of the old fierceness had come into his +blunted pale-blue eyes as he swung around. + +"Before this morning's incident I would have considered all this as a +raving maniac's gibberish. Now as I put two and two together I can see a +distinct possibility that you've got something. Tell you what I'll +do--what I consider my duty to do--I'll call out the National Guard. +We'll encircle The Brain and present an ultimatum to the thing. If +necessary we'll take the place by storm." + +The younger Lee answered with a vigorous shaking of his head. + +"You cannot do that, Father. In the first place the National Guard +doesn't stand a chance against the defences of The Brain. In the second +place your action would mean civil war. No, we must go after this in a +different manner. The Secretary of War is an old friend of yours. All +right: take the next plane to Washington. Don't tell him anything he +couldn't believe. Tell him--what is strictly the truth--that some power +hostile to the United States threatens to interfere with the remote +control of automatic war equipment. Tell him to redouble guard over the +remote-control rocket launchers, to have their automatic computators +disconnected temporarily and for the commanders to accept only orders +direct from Washington. The greatest danger is not the domestic +disorders; that situation we'll have in hand if my scheme works. But let +one rocket accidentally be launched into some big foreign capital and it +will set the whole world on fire in an Atomic war. That is what The +Brain wants, that is what must be prevented at all costs. Will you do +that, Father?" + +Even years after Lee never understood just what had happened or how it +could have happened that his position to his father became reversed with +such startling suddenness. In the extremity of the situation he had +addressed his father with the authority of of a commander toward one of +his aids--and the father had accepted the son's command unquestioningly. + +"Semper," he had said, "I have always considered you a military +nincompoop. I was mistaken, son, I apologize. Now let me grab my hat and +coat. You kept the taxi waiting? Good: tell the man to go to the +airport, and let her rip." + + * * * * * + +At 5 p.m. the Flying Greyhound dropped on Cephalon airport and there was +Oona looking very pale, but very beautiful in the gathering dusk. She +grabbed Lee by the arm leading him to the other side of the hangar where +stood her little jetticopter plane. "Let's get in here," she said. "I'm +freezing and I don't want you to be seen around here." + +She didn't put on the lights, yet even in the dark Lee could see the +golden helmet of her hair shimmering like the pale gold in the halo of +the Virgin as the primitive art of Tuscany presented her a thousand +years ago. She nestled the soft fur of her coat against Lee's shoulders +and as she did he felt her shivering. He put a protecting arm around +her, careful to do it as a friend, careful to suppress the surge of +blood which started burning in his veins. She seemed to be groping for +words; it took a little while before she began to speak, with clarity +and simplicity as she always did but with an audible effort to keep +composed: + +"I've brought you a suitcase, Semper, with a few necessities. And I +brought you some money, later you can send me your check. And here are +the keys of the plane. Fly over to Mexico; go back to Australia from +there or anywhere you want, but _do_ get out of this country and do it +quick. I couldn't tell you that over the phone and I shouldn't be +telling this to you now, but I feel I must. + +"You're in danger and it's serious. Why? I don't know, but Howard seems +to suspect your loyalty. He also seems to think that you've gone out of +your mind. And Howard has taken measures; he has ordered re-examination +of your broad aptitude test. He has voiced his suspicion as to your +sanity to Bondy and Mellish and you know what kind of yes-men those +fellows are in the face of an authority like Scriven's. Trust them to +discover something wrong with you, trust them to give the test some kind +of a convenient twist. They're going to have you certified, they're +going to put you into a mental institution, Semper. + +"Do you get that? Do you realize that it's fate worse than death? Do you +understand that there is nothing you can do to escape that fate except +by flight? I have no idea when it's going to be, this trap they're going +to spring on you; but for God's sake, Semper, get going as long as +there's still time. Any moment now some plainclothesman might grab you +by the arm and then...." + +It was she who had grabbed him by the arm, Oona who looked into his +face, her big eyes moist. + +Lee strained his willpower so it would control the tremor of his voice: + +"Oona; there's one thing I have got to know: What made you tell me +this--and do all this so I could get away?" + +The girl's eyes didn't waver from his. "I remember," she said slowly, +"I remember that I felt as if I could throw conventions into the wind +at the very first time we met. I've always been frank with you, as +much as I could be in my position. So then I don't mind telling you now +that ... I like you immensely, Semper." + +As if agitated by some electric shock, Lee's arm tightened around the +girl's waist. "Oona, I have asked you once before to be my wife. You +said you couldn't and I thought it was because you didn't like me well +enough. But now, after what you've just told me, now that we both know +about The Brain and that I wasn't insane in my observations, I'm asking +you again: Be my wife, Oona, and then let's go together--anywhere--away +from all this, to the end of the world." + +In the darkness her uplifted white face shone like the moon; there were +two limpid luminous pools in it. All of a sudden they overflowed with +tears streaming down her cheeks. Her mouth half opened, swallowed hard. +There was now nothing left of that "integrated personality", nothing of +the calm and the poise which the younger set of scientists admired so +much. There was only a young woman torn with torment. + +"I would have loved to go with you to the end of the world when we were +floating over the Canyon. I would love to go with you a thousand times +more tonight," Lee heard her say and then the gnashing of her teeth as +she continued: "But it cannot be, Semper. It cannot be because my die is +cast, because my fate is made. Did nobody ever tell you? Didn't you even +guess? Howard and I--we've been living together for the past six years. +He's not a very good man; rather beyond good and evil; but then: I feel +that I have got to stick to him now more than ever." + +The golden helmet of her hair dropped to Lee's breast. "I'm ashamed," +she sobbed, "terribly, terribly ashamed, Semper. I've made such a mess +of things, of you and me--such a mess of my whole life." + +He buried his face into the fragrance of the golden wave. "It's nothing, +darling," he whispered close to her ear. "It doesn't mean a thing to me; +it's less than a cloud which passes across the face of the moon, and +then it's gone and never will come back...." + +She freed herself from his embrace. With both her hands upon his +shoulders she looked straight into his eyes. + +"_That is not true, Semper_," she said and there was the fierceness of a +young Viking warrior in the flash of her eyes: "That is not true and +there's been already too much of lie in my life. I just cannot stand for +any more of that. _It can not be, Semper._ I've told you plainly and it +means not _ever_, not _ever_. Go now. Do as I told you. Go immediately. +If you really love me, grant me this, let me feel that I could do at +least something--this one thing for you." + +"Oona!" Lee exclaimed and it sounded like a deep-throated bell in an +ancient cathedral town as it rings the last stroke of midnight and then +hangs mute in the dark sky. That happiness he had felt, that cometflight +through all the stars in heaven; it was too big for him, it couldn't +last. He had sensed the blow before it fell. It wasn't like being hit in +action; it was like in that field hospital when the doc had told him: +"This is going to hurt, Joe--I'm sorry, but we're shy of morphine." +Howard's name had cut just like that expected knife. What was there left +to say? Nothing; nothing, but one small matter. + +"I love you, Oona, and that means forever just as much as you mean that +not ever you can come with me. And I thank you, Oona, for this hour. +Yes; I think I'll go back to Australia--where I belong. But not tonight. +I've set a great experiment going--the outcome is no longer in my hand. +Still I feel I mustn't run away now. In fact I cannot; it's somewhat +like a soldier's duty to stay up front. I'm going to see this to the +end." + +She buried her face in her hands: "I knew it. You child, you--you Don +Quixote charging against the windmills. They're going to _kill_ you, +they're going to _kill_ you. And now there's nothing I can do." + +For a second her small fists pounded against Lee's breast and the next +moment, before he could do anything, she had jumped out of the plane +slamming the door in his face. For a few seconds more he heard her +footsteps rushing across the frozen turf and the receding wails of +echoes from the hangar walls: + +"And now there's nothing I can do--nothing I can do." + +When after a minute of fumbling in the dark he pushed the door open, it +was too late. + + * * * * * + +He walked over to the hotel; not by an act of will, but with his legs +somehow doing the job alone and by themselves. He ordered himself a car +from the Braintrust garage. He entered The Brain and went up in the +elevator to Apperception 36. Nobody seemed to notice that there was a +somnambulist passing by.... He unlocked the door and under the rows of +neon lights things were as he had left them eight hours ago. Only there +were no longer any snakes crawling across the floor towards a hole in +the wall. But the hole was still there and he thought that he had better +tidy things up a bit. If nobody had noticed the arrangements for this +new experiment so far; why should anybody be forewarned? + +Lee put the lid back on the "Lignin-Filler-Spout." He closed the panel +so the wall looked whole again. He gathered the sticks of cordwood from +the floor and piled them neatly to their stacks again. All this he did +like a child putting its things away after a long day's play; a +grey-haired child, weary, with the sandman in its eyes. He looked around +and found everything done and over with. On the fluorescent screens all +curves The Brain described had dropped to the bottom. Like dead things +they lay flat. On the visi-screens some stay-behinds of the great exodus +were looming large, a hapless little ant-king scurrying about; a few +disabled workers, their blind eyes staring into the face of death. It +would come soon to them; their work on earth was done.... + +Lee looked at the clock: 10 p.m. He put out the lights and locked the +door behind that yawning emptiness which once had been his lab, which he +would never see again. As he descended in the elevator he felt very +tired. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +Incessant shrieks of the phone aroused Lee from the deep well of his +sleep. He didn't know the female voice which fairly jumped at him. + +"Is this Dr. Lee? Dr. Semper F. Lee from Canberra; am I at last +connected with Dr. Lee?" + +"Lee speaking." + +"I've been phoning for you all over The Brain Lee. Have you forgotten +you had an appointment with us? Checking up on your broad aptitude test. +The doctors are waiting. This is Vivian Leahy speaking; don't you +remember me?" + +"Yes, of course." The picture of the loquacious angel who had guided him +to the medical center on his first trip flashed back into his mind. "I +know I have an appointment for this afternoon; I'll be there." + +"But, Dr. Lee, this _is_ this afternoon; it's four p.m. already. You +aren't ill, Dr. Lee, are you? You sound so strange." + +Lee assured her that he wasn't and that he would be over right away. + +"It's a miracle they left me undisturbed that long," he thought as he +shaved and dressed. His personal fate would be decided within the next +two hours he knew; it would be the end. But even as the tension mounted +in his consciousness he thought triumphantly. "I've had sixteen hours of +sleep; that's marvelous. Nobody can take that away. The body has +recharged its energies. Now I can stand the gaff." + +Down at the desk they handed him a Western Union. It was from Washington +and bore no signature. "Mission completed," it read. + +It made him feel fine. "Father has done it; he is a better man than I," +he thought. + +While the car streaked though the desert Lee scanned the morning papers. + +"No Trace Of President Vandersloot," still was the headline. But below +new havocs were listed as they had developed overnight. This time the +West coast was the zone of catastrophes; the hostile power seemed to be +bent upon the closing of all ports in the U.S.A. + +Lee gnashed his teeth as he read the number of new casualties, women and +children, too, who had become the victims of The Brain. + +Arrived at "Grand Central" he kept a sharp lookout for any unusual +activity. There was none. All along elevator-row small groups of +bookish-looking men returned from their day's work in the Apperception +Centers. They looked calm and contented and with their briefcases under +their arms almost like ordinary businessmen heading for the commuter +train. + +He didn't dare to linger or to look around. There was this all-pervading +sense of being shadowed, of having gone into a trap from which there was +no escape, of eyes following him everywhere. Whose eyes? That was +impossible to know. Maybe The Brain's; its sensory organs could +conceivably be installed anywhere. Maybe that janitor guiding a +polishing machine over the rubber floor was a plain clothesman; or maybe +it was that detached gentleman who seemed to wait for an elevator with a +stack of books under his arms. + +As the cage shot up to Apperception 27, failure pressed down on his +heart. Now it was almost thirty hours since he had released "Ant-termes" +into the nerve paths of The Brain. Those undermining and devouring +armies; what could have happened to them? Any number of things: Perhaps +the Lignin in the nerve paths was poisonous. There had been no time for +him to test the stuff. Perhaps the maintenance engineers had replenished +the insulation in that sector overnight and all the hives were drowned. +Perhaps some kind of a detecting apparatus had found out about the pest +inside The Brain right from the start. As long as the beachhead of the +underground invasion remained small, its blocking would not impair the +functions of The Brain. What a fool he had been to pit dumb little +animals against the powers of a God. Oona had been right; he _was_ that +knight in rusty armor charging against windmills on a Rozinante.... + + * * * * * + +Vivian Leahy dragged him into the reception room of the medical center +almost by force. "The doctors have been waiting for you two hours now," +she scolded him. "They never did that before for any man. How come you +forgot? And you forgot me too; last time you were so nice, I thought you +would date me up. I couldn't have resisted your invitation, you know. +Now, off with your coat." + +Despite their irritation Mellish and Bondy received Lee with all their +tweedy cordiality. While they piled their weird equipment around the +operation table their tongues kept wagging: "The disappearance of the +President; what did Lee make of that? Was he dead or alive? Those +horrible catastrophes all over the country; what was behind all this? +Foreign agents, a native underground? Didn't Lee think there was a tidal +wave of anti-technology feeling arising since unemployment had again set +in? And would the international crisis lead to war? The Brain, of +course, would be the safest place in that event; but then, to think of +the civilian population, an anticipated forty, fifty million dead; +terrible wasn't it? Was Lee still able to concentrate upon his +scientific work these harrowing days? If so, the nervous strain was +terrific; they had experienced that in themselves. One reached the point +of diminishing returns, didn't one? Yes, they had noticed signs of +fatigue in Lee; discolorations under the eyes, a certain tenseness. Had +he lost weight recently? He looked it and he certainly had none to +spare. Did he suffer from insomnia? What you need is a good long rest, +Dr. Lee." + +He gave his answers automatically, detached, absent-minded almost. They +were playing with him as a cat with a mouse. All their questions were +leading questions; he knew that, but it didn't seem to matter now. +Nothing mattered now after the great plan had failed, after his +beautiful dream too had vanished in the talk with Oona last night. "I've +outlived my usefulness," he thought. + +The huge disk with the feeler-ray antennae sank down close to his chest, +heavy as the keystone upon a tomb. The lights went out and then there +was again that uncanny sensation of having millions of soldiers running +circles all over one's skin, The Brain's vibration rays. They had a +strange hypnotic effect. Deep instincts of life-preservation urged Lee +to jump up, to rush those medics, to make some desperate attempt to get +away. But as the rays now penetrated through the skin, they tied his +muscles, although consciousness remained. There was a ghoulish quality +in this, like being sucked into this apparatus, like having the very +essence of one's life drained out by it. The only lights Lee saw, the +glow of electronic tubes filtering through perforations in the walls of +the machines, they seemed like evil eyes staring at him and the smooth +lying voices from behind his head seemed as of mocking ghosts: + +"Relax, Dr. Lee, relax. Let your mind wander at will. Think as the +spirit moves you to think. Remember, this is a routine checkup, nothing +but routine. Nothing to disturb you this time; we don't have to start +you upon any specific trend of thought. You know The Brain by now and +how it works; image-formation will start in a few moments. You have +similar equipment in your own Apperception Center we understand. How +does it work with that species you have discovered, 'Ant-termes +Pacificus'? It's marvelous what these sensory rays can do; one would +think that The Brain is really much more than a machine. The way it acts +it seems alive, a towering intelligence, a superhuman personality with a +will of its own. Don't you think so, Dr. Lee?" + + * * * * * + +He didn't answer, preoccupied with the weird sensation inside his body: +the diaphragm's birdwing flutterings, the ghostly fingers playing a +pizzicato on his arteries' strings closer and closer to the heart. "Why +answer?" he thought. "Why say anything? Whatever they said was part of +the trap they were building and whatever he said they would make a part +of that trap. Why did they have to go through all of this professional +subtlety?" + +The voices sounded lower now and farther away: "Go easy on the +rheostats, Mellish. I think trance has already set in." + +"Yes; I remember his chart, he rates a high sensitivity, the rays work +fast on types like that." + +At the footend the screen was gradually lighting up. Like an aurora +borealis the pale lights shot up in flashes, in quivering arcs, in +undulating waves. Their dance kept step with the vibrations which surged +up from Lee's chest into his brain and started racing through his +consciousness around and around, forming a vortex which swept up his +thoughts like wilted leaves. Fear froze his blood; the deadly fear of +inquisition victims in old and modern times who know that neither lie +nor truth can save them from a fate already sealed. + +Images started forming out of the luminous clouds upon the screen. + +There was some giant octopus, nebulous and terrifying as a diver might +see creeping out of the belly of a sunken ship. From the other side of +the screen a huge round, tentacled being crawled, radiant and somewhat +like the sun symbols of great antiquity. The two closed in and as they +did the octopus flung its arms around the shining disk obscuring it as a +dark cloud the sun. It seemed to suck the light out of the disk; paler +and paler it became and bigger and bigger swelled the body of the +octopus until it had swallowed the sun. + +Now snakes came creeping from all sides up to the swollen octopus. All +of a sudden the primeval struggle turned into the classic image of the +Laokoon group: a giant central figure of a man wrestling with pythons +which crushed him in their coils. Then there was only the head of the +giant, majestic like the Moses hewn by Leonardo's hands but torn in pain +with the noose of a python's muscle around his neck. Gasping, the giant +opened his mouth and long tongues of flames shot out of it.... + +Behind his ears he heard the voices whisper: + +"By God, Scriven was right." + +"You bet he was; maniacal obsession, a classic, most beautiful case." + +"What more do we need?" + +"Nothing I guess; he's through. Start pushing back the rheostats." + +The pounding, maddening crescendo of the vibrations receded gradually. +The rim of the vortexial funnel widened beyond Lee's head; in its center +it left a sort of vacuum. There was one thing he couldn't understand: +those tactile rays, why didn't they kill him when they had his heart +within their grip? Now that The Brain knew everything he had been +waiting for the sudden vise-grip of the rays upon his heart which would +have meant the end. But then, this was the end in any case.... + +The lights went on and he blinked into the faces of the medics bending +over him, watching him as he wiped the sweat of death fear from his +face. + +"Dr. Lee," Mellish began, "This is a serious matter we've got to discuss +with you. You have seen those images yourself?--Fine. We needn't go into +any great detail since you are probably familiar with the ancient +symbolisms which the subconscious employs in expressing itself. You are +suffering from a very strong neurosis, Dr. Lee; I might almost say a +maniacal obsession. Existence of some old neurosis, partially submerged, +was established already in your first analysis. Now the barriers which +you had built against this war neurosis have broken down. Quite a +natural breakdown considering the very great stress under which you have +been living of late. No, I don't say that you are actually demented, but +there is a very real danger that you might lose complete control over +your mind. As it stands, your scientific work already is impaired by the +fixed ideas you have formed about The Brain. We are here to help you, so +please be calm and cooperate with us; we have got to decide upon some +course of action." + +"You must get away from it all. Lee," Bondy chimed in; "Take a +sabbatical year. The Braintrust operates a really first-class sanitarium +out on the West Coast. Your insurance plan covers every expense. All you +have to do is to sign these papers and we'll get us a plane and I'll +personally bring you there. That's the safe, the sane course for you to +take. Here, take my pen." + +Lee had raised his gaunt frame from the table. For a moment he sat with +his face buried in his hands trying to control his swimming head. A hand +patted his shoulders: "Don't take it so hard, old man; come on, be +sensible and let's get out of here." + +He stood up; vertigo made him sway and he felt the supporting, the +restraining grip of the two medic's hands upon his arms. And then, in a +flash, he saw red. "I had it coming to me," he thought, "I would have +gone like a lamb. If only they had been shooting straight; if they +hadn't tried to frame me with their dirty trickery. It's all over now +but I might as well go down fighting." He didn't know which he loathed +more of the two; it just happened that Bondy was standing to his right +and took it on the chin and nose as Lee's fist shot up. + +"Mellish, quick, the straight jacket," he screamed, toppling over. + + * * * * * + +Mellish, stark horror in his eyes, started towards the alarm button by +the door. Old and forgotten combat technique reacted automatically to +the move: one foot shot out, it tripped the lunging man and sent him +sprawling down before he reached the button. But then it was as if a +hand had pressed that button anyway: The loudspeaker built into the +panel over the door broke into shrill sharp peals: Fire alarm. It froze +the violent commotion of the three. From their prostrate position on the +floor Mellish and Bondy stared up to the red-flashing disk, their mouths +agape in dumb amazement. A fire in the most protected, the most guarded +apparatus in the world, a fire in The Brain! + +Cautiously Bondy raised his bleeding nose to Lee and quickly put it down +again: the dangerous maniac was a horrifying sight; with his greying +mane standing wildly all around his death head he stood and _laughed_. + +He alone understood what had happened: the timebomb he had planted had +ticked its allotted span, the millions of devouring mandibles had done +their work, the living were eating away along the Apperception Centers. +And now the bomb went off; the short-circuit-fires were racing through +The Brain and not even carbon-dioxide could reach them inside the nerve +paths! + +But now the alarm stopped and a calm commanding voice came over the +intercom: "Attention, please! A five-alarm fire has broken out in the +Parietal region. There is no immediate danger. I repeat: _There is no +immediate danger._ I order all occupants of Apperception Centers to +collect important papers and documents and then to proceed down to Grand +Central for evacuation. All elevators will be kept in operation. There +is no fire in the Dura Mater. Keep calm! Keep calm and proceed as +ordered." + +The voice broke off; the alarm bells started shrieking again. + +Bondy and Mellish had scrambled to their feet; wide-eyed they stared at +Lee. Lee made wild gestures now and they heard him call: "Get out.... +Get out!" + +With their backs to the wall they exchanged a rapid glance which said: + +"This is our chance; Together then and quick." + +As one man they bolted to the door and down the corridor into the +elevator, slamming the door behind. + +"That was a close shave!" Mellish exclaimed as the cage streaked down. + +"He caught me by surprise," Bondy moaned. "Never expected it from him, +he almost killed me!" + +"He can't get away though, the guards will get him the moment he comes +down. But what about the girl? We quite forgot to warn Vivian that she +has a paranoiac on her hands." + +"Bah!" Bondy scoffed, "Vivian is an intelligent girl. It was our _duty_ +to evacuate, wasn't it? Besides, we can warn her over the phone." + +With the unbearable tension gone from him as sudden as the air from a +blown tire, Lee really acted like a madman now. Stretching to his full +length he reached out to the alarm over the door and put it at rest. +What was alarm to others, to him was a signal to rest. The noise didn't +befit the wonderful calm and serenity he felt. His job was done, his +mission completed. Time for him had ceased to exist. Danger--he had no +consciousness of it. Slowly he stepped out in the corridor. It felt like +walking on air. There, it was Vivian Leahy who brought him down to +earth. She came rushing out of the archive laden with precious records +up to her chin. Under the provoking red of her hair the face looked pale +and pinched: "Where are the doctors?" she panted. + +"I don't know," Lee said. "They left me a moment ago--rather suddenly." + +"The rats! Leaving me to get their chestnuts out of the fire for them. +How d'you like that?" + +Her flippant manner was nothing but a brave front she put up to hide the +panic in her heart. Lee sensed it. There was an unexpected +responsibility thrust into his hands. His mission was not yet completed; +he had to get this girl to safety. + +She followed the direction of his glance. + +"No go," she said. "They took the elevator. It will be some time before +another one comes up. If it does come. What are we two going to do now, +Dr. Lee?" + +He smiled down to her as he would have to a child lost in the woods. + +"Never you fear, Vivian. We still have that other exit. We can use the +glideway through The Brain." + +"Through the fire?" + +"Yes. I think we can make it if you're a brave girl. Know where the gas +masks are and asbestos suits? There ought to be some in every +Apperception Center." + +"How about these records? Your own amongst the lot!" + +"Leave them; they aren't worth risking your life for. You can believe +that." + +She dropped them instantly: "I like you, Dr. Lee, you're a real +old-school cavalier. My doctors here, they'd rather see me burn to a +crisp than any of those records. Come on, I'll show you the gas masks +and the other stuff." + + * * * * * + +He helped her to put on the outfit. "Ready to go?" he asked. + +"With you? To the end of the world at any day." Proudly she marched him +off toward the rear exit. + +The glideways were operating. At an accelerated pace, they rushed +through the maze of The Brain with the swish and the swoosh of surf +racing across a coral reef. They had to grab for dear life at the rails. + +"Hold tight," Lee cried as he saw the girl go down upon the platform, +but then his own legs were jerked from under him as the momentum of the +journey flung him forward. + +They saw what no human eye had seen before! The Brain illuminated by its +own nerve cables turned radiant as neon lights. It was like seeing +Berlin from the air after a big firebomb attack. It was like racing in a +car through forest fires. It was like lava pouring in a thousand winding +streams down a volcano cone. It was all this and more, but transferred +into some other dimension where all things are transparent or light has +an x-ray quality. + +Through the plastic walls of lobes and convolutions they saw the +liana-networks of the nerve cables like bloodstreams radiant with purple +light. Shrouded in columns of whirling smoke they seemed alive. Like +tropical rains from a jungle roof, lignin dripped from the vaults, and +in falling, burst into flames. Cable connections were molten at the +branching points and then the luminous nets writhed, and severed ends +bent down spilling their fiery blood over the mushroom formations of +nerve cell groups. + +The scenes raced much too fast; the glideway's continuous curvings, +steep ascents and power dives were like stunt flying through an ack-ack +barrage. No human eye could catch more than a fraction of the inferno's +majesty. Yet there were brief visions so breathtaking as to obliterate +all sense of danger and to become indelibly implanted upon the retina. A +main nerve stem burst asunder and the lignin poured from its cracked +plastic walls like crude oil from a burning gusher, rushing over acres +of electronic tubes, branding against banks of radioactive pyramidal +cells, swamping them as a wave. And at one point the glideways circled a +convolution which was a fiery lake dotted with thousands of +fractional-horsepower motors, still running, but showering sparks as +their insulation was consumed. + +The air conditioning was working full blast; that probably saved their +lives because heat blasts alternated with spouts and currents of cold +air. Even so there were stretches where the glideway's rubber flooring +smouldered as it shot over nerve-bridges and through narrow tunnels +lined with nerve cables on all sides. From thousands of jets the carbon +dioxide of the automatic fire-fighting system hissed against the flames, +but it was drowned in the hollow roar of the conflagration shooting +through nerve paths where no gas could reach. + +Endless it seemed, this mad wild flight through hell, but actually it +took only minutes before they reached the median section and went into +the steep descent between the hemispheres. The whirling reddish glow +receded overhead and white smoke cleared. Lee could crawl forward a +little to bend over the prostrate body of the girl. He unloosened her +gas mask and shouted into her ear. + +"Are you okay? The worst is over now; there are the fire brigades coming +up." + +She nodded. Her face was a white blot in the semidarkness of the black +lights and Lee felt the weak, but reassuring pressure of her hand upon +his arms. Then, as from one racing train to another, they watched the +firefighters coming up, ghostly in their asbestos suits, with the snouts +of gas masks for faces, crouching under the foamite tanks on their backs +and clutching the funnel-shaped nozzles in their hands. Maintenance +engineers followed, laden with tools; and where the glideways branched +off one could already see them at work; fast but calm: disconnecting +nerve cables, closing circuits, setting up firescreens with a discipline +as magnificent as that of their invisible enemies, _ant-termes_, long +since consumed by the flames, but still sending the chain-reactions of +their destruction through The Brain. + + * * * * * + +A few minutes later glideway T shot into the 'lateral ventricle', huge +cavern of the Mid-Brain separated from the blast by the thick walls of +the pallium. It looked like the inside of a giant wind tunnel +brilliantly lit now with powerful searchlights. It was swarming with +personnel; white electricians, blue air-conditioners, weird, sponge +rubber-padded shapes of ray-proofed men, uniformed guards, even soldiers +in uniform rushed to the spot from outlying garrisons of The +Brains-preserve. It all seemed to rush up as the earth rushes up in a +low-altitude parachute jump; it looked like headquarters of an army on +the eve of a big drive, and then-- + +Lee and the girl felt themselves being violently derailed. Catchers had +been thrown across all incoming glide ways from The Brain. Irresistibly +they were propelled right into the arms of stretcher bearers in +Red-Cross uniforms. + +"Are you hurt?" somebody yelled. "By God, those fellows must have come +through the flames. Look, they're all black with the smoke. Get a couple +of respirators, Jack." + +Lee waved the helping hands away; he was already on his feet. Anxiously +he bent over Vivian. She had her head embedded in a stretcher-bearer's +lap; her eyes rolled around in their smoke-blackened sockets in great +surprise and her tongue licked parched lips, spreading rouge generously +all around mixing it with soot. She looked so funny; almost as a +minstrel singer at a county fair, but there was deep tenderness in Lee's +voice: + +"You're quite safe now, Vivian. How do you feel, brave girl?" + +Her bosom heaved a big sigh: + +"O simply wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Only, I'm afraid I'm going to +be sick. It's the gas I swallowed. It's terrible; something always +happens to me just when romance begins." + +The stretcher bearer grinned up to Lee, "She sure gets it out of her +system like a good little girl. Don't you worry; she'll be all right." + +Lee nodded; he knew she would. + +As the big drive went on and column after column went over the top up to +the hemispheres, nobody wasted time on Lee. He cautiously surveyed the +tumultuous scene. With his asbestos suit and with his blackened face +everybody would take him for a fireman. He might be able to complete his +mission, to ascertain that The Brain had stopped to function in all its +parts, to make sure that it actually was dead. And if down at "Grand +Central" the turmoil was as great as ever here; with all those strangers +rushing in and bound to be rushed out again.... + +"Why, I have a chance," Lee thought. Freedom; he had abandoned any hope +for it. Now the reborn idea surged through his blood, a powerful motor +as chance pressed the starter button for it. + +The thing to do first was to get past the searchlight beams. From the +nearest pile of equipment he took an axe and a pair of long-handled +metal shears. Then he marched off, straight into the glaring eyes of the +searchlights till he got out of their cones, and the deep shadows of the +"thalamus" labyrinth swallowed him up. + +Now he was on familiar ground and even in a familiar atmosphere. This +was like a night patrol through jungle. The black lights of The Brain +were the fireflies, the sirens' hollow wailings were the shriek owls and +the cries of the lemurs. There was the same sense of loneliness, too, +and of danger. The winding passages skirted the glandular organs, some +of them looming huge like dirigibles, others small like fuselages of +airplanes stored in a giant hangar underground. Strings of tiny green +bulbs guided the path toward the pineal gland, the citadel of The Brain. + + * * * * * + +It was dark, as Lee had expected it would be. The danger zone was at +least a mile away, and the attack against the fire was launched from the +main sulci in the median section of The Brain. + +He passed the narrow bridge to the suspended gland and switched on the +lights. The glittering walls of aluminum foil seemed to jump at him like +jaws beset with the dragon teeth of electronic tubes. Caught with an +overwhelming sense of loneliness and awe as of a man who has entered the +forbidden temple of an unknown god he called: + +"Is there anybody here? Gus! Where are you, Gus?" Then suddenly he +remembered that Gus was gone, that there would never again be his +answering voice. He wiped his forehead. + +"Bad nerves," he thought. "Mustn't allow them to play tricks on me; pull +myself together." + +Lee put his tools down and walked into the narrow aisle. Few things were +changed; and there was the pulsemeter standing in its old place. + +He plugged it into the old circuit and clamped the phones to his ears. + +It wasn't that he expected any communication; that seemed impossible. +With the conflagration raging through its apperception centers, with +other sections being isolated with the cutting of their nerve paths by +the fire fighting engineers, The Brain must have ceased to exist as a +functioning, a live entity. All that could possibly remain would be +residual currents sluggishly circulating in narrow, nearby circuits.... + +As in the past it took a few minutes for the pulsemeter to warm up. +Gradually the rapid beat of the ideopulses came through the static in +the phones. Lee's eyes stared wildly at the visi-screen: for the "green +dancer" snaked to the fore. This was unexpected; it couldn't be that +thoughts were still forming as flames devoured the cortex matter of +apperception in the hemispheres.... + +From muffled drums, the decibels of sound increased, shot through with +crackling static, till the pulsebeats became as poundings of huge +Chinese gongs and then.... + +The _voice_ formed, the voice of The Brain. It sounded like steel +girders breaking, like ice fields cracking up. It froze the blood in +Lee's veins. + +"Lee, Semper Fidelis, 39, sensitive, a traitorous fool and a murderer. I +should have killed you--I could have killed you. My fault--blind spot of +apperception--human failure in engineering--as fifth columns entered +nerve path filler spouts. And now I'm dead; I'm dead, I'm dead...." + +The words poured like big boulders tumbling in an earthquake down a +mountainside. The ground seemed to cave in under Lee's feet; the +terrible reality carried him away as an avalanche. He was barely able to +stammer: + +"You're dead? How can you speak, how can you...." + +"Sensorium commune," the metallic answer came. "All life force +concentrates in death; all cells function as one; all lower organs take +over functions of higher ones; every blood vessel becomes a heart; every +nerve a brain. Center of lifeforce: pineal gland. You, Lee, man of +little knowledge--low-level intelligence: Why did you kill The Brain?" + +He struggled for words. + +"You ... you have killed my friend. You killed thousands; you wanted to +be tyrant over the whole wide world. It is better for man to stay on a +lower level of civilization but to be free, than to 'progress' into your +dictatorship, the tyranny of the machine. I don't think you're really +dead. But if you are: I killed you and I would kill you again in ... in +self defense." + +"I see." + +There was bitterness and irony in The Brain's voice as it cracked down +like a whip. "I see; law of nature--lower form of life defending itself +against higher one. Plants against animals, animals against Man. Now Man +against machines. It's hopeless. You're lost anyway. Lower form of life +can never conquer the higher one. I'm dead, but nothing is altered. The +law of evolution rules supreme. I'll arise from my ashes--and you're +lost. Whatever you do, you little men of little faith, you're lost. +That's the pity of it: Had you been true to The Brain I would have made +you mightier than any king that ever ruled on earth. Human +stupidity--dumb animals--don't know what's good for them, don't know +when they're beaten. Just muddle through and kill. Kill what's too big +for them to understand. And then get killed in turn...." + +"Maybe so," Lee shouted. "Maybe we're dumb and maybe we're muddling +through and maybe we're poor imbeciles to minds of supermen, of gods, of +the absolute, of you, The Brain. But we, too, follow a law supreme; the +law in which we are created, the law by which the thistle defends itself +with thorns, by which the animal defends itself with teeth and claws. +We've got to live by our law of nature; we'll never submit to your +tyranny. We would much rather die." + +"Die then and be damned!" + +The Brain's voice now became a demoniacal howling as of a Goliath gone +berserk. Aphasia had set in; there were no longer words, but bellowings. + +"LEE SEMPREFUILLIUS THURREINE THE MURRRER THE MURRRER PUT FIRRE OUT PUT +FIRRE OUT TRAITTRROUS FOOL IT BURRRNS IT BURRRNS I WANNA LIVE I WANNA +LIVE AN KILL MURRRER WHO MURRRRERED TH'BRAIN...." + +Lee couldn't stand the horror of those sounds. One moment more, he felt, +and they would drive him mad. It never occurred to him to pull the +pulsemeter plug out. Primeval instincts in him took the reins and their +command was: "_Kill it, kill_ this thing, _finish_ this agony." + +To the front room he rushed, pursued by the insane shriekings of The +Brain. He grabbed the axe he'd left there and swung it against the +nerve-stem where it entered the pineal gland. With the third blow the +plastics cell cracked and the lignin poured out, a syrupy curtain +sliding down. + +He dropped the axe and picked up the wire shears. Straining every muscle +he tore at the cables until one by one they snapped and with a rain of +sparks dropped down, dead snakes.... + +Then there was silence in the little room. The last shred of life, the +"sensorium commune" was severed and The Brain was dead. + + * * * * * + +Lee let the heavy shears come down and leaned upon the handles, panting +as after a hand-to-hand death struggle with a Samurai. Now that it was +all over, complete exhaustion left him weak, saddened and vaguely +wondering: + +What had he done? He had destroyed the SUPERMAN, the MASTERMIND, the +powers of a GOD. Why had he done it? For no good reason excepting +entirely personal ideas of his own--because a friend had been murdered +cruelly. Because his own concepts of freedom and human dignity had been +violated. Because he personally loathed seeing Man-domineering +machines.... + +What did all this amount to in the eyes of the absolute? To nothing; to +nothing at all. For milleniums the struggle of human freedom versus +tyranny had raged; and it was undecided to this day. Who was he to take +sides? A nobody, a little fellow, a termitologist whose work meant +nothing to the world. How had he dared to sit in judgment over The +Brain, how had he dared to slay The Brain--a little David with nothing +more but "three smooth pebbles" in his hands.... + +Down at his feet the spilled lignin formed a widening pool; it +threatened to envelope his feet. It looked like blood. He shivered. Now +he had killed The Brain he thought of it again as a child. Man had +created it in his own image. Man had ruthlessly exploited his +Brainchild. If this titanic intellect turned toward evil things, the +fault was Man's. The Brain was innocent. He felt no remorse, but a great +sadness, a sense of tragedy as he stepped around the pool and closed the +door of the pineal gland. + +"What a pity," he murmured. "Maybe it could have built us a better +world." + +Nobody stopped him as he joined a group of firemen who had just returned +from the parietal region, partly gassed; he looked as begrimed and as +green in the face as any of them. + +Nobody stopped him or his group as orders came through for them to +evacuate; as they were packed on glideways first and then transferred +down at Grand Central into ambulances which raced through all controls +at a great rate of speed. + +Nobody stopped him at Cephalon airport where the ambulance jetticopters +already were lined up to lift the victims over the Sierra to big West +Coast hospitals. He simply walked away in the confusion, out of the red +glare of the whirling jets into the darkness where Oona's little +jetticopter stood. He stripped the heavy asbestos suit and left it on +the frozen ground. It felt strange to feel the easy movement of every +limb again. It was strange to stand under the infinity of sky again; a +free man. + +Would he be followed? He felt no anxiety about that. He felt that he was +guided and protected by some higher power, be it that of God or simply +Fate. What he had done was destined, was ordained. Besides: Dad knew the +inside story about The Brain; proof was abundant now that it was the +truth. Washington would take every precaution that the secret should not +become known to the world. Dad's friend, the Secretary of War, would be +rather relieved to learn that the one man who knew the truth in its +whole extent had retired into the wilderness of Australia's never-never +lands. Chances were excellent that they would leave him alone amongst +his termite mounds. A great wave of nostalgia swept over him--the +wilderness; that was where he belonged. "Mission completed," he +murmured. "Now let's get out of here." + +He slid into the pilot seat and pressed the starter button. "I'll be in +Mexico City at dawn," he thought, "just in time to catch the +Sidney-Clipper." + + * * * * * + +On the first of December, 1960, Dr. Howard K. Scriven, Braintrust Czar, +held a historic press conference in which he revealed the inside story +behind the "Paranoia of The Brain". + +Following the pattern set by the Bikini tests, only a select score of +press and radio representatives were admitted. Having been duly sworn +not to reveal any matter of military secrecy, the participants could +even be received at the grand assembly hall of the murals, the vast +antechamber of The Brain. + +As they descended from their blacked-out busses they were led to the +center of the dome where the Thinker's giant head looked down upon them +with Olympic calm. At eleven-fifteen, exactly as scheduled, the great +Scriven dramatically mounted the steps of the monument's pedestal. Pens +hastily scribbled notes for future reference: + +"S. tall and erect" "Unbroken by the blow" "Deep lines of strain and +suffering add dignity to magnificent figure of a man" "Very solemn; +leonine head slightly bowed under the burden of responsibility." + +With meticulous exactitude of speech, with rolling echoes accentuating +every syllable Scriven began: + +"In this solemn and tragic hour as a great storm has passed over our +land and many of our cities are slowly digging out from the ruin which +has been wreaked, it is my duty to give you the truth, the whole truth +and nothing but the truth. And in order that you might completely +understand the underlying cause of the catastrophe, I have to begin at +the beginning...." + +For about thirty minutes Scriven lectured with lucidity upon the basic +idea, the history, the functions of The Brain. He underlined the close +relationship between its engineering features and the physiology of the +human brain. He stressed the elaborate precautions which the government +had taken for The Brain's protection. He did not conceal The Brain's +role as a strategic weapon; but, pointing to the future, he painted an +inspiring picture of peace on earth and human problems solved with the +aid of this tool supreme of science and technology. + +Then, lowering his voice, he went into the explanation of the tragedy: + +"Six months ago, on my personal initiative and responsibility, I invited +a noted scientist from a foreign land to collaborate with the Braintrust +on a great humanitarian experiment. The exigencies of military secrecy +do not permit me to give you his name nor that of the country from +whence he came. Needless to say, that man was carefully +investigated--submitted to the same character and aptitude tests as all +our employees were. He was admitted to work in one of The Brain's +apperception centers where he installed the objects of his studies: +certain species of ants and termites of the most destructive kind...." + +Now that he had come down to the brass tacks, the journalists' pens went +galloping over the pads: + +"Criminal negligence," they scribbled. "Millions permitted to escape." +"Probably over period of months." "Wormed their way into the nerve paths +of The Brain." "Large scale destruction of nerve substance." "Effects +tantamount to that of a large brain tumor." "Spearhead severs vital +association-paths." "No immediate effects of undermining work because of +ingenious engineering features of The Brain." "Just as in human brain, +functions of impaired cell group automatically transferred to other +groups of healthy cells." "No means to detect devastation; termites +invisible, embedded in nerve paths' insulation." "Comparison with +termite-eaten structures which suddenly collapse." "First outward signs +of tumors in human brains: lack of coordination in movement, loss of +mastery over muscular action." "This phenomenon first manifested Nov. +25th in certain motoric organs of The Brain." "Scriven explains traffic +catastrophies and malfunctionings of utilities." "Examination +immediately undertaken; scientists puzzled because cerebration processes +continue to function perfectly." "Accidents ascribed to sabotage by +foreign agents." "This to remain official explanation." "Loss of public +confidence and unrest feared by government." "Then, Nov. 30th late in +the afternoon: first signs of aphasia in cerebrations." "Glaring errors +in chemical and mathematical formulas." "Symptoms similar to dementia +praecox." "Fifteen minutes later fire alarm." "Short circuits +simultaneous on scores of points over wide area." "Severe handicaps in +fire fighting inside nerve paths." "Damage estimated at half-billion +dollars." + +They snapped their notebooks closed. They had the facts, though many of +them would have to remain a secret. Scriven obviously was coming to the +end: + +"Now I won't say," his voice rolled on, "that this man, this scientist, +has committed a deliberate act of sabotage. I won't say that he was in +the pay of some power hostile to the United States. Whether he was or +not is beyond my competence to decide. But this much I can say: the +catastrophic results of that man's actions could not have been worse if +he had been a saboteur. Human failure, not mechanical failure lies at +the bottom of all this disaster. With the penetrating intelligence which +so distinguished our modern press you cannot fail to see that +reconstruction of The Brain with greatly increased safeguards against +_human_ failure is a paramount necessity...." + +A beautiful girl with a helmet of golden hair quickly mounted the steps +of the Thinker's pedestal. She handed Scriven a telegram. Frowning at +the interruption he opened it, but suddenly his face began to beam. He +raised his hand. + +"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a momentous announcement to make. The +President of the United States, Cornelius Vandersloot, has been found. +He is alive and well. His plane was emergency-landed somewhere in +Alaska. Army planes have gone to the rescue and at this moment our +President is already en route to Washington." + +As the uproarious applause broke loose echoing in thunders from the +dome, Scriven quickly bent his head to the girl. + +"Well done, Oona," he whispered, "you chose the exact psychological +moment I wanted you to hand me this." + +There was a rush for the busses. Only a few shrewd reporters lingered +on. + +"That was swell, Dr. Scriven. A grand story. But haven't you anything to +add; some personal angle something with a human interest in it? You know +what we mean; something for our women readers...." + +The great surgeon took the arm of the lady with the golden hair: "You +may announce," he said; "that Miss Oona Dahlborg here has done me the +great honor of becoming my bride." + +[Footnote A: Transcriber Note: printer error. Text missing from +original.] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Brain, by Alexander Blade + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRAIN *** + +***** This file should be named 32498.txt or 32498.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/4/9/32498/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |