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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1da7a3 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #50736 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50736) diff --git a/old/50736-h.zip b/old/50736-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index c762dd7..0000000 --- a/old/50736-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50736-h/50736-h.htm b/old/50736-h/50736-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index f926a33..0000000 --- a/old/50736-h/50736-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9196 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Address: Centauri, by F. L. Wallace. - </title> - - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} - -div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} -h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} - - -table { - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; -} - - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.right {text-align: right;} - -.caption {font-weight: bold;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - - -div.titlepage { - text-align: center; - page-break-before: always; - page-break-after: always; -} - -div.titlepage p { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; - font-weight: bold; - line-height: 1.5; - margin-top: 3em; -} - -.ph1, .ph2, .ph3, .ph4 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; } -.ph1 { font-size: xx-large; margin: .67em auto; } -.ph2 { font-size: x-large; margin: .75em auto; } -.ph3 { font-size: large; margin: .83em auto; } -.ph4 { font-size: medium; margin: 1.12em auto; } - - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Address: Centauri, by F. L. Wallace - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Address: Centauri - -Author: F. L. Wallace - -Release Date: December 21, 2015 [EBook #50736] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADDRESS: CENTAURI *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="368" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>ADDRESS: CENTAURI</h1> - -<p>by<br /> -F. L. WALLACE</p> - -<p>Published by<br /> -GALAXY PUBLISHING CORP.<br /> -New York 14, New York</p> - -<p>A Galaxy Science Fiction Novel<br /> -by special arrangement with Gnome Press</p> - -<p>Based on "Accidental Flight," copyright<br /> -1952 by Galaxy Publishing Corp.</p> - -<p>Published in book form by Gnome<br /> -Press, copyright 1955 by F. L. Wallace.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: Extensive research did not uncover any<br /> -evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -<p>Galaxy Science Fiction Novels<i> are sturdy, inexpensive editions<br /> -of choice works in this field, both original and reprint,<br /> -selected by the editors of </i>Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine.</p> - -<p>Cover by Wallace A. Wood</p> - -<p>Printed in the U.S.A. by<br /> -The Guinn Company<br /> -New York 14, N. Y.</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph3">Contents</p> - -<div class="center"> -<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c1">1</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c2">2</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c3">3</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c4">4</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c5">5</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c6">6</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c7">7</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c8">8</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c9">9</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c10">10</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c11">11</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c12">12</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c13">13</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c14">14</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c15">15</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"><a href="#c16">16</a></td></tr> -</table></div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph3">Earth was too perfect for these extraordinary -exiles—to belong to it, they had to flee it!</p> -<hr class="chap" /> - -<h2><a name="c1" id="c1">1</a></h2> - - -<p>Light flickered. It was uncomfortably bright.</p> - -<p>Doctor Cameron gazed intently at the top of the desk. It wasn't easy -to be diplomatic. "The request was turned over to the Medicouncil," he -said. "I assure you it was studied thoroughly before it was reported -back to the Solar Committee."</p> - -<p>Docchi edged forward, his face alight with anticipation.</p> - -<p>The doctor kept his eyes averted. The man was damnably -disconcerting—had no right to be alive. In the depths of the sea there -were certain creatures like him and on a warm summer evening there was -still another parallel, but never any human with such an infirmity. -"I'm afraid you know what the answer is. A flat no for the present."</p> - -<p>Docchi sagged and his arms hung limp. "That's the answer?"</p> - -<p>"It's not as hopeless as you think. Decisions can be changed. It won't -be the first time."</p> - -<p>"Sure," said Docchi. "We'll wait and wait until it's finally changed. -We've got centuries, haven't we?" His face was blazing. It had slipped -out of control though he wasn't aware of it. Beneath the skin certain -cells had been modified, there were substances in his body that the -ordinary individual didn't have. And when there was an extreme flow of -nervous energy the response was—light. His metabolism was akin to that -of a firefly.</p> - -<p>Cameron meddled with buttons. It was impossible to keep the lighting at -a decent level. Docchi was a nuisance.</p> - -<p>"Why?" questioned Docchi. "We're capable, you know that. How could they -refuse?"</p> - -<p>That was something he didn't want asked because there was no answer -both of them would accept. Sometimes a blunt reply was the best -evasion. "Do you think they'd take you? Or Nona, Jordan, or Anti?"</p> - -<p>Docchi winced, his arms quivering uselessly. "Maybe not. But we told -you we're willing to let experts decide. There's nearly a thousand of -us. They should be able to get one qualified crew."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps. I'm not going to say." Cameron abandoned the light as beyond -his control. "Most of you are biocompensators. I concede it's a factor -in your favor. But you must realize there are many things against you." -He squinted at the desk top. Below the solid surface there was a drawer -and in the drawer there was—that was what he was trying to see or -determine. The more he looked the less clear anything seemed to be. He -tried to make his voice crisp and professional. "You're wasting time -discussing this with me. I've merely passed the decision on. I'm not -responsible for it and I can't do anything for you."</p> - -<p>Docchi stood up, his face colorless and bright. But the inner -illumination was no indication of hope.</p> - -<p>Doctor Cameron looked at him directly for the first time. It wasn't -as bad as he expected. "I suggest you calm down. Be patient and wait. -You'll be surprised how often you get what you want."</p> - -<p>"You'd be surprised how we get what we want," said Docchi. He turned -away, lurching toward the door which opened automatically and closed -behind him.</p> - -<p>Again Cameron concentrated on the desk, trying to look through it. -He wrote down the sequence he expected to find, lingering over it to -make sure he didn't force the pictures that came into his mind. He -opened the drawer and compared the Rhine cards with what he'd written, -frowning in disappointment. No matter how he tried he never got better -than average results. Perhaps there was something to telepathy but he'd -never found it. Anyway it was clear he wasn't one of the gifted few.</p> - -<p>He shut the drawer. It was a private game, a method to keep from -becoming involved in Docchi's problems, to avoid emotional entanglement -with people he had nothing in common with. He didn't enjoy depriving -weak and helpless men and women of what little hope they had. It was -their lack of strength that made them so difficult to handle.</p> - -<p>He reached for the telecom. "Get Medicouncilor Thorton," he told the -operator. "Direct if you can; indirect if you have to. I'll hold on."</p> - -<p>Approximate mean diameter thirty miles, the asteroid was listed on the -charts as Handicap Haven with a mark that indicated except in emergency -no one not authorized was to land there. Those who were confined to it -were willing to admit they were handicapped but they didn't call it -haven. They used other terms, none suggesting sanctuary.</p> - -<p>It was a hospital, of course, but even more it was a convalescent -home—the permanent kind. Healthy and vigorous humanity had reserved -the remote planetoid, a whirling bleak rock of no other value, and -built large installations there for less fortunate people. It was a -noble gesture but like many gestures the reality fell short of the -intentions. And not many people outside the Haven itself realized -wherein it was a failure.</p> - -<p>The robot operator broke into his thoughts. "Medicouncilor Thorton has -been located."</p> - -<p>An older man looked out of the screen, competent, forceful. "I'm on -my way to the satellites of Jupiter. I'll be in direct range for -the next half hour." At such distances transmission and reception -were practically instantaneous. Cameron was assured of uninterrupted -conversation. "It's a good thing you called. Have you got the Solar -Committee reply?"</p> - -<p>"This morning. I saw no reason to hold it up. I just finished giving -Docchi the news."</p> - -<p>"Dispatch. I like that. Get the disagreeable job done with." The -medicouncilor searched through the desk in front of him without -success. "Never mind. I'll find the information later. Now. How did -Docchi react?"</p> - -<p>"He didn't like it. He was mad clear through."</p> - -<p>"That speaks well for his bounce."</p> - -<p>"They all have spirit. Nothing to use it on," said Dr. Cameron. "I -confess I didn't look at him often though he was quite presentable, -even handsome in a startling sort of way."</p> - -<p>Thorton nodded brusquely. "Presentable. Does that mean he had arms?"</p> - -<p>"Today he did. Is it important?"</p> - -<p>"I think so. He expected a favorable reply and wanted to look his -best, as nearly normal as possible. In view of that I'm surprised he -didn't threaten you."</p> - -<p>Cameron tried to recall the incident. "I think he did, mildly. He said -something to the effect that I'd be surprised how <i>they</i> got what they -wanted."</p> - -<p>"So you anticipate trouble. That's why you called?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know. I want your opinion."</p> - -<p>"You're on the scene, doctor. You get the important nuances," said -the medicouncilor hastily. "However it's my considered judgment they -won't start anything immediately. It takes time to get over the shock -of refusal. They can't do anything. Individually they're helpless -and collectively there aren't parts for a dozen sound bodies on the -asteroid."</p> - -<p>"I'll have to agree," said Dr. Cameron. "But there's something that -bothers me. I've looked over the records. No accidental has ever liked -being here, and that covers quite a few years."</p> - -<p>"Nobody appreciates the hospital until he's sick, doctor."</p> - -<p>"I know. That's partly what's wrong. They're no longer ill and yet they -have to stay here. What worries me is that there's never been such open -discontent as now."</p> - -<p>"I hope I don't have to point out that someone's stirring them up. Find -out who and keep a close watch. As a doctor you can find pretexts, a -different diet, a series of tests. You can keep the person coming to -you every day."</p> - -<p>"I've found out. There's a self-elected group of four, Docchi, Nona, -Anti and Jordan. I believe they're supposed to be the local recreation -committee."</p> - -<p>The medicouncilor smiled. "An apt camouflage. It keeps them amused."</p> - -<p>"I thought so too but now I'm convinced they're no longer harmless. I'd -like permission to break up the group. Humanely of course."</p> - -<p>"I always welcome new ideas."</p> - -<p>In spite of what he'd said the medicouncilor probably did have an open -mind. "Start with those it's possible to do the most with. Docchi, -for instance. With prosthetic arms, he appears normal except for that -uncanny fluorescence. Granted that the last is repulsive to the average -person. We can't correct the condition medically but we can make it -into an asset."</p> - -<p>"An asset? Very neat, if it can be done." The medicouncilor's -expression said it couldn't be.</p> - -<p>"Gland opera," said Cameron, hurrying on. "The most popular program -in the solar system, telepaths, teleports, pyrotics and so forth the -heroes. Fake of course, makeup and trick camera shots.</p> - -<p>"But Docchi can be made into a real star. The death-ray man, say. When -his face shines men fall dead or paralyzed. He'd have a tremendous -following of kids."</p> - -<p>"Children," mused the medicouncilor. "Are you serious about exposing -them to his influence? Do you really want them to see him?"</p> - -<p>"He'd have a chance to return to society in a way that would be -acceptable to him," said Cameron defensively. He shouldn't have -specifically mentioned kids.</p> - -<p>"To him, perhaps," reflected the medicouncilor. "It's an ingenious -idea, doctor, one which does credit to your humanitarianism. But I'm -afraid of the public's reception. Have you gone into Docchi's medical -history?"</p> - -<p>"I glanced at it before I called him in." The man was unusual, -even in a place that specialized in the abnormal. Docchi had been -an electrochemical engineer with a degree in cold lighting. On his -way to a brilliant career, he had been the victim of a particularly -messy accident. The details hadn't been described but Cameron could -supplement them with his imagination. He'd been badly mangled and -tossed into a tank of the basic cold lighting fluid.</p> - -<p>There was life left in the body; it flickered but never went entirely -out. His arms were gone and his ribs were crushed into his spinal -column. Regeneration wasn't easy; a partial rib cage could be built up, -but no more than that. He had no shoulder muscles and only a minimum -in his back and now, much later, that was why he tired easily and why -the prosthetic arms with which he'd been fitted were merely ornamental, -there was nothing which could move them.</p> - -<p>And then there was the cold lighting fluid. To begin with it was -semi-organic which, perhaps, was the reason he had remained alive so -long when he should have died. It had preserved him, had in part -replaced his blood, permeating every tissue. By the time Docchi had -been found his body had adapted to the cold lighting substance. And the -adaptation couldn't be reversed and it was self-perpetuating. Life was -hardier than most men realized but occasionally it was also perverse.</p> - -<p>"Then you know what he's like," said the medicouncilor, shaking his -head. "Our profession can't sponsor such a freakish display of his -misfortune. No doubt he'd be successful on the program you mention. But -there's more to life than financial achievement or the rather peculiar -admiration that would be certain to follow him. As an actor he'd have a -niche. But can you imagine, doctor, the dead silence that would occur -when he walks into a social gathering of normal people?"</p> - -<p>"I see," said Cameron, though he didn't—not eye to eye. He didn't -agree with Thorton but there wasn't much he could do to alter the -other's conviction at the moment. There was a long fight ahead of him. -"I'll forget about Docchi. But there's another way to break up the -group."</p> - -<p>The medicouncilor interrupted. "Nona?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. I'm not sure she really belongs here."</p> - -<p>"Every young doctor thinks the same," said the medicouncilor kindly. -"Usually they wait until their term is nearly up before they suggest -that she'd respond better if she were returned to normal society. I -think I know what response they have in mind." Thorton smiled in a -fatherly fashion. "No offense, doctor, but it happens so often I'm -thinking of inserting a note in our briefing program. Something to the -effect that the new medical director should avoid the beautiful and -self-possessed moron."</p> - -<p>"Is she stupid?" asked Cameron stubbornly. "It's my impression that -she's not."</p> - -<p>"Clever with her hands," agreed the medicouncilor. "People in her -mental classification, which is very low, sometimes are. But don't -confuse manual dexterity with intelligence. For one thing she doesn't -have the brain structure for the real article.</p> - -<p>"She's definitely not normal. She can't talk or hear, and never will. -Her larynx is missing and though we could replace it, it wouldn't -help if we did. We'd have to change her entire brain structure to -accommodate it and we're not that good at the present."</p> - -<p>"I was thinking about the nerve dissimilarities," began Cameron.</p> - -<p>"A superior mutation, is that what you were going to say? You can -forget that. It's much more of an anomaly, in the nature of cleft -palates, which were once common—poor pre-natal nutrition or traumas. -These we can correct rather easily but Nona is surgically beyond us. -There always is something beyond us, you know." The medicouncilor -glanced at the chronometer beside him.</p> - -<p>Cameron saw the time too but continued. It ought to be settled. It -would do no good to bring up Helen Keller; the medicouncilor would -use that evidence against him. The Keller techniques had been studied -and reinterpreted for Nona's benefit. That much was in her medical -record. They had been tried on Nona, and they hadn't worked. It made no -difference that he, Cameron, thought there were certain flaws in the -way the old techniques had been applied. Thorton would not allow that -the previous practitioners could have been wrong. "I've been wondering -if we haven't tried to force her to conform. She can be intelligent -without understanding what we say or knowing how to read and write."</p> - -<p>"How?" demanded the medicouncilor. "The most important tool humans -have is language. Through this we pass along all knowledge." Thorton -paused, reflecting. "Unless you're referring to this Gland Opera stuff -you mentioned. I believe you are, though personally I prefer to call it -Rhine Opera."</p> - -<p>"I've been thinking of that," admitted Cameron. "Maybe if there was -someone else like her she wouldn't need to talk the way we do. Anyway -I'd like to make some tests, with your permission. I'll need some new -equipment."</p> - -<p>The medicouncilor found the sheet he'd been looking for from time -to time. He creased it absently. "Go ahead with those tests if it -will make you feel better. I'll personally approve the requisition. -It doesn't mean you'll get everything you want. Others have to sign -too. However you ought to know you're not the first to think she's -telepathic or something related to that phenomena."</p> - -<p>"I've seen that in the record too. But I think I can be the first one -to prove it."</p> - -<p>"I'm glad you're enthusiastic. But don't lose sight of the main -objective. Even if she <i>is</i> telepathic, and so far as we're concerned -she's not, would she be better suited to life outside?"</p> - -<p>He had one answer—but the medicouncilor believed in another. "Perhaps -you're right. She'll have to stay here no matter what happens."</p> - -<p>"She will. It would solve your problems if you could break up the -group, but don't count on it. You'll have to learn to manage them as -they are."</p> - -<p>"I'll see that they don't cause any trouble," said Cameron.</p> - -<p>"I'm sure you will." The medicouncilor's manner didn't ooze confidence. -"If you need help we can send in reinforcements."</p> - -<p>"I don't anticipate that much difficulty," said Cameron hastily. "I'll -keep them running around in circles."</p> - -<p>"Confusion is the best policy," agreed the medicouncilor. He unfolded -the sheet and looked down at it. "Oh yes, before it's too late I'd -better tell you I'm sending details of new treatments for a number of -deficients——"</p> - -<p>The picture collapsed into meaningless swirls of color. For an instant -the voice was distinguishable again before it too was drowned by noise. -"Did you understand what I said, doctor? If it isn't clear contact me. -Deviation can be fatal."</p> - -<p>"I can't keep the ship in focus," said the robot. "If you wish to -continue the conversation it will have to be relayed through the -nearest main station. At present that's Mars."</p> - -<p>It was inconvenient to wait several minutes for each reply. Besides the -medicouncilor couldn't or wouldn't help him. He wanted the status quo -maintained; nothing else would satisfy him. It was the function of the -medical director to see that it was. "We're through," said Cameron.</p> - -<p>He sat there after the telecom clicked off. What were the deficients -the medicouncilor had talked about? A subdivision of the accidentals -of course, but it wasn't a medical term he was familiar with. Probably -a semi-slang description. The medicouncilor had been associated with -accidentals so long that he assumed every doctor would know at once -what he meant.</p> - -<p>Deficients. Mentally Cameron turned the word over. If it was -used accurately it could indicate only one thing. He'd see when -the medicouncilor's report came in. He could always ask for more -information if it wasn't clear.</p> - -<p>The doctor got heavily to his feet—and he actually was heavier. It -wasn't a psychological reaction. He made a mental note of it. He'd have -to investigate the gravity surge.</p> - -<p>In a way accidentals were pathetic, patchwork humans, half or quarter -men and women, fractional organisms which masqueraded as people. The -illusion died hard for them, harder than that which remained of their -bodies, and those bodies were unbelievably tough. Medicine and surgery -were partly to blame. Techniques were too good or not good enough, -depending on the viewpoint—doctor or patient.</p> - -<p>Too good in that the most horribly injured person, if he were found -alive, could be kept alive. Not good enough because a certain per cent -of the injured couldn't be returned to society completely sound and -whole. The miracles of healing were incomplete.</p> - -<p>There weren't many humans who were broken beyond repair, but though -the details varied in every respect, the results were monotonously -the same. For the most part disease had been eliminated. Everyone was -healthy—except those who'd been hurt in accidents and who couldn't be -resurgeried and regenerated into the beautiful mold characteristic of -the entire population. And those few were sent to the asteroid.</p> - -<p>They didn't like it. They didn't like being <i>confined</i> to Handicap -Haven. They were sensitive and they didn't want to go back. They knew -how conspicuous they'd be, hobbling and crawling among the multitudes -of beautiful men and women who inhabited the planets. The accidentals -didn't want to return.</p> - -<p>What they did want was ridiculous. They had talked about, hoped, and -finally embodied it in a petition. They had requested rockets to make -the first long hard journey to Alpha and Proxima Centauri. Man was -restricted to the solar system and had no way of getting to even the -nearest stars. They thought they could break through the barrier. Some -accidentals would go and some would remain behind, lonelier except for -their share in the dangerous enterprise.</p> - -<p>It was a particularly uncontrollable form of self-deception. They were -the broken people, without a face they could call their own, who wore -their hearts not on their sleeves but in a blood-pumping chamber, those -without limbs or organs—or too many. The categories were endless. No -accidental was like any other.</p> - -<p>The self-deception was vicious precisely because the accidentals <i>were</i> -qualified. Of all the billions of solar citizens <i>they alone could make -the long journey there and return</i>. But there were other factors that -ruled them out. It was never safe to discuss the first reason with them -because the second would have to be explained. Cameron himself wasn't -sadistic and no one else was interested enough to inform them.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c2" id="c2">2</a></h2> - - -<p>Docchi sat beside the pool. It would be pleasant if he could forget -where he was. It was pastoral though not quite a scene from Earth. The -horizon was too near and the sky was shallow and only seemed to be -bright. Darkness lurked outside.</p> - -<p>A small tree stretched shade overhead. Waves lapped and made gurgling -sounds against the banks. But there was no plant life of any kind, and -no fish swam in the liquid. It looked like water but wasn't—the pool -held acid. And floating in it, all but submerged, was a shape. The -records in the hospital said it was a woman.</p> - -<p>"Anti, they turned us down," said Docchi bitterly.</p> - -<p>"What did you expect?" rumbled the creature in the pool. Wavelets of -acid danced across the surface, stirred by her voice.</p> - -<p>"I didn't expect that."</p> - -<p>"You don't know the Medicouncil very well."</p> - -<p>"I guess I don't." He stared sullenly at the fluid. It was faintly -blue. "I have the feeling they didn't consider it, that they held the -request for a time and then answered no without looking at it."</p> - -<p>"Now you're beginning to learn. Wait till you've been here as long as I -have."</p> - -<p>Morosely he kicked an anemic tuft of grass. Plants didn't do well here -either. They too were exiled, far from the sun, removed from the soil -they originated in. The conditions they grew in were artificial. "Why -did they turn us down?" said Docchi.</p> - -<p>"Answer it yourself. Remember what the Medicouncil is like. Different -things are important to them. The main thing is that we don't have to -follow their example. There's no need to be irrational even though they -are."</p> - -<p>"I wish I knew what to do," said Docchi. "It meant so much to us."</p> - -<p>"We can wait, outlast the attitude," said Anti, moving slowly. It was -the only way she could move. Most of her bulk was beneath the surface.</p> - -<p>"Cameron suggested waiting." Reflectively Docchi added: "It's true we -are biocompensators."</p> - -<p>"They always bring in biocompensation," muttered Anti restlessly. "I'm -getting tired of that excuse. Time passes just as slow."</p> - -<p>"But what else is there? Shall we draw up another request?"</p> - -<p>"Memorandum number ten? Let's not be naive. Things get lost when we -send them to the Medicouncil. Their filing system is in terrible shape."</p> - -<p>"Lost or distorted," grunted Docchi angrily. The grass he'd kicked -already had begun to wilt. It wasn't hardy in this environment. Few -things were.</p> - -<p>"Maybe we ought to give the Medicouncil a rest. I'm sure they don't -want to hear from us again."</p> - -<p>Docchi moved closer to the pool. "Then you think we should go ahead -with the plan we discussed before we sent in the petition? Good. I'll -call the others together and tell them what happened. They'll agree -that we have to do it."</p> - -<p>"Then why call them? More talk, that's all. Besides I don't see why we -should warn Cameron what we're up to."</p> - -<p>Docchi glanced at her worriedly. "Do you think someone would report it? -I'm certain everyone feels as I do."</p> - -<p>"Not everyone. There's bound to be dissent," said Anti placidly. "But I -wasn't thinking of people."</p> - -<p>"Oh that," said Docchi. "We can block that source any time we need to." -It was a relief to know that he could trust the accidentals. Unanimity -was important and some of the reasons weren't obvious.</p> - -<p>"Maybe you can and maybe you can't," said Anti. "But why make it -difficult, why waste time?"</p> - -<p>Docchi got up awkwardly but he wasn't clumsy once he was on his feet. -"I'll get Jordan. I know I'll need arms."</p> - -<p>"Depends on what you mean," said Anti.</p> - -<p>"Both," said Docchi, smiling. "We're a dangerous weapon."</p> - -<p>She called out as he walked away. "I'll see you when you leave for far -Centauri."</p> - -<p>"Sooner than that, Anti. Much sooner."</p> - -<p>Stars were beginning to wink. Twilight brought out the shadows and -tracery of the structure that supported the transparent dome overhead. -Soon controlled slow rotation would bring near darkness to this side of -the asteroid. The sun was small at this distance but even so it was a -tie to the familiar scenes of Earth. Before long it would be lost.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Cameron leaned back and looked speculatively at the gravity engineer, -Vogel. The engineer could give him considerable assistance. There was -no reason why he shouldn't but anyone who voluntarily had remained -on the asteroid as long as Vogel was a doubtful quantity. He didn't -distrust him, the man was strange.</p> - -<p>"I've been busy trying to keep the place running smoothly. I hope you -don't mind that I haven't been able to discuss your job at length," -said the doctor, watching him closely.</p> - -<p>"Naw, I don't mind," said Vogel. "Medical directors come and go. I stay -on. It's easier than getting another job."</p> - -<p>"I know. By now you should know the place pretty well. I sometimes -think you could do my work with half the trouble."</p> - -<p>"Ain't in the least curious about medicine and never bothered to -learn," grunted Vogel. "I keep my stuff running and that's all. I -don't interfere with nobody and they don't come around and get friendly -with me."</p> - -<p>Cameron believed it. The statement fit the personality. He needn't be -concerned about fraternization. "There are a few things that puzzle -me," he began. "That's why I called you in. Usually we maintain about -half Earth-normal gravity. Is that correct?"</p> - -<p>The engineer nodded and grunted assent.</p> - -<p>"I'm not sure why half gravity is used. Perhaps it's easier on the -weakened bodies of the accidentals. Or there may be economic factors. -Either way it's not important as long as half gravity is what we get."</p> - -<p>"You want to know why we use that figure?"</p> - -<p>"If you can tell me without getting too technical, yes. I feel I should -learn everything I can about the place."</p> - -<p>The engineer warmed up, seeming to enjoy himself. "Ain't no reason -except the gravity units themselves," Vogel said. "Theoretically we can -get anything we want. Practically we take whatever comes out, anything -from a quarter to full Earth gravity."</p> - -<p>"You have no control over it?" This contradicted what he'd heard. His -information was that gravity generators were the product of an awesome -bit of scientific development. It seemed inconceivable that they should -be so haphazardly directed.</p> - -<p>"Sure we got control," answered the engineer, grinning. "We can -turn them off or on. If gravity varies, that's too bad. We take the -fluctuation or we don't get anything."</p> - -<p>Cameron frowned; the man knew what he was doing or he wouldn't be -here. His position was of only slightly less importance than that of -the medical director—and where it mattered the Medicouncil wouldn't -tolerate incompetence. And yet——</p> - -<p>The engineer rumbled on. "You were talking how the generators were -designed especially for the asteroid. Some fancy medical reason why -it's easier on the accidentals to have a lesser gravity plus a certain -amount of change. Me, I dunno. I guess the designers couldn't help what -was built and the reason was dug up later."</p> - -<p>Cameron concealed his irritation. He wanted information, not a heart -to heart confession. Back on Earth he <i>had</i> been told it was for -the benefit of the accidentals. He'd reserved judgment then and saw -no reason not to do so now. "All practical sciences try to justify -what they can't escape but would like to. Medicine, I'm sure, is no -exception."</p> - -<p>He paused thoughtfully. "I understand there are three separate -generators on the asteroid. One runs for forty-five minutes while two -are idle. When the first one stops another one cuts in. The operations -are supposed to be synchronized. I don't have to tell you that they're -not. Not long ago you felt your weight increase suddenly. I know I did. -What is wrong?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing wrong," said the engineer soothingly. "You get fluctuations -while one generator is running. You get a gravity surge when one -generator is supposed to drop out but doesn't. The companion machine -adds to it, that's all."</p> - -<p>"They're supposed to be that way? Overlapping so that for a time we -have Earth or Earth and a half gravity?"</p> - -<p>"Better than having none," said Vogel with heavy pride. "Used to happen -quite often, before I came. You can ask any of the old timers. I fixed -that though."</p> - -<p>He didn't like the direction his questions were taking him. "What did -you do?" he asked suspiciously.</p> - -<p>"Nothing," said the engineer uncomfortably. "Nothing I can think of. I -guess the machines just got used to having me around."</p> - -<p>There were people who tended to anthropomorphize anything they came -in contact with and Vogel was one of them. It made no difference to -him that he was talking about insensate machines. He would continue to -endow them with personality. "This is the best you can say, that we'll -get a wild variation of gravity, sometimes none?"</p> - -<p>"It's not <i>supposed</i> to work that way but nobody's ever done better -with a setup like this," said Vogel defensively. "If you want you can -check the company that makes these units."</p> - -<p>"I'm not trying to challenge your knowledge and I'm not anxious to make -myself look silly. I do want to make sure I don't overlook anything. -You see, I think there's a possibility of sabotage."</p> - -<p>The engineer's grin was wider than the remark required.</p> - -<p>Cameron swiveled the chair around and leaned on the desk. "All right," -he said tiredly, "tell me why the idea of sabotage is so funny."</p> - -<p>"It would have to be someone living here," said the big engineer. "He -wouldn't like it if it jumped up to nine G, which it could. I think -he'd let it alone. But there are better reasons. Do you know how each -gravity unit is put together?"</p> - -<p>"Not in detail."</p> - -<p>The gravity generating unit was not a unit. It was built in three -parts. First there was a power source, which could be anything as long -as it supplied ample energy. The basic supply on the asteroid was a -nuclear pile, buried deep in the core. Handicap Haven would have to be -taken apart, stone by stone, before it could be reached.</p> - -<p>Part two were the gravity coils, which actually originated and directed -the gravity. They were simple and very nearly indestructible. They -could be destroyed but they couldn't be altered and still produce the -field.</p> - -<p>The third part was the control unit, the real heart of the gravity -generating system. It calculated the relationship between the power -flowing through the coils and the created field in any one microsecond. -It used the computed relationship to alter the power flowing in -the next microsecond to get the same gravity. If the power didn't -change the field died instantly. The control unit was thus actually a -computer, one of the best made, accurate and fast beyond belief.</p> - -<p>The engineer rubbed his chin. "Now I guess you can see why it doesn't -always behave as we want it to."</p> - -<p>He looked questioningly at Cameron, expecting a reply. "I'm afraid I -can't," said the doctor.</p> - -<p>"If it was one of your patients you'd understand," said Vogel. -"Fatigue. The gravity control unit is an intricate computer and it gets -tired. It has to rest an hour and a half to do forty-five minutes work. -It can't keep running all the time any more than any delicate machine -can. It has to be shut down to clear the circuits.</p> - -<p>"Naturally they don't want anyone tinkering with it. It's sealed and -non-repairable. Crack the case open and it disintegrates. But first -you've got to open it. Now I know that it can be done, but not without -a lot of high-powered equipment that I could detect if it was anywhere -on the asteroid."</p> - -<p>In spite of the engineer's attitude it didn't seem completely -foolproof. But Cameron had to admit that it was probable none of the -accidentals could tamper with it. "I'll forget about gravity," he said. -"Next, what about hand weapons? What's available?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing. No knives even. Maybe a stray bar or so of metal." Vogel -scratched his head. "There is something that's dangerous though. I -dunno whether you could classify it as a weapon."</p> - -<p>Cameron was instantly alert. "If it's dangerous someone can find a way -to use it. What is it?"</p> - -<p>"The asteroid itself. Nobody can physically touch any part of the -gravity system. But I've often wondered if an impulse couldn't be -squeezed into the computer. If anybody can do that he can change -direction of the field." Vogel's voice was grave. "Somebody could pick -up Handicap Haven and throw it anywhere he wanted. At Earth, say. -Thirty miles in diameter is a big hunk of rock."</p> - -<p>This was the kind of information Cameron had been looking for, though -the big engineer seemed to regard the occasion as merely a long overdue -social call. "What's the possibility?"</p> - -<p>Vogel grinned. "Thought I'd scare you. Used to wake up sweating myself. -Got so bad I had to find out about it."</p> - -<p>"Can or can't it be done?" demanded the doctor.</p> - -<p>"Naw. It's too big to take a chance with. They got monitors set up all -over, moons of Jupiter, Mars, Earth, Venus. This or any other gravity -computer gets dizzy, the monitor overrides it. If that fails they send -a jammer impulse and freeze it up tight. It can't get away until the -monitor lets loose."</p> - -<p>Cameron's mind was already busy elsewhere. Vogel was loquacious -and would talk all night if encouraged. It wasn't that he lacked -information but he had no sense of what was important. "You don't know -how you've helped me," the doctor said, standing up. "We'll have to get -together again."</p> - -<p>He watched the engineer depart for the gravity generating chamber -below the surface of the asteroid. The day had started badly and -wasn't getting better. Docchi to Thorton to Vogel. All the shades of -shortsightedness, the convalescent's, authority's, and finally the -technician who refused to see beyond his dials. A fine progression, but -somewhere the curve ought to turn upward.</p> - -<p>The post on Handicap Haven wasn't pleasant but there were -advantages—advancement was proportional to the disagreeableness of the -place. After shepherding accidentals for a year any other assignment -would be a snap. Ten months to go before the year was over and if -Cameron could survive with nothing to mar his administration he was -in line for something better, definitely better. This was where the -Medicouncil sent promising young doctors.</p> - -<p>Cameron flipped on the telecom. "Connect me with the rocket dome. Get -the pilot."</p> - -<p>When the robot answered it wasn't encouraging. "There's no answer. I'm -sorry. I'll notify you when he comes in."</p> - -<p>"Trace him," he snapped. "If he's not near the rocket he's somewhere in -the main dome. I don't care how you do it, get him."</p> - -<p>A few seconds of silence followed. The answer was puzzling. "There's no -record that the pilot has left the rocket dome."</p> - -<p>His heart skipped and his breathing was constricted. He spoke -carefully. "Scan the whole area. Look every place, even if you think he -can't be there. I've got to have the pilot."</p> - -<p>"Scanning isn't possible. The system is out of operation in that area. -I'm trying to check why."</p> - -<p>That was bad. He could feel muscles tighten that he didn't know he had. -"All right. Send out repair robots." They'd get the job done—they -always did. But they were intolerably slow and just now he needed speed.</p> - -<p>"Mobile repair units were dispatched as soon as scanning failed to -work. Is this an emergency? If so I can alert the staff."</p> - -<p>He thought about it. He needed help, plenty of it. But was there any -one he could depend on? Vogel? He'd probably be ready for action. But -to call on him would leave the gravity generating plant unprotected. -And if he told the engineer what he suspected, Vogel would insist on -mixing in with it. He was too vital where he was.</p> - -<p>Who else? The sour middle-aged nurse who'd signed up because she -wanted quick credits toward retirement? She slept through most of her -shift and considering her efficiency perhaps it was just as well she -did. Or the sweet young trainee—her diploma said she'd completed her -training, but you couldn't lie to a doctor—who had bravely volunteered -because someone ought to help poor unfortunate men? Not a word about -women of course. She always walked in when Cameron was examining a -patient, male, but she had the deplorable habit of swooning when she -saw blood. Fainting was too vulgar for her and, as Cameron had once -told her, so was the profession of her choice.</p> - -<p>These were the people the emergency signal would alert. He would do -better to rely on robots. They weren't much help but at least they -wouldn't get hysterically in his way. Oh yes, there was the pilot too, -but he couldn't be located.</p> - -<p>The damned place was undermanned and always had been. Nobody wanted to -be stationed here except those who were mildly psychotic or inefficient -and lazy. There was one exception. Ambitious young doctors had been -known to ask for the position. Mentally Cameron berated himself. -Ambition wasn't far from psychosis, or at times it could produce -results as bad. If anything serious happened here he'd begin and end -his career bandaging scratches at a children's playground.</p> - -<p>"This is not an emergency," he said. "However leave word in gravity -with Vogel. Tell him to put on his electronic guards. I don't want him -to let anyone get near the place."</p> - -<p>"Is that all?"</p> - -<p>"Send out six geepees. I'll pick them up near the entrance to the -rocket dome."</p> - -<p>"Repair robots are already in the area. Will they do as well?"</p> - -<p>"They won't. I want general purpose robots for another reason. Send the -latest huskiest models we have." They were not bright but they were -strong and could move fast. He clicked off the picture. What did he -have to be afraid of? For the most part they were a beaten ragged bunch -of humans. He would feel sorry for them if he wasn't apprehensive about -his future.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c3" id="c3">3</a></h2> - - -<p>Docchi waited near the rocket dome. He wasn't hiding but he did make -himself inconspicuous among the carefully nurtured shrubbery. Plants -failed to give the illusion of an Earth landscape—in part because some -of them were Venusian or Martian imports—but at least the greenery -added to the oxygen supply of the asteroid.</p> - -<p>"That's a good job," commented Docchi. "I thought Nona could do it."</p> - -<p>Jordan could feel him relax as he watched the event. "A mechanical -marvel," he agreed. "But we can gab about that later. I think you ought -to get going."</p> - -<p>Docchi glanced around and then went boldly into the passageway that -connected the main dome with the much smaller rocket dome that was -adjacent to it. Normally it was never completely dark in the inhabited -part of the asteroid, modulated twilight was considered more conducive -to the slumber of the grievously infirm. It was the benevolent -Medicouncil's theory that a little light would keep away bad dreams. -But this wasn't twilight as they neared the rocket dome. It was a full -scale rehearsal for the darkness of interstellar space.</p> - -<p>Docchi stopped at the emergency airlock which loomed formidably solid -in front of them. "Let's hope," he said. "We can forget about it if -Nona didn't manage to cut <i>this</i> out of the circuit."</p> - -<p>"She seemed to understand, didn't she? What more do you want?" Jordan -twisted around Docchi and reached out. The great slab moved easily -in the grooves. It was open. "The trouble with you is that you lack -confidence, in yourself and in genius."</p> - -<p>Docchi didn't answer. He was listening intently, trying to interpret -the faint sounds ahead of him.</p> - -<p>"Okay, I hear it," whispered Jordan. "Let's get way inside before he -comes near us."</p> - -<p>Docchi went cautiously into the darkness of the rocket dome, feeling -his way. He'd never recover in time if he stumbled and fell. He tried -to force the luminescence into his face. Occasionally he could control -his altered metabolism, and now was the time he needed it.</p> - -<p>He was nervous and that hindered his accuracy. He couldn't be sure -the light was right, enough so that he'd be noticed, not so much that -the details of his appearance would be plain. He wished he could ask -Jordan, but Jordan was in no position to tell him.</p> - -<p>The footsteps came nearer and so did profanity, rich in volume but -rather meager in imaginative symbolism. Docchi flashed his face -once, as bright as he could manage, and then lowered the intensity -immediately.</p> - -<p>The footsteps stopped. "Docchi?"</p> - -<p>"No. Just a lonely little light bulb out for an evening stroll."</p> - -<p>The rocket pilot's laughter wasn't altogether friendly. "Sure it's you. -I'd recognize you at the bottom of the sea. What I mean was what are -you doing here?"</p> - -<p>"I saw the lights go out in the rocket dome. The airlock at the -entrance was open so I came. I thought I might be able to help."</p> - -<p>"The lights are off all right. Everything. Even the standby system. -First time in my life even the hand beams wouldn't go on." The pilot -moved closer. The deadly little toaster was in his hand. "Thanks, but -you can't help. You'd better get out. It's against regulations for -patients to be in here. You might steal a rocket or something."</p> - -<p>Docchi ignored the weapon. "What was the cause, a high velocity meteor -strike?"</p> - -<p>The pilot grunted. "I'd have heard if it was."</p> - -<p>"And you didn't hear a thing?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing." The pilot peered intently at Docchi, a barely visible -silhouette. "Well, I see you're getting smart these days. You should do -it all the time. Wear your arms. You look better that way even if you -can't use them. You look hundred per cent better, almost...." His voice -faded.</p> - -<p>"Almost human?" asked Docchi kindly. "Nothing like, say a pair of legs -and a very good if slightly used spinal column with a lightning bug -face stuck on top? You didn't have this in mind?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't say it. I'm used to you. I can't help it if you're overly -sensitive. I don't suppose it's your fault." His voice got higher. -"Anyway I told you to get going. You don't belong in here."</p> - -<p>"But I don't want to go," said Docchi. "I'm not afraid of the dark. Are -you? I'm looking for some corner to brighten. Can I let a little light -in your life?"</p> - -<p>"I'm supposed to report psycho talk, Docchi, and damned if I won't. -Personally I always suspected you. Get out of here before I take your -fake hand and drag you out."</p> - -<p>"Now you've hurt my feelings," said Docchi reproachfully, stepping -nimbly away.</p> - -<p>"Don't say you didn't try to make me mad," growled the pilot, lunging -after him. What he took hold of wasn't an imitation hand, delicately -molded and colored to duplicate skin. The hand he touched was real and -the muscles in it were more than a match for his own. It was surprise, -at first, that caused him to scream.</p> - -<p>Docchi bent double and the dark figure on his back came over his head -like a knife from a sheath. The pilot was lifted off his feet and -slammed to the floor.</p> - -<p>"Jordan," gurgled the pilot.</p> - -<p>"It's me," said Jordan. He wrapped one arm around the pilot's throat -and clamped tight. With the other he felt for the toaster the pilot -still held but hadn't time to use. Effortlessly he tore it away and -hammered the man unconscious with the butt. He stopped just short of -smashing the skull. Docchi stood ineffectually by, kicking where he -could, but the action was fast and he had no arms.</p> - -<p>But Jordan didn't need help. "Let there be light," he said when he was -finished, and there was—a feeble flickering illumination from Docchi.</p> - -<p>Jordan balanced himself with his hands. He had a strong head and -massive powerful arms and shoulders. His body stopped below his chest, -there was no more. A round metal capsule contained his digestive -organs. Accidentals were indeed the odds and ends of creation, and of -Jordan one end was missing. But the part that remained made up for the -loss.</p> - -<p>"Dead?" Docchi glanced down at the pilot.</p> - -<p>Jordan rocked forward and listened for the heartbeat. "Nah," he said. -"I was going to clout him again but I remembered we can't afford to -kill anybody."</p> - -<p>"See that you don't forget," said Docchi. He stifled an exclamation as -something coiled around his leg. Jumping forward he broke loose from -the thing that caught him.</p> - -<p>"Repair robot," chuckled Jordan, looking around. "The place is lousy -with them."</p> - -<p>Docchi blinked on and off in confusion and the robot rolled clumsily -toward him.</p> - -<p>"Friendly creature," commented Jordan. "I think it wants to tinker with -your lighting system."</p> - -<p>Docchi shook off the squat contrivance which, after it touched his -flesh, whirred puzzledly to itself. The job was beyond its capacity but -it didn't leave. "What'll we do with him?" asked Docchi, staring at the -pilot.</p> - -<p>"He needs attention," said Jordan. "<i>Not</i> the kind I gave him." He -balanced the toaster in his hand and burned a small hole in the little -wheeled monster. Extensibles emerged from the side of the machine and -carefully explored the damaged area. The extensibles slid back into -the machine and presently came out again with a small torch. It began -welding the hole.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Jordan pulled the unconscious man toward him. He leaned -against the machine for leverage and raised the inert pilot over his -head and laid him gently on the top flat surface. The reaction from -the robot was immediate. Another extensible reached out to investigate -the body. Jordan welded the joints solid. Three times he repeated the -process until the pilot was securely fastened to the robot.</p> - -<p>"It doesn't know when it's licked," said Jordan. "It'll stay there -repairing itself until it's completely sound. However I can do -something about that." He adjusted the toaster beam to an imperceptible -thickness and deftly sliced through the control case, removing a -circular section. He thrust his hand inside and ripped out circuits. -"No further self-repair," he said cheerfully. "Docchi, I'll need your -help. I think it's a good idea to route the robot around the main dome -a few times before it delivers the pilot to the hospital. No point -giving ourselves away before we're ready."</p> - -<p>Docchi bent over to help him and with some trouble the proper sequence -was implanted. The robot stood motionless as the newest commands -shuttled erratically through damaged but not inoperative circuits. -Finally it screeched softly and began to roll drunkenly away.</p> - -<p>"Get on my back," said Docchi doggedly. "You know we've got to hurry."</p> - -<p>"You're tired," said Jordan. "Half gravity or not, you can't carry me -farther." He worked swiftly and the harness that had supported him on -Docchi's back fell to the floor. "Stay down and listen," growled Jordan -as Docchi attempted to get up.</p> - -<p>Docchi listened. "Geepees."</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said Jordan. "I wonder who they're after. You'll have to move -fast to get to the rocket."</p> - -<p>"What can I do when I get there? By myself nothing. You'll have to help -me."</p> - -<p>"Get on your back and neither of us get there?" said Jordan. "You can -figure out something later. Start moving."</p> - -<p>"I'm not leaving you," said Docchi.</p> - -<p>A huge paw clamped on the back of his head. "Now you listen," said -Jordan fiercely. "Together we were a better man than the pilot—your -legs and my arms. Now we got to separate but we can still prove we're -better than Cameron and all his geepees."</p> - -<p>"We're not trying to <i>prove</i> anything," said Docchi. "It's a question -of urgent principle. Right now there are men who can go to the stars -and it's up to us to let the rest of mankind know it."</p> - -<p>A brilliant light sliced through the darkness and swept around the -rocket dome, revealing beams and columns of the structure. "Maybe -you're not trying to prove anything personal," said Jordan. "I am. The -rest of us are. Otherwise why shouldn't we let them go on spoon feeding -us, rocking us to sleep every night?" Impatiently he hitched himself -along the ground until he came to a column.</p> - -<p>"You can't hide behind that," said Docchi.</p> - -<p>"Not behind it. On top I can. With no legs that's where I belong." He -grasped the steel member in his great hands and in the light gravity -ascended rapidly.</p> - -<p>"Careful," called Docchi.</p> - -<p>"What have I got to be careful about?" Jordan's voice floated down from -the lacy structure. And it was no longer directly overhead. Jordan was -moving away along the beams that stretched from column to column. For -those who knew of it there was an unsuspected roadway above. Jordan had -it to himself and the geepees would never find him.</p> - -<p>It was foolish to become elated over such a trivial thing. Jordan -wasn't there yet and what he'd do when he arrived was problematical. -But it did prove—yes, there was already proof of some sort for him. -Docchi set out, walking faster and faster until he was running. He -wouldn't have thought it possible but he was able to increase the -distance between himself and the pursuing robots.</p> - -<p>Even so he didn't have much time to look around when he reached the -rocket. The first glimpse of the ship was disheartening. Passenger and -freight locks were still closed. Nona either hadn't understood their -instructions completely or she hadn't been able to carry them out. -Probably the first. She'd disrupted the circuits, light and scanning, -with no tools except her hands. Her skill with machines she couldn't -have known about previously was sometimes uncanny. But it was too much -to expect that she'd have the rocket ready for them to walk into.</p> - -<p>It was up to Docchi to get in by himself. If he was ever going to -it would have to be by his own efforts. Momentarily he wished for -the toaster they'd taken from the pilot, and then dropped the wish -before it was fully formed. With the toaster he might have managed to -soften the inside catch at the entrance. And the thought itself was an -indication of how his mind rebelled at reality—he had no arms and he -couldn't have used the toaster. It was right and proper that Jordan had -kept the weapon. It was of value to him.</p> - -<p>Docchi searched frantically, trying to comprehend the complex -installation around him in a glance. There had to be some provision -made for opening the ship when no one was inside, a device which would -send an impulse to actuate the catches. He'd be lucky if he could -operate it, but luck had been with him so far.</p> - -<p>But if there was an external control he failed to find it. And the -approaching lights warned that his chances were diminishing. That there -was any time left was Cameron's mistake—he'd ordered the geepees to -look too thoroughly as they came along. They were capable of faster -pursuit. This mistake was on Cameron and he might make more.</p> - -<p>From the sounds that drifted to him Docchi surmised that Jordan was -still at large, perhaps nearby. Did the doctor know this? Probably -not—he'd tend to underestimate the accidentals.</p> - -<p>Docchi descended into the shallow landing pit. It was remarkably ill -suited for concealment. The walls were smooth, glazed with a faintly -green substance, and there were no doors or niches anywhere. Yet he had -to be somewhere near the ship and this was as close as he could get. -It wouldn't do to wander away—Cameron would post a robot guard around -the ship and he wouldn't be able to get back through. He had to hide at -once.</p> - -<p>He leaned against the stern tube cluster, the metal pressing hard into -the thin flesh that covered his back. Seconds passed before he realized -that the tubes were the answer. He turned around to look at them. A -small boy could climb inside and crawl out of sight. So could a grown -man who had no shoulders or arms to get wedged in the narrow cylinder.</p> - -<p>It was difficult to get into them. He tried a lower tube, bending down -and thrusting his head in. He wriggled and shoved with his feet until -he was almost entirely in. His feet were still out and so he bent his -knees to get better purchase and forced himself further in. He didn't -stop until he was certain he couldn't be seen by anyone who didn't -specifically peer into the tube.</p> - -<p>He waited there, listening. A geepee came down noisily into the landing -pit. The absence of any other sound indicated to Docchi that it -probably was radio controlled. The robot clambered around, searching. -The noise abated soon but it became apparent that the geepee wasn't -going to leave. It had been stationed to watch the pit.</p> - -<p>Docchi couldn't get out. He was caught in the pit. He fought back the -claustrophobia that swirled through his mind. It was nothing to be -afraid of; he could assure his rescue, or capture, by shouting. The -robot would drag him out instantly.</p> - -<p>But that was not the only way. The tube extended forward as well as -back. The inner end of the tube was closed with a combustion chamber -which was singed and would swing away. The ship hadn't been used for -months and there was a distinct possibility that the tubes <i>were</i> open -at the other end. He might get through.</p> - -<p>He stopped to catch his breath. The metal conducted sound well, almost -magnifying it. In the interval, over his own breathing, he heard the -characteristic sputter, like frying, that the toaster beam made when it -struck metal. A great clatter followed.</p> - -<p>"Get him," shouted Cameron. "He's up there."</p> - -<p>Jordan had arrived and succeeded in disabling a geepee. And Cameron -would find out that he wasn't easily captured. The diversion came when -Docchi needed it.</p> - -<p>"Don't use heat," ordered Cameron. "Get lights on him. Drive him up -higher. Corner him and go up and get him."</p> - -<p>Docchi had been wrong; the geepees were voice controlled, not by radio. -It would make it easier once he got inside. If he ever did get in the -ship. But he had to hurry. Jordan couldn't elude the robots forever.</p> - -<p>Docchi shoved on less cautiously. The robot in the pit had joined the -others and he needn't fear detection. It became harder to advance, -though. He had expected it but he didn't know it would be this hard to -push through the narrowing tube.</p> - -<p>His legs slipped and it didn't matter, somehow he inched along. Blood -pounded furiously but his head slid out of the end of the tube—and he -was looking at the inside of the ship.</p> - -<p>He gazed longingly at the combustion cap a few feet away. If he had -hands he could grasp it and pull himself out. But if he had, he'd never -have gotten this far. He closed his eyes to rest for a moment and then -continued wriggling, his back arching with the effort. He was nearly -through now, only his legs were in the tube. He kicked once, hard, and -fell to the floor.</p> - -<p>He lay there until his head cleared and his breath came back. He -rolled over, bent his knees, and stood up, staggering forward through -the corridor to the control compartment. The rocket was his but he -didn't want it for himself, and by himself he couldn't use it.</p> - -<p>He studied the instrument panel carefully. It had been a long time -since he'd operated a ship. A long time and two arms ago. When he -thought he understood he bent down and thrust his chin against a dial. -Laboriously he rotated his head, turning the dial to the setting he -wanted. Then he sat down and kicked on a switch. The ship rocked—and -rose a few inches.</p> - -<p>He was betting that Cameron wouldn't notice it. The doctor ought to -be too busy trying to capture Jordan. But if Cameron did see what was -happening, he had thirty seconds in which to stop Docchi. It wasn't -enough. Things looked good for their plan.</p> - -<p>"Rocket landing," said Docchi when the allotted thirty seconds had -passed. "Emergency instructions. Repeat, emergency instructions. Stand -by." Technically the ship was in flight, though by very little, and the -frequency he was using was assurance that the message would be heard, -and heeded.</p> - -<p>"All energized geepees lend assistance. This order supersedes any -previous command. Additional equipment is necessary to prepare for a -possible crash landing." After listing what equipment was needed Docchi -sat down and chuckled.</p> - -<p>He waited for another few minutes and then flicked on the external -lights with his knee. He got up and went to the passenger entrance, -brushing against the switch on the way. The passenger ramp swung down -and he stood boldly at the entrance, looking out. The whole rocket dome -was floodlighted by the ship, beams and columns standing out in sharp -detail. It was an impressive structure now, even beautiful, though he -remembered hating it once, coming in.</p> - -<p>"All right, Jordan, it's safe to come down," he called.</p> - -<p>Jordan dangled overhead. He swung along until he reached a column and -slid down. Awkwardly he propelled himself across the floor and up the -ramp. Balancing himself with his hands he looked up at Docchi.</p> - -<p>"Well, monster," he grinned. "How did you do it?"</p> - -<p>"Monster yourself," said Docchi. "I crawled through the rocket tube."</p> - -<p>"I saw you start in," said Jordan. "I wasn't sure you'd make it. -Even when the ship rose I wasn't certain until you came out." Jordan -scratched his cheek. "What I meant was: how did you get rid of Cameron?"</p> - -<p>"Doctors usually aren't mechanically inclined," said Docchi. "Cameron -was no exception. He forgot an emergency rocket landing cancels any -verbal orders. So I took the ship up a few inches. Geepees aren't very -bright and it wouldn't matter if they were. As long as the ship was in -the air and I said I was coming in for a landing they had to obey."</p> - -<p>Jordan nodded delightedly. "Poor doc," he said. "It wasn't that he was -dumb. There was nothing he could do when you outsmarted him."</p> - -<p>"He should have anticipated it," said Docchi. "He could have splashed -heat against a gravity generator. This would have created an emergency -condition in the main dome, artificial of course, but it would have -outweighed the one I set up. He'd have had priority, not me, and he -could have directed the robots from gravity center."</p> - -<p>"<i>I</i> wouldn't have thought of it," said Jordan. "Anyway, how did you -get the robots to rush off, carrying Cameron with them?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't have to do anything. As long as the pilot of the incoming -ship declares he may crash, the geepees must remove all humans from the -danger zone, willing or not. They'd have taken you too if they could -have reached you but they had to abandon that idea when I ordered crash -equipment."</p> - -<p>"Glad they did," said Jordan. "Wouldn't want to hear what Cameron's -saying. Besides it's safer inside the ship." He swung himself in, -touching the hull fondly, peering down the corridor with grave wonder. -"It's ours now," he said. "But what about the others? How do we get -them?"</p> - -<p>"Anti's taken care of. Geepees aren't built to question anything and in -their mind she's listed as emergency landing material. They'll bring -her. And Nona is supposed to be waiting with Anti." Docchi's face -showed misgiving. "I think we made it clear she was supposed to stay -there."</p> - -<p>"What if she didn't understand?"</p> - -<p>"I'm sure she did," said Docchi. "It wasn't complicated. Meanwhile -you'd better get ready to lift ship."</p> - -<p>Jordan disappeared, heading toward the control compartment. Docchi -stationed himself at the passenger lock. He had said the instructions -weren't hard to understand, and they weren't—for anyone else. But to -Nona the world was upside down; the simplest things often she didn't -comprehend—and the reverse was true. He hoped she hadn't got mixed up.</p> - -<p>He had little time to dwell on it. The geepees were coming back. He -heard them first and saw them seconds later. They came into sight -half carrying, half pushing a huge rectangular tank. With ingenuity -that was unexpected in robots they had mounted it on four of their -smaller brethren, the squat repair robots. This served to support the -tremendous weight.</p> - -<p>The tank was filled with blue liquid. Twisted pipes dangled from the -ends—it had been torn from the pit in the ground, lifted up from the -foundation. Broken plants still clung to a narrow ledge on top and -moist soil adhered to the sides. Wracked out of shape and askew, the -tank was intact and did not leak. Five geepees pushed it rapidly toward -the ship, mechanically oblivious to the disheveled man who shouted and -struck at them, incoherent with frustrated rage.</p> - -<p>"Jordan, open the freight lock."</p> - -<p>In response the ship rose a few more inches and hung quivering. To the -rear a section of the ship hinged outward and downward to form a ramp. -The ship was ready and the cargo had arrived.</p> - -<p>Docchi remained at the passenger entrance. Cameron was an idiot. He -should have stayed in the main dome once the geepees had released him. -His presence was unwelcome, more than he may have realized. Still, -they'd gotten rid of him once and it ought to work again.</p> - -<p>It was Nona who worried Docchi. She hadn't accompanied the robots and -she wasn't to be seen. It didn't look as if Cameron had found her there -and managed to confine her to the hospital. It had happened too fast; -the doctor was lucky to have kept up with the geepees. Docchi started -uncertainly down the ramp and came back. She wasn't around, he could -see that, and it was too late to go back to the main dome.</p> - -<p>The tank neared the ship, the forward section sliding onto the ramp. -The motion slowed as the geepees' effort slackened. Then the robots -stopped altogether, straightening up in bewilderment.</p> - -<p>The tank rolled backward. The geepees got out of the way, shaking and -buzzing, looking questioningly around. Simultaneously, it seemed, they -saw Docchi. Their intentions were obvious but he forestalled them, -leaping back in the ship. "Close the passenger entrance," he shouted.</p> - -<p>Jordan appeared at the far end of the corridor. "Sure. What's wrong?"</p> - -<p>"Vogel, the engineer. He must have seen the geepees on scanning when -they entered the main dome. He's trying to do what Cameron should have -thought of but didn't have sense."</p> - -<p>Jordan went away and the passenger ramp rose with ponderous slowness, -clamping shut with metallic finality. As soon as he saw there was no -danger there Docchi hurried to the control compartment.</p> - -<p>"Now we can't see what to do," complained Jordan.</p> - -<p>"Maybe," said Docchi. "Try to get something on the telecom."</p> - -<p>From the angle it was difficult to see anything. The receptor tubes -were close to the hull, and the ship curved backward, filling most of -the screen. By rotating the view they managed to pick up a corner of -the tank. Apparently it was resting where Docchi had last seen it. He -couldn't be sure but he thought it hadn't been moved.</p> - -<p>"I don't know whether we can bring it in," said Jordan nervously. -"Maybe we should leave it. We'll make out by ourselves."</p> - -<p>"Leave without the tank? Not a chance. Vogel hasn't got complete -control of the robots yet." It seemed to be true. They were huddled -away from the ship, looking alternately at the rocket and the tank, -nearly motionless, paralyzed.</p> - -<p>"Yeah, but he'll have them soon. Look at them."</p> - -<p>"I am, which is why I think he's having trouble. Give me full power on -the emergency radio."</p> - -<p>"What good will it do? He's got priority."</p> - -<p>"He's got it, but can he push it through to them? It's my idea that he -can't, that he's at the wrong angle to put much power in his signal. -There's a lot of steel between him and the robots and that's weakening -his beam."</p> - -<p>"Maybe you've got something," said Jordan. "I'll burn the emergency -stuff out. If it doesn't work we won't need it again anyway." He -flipped the dials until the lights above them were blazing fiercely.</p> - -<p>"Energized geepees are requested to lend assistance. This is an -emergency. Place the tank in the ship. At once. At once."</p> - -<p>Geepees were not designed to sift contradictory commands at nearly -the same level of urgency. Their reasoning ability was feeble but the -mechanism that enabled them to think at all was complicated. In one -respect they resembled humans: borderline decisions were difficult. A -ship in distress—an asteroid in danger. Both called for the robot to -destroy itself if necessary. It seemed as if that was all that would be -accomplished.</p> - -<p>"More power," whispered Docchi.</p> - -<p>"There ain't more," answered Jordan, but somehow he coaxed an extra -trickle out of the reserves.</p> - -<p>Marionettes. But they were always that, puppets on invisible wires. -And now this string led toward one action. Another, intrinsically -more important but suddenly less powerful, pulled for something else. -Circuits burned in electronic brains. Microrays fluttered under the -stress. They didn't know. They just didn't know.</p> - -<p>But there had to be a choice.</p> - -<p>Stiffly the geepees moved in and grasped the tank. The quality of their -decision was strained. They were pushing themselves more than the tank -but inch by inch the huge twisted structure rolled up the ramp.</p> - -<p>"When it's completely on, raise the ramp." Docchi wasn't aware that he -could hardly be heard.</p> - -<p>The cargo ramp began to lift up. The tank gained speed as it rolled -forward into the ship. "Geepees, the job is finished. Save yourselves," -shouted Docchi. He saw a swirl of metallic bodies as they leaped from -the ramp.</p> - -<p>Jordan breathed deeply. "That did it. I don't think they can hurt us -now."</p> - -<p>"It's not over. Get ship-to-station communication, if there's any radio -left."</p> - -<p>"I'll be surprised if there is," muttered Jordan, but his skepticism -was without basis. The radio was still functioning. He made the -adjustments.</p> - -<p>Docchi was matter of fact. "Vogel, we're going out. Don't try to stop -us. Give us clearance and save the dome some damage."</p> - -<p>There was no reply.</p> - -<p>"He's bluffing," said Jordan. "He knows the airlocks in the main dome -will close automatically if we break through."</p> - -<p>"Sure," said Docchi. "Everyone in the main dome is safe—<i>if</i> everyone -is in there. Vogel, do you know where Cameron is? Are you certain a -nurse or an accidental hasn't wandered in here to see what's wrong? -We'll give you time to think about it."</p> - -<p>Again they waited and waited. Each second was tangible, the precious -duration that lives and events were measured with—and the measure was -exceedingly slow. Meanwhile Jordan flipped on the telecom and searched -the rocket dome. They saw nothing; there was not even a geepee in -sight. Docchi watched the screen impassively; what he thought didn't -show on his face.</p> - -<p>And still there was no reply from the engineer in the gravity station.</p> - -<p>"All right. We've given you a chance," said Docchi. His voice was -brittle. "You know what we're going to do. If anybody gets hurt you can -take the credit." He turned away from the screen. "Jordan, let's go. -Hit the shell with the bow."</p> - -<p>Jordan grasped the levers. The ship hardly quivered as it tilted -upward and leaped away. It roared in the air and then fell silent as -it passed into space. And the silence was worse than any sound—it was -filled with the imagined hiss of air escaping from a great hole in the -transparent covering of the dome.</p> - -<p>Jordan sat at the controls. "Did he?"</p> - -<p>"He had to. He wouldn't risk killing some innocent person."</p> - -<p>"I don't know," said Jordan. "If you'd said he wouldn't want his pretty -machinery banged up it would be easier to believe."</p> - -<p>"I didn't hear anything. We would have if we'd hit."</p> - -<p>"It was fast. Could we tell? Maybe Vogel played it safe and had the -inner shell out of the way even if he didn't give us the automatic -signal. In that event it's all right because it would close as soon -as we got out of the way even if we did rip through the outer shell. -All the air wouldn't escape." Jordan sat there for a moment, silently -reviewing his own arguments.</p> - -<p>He twisted the lever and the ship leaped forward. "Cameron I don't -mind. He had time to get away and he knew what we were going to do. I -keep thinking Nona <i>might</i> have been there."</p> - -<p>"He opened it," said Docchi harshly. "We didn't hit the dome. I didn't -hear anything. Nona wasn't there." His face was gray, there was no -light at all in it. "Come on," he said, walking away.</p> - -<p>Jordan rocked back and forth. The hemisphere that held what remained of -his body was suited for it. He set the auto-controls and reduced the -gravity to quarter normal. He bent his arms and shoved himself into the -air, deftly catching a guide rail, swinging along it.</p> - -<p>It was pure chance that he glanced toward the back of the ship instead -of forward as he entered the corridor after Docchi. There was a light -blinking at a cabin door.</p> - -<p>It was occupied.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c4" id="c4">4</a></h2> - - -<p>Jordan caught up before Docchi reached the cargo hold. In lesser -gravity he was more active and could move freely. Now his handicap -was almost unnoticeable, seemed to have disappeared. The same was not -true of Docchi. It required less effort to walk but there was also a -profound unsettling effect that made him cautious and uncertain.</p> - -<p>Docchi heard him coming and waited, bracing himself against the wall -in case the gravity should momentarily change. Jordan still carried -the weapon he'd taken from the pilot. It was clipped to the sacklike -garment, dangling from his midsection which, for him, was just below -his shoulders. Down the passageway he came, swinging from the guide -rails with easy grace though the gravity on the ship was as erratic as -on the asteroid.</p> - -<p>Jordan halted, hanging on with one hand. "We have a passenger. Someone -we didn't know about."</p> - -<p>Docchi stiffened. "Who?" he asked. But the answer was already on -Jordan's face. "Nona," he said in relief. He slumped forward. "How did -she get on?"</p> - -<p>"A good question," said Jordan. "But there isn't any answer and never -will be. It's my guess that after she jammed the lights and scanners -in the rocket dome she went to the ship and it looked inviting. So she -went in. She wouldn't let a little thing like a lock that couldn't be -opened stop her."</p> - -<p>"It's a good guess," agreed Docchi. "She's exceedingly curious."</p> - -<p>"We may as well make the picture complete. Once in the ship she felt -tired. She found a comfortable cabin and fell asleep. She can't hear -anything so our little skirmish with the geepees didn't bother her."</p> - -<p>"I can't argue with you. It'll do until a better explanation comes -along."</p> - -<p>"But I wish she'd waited a few minutes to take her nap. She'd have -saved us a lot of trouble. She didn't know you'd be able to crawl -through the tubes—and neither did you until you'd actually done it."</p> - -<p>"What do you want?" said Docchi. "She did more than we did. We depend -too much on her. Next thing we'll expect her to escort us personally to -the stars."</p> - -<p>"I wasn't criticizing her," protested Jordan.</p> - -<p>"Maybe not. You've got to remember her mind works differently. It never -occurred to her that we'd have difficulty with something that was so -simple to her. At the same time she's completely unable to grasp our -concepts." He straightened up. "We'd better get going if we don't want -Anti to start yelling."</p> - -<p>The cargo hold was sizable. It had to be to hold the tank, which was -now quite battered and twisted. But the tank was sturdily built and -looked as if it would hold together for ages to come. There was some -doubt as to whether the ship would. The wall opposite the ramp was -badly bent where the tank had plowed into it and the storage racks -were demolished. Odds and ends of equipment lay in scattered heaps on -the floor.</p> - -<p>"Anti," called Docchi.</p> - -<p>"Here."</p> - -<p>"Are you hurt?"</p> - -<p>"Never felt a thing," came the cheerful reply. It was not surprising; -her surplus flesh was adequate protection against deceleration.</p> - -<p>Jordan began to scale the side of the tank, reaching the top and -peering over. "She seems to be all right," he called down. "Part of the -acid's gone. Otherwise there's no damage."</p> - -<p>"Of course not," replied Anti. "What did I say?"</p> - -<p>It was perhaps more serious than she realized. She might personally -dislike it, but acid was necessary to her life. And some of it had -been splashed from the tank. Where it had spilled metal was corroding -rapidly. By itself this was no cause for alarm. The ship was built for -a multitude of strange environments and the scavenging system would -handle acid as readily as water, neutralizing it and disposing of it -where it would do no harm. But the supply had to be conserved. There -was no more.</p> - -<p>"What are you waiting for?" Anti rumbled with impatience. "Get me out -of here. I've stewed in this disgusting soup long enough."</p> - -<p>"We were thinking how we could get you out. We'll figure out a way."</p> - -<p>"You let me do the thinking. You just get busy. After you left I -decided there must be some way to live outside the tank and of course -when I bent my mind to it there was a way. After all, who knows more -about my condition than me?"</p> - -<p>"You're the expert. Tell us what to do."</p> - -<p>"Oh I will. All I need from you is no gravity and I'll take care of the -rest. I've got muscles, more than you think. I can walk as long as my -bones don't break from the weight."</p> - -<p>Light gravity was bad, none at all was worse for Docchi. Having no arms -he'd be helpless. The prospect of floating free without being able to -grasp anything was terrifying. He forced down his fear. Anti had to -have it and so he could get used to null gravity.</p> - -<p>"We'll get around to it," he promised. "Before we do we'll have to -drain and store the acid."</p> - -<p>"I don't care what you do with it," said Anti. "All I know is that I -don't want to be in it."</p> - -<p>Jordan was already working. He swung off the tank and was busy -expelling water from an auxiliary compartment into space. As soon as -the compartment was empty he led a hose from it to the tank. A pump -vibrated and the acid level in the tank began to fall.</p> - -<p>Docchi felt the ship lurch familiarly. The ship was older than he -thought, the gravity generator more out of date. "Hurry," he called to -Jordan.</p> - -<p>In time they'd cut it off. But if gravity went out before they were -ready they were in for rough moments. Free floating globes of highly -corrosive acid, scattered throughout the ship by air currents, could be -as destructive as high velocity meteor clusters.</p> - -<p>Jordan tinkered with the pump and then jammed the lever as far as it -would go, holding it there. "I think we'll make it," he said above the -screech of the pump. The machinery gasped, but it won. The throbbing -broke into a vacant clatter that betokened the tank was empty. Jordan -had the hose rolled away before the gravity generator let the feeling -of weight trickle off into nothingness.</p> - -<p>As soon as she was weightless Anti rose out of the tank.</p> - -<p>In all the time Docchi had known her he had seen no more than a -face framed in blue acid. Where it was necessary periodic surgery -had trimmed the flesh away. For the rest, she lived submerged in a -corrosive fluid that destroyed the wild tissue as fast as it grew. -Anyway, nearly as fast.</p> - -<p>"Well, junkman, look at a real freak," snapped Anti.</p> - -<p>He had anticipated—and he was wrong in what he thought. It was true -humans weren't meant to grow so large, but Jupiter wasn't repulsive -merely because it was the bulging giant of planets. It was unbelievable -and overwhelming when seen close up but it was not obscene. It took -getting used to but he could stand the sight of Anti.</p> - -<p>"How long can you live out of the acid?" he stammered.</p> - -<p>"Can't live out of it," said Anti loftily. "So I take it with me. If -you weren't as unobservant as most men you'd see how I do it."</p> - -<p>"It's a robe of some kind," said Docchi carefully after studying it.</p> - -<p>"Exactly. A surgical robe, the only thing I have to my name. Maybe -it's the only garment in the solar system that will fit me. Anyway, -if you've really examined it you'll notice it's made of a spongelike -substance. It holds enough acid to last at least thirty-six hours."</p> - -<p>She grasped a rail and propelled herself toward the passageway. For -most people it was spacious enough but not for Anti. However she could -squeeze through. And satellites, one glowing and the other swinging in -an eccentric orbit, followed after the Jupiter of humans.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Nona was standing in front of the instrument panel when they came back. -It was more or less like all panels built since designers first got the -hang of what could really be done with seemingly simple components. -There was a bewildering array of lights, levers, dials, and indicators -in front of her but Nona was interested in none of these. There was a -single small switch and dial, separate from the rest, that held her -complete attention. She seemed disturbed by what she saw or failed to -see. Disturbed or excited, it was difficult to guess which.</p> - -<p>Anti stopped. "Look at her. If I didn't know she's as bad as the rest -of us, in fact the only one who was born that way, it would be easy to -hate her. She's disgustingly normal."</p> - -<p>There was truth in what Anti said—and yet there wasn't. Surgical -techniques that could take bodies apart and put them together with a -skill once reserved for machines had made beauty commonplace. There -were no more sagging muscles, discolored skin, or wrinkles. Even the -aged were attractive and youthful seeming until the day they died, -and the day after too. There were no more ill-formed limbs, misshapen -bodies, unsightly hair. Everyone was handsome or beautiful. No -exceptions.</p> - -<p>The accidentals didn't belong, of course. In another day most of them -would have been employed by a circus—if they had first escaped the -formaldehyde of the specimen bottle.</p> - -<p>And Nona didn't belong—doubly. She couldn't be called normal, and she -wasn't a repair job as the other accidentals were. Looked at closely -she was an original as far from the average in one direction as Anti -was in the other.</p> - -<p>"What's she staring at?" asked Anti as the others slipped past her into -the compartment. "Is there something wrong with the little dial?"</p> - -<p>"That dial has a curious history," said Docchi. "It's not useless, it -just isn't used. Actually it's an indicator for the gravity drive which -at one time was considered fairly promising. It hasn't been removed -because it might come in handy during an extreme emergency."</p> - -<p>"But all that extra weight——"</p> - -<p>"There's no weight, Anti. The gravity drive is run from the same -generator that supplies passenger gravity. It's very interesting that -Nona should spot it at once. I'm certain she's never been in a control -room before and yet she went straight to it. She may even have some -inkling of what it's for."</p> - -<p>Anti dismissed the intellectual feat. "Well, why are you waiting here? -You know she can't hear us. Go stand in front of her."</p> - -<p>"How do I get there?" Docchi had risen a few inches now that Jordan -had released his grip. He was free floating and helpless, sort of a -plankton of space.</p> - -<p>"A good engineer would have sense to put on magnetics. Nona did." Anti -grasped his jacket. How she was able to move was uncertain. The tissues -that surrounded the woman were too vast to permit the perception of -individual motions. Nevertheless she proceeded to the center of the -compartment and with her came Docchi.</p> - -<p>Nona turned before they reached her. "My poor boy," sighed Anti. "If -you're trying to conceal your emotions, that's a very bad job. Anyway, -stop glowing like a rainbow and say something."</p> - -<p>It was one time Anti missed. He almost <i>did</i> feel that way and maybe -if she weren't so competent in his own specialty he might have. It was -irritating to study and work for so many years as he had—and then to -be completely outclassed by someone who did neither, to whom certain -kinds of knowledge came so easily it seemed to be inborn. She was -attractive but for him something was missing. "Hello," he said lamely.</p> - -<p>Nona smiled at him though it was Anti she went to.</p> - -<p>"No, not too close, child. Don't touch the surgery robe unless you want -your pretty face to peel off when you're not looking."</p> - -<p>Nona stopped; she was close but she may as well have been miles away. -She said nothing.</p> - -<p>Anti shook her head hopelessly. "I wish she'd learn to read lips or at -least recognize words. What can you say to her?"</p> - -<p>"She knows facial expressions and actions, I think," said Docchi. -"She's pretty good at emotions too. She falls down when it comes to -words. I don't think she knows there is such a thing."</p> - -<p>"Then how does she think?" asked Anti, and answered her own question. -"Maybe she doesn't."</p> - -<p>"Let's not be as dogmatic as psychologists have been. We know she does. -What concepts she uses is uncertain. Not verbal, nor mathematical -anyway—she's been tested for that." He frowned puzzledly. "I don't -know what concepts she uses in thinking. I wish I did."</p> - -<p>"Save some of the worry for our present situation," said Anti. "The -object of your concern doesn't seem to need it. At least she isn't -interested."</p> - -<p>Nona had wandered back to the instrument panel and was staring at the -gravity drive indicator again. There was really nothing there to hold -her attention but her curiosity was insatiable and childlike.</p> - -<p>And in many ways she seemed immature. And that led to an elusive -thought: what child was she? Not whose child—what child. Her actual -parents were known, obscure technicians and mechanics, descendants -themselves of a long line of mechanics and technicians. Not one notable -or distinguished person among them, her family was decently unknown to -fame or misfortune in every branch—until she'd come along. And what -was her place, according to heredity? Docchi didn't know but he didn't -share the official medical view.</p> - -<p>With an effort Docchi stopped thinking about Nona. "We appealed to the -medicouncilor," he said. "We asked for a ship to go to the nearest -star, a rocket, naturally. Even allowing for a better design than we -now have the journey will take a long time—forty or fifty years going -and the same time back. That's entirely too long for a normal crew, but -it wouldn't matter to us. You know what the Medicouncil did with that -request. That's why we're here."</p> - -<p>"Why rockets?" interrupted Jordan. "Why not some form of that gravity -drive you were talking about? Seems to me for travel over a long -distance it would be much better."</p> - -<p>"As an idea it's very good," said Docchi. "Theoretically there's no -upper limit to the gravity drive except the velocity of light and even -that's questionable. If it would work the time element could be cut in -fractions. But the last twenty years have proved that gravity drives -don't work at all outside the solar system. They work very well close -to the sun, start acting up at the orbit of Venus and are no good at -all from Earth on out."</p> - -<p>"Why don't they?" asked Jordan. "You said they used the same generator -as passenger gravity. Those work away from the sun."</p> - -<p>"Sure they do," said Docchi impatiently. "Like ours is working now? -Actually ship internal gravity is more erratic than we had on the -asteroid, and that's hardly reliable. For some reason the drive is -always worse than passenger gravity. Don't ask me why. If I knew I -wouldn't be on Handicap Haven. Arms or no arms, biocompensator or not, -I'd be the most important scientist on Earth."</p> - -<p>"With multitudes of women competing for your affections," said Anti.</p> - -<p>"I think he'd settle for one," suggested Jordan.</p> - -<p>"Poor unimaginative man," said Anti. "When I was young I was not so -narrow in my outlook."</p> - -<p>"We've heard about your youth," said Jordan. "I don't believe very much -of it."</p> - -<p>"Talk about your youth and love affairs privately if you want but spare -us the details. Especially now, since there are more important things -to attend to." Docchi glowered at them. "Anyway the gravity drive is -out," he resumed. "At one time they had hopes for it but no longer. The -present function of the generator is to provide gravity <i>inside</i> the -ship, for passenger comfort. Nothing else.</p> - -<p>"So it is a rocket ship, slow and clumsy but reliable. It'll get us -there. The Medicouncil refused us and so we'll have to go higher."</p> - -<p>"I'm all for it," said Anti. "How do we get higher?"</p> - -<p>"We've discussed it before," answered Docchi. "The Medicouncil is -responsible to the Solar Government, and in turn Solar has been known -to yield to devious little pressures."</p> - -<p>"Or not so devious great big pressures. Fine. I'm in favor," said Anti. -"I just wanted to be sure."</p> - -<p>"Mars is close," continued Docchi. "But Earth is more influential. -Therefore I recommend it." His voice trailed off and he stopped and -listened, listened.</p> - -<p>Anti listened too but the sound was too faint for her hearing. "What's -the matter?" she said. "I think you're imagining things."</p> - -<p>Jordan leaned forward in his seat and examined the instrument panel -carefully before answering. "That's the trouble, Anti. You're not -supposed to <i>hear</i> it, but you should be able to feel vibrations as -long as the rocket's on."</p> - -<p>"I don't feel it either."</p> - -<p>"I know," said Jordan, looking at Docchi. "I can't understand. There's -plenty of fuel."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The momentum of the ship carried it along after the rockets stopped -firing. They were still moving but not very fast and not in the -direction they ultimately had to go. Gingerly Docchi tried out the -magnetic shoes. He was clumsy but no longer helpless in the gravityless -ship. He stared futilely at the instruments as if he could wring out -more secrets than the panel had electronic access to.</p> - -<p>"It's mechanical trouble of some sort," he said uneasily. "I don't know -where to begin."</p> - -<p>Before he could get to it Anti was in the passageway that led from the -control compartment. "Course I'm completely ignorant," she said. "Seems -to me we ought to start with the rocket tubes and trace the trouble -from there."</p> - -<p>"I was going to," said Docchi. "You stay here, Anti. I'll see what's -wrong."</p> - -<p>She reached nearly from the floor to the ceiling. She missed by scant -inches the sides of the corridor. Locomotion was easy for her, turning -around wasn't. So she didn't turn. "Look, honey," her voice floated -back. "You brought me along for the ride. That's fine. I'm grateful but -I'm not satisfied with just that. Seems to me I've got to earn my fare. -You stay and run the ship. You and Jordan know how. I don't. I'll find -out what's wrong."</p> - -<p>"But you won't know what to do."</p> - -<p>"I don't have to. You don't have to be a mechanic to see something's -broken. I'll find it, and when I do you can come and fix it."</p> - -<p>He knew when it was useless to argue with her. "We'll both go," he -said. "Jordan will stay at the controls."</p> - -<p>It was a dingy poorly lighted passageway in an older ship. Handicap -Haven didn't rate the best equipment that was being produced, and even -when it was new the ship had been no prize. On one side of the corridor -was the hull of the ship; on the other a few small cabins. None were -occupied. Anti stopped. The long hall ended in a cross corridor that -led to the other side of the ship where a return passage led back to -the control compartment.</p> - -<p>"We'll check the stern tubes," he said, still unable to see around her. -"Open the door and we'll look in."</p> - -<p>"Can't," said Anti. "Tried to but the handle won't turn. There's a red -light too. Does it mean anything?"</p> - -<p>He'd expected something like this but nevertheless his heart sank now -that he was actually confronted with it. "It does. Don't try again. -With your strength you might be unlucky enough to open the door."</p> - -<p>"There's a man for you," said Anti. "First you tell me to open it and -then you don't want me to."</p> - -<p>"There's no air in the rear compartment, Anti. The combustion chamber's -been retracted—that's why the rockets stopped firing. The air rushed -out into space as soon as it happened. That's what the red light means."</p> - -<p>"We'd all die if I opened it now?"</p> - -<p>"We would."</p> - -<p>"Then let's get busy and fix it."</p> - -<p>"We will. But we've got to make sure it doesn't happen again. You see, -it wasn't accidental. Someone, or something, was responsible."</p> - -<p>"Are you sure?"</p> - -<p>"Very sure. Did you see anyone while we were loading your tank in the -ship?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing. How could I? I heard Cameron shouting, other noise. But I -couldn't see a thing that wasn't directly overhead, and there wasn't -anything."</p> - -<p>"I thought so. A geepee <i>could</i> have got in without anyone seeing him. -I didn't count them but I was certain all of them had dropped outside. -I was mistaken; one of them didn't."</p> - -<p>"Why does it have to be a geepee?"</p> - -<p>"It just does, Anti. The combustion chamber was retracted while we were -all in the control compartment. We didn't do it and therefore it had to -be someone back here.</p> - -<p>"No man is strong enough to retract the cap, but if he somehow exerted -superhuman effort, as soon as the chamber cleared the tubes rocket -action would cease and the air in the compartment would exhaust into -space."</p> - -<p>"So we have a dead geepee in the rocket compartment."</p> - -<p>"A geepee doesn't die or even become inactive. Lack of air doesn't -hinder it in the least. Not only that, a geepee might be able to -escape from the compartment. It's strong and fast enough to open the -door against the pressure and get out and close it again in less than -a second. We wouldn't notice it because the ship would automatically -replenish the small amount of air that would escape."</p> - -<p>Anti settled down grimly. "Then there's a geepee on the loose, intent -on wrecking us?"</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid so."</p> - -<p>"Then what are we standing around for? All we have to do is go back to -the controls and pick up the robot on the radio. We'll make it go in -there and repair the damage it's done."</p> - -<p>She partly turned around and saw Docchi's face. "Don't tell me," she -said, "I should have thought of it. The radio doesn't work inside the -ship."</p> - -<p>Docchi nodded reluctantly. "It doesn't. Robots are never used aboard -and so the emergency band is broadcast by the bow antenna. The hull of -the ship is a pretty good insulation."</p> - -<p>"Ain't that nice?" said Anti happily. "We've got a robot hunt ahead of -us."</p> - -<p>"And our bare hands to hunt it with."</p> - -<p>"Oh come. It's not as hopeless as that. Look, the robot was back here -when the rockets stopped. It couldn't get by the control compartment -without our seeing it."</p> - -<p>"That's right. There are two corridors leading through the compartment, -one on each side of the ship."</p> - -<p>"That's what I mean. We came down one and there wasn't any geepee. So -it's got to be in the other. If it goes in a cabin a light will shine -outside. It can't hide from us."</p> - -<p>"I don't doubt we'll find it. But what'll we do then?"</p> - -<p>"I was thinking," said Anti. "Can you get past me when I'm standing -like this?"</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"That's what I thought. Neither can a geepee. All I need is a toaster, -or something that looks like it. I'll drive the robot forward and -Jordan can burn it down." Determinedly she began to move toward the far -corridor. "Hurry back to Jordan and tell him. There ought to be another -weapon on the ship. Should be one for the pilot to use. Bring it back -to me."</p> - -<p>Docchi bit his lip and stared at the back of the huge woman. He knew -Anti, and when it was useless to argue with her. "All right," he -answered. "Stay here though. Don't try anything until I get a toaster -for you."</p> - -<p>The magnetics on his feet were no substitute for gravity. Docchi -couldn't move fast, no human could. He had time to think as he went -along but nothing better suggested itself. A toaster for Jordan and -another for Anti—if there was another.</p> - -<p>And Anti would block the passageway. A geepee might go through her but -it could never squeeze past. The robot would try to get away. If it -came toward Anti she might disable it. But she would be firing directly -into the control compartment. And if she missed even partially—well, -the instruments were delicate.</p> - -<p>But Jordan might get the chance to bring down the robot. Then Anti -would be in the line of fire. No matter how he looked at it, Docchi -was sure the plan was unworkable. They'd have to devise something else.</p> - -<p>"Jordan," called Docchi as soon as he got there; but Jordan wasn't -in sight. Nona was, still gazing serenely at the gravity indicator. -Nothing seemed capable of breaking through the shell that surrounded -her.</p> - -<p>Light was streaming from the opposite corridor. Docchi hurried over. -Jordan was just inside the entrance, the toaster clutched grimly in his -hand. He was hitching his truncated body slowly toward the stern.</p> - -<p>Coming to meet him was Anti—unarmed enormous Anti. She hadn't meant -to wait for the weapon—she was pretty certain there wasn't any—she -had merely wanted to get him out of the way. And she wasn't walking; -somehow it seemed more like swimming, a bulbous huge sea animal moving -through the air. She waved what resembled fins against the wall, with -them propelling herself forward. "Melt it down," she cried.</p> - -<p>It was difficult to make out the vaguely human form of the geepee. -The powerful shining body blended in with the structure of the -ship—unintentional camouflage, though the robot wasn't aware of it. It -crouched at the threshold of a cabin, hesitating between approaching -dangers.</p> - -<p>Jordan raised the weapon and lowered it with the same motion. "Get out -of the way." He gestured futilely to Anti.</p> - -<p>There was no place she could go. She was too big to enter a cabin, too -massive to let the robot squeeze by even if she wanted. "Never mind. -Get him," she called.</p> - -<p>The geepee wasn't a genius even by robot standards. But it did know -that heat is deadly and that a human body is a fragile thing. And so it -ran toward Anti. Unlike humans it didn't need special magnetics; such -a function was built into it and the absence or presence of gravity -disturbed it not at all. It moved very fast.</p> - -<p>Docchi had to watch though he didn't want to. The robot exploded into -action, launching its body at Anti. But it was the robot that was -thrown back. It had calculated swiftly but incorrectly—relative mass -favored the enormous woman.</p> - -<p>The electronic brain obeyed the original instructions, whatever they -were. It got up and rushed Anti again. Metal arms shot out with -dazzling speed and crashed against the flesh of the huge woman. Docchi -could hear the rattle of blows. No ordinary person could take that -punishment and live.</p> - -<p>But Anti wasn't ordinary. Even for an accidental she was strange, -living far inside a deep armor of flesh. It was possible she never felt -the crushing force of those blows. And she didn't turn away, try to -escape. Instead she reached out and grasped the robot, drawing it to -her. And the geepee lost another advantage, leverage. The bright arms -didn't flash so fast nor with such lethal power.</p> - -<p>"Gravity," cried Anti. "Give me all you've got."</p> - -<p>Her strategy was obvious; she was leaning against the struggling -machine. And here at least Docchi could help her. He turned and took -two steps before the surge hit him. Gravity came in waves, each one -greater than that before. The first impulse staggered him, and at the -second his knees buckled and he sank to the floor. After that his -eardrums hurt and he thought he could feel the ship quiver. He knew -dazedly that an artificial gravity field of this magnitude had never -been attained—but the knowledge didn't help him move. He was powerless -in the force that held him.</p> - -<p>And it vanished as quickly as it had come. Painfully his lungs -expanded, each muscle aching individually. He rolled over and got up, -lurching past Jordan.</p> - -<p>Anti wasn't the inert broken flesh he expected. Already she was moving -and was standing up by the time he got to her. "Oof," she grunted, -gazing with satisfaction at the twisted shape at her feet. It was past -repair, the body dented and arms and legs bent, the head smashed, the -electronic brain in it completely useless.</p> - -<p>"Are you hurt?" asked Docchi in awe.</p> - -<p>She waggled the extremities and waited as if for the signal to travel -through the nerves. "Nope," she said finally. "Can't feel anything -broken. Would have been if I'd tried to stand." She moved back to get a -better view of the robot. "That's throwing my weight around," she said -with satisfaction. "At the right time in the right way. The secret's -timing. And I must say you took the cue well." Her laughter rolled -through the ship.</p> - -<p>"I didn't have anything to do with the gravity," said Docchi.</p> - -<p>"Who? Jordan—no, he's just getting up."</p> - -<p>"Nona," said Docchi. "She was the only one who wasn't doing anything -else. She saw what had to be done and got to it before I did. But I -can't figure out how she got so much gravity."</p> - -<p>"Ask her," said Anti.</p> - -<p>Docchi grimaced, limping into the control room, followed by Anti -and Jordan. Nona was at the gravity panel, her face pleasant and -unconcerned.</p> - -<p>The unprecedented power of the gravity field could be accounted for, -of course. The ship was old and had seen much use. Connections were -loose or broken and had somehow crossed, circuiting more power into -the gravity generator than it was designed for. Miraculously it had -held up for a brief time—and that was all there was to it. And yet the -explanation failed to be completely satisfactory. "I wonder if you had -anything to do with it," he said to her. Nona smiled questioningly.</p> - -<p>"Had to, didn't she?" said Jordan. "She was the only one who could have -turned it on."</p> - -<p>"Started it, yes. Increased the power of the field, I don't know," said -Docchi. He outlined what he thought had taken place.</p> - -<p>"That sounds logical," agreed Jordan. "But it doesn't matter how it was -done. Gravity engineers would find it interesting. If we had time I'd -like to see how the circuits are crossed. We might discover something -new."</p> - -<p>"I'm sure it's interesting," said Anti irritably. "Interesting to -everybody but me. And I'm pragmatic. All I want to know is: when do we -start the rockets? We've got a long way to go."</p> - -<p>"There's something that comes before that, Anti," said Jordan. "A -retracted combustion cap in flight generally means at least one burned -out tube." He made his way to the instruments, checking them glumly. -"This time it's three."</p> - -<p>"You forgot something yourself, Jordan," said Docchi. "I was thinking -of the robot."</p> - -<p>"I thought we'd settled <i>that</i>," said Anti impatiently.</p> - -<p>"We have. But let's follow it through. Where did the robot get -instructions? Not from Vogel via the radio. The ship's hull cuts off -that band. And the last we knew it was in our control."</p> - -<p>"Voice," said Jordan. "We freed it. Someone else could take it over."</p> - -<p>"Who?" said Anti. "None of us."</p> - -<p>"No. But think back to when we were loading the tank. We saw it through -the telecom and the angle of vision was bad. You couldn't see anything -that wasn't directly overhead. Not only the robot but Cameron also -managed to get inside."</p> - -<p>Jordan hefted the weapon. "So we've got another hunt on our hands. Only -this time it's in our favor. Nothing I like better than aiming at a -nice normal doctor."</p> - -<p>Docchi glanced at the weapon. "Take it along. But don't use it. A -homicide would ruin us. We could forget what we're going for. Anyway, -you won't actually need it. The ship's temporarily disabled and he'll -consider that damage enough. He'll be ready to surrender."</p> - -<p>He was.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c5" id="c5">5</a></h2> - - -<p>The doctor was at ease, confident. "You've got the ship and you've -caught me. How long do you think you can keep either of us?"</p> - -<p>Docchi regarded him levelly. "I don't expect active cooperation but I'd -like to think you'll give us your word not to hinder us hereafter."</p> - -<p>Cameron glared at the toaster. "I won't promise anything."</p> - -<p>"We can chain him to Anti," suggested Jordan. "That will keep him out -of trouble."</p> - -<p>"Don't wince, Cameron," said Docchi. "She was a woman once. An -attractive one too."</p> - -<p>"We can put him in a spacesuit and lock his hands behind his back," -said Jordan. "Like the old-fashioned straitjacket."</p> - -<p>Cameron laughed loudly. "Go ahead."</p> - -<p>Jordan juggled the toaster. "I can use this to weld with. Let's put him -in a cabin and close the door, permanently. I'll cut a slot to shove -food in—a very narrow slot."</p> - -<p>"Excellent. That's the solution. Cameron, do you want to reconsider -your decision?"</p> - -<p>Cameron shrugged blithely. "They'll pick you up in a day or less -anyway. I'm not compromising myself if I agree."</p> - -<p>"It's good enough for me," declared Anti. "A doctor's word is as good -as his oath—Hippocratic or hypocritic."</p> - -<p>"Don't be cynical, Anti. Doctors have an economic sense as well as the -next person," said Docchi. He turned to Cameron. "You see, after Anti -grew too massive for her skeletal structure, doctors reasoned she'd be -most comfortable in the absence of gravity. That was in the early days, -before successful ship gravity units were developed. They put her on an -interplanetary ship and kept transferring her before each landing.</p> - -<p>"But the treatment was troublesome—and expensive. So they devised a -new method—the asteroid and the tank of acid. Not being aquatic by -nature, Anti resented the change. She still does."</p> - -<p>"Don't blame me for that," said Cameron. "I wasn't responsible."</p> - -<p>"It was before your time," agreed Docchi. He frowned speculatively at -the doctor. "I noticed it at the time but I had other things to think -about. Tell me, why did you laugh when Jordan mentioned spacesuits?"</p> - -<p>Cameron grinned broadly. "That was my project while you were busy with -the robot."</p> - -<p>"To do what? Jordan——"</p> - -<p>But Jordan was already on his way. He was gone for some time, minutes -that passed slowly.</p> - -<p>"Well?" asked Docchi on Jordan's return. The question was hardly -necessary; his face told the story.</p> - -<p>"Cut to ribbons."</p> - -<p>"All of them? Even the emergency pack?"</p> - -<p>"That too. He knew where everything was. Nothing can be repaired."</p> - -<p>"So who cares?" rumbled Anti. "We don't need spacesuits unless -something happens and we have to go outside the ship."</p> - -<p>"Exactly, Anti. How do we replace the defective tubes? From the -outside, of course. By destroying the spacesuits Cameron made sure we -can't."</p> - -<p>Anti glowered at the doctor. "And I suppose you merely had our welfare -at heart. Isn't that so, Cameron?"</p> - -<p>"You can think anything you want. I did and I do," said Cameron -imperturbably. "Now be reasonable. We're still in the asteroid zone. In -itself that's not dangerous. Without power to avoid stray rocks it can -be very unpleasant. My advice is to contact the Medicouncil at once. -They'll send a ship to take us in."</p> - -<p>"Thanks, no. I don't like Handicap Haven as well as you," Anti said -brusquely. She turned to Docchi. "Maybe I'm stupid for asking but -what's so deadly about being in space without a spacesuit?"</p> - -<p>"Cold. Lack of pressure. Lack of oxygen."</p> - -<p>"Is that all? Nothing else?"</p> - -<p>His voice was too loud; it seemed thunderous to him. "Isn't that -enough?"</p> - -<p>"Maybe not for me. I just wanted to be sure." She beckoned to Nona and -together they went forward, where the spacesuits were kept. "Don't do -anything drastic until I get back," she said as she left.</p> - -<p>Cameron scowled puzzledly and started to follow until Jordan waved the -toaster in front of him. "All right, I see it," he growled, stopping -and rubbing his chin. "There's nothing she can do. You know it as well -as I do."</p> - -<p>"Do I? Well, for once I'm inclined to agree with you," said Docchi. -"But you never can tell with Anti. Sometimes she comes up with -surprising things. She's not scientifically trained but she has a good -mind, as good as her body once was."</p> - -<p>"And how good was that?" asked Cameron ironically.</p> - -<p>"Look it up in your records," said Jordan shortly. "We don't talk about -it ourselves."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The women didn't come back soon, and when they did Cameron wasn't sure -that the weird creature that floated into the control compartment with -Nona <i>was</i> Anti. He looked again and saw shudderingly what she had done -to herself. "You <i>do</i> need psychotherapy," he said bitingly. "When we -get back it's the first thing I'll recommend. Can't you understand how -fool-hardy you're being?"</p> - -<p>"Be quiet," growled Jordan. "Anti, explain what you've rigged up. I'm -not sure we can let you do it."</p> - -<p>"Any kind of pressure will do as far as the outside of the body is -concerned," answered Anti, flipping back the helmet. "Mechanical -pressure is as satisfactory as air. I had Nona cut the spacesuit in -strips and wind them around me, very hard. That will keep me from -squishing out. Then I found a helmet that would cover my head when the -damaged part was cut away. It won't hold much air pressure even taped -tight to my skin. It doesn't have to as long as it's pure oxygen."</p> - -<p>"So far it makes sense," admitted Docchi. "But what can you do about -temperature?"</p> - -<p>"Do you think I'm going to worry about cold?" asked Anti. "Me? Way down -below all this flesh? Mountains and mountains of it?"</p> - -<p>"I've heard enough," said Cameron, standing in front of Anti. "Now -listen to me. Stop this nonsense and take off that childish rig. I -can't permit you to ruin my career by deliberate suicide."</p> - -<p>"You and your stinking career," said Jordan disgustedly. "You don't -know what success is and what it means to give it up. Stay out of this. -We don't have to ask your permission to do anything." Cameron retreated -from the toaster and Jordan turned to Anti. "Do you understand what the -risk, is, Anti? You know that it may not work at all?"</p> - -<p>"I've thought about it," said Anti. "On the other hand I've thought -about the asteroid. I don't want to go back."</p> - -<p>"We should have viewers outside," said Docchi. "One directly in back, -one on each side. At least we'll know what's happening."</p> - -<p>At the control panel Jordan began flipping levers. "They're out and -working," he said at last. "Anti, go to the freight ramp. Close your -helmet and wait. I'll let the air out slowly. If everything doesn't -work perfectly let me know on the helmet radio and I'll yank you in -immediately. Once you're outside I'll give you further instructions. -You'll find the tools and equipment that opens to space."</p> - -<p>Anti waddled away. Huge, but she wasn't any bigger than her -determination.</p> - -<p>Once she was gone Jordan looked down at his legless body. "I hate to -do this but we've got to be realistic about it."</p> - -<p>"It's the only way we've got a chance," answered Docchi. "Anti's the -only one who can do the job. And I think she'll survive."</p> - -<p>Jordan adjusted a dial. "Cameron had better hope she will," he -muttered. "He'll join her if she doesn't."</p> - -<p>Docchi glanced hastily at the screen. Anti was hanging free in space, -wrapped and strapped in strips torn from the supposedly useless -spacesuits. And she was also enclosed in more flesh than any human -had borne. The helmet was taped jauntily to her head and the oxygen -cylinder was fastened to her back. And she lived.</p> - -<p>"How is she?" he asked anxiously, unaware that the microphone was open.</p> - -<p>"Fine," came the reply, faint and reedy. "The air's thin but it's pure."</p> - -<p>"Cold?"</p> - -<p>"Don't know. Don't feel it yet. Anyway it can't be worse than the acid. -What do I do?"</p> - -<p>Jordan gave her directions while the others watched. It required -considerable effort to find the tools and examine the tubes for -defectives, to loosen the tubes in the sockets and pull them out, -sending them spinning into space. It was still more difficult to -replace them, though there was no gravity and Anti was held firmly to -the hull by magnetics.</p> - -<p>Anti had never been a technician of any kind. Cameron was sure of -it. She was ignorant of the commonest terms, the simplest tool. She -shouldn't have been able to do it. And yet she managed nicely, though -she didn't know how. The explanation must be that she did know, that -somewhere in her remote past, of which he was totally uninformed, she -had had training which prepared her for this. Such contradiction was -ridiculous. But there was rhythm to her motions, this giant shapeless -creature whose bones would break with weight if she tried to stand at -half gravity.</p> - -<p>The whale plowing through the deeps and waves has the attraction of -beauty. It can't be otherwise for any animal in an environment which it -is suited to live in. And the human race had produced, haphazardly, one -unlikely person to whom interplanetary space was not alien. Anti was -at last in her element.</p> - -<p>"Now," said Jordan, keeping tension out of his voice though it was -trembling in his hand. "Go back to the outside tool compartment. You'll -find a lever near it. Pull. This will set the combustion cap in place."</p> - -<p>"Done," said Anti when it was.</p> - -<p>"That's all. Come in now."</p> - -<p>She went slowly over the hull to the cargo ramp and while she did -Jordan reeled in the viewers. The lock was no sooner closed to the -outside and the air hissing into the intermediate space than he was -there, waiting for the inner lock to open.</p> - -<p>"Are you all right?" he asked gruffly.</p> - -<p>She flipped back the helmet. There was frost on her eyebrows and her -face was bright and red. "Why shouldn't I be? My hands aren't cold." -She stripped off the heated gloves and waggled her fingers.</p> - -<p>"I can't believe it," protested Cameron with more vehemence than he -intended. "You should be frozen through."</p> - -<p>"Why?" said Anti with gurgling laughter. "It's merely a matter of -insulation and I have plenty of that. More than I want."</p> - -<p>Shaking his head Cameron turned to Docchi. "When I was a boy I saw -a film of a dancer. She did a ballet. I think it was called: Free -Space-Free Life. Something like that. I can't say why but it came to my -mind when Anti was out there. I hadn't thought of it in years."</p> - -<p>He rubbed his hand over his forehead. "It fascinated me when I first -saw it. I went to it again and again. When I grew older I found out a -tragic thing had happened to the dancer. She was on a tour of Venus -when the ship she was in was forced down. Searching parties were sent -out but they didn't find anyone except her. And she had been struggling -over a fungus plain for a week. You know what that meant. The great -ballerina was a living spore culture medium."</p> - -<p>"Shut up," said Jordan. "Shut up."</p> - -<p>Cameron was engrossed in the remembrance and didn't seem to hear. -"Naturally she died. I can't recall her name but I can't forget the -ballet. And that's funny because it reminded me of Anti out there——"</p> - -<p>"I told you to shut up!" Jordan exploded a fist in the doctor's face. -If there had been more behind the blow than shoulders and a fragment -of a body Cameron's jaw would have been broken. As it was he floated -through the air and crashed against the wall.</p> - -<p>Angrily he got to his feet. "I gave my word I wouldn't cause trouble. -I thought the agreement worked both ways." He glanced significantly at -the weapon Jordan carried. "Better keep that around all the time."</p> - -<p>"I told you," said Jordan. "I told you more than once." After that he -ignored the doctor, thrusting the weapon securely into his garment. -He turned to Anti. "Very good," he said, his anger gone and his voice -courtly. "An excellent performance. One of your best, Antoinette."</p> - -<p>"You should have seen me when I was good," said Anti. The frost had -melted from her eyebrows and was trickling down her cheek. She left -with Jordan.</p> - -<p>Cameron remained behind. It was too bad about his ambition. He knew -now he was never going to be the spectacular success he'd once -envisioned—not after this escape from Handicap Haven. He'd done all -he could to prevent it but it wouldn't count with the Medicouncil that -he had good intentions. Still, he'd be able to practice somewhere; -doctors were always necessary. There were worse fates—suppose he had -to abandon medicine altogether?</p> - -<p>Think of the ballerina he'd been talking about—she hadn't died as the -history tapes indicated. That much was window dressing; people were -supposed to believe it because it was preferable to the truth. It would -have been better for that woman if she hadn't lived on. By now he had -recalled her name: Antoinette.</p> - -<p>And now it was Anti. He could have found it out by checking the -records—if Handicap Haven kept that particular information on file. -He was suddenly willing to bet that it wasn't there. He felt his -jaw, which ached throbbingly. He deserved it. He hadn't really been -convinced that they were people too.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"We'll stick to the regular lanes," decided Docchi. "I think we'll get -closer. They've no reason to suspect we're heading toward Earth. Mars -is more logical, or one of the moons of Jupiter, or another asteroid. -I'm sure they don't know what we're trying to do."</p> - -<p>Jordan shifted uneasily. "I'm against it. They'll pick us up before we -have a chance to do anything."</p> - -<p>"There's nothing to distinguish us from an ordinary Earth to Mars -rocket. We have a ship's registry on board. Use it. Take a ship that's -in our general class and thereafter we'll be that ship. If Traffic -blips us, and I don't think they will unless we try to land, we'll have -a recording ready. Something like this: 'ME 21 zip crackle 9 reporting. -Our communication is acting up. We can't hear you, Traffic.'</p> - -<p>"That's quite believable in view of the age and condition of our ship. -Don't overdo the static effects but repeat it with suitable variations -and I don't think they'll bother us."</p> - -<p>Shaking his head dubiously Jordan swung away toward the tiny -fabricating shop.</p> - -<p>"You seem worried," said Anti as she came in.</p> - -<p>Docchi didn't turn around. "Yeah."</p> - -<p>"What's the matter, won't it work?"</p> - -<p>"Sure. There are too many ships. They can't pick us out among so many. -Anyway they're not looking for us around Earth. They don't really know -why we took the rocket and escaped."</p> - -<p>"Then why so much concern? Once we're near Earth we won't need much -time."</p> - -<p>His face was taut and tired. "I thought so too, in the beginning. -Things have changed. The entire Solar Police force has been alerted for -us."</p> - -<p>"So the Solar Police really want us? But I still don't understand why -that changes a thing."</p> - -<p>"Look, Anti. We planned to bypass the Medicouncil and take our case -directly to the Solar Government. But if they want us as badly as the -radio indicates they're not going to be sympathetic. Not at all.</p> - -<p>"And if they're not, if the Solar Government doesn't support us all -the way, we'll never get another chance. Hereafter there'll be guards -everywhere on the asteroid. They'll watch us even when we sleep."</p> - -<p>"Well?" said Anti. She seemed trimmer and more vigorous. "We considered -it <i>might</i> turn out this way, didn't we? Let's take the last step -first."</p> - -<p>Docchi raised his head. "Go to the ultimate authority? The Solar -Government won't like it."</p> - -<p>"They won't, but there's nothing they can do about it."</p> - -<p>"Don't be sure. They can shoot us down. When we stole the ship we -automatically became criminals."</p> - -<p>"I know, but they'll be careful, especially after we make contact. How -would it look if we were blown to bits in front of their eyes, in a -billion homes?"</p> - -<p>Docchi chuckled grimly. "Very shrewd. All right, they'll be careful. -But is it worth it to us?"</p> - -<p>"It is to me."</p> - -<p>"Then it is to me," said Docchi. "I suggest we start getting ready."</p> - -<p>Anti scrutinized him carefully. "Maybe we ought to fix you up."</p> - -<p>"With fake arms and a cosmetikit? No. They'll have to take us as we -are, unpretty, even repulsive."</p> - -<p>"That's a better idea. I hadn't thought of the sympathy angle."</p> - -<p>"Not sympathy—reality. It means too much to us. I don't want them to -approve of us as handsome unfortunates and then have them change their -minds when they discover what we're really like."</p> - -<p>Sitting in silence, Docchi watched her go. She at least would benefit. -Dr. Cameron apparently hadn't noticed that the exposure to extreme cold -had done more to inhibit her unceasing growth than the acid bath. She -probably would never get back to her former size but some day, if the -cold treatment were properly investigated, she might be able to stand -at normal gravity. For her there was hope. The rest of them had to keep -on pretending that there was.</p> - -<p>He examined the telecom. They were getting closer. No longer a point -of light, Earth was a perceptible disc. He could see the outline of -oceans, the shapes of land and the shadows of mountains, the flat -ripple where prairies and plains were; he could imagine people. This -was home—once.</p> - -<p>Jordan came in. "The radio tape is rigged up. I haven't had to use it -yet. But we have a friend trailing along behind us, an official friend."</p> - -<p>"Has he blipped at us?"</p> - -<p>"When I left he hadn't. He keeps hanging on."</p> - -<p>"Is he overtaking us?"</p> - -<p>"He'd like to."</p> - -<p>"Don't let him."</p> - -<p>"With this bag of bolts?"</p> - -<p>"Shake it apart if you have to," said Docchi impatiently. "How soon can -you slide into a broadcast orbit?"</p> - -<p>Jordan furrowed his forehead. "I didn't think we'd planned on that this -time. It was supposed to be our last resort."</p> - -<p>"Anti and I have talked it over. We agree that this is our last chance. -Now's the time to speak up if you've got any objections."</p> - -<p>"I've been listening to the police calls," said Jordan thoughtfully. -"No, I guess I haven't got any objection. Not with a heavy cruiser -behind us. None at all."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They came together in the control compartment. "I don't want a focus -exclusively on me," Docchi was saving. "Nor on Nona either, though I -know she's most acceptable. To a world of perfect and beautiful people -we may look strange but they must see us as we are. We have to avoid -the family portrait effect."</p> - -<p>"Samples," suggested Anti.</p> - -<p>"In a sense we are, yes. A lot depends on whether they accept those -samples."</p> - -<p>For the first time Cameron began to realize what they were attempting. -"Wait," he said urgently. "You're making a mistake. You've got to -listen to me."</p> - -<p>"We've got to do this and we've got to do that," said Jordan. "I'm -getting tired of it. Can't you understand we're giving orders now?"</p> - -<p>"That's right," said Docchi. "Jordan, see that Cameron stays out of the -transmitting angle and doesn't interrupt. We've come too far to let him -influence us."</p> - -<p>"Sure. If he makes a sound I'll melt the teeth out of his mouth." -Jordan held the toaster against his side, away from the telecom but -aimed at Cameron.</p> - -<p>The doctor wanted to break in but the weapon, though small, was very -real. And Jordan was ready to use it. That was the only justification -for his silence, that and the fact they'd learn anyway.</p> - -<p>"Ready?" said Docchi.</p> - -<p>"Flip the switch and we will be. I've hooked everything on. They can't -help themselves. They've got to listen."</p> - -<p>The rocket slipped out of the approach lanes. It spun down, stem tubes -pulsing brightly, falling toward Earth in a tight trajectory. Down, -down; the familiar planet was very large.</p> - -<p>"Citizens of the solar system, everyone on Earth," began Docchi. "This -is an unscheduled broadcast. We're using the emergency bands because -for us it is an emergency. I said we, and you want to know who <i>we</i> -are. Look at us. Accidentals—that's all we can be.</p> - -<p>"We're not pretty. We know it. But there are other things more -important. Accomplishment, contribution to progress. And though it may -seem unlikely to you there are contributions we can make—if we're -permitted to do so.</p> - -<p>"But shut away on a little asteroid we're denied our rights. All we -can do is exist in frustration and boredom, kept alive whether we want -to be or not. And yet we can help you as you've helped us—if we're -allowed to. You can't go to the stars yet, but we can. And ultimately, -through what we learn, you'll be able to.</p> - -<p>"You've listened to experts who say it can't be done, that rockets are -too slow and that the crew would die of old age before they got back. -They're almost right, but accidentals are the exception. Ordinary -people would die but we won't. The Medicouncil has all the facts—they -know what we are—and still they refuse us."</p> - -<p>At the side of the control compartment Cameron moved to protest. Jordan -glanced at him, imperceptibly waggling the weapon. Cameron stopped, the -words unspoken.</p> - -<p>"Biocompensation," continued Docchi evenly as if nothing had occurred. -"Let me explain what it means in case information on it has been -suppressed. The principle of biocompensation has long been a matter -of conjecture. This is the first age in which medical techniques -are advanced enough to explore it. Every cell and organism tends to -survive as an individual and a species. Injure it and it strives for -survival according to the extent of damage. If it can it will heal the -wound and live on in its present state. Otherwise it propagates almost -immediately. You can verify this by forgetting to water the lawn and -watch how soon it goes to seed.</p> - -<p>"Humans aren't plants, you say. And yet the principle applies. -Accidentals are people who have been maimed and mutilated almost past -belief. And our bodies have had the assistance of medical science, -<i>real</i> medical science. Everyone knows how, after certain illnesses, -immunity to that disease can be acquired. And more than blood fractions -are involved in the process. For us blood was supplied as long as -we needed it, machines did our breathing, kidneys replaced, hearts -furnished, glandular products in exact minute quantities, nervous and -muscular systems regenerated—and our bodies responded. They had to -respond or none of us would be here today. And such was the extremity -of the struggle—so close did we come to it that we gained practical -immunity to—death."</p> - -<p>Sweat ran down Docchi's face. He longed for hands to wipe it away.</p> - -<p>"Most accidentals are nearly immortal. Not quite of course; we may die -four or five hundred years from now. Meanwhile there is no reason why -we can't be explorers for you. Rockets are slow. You'd die before you -got to Alpha Centauri and back. We won't. Time means nothing to us.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps better faster rockets will be devised after we leave. You may -get there before we do. We don't mind. We will have tried to repay you -the best way we know how and that will satisfy us."</p> - -<p>With an effort Docchi smiled. The instant he did so he felt it was a -mistake, one he couldn't call back. Even to himself it seemed more like -a snarl.</p> - -<p>"You know where we're kept—that's more polite than saying imprisoned. -We don't call it Handicap Haven. Our name for it is: <i>Junkpile</i>. And -we're junkmen. Do you know how we feel?</p> - -<p>"I don't know how you can persuade the Medicouncil to let us man an -expedition to the stars. We've appealed and appealed and they've always -turned us down. Now that we've let you know it's up to you. Our future -as humans is at stake. Settle it with your conscience. When you go to -sleep think of us out there on the junkpile."</p> - -<p>He nudged the switch and sat down. His face was gray and his eyes were -rimmed and burning.</p> - -<p>"I don't want to bother you," said Jordan. "What'll we do about these?"</p> - -<p>Docchi glanced at the telecom. The ships were uncomfortably close and -considerably more numerous than the last time he had looked. "Take -evasive action," he said wearily. "Swing close to Earth and use the -planet's gravity to give us a good fast sendoff. We can't let them take -us until people have a chance to make their feelings known."</p> - -<p>"Now that you've finished I want to discuss it with you," said Cameron. -There was an odd tone to his voice.</p> - -<p>"Later," said Docchi. "Save it. I'm going to sleep. Jordan, wake me if -anything happens. And remember you don't have to listen to this fellow -if you don't want to."</p> - -<p>Jordan nodded contemptuously. "I know what he's like. He's got nothing -to say to me."</p> - -<p>Nona, leaning against the panel, paid no attention to any of them. She -seemed to be listening to something nobody else could hear, she, to -whom sound had no meaning. Docchi's body sagged as he went out. Her -perpetual air of wondering search for something she could never have -was not new but it was no more bearable because of that.</p> - -<p>And while Docchi slept the race went on against a slowly changing -backdrop of stars and planets. Only the darkness remained the same; it -was immutable. The little flecks of light that edged nearer hour after -hour didn't seem cheerful to Jordan. His lips were fixed in a thin hard -line. His expression didn't alter. Presently, long after Earth was far -behind, he heard Docchi come in again.</p> - -<p>"I've been thinking about it," said Cameron. "Nice speech."</p> - -<p>"Yeah." Docchi glanced at the screen. The view didn't inspire comment.</p> - -<p>Cameron was standing at the threshold. "I may as well tell you," he -said reluctantly. "I tried to stop the broadcast as soon as I found out -what was going on. You wouldn't listen."</p> - -<p>He came on into the control compartment. Nona was huddled in a seat, -her face blankly incurious. Anti was absent, replenishing the acid for -her robe. "Do you know why the Medicouncil refused to let you go?"</p> - -<p>"Get to the point."</p> - -<p>"Damn it, I am," said Cameron, sweating. "The Centauri group contains -several planets, just how many we're not sure. From what we know of -cosmology there's a good chance intelligent life exists there, probably -not far behind us in technical development. Whoever goes there will -be our representatives to an alien race. What <i>they</i> look like isn't -important; it's their concern. But our ambassadors have to meet certain -minimum standards. It's an important occasion, our future relations -rest on. Damn it—don't you see <i>our</i> ambassadors must at least -<i>appear</i> to be human beings?"</p> - -<p>"You're not telling us anything new. We know how you feel." Jordan was -rigid with disgust.</p> - -<p>"You're wrong," said Cameron. "You're so wrong. I'm not speaking for -myself. I'm a doctor. The medicouncilors are doctors. We graft on or -regenerate legs and arms and eyes. The tools of our trade are blood and -bones and intestines. We know very well what people look like from the -inside. We're well aware of the thin borderline that separates normal -men and women from accidentals.</p> - -<p>"Can't you still understand what I'm saying? They're perfect, -everybody's perfect. Too much so. They can't tolerate small blemishes. -More money is spent for research on acne than to support the whole -asteroid. They rush to us with wrinkles and dandruff. Health, or the -appearance of it, has become a fetish. You may think the people you -appealed to are sympathetic but what they feel is something else."</p> - -<p>"What are you driving at?" said Docchi in a low voice.</p> - -<p>"Just this: if it were up to the Medicouncil you'd be on your way to -the Centauris. It isn't. The decision wasn't made by us. Actually it -came directly from the Solar Government. And the Solar Government never -acts contrary to public opinion."</p> - -<p>Docchi turned away, his face wrinkled in distaste. "I didn't think you -had the nerve to stand there and say that."</p> - -<p>"I didn't want to. But you've got to know the truth." Cameron twisted -his head uncomfortably. "You're not far from Earth. You can still pick -up the reaction to your broadcast. Try it and see."</p> - -<p>Jordan looked at Docchi who nodded imperceptibly. "We may as well," -said Docchi. "It's settled now, one way or the other. Nothing we can do -will change it."</p> - -<p>Jordan searched band after band, eagerly at first. His enthusiasm died -and still the reaction never varied. Private citizen or public figure, -man or woman, the indignation was concealed but nevertheless firm and -unmistakable. There was no doubt accidentals were unfortunate but they -were well taken care of. There was no need to trade on deformity; the -era of the freak show had passed and it never would return.</p> - -<p>"Turn it off," said Docchi at last.</p> - -<p>Numbly Jordan complied.</p> - -<p>"Now what?" he said.</p> - -<p>"Why fight it?" said the doctor. "Go back to the asteroid. It'll be -forgotten."</p> - -<p>"Not by us," said Docchi dully. "But there doesn't seem to be any -choice. It would have been better if we had tried to work through the -Medicouncil. We misjudged our allies."</p> - -<p>"We knew you had," said Cameron. "We thought we'd let you go on -thinking as you did. It gave you something to hope for, allowed you to -feel you weren't alone. The trouble was that your discontent carried -you further than we thought it could."</p> - -<p>"We did get somewhere," Docchi said. His lethargy seemed to lift -somewhat as he contemplated what they'd achieved. "And there's no -reason we have to stop. Jordan, contact the ships behind us. Tell -them we've got Cameron on board. A hostage. Play him up as their man. -Basically he's not bad. He's not against us as much as the rest are."</p> - -<p>Anti came into the compartment. Cheerfulness faded from her face. -"What's the matter?"</p> - -<p>"Jordan'll tell you. I want to think."</p> - -<p>Docchi closed his eyes and his mind to the whispered consultation of -Anti and Jordan, to the feeble ultimatum to the ships behind them. The -rocket lurched slightly though the vibration from the exhaust did not -change. There was no cause for alarm, the flight of a ship was never -completely steady. Minor disturbances no longer affected Docchi.</p> - -<p>When he had it straightened out in his mind he looked around. "If we -were properly fueled and provisioned I would be in favor of heading for -Alpha or Proxima. Maybe even Sirius. Distance doesn't matter since we -don't care whether we come back." It was plain he wasn't expending much -hope. "But we can't make it with the small fuel reserve we have. If we -can lose the ships behind us we may be able to hide until we can steal -fuel and food."</p> - -<p>"What'll we do with doc?" said Jordan. He too was infected with defeat.</p> - -<p>"We'll have to raid an unguarded outpost, a small mining asteroid is -our best bet. We'll leave him there."</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said Jordan listlessly. "A good idea, <i>if</i> we can run away from -our personal escort. Offhand I don't think we can. They hesitated when -I told them we had Cameron but they didn't drop back. Look."</p> - -<p>He looked himself and, unbelievingly, looked again. He blinked rapidly -but the screen could report only what there was.</p> - -<p>"They're gone," he said, his voice breaking with excitement.</p> - -<p>Almost instantly Docchi was at his side. "No, they're still following -but they're very far behind." Even as he looked the pursuing ships -shrank visibly, steadily losing ground.</p> - -<p>"What's the relative speed?" said Jordan. He looked at the dials, -tapped them, pounded on them, but the speed wouldn't change. If it -hadn't been confirmed by the screen he'd have said that the needles -were stuck or the instruments were completely unreliable.</p> - -<p>"What did you do with the rockets?" demanded Docchi.</p> - -<p>"That's a foolish question. What could I do? We were already at top -speed for this piece of junk."</p> - -<p>And there was no way to explain the astonishing thing that had -happened. They were all in the control compartment, Cameron, Anti, -Jordan and himself. Nona was there too, sitting huddled up, head -resting in her arms. There was no explanation at all, unless—Docchi -scanned all the instruments again. That was when he first noticed it.</p> - -<p>Power was pouring into the gravity drive. The useless, or at least long -unused dial was indicating unheard of consumption. "The gravity drive -is working," Docchi said.</p> - -<p>"Nonsense," said Anti. "I don't feel the weight."</p> - -<p>"You don't and won't," said Docchi. "The gravity drive was installed to -propel the ship. When it was proved unsatisfactory for that purpose it -was converted, which was cheaper than removing it.</p> - -<p>"The difference between the drive and ordinary gravity is slight but -important. An <i>undirected</i> general field produces weight effects inside -the ship. That's for passenger comfort. A <i>directed</i> field, outside it, -will drive it. You can have one or the other but not both."</p> - -<p>"But I didn't turn on the drive," said Jordan in bewilderment. "It -wouldn't work for more than a few seconds if I did. That's been proven."</p> - -<p>"I'd agree with you except for one thing. It is working, has been -working and shows no sign of stopping." Docchi stared speculatively at -Nona. She was curled up but she wasn't resting. Her body was too tense. -"Get her attention," he said.</p> - -<p>Jordan gently touched her shoulder. She opened her eyes but she wasn't -looking at them. On the panel the needle of a once useless dial rose -and fell.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter with the poor dear?" asked Anti. "She's shaking."</p> - -<p>"Let her alone," said Docchi. "Let her alone if you don't want to -return to the asteroid." No one moved. No one said anything. Minutes -passed and the ancient ship creaked and quivered and ran away from the -fastest rockets in the system.</p> - -<p>"I think I can explain it," said Docchi at last, frowning because -he couldn't quite. There were things that still eluded him. "Part -of the gravity generating plant—in a sense the key component—is -an electronic computer, capable of making all the calculations and -juggling the proportion of power required to produce directed or -undirected gravity continuously. In other words a brain, a complex -mechanical intelligence. But it was an ignorant intelligence and it -couldn't see why it should perform ad infinitum a complicated and -meaningless routine. It couldn't see why and because it couldn't very -simply it refused to do so.</p> - -<p>"It was something like Nona. She's deaf, can't speak, can't communicate -in any way. Like it she has a very high potential intelligence and -also, in the very same way, she's had difficulty grasping the facts of -her environment. Differently though, she does have some contact with -people and she has learned something. How much she knows is uncertain -but it's far beyond what psychologists credit her with. They just can't -measure her type of knowledge."</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said Jordan dubiously. "I'll agree about Nona. But what is she -doing?"</p> - -<p>"If there were two humans you'd call it telepathy," said Docchi. It -upset his concepts too. A machine was a machine—a tool to be used. How -could there ever be rapport? "One intelligence is electronic, the other -organic. You'll have to dream up your own term because the only thing -I can think of is extra sensory perception. It's ridiculous but that's -what it is."</p> - -<p>Jordan smiled and flexed his arms. Under the shapeless garment muscles -rippled. "To me it makes sense," he said. "The power was always there -but they didn't know what to do with it." The smile broadened. "It -couldn't have fallen into better hands. We can use the power, or rather -Nona can."</p> - -<p>"Power?" said Anti, rising majestically. "If you mean by that what it -sounds like, I don't care for it. All I want is just enough to take us -to Centauri."</p> - -<p>"You'll get there," said Docchi. "A lot of things seem clearer now. In -the past why did the drive work so poorly the further out it got? I -don't think anyone investigated this aspect but if they had I'm sure -they'd have found that the efficiency was inversely proportional to the -square of the distance from the sun.</p> - -<p>"It's what you'd expect from a deaf, blind, mass sensitive brain, the -gravity computer. It wouldn't be aware of the stars. To it the sun -would seem the center of the universe and it would no more leave the -system than our remote ancestors would think of stepping off the edge -of a flat world.</p> - -<p>"And now that it knows differently the drive ought to work anywhere. -With Nona to direct it, even Sirius isn't far."</p> - -<p>"What are you thinking about, doc?" said Jordan carelessly. "If I were -you I'd be figuring a way to get off the ship. Remember we're going -faster than man ever went before." He chuckled. "Unless, of course, you -<i>like</i> our company and don't want to leave."</p> - -<p>"We've got to do some figuring ourselves," said Docchi. "There's -no use heading where there are no stars. We'd better determine our -destination."</p> - -<p>"A good idea," said Jordan, hoisting himself up to the charts. He -busied himself with interminable calculations. Gradually his flying -fingers slowed and his head bent lower over the work. Finally he -stopped, his arms hanging slack.</p> - -<p>"Got it?"</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said Jordan. "There." Dully he punched the telecom selector and -a view took shape on the screen. In the center glimmered a tiny world, -a fragment of a long exploded planet. The end of their journey was -easily recognizable.</p> - -<p>It was Handicap Haven.</p> - -<p>"But why are we going there?" asked Anti. She looked at Docchi in -amazement.</p> - -<p>"We're not going voluntarily," he said, his voice flat and spent. -"That's where the Medicouncil wants us. We forgot about the monitor -system. When Nona activated the gravity drive it was indicated at some -central station. All the Medicouncil had to do was take the control -away from Nona."</p> - -<p>"We thought we were running away from the ships," said Anti. "We were, -but only to beat them back to the junkpile."</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said Docchi. "Nona doesn't know it yet."</p> - -<p>"Well, it's over. We did our best. There's no use crying about it." Yet -she was. Anti passed by the girl, patting her gently. "It's all right, -darling. You tried to help us."</p> - -<p>Jordan followed her from the compartment. Cameron remained, coming over -to Docchi. "Everything isn't lost," he said awkwardly. "The rest of you -are back where you started but at least Nona isn't."</p> - -<p>"Do you think she'll benefit?" asked Docchi. "Someone will, but it -won't be Nona."</p> - -<p>"You're wrong. Suddenly she's become important."</p> - -<p>"So is a special experimental machine. Very valuable but totally -without rights or feelings. I don't imagine she'll like her new status."</p> - -<p>Silence met silence. It was the doctor who turned away. "You're sick -with disappointment," he said thickly. "Irrational, you always are when -you glow. I thought we could talk over what was best for her but I can -see it's no use. I'll come back when you're calmer."</p> - -<p>Docchi glared sightlessly after him. Cameron was the only normal who -was aware that it was Nona who controlled the gravity drive. All the -outside world realized was that it was in operation—that at last it -was working as originally intended. If they should dispose of Cameron—</p> - -<p>He shook his head. It wouldn't solve anything. He could fool them for a -while, pretend that he was responsible. But in the end they'd find out. -Nona wasn't capable of deception—and they'd be very insistent with a -discovery of this magnitude.</p> - -<p>She looked up and smiled. She had a right to be happy. Until now she -had been alone as few people ever are. But the first contact had been -made and however unsatisfactory—what could the limited electronic mind -say?—in other circumstances it might have presaged better days. She -didn't know she was no less a captive than the computer.</p> - -<p>Abruptly he turned away. At the telecom he stopped and methodically -kicked it apart, smashing delicate tubes into powder. Before he left he -also demolished the emergency radio. The ship was firmly in the grip of -the monitor and it would take them back. There was nothing they had to -do. All that remained for him was to protect Nona as long as he could. -The Medicouncil would start prying into her mind soon enough. He hoped -they'd find what they were after without too much effort. For her sake -he hoped they would.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c6" id="c6">6</a></h2> - - -<p>Perfectly synchronized to their speed the outer shell of the dome -opened, closing behind them before they reached the inner shell. It -too gaped wide to swallow them, snapping shut like a quickly sprung -trap. Jordan set the controls in neutral and dropped his hands, -muttering to himself. They glided to a stop over the landing pit, -thereafter settling slowly. Homecoming.</p> - -<p>"Cheer up," said Cameron jauntily. "You're not prisoners."</p> - -<p>Nona alone seemed not to mind. Docchi hadn't said anything for hours -and the light was gone from his face. Anti wasn't with them; she was -back floating in the acid tank. The reentry into the gravity field of -the asteroid made it necessary.</p> - -<p>The ship scraped gently; they were down. Jordan mechanically touched a -lever, flicked a switch. Passenger and freight locks swung open. "Let's -go," said Cameron. "I imagine there's a reception committee for us."</p> - -<p>Even he was surprised at what was waiting. The little rocket dome held -more ships than normally came in a year. The precise confusion of -military discipline was everywhere. Armed guards lined either side of -the landing ramp and more platoons were in the distance. It was almost -amusing to see how dangerous the Medicouncil considered them.</p> - -<p>Near the end of the ramp a large telecom had been set up. If size -indicated anything someone thought this was an important occasion. -From the screen, larger than life, Medicouncilor Thorton looked out -approvingly.</p> - -<p>"A good job, Dr. Cameron," said the medicouncilor as the procession -from the ship halted. "We were quite surprised at the escape of our -accidentals and your disappearance which coincided with it. From what -we were able to piece together, you followed them deliberately. A -splendid example of quick thinking, doctor. You deserve recognition."</p> - -<p>"I thought it was my fault for letting them get so far. I had to try to -stop them."</p> - -<p>"No doubt it was. But you atoned, you atoned. I'm sorry I can't -be there in person to congratulate you but I'll arrive soon." The -medicouncilor paused discreetly. "At first the publicity was bad, very -bad. We thought it unwise to try to conceal it. Of course the broadcast -made it impossible to hide anything. Fortunately the discovery of the -gravity drive came along at just the right time. When we announced it -opinion began swinging in our direction. I don't mind telling you the -net effect is now in our favor."</p> - -<p>"I hoped it would be," said Cameron. "I don't want them to be hurt. -They're all vulnerable, Nona especially, because of what she is. I've -thought quite a bit about how she should be approached——"</p> - -<p>"I'm sure you have." The medicouncilor smiled faintly. "Don't let -your emotions run away with you. In due time we'll discuss her. For -the present see that she and the other accidentals are returned to -their usual places. Bring Docchi to your office at once. He's to be -questioned privately."</p> - -<p>It was a strange request and mentally Cameron retreated. "Wait. Are you -sure you want Docchi? He's the engineer but——"</p> - -<p>"No objections, doctor," said Thorton sternly. "Important people are -waiting. Don't spoil their good opinion of you." The telecom snapped -into darkness.</p> - -<p>"I think you heard what he said, Dr. Cameron." The officer at his side -was very polite, perhaps because it emphasized the three big planets on -his tunic.</p> - -<p>"I heard," said Cameron irritably. "I don't want to argue with -authority but since I'm in charge of this place I demand that you -furnish a guard for this girl.</p> - -<p>"So you're in charge?" drawled the officer. "You know I've got a funny -feeling I'm commander here. My orders said I was to replace you until -further notice. I haven't got that notice." He looked around at his men -and crooked a finger. "Lieutenant, see that the little fella—Jordan, -I think his name is—gets a lift back to the main dome. And you can -walk the pretty lady to her room, or whatever it is she lives in. -Don't get too personal though unless she encourages it." He smiled -condescendingly at Cameron. "Anything else I can do to oblige a fellow -commander?"</p> - -<p>Cameron glanced at the guards. They were everywhere he looked, -smartly uniformed, alert. There was no indication of amusement in the -expressions of those near enough to have heard the conversation. They -were well disciplined. "Nothing else, General," he said stonily. "Keep -her in sight. You're responsible."</p> - -<p>"So I am," remarked the officer pleasantly, winking at the lieutenant. -"Let's go."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Medicouncilor Thorton was waiting impatiently on the screen in -Cameron's office. The attitude suited him well, as if he'd tried many -and found slightly concealed discourtesy best for the personality -of the busy executive. "We'll arrive in about two hours," he said -immediately. "By this I mean a number of top governmental officials, -scientists, and some of our leading industrialists. Their time is -valuable so let's get on with this gravity business."</p> - -<p>He caught sight of the commander. "General Judd, this is a technical -matter. I don't think you'll be interested."</p> - -<p>"Very well, sir. I'll stand guard outside."</p> - -<p>The medicouncilor was silent until the door closed. "Sit down, Docchi," -he said with unexpected solicitude, pausing to note the effect. "I can -sympathize with you. Everything within your reach—and then to return -here. Well, I can understand how you feel. But since you did come back -I think we can arrange to do things for you."</p> - -<p>Docchi stared at the screen. A spot of light pulsed in his cheek -and then flared rapidly over his face. "You probably will," he said -casually. "But what about theft charges? We stole a ship."</p> - -<p>"A formality," declared the medicouncilor with earnest simplicity. -"With a thing like the discovery, or rediscovery, of the gravity drive, -no one's going to worry about an obsolete ship. How else could you test -your theories except by trying them out in actual flight?"</p> - -<p>The medicouncilor was dulcet, coaxing. "I don't want to mislead you. -Medically we can't do any more for you than we have. However you'll -find yourself the center of a more adequate social life. Friends, work, -whatever you want. In return for this naturally we'll expect your -cooperation."</p> - -<p>"Wait," said Cameron, walking to the screen and standing squarely in -front of it. "I don't think you realize Docchi's part——"</p> - -<p>"Don't interrupt," glowered Thorton. "I want to reach an agreement at -once. It will look very good for us if we can show these famous people -how well we work with our patients. Now, Docchi, how much of the drive -can you have on paper by the time we land?"</p> - -<p>"He can't have anything," Cameron started shouting. "I tried to tell -you—he doesn't know——"</p> - -<p>"Look out," cried Thorton too late.</p> - -<p>Cameron's knees buckled and he clutched his legs in pain. Again Docchi -kicked out and the doctor fell down. Docchi aimed another savage blow -with his foot that grazed the back of Cameron's head. Blood trickled -from his mouth and he stopped trying to get up.</p> - -<p>"Docchi," screeched Thorton, but there was no answer.</p> - -<p>Docchi crashed through the door. The commander was lounging against the -wall, looking around vacantly. Head down Docchi plunged into him. The -toaster fell from his belt to the floor. With scarcely a pause Docchi -stamped on it and continued running.</p> - -<p>The commander got up, retrieving the weapon. He aimed it at the -retreating figure and would have triggered it except that it didn't -feel right in his hand. He lowered it and quickly examined the damaged -mechanism. Sweating, he slipped it gingerly into a tunic pocket.</p> - -<p>Muffled shouts were coming from Cameron's office, growing in vehemence. -The general broke in.</p> - -<p>The medicouncilor glared at him from the screen. "I see that you let -him get away."</p> - -<p>The disheveled officer straightened his uniform. "I'm sorry, sir. -I didn't think he had that much life in him. I'll alert the guards -immediately."</p> - -<p>"Never mind now. Revive that man."</p> - -<p>The general wasn't accustomed to resuscitation; saving lives was out of -his line. Nevertheless in a few minutes Cameron was conscious, though -somewhat dazed.</p> - -<p>"Now, doctor, who does know something about the gravity drive if it -isn't Docchi?"</p> - -<p>Cameron shook his head groggily. "It was an easy mistake," he said. -"Cut off from communication with us the drive began to work. How, why, -who did it? Mostly who. Not me, I'm a doctor, not a physicist. Nor -Jordan; he's at best a mechanic. Therefore it had to be Docchi because -he's an engineer." He stopped to wipe the blood from his cheek.</p> - -<p>"For God's sake tell me," said Thorton. "It couldn't be——"</p> - -<p>"No," said Cameron with quiet satisfaction. "It wasn't Anti either. -The last person you'd think of. The little deaf and dumb girl the -psychologists wouldn't bother with."</p> - -<p>"Nona?" said Thorton incredulously.</p> - -<p>"I told you," said Cameron and proceeded to tell him more, filling in -the details.</p> - -<p>"I see. We overlooked that possibility," said the medicouncilor -gravely. "Not the mechanical genius of an engineer. Instead the strange -telepathic sense of a girl. That puts the problem in a different light."</p> - -<p>"It's not so difficult though." Cameron rubbed the lump on the back of -his head. The hair was bristling, clotted with blood. "She can't tell -us how she does it. We'll have to find out by experiment, but it won't -involve any danger. The monitor can always control the drive."</p> - -<p>The medicouncilor laughed shakily, teetering backward. "The monitor -is worth exactly nothing. We tried it. For a microsecond it seemed to -take over as it always has on other units—but this gravity generator -slipped away. We thought Docchi found a way to disengage the control -circuit."</p> - -<p>"But it wasn't Docchi who told the computer how to do it."</p> - -<p>"We figured it out when we thought it was Docchi," growled the -medicouncilor wearily. "He was sensible, that's all. It was the only -reasonable thing a man could do, come back and take advantage of his -discovery." He shook his head in perplexed disgust. "Why the girl -returned is beyond me."</p> - -<p>"Do you think——" said Cameron and then wished he'd left it unsaid.</p> - -<p>"Yes, by God, I do think." The medicouncilor's fist crashed down. -"Docchi knows why. He found out in this room and we told him. As soon -as he knew he escaped."</p> - -<p>Panic slipped into Thorton's face and then was gone, covered over -almost at once by long habits of sudden decisions. "She could have -taken the ship anywhere she wanted and we couldn't stop her. Since -she's here voluntarily it's obvious what she wants—the asteroid."</p> - -<p>The medicouncilor tried to shove himself out of the screen. "Don't -you ever think, General? There's no real difference between gravity -generators except size and power. What she did on the ship she can do -as easily here."</p> - -<p>"Don't worry," said the startled officer. "I'll get her. I'll find the -girl and Docchi too."</p> - -<p>"Never mind him," choked the medicouncilor. "I don't care how you do -it. Take Nona at once, without delay."</p> - -<p>The time had passed for that command. The great dome overhead trembled -and creaked in countless joints. But the structure held though -unexpected stresses were imposed on it. And the tiny world shivered, -groaning and grumbling at the orbit it had lain too long in. Already -that was changing—the asteroid began to move.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c7" id="c7">7</a></h2> - - -<p>Vague shapes were stirring. They walked if they could, crawled if -they couldn't—fantastic and near-fantastic creatures were coming -to the assembly. Large or tiny, on their own legs or borrowed ones -they arrived, with or without arms, faces. The news had spread fast, -by voice or written message, sign language, lip reading, all the -conceivable ways that humans communicate, not the least of which was -the vague intuition that something was going on that the person should -know about. The people on Handicap Haven sensed the emergency.</p> - -<p>"Remember it will be hours or perhaps days before we're safe," said -Docchi. His voice was hoarse but he hadn't noticed it yet. "It's up to -us to see that Nona has all the time she needs."</p> - -<p>"Where is she hiding?" asked someone in the crowd.</p> - -<p>"I don't know. I wouldn't tell you if I did. They might pry it out of -you. Right now our sole job is to keep them from finding her."</p> - -<p>"How?" demanded someone else near the front. "Do you expect us to fight -the guards?"</p> - -<p>"Not directly," said Docchi. "We have no weapons for that, no armament. -Many of us have no arms in another sense. All we can do is to obstruct -their search. Unless someone can think of something better, this is -what I plan:</p> - -<p>"I want all the men, older women and the younger ones who aren't -suitable for reasons I'll explain later. The guards won't be here for -half an hour—it will take that long to get them together and give them -orders. When they do come the first group will attempt to interfere in -every possible way with their search.</p> - -<p>"How you do it I'll leave to your imagination. Appeal to their sympathy -as long as they have any. Put yourself in dangerous situations. They -have ethics and at first they'll be inclined to help you. When they do, -try to steal their weapons. Avoid physical violence as much as you can. -We don't want to force them into retaliation—they'll be so much better -at it. Make the most of this phase of their behavior. It won't last -long."</p> - -<p>Docchi paused to look over the crowd. "Each of you will have to decide -for himself when to drop passive resistance and start the real battle. -Again, you may be able to think of more things than I can tell you -but here are some suggestions. Try to disrupt the light, scanning and -ventilation systems. They'll be forced to keep them in repair. Perhaps -they'll even attempt to guard all the strategic points. So much the -better for us—there'll be fewer guards to contend with."</p> - -<p>"What about me?" called a woman from far in back. "What can I do?"</p> - -<p>"You're in for a rough time," Docchi promised. "Is Jeriann here?"</p> - -<p>Jeriann elbowed her way through the crowd to his side. Docchi glanced -at her. He'd seen her many times but never so close. It was hard to -believe that she should be here with the rest of them. "Jeriann," -said Docchi to the accidentals, "is a normal pretty woman—outwardly. -However she has no trace of a digestive system. The maximum time she -can go without food and fluid absorption is ten hours. That's why she's -with us and not on Earth."</p> - -<p>Docchi scanned the group. "I'm looking for a miracle. Is there a -cosmetechnician who thinks she can perform one? Bring your kit."</p> - -<p>A legless woman propelled herself forward. Docchi conferred at -length with her. At first she was startled, reluctant to try but -after persuasion she consented. Under her deft fingers Jeriann was -transformed. When she turned around and faced the crowd she was no -longer herself—she was Nona.</p> - -<p>"She can get away with the disguise longer and therefore she'll be the -first Nona they find," explained Docchi. "I think—hope—that they'll -call off the search for a few hours after they take her. Eventually -they'll find out she isn't Nona when they can't get her to stop the -drive. Fingerprints or x-rays would reveal it at once but they'll be so -sure they have her that it won't occur to them. Nona is impossible to -question as you know and Jeriann will give as good an imitation as she -can.</p> - -<p>"As soon as they discover that the girl they have is Jeriann they won't -bother to be polite. Guards will like the idea of finding attractive -girls they can manhandle in the line of duty especially if they think -it will help them find Nona. It won't, but I think they'll get too -enthusiastic and that in itself will hold up the search."</p> - -<p>No one moved. The women in the crowd were still, looking at each other -in silent apprehension. Jordan started them. He twisted his head, -grimacing. "Let's get busy," he said somberly.</p> - -<p>"Wait," said Docchi. "I have one Nona. I need more volunteers, at least -fifty. It doesn't matter whether the person is physically sound or not, -we'll raid the lab for plastic tissue. If you're about her size and can -walk and have at least one arm come forward."</p> - -<p>And slowly, singly and by twos and threes, they came to the platform. -There were few indeed who wouldn't require liberal use of camouflage. -It was primarily on these women their hopes rested.</p> - -<p>The other group followed Jordan out, looking at Docchi for some sign. -When he gave them none they hurried on determinedly. He could depend on -them. The sum total of their ingenuity would produce some results.</p> - -<p>Mass production of an individual. Not perfect in every instance—good -enough to pass in most. Docchi watched critically, suggesting -occasional touches that improved the resemblance. "She can't speak -or hear," he reminded the volunteers. "Remember it at all times no -matter what they do. Don't scream for help, we won't be able to. Hide -in difficult places. After Jeriann is taken and the search called off -and then resumed, let yourselves be found, one at a time. We can't -communicate with you and so you'll just have to guess when it's your -turn. You should be able to tell by the flurry of activity. That will -mean they've discovered the last person they captured wasn't Nona. -Every guard that has to take you in for examination is one less to -search for the girl they really want. They'll have to find Nona soon or -get off the asteroid."</p> - -<p>The cosmetechnicians were busy and they couldn't stop. But there was -one who looked up. "Get off?" she asked. "Why?"</p> - -<p>He thought he'd told everyone. She must have arrived late. It was -satisfying to repeat it. "Handicap Haven is leaving the solar system," -he said.</p> - -<p>Her fingers flew, molding the beautiful curve of a jaw where there had -been none. Next, plastic lips were applied that were more lifelike than -any this woman had ever created.</p> - -<p>Soon Nona was hiding in half a hundred places.</p> - -<p>And one more.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The orbit of Neptune was behind them, far behind, and still the -asteroid accelerated. Two giant gravity generators strained at the -crust and core of the asteroid. The third clamped an abnormally heavy -gravity field around the fragment of an isolated world. Prolonged -physical exertion was awkward and doubly exhausting. It tied right in; -the guards were not and couldn't be very active. Hours turned into -a day and the day passed too—and the generators never faltered. It -seemed they never would.</p> - -<p>"Have you figured it out precisely? It's your responsibility, you -know," said Docchi ironically. "You share our velocity away from the -sun. You'll have to overcome it before you start going back. If you -wait too long you might not be able to reach Earth."</p> - -<p>Superficially the general seemed to ignore him but the muscles in his -jaw twitched. "If we could only turn off that damned drive."</p> - -<p>"That's what we're trying to do," said Vogel placatingly.</p> - -<p>"I know. But if we could do it without finding her."</p> - -<p>The resident engineer shrugged sickly. "Go ahead. Try it. I don't want -to be around when you do. I know, it sounds easy, just a couple of -gravity generators. But remember there's also a good sized nuclear pile -involved."</p> - -<p>"I know, I know," muttered the general morosely. "Damned atomics not -worth inventing. Nothing you can do with them, always too touchy." He -glowered at the darkness overhead. "On the other hand we can take off -and blow this rock apart from a safe distance."</p> - -<p>"And lose all hope of finding her?" taunted Docchi.</p> - -<p>"We're losing her anyway," commented Vogel sourly.</p> - -<p>"You're getting way from the perspective. It's not as bad as that," -counselled Docchi. "Now that you know where the difficulty is you can -always build other computers and this time furnish them with auxiliary -senses. Or maybe give them the facts of elementary astronomy."</p> - -<p>"Now why didn't I think of that?" said Vogel disgustedly. "You don't -need me here, do you, General? If not I'd like to go back to my ship." -The general grunted consent and the engineer left, lurching under the -massive gravity.</p> - -<p>"There's even another solution though it may not appeal to you," said -Docchi cautiously. "I can't believe Nona is altogether unique. There -must be others like her, so-called 'born mechanics' whose understanding -of machinery is a form of intelligence we haven't suspected. -Look hard and you may find them, perhaps in the most unlikely or -unlovely bodies." It didn't show but inwardly he was smiling. He was -harassing them effectively from this end. Hope was sometimes the most -demoralizing agent.</p> - -<p>General Judd growled wearily. "If I thought you knew where she is——"</p> - -<p>Docchi stiffened, glowing involuntarily.</p> - -<p>"Forget the dramatics, General," said Cameron with distaste. -"Resistance we'd have had in any event. He's responsible merely for -making it more effective."</p> - -<p>He frowned heavily, continuing. "At the moment what he's trying to do -is obvious. He needn't bother tearing down our morale though—it's -already collapsed. I can't think of a thing we can do that will help -us." He wished the medicouncilor had been able to land; he needed -further instructions. His own role wasn't clear and he kept thinking, -thinking.... He should stop thinking. Of course the ship that carried -the medicouncilor couldn't actually touch on the asteroid—there were -too many important people aboard and they couldn't risk being taken -out of the system. Still, the medicouncilor <i>might</i> have spared a few -minutes to discuss things with him. He knew what he ought to do.</p> - -<p>The sun was high in the center of the dome. Sun? It was much more like -a very bright star. It cast no shadows; it was the lights in the dome -that did. They flickered and with monotonous regularity went out again. -Each time the general swore constantly and emotionlessly until service -was restored.</p> - -<p>A guard approached, walking warily behind his captive. He saluted -negligently. "I think I've found her, sir."</p> - -<p>Cameron looked at the girl. "I don't think you have. And it seems to me -you were unnecessarily rough."</p> - -<p>The guard smirked with bland insolence. "Orders, sir."</p> - -<p>"Whose orders?"</p> - -<p>"Yours, sir. You said she couldn't talk or make any kind of a sound. It -was the easiest way to make sure. She didn't say a thing."</p> - -<p>Cameron turned to the general but saw he'd get no support there. Judd -was scowling, completely indifferent to the guard's behavior.</p> - -<p>The doctor snapped open the sharp scalpel and thrust it savagely deep -in the girl's thigh. She looked at him with a tear-stained face but -didn't complain or move a muscle.</p> - -<p>"Plastic tissue as any fool can plainly see," said Cameron dourly. His -rage was growing.</p> - -<p>The guard stared, twisting his lips. "Let her go," snapped the doctor.</p> - -<p>The girl darted away. The guard saluted stiffly and left, rubbing his -hands against his uniform. He'll go and scrub his hands, because he -touched her, Cameron thought wearily.</p> - -<p>"I have a request to make," said Docchi.</p> - -<p>"Sure, sure," said the general cholerically. "We're apt to give you -what you want. If you don't see it, just ask. We'll send out and get -it."</p> - -<p>"You might at that." Docchi was smiling openly. "You're going to leave -without Nona, and very soon. When you go, don't take all the ships. You -won't need them but we will, when we get to another system."</p> - -<p>The general started to reply but his anger was greater than his -epithets. There was nothing left to use, and so he remained silent.</p> - -<p>"Don't say anything you'll regret," cautioned Docchi. "When you get -back, what will you report? Can you tell your superiors that you left -in good order, while there was still time to continue the search? -Or will they like it better if they know you stayed until the last -minute—so late that you had to transfer your men and abandon some -ships? Think it over. I have your interests at heart."</p> - -<p>The general swallowed with difficulty, his face reddening at first and -then becoming quite white. Wordlessly he stamped away. Cameron looked -after the retreating officer and in a few minutes followed. But he -walked slower and the distance between doctor and officer grew greater. -Docchi was beginning to relax at the nearness of victory and didn't -notice where either of them went.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The last rocket disappeared, leaving a trail behind that overwhelming -darkness soon extinguished. The sun was now one bright star among many, -which one was sometimes difficult to say. And the asteroid itself -seemed subtly to have been transformed, more spacious than it had been -and not so dingy—and it was not hard to find a reason—it had become a -miniature world, a tiny system complete in itself.</p> - -<p>"I think we can survive," said Docchi. "We've got power and we can -replenish the oxygen. We'll have to grow or synthesize our food but -actually the place was set up originally to do just that. It will take -work to make everything serviceable again—but we've always wanted -something more than meaningless routine."</p> - -<p>They were sitting beside the tank, which had been returned to the usual -place. A tree rustled in the artificial breeze and the grass around -them had been torn and trampled by the guards. It seemed more peaceful -because of the violence which had lately swept over them. Now it had -ebbed and it would never come back.</p> - -<p>Jordan teetered beside the tree. "We'll find some way to get Anti out -of the tank," he said. "When Nona comes back maybe we can rig up a null -gravity place—something to make Anti more comfortable. And of course -we've got to continue the cold treatment."</p> - -<p>"I can wait," said Anti, "I've already waited a long time."</p> - -<p>Docchi glanced around; his eyes were following his mind, which was -wandering and searching.</p> - -<p>"Now there's no need to worry," said Anti. "The guards were rough with -some of the women but plastic tissue doesn't feel pain and so they -escaped with fewer injuries than you'd believe. As for Nona, well, she -can look out not only for herself but the rest of us as well."</p> - -<p>It was almost true; she seemed fragile, ethereal even, but she wasn't. -And her awareness began where that of normal humans left off. And -where her perceptions ended no one knew, least of all herself. Right -there was a source of trouble. "I think we should start looking," said -Docchi. "At the last moment, upset at leaving and not knowing or caring -who she was, one of the guards might have——" The enormity of the -thought was too great to complete.</p> - -<p>"Listen," said Anti. The ground vibrated, felt rather than heard. "As -long as the gravity is functioning can there be any doubt?"</p> - -<p>In his mind there could be. Nona had started it but once the gravity -computer was informed of the nature of the universe there was no reason -to suppose that it wouldn't keep running indefinitely. It existed to -perform such tasks. It didn't actually have volition—but that applied -to stopping as well.</p> - -<p>"I think I can convince you," said Jordan. "First you'll have to turn -around."</p> - -<p>Docchi scrambled to his feet and there she was coming toward them, -fresh and rested. There was a smudge on her cheek but she might have -got that from some machine she'd stopped to investigate on the way -here. Her curiosity was not limited and there was nothing mechanically -so insignificant that it escaped her attention.</p> - -<p>"Where were you?" asked Docchi, expecting no reply. She smiled and for -a moment he thought she knew what he asked. He was relieved that she -was safe—and that was all. Something was missing in the reactions he -expected from himself but he couldn't say where. At one time he had -thought—and now he no longer did. Perhaps it was an expression of the -new freedom they had all achieved.</p> - -<p>Jordan looked at him quizzically, half penetrating the screen he'd -thrown over his lack of emotions. "It's not as bad as you think. She -understands some things. Machines."</p> - -<p>And a machine he was not. He wasn't even a complete human. Perhaps that -was where the difference was.</p> - -<p>"She's a born mechanic, such as never existed. It's about time one -appeared in the human race. We've worked with machines long enough to -evolve someone who understands them without having to study and learn. -I'm that way myself, a little. Nothing like her."</p> - -<p>They all knew that. Even on Earth they were probably busy revising -their intelligence ratings. "That doesn't change our problem—her -problem."</p> - -<p>Jordan hesitated. "The idea's pretty vague but we've made one advance: -we know she can think."</p> - -<p>"We always did," said Anti.</p> - -<p>"Sure, we did. But doctors and psychologists weren't convinced and they -were the ones who were studying her. Now it's up to us."</p> - -<p>There was a difference. No matter what they'd thought, previously -they'd been patients, and it was axiomatic that the patient's ideas -were largely ignored. Now they had stepped into a dual role, patient -and doctor, subject and experimenter, the eye at the microscope and the -object on the slide.</p> - -<p>They all had second-hand medical training—with long association some -of it had rubbed off on them. There wasn't one of them who didn't -know his own body far better than the average man. That knowledge, -subjective though it was, could be pooled. Fortunately they had a well -equipped hospital to work with.</p> - -<p>"We'll have to get busy on Nona," continued Jordan. "Where are we -going? She knows but we don't. There's got to be some way to find out."</p> - -<p>It hadn't mattered before—it was enough that they were leaving. But -once they had achieved that, new problems were thrusting up every -direction they looked. "What do you suggest?" asked Docchi.</p> - -<p>"An oscillograph," said Jordan triumphantly.</p> - -<p>Docchi shook his head. "No good. She's been around them often enough to -show an interest if she really feels any."</p> - -<p>"Maybe she could learn to write, actually, on the screen."</p> - -<p>"She hasn't changed and I doubt if her interests have. From what we -know she doesn't use words; she thinks directly in terms of mechanical -function. The gravity computer was the first thing she found complex -enough to arouse her interest."</p> - -<p>"But she's always been near the computer."</p> - -<p>"That's not so. She came here years ago and though there was a computer -in the ship that brought her she wasn't mature enough to use it. Since -then she's been kept away from the main computers the same as the rest -of us have been."</p> - -<p>Jordan leaned on his hands and rocked thoughtfully. "She learned all -that during the few hours we were on the ship?"</p> - -<p>"It was days," said Docchi. "Yes, she did. It was the only opportunity -she had." It was a strange language she'd learned, the code a complex -computer used inside itself, the stop, go; current and no current; -the electron stream; the mechanical memory rocked back and forth -magnetically—and all the while the whisper of a steel tape as it -coiled and uncoiled. It was possible that only a computer would ever -be able to understand the girl. And yet she was a creature of flesh, -bones, glands, nerves, and blood flowing through her veins in response -to the intangible demands of life.</p> - -<p>Anti stirred restlessly. Waves of acid spilled over the sides and where -the fluid touched, grass curled and blackened. "I said I'd wait but I -didn't say I liked waiting. Why don't you two get busy?"</p> - -<p>"I was thinking where to begin," said Jordan. He hoisted himself onto -a repair robot he'd taken for himself. It was an uncomfortable vehicle -for anyone else but it seemed just right for him.</p> - -<p>Docchi got up; there was no question where to start. Anything they -considered needed something done. In the struggle for freedom, in their -resistance to the guards, they'd overlooked it. They'd have to reorient -their outlook. Perhaps that was the biggest thing that confronted them.</p> - -<p>"Goodbye," Anti called out as they left. The picture Docchi looked -back to was unforgettable—the tank and Anti in it, Nona sitting in -blank pensiveness under the tree. One was capable of near miracles with -seemingly little effort, but at times she seemed inert. The other was -raw vitality with an urge to live—but there was hardly any time she -could stand upright.</p> - -<p>Docchi hurried along, trying to keep up with Jordan. He lengthened his -pace but still the gap grew. After a while he slowed down, attempting -to assess the damage the guards had done as he passed by evidence of -their destructiveness.</p> - -<p>Visibly they seemed to have torn everything apart but actually not much -had been destroyed. Mostly the repairs would consist in reassembling -machines and structures that had been dismantled. This wasn't the -result of consideration. Until the last moment the general had been -certain he'd find Nona and hence retain possession of the asteroid. -If he had, the unnecessary violence would have been hard to explain. -Lucky—because the guards <i>could</i> have wrecked the place.</p> - -<p>They'd still have difficulty; even able-bodied men would, and they were -far from that. They were not equipped for an expedition of this nature -and somehow they'd have to build what they lacked. Light and heat, the -function of power, was automatic, and the oxygen supply was nearly so. -It was with the lesser things they'd have trouble. Some food had always -been brought in, and now that supply was gone. It would have to be -replaced. They could do without other luxuries now that they had the -biggest one—freedom to do what they wanted.</p> - -<p>Docchi himself was a good engineer and Nona couldn't be too highly -evaluated. Between them they could convert unnecessary equipment into -something they needed. Two geepees and a repair robot taken apart and -properly reassembled might equal some inconceivable machine that would -go a long way toward solving problems of food, air, meteor detection or -what have you. It was a thought.</p> - -<p>Jordan clung perilously to the robot as it rumbled along. "Where is -everyone?" he called back.</p> - -<p>"Asleep, I guess," said Docchi.</p> - -<p>"Sleeping, when there's so much to be done?"</p> - -<p>Habit had taken over. The mechanisms of the asteroid were still -operating as they were set to function. The lighting in the dome -indicated it was time and so they slept. But there were no hours, days, -weeks, and moments any more, nothing but necessity to guide them.</p> - -<p>"We'll change this," said Docchi. "Most of us have been treated as -invalids so long we believe it. We'll divide up in groups and from now -on somebody will always be awake, working or watching, or both."</p> - -<p>It was obvious what the watch would be for. Empty space—but how empty? -The region near Sol had been explored but what lay beyond? Between the -sun and Alpha Centauri there might be many interstellar masses large -enough to smash the asteroid. They'd have to take precautions.</p> - -<p>Jordan sent the machine along faster as if to compensate for others' -inactivity. Presently he stopped abruptly, waiting for Docchi to catch -up. He glanced down in front of his machine. "Here's one of them who -was very sleepy," he said. "Unless——"</p> - -<p>Docchi looked at her. It was one of the Nonas who hadn't yet removed -the disguise. The cosmetechnicians had done their work well and it was -difficult to say who she was. There was a startling resemblance to the -girl they'd just left with Anti. She was curled up in an uncomfortable -position and it was obvious she wasn't there by choice.</p> - -<p>Jordan swung off the machine and felt her pulse. "There is one," he -muttered, carefully looking her over. "Can't see anything," he said at -last. "At first I thought the guards had done it but there's no broken -bones nor, as far as I can tell, internal injuries. She ought to have a -medical examination."</p> - -<p>Startled, Docchi glittered. Medical care was one of the luxuries they'd -have to do without. They needn't fear epidemics; they were isolated -and their bodies were phenomenally resistant to disease and anyway the -antibiotics they had would quell any known infections. But here was -something they hadn't accounted for. "There are a few people around who -used to be nurses," said Docchi. "We'd better get them."</p> - -<p>"Where?" grunted Jordan. "She needs attention now."</p> - -<p>Jordan was right; the girl couldn't wait. Part of the difficulty was -that there were so many accidentals with peculiarities. What was safe -for one accidental might be deadly to another. They had to know who the -girl was before they could decide whether to do anything. The disguise -had helped them get away but it was hurting them now. "Can you pry off -the makeup?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Without the goop they carry in the cosmetic kit? Hardly. I'd tear her -own face off."</p> - -<p>It could mean her death to move her before something was done—but what -was that something? She would know; everyone did. They were all experts -on their own ailments and could give down to the last item on their -prescription, diet or exercise, a concise analysis of what they had to -do to maintain their health.</p> - -<p>Jordan shook her gently, harder when that failed. Presently she -stirred, her eyes fluttered and she whispered something.</p> - -<p>"Ask her who she is," said Docchi, but that was impossible. It had -taken strength to respond at all and after she'd used it the girl had -lapsed back in the coma.</p> - -<p>"She didn't say," said Jordan helplessly. "She whispered one -word—food. That was all."</p> - -<p>Food. Docchi knelt beside her to check his conclusions. Now that he -was close he could see that her skin was extraordinarily smooth and -lustrous. Her face, arms, legs, even her hands, and if they removed -her clothing the rest of her body would be the same. Her skin and the -mention of food told him what he needed to know. It was Jeriann, the -first volunteer Nona—and the first real casualty.</p> - -<p>He could reconstruct with some accuracy what had happened. After -Cameron discovered who she was she'd been kept in custody and given -medical care. As the search wore on and more guards were sent out to -search she had managed to escape, hiding from the guards. But she -had remained hidden too long and had collapsed trying to get to the -hospital.</p> - -<p>Hunger shock, simply that, but with her hunger was a traumatic -experience. Having no digestive system at all she was always close to -starvation. "Pick her up. It won't hurt her," said Docchi. "Let's rush -her to the dispensary."</p> - -<p>Jordan hoisted the limp girl to the top of the repair robot, wrapping -extensibles around her, adjusting them so they held her. He got on -beside her, reaching into the controls and squeezing extra speed out of -the makeshift ambulance.</p> - -<p>Docchi was not far behind, arriving at the hospital not long after -Jordan and his passenger did. The dispensary was on the first floor and -so Jordan wheeled the robot directly to the door. He dismounted and -lifted Jeriann off.</p> - -<p>Inside the dispensary there was little that had actually been broken. -This was remarkable considering how thoroughly the guards had ransacked -the hospital. But someone with a grim sense of humor had seen to it -that the medical preparations were hopelessly intermixed, scattered -over the floor in complete confusion. For the present emergency it -couldn't have been worse if everything <i>had</i> been broken.</p> - -<p>Docchi stared down at the litter, his face twitching as he glanced back -at Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"It's in here somewhere," said Jordan. "How do we find it in a hurry?"</p> - -<p>"See if there are names or symbols on them."</p> - -<p>Jordan was close to the floor anyway; he leaned down and began pawing -hastily but with extreme care through the confusion of medicals. Every -bit of it was precious even though they didn't know what it was. -Someone could use it, had to have it, and eventually they'd be able to -place whom it was intended for. "No names," said Jordan as he continued -to look.</p> - -<p>Docchi was afraid of that, but it was a thought for the future. -Hereafter there <i>would</i> be names on everything so that even if it got -displaced they'd be able to identify it. The medical administration -must have been exceedingly lax. "What about symbols?" he said quickly.</p> - -<p>"There seem to be some. Don't know what they mean." Jordan brightened. -"We can look in the files."</p> - -<p>Docchi bent his body. He'd observed that when he entered. "Won't do -any good. The files are scattered too." And that was an act of wanton -hatred. It hadn't helped the guards find Nona.</p> - -<p>Jordan stopped scrabbling through the piles of miscellaneous bottles, -capsules, and vials. "Then we've got to go for help," he said slowly. -"There's got to be somebody who knows what she takes looks like."</p> - -<p>He couldn't condemn her so easily and that's what it would mean if she -wasn't attended to in the next few minutes. There was a line beyond -which the body couldn't pass without extreme damage, perhaps death. -And she'd been close to it when they found her. Docchi began to review -desperately what he knew of Jeriann. It wasn't much. There were too -many accidentals for him to know all of them.</p> - -<p>First, she never ate or drank. Her needs in this respect were supplied -medically. That was why her skin was so soft and evenly beautiful. It -was not a reflection of inner health. If anything it was due to the -method of intake. <i>And that told him what he had to know.</i></p> - -<p>Another accidental might have guessed it instantly, but there were -various kinds of accidentals, groups within groups, and their -peculiarities varied so widely that few knew what all of them were. In -one sense Jeriann was a deficient.</p> - -<p>"I think we can find it. Look for the largest capsule," said Docchi.</p> - -<p>"I know what you're thinking, but it won't work," said Jordan, sweeping -his arm around to indicate how impossible the request was. "She gets -all her food and water that way so it has to be the largest. But which -one? Some of the preparations are supposed to last for weeks. They -might be bigger than hers."</p> - -<p>"It's simpler than you suppose. I don't know what her schedule is but -it must be at least five times daily, and massive at that. It would be -exceedingly painful, not to say inconvenient, if she got all her food -and fluid needs by injection."</p> - -<p>"Absorption capsules," exclaimed Jordan. "Why didn't I think of that? -That makes it easy."</p> - -<p>"Don't be so sure. There are other deficients," cautioned Docchi.</p> - -<p>Jordan had cleared a space around him and was already separating the -preparations. At first glimpse the absorption capsules were like any -other container—and then they weren't. The shape was not quite regular -and the outside was soft to the touch, almost like human flesh. That's -what it was, almost. And in time, when properly applied, that's what it -did become.</p> - -<p>Further, there was a thin film on one side. When this was peeled off -and the exposed surface was pressed against the body, only surgery -could remove it.</p> - -<p>Jordan gazed in indecision at the absorption capsules he'd assembled in -the cleared space near Jordan. "Which one is hers?" he said doubtfully. -"They're all alike."</p> - -<p>Actually they weren't. There were subtle differences in size and shape -that would enable anyone who was familiar with it to distinguish his -preparation from any other. Another deficient might say which was -Jeriann's since generally they'd be more observant of these matters. -But it did no good to wish that the girl's friends were here. "We'll -have to keep looking," said Jordan, hitching himself over to the heap -of medicals he'd just gone through.</p> - -<p>It hadn't worked out as well as he'd expected. Reflection should have -shown it wouldn't. The capsules were expensive and difficult to make -and so they wouldn't be used except where the sheer volume and the -repetitive nature of the injection required it. There was probably no -case on the asteroid as extreme as Jeriann's, but once a day instead of -five was still repetition. "There's nothing in that pile," said Docchi -harshly. "You've gone through it and I watched."</p> - -<p>Jordan paused; he knew it too. "What'll we do?"</p> - -<p>"Simplify it. Toss out the smaller ones until only fifteen are left." -There was no real reason for selecting that figure, none but this: in -her dazed condition she'd have time for one glance. If it wasn't there, -it just wasn't.</p> - -<p>Jordan complied, exceedingly dextrous when he had to be, though more -than dexterity was involved. Visual comparison had to suffice and it -was never harder to make. "That look about right?" asked Jordan when he -finished.</p> - -<p>"It should be one of them," said Docchi. He was guessing. They both -knew they were. The capsules were set near Jeriann, about the size of -a man's fist. One of them, the one for Jeriann, was remarkably small -considering it had to supply the total needs of a human body. For a -fraction of a day only, a fourth or a sixth, but even so it was little. -She must be always hungry. It would never do to mention food to her.</p> - -<p>Jordan raised her up gently, tilting her limp body so she could see -what she had to choose from. He glanced at Docchi for confirmation and -then began to slap her. Still the consciousness was buried deep. He hit -her harder until breath ran shudderingly into her lungs. "Which one?" -he asked quickly, as soon as her eyes flickered open, running over the -array of capsules.</p> - -<p>He grabbed the one she seemed to indicate, holding it closer. "Is this -it?" Her eyes dropped shut and she couldn't answer. Jordan laid her -down. He wiped his hands on the sacklike garment. "She recognized this -one," he said, not looking at Docchi.</p> - -<p>So she had, but was it recognition of something that was <i>hers</i>? "I -could see that. We'll give it to her."</p> - -<p>"Should I sterilize it or something?"</p> - -<p>Jordan wanted to delay because he wasn't sure. And they couldn't delay, -even if it was the wrong thing. It might be like giving sugar to a -person in a diabetic coma, the certain way of finishing him off faster. -And yet with Jeriann it had to be done. Actually very little time had -elapsed since they found her, five or ten minutes. What they didn't -know was how long she'd lain there.</p> - -<p>Docchi shook his head. "The absorption capsule was meant to be -administered under any condition. Outside of puncturing it and -squirting in a virus culture there's no way to harm it. It's -self-sterilizing."</p> - -<p>"I forgot," said Jordan. "Where'll I give it to her?"</p> - -<p>"Anywhere. Oh, I guess maybe her thigh. It may sink in faster since -she's gone so long without."</p> - -<p>Jordan brushed her skirt up and carefully peeled off the film on one -side, making certain the exposed surface didn't come in contact with -his hand. The capsule contracted as the film came off, rhythmically -writhing. The shape changed too; it was like nothing so much as a giant -amoeba. Quickly Jordan thrust the raw surface of the squirming thing on -Jeriann's thigh. It was not alive but it was capable of motion and it -moved a quarter of an inch before it adhered.</p> - -<p>It stuck there. It was one with the girl, it <i>was</i> her; and the correct -injection or not it couldn't be removed. The fluid in that pseudobody -was being injected into Jeriann through the countless pores it -covered—through her skin without a puncture. It was no wonder her skin -was radiantly beautiful—five times a day an area of ten to fifteen -square inches. In a short time her body would be covered, and she never -could use the same place on successive days. She achieved clarity and -flawlessness of complexion, but at a price. At a price.</p> - -<p>Jordan wiped his forehead. "Shouldn't we be seeing some results?" he -said anxiously.</p> - -<p>"It has a long way to go," Docchi assured him. "Into her bloodstream -and to her muscles and glands, to her brain. In a minute now if we -don't see some results we'll know we've failed."</p> - -<p>They waited.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c8" id="c8">8</a></h2> - - -<p>Docchi slumped in the chair, looking the place over with some -satisfaction. The medical inventory was proceeding quite well; one by -one each preparation was being identified and the local source checked. -It wasn't nearly as bad as he had assumed at first; they were nearly -self-sufficient.</p> - -<p>One of the checkers came in. Docchi recognized her vaguely; he'd seen -her around but that was all. He didn't know who she was nor what she -did. Unless he was mistaken her arms and legs were her own, a trifle -heavy but shapely enough. If there was anything about her that was -camouflaged with plastic tissue it was her face—the sullen glamour was -an exaggeration of nature and moreover her expression didn't change -at all as she came nearer. There must be something with her face that -couldn't be corrected surgically and so she'd overcompensated.</p> - -<p>"We've got it all done," she said in a flat throaty voice. Glamour -there too, in about the same degree.</p> - -<p>"What?" he said. "Oh yes, the check of the biologicals. All -identified?" He recalled her name, Maureen something or other.</p> - -<p>"Everything that people claimed. There was some that no one knew what -it was. Useless I suppose, or worse. It ought to be destroyed."</p> - -<p>That was a logical assumption any time save now. Medicine was precious -and had to be hoarded even if they didn't know what it was. "Save it, -Maureen. Sooner or later someone will be in for it."</p> - -<p>"They've all been in. You don't know how they rushed here when they -learned the dispensary had been ransacked by the guards." She smiled -with faint disdain.</p> - -<p>He was beginning to doubt whether her expression came out of the -cosmetic kit; it was applied with extraordinary skill if it had, -flexible enough to allow her to smile without seeming strained. But -if it actually was her face it was monotonous. How long could she -keep up the glamour? "Don't be condescending, Maureen. Of course they -were concerned. There are people who need those preparations to live -comfortably, some in order to live at all."</p> - -<p>"I know," she said. "I've personally contacted all the regular -deficients."</p> - -<p>She seemed to know more about it than he did. There was a fraternity of -the ailing and degrees of confraternity. Within the accidentals there -were special groups, allied by the common nature of their infirmity. -It was possible she belonged to some such group or knew someone who -did. The latter probably; there seemed to be nothing seriously wrong -with her. "What do you suppose happened? Why is there some left?" said -Docchi. "If everyone's been here all of it ought to be accounted for."</p> - -<p>"They're always experimenting," said Maureen.</p> - -<p>"Who?"</p> - -<p>"Doctors," she said. "They try the latest ideas out on us and if we -survive they use it on normal people."</p> - -<p>There was some truth in it—not much, but the bitterness was there -though Earth and all it stood for was far behind. "Don't blame them. -They've got to make improvements," he said in mild reproof.</p> - -<p>"You don't know," said Maureen. "Anyway, what I was saying is that -there is some stuff we can't place. In each case it substitutes for one -or more substances that have been in use up to now. We don't know who -it's for."</p> - -<p>It was more serious than he thought, if only in a negative sense. He -straightened up. "How many are missing biologicals?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't keep track accurately. Thirty or forty."</p> - -<p>A small number compared to the total. <i>But thirty or forty invalids?</i> -And some would be affected seriously, depending on the nature of the -preparation that couldn't be traced to the person who should have it. -The man whose unaided body couldn't utilize calcium would certainly be -in for trouble but not as soon as he who couldn't make use of, say, -iron. "We'll find out," he said with a confidence he didn't altogether -feel. "There are records around and we'll look into them." There were -records but it was uncertain how complete they were after the guards -had scattered them. "Do you know where they're kept?"</p> - -<p>She shook her head, the sullen glamorous smile transfixing her face. "I -wish I did," she said.</p> - -<p>He was struck by the intensity. "Why?" he asked. He wanted to know too -but it wasn't an emotional thing.</p> - -<p>"Don't you know? I'm one of them."</p> - -<p>One of what, he was about to ask before he realized she meant she was -a deficient whose salvaged body lacked certain physiological elements. -More, she was one whose preparation couldn't be identified. "Don't -worry. It'll take us a little while to trace everything but we'll have -it straightened out in a matter of days."</p> - -<p>"You'd better," she said, and it was not exactly a threat. There were -overtones he couldn't account for.</p> - -<p>Before he could stop her she began loosening her dress and for the -first time he saw that she wasn't breathing, that she never did. Her -dress fluttered as the air went in and out, sleeping or waking, without -volition, responding mechanically to the needs of her bloodstream. -The breathing mechanism was hidden in her body, replacing her lungs. -Moreover it was probably connected to her speech centers in such a -way to release a certain amount to her throat when the nervous system -demanded. Perhaps it accounted for the peculiar vibrant quality of her -voice.</p> - -<p>She pointed to the tube that was showing. "It's not just lungs I lack," -she said. "Everyone, man or woman, manufactures both male and female -hormones, in different proportions of course. Except me. I don't -produce a single male hormone." She stared at him intently.</p> - -<p>"Do you know what that means?" Her voice was rising, terror mingled -with something else. "Without injections in a few months I'll be -completely female. One hundred per cent woman and nothing else."</p> - -<p>He thought he saw her grow more feminine before his eyes; reluctantly -he turned away. Theoretically the completely female person should be -repulsive, yet she wasn't. If anything, pathetic features dominated.</p> - -<p>Pure feminity could destroy her, but how long would it take? He could -discount her own estimate as arbitrary. She had decided on it in an -attempt at self dramatization.</p> - -<p>"You're fortunate," he said, and he couldn't keep his eyes from -straying back to her. "There are plenty of people around, both men -and women, who can be donors. There must be some way to extract the -hormones you need from the bloodstream. Our medical techniques may be -crude but we'll manage. Keep that in mind."</p> - -<p>"I will—will you?" she asked, her lips parted, and it wasn't to -breathe because she couldn't.</p> - -<p>He had the uncomfortable feeling that he knew exactly what she meant -and it didn't have anything to do with what he'd said. Had she even -been listening? Probably she hadn't. A pure male or female creature -didn't exist but if one should come into being it would scarcely be -human. To a human life mattered or death did but to the pure abstract -creature there was only one thing of importance.</p> - -<p>He looked up to see her coming toward him. "I'm afraid," she said, -clasping him to her, carefully keeping the tube free and open. And she -was afraid—it was not dramatization. The studied glamour slipped from -her face. "I don't want to be like this," she whispered. "But if it -happens—help me, please." Her nearness was overpowering, and deadly.</p> - -<p>At length she drew away. Terror left her eyes—and it had been there, -real though with other factors. Even in fear, and he was conscious of -that and her deeper design, she had planned ahead against the time she -might not be wholely human. It was something like to death to change -drastically from a thinking reasoning person to someone who could react -only to one stimulus.</p> - -<p>"We'll see that nothing happens to you," he said with weak assurance. -"There may be a delay but it won't be long. We'll work it out."</p> - -<p>She was regarding him fixedly and he could see she was reverting. -What he said wasn't penetrating. He cleared his throat. "You're as -familiar with the place as any of us. Look around and see if you can -find duplicate records. There may be a clue in them as to what the new -preparations are for." Clarity returned to her face as he spoke. It -would leave again and come back at decreasing intervals unless or until -the hormone deficiency was corrected. How far she could descend and -remain mentally unscathed he didn't know, nor did he want to find out. -"Don't leave until I come back. Do you understand?"</p> - -<p>She smiled invitingly to show that perhaps she did understand what he -said. He knew now that the sullen glamour was real, and terrifying. She -couldn't help any of her responses. Docchi hurried out; so little time -had elapsed she must be nearly normal.</p> - -<p>He thought of locking the door but there was no way to do that. The -essence of a hospital was free access at all times, and so it was -built. Besides, it wasn't a good idea to try to keep her in. Constraint -might produce violent reaction.</p> - -<p>Docchi slanted the louvers so that the place looked vacant and let it -go at that. The best he could hope for was that Maureen wouldn't think -of leaving.</p> - -<p>He walked away. There were villages. Planned or otherwise, over the -years dwellings and dormitories had gradually grown around three main -centers. Externally there was not much to distinguish one village from -the other except the distance from the hospital. The buildings nearest -were little more than very large machines which fed, bathed, and tried -to anticipate the intellectual stimulation of the almost helpless -tenants. The houses in the farthest village, except for certain -peculiarities, were much like any comfortable dwelling on Earth.</p> - -<p>At the third village he found the house, glancing at the tiny light -on the door. It was glowing; the occupant was at home. The numbered -positions flashed on, indicating further that the person was awake -and in bed. This information was necessary on the asteroid where many -people suffered from some disability which might strike suddenly, -leaving them helpless and unattended. Docchi leaned against the button -and the light blinked him in.</p> - -<p>Jeriann was sitting up in the middle of the bed; she seemed healthy and -alert. "How do you feel?" he asked as he caught a chair with his foot -and slid it near her.</p> - -<p>She made a wry face and smiled. "Fine."</p> - -<p>"No polite answers, please. Do you feel like work?"</p> - -<p>"Now that you're here, no." She laughed outright at his discomfiture. -"Maybe now you'll believe me when I say I'm all right. Do you?"</p> - -<p>She didn't wait for his answer but smoothed the covers around her. -"You're the one who found me, aren't you?"</p> - -<p>"Jordan really. I was there."</p> - -<p>She didn't attempt to thank him; help was expected. No one knew when -his turn would come. "I guess you're wondering what I was doing there -without my capsules."</p> - -<p>He wasn't but he'd listen if she felt she had to talk. "It seemed -strange you'd forget something like that. But everyone was confused -then."</p> - -<p>"Not me. I knew exactly what I was doing. I was running from some big -lunk who kept chasing me all over the dome. He knew I wasn't Nona -because I yelled for him to leave me alone. He didn't pay any attention -and I guess I lost the absorbics just before he caught me."</p> - -<p>"You don't have to talk about it if it's painful," he said impassively.</p> - -<p>"What do you think?" she said scornfully. "You think I'd let <i>him</i> -bother me? I told him to go away or I'd slip my face off. He got sick -right there and let go."</p> - -<p>He smiled at her vigor. "It's a good thing he didn't take you at your -word and let you remove the disguise."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, kind sir. Now I know I'm pretty too." Her manner overcame -the apparent sharpness. "Anyway there I was. I'd used up more energy -than usual and I had nothing to take. I didn't make it to the hospital."</p> - -<p>"I didn't know the details but I imagined something like that. You're -lucky we found you and even more so that we were able to discover your -particular absorbics in the dispensary mess."</p> - -<p>"Right both times—but you didn't find my absorption capsules. They -weren't there. Never are. I have to go directly to the lab to get them. -Of course I couldn't expect you to know that."</p> - -<p>"Then what are you doing here, alive?" he asked, frowning. "The wrong -thing should have killed you."</p> - -<p>"I'm not a true deficient, you know. It's not that my body fails -to produce glandular substances. What I lack is food and water and -anything that's composed mostly of that will do, providing it's in a -form I can assimilate. When you slapped me and held me up I saw someone -else's capsule but I knew it would do. That person has trouble with a -number of blood sugars and several fluids—not what I require for a -complete diet—but it brought me out of the hunger shock."</p> - -<p>It was not ordinary hunger which had caused her to stumble and be -unable to get up; this was acute, a trauma which affected her whole -organism. And because it was such a constant threat, unconsciously -or not, she had prepared for it. Deficients knew each other better -than any other group. They were aware which prescription could in an -emergency be substituted for their own. It was unlikely to be used—but -that knowledge had paid off for Jeriann.</p> - -<p>The house ticked on as he sat watching her. That was another -peculiarity of the place, aside from the lack of kitchen or any room -wherein she could eat. She didn't need it and so it hadn't been built. -She didn't feel hunger except negatively; it would be easy to die if -she should decide to do so. And so, to reinforce her will to live, a -comprehensive schedule had been imposed from above. But the most rigid -personal schedule meant nothing without time. Time took the place of -hunger, of the need for food, of all the savour in it.</p> - -<p>There were clocks on the wall, inconspicuous dials or larger ones, -integrated in pictures and summed up in designs. There was a huge -circular chronograph on the ceiling; hourglasses and sundials were -contrived in the motif on the floor—and they all seemed actually -to function. And when she slept or whether she didn't, there were -arrangements for that too. The house vibrated, ever so softly, but the -attuned senses could hear it, feel it, in sickness and in health.</p> - -<p>"Damn," muttered Jeriann as the vibration momentarily grew louder. She -tried to say something to Docchi but her thoughts were confused and she -couldn't concentrate. "Don't mind me," she said, smiling ruefully. "I -was conditioned to this sort of thing. They seem to think I've got to -be ready on the dot."</p> - -<p>She could see that it wasn't very clear. "There's a clock in my head -too. Everybody has one naturally but mine has been trained. Any natural -beat will regulate the self alarm, even the pounding of my heart, even -if I don't think about it—but the house is more effective. <i>They</i> said -I had to have it if I expected to live."</p> - -<p>It was obvious who <i>they</i> were, the psychotechnicians who had attended -her after her original accident. They were right but Docchi could see -that it might become annoying.</p> - -<p>The ticking grew in volume and the house shook and though Jeriann tried -to ignore it, it would not let her be. "Time," tolled the house, though -the word was unspoken, "time time time." To Docchi it was subdued and -soft but it had a different effect on Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"All right," she shouted to the tormenter, scrambling out of bed. She -dashed into the next room, scooping up hurriedly an absorbic capsule -that lay unnoticed on a shelf near the door. She was gone for some -time, so long that Docchi was beginning to worry before she came out.</p> - -<p>In the interim, she had changed into street clothing and the tension -that had marked her departure was gone. "I feel better," she said -cheerfully. "Breakfast, such as it was, and a shower."</p> - -<p>She sat opposite him. "I can see you're trying to figure out how I took -a shower when you couldn't hear water running. Special shower. Don't -ask about it."</p> - -<p>Docchi had no intention, though he was wondering. He had his own -gadgets to help him get dressed and no one was curious about them.</p> - -<p>"You came here for something," said Jeriann. "Thanks for being polite -and talking to the patient but now you can tell me what it is."</p> - -<p>He was considering whether he should ask someone else. It was complex, -too difficult to explain to Nona. Anti, who would have been best, was -confined to the tank. And Jordan wouldn't do at all. That left only -Jeriann, who was capable enough, <i>if</i> she was fully recovered. "Do you -know Maureen?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"I do. Can I guess what she's done now?" said Jeriann dryly.</p> - -<p>"Your guess is probably right, except that she hasn't done it yet. I -want to make certain she doesn't." He thought over Jeriann's reply. -"This isn't the first time this has happened to her?"</p> - -<p>"Of course it isn't. She's always looking for excuses. Long ago, before -you came, I think, she managed to throw the stuff away and pretend -she'd taken it. She concealed what she'd done for three weeks, until -the doctor discovered it."</p> - -<p>He hadn't heard this, even as a whispered legend. He'd been too busy -trying to achieve new status for the accidentals to bother with gossip. -He didn't know the people here as well as Jeriann did; he'd have to -draw on her for detailed information. "This time it's not an excuse. -The deficiency prescription isn't there for her to take."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense," said Jeriann sharply. "I remember thinking in that split -second in the dispensary: If I were only Maureen now, the worst that -could happen to me is that I'd attract attention."</p> - -<p>He glanced at her. She hadn't thought that at all, though it was a -reflection of another sort of bitterness. The girl didn't know how -lucky she was in comparison to others who were seriously handicapped. -"Could you go and take a look?" he asked. "Maureen said it isn't there. -I understand that they do experiment occasionally. The new consignment -might have got shoved aside in the excitement we had a while back—or -it might be there under a different formula that Maureen can't -identify." If what Jeriann said was correct, Maureen liked the idea of -becoming an all female woman. To her it might seem an anodyne, surcease -from disappointment and things that hadn't gone right.</p> - -<p>"Sure, I'll go," said Jeriann. Her cheerfulness had diminished while he -spoke. Until now she hadn't actually realized there was no longer Earth -to signal to in event of an emergency. "It's true they experiment. -And maybe they <i>didn't</i> send the last shipment during our mixup." She -tossed her head, recovering her buoyancy rapidly. "Oh well, I'll go and -take a look. I know the hospital pretty well."</p> - -<p>"Good." Docchi got up.</p> - -<p>"Wait for me," said Jeriann, going to a drawer and taking things out. -She slipped a watch on her arm; there was another in the rather wide -belt she wore. She selected a series of absorption capsules and dropped -them into pouches on the belt that appeared to be merely ornamental -until he saw what went into it. "Lunch, a drink, and an extra one for -emergency," she explained laconically.</p> - -<p>"I should think you'd require more fluid."</p> - -<p>She looked at him disturbingly. "I would, if I had normal metabolism. -But remember I don't need fluid for the digestive process. And then to -further reduce the intake they've included an antiperspirant in what I -do get."</p> - -<p>He followed her to the door, where she turned around and looked back -at the place she lived in. It was a small, curious house, completely -arranged for the kind of person she was.</p> - -<p>"Are you going to the hospital with me?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"No, there's some work I've got to do near here."</p> - -<p>"Well, then, thanks for saving my life." She slipped her arms around -him and kissed him, quickly but satisfactorily. Her lips were cool and -dry. Very smooth but dry; her touch was like silk. That was because of -her skin.</p> - -<p>She smiled and opened the door. "See you," she said as they parted. She -never once looked back though he did. He was glad, because she might -have waved and it would have been impossible to return it.</p> - -<p>Twice, now, within an hour, he thought as he went along. Maureen of -course he could dismiss since she would respond to anything that was -remotely male. It was not at all the same reaction from Jeriann, and -it pleased him that it wasn't.</p> - -<p>Their environment had changed. Life on the asteroid had undergone a -not so subtle transformation now that there were no longer any normals -around to be compared with, to make the disastrous self-comparison to. -They could begin to behave healthily and sensibly. It was nice that -Jeriann had kissed him and liked it. It was the first installment of -freedom.</p> - -<p>The second installment was going to be harder—to keep that freedom at -a level that meant something. He frowned heavily as he thought of what -had to be done.</p> - -<p>He was late. Except for Anti, who was absent and always would be, -everyone he knew was there. In addition there were many others who -hardly ever attended. It was a good sign that they were coming out and -mingling; before they had seldom left their houses. Docchi spotted -Jeriann but there wasn't a vacant seat near her. He sat down toward the -rear.</p> - -<p>Jordan rapped for silence. "Are there any questions?"</p> - -<p>At the front a man stood up. Docchi remembered him from months ago, a -Jack or Jed Webber. Jed it was, a quiet fellow with pale blue eyes and -almost colorless blond hair. Docchi had never heard him say anything -but he was speaking now, emerging from his self-imposed shell. "Yes," -said Webber. "I want to know where we're going."</p> - -<p>Jordan rapped again. "Out of order. Not on the subject. Anyway the -question's not important."</p> - -<p>"I think it is," said the man, shuffling his body awkwardly. He was -not exact in his movements because he'd been sliced very nearly down -the middle. Except for his head he was half man and half machine. -Unlike others who'd been injured past regeneration, he could use his -composite body with some degree of skill because there was one arm -and one leg to which the motion of his mechanical limbs could be -coordinated. His skill wasn't as great as it could have been because he -hadn't practiced. The spectre of the ideal human body had hindered him -greatly—in the past. "You don't know where we're going," insisted the -man in a high voice. "We're just moving but you don't know where."</p> - -<p>Docchi got up. "I can answer that question. It should be answered. -We're going to Centauri, either Alpha or Proxima, whichever is most -suitable. Is there some place else you wanted to go?"</p> - -<p>The reply was drowned for a few seconds by an appreciative rumble but -Webber was stubborn and waited until the noise died down. He swayed on -his feet and pointed at Nona. "I suppose you asked her," he said. Nona -smiled dreamily as attention turned to her.</p> - -<p>"No. It would be a joke if we did and we're not interested in playing -tricks on ourselves. You've forgotten one thing, that we do have a -telescope."</p> - -<p>"A small one, built as a hobby," Webber said. His voice was uncertain, -as wobbly as his body was.</p> - -<p>"True, but it's better than Gallileo had." He hoped Webber wouldn't -point out that Gallileo hadn't tried to plot a voyage across space with -his instrument.</p> - -<p>Actually there was something strange about the few observations he'd -made. He had reconstructed their path to the best of his ability—not a -bad guess since no records had been kept. At the time they had left Sol -they hadn't been heading directly toward the Centauris. Nona must have -used their tangential motion to take them out of the system as fast as -she could and later had looped back toward their present destination. -The sketchy charts Docchi had, indicated the Centauris by plus or minus -a few degrees, all the accuracy he could expect from the telescope. It -was in the stars themselves that he had detected changes he couldn't -account for.</p> - -<p>At the far side a woman stood. Jordan nodded to her. "I wasn't asked -for my opinion about all this," she said defiantly. "I don't like it. I -want to go back."</p> - -<p>Jordan cocked his head humorously. "You should have told the guards -this while they were here. They'd have been glad to take you with them."</p> - -<p>"I certainly wouldn't leave with them," she said in surprise. "Look how -they acted while they were here."</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid you're out of luck. We can't turn back because of you."</p> - -<p>"Don't tell me we're marooned here," said the woman vehemently. "The -guards left a couple of scout ships, didn't they? Why can't we take -those back to Earth?"</p> - -<p>"For the same reason <i>they</i> didn't," said Jordan patiently. "The range -of the scouts is limited, it wouldn't reach then and it won't do it -now."</p> - -<p>"Pshaw," said the woman. "You're just arguing. Docchi said the gravity -generator in each ship could be changed to a drive without much -work—something about adding a little star encyclopedia unit. I think -that's what he said."</p> - -<p>Docchi started. Had he said that? He must have for the woman to have -remembered it. He shouldn't have made such a statement, first because -it wasn't so. He had made the possibility of return to Earth seem too -easy.</p> - -<p>There was another reason he regretted his rash explanation and it was -the opposite of the first: inadvertently he might have blurted out the -secret of the drive. It was possible to talk too much.</p> - -<p>"I'm not the only one," the woman was insisting. She'd found a point -and wouldn't let go. "There are plenty of others who feel as I do and -they'll say so if they're not afraid. Who wants to go on for years and -years, never reaching any place?"</p> - -<p>"Look at the stars." A voice ahead of Docchi answered her. It was -Webber again, the meek little man who never spoke.</p> - -<p>"I don't <i>want</i> to look at the stars," she said violently. "I never -want to see anything but the sun. <i>Our</i> sun. It was good enough for -mankind and I certainly don't care to change it."</p> - -<p>"That's because you don't know," said Webber confidently. "You're -afraid and you don't need to be. When I said look at the stars I meant -that those ahead of us are brighter than the ones behind. Do you know -what that means?"</p> - -<p>Docchi nodded exultantly to himself; they'd found their astronomer. -He himself had noticed the first part of what Webber remarked on; he -hadn't thought to turn the telescope in the opposite direction because -he wasn't interested in where they'd been. The apparent brightness of -the Centauri system was much greater than it should have been—that's -what he hadn't been able to account for. He could now. It was -surprising how much power the gravity drive could deliver.</p> - -<p>"We're approaching the speed of light," went on Webber. "It won't take -decades to reach a star. We'll be there in a few years."</p> - -<p>The woman turned and glared at him but could find nothing to say. -She wasn't convinced but she sat down to cover her confusion. Around -her people began to whisper to each other, their voices rising with -excitement. They'd lived long enough at the rim of the system to know -what stellar distances meant and how much speed could affect their -voyage.</p> - -<p>Jordan rapped them into silence. "I've tried to get you to talk on the -subject but you've resolutely refrained. Therefore you'll have to vote -on it without discussion."</p> - -<p>The vote took place, whatever it was. Docchi was unable to discover -what and so he didn't participate. When the count was over Jordan -gavelled sharply. "Motion carried. That's all. Meeting adjourned."</p> - -<p>Before Docchi could protest, people were leaving, carrying him part of -the way with them. He reached the wall and stood there until traffic -subsided, afterwards making his way to Jordan who was talking happily -to Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"We did it," said Jordan, grinning as he came up.</p> - -<p>"Did what? All I heard were people complaining. We had to depend on -someone from the floor to smack them down. Seems to me there were a lot -of important things to discuss."</p> - -<p>"Seem to me we covered everything, which you would have known if you -had got here on time," said Jordan, still grinning. "This is Jeriann's -idea. It was what we were voting on."</p> - -<p>Twisting his head Docchi read the sheet Jordan laid in front of him. -It was a resolution of some sort, that he gathered from the usual -whereases. He scanned it once and was halfway through again before he -caught the import.</p> - -<p>"The wages aren't high," remarked Jordan. "Survival <i>if</i> we do our job -well, grousing if we don't. Otherwise we can keep on doing just what -we have been." He picked up the sheet and read from it. "Whereas we -are bound together by a common condition and destination—ain't that -nice?—and have a common plan——" Jordan looked up. "Since you're the -one they're talking about when they refer to the head of the planning -committee, just what the hell <i>is</i> our plan?"</p> - -<p>There were innumerable small goals that had to be reached before they -could consider themselves self-sufficient, and to some extent Docchi -was capable of summarizing them. But when it came to a final statement -of aims he could only feel his way. Docchi didn't know either.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c9" id="c9">9</a></h2> - - -<p>Jeriann came into the office. "I've got it down to twenty," she said -briskly.</p> - -<p>"What?" said Docchi absently. Management details were unfamiliar to -him and he was trying to pick them up as he went along. The scattered -records were in order but some were still unaccounted for. "Oh. The -deficiency biologicals. Good. How did you do it?"</p> - -<p>"I asked them."</p> - -<p>"And they knew? It's surprising. I'd expect them to be familiar with -their standard treatment. But not something that's entirely new."</p> - -<p>Jeriann smiled faintly. "I'm not that good. I did find out what -they used to get and then scrounged around in storage until I found -supplies. If the old stuff kept them healthy once it should do so now."</p> - -<p>He hadn't thought of that, but then he wasn't accustomed to considering -the same things a doctor would. Any trained person would know that -sulfa hadn't been discarded with the discovery of penicillin, nor -penicillin with the advent of the neo-biotics. Docchi studied her -covertly; Jeriann was a competent woman, and an attractive one.</p> - -<p>"Of the remaining twenty we don't have biologicals for, I've determined -we can make what eleven need."</p> - -<p>Only nine who were left out. It was a remarkable advance over a few -days ago when there were forty-two. Nine for whom so far they could -do nothing. It was queer how he worried about them more as the number -diminished. Somehow it had greater significance now that he could -remember each face distinctly. "And Maureen?" he inquired.</p> - -<p>Instinctively Jeriann touched the decorative belt that was so much more -than what it seemed. "I'm afraid I misjudged her. I couldn't locate a -thing for her."</p> - -<p>"You're sure she didn't destroy her prescription?"</p> - -<p>"I don't see what difference it makes as long as we don't have it," -said Jeriann. "But yes, I'm sure. Once something is brought in it's -simply not possible for a person as ignorant of the system as she is to -track down and destroy every entry relating to it."</p> - -<p>"All right. I believe you." He glanced down at the list she'd given -him. The actual figures weren't as optimistic as her report had been. -"Wait. I notice you say here that out of twenty that we don't have -supplies for that we can synthesize biologicals for eleven."</p> - -<p>She sat down. "That's what I said. How else can we get them? We've got -the equipment. The asteroid never did depend on Earth for very many of -our biologicals."</p> - -<p>He knew vaguely how the medical equipment functioned, rather like the -commonplace food synthesizers. "We don't have anyone with experience."</p> - -<p>Jeriann shrugged. "I'm not a technician but I used to help out when -there was nothing else to do. I expected to run it."</p> - -<p>The light flashed on his desk but Docchi ignored it. "Have you thought -what an infinitesimal error means?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Of course." He was struck by her calmness. "One atom hooked in the -wrong place and instead of a substance the body must have it becomes a -deadly poison. I've talked it over with the deficients. They agreed to -it. This way they know they have a chance."</p> - -<p>"We'll do something," he acknowledged. "Pick out the worst and work for -their deficiency. Check with me before you give them anything."</p> - -<p>"I've selected them," she said. "There are four extreme cases. They -won't collapse today or tomorrow. Perhaps not in a week. But we can't -let them get close."</p> - -<p>"Agreed." The light kept flashing annoyingly in his eyes. Another -complaint. Nodding at Jeriann Docchi nudged the switch and glanced at -the screen. "Anything wrong?" he asked.</p> - -<p>It was Webber. "Nothing much. Jordan and I just bumped into an old -acquaintance. I suppose we'd better bring him in."</p> - -<p>"Cameron," exclaimed Docchi as Webber moved aside, revealing the man -behind him.</p> - -<p>The doctor's clothing was rumpled and he hadn't shaved but he was calm -and assured. "You seem to be running things now," he said. "I'd like a -chance to talk with you."</p> - -<p>Docchi didn't answer directly. "Where did you find him, Webber?"</p> - -<p>"He was living out in the open near a stream which, I imagine, was -his water supply. We were checking some of the stuff the guards -didn't wreck when we spotted him. We saw bushes move and went over to -investigate, figuring it might be a geepee at loose ends. There was our -man."</p> - -<p>"Did he give you any trouble?"</p> - -<p>Webber shrugged. "He wasn't exactly glad to see us. But he must have -known there was no place to hide because he didn't actually try to get -away."</p> - -<p>"That's your interpretation," said Cameron, his face beside Webber. -"The truth is I wanted to make sure you had no way of sending me back -with the general's forces. I was taking plenty of time."</p> - -<p>From beyond the screen Jordan snorted.</p> - -<p>Cameron continued. "There was no use going back to Earth. My career -wasn't exactly ruined—but you can appreciate the difficulties I'd -have. Anyway a doctor is trained to take the most urgent cases, and I -thought they were here. I'm sorry only that I had to be discovered. It -spoiled the entry I was going to make."</p> - -<p>Jeriann's face showed what she thought. Relief, and was there something -else? The thought was distasteful if only because it indicated there -was now a normal human present. The deadly comparison was back with -them.</p> - -<p>But it was more than that—how much more was up to him to find out. -Docchi kept his emotions far away. It would hardly do to let Cameron -know what he thought. "Well, there's work to do, if that's what you -want. Come up as soon as you can get here."</p> - -<p>Cameron cocked his head. "If they'll let me."</p> - -<p>"They'll let you." Docchi switched off the screen and turned to see -Jeriann getting up.</p> - -<p>"Don't leave. I want you to check on him."</p> - -<p>"Why should we check?" she asked in surprise.</p> - -<p>Another one who accepted the doctor at face value. There would be -plenty of others like her. Perhaps Cameron <i>had</i> remained for the -reasons he'd given. If so it ought to be easy to prove. "Did I say -we'd have to watch him? I didn't mean quite that. Cameron's here and -we intend to use him. At the same time we must admit that he has many -conventional ideas. We'll have to give him our slant on what we need."</p> - -<p>She sat down. "I don't want to waste your time or his."</p> - -<p>"You're not." Docchi pretended to be busy while they waited. He had to -learn whether his suspicions were unfounded. Cameron may have stayed -in the best medical tradition. But there was another tradition less -honorable and it was an equal possibility.</p> - -<p>It was better not to say anything to Jeriann. She respected the doctor -but she wouldn't be blinded by that attitude. She'd report any untoward -thing she saw. And she was attractive. Sooner than anyone else save -Nona, who couldn't communicate, she'd learn what the doctor's true -motives were.</p> - -<p>Docchi found himself studying her. She didn't have to be that anxious. -He wished she weren't so eager for the doctor to arrive.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Cameron shook his head. "Don't let your enthusiasm run away with you. -I can help the deficients but if new treatments are developed it will -probably be the result of ideas you people have."</p> - -<p>"What about the list? Can we synthesize for them?"</p> - -<p>"I haven't studied it and I'm not familiar with the medical history of -everyone here. I do know three of the eleven that Jeriann's selected -and in each one she's exactly right. It's merely a matter of testing -the preparations. I'll check but I'm sure she can do it as well as I -can."</p> - -<p>It was nice to know that they were doing all right by themselves, that -they'd have gotten along without the doctor. It helped that he was here -but they'd have survived anyway. "Can you do anything for Maureen?" -asked Docchi.</p> - -<p>"I don't remember her. I'll have to look it up."</p> - -<p>"The records aren't in the best condition."</p> - -<p>"Guards?" Docchi noted that Cameron scowled. Either he was a good -actor or he was sincere. "I tried to get the general to restrain them -but he wouldn't listen."</p> - -<p>"No harm done, I suppose," said Docchi. He wanted to forget as much of -that episode as he could. "However I can tell you what's wrong with -Maureen. No male hormones."</p> - -<p>"I remember." Cameron pondered. "I've never had anything to do with -her. Most of her treatment came direct from Earth. I don't know. I -really can't say."</p> - -<p>"Most glands are paired. Can't you transplant one, or part of one, from -some of us? We'll get donors."</p> - -<p>"Off hand I'd say that if it were possible it would have been done -long ago. For reasons that aren't understood transplants aren't always -effective. Sometimes the body acts to dissolve foreign tissue or, if -there's irritation, grow a tumor around it."</p> - -<p>"That's why she's still a deficient?"</p> - -<p>"It's my guess. They tried transplants but had to cut them out." -Cameron turned to Jeriann. "Do we have equipment for synthetic -hormones?"</p> - -<p>"Maybe. I never prepared any."</p> - -<p>The doctor leaned over the desk, flipping through the files until -he came to the section he wanted. "Some test animals. Probably not -enough," he said after studying it briefly. "I'll do something to keep -her quiet until I can figure out a substitute."</p> - -<p>"No experiments on us, Cameron."</p> - -<p>He smiled wryly. "The history of medicine is a long series of -experiments. If it weren't for that we'd still be in the stone age, -medically speaking."</p> - -<p>Docchi shrugged. "Suit yourself. Do what you can with Maureen."</p> - -<p>"What about Anti?"</p> - -<p>"We haven't had time to think about her."</p> - -<p>"I'll see what I can do. If I stumble on anything that seems beneficial -I'll let you know." Cameron turned to leave and Jeriann went with him.</p> - -<p>Docchi watched him go. The doctor was an asset they hadn't counted on. -His presence would help silence the objections of those who agreed with -the woman at the meeting but hadn't said anything yet. This was the -temporary advantage.</p> - -<p>But there was still the doubt. Cameron might have stayed at the -general's request. A few serious illnesses or a death here and there -might influence them to turn back. Somehow Docchi couldn't credit the -doctor with such intentions.</p> - -<p>Then what? Well, the doctor might have remained with them on a long, -long chance. A gamble, but he was the kind who took risks.</p> - -<p>It was not suspicion alone that made Docchi suddenly tired and morose. -He wished he could call Jeriann back on some pretext. She'd gone and -she hadn't looked his way when she left.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Anti bobbed gently in the acid. "What's the contraption?"</p> - -<p>"An idea of mine," said Jordan, lowering the coils carefully so the -acid didn't splash.</p> - -<p>Anti looked at it judicially. "Maybe next time you'll think of -something better."</p> - -<p>"Don't be nasty," said Jordan as the coils reached the surface of the -liquid and began to submerge. "Cameron thinks it will work."</p> - -<p>"My faith is shaken."</p> - -<p>"It isn't a question of faith and anyway he's as good a doctor as we've -ever had." Jordan kept lowering until the mechanism reached the bottom. -A single cable over the side of the tank was the only thing visible. -Jordan wiped his hands on the grass. "I was thinking about radiation -when this thing occurred to me."</p> - -<p>"Would you believe it? Once I was young and radiant myself."</p> - -<p>"It's not the same thing."</p> - -<p>"Don't think I wouldn't trade."</p> - -<p>"You won't have to," said Jordan. "This is my idea, not the doctor's. -He merely confirmed it."</p> - -<p>"In that case it's bound to work."</p> - -<p>Jordan pulled a tuft of grass loose and tossed it into the tank. It -disappeared in a soundless blaze. To conform with what was expected of -her, Anti blinked. "Don't be so afraid we're going to fail that you -can't listen to what I have to say. Do you want to be cured and not -know why? I've run my legs off to make this gadget."</p> - -<p>"A figure of speech," commented Anti.</p> - -<p>"A figure of speech," agreed Jordan. "To begin with we discovered that -when you were exposed to space the cold caused the fungus flesh to die -back faster than it grew. Right?"</p> - -<p>"The fungus came from Venus," said Anti. "It's only natural it wouldn't -grow well in the cold."</p> - -<p>"The origin doesn't have anything to do with it. Normally it doesn't -grow in flesh and it had to make concessions to live in the human body, -the biggest one being adaptation to body temperature. At the same time -the body cells tried to outgrow it but the faster they grew the more -there was for the fungus to live in. A sort of an inimical symbiosis."</p> - -<p>"If you can imagine inimical symbiosis," said Anti. "I can't."</p> - -<p>"You haven't tried very hard. Anyway, there seems to be a ratio between -the amount of fungus in one connected mass and the vigor. The more -there is the faster it grows, and conversely."</p> - -<p>"Such a pleasant reference," said Anti. "Mass. Still it's an accurate -description of me, though I can think of a better one. Lump." She swam, -splashing ponderously toward the edge of the tank. "Are you trying to -say that if I can ever get below a certain point my body will be able -to keep the fungus in check?"</p> - -<p>"Exactly."</p> - -<p>"What's wrong with the treatment we discovered? Give me an oxygen -helmet and tie me to a cable and let me float outside the dome."</p> - -<p>"You wouldn't float as long as the gravity's on. Besides, we can do -it better. In space you lose heat solely by radiation. Radiation -depends on surface and the larger a body is the more surface it had in -proportion."</p> - -<p>"Convection is what you meant," said Anti. "Acid alone helps, but a -<i>cold</i> acid would combine treatments."</p> - -<p>"A very cold acid. Supercold."</p> - -<p>Anti nodded and nodded and then stopped. "A fine piece of reasoning -except for one thing. When the temperature is decreased chemical -activity slows down."</p> - -<p>"That's the triumph of my gadget," said Jordan. "It's not only a -refrigerant coil but electronically it steps up ionizations as the -temperature is lowered. We sacrifice neither effect."</p> - -<p>Soundlessly Anti sank below the surface and remained there for some -time. When she came up acid trickled over her face. "I had to think. -It's been so long since I dared hope," she said. "When can I walk?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't say you would," said Jordan hastily. "There may be a lower -limit beyond which it's dangerous to continue the cold acid treatment."</p> - -<p>"Then what's the use?" said Anti. "I'm not interested in merely -reducing. I'll still be bigger than a house. I want to get around."</p> - -<p>"This is the first step," explained Jordan patiently. "After this is -successful we'll think of something else."</p> - -<p>"What language," said Anti. "The first step when obviously I'm nowhere -near taking one. Can't you turn off the gravity?"</p> - -<p>If they did it would hinder others, and the odds were nearly a thousand -to one. Of course they might compromise, a short gravityless period at -intervals. It would be unsatisfactory to everyone but it might give -Anti the encouragement she needed.</p> - -<p>Besides, he was unsure they <i>could</i> turn off the gravity without -also turning off the drive. Their momentum would carry them along at -the same speed they had been going—but was it wise to tamper with -a mechanism that till now was functioning so smoothly and was so -important?</p> - -<p>Jordan shook his head. "I said we'd think of something else and we -will. Continue with this treatment and watch your weight go down."</p> - -<p>"Don't think I'm not aware of your cheerful intentions," said Anti. -"How can you possibly weigh me as long as I have to stay in the tank?"</p> - -<p>"The same way Archimedes did—fluid displacement. I've rigged up a -scale so you can keep track of what's happening." He didn't tell her -what the scale was calibrated in. Absolute figures were disheartening. -It was only the progress which counted.</p> - -<p>Anti looked at the dial near the edge of the tank. "I thought it was -just another gadget." When Jordan didn't answer she looked for him. -"Hey, don't leave me to freeze in this cold goop."</p> - -<p>"You're not cold and you know it. You can't feel a thing."</p> - -<p>"Don't be so frank," she grumbled. "Hardly anyone comes to talk to me. -I like company."</p> - -<p>"Sure, but I've got to get busy on that other idea." He didn't have one -but he looked very wise and it had the desired effect.</p> - -<p>"Guess I can't stop you," grumbled Anti. "Tell someone to come and -visit with me."</p> - -<p>Again she looked long at the dial. It was a pleasant surprise to find -she was not so far from average that she could be weighed. Jordan was a -gadgeteer but sometimes his contraptions worked and once in a while his -ventures in psychology were extraordinarily shrewd.</p> - -<p>For instance, the dial.</p> - -<p>She imagined she could feel her toes tingling from the cold—if she -still had toes. Soon they would emerge from the fungus flesh in which -they were buried. She felt she was shedding.</p> - -<p>What did they have that made anything seem possible? Jordan, the -sometimes wonderful gadgeteer. Docchi, a competent engineer but no more -than that. Unsure of himself personally he had a passion for correcting -inequalities. And then there was Cameron, a good doctor who was trying -to realign his principles. He wouldn't have made it except that he had -a powerful attraction ahead of him. Lord knows what he saw in Nona or -she in him.</p> - -<p>And lastly there was Nona herself, to whom big miracles came easier -than small ones. There was a fragile grandeur about her but she knew -nothing at all of the human body, especially her own.</p> - -<p>And this is what they relied on. It was strikingly little to balance -against the forces of Earth, which had failed them. And yet it was -enough; the accidentals would not fail.</p> - -<p>It didn't matter what the resources were as long as they weren't aimed -in the right direction. She didn't have figures on the conquest of -cancer but the one-time scourge of mankind could have vanished far -sooner if the cost of one insignificant political gesture had been -spent instead to wipe out the disease.</p> - -<p>Perhaps this was one answer. They were struggling not to make beautiful -men and women still more beautiful but to restore those who were less -than perfect to some sort of usefulness, especially in their own -evaluation.</p> - -<p>The lights in the dome dimmed appreciably. It was the lengthening -shadows which made the needle on the dial that Anti was watching quiver -and seem to turn downward.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jordan rode the repair robot away from the tank. It was more than -had ever been done for Anti but it wasn't enough. A fifty per cent -reduction and she still wouldn't be able to walk. He'd have to check -with anyone who had ideas of what to do. He didn't have much hope -there; nobody but himself had given much thought to Anti recently.</p> - -<p>The machine he was on wasn't functioning properly. Nothing definite, -it just wasn't. He was sensitive enough to notice this through his -preoccupation with other problems. It was sluggish to his touch. It -was not unexpected; there was a lot of equipment that was supposed to -be foolproof and wasn't, any number of machines built to last forever -which didn't.</p> - -<p>Once it would have been easy to blame technicians for failure to -keep the robots in proper condition. Now he couldn't because he was -that technician, the only one. Nona kept the big stuff working and -Docchi helped out with anything else when he could find them. But -minor machines were important too and this was his province. Robot -repair units affected gross corrections on themselves but weren't -capable of detecting defects in the basic repair circuit. This was his -responsibility.</p> - -<p>He stopped the squat machine and opened it. There was nothing wrong -that he could see. Some other time he'd work it over thoroughly. He -climbed back on and touched the controls he added for his own use.</p> - -<p>For a while nothing happened and then an extensible started flailing. -It was not what he'd signalled for. He shoved the lever in the opposite -direction and though it didn't stop the gyrations of the extensible it -did start the treads. The machine rumbled away at greater than ordinary -speed. Jordan would have fallen off if an extensible hadn't steadied -him.</p> - -<p>Momentarily he wondered; the last response was not within the machine's -capacity. It was built to repair other machines and, within limits, -itself. It had no knowledge of the frailties of the human body. He -wondered at this and then forgot it completely.</p> - -<p>The robot lurched heavily, narrowly missing one of the columns that -supported the dome. A collision at this speed—well, no, the column -wouldn't have been greatly damaged.</p> - -<p>Hastily Jordan reached to shut it off. There was a shower of sparks and -the handle grew hot and sputtered. The grip flashed, fusing, visibly -becoming inoperative.</p> - -<p>The robot no longer faltered. Jordan wasn't in immediate danger. He -could always swing off, slide off, or fall. But he ought to stop it -before it wrecked itself or, worse, the dome.</p> - -<p>The dome enclosed a good part of the asteroid but it came to an end -somewhere, curving downward and joining the ground at a flexible -seal. Naturally it was protected against collision and naturally the -protection wasn't complete. It was conceivable that an uncontrolled -robot could break through. Jordan clutched an extensible as the machine -jolted and rocked. The nearest place it could damage the dome was miles -away. He'd disable it long before it got there.</p> - -<p>He steadied himself and reached for the panel, prying it open. He -thrust his hand in and the lid slammed shut on his fingers. He yelled -and pulled loose, leaving part of his skin inside. The lid was firmly -closed.</p> - -<p>He glowered at the machine. It was an accident that a wildly moving -extensible clamped the lid down as he reached inside. He didn't like -those kinds of accidents; the element of purpose was very strong.</p> - -<p>He hesitated whether he should disable the machine. It was valuable -equipment and they wouldn't get more like it. It would have to last for -the duration. "Easy does it," he muttered but it wasn't easy. His hand -slid back to the toaster—and it wasn't there. The sensible thing was -to suppose that it had been jolted loose. The machine couldn't think in -complex terms.</p> - -<p>Or could it? He glanced down; there were indications the robot had been -sliced into and he thought he knew who had done it. It was probably -the one he and Docchi had disabled long ago on their escape from the -asteroid. It had been repaired since and the technician who had done so -had altered the circuits.</p> - -<p>The essential thing was to stop it before it caused real damage. He -suspected that, with a number of extensibles curled firmly around him, -there was no danger he'd fall off. Maybe he couldn't get off if he -wanted to.</p> - -<p>He wished he'd encounter someone. He hated to admit it but he needed -help. In the distance he saw people and shouted. They knew him; he was -the person who rode the robot. They waved gaily and said something -unintelligible as he sped by. It was irritating that they didn't see -anything amiss.</p> - -<p>The edge of the dome loomed up. They'd been going longer than he'd -thought. He squirmed uneasily; he should have gotten off long ago and -used something else to intercept the errant machine. A geepee, if he'd -had sense enough to get one, could run it down and smash it. His only -excuse was that he hadn't wanted to destroy valuable machinery.</p> - -<p>With tremendous effort he tore himself loose and using the power of his -overdeveloped arms he threw himself off. He covered his head and rolled -along the ground in a tight ball. He was free.</p> - -<p>But not for long. The treads whining in reverse, the robot whirled, -scooping him up as it passed by. This time it didn't pause as it headed -toward the edge of the dome. It was all his fault. The dome would -seal itself after the robot plunged through, but not without loss of -air—and one good mechanic.</p> - -<p>The machine churned on but surprisingly didn't plow heedlessly into the -curved transparent wall. The extensibles felt the surface, the speed -was checked and the direction changed. The robot moved parallel with -the edge of the dome. It had a better sense of self-preservation than -was common with robots of this type.</p> - -<p>It felt the wall as it rolled along. There was nothing noteworthy about -the surface, smooth, hard, and slightly curved. Another extensible -emerged from the squat body; the tip flashed a light toward the outside.</p> - -<p>It was strange out there. Jordan hadn't often seen it; not many people -came to look out. When the asteroid was in the solar system jagged -rocks had gleamed in the sharp light of the sun. But now the landscape -was always dark except when some curious person wanted to remind -himself what the rest of his world was like. It was a torn and crumpled -sight the robot's light displayed, as if some giant had risen and -tossed aside the rocks he slept in. But not completely rumpled; here -and there were smooth areas that some vast engine might have planed -flat—or the same giant had straightened out with a swipe of his hand -before departing.</p> - -<p>The robot flicked off the light and turned away. Jordan breathed with -relief when he saw where it was going, toward the central repair depot -to which all robots returned periodically. It would slide into a stall -and stop. He would get off. And he would see to it that the robot was -thoroughly checked over before it was called out again.</p> - -<p>The entrance slot was extremely wide and equally low; it wasn't built -for passengers on the robots. Momentarily the thought flashed across -his mind that he should let himself be scraped off. But it seemed a -precipitous way to dismount and anyway the machine would soon stop and -he could get off more conventionally. Instinct won and Jordan flattened -himself as they swept under the gate. He could feel the masonry -twitching at his clothing.</p> - -<p>The slot opened into a circular space in which other robots were -stationed in stalls. In the center were bins of spare parts. Jordan -called out, not too hopefully. Robots were assigned from here on a -broadcast band; he didn't think there were facilities for responding to -the human voice.</p> - -<p>His machine headed toward a stall at the rear. This far from the -entrance the light was dim. Jordan wondered why there was any light -at all; robots didn't need it. Upon reflection he decided it was a -concession to human limitations.</p> - -<p>But the machine didn't slow down as he expected. It rumbled between -walls, turned at a sharp angle—and the parking slot was not what it -had seemed. They were in a passageway, narrow and even more dimly -lighted. That it was lighted at all indicated it wasn't a chance -fissure. It had been built long ago and forgotten.</p> - -<p>This was serious. Where was the machine going and when would it stop? -He hoped it <i>would</i> stop. An outcropping in the passageway loomed ahead -of him; he flung himself flat. A sharp projection grazed his ear. The -tunnel wound on through solid rock. He was lost by the time it ended.</p> - -<p>There were no true directions on the asteroid. Toward the sun or -away from it; toward the hospital or the rocket dome. These were the -principle orientations and the main one had been left behind—the sun. -He didn't know where he was except that it was somewhere under the main -dome. He was sure of this because he was still alive. There was air.</p> - -<p>The passageway terminated in a large cavern. Once he saw it he relaxed. -It was a laboratory and a workshop and he knew whose. There was only -one person who would disassemble nine general purpose robots and -arrange their headpieces in a neat row on a stone slab. Their eyes -revolved slowly as the machine rumbled farther in. He stared back; the -intensity with which they gazed at him was uncomfortable. How long Nona -had had this workshop he didn't know. Perhaps it was here she'd hidden -from the guards.</p> - -<p>Nine pair of eyes followed their progress as the machine rolled across -the floor. Jordan glared back. He could see that they were not merely -in a row, that they were hooked together by a complex circuitry that -wove an indefinable pattern between them. The purpose was obscure.</p> - -<p>A repair robot was an idiot outside the one thing it was built to -do. A general purpose robot, the geepee, was a higher type. It was a -moron. Were nine morons brighter than one? With men, not necessarily; -stupidity was often merely compounded. But with mechanical brains, -using modules of computation, the combination might constitute an -accurate data evaluating system.</p> - -<p>Jordan squirmed to get a better glimpse of the heads on the slab—and -fell off the machine that held him captive. He was free.</p> - -<p>His first impulse was to scurry away. When he remembered how far he had -to go and by what labyrinth route he decided to wait. Something better -might come up. He raised himself and rubbed fine gravel off his cheek. -Dust irritated his nose; he sneezed. Eighteen eyes glowered at him.</p> - -<p>The repair robot ignored him. Having brought him so far and clung -possessively, now it refused to notice him. On the bench there was -something new to interest it. The unshakable directive around which it -was built had taken over: there was a machine which should be fixed.</p> - -<p>What? A mechanism of some sort. Not the nine heads. The repair robot -raised a visual stalk and scanned. Jordan craned but couldn't see to -the top of the stone bench. Extending other stalks the robot began -working up high on the unknown something.</p> - -<p>His own curiosity was aroused. Jordan swung to the bench and, gripping -the edge, hoisted himself up. Parts of disassembled geepees and other -electronic devices were scattered over the slab. He inched carefully -along until he could see what his robot, microsenses clicking -furiously, was busy with.</p> - -<p>It was disappointing. He had expected to find a complicated machine -and instead it was nothing at all—a strand of woven wire with a -rectangular metal piece at one end. A belt with a buckle on it. This -was what fascinated the repair robot.</p> - -<p>Jordan went closer. The robot hummed and shook, extensibles racing -through the scattered parts which it sorted and laid aside for other -stalks to add to the end of the slender strand. It worked on, from time -to time stopping to buzz inquisitively. When nothing happened after -these outbursts it resumed activity. The pattern was clear: the belt -was not functioning properly and the robot was busy repairing it.</p> - -<p>Gradually it slowed and the pauses became longer. It clattered loudly -and sputtered, extensibles waving uncontrollably until they seemed to -freeze. The directive completely frustrated, the robot whined once and -then was silent. It was motionless.</p> - -<p>Jordan reached for the object, ready to swing away if there was any -objection. There wasn't. He examined it closely; it was <i>not</i> a belt. -And the rectangular metal piece was not a buckle though it could serve -as one. Actually it was a mechanism of some kind, though what it was -supposed to do he couldn't tell.</p> - -<p>It was one of Nona's experiments. Of that there was little doubt. The -strands were not wires but microparts fastened together and woven into -an intricate pattern. Jordan snorted; the robot hadn't improved on what -Nona had wrought.</p> - -<p>He inspected it thoroughly. He could see where the robot had begun to -add parts. Methodically he unhooked the surplus components. If Nona had -thought they should be on there she would have attached them. They -didn't belong.</p> - -<p>When he was down to the original mechanism he looked at it perplexedly. -It was designed to be worn as a belt. He fastened it around his waist -and touched the stud.</p> - -<p>By now he had some idea of what it was intended for. It was not -surprising that it worked perfectly.</p> - -<p>He expected that it would. Nona seldom failed. What Jordan didn't -notice and would never discover—no one would—was that there were -three minute parts that the robot had added, almost too small for the -human eye to see. And those three parts were indispensable. Without -them the belt would not function at all. For the lack of them Nona had -discarded the idea as unworkable.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c10" id="c10">10</a></h2> - - -<p>Jed Webber came in noisily. His left foot was heavy and his left arm -swung more than it should. Otherwise there wasn't much that remained of -the timid awkward man of weeks ago.</p> - -<p>Docchi looked up. "Did my calculations check?"</p> - -<p>Webber grinned. "I thought they would but I wanted to be sure. It's one -of the Centauris."</p> - -<p>"Is that as close as you can come?"</p> - -<p>"With that telescope it is. It's pretty wobbly. Who made it, anyway?"</p> - -<p>"I did."</p> - -<p>Webber grinned again. "In that case it's pretty damned good." With -difficulty Webber kept himself from looking down but Docchi could see -that his real foot was wriggling.</p> - -<p>"Thanks. Did you get an estimate of the speed?"</p> - -<p>Webber grunted. "Not a spectroscope on the place and without one how -can I measure the light shift?" He rubbed his arm slowly. "Unless you -made one of those too and have it stored away."</p> - -<p>"I don't. I made the telescope when I first came here. I didn't see -that it proved anything even to myself so I stopped." Docchi thought -briefly. "There's an analyzer in the medical lab. You can borrow it -but don't change it in any way. We can't risk ruining the only means we -have of checking our synthetics."</p> - -<p>"We don't have to know how fast we're going. We'll get there just as -soon. I'll look into that analyzer after my work period. There's a -chance it will do what I want it to."</p> - -<p>"What you're doing is work. You don't have to put in more hours than -anyone else."</p> - -<p>Webber smiled unhappily. "Oh—I'm as lazy as the next person. We're -short handed in hard labor. I thought I'd fill in for a while."</p> - -<p>The reference was what he'd expect from Webber, not at all subtle. "You -mean that there's criticism over the shortage of geepees?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't want to say anything—but yes, there is."</p> - -<p>"I've heard the same complaint. You're not revealing something I don't -know." Docchi leaned back. "To you it seems like ingratitude and I -suppose it is. More than anyone else Nona is responsible for what we've -achieved. I don't object to anything she wants—twice as many geepees -if she needs them and we have them. We'll get it back in ways we didn't -expect."</p> - -<p>"I agree. But not everyone feels the same way."</p> - -<p>"It doesn't hurt. In times of hardship everyone complains, and they may -as well direct it at her. Actually it's a measure of how important they -feel she is—and the accusations are so ill-founded they can't believe -them themselves."</p> - -<p>Webber got up. For the first time since he entered the mechanical and -muscular halves of his body failed to coordinate. "You're right. I -thought if I had something to tell them they'd be less uncertain."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps they would, for a while. I'm not keeping secrets. The truth is -I don't know what she's using the geepees for."</p> - -<p>If the explanation failed to be completely convincing it was because -Webber didn't want to believe. There were others like him. He didn't -blame anyone for wanting an accounting for every piece of equipment -on the asteroid. And yet the attitude was an advantage. Discontent, -real or fancied, wouldn't become a problem as long as it was openly -displayed. There would be time to worry if Webber didn't mention his -dissatisfaction. Docchi watched him leave and then bent over his work.</p> - -<p>A few hours and a score of unimportant details later Cameron hurried -in. "Need a couple of lab workers," he said on entering.</p> - -<p>"I thought Jeriann was doing all right."</p> - -<p>"She is—indispensable. We can't have that. Suppose she should get -sick? I want her to teach someone else the synthesizers. She's got too -much on her hands."</p> - -<p>Docchi hooked his knee on a corner of the desk and tilted the chair -back. "Sounds reasonable. Do you have anyone in mind?"</p> - -<p>"Jeriann says two women have worked with her in the past. She won't -have to start from scratch. She'll give you their names." Cameron -rifled the files and jotted down the information. He folded the sheet, -stuffing it in his pocket. "Here's something for you. We've reduced the -unsolved deficients to three. All the rest we can synthesize for."</p> - -<p>From forty-two to nine and now it was three. It was all the progress -they could hope for, and much of it was due to Cameron. He had -misjudged the doctor's reasons for staying and he was thankful he could -admit it to himself. The man was sincere—and he was also very fond of -Nona.</p> - -<p>Coupled with an increased food supply the major hazards were vanishing. -Power, of course, never had been a problem and never would be. There -was only one small doubt that remained and though there was no basis -for it he couldn't get it out of his mind. He wished there was some way -to reassure himself.</p> - -<p>"We weren't able to replace everything the deficients need," Cameron -was saying. "However they'll get along on what we manufacture."</p> - -<p>"Then they're still deficients?"</p> - -<p>"Hardly," said Cameron. "The body's more versatile than you think. Long -ago it was learned that certain vitamins can be created in the body -from simpler substances.</p> - -<p>"In several cases we're depending on an analogous process. We supply -simple compounds and depend on the body to put it together. Afterwards, -when we checked, the body did create the new substance."</p> - -<p>"Good. When will you take the remaining three off the emergency list?"</p> - -<p>"Two are minor. It doesn't matter when we get to them as long as it's -within the next few years."</p> - -<p>He didn't have to be told who the third was. Maureen. He'd all but -forgotten her. It was the doctor's responsibility, but he didn't feel -that way.</p> - -<p>"She's not causing trouble," emphasized Cameron. "Daily she is growing -more feminine and we'd have positive proof of it except that we've -taken steps."</p> - -<p>"Confinement?"</p> - -<p>"No, except the solitude of her mind. Hypnotics. We tell her she's -getting the regular injections and it's these which cause her to want -to be left alone."</p> - -<p>It was more stringent than he cared for but he didn't have a better -suggestion. "How long can she continue on hypnotics?"</p> - -<p>"Depends. The reaction varies with the person. She can tolerate quite a -bit more."</p> - -<p>Docchi's face darkened. "You said you can't transfer tissue from any of -us. Is that also true of hormones concentrated from blood donations?"</p> - -<p>"Let's put it this way: blood won't help Maureen at all. We can't -extract the complete hormone spectrum from blood—the basic factors she -must have to utilize the rest just don't exist there. If I thought it -would help I'd have asked for donations long ago."</p> - -<p>Docchi tried to shut out the pictures that were coming fast. Maureen -alone in a room in which she had darkened the windows so she wouldn't -look outside. The door would swing open at the touch of her hand, -but she would never touch it. The lock was intangible and hence -unbreakable. It would break when her mind broke.</p> - -<p>"That's all you've planned," said Docchi, "wait and see what happens?"</p> - -<p>"Hardly. I'm having Jeriann work solely on synthesizing those hormone -fractions we can't extract from blood. If she gets even a few we'll -call for blood and between the two sources we'll have Maureen out of -trouble."</p> - -<p>Docchi refrained from asking what chance of success Jeriann had. -It might be better not to know. Before he could question the doctor -further Jordan wandered in, buoyant and cheerful. Tacitly they let the -subject of Maureen drop.</p> - -<p>"Where have you been the last few days?" said Cameron. "I've been -wanting you to fix some of my equipment."</p> - -<p>"I've been busy tearing down a robot."</p> - -<p>"That's important but the hospital comes first," said Docchi.</p> - -<p>"Not before this one," said Jordan. "It was erratic and I had to get -out those faulty circuits before it decided to look into a nuclear -pile. If I'd let it go there might be no robot, power plant or -asteroid. Not to mention a hospital."</p> - -<p>"You're exaggerating."</p> - -<p>"No I'm not. You should have seen it. It had more curiosity than—well, -Anti."</p> - -<p>"Or you?" suggested Docchi, smiling faintly at the man's good nature. -"Get to the doctor's equipment when you can."</p> - -<p>"I'm not in a real hurry," said Cameron. "By the way, I saw Anti -yesterday. She's coming along nicely with your treatment, looking -almost human."</p> - -<p>"She always did seem human to me," said Jordan.</p> - -<p>"Sorry. No offense."</p> - -<p>"Sure, I know. It was a compliment." The tension left Jordan again; he -was relaxed and easy. "Anyway, you should see her today. Better yet. I -don't have to rig the scale in her favor. I can let her read the honest -figures."</p> - -<p>"Good. But don't overdo the encouragement. It will make it harder when -she finds she won't be walking for years."</p> - -<p>"She'll be up long before you think," said Jordan mildly but the -doctor chuckled at the wrong time and the mildness vanished. Jordan -had come to tell them but now he couldn't. Cameron thought he was good -and so he was but he forgot he wasn't dealing with ordinary people. -His rules just didn't apply to Anti, nor to Nona, Jordan, or even the -spectacularly useless robot. The doctor didn't understand and because -of that he'd have to wait, Docchi too.</p> - -<p>"I discovered where Nona does most of her work these days," Jordan -muttered. He described where it was, omitting the details of how he got -there. He was also careful not to mention anything he saw.</p> - -<p>Cameron looked out the window as Jordan talked. "Glad you told me," he -said. "I've been meaning to see what I could do for her. It might help -if I watched her working."</p> - -<p>"Very ordinary," said Jordan. "She putters around—but things fall -together when she touches them."</p> - -<p>"I imagine. I've seen great surgeons operate." Cameron gathered up his -notes and left.</p> - -<p>Jordan lingered for a while trying to make up his mind whether to tell -Docchi what he had refrained from discussing while the doctor was -present. He wanted to, but the longer he kept it to himself the harder -it was to share. Eventually Docchi tired of chatting and bent over his -work and Jordan wandered out, his secret still safe, too safe.</p> - -<p>Docchi stopped foggily when he was alone again. Cameron would soon be -trying to help Nona. Somebody had to and he, Docchi, couldn't. It was -enough to settle all the prosaic details that must be attended to if -the place were to function properly.</p> - -<p>It was a relief to know that he no longer be concerned about her. -Nevertheless a certain grayness descended that didn't lift until -Jeriann came in to check on a patient's file.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c11" id="c11">11</a></h2> - - -<p>In the beginning there was silence and it never changed. No sound came -to break the stillness. Darkness changed to light with regularity or -not, but in the particular universe in which she lived there was never -any noise nor any conversation, and music was unknown. She didn't miss -it.</p> - -<p>There were also machines in the universe in which she dwelt and these -too observed a dichotomy. Some machines were warm and soft and this -distinguished them from those which were hard and cool. The warm ones -started themselves when they were very small. Later they grew up but -they didn't know how they did it. Neither did she. Once she was little -and she didn't remember doing anything to change it, but it did change.</p> - -<p>The hard machines she knew more about. They didn't always have picture -receptors on top. Some were blind and some saw more than she did, -though not quite in the same way. She could never tell by looking at -them which was apt to do which.</p> - -<p>(There was a stupid little running machine that she had discovered -once that was perpetually scurrying about looking for things to do. It -would never have survived on Earth because there was an unexpected flaw -in it. She herself had sensed the fault and started to fix it only to -realize that here was an unexpected stroke of luck. Curiosity circuits -there were by the million but they were all mechanical and what they -produced could be strictly predicted. But this was unique. A deviation -in the manufacturing process, a slight change in the density of the -material, whatever it was something extraordinarily fine had been put -together and it would take a hundred years of chance to duplicate it.)</p> - -<p>(Midway she had changed her mind and instead had altered the machine to -encourage the basic sensitivity. She hadn't seen it recently. She hoped -someone who didn't understand hadn't undone her work.)</p> - -<p>The known order crumbled under the touch into something that was -strange. But where sight itself would not suffice, it was possible -to touch reality, to soak it into the skin, like understanding which -cometh slowly to the growing mind. But what was understanding? Parts of -it were always left out and she could venture toward it only a little -way.</p> - -<p>She twisted the head on the bench. The silence was unchanging. (What -was silence?) Other heads on the bench didn't move; they weren't -supposed to. Once they had been attached to clumsy machines and could -move about with a stiff degree of freedom. They couldn't now, though -they could twist the light perceptors in whichever direction suited -them.</p> - -<p>But they didn't know where to look.</p> - -<p>She herself couldn't see the thing that was approaching. It was because -her eyes were imperfect. Lenses were pliable and nerve endings were -huge things, too gross to catch the instant infinitesimal signals. Or -perhaps it was permeability—force bounced on distant impenetrability -and bounded back to and through her senses.</p> - -<p>She'd have to align the heads to help them help her, string them -together for what reinforcement they offered each other. And still they -wouldn't see because what they depended on for seeing was too slow. By -itself the hookup wouldn't correct their sight.</p> - -<p>But nearby was a fast mind though a lazy one. It liked routine once -the meaning of it was made clear. And it worked with instantaneity. -Blind itself it could fingertip touch the incredible impulses and -interpret what it felt for those who had eyes. It would join with her, -reluctantly but surely if she made it interesting, a game at which it -could always win. And winning wouldn't be difficult for it, not against -these nine circuit bound minds, even if it was true that they did -augment one another. Singly there were stupid and even added they were -not much better. Their virtue was that they were electronic.</p> - -<p>(Alone) Were there intangible machines? Sometimes she thought there -might be. People twisted their mouth and (not because they were -smiling) to indicate that they too understood. She could touch the air -coming out but the impulses had no meaning. It was not like vibrations -machines set up, harmonics that told of the unseen structure. There was -nothing mechanical that could be concealed from harmonics—there were -no hard and fast secrets. But what came out of mouths was senseless. -It told nothing, or if it did have meaning her hands and her skin were -unable to relay the interpretation further. (People were soft machines -and they did not ring true. It was difficult to understand.)</p> - -<p>Her hands were usually quite capable. (Now) she wove wires so fine -that only occasional light was caught and brilliantly reflected. Each -strand led somewhere. She removed panels from the robots' heads and -grouped them closer. They were beginning to shake off their incomplete -individuality. They were no longer separate mechanisms, each of which -could only grope for a small fragment of reality. They were merging, -becoming larger and stronger. There was more to be done to them but she -couldn't do it.</p> - -<p>As light as her touch was it was too inaccurate for what must follow. -There were objects smaller than her eye could see, movements finer -than her muscles could control. She summoned a repair machine whose -microsenses were adequate to begin with. She would like to have the -one she repaired some time ago (actually it was quite smart) but it -had disappeared and she didn't know where to find it. However this one -would do.</p> - -<p>It was set merely to repair what was already built, but what she wanted -was not yet made. She changed the instructions; they were not to her -liking anyway.</p> - -<p>She delved into the machine and set the problem. The statement of it -was complex and she wasn't sure how much data the robot aide would -need. When she finished it stood there thrumming. It didn't move.</p> - -<p>She waited but nothing happened. The robot, whose senses were far finer -than her own, remained frozen and baffled. Impatiently she restated the -problem, rephrased it so that it could reach every part of the circuit -almost instantly. Where it was complex she simplified, reducing it at -last to an order the robot could act on. It began to work, slowly at -first.</p> - -<p>It copied exactly a circuit she had made previously. After she approved -it started another, like the first but much smaller, attaching it in -series. Satisfied it was obeying instructions, she left it. It would -continue to make those circuits, each one progressively smaller, the -final one delicate enough to contact the gravity computer.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile there was her own work. It wouldn't suffice that the geepees -be linked with the gravity computer. They would then see what she had -discovered long ago—but it was people who had to be shown. Their eyes -were even less sensitive than hers.</p> - -<p>Fortunately this was the easiest part. She went to the screen and began -to alter it. It could be made to scan what the gravity computer passed -on to the geepee heads. A row of dominos, each of which would topple if -the first were struck, and the screen was the last of the series.</p> - -<p>"Hello," said a voice. "So this is where you always are. What a dreary -place to work."</p> - -<p>She didn't hear the voice. She felt the footsteps and the air brushing -against her skin. She turned around, letting her hands continue, deft -and sure. She didn't need to see what she was doing. The smile was -involuntary.</p> - -<p>He leaned against the wall, watching her. It was embarrassing the way -she gazed back. He wished she could say something but then he'd always -wished it. He'd had a thesis once, hadn't he? that for mechanics -deafness wasn't a handicap considering how noisy machines were. A deaf -person could withstand a concentration of sound the average man would -find intolerable. And there was no need for such a person to talk since -there was no one who could hear.</p> - -<p>The connections in her hands grew swiftly. She felt that she could work -better while he was near. Why was this?</p> - -<p>"What do you respond to?" he said gruffly. "Diagrams, blue-prints? -If so I'll have to learn to draw the damnedest things." He laughed -uncertainly. "Come on, help me a little bit. I've got some ideas that -might help you break out of your shell if you'd try to respond."</p> - -<p>He fixed things too, warm soft mechanisms. She didn't know but she -thought it was a higher skill than hers. He was not as adept as she -was, though he could learn to be. There was so much more he could do if -he would realize. His mouth was a handicap. He moved it often when he -should be thinking.</p> - -<p>"Listen, robot face, I left a career for you. Do you think they -wouldn't take me back? The Medicouncil wouldn't like it but I'd have -been a popular hero. Sometimes they want their heroes to fail. Besides -from their viewpoint it was the best possible solution. Now they don't -have to think of people like you out on that god-forsaken asteroid. -You're off their conscience and they don't have to have bad dreams -about you."</p> - -<p>She smiled again and it was infuriating. What he said or did had no -effect. "At least show that you recognize me. Stop what you're doing. -It can't be important."</p> - -<p>He drew her to him roughly and the work fell from her hands. The -connections had been done minutes before and she'd continued to hold -them because she didn't want to move away from him. She was willing to -let him look at her closely if he wanted. It was surprising how much he -wanted to.</p> - -<p>Later he held her away from him. "I take it back," he said softly. -"You're not a robot face. There's no point of resemblance to a machine. -And look, you've even discovered that you've got more than one -expression."</p> - -<p>The robot aide that had been laboring on whirred inaudibly and clacked -its extensibles. It rolled away from the work bench, brushing lightly -against the doctor as it did so.</p> - -<p>Cameron glanced down blankly, not actually seeing it. "What do I do -now?" he said with unexpected gloominess. "You're a child. You're -as old as Jeriann, maybe as old as I am, but in this you're hardly -more than a child." What was consent and how would he know when he -had it? Well, no, that was not the problem—he knew, but would she? -What <i>could</i> he explain to her? He put his arms around her and gazed -thoughtfully over her head at the odds and ends of machinery she -had been stringing together. The screen flickered and sprang into -illumination.</p> - -<p>He glared at it for interrupting his thoughts. It seemed to him he had -just discovered something very significant and if he'd had a few more -minutes he'd have been able to say it in a way he'd never forget. But -there was a shape on the screen and he couldn't ignore it. The image -wavered in and out of focus, growing clearer as the machine learned to -hold it steady.</p> - -<p>It was a ship.</p> - -<p>A ship. He dropped his hands. "Don't give up on me. I'm not going to -run out on you." Was it his imagination that the ship was growing -larger? His throat was dry and tight. The last thing he wanted to see -was a ship.</p> - -<p>"I don't know what we can do about this, Nona, but come on. We'll see."</p> - -<p>She leaned against the wall, showing no inclination to follow. She -seemed to be disturbed but he would guess it was not about the same -thing he was. "Come on," he said. "We've got to tell the others."</p> - -<p>And still she didn't move. "I can't stay here," he muttered and kissed -her. He started walking away fast so he'd be able to leave.</p> - -<p>She could tell that he was upset by the unexpected appearance of the -ship on the scanner. Perhaps he thought they were alone in space, that -emptiness was lonely. He ought to have known better. She had seen it -long ago, and guessed what it meant. It would have to be overcome.</p> - -<p>What she couldn't understand was what happened to her when he touched -her. Others had tried to come close and either she minded or was -indifferent and they went away. But this was surely outside of her -experience. She thought it meant something to touch a machine and to -know therefrom what it was. But to come in contact with him and to -learn all at once what he was—yes and herself too.... The warm soft -mechanism that she was behaved strangely—never the same way twice.</p> - -<p>And now she was becoming confused—because she would always feel this -when he was near—and she didn't mind.</p> - -<p>She closed her eyes and could see him more clearly. (What was choice?)</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Docchi walked on, carefully skirting one of the columns that supported -the dome. Once it had seemed huge and unshakable and now it was -remarkably slender. The dome itself was hardly adequate to keep the -darkness overhead from descending. This was the dull side of their -rotation; they were looking back at the way they'd come. The stars were -gray and faint. "Where did you see it?" he asked after a long silence.</p> - -<p>"In the place Jordan described. It's deep underground but I believe -it's near one of the piles. I felt the wall and it was warm."</p> - -<p>"Somewhere below the gravity computer," said Docchi. "Why there, I -don't know, but Nona may have had a reason. What I want to know is: how -do you account for the ship?"</p> - -<p>"What?" said Cameron. "Oh, I leave that to you and Jordan. I can't -explain it."</p> - -<p>Docchi guessed why the doctor was less concerned than he tried to be. -Let him live with his exaltation for a while. It might not last. "Part -of it's easy, how the ship came to be there."</p> - -<p>"It isn't to me," said Cameron. "We haven't been gone long, not much -more than a month."</p> - -<p>"Six weeks to be exact. Six weeks on our calendar."</p> - -<p>"I see, relative time. I heard we were approaching the speed of light -but I didn't think we were close enough to make any difference." He -glanced at his watch as if it held secrets he couldn't fathom. "How -long have we actually been gone, Earth time?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know. We haven't any figures on our acceleration rate nor our -present speed."</p> - -<p>"What are you planning to do? We can't just sit here and let them -overtake us."</p> - -<p>"I don't know. We're not helpless." Docchi's plans were vague. There -was much that had to be determined before he could decide on anything. -"You're certain it's one of ours? It's not an alien ship?"</p> - -<p>The idea hadn't occurred to Cameron. He turned the image around in his -mind before he answered. "I'm not familiar with ship classifications, -but it's ours unless these aliens use the English language. There was a -name on it. I could read part. It ended in -<i>tory</i>."</p> - -<p>"The Victory class," said Docchi. "The biggest thing built. At one time -it was intended for interstellar service, before the gravity drive -fizzled."</p> - -<p>"That's how they were able to do it," said Cameron. "I've been -wondering how they were able to send a ship after us so soon, even -allowing for the fact that we've been gone longer than it seems to us, -maybe two or three months instead of six weeks."</p> - -<p>He had nothing definite to go on but in Docchi's opinion the time was -closer to half a year. "Right. Since the ships were already there -rusting in the spaceport all they had to do was clean them up and add -an information unit to the drive. They may have started work on it -while we were in the solar system, when they were still looking for -Nona."</p> - -<p>The special irony was that our own discoveries were being used -against them. Nona's first, the resurrected drive, and then his -own not negligible contribution. Docchi himself had told them. His -thoughtless remark that the drive would function without Nona had been -relayed back to Earth. Vogel the engineer had probably picked it up -and sent the information on. Someone would have chanced on the idea -anyway, but he had given them weeks. And a week was of incalculable -importance—planets could be won or lost.</p> - -<p>Cameron was silent as they walked on. "There's a ship but we don't know -where. Let's not worry until we find where it's going."</p> - -<p>Docchi didn't answer. That the scanner Nona had built was capable of -detecting a ship between the stars indicated a tremendous range—old -style. But distances had shrunk lately. There was a ship behind them -and it wasn't far. Neither was it on a pleasure jaunt.</p> - -<p>At the hospital steps they conferred briefly and then separated, -Cameron leaving to find Jeriann. Docchi went into his office and tried -unsuccessfully to locate Jordan.</p> - -<p>Ultimately he gave it up. Jordan had his own ideas of what was -important and lately had been mysteriously concerned with some -undertaking he refused to disclose. He had even tried to conceal that -there was something he was working on. Docchi switched his efforts and -finally contacted Webber. At a time like this they needed what support -they could get. Webber was not a substitute for Jordan but he'd do. The -person he'd most have liked to have along was Anti but she couldn't -leave the prison, her tank. They missed her. They always would as long -as she was confined.</p> - -<p>Docchi sat down while he waited for Webber. He needed the rest. He had -been hoping that the pursuit would not begin as soon as it had. They -would find some way to throw off the ship behind them—but it was not -the biggest threat.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Do you suppose she hid here when the guards were looking for her?" -said Webber.</p> - -<p>"Doesn't seem likely," said Docchi, trying to keep up. The other's -composite body gave him strength he wasn't aware of. Docchi couldn't -match the effortless stride, the endurance. "Guards searched here too."</p> - -<p>They had, but how thoroughly? The asteroid had once been a planet, a -world with an atmosphere, oceans, lakes, streams. Water had seeped into -the ground, creating imperceptible weaknesses in the crust. And long -ago when the catastrophe came it had struck suddenly. The planet had -been split with such violence that whole chunks had been hurled apart, -each one intact except that the shock had enlarged on the work begun by -water. Faults became underground caverns, tortuous caverns in the rock -that intersected the man-made tunnel.</p> - -<p>No matter what their orders were, the guards wouldn't have been -anxious to explore too far. Under the stress of unusual gravity -fissures could close again on the unwary—it was possible they'd made -only a token search here.</p> - -<p>"If we come here often there ought to be an easier way than this," said -Webber as they went along.</p> - -<p>Docchi had been thinking of it. He would be able to tell when he saw it -whether it would be possible to move the scanner. If so a good place -might be in gravity center. As nearly as he could tell it was almost -directly overhead.</p> - -<p>Voices sprang out of the tunnel as they neared the destination. "Don't -know what's keeping them," grumbled Jordan. "Maybe we ought not to -wait."</p> - -<p>"He was looking for you," said Jeriann, her voice carrying in the -stillness of the underground. "He said it was urgent for you to be -here."</p> - -<p>"A few minutes won't hurt," said Cameron. "Lucky we found you when we -did or you'd have missed it."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean, lucky?" growled Jordan. "I was on my way here when -you yelled."</p> - -<p>"Have you seen it in operation?" said Jeriann. "Cameron said you found -the place."</p> - -<p>"If I had I'd have told you. The scanner wasn't finished last time I -was here. I figured Nona would let us know when she was ready."</p> - -<p>The tunnel turned sharply and though they could hear Jordan's voice the -words were indistinct. It was a quirk of acoustics because, as they -travelled on, utter silence descended. They could hear nothing at all -until the tunnel curved again and they entered the cavern.</p> - -<p>He glanced around once before they were noticed. The nine geepee -heads Cameron had described were almost indiscernible under the mass -of circuitry that covered them. Nona had improved the scanner. He -could identify some of the components but the arrangement was totally -unfamiliar.</p> - -<p>He thought he could trace the basic outline. It was a gravity device -of some kind, what kind he wasn't sure. If he had thought about it -previously he would have realized it practically had to be that.</p> - -<p>"They're here," said Jeriann at his side, and he hadn't seen how she'd -got there. Seconds before she'd been arguing with Jordan and now she -was next to him.</p> - -<p>Jordan looked up and Nona clipped a few connections in place. She -stayed close to the doctor. "We all know what we came for so there's no -need for preliminaries," said Docchi. "Cameron, can you tell Nona to -start the scanner?"</p> - -<p>"My communication is rather primitive," said Cameron with a slight -smile. "However——" He had no time to say more. Nona didn't move but -the scanner responded.</p> - -<p>A shape glowed, a vague nebula, far away. It came closer and the nebula -dissolved—it was a ship. There was darkness all around and yet the -ship wasn't dark. The lights that streamed out of the ports couldn't -account for this, there was nothing to reflect it on the hull. Radar -was one explanation, a gravity radar. The impulses left the asteroid, -traversed the space to the far away object and bounced back—in no-time.</p> - -<p>"It's a military ship," said Jordan. "The biggest."</p> - -<p>The ship rocked a little or perhaps the scanner resolved the image -better. The name began to swing into sight. "Tory," repeated Webber -when he was able to read it. "Victory. And victory always ends with -<i>tory</i>."</p> - -<p>"Star Victory," said Jeriann as the ship rotated and the full name grew -visible. "They're premature. They haven't won yet."</p> - -<p>"But how far away?" growled Jordan. "We ought to know the power of the -screen."</p> - -<p>The scanner wasn't calibrated and so they didn't know the distance. -Later Nona might add that refinement but if she didn't there was -practically no way of telling her what they wanted. Now there was -merely a three quarter view, the nose of the ship and enough to make -out that the rockets weren't flaring. Gravity drive of course. But they -knew that.</p> - -<p>"We've seen it," said Webber flatly. "Now what?"</p> - -<p>"We're not going to let them take us," said Jeriann. "Docchi will think -of something."</p> - -<p>Her confidence wasn't warranted. Actually he'd done little to bring -them this far. Intellectual force perhaps. He had turned discontent -into something positive—and joint action had so far overcome the -obstacles. But it was Nona who had given them the power to make the -action worthwhile. And she was limited too—there would come an end -to the seemingly endless flow of invention. There were circumstances -against which no ingenuity could prevail.</p> - -<p>At the present they needed more to go on. They knew there was a ship -behind them. The relationship had to be defined. Space was vast and -they might be able to elude the pursuer. They had to find out where the -ship was.</p> - -<p>They looked at Nona. She was standing close to Cameron, very close. She -seemed to know what was expected of her, a mass rapport. She touched -the doctor wonderingly as he smiled down at her and then she went to -the scanner, working on it, changing the connections with negligent -skill.</p> - -<p>The ship wavered as she worked. It disappeared for seconds and when -it came back it was rapidly approaching the viewing surface of the -scanner. Closer—they touched the hull—and then they were inside, -gazing out of a screen.</p> - -<p>Jordan frowned. "They've duplicated the drive—have they duplicated her -scanner?"</p> - -<p>"I don't think so," said Docchi. "They have telescreens of short range. -But there's no reason why two completely different systems can't be -spliced together."</p> - -<p>They were looking at an empty room and no one came in. Impatiently -Nona touched the connections and the scene dissolved, shifted and -blurred and when it cleared they were elsewhere, another screen, a -different room. A broadshouldered man hunched over a desk, muttering -and scratching his scalp. He signed his name several times; one of the -sheets he crumpled and discarded, first tearing out his signature. The -rest of the documents he dispatched in a slot.</p> - -<p>When he turned around they saw it was General Judd.</p> - -<p>He reached hastily for the switch but withdrew his hand before it got -there. "Well, the orphans have come back, hand in hand." He smirked -with calm deliberation. "Or should I say arm in arm, Cameron?"</p> - -<p>Docchi noticed it if no one else did. The general hadn't called Cameron -a doctor. As far as the Medicouncil was concerned Cameron probably no -longer was. It was the final proof, if Docchi had needed it; of which -side Cameron was on.</p> - -<p>"We have a whole new alignment," continued the general. "Cameron with -Nona, and our rebellious engineer with Jeriann."</p> - -<p>Docchi's face began to glitter but he caught the light as it surged -through his veins, willing it to stop before it showed in his skin. -"We haven't come back, General. We didn't think it would hurt to talk, -though, if you don't mind."</p> - -<p>"I never mind a little chat, Docchi. Always willing to hear what the -other fellow has to say—as long as he comes to the point."</p> - -<p>The general thought his position was strong enough that he could be as -insulting as he wanted. He was very nearly right. "First we'd like to -know what you want."</p> - -<p>"Our terms haven't changed a bit. Turn around and go back." Judd smiled -broadly, an official wolfish expression. "We don't insist you return to -the same orbit. In fact it might be better if you moved the asteroid -closer to Earth."</p> - -<p>Where the Medicouncil could keep a perpetual watch. And where they -would swing through the heavens forever in sight of Earth but never a -part of it. "Naturally we don't accept," said Docchi. "However we don't -reject negotiations completely. There are some of us who might go back -for one reason or another—homesickness mostly. If you're willing we -can make arrangements to transfer them to your ship."</p> - -<p>"Ah, trouble," said the general gravely, trying to conceal his delight. -"And I think I know where the trouble is. We came fully prepared for -every emergency that we—or you—might meet. The Medicouncil is very -thorough."</p> - -<p>The picture of Maureen crouched in a darkened room, whimpering through -clenched teeth that she didn't want ever to see anyone. The tautness as -one set of muscles extended her hand toward the door and another set -tore it away. And there were other images, vague now, but in time they -could become threatening.</p> - -<p>The Medicouncil <i>had</i> foreseen this; there were biologicals on the ship -to cure Maureen. Docchi's face twitched and he hoped the general didn't -notice. "I haven't checked to see how many are willing to go with you. -I will, if it's satisfactory."</p> - -<p>"Don't bother," said the general. "In case you weren't listening, I -didn't say that we're a cozy little group of altruists, just anxious -as hell to take over your responsibilities. The biologicals are here. -You'll get them when we land a crew to make sure you do go back. My -orders are very plain. We want all of you—or none."</p> - -<p>"You know what we'll say," said Docchi. "None of us, of course." The -letdown was less than he expected. He'd half known the conditions; it -was consistent with all the attitudes toward accidentals—once human -but now not quite. It was a typical way to ease their conscience—load -the ship with every medical supply—and then refuse those in need -unless they all came back. "We're getting along quite nicely without -your help," he continued, and if it was less true than he liked, it was -more so than the general realized. "One thing, Judd, don't try to land -<i>without</i> our consent."</p> - -<p>"So you still think we're stupid," said the general affably, at ease -in the situation. <i>He didn't expect us to surrender</i>, thought Docchi. -<i>Then why had he asked?</i> "We won't attempt to land until you cooperate. -You will. Sooner or later you will."</p> - -<p>"I hardly think so. We decided that a long time ago."</p> - -<p>The general shrugged. "Suit yourself. Remember we're not vindictive, -we're not trying to punish you. We do insist that you're sick and -helpless. You'll have to come back and be placed under competent -medical care." He glanced amusedly at Cameron.</p> - -<p>"You don't act as if we're helpless," said Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"Dangerously sick," said the general. "Have you ever heard of hysteria, -in which the patient must be protected against himself—and he may hurt -others?" He was fingering a chart on the desk, had been all the while -he was talking. He examined it briefly and then looked up. "What goes -on here? How can you talk across this distance?"</p> - -<p>"It took you a long time to realize it, General. We're <i>not</i> right next -to you." Again it was Docchi's bad habit to talk too much but there was -a reason for it and this time he wasn't telling the general anything he -wouldn't figure out for himself.</p> - -<p>The general's jaw hardened and he pawed futilely at the switch. "How do -we do it?" said Docchi. "It's our secret." But the general didn't reply -and he wouldn't reveal the information Docchi wanted. Nona finally -broke the connection at her end.</p> - -<p>Webber breathed noisily as the image faded. He stamped the mechanical -foot, echoes rolling through the cavern. "Will somebody tell me why the -general's so polite? Why won't he land unless we ask him to?"</p> - -<p>"It's not consideration," said Docchi. "The asteroid's much larger than -his ship, and nearly as fast. Did you ever try to land on a stationary -port?"</p> - -<p>Webber looked abashed. "I keep forgetting we're moving."</p> - -<p>"Sure. Aside from the fact we could smash his ship and it wouldn't -inconvenience us unless it hit the dome, not a very large part of the -total surface, what else can he do? Come close and try to send out men -in space suits? We veer off and leave them stranded until he picks them -up. If he wants to we'll play tag half way across the galaxy with him."</p> - -<p>"So he can't land," said Webber, gaining assurance. "Why didn't I think -of the reasons?"</p> - -<p>"Because one man can't figure out everything," said Jeriann. "If there -was just Nona we'd still be back in the solar system. Or Docchi by -himself, or Jordan, or Anti. Together we get the answers."</p> - -<p>So far—but it might not always hold true. Docchi was worried by -the general's lack of concern. He hadn't expected to contact the -accidentals but when they'd got in touch with him he wasn't startled. -He knew what to do because he had been told. He wasn't a fast thinker -who could improvise, his specialty was carrying out a plan.</p> - -<p>But if Judd was not at first disconcerted he'd made up for it when he -became aware they weren't using conventional communication. Docchi -would have given a lot to see the chart the general had. He'd tried to -provoke the officer but the ruse hadn't been effective. The general -knew the distance between the ship and the asteroid, but he hadn't -revealed it.</p> - -<p>Webber walked noisily to the scanner, peering into the circuits. "The -general's communication experts will be working overtime for a while," -he remarked.</p> - -<p>"For the rest of the voyage. They'll know the scanner's a gravity -device but that won't help them." It was another count against them. -Communication at practically unlimited range was not a prize easily -given up.</p> - -<p>But what they really wanted was Nona. Indirectly she'd given them back -the gravity drive, and now this. And they would think, rightly, that -there was more where these inventions came from.</p> - -<p>He wished Anti were here to advise them. Docchi looked around to ask -Jordan about her but he was already gone. Cameron was standing quietly -in a corner with Nona, talking to her in a low voice while she smiled -and smiled. Webber was still looking into the scanner.</p> - -<p>Only Jeriann was waiting for him. Now that the general had mentioned -it, Docchi wondered if she really was waiting for him—and for how long.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c12" id="c12">12</a></h2> - - -<p>Anti looked up at the dome. It was all she could see with comfort. -Stars changed less than she would have believed. The patterns were -substantially the same as on Earth. Brightness varied with rotation, -that was the main difference. Now those overhead were brilliant and -that meant she was facing the direction they were travelling. She -wondered which was Alpha and which Proxima Centauri. She never had been -able to recognize them.</p> - -<p>She extended one arm, splashing acid. Lately there were times she had -to keep moving if she didn't want to freeze. It wasn't pleasant but she -could endure it for the sake of walking some day. There were degrees of -helplessness and no one else, even here, was completely immobilized, -confined completely to a specialized environment. She had forgotten -much of the past and couldn't see far into the future. Perhaps it -wasn't worth looking into.</p> - -<p>"Quiet, you'll scare the fish."</p> - -<p>She paddled around until she could see Jordan. "If you find fish who -can live in this, throw them in. I'll welcome any kind of company."</p> - -<p>"Maybe Cameron can mutate fish to stand the cold," suggested Jordan. -"Or if that fails he can always transfer the fungus to them."</p> - -<p>"I don't wish it on anything, even a fish."</p> - -<p>"It wouldn't hurt. Besides, it might make them immortal."</p> - -<p>"Thanks. I like fish, but not as playmates. They're better on a plate."</p> - -<p>"Barbaric," said Jordan. "I prefer scientific food, synthetics. Wholly -removed from the taint of the living creature. Something that didn't -die in quick agony so that you could smack your lips. Germ free, -compounded of balanced elements."</p> - -<p>"Came from nature myself," said Anti. "Uncivilized though it is, I -prefer nutrition from the same source."</p> - -<p>"You're confusing yourself," commented Jordan. "Synthetics contain -everything necessary for life. When was the last time Jeriann ate?"</p> - -<p>"Longer than she cares to remember. Besides you're quibbling. She gets -concentrates, which is not the same as synthetics."</p> - -<p>"A minor point," conceded Jordan, coming closer. "However I didn't -intend to talk about food."</p> - -<p>"I don't care what it is as long as you talk. I need conversation too."</p> - -<p>"There's Nona," began Jordan.</p> - -<p>"Exceptions, exceptions. What do I care except that I get tired of -staring up at nothing? Sometimes I wish they'd planted the tank at the -entrance to the hospital. People'd have to stop and talk."</p> - -<p>"For a while I was thinking of that."</p> - -<p>"No you don't," said Anti. "There are useful things that have to be -done."</p> - -<p>"I abandoned the idea when I considered what your viewpoint would be. -But we did move the tank once."</p> - -<p>"Never again. Anyway geepees are scarce and who else could do it?"</p> - -<p>"I could," said Jordan. He added quickly: "It's a joke." He swung along -the tank until he was as close as he could get without toppling in. -"Instead of something you'd forget once I left, I brought a gift."</p> - -<p>"What is it? I can't see from this angle."</p> - -<p>"It's a belt."</p> - -<p>"You doll. It's beautiful."</p> - -<p>"No it's not—merely wonderful."</p> - -<p>"I know. Save it for me, till later. It will go swoosh if acid touches -it."</p> - -<p>"It positively will not react. I took care of that. There are some -metals that are just about inert. It wasn't easy to cover it but I did."</p> - -<p>"You made it for me. You shouldn't have."</p> - -<p>Jordan puzzled himself with it. He hadn't much to do with it. At -the most he'd made a protective covering for it. Nona was solely -responsible for the way it functioned. And there was no doubt whom she -intended it for; that was why he hadn't hesitated taking it. And yet, -why hadn't she turned it over to Anti? It was working perfectly the -first time he saw it.</p> - -<p>The logical answer was that it wasn't in operating condition, that she -couldn't make it work and had laid it aside for further inspiration. -But this led to nonsensical conclusions involving the repair robot. -He refused to accept the conclusions. "Let's say I didn't make it -entirely. I added to what was existing." He swung the belt out to her.</p> - -<p>"Are you sure it will fit? I'm quite big."</p> - -<p>"Originally it wouldn't. I had to make it longer."</p> - -<p>Anti examined the belt at length. "Hammered link effect. Primitive but -striking."</p> - -<p>Jordan blushed. "I thought it was a pretty smooth job. I had to do it -by hand."</p> - -<p>"It is," exclaimed Anti. "You have a strong unconscious sense of -design." With trepidation she lowered it in the acid and when nothing -happened she fastened it. "There," she said in triumph. "The first -piece of jewelry in years. I feel like a new woman."</p> - -<p>"You are, Anti. Believe me, you are."</p> - -<p>She laughed giddily. "It's silly, but I do believe it. It's amazing -what jewelry will do for a woman."</p> - -<p>"It's not exactly jewelry." Jordan tried to think of how to explain -it. Anti was unscientific, or better—prescientific. "Think of it as a -complicated machine that's remotely connected to your mind."</p> - -<p>"My mind? Am I supposed to be telepathic now? Is that what it is? Can I -talk with anyone, no matter at what distance they are?"</p> - -<p>"No, you're not telepathic except well maybe in a certain way."</p> - -<p>Jordan was silent, trying to sort the explanation. It never occurred -to her that machines operated at different levels, many of them -simultaneously, electrical or electromagnetic, others more subtle. -Jordan gave up. "Think of what you'd most like to do."</p> - -<p>"It's no use, Jordan. I won't torment myself. I know how long it's -going to take."</p> - -<p>He should have kept it and demonstrated. That would have convinced -her. He would never forget the first time he had worn it—and nearly -frightened himself off the ceiling. He cast about for other ways but -nothing else was necessary. Anti was thinking of what she'd forbidden -herself to contemplate.</p> - -<p>"There," said Jordan, his voice rough with pride. "I knew you'd get the -hang of it."</p> - -<p>"Why didn't you say so?" said Anti. "The gravity computer. My mind and -<i>that</i> mind."</p> - -<p>For a prescientific person she'd grasped the essentials quickly. -"Jordan, maybe you should keep it," she called. "You can use it as well -as I can."</p> - -<p>"I don't need it," he said. "Nobody's heard me complaining. And you -can't, or couldn't move." He gazed at her in alarm. "Come on down," he -shouted. "You can't catch the stars by yourself."</p> - -<p>"You think I can't?" said Anti. "I'll come closer to it than anyone who -ever lived."</p> - -<p>Nevertheless she obeyed his instructions, sinking slowly until her feet -touched the ground. The grass crackled and smouldered, though it was -green, bursting into flame where she walked as the acid dripped down. -And it was walking, though her legs carried only a fraction of her real -weight. The rest of the weight was destroyed for her convenience by -the gravity computer as it responded continually and repeatedly to her -unspoken commands.</p> - -<p>"The doctor will be surprised," muttered Jordan.</p> - -<p>"Not as much as I am," said Anti. "I can fly if I want, but do you -know, I'd rather walk."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Docchi teetered on the chair. Not much; if he fell he had no way of -stopping himself, and there was the devil's own time getting up. "I'm -speechless," he said.</p> - -<p>"So was Cameron," said Anti.</p> - -<p>"I imagine. He didn't expect his prognosis to be disproved so soon." -Docchi righted the chair. "This is the thing Jordan's been working on."</p> - -<p>"He said he didn't have much to do with it. He would." Anti moved -warily. The acid soaked robe had stopped dripping but there was enough -left to react with subdued violence if she came into contact with the -wrong substance. "The best is I'm already stronger—using my muscles -more. I don't have an exact way of knowing since there aren't gadgets -and dials in my mind but it seems to me I can support a lot more of my -weight. Maybe I can walk unaided at quarter gravity."</p> - -<p>Docchi let the calls, of which there were several, go unattended. -It was the first big personal victory for any accidental and it was -heartening amidst the general uncertainties. "Fine, fine. But how long -can you continue? Won't you revert?"</p> - -<p>"Cameron says I won't. He made several tests which indicate the -virulence of the fungus. He says the body conquers."</p> - -<p>And for her it had. The biological mechanism had reached the point of -strength wherein it could contain the attenuated invasion with little -outside help. After some indefinite period the menace would be reduced, -finally vanquished, utterly and forever. The body conquered.</p> - -<p>"Cameron says it will be enough to sleep in the tank. I don't mind, -though I won't get much sleep. I feel the cold now, though not as much -as anyone else would.</p> - -<p>"For the rest I'll increase the weight on my legs as much as I can. -It's almost automatic; no buttons to push except mentally. If I get -tired I think myself lighter."</p> - -<p>The mechanism couldn't be improved on. It was a portable null gravity -field that fit neatly around her and touched nothing else. And if -Anti had reported Jordan's views correctly, it was impossible to -build another like it because they didn't have the parts. It was an -excellent device but not of great importance except to Anti. Jordan -could use one too and so could a number of others though they wouldn't -get it. It replaced legs and was more efficient in all respects save -appearance.</p> - -<p>There was nothing, however, that was a substitute for hands.</p> - -<p>"Now that you're up and moving, what do you want to do?" he said. "You -must be anxious to get busy."</p> - -<p>"It's a funny thing but I'm not," she said. "It sounds queer but I want -to look around. I haven't seen anything except what I could glimpse -from the tank."</p> - -<p>Docchi rocked back; he'd always thought of her as knowing more about -the asteroid than anyone else. In a personal sense she did, having been -there longer than anyone he could name. It was said she may even have -been responsible for the building of the asteroid, so they'd have some -place to put her. It might be true. "Go ahead. Jordan will show you -around. You don't have to be in a hurry to take a job."</p> - -<p>Anti rose a few inches to show that she could. "First I want to visit -the laboratory Nona has. I want to see the ship that's after us. I know -they haven't given up just because they can't land."</p> - -<p>He felt so too though he hadn't figured out what they could do. "Let me -know if anything occurs to you."</p> - -<p>When she left, walking by preference, the responsibilities came back, -Maureen and other deficients with various degrees of disability, the -ship with undetermined resources behind them, stars and planets ahead -of them, unknown or vaguely guessed at, mysterious. They'd reach their -goal but all of the accidentals might not survive.</p> - -<p>Anti alone was better off but there were others who were not. It was -depressing at times, so much freedom and so little to show for it. -Docchi went back to work but the image of the ship kept rising up out -of the countless important and unimportant decisions he had to make. -What did they plan to do?</p> - -<p>Late the following day Anti returned. She marched in determinedly and -sat down. It was no longer remarkable that a few chairs would fit her. -She'd never be mistaken for someone else, but her bulk had diminished -considerably and her weight was whatever she wanted. That the chair -didn't collapse in a soggy mass or burst into flame was an indication -that Jordan had found a way to neutralize the acid that clung to her -without reducing the medical effectiveness. "Nice place we have," she -remarked. "Didn't realize it was so pretty."</p> - -<p>"There are others who disagree."</p> - -<p>"They don't really see it. The only thing I don't like is the ship."</p> - -<p>"Neither do I. What do you think?"</p> - -<p>"Well——" Anti hesitated. "What did it look like to you?"</p> - -<p>He described it as he remembered, answering the questions with which -she kept interrupting. After he finished she was silent, nodding to -herself as if he wasn't there. "You know what I think," she said. "You -saw it three quarters, from the front. When I looked it was flatter. -They're gaining."</p> - -<p>Docchi glanced out the window. "Anti, they can't land here unless we -let them—and we won't. What else can they do?"</p> - -<p>"It's a military ship. They've got the force to stop us."</p> - -<p>"Not without shattering the dome, or blowing the place apart. And they -won't. You don't cure a sick person by killing him, and for their own -peace of mind they've convinced themselves that we're sick."</p> - -<p>"So we're safe there," commented Anti dubiously. "They figured at first -they'd sneak up and land before we knew it. The scanner squashed that. -But they had other plans from the very beginning, what they'd do if we -discovered them in time." She nodded and nodded. "Well, if it was me -and I couldn't stop somebody, I'd try to get where they're going before -they did. It ties right in, doesn't it? They don't want us to contact -aliens. All they have to do is get there first."</p> - -<p>Of course. It was very plain, but anxiety had prevented his seeing it. -Fearfulness was often next door to stupidity. Whoever got there first -controlled the situation even more than Anti realized. He began to -suspect the depth of preparation that was against them, the intense -fury and careful planning they had to overcome. Mankind was capable of -more hatred for its own kind than it ever expended against outsiders. -Methodically Docchi began kicking open switches.</p> - -<p>"You're right, Anti," he said. "But I think there are ways to see that -they don't get there first." He was lying blithely, perhaps as much -because he didn't want to face what he foresaw. "If those don't work, -and there's a chance they won't, we have an unexpected ally."</p> - -<p>"Who?"</p> - -<p>"Not who, what. Distance." It was a most preposterous untruth. "If we -don't get there in time we'll let them have both of the Centauris. -We'll go on to the next star."</p> - -<p>"You can always think of some way out," said Anti as tiny lights began -to flash on the panel. The flickering confusion there matched his -emotions.</p> - -<p>"Jordan?" he said urgently when the latter appeared on the screen. And -after that there was Webber and anyone else who knew something about -electronics or could be taught with a minimum of instruction. They were -willing to drive themselves to exhaustion but there was no substitute -for technical superiority.</p> - -<p>"Now don't worry," said Anti after he'd finished summoning everyone who -could help. "I have a feeling they can't stop us no matter what they -do."</p> - -<p>"That so?" he said. "Which toe tells you that, or is it an ache in your -bones? Think it will rain tomorrow?"</p> - -<p>"Don't laugh," said Anti, rising and leaving with him as he hurried -out. "I have confidence in what we're able to do together."</p> - -<p>It was a good thing someone did.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Maureen's getting worse," said Jeriann. "I need more power." There was -a tiny bead of sweat on her temple, the first Docchi had seen since -ordinarily she didn't perspire.</p> - -<p>"How much worse? I'd like to see her."</p> - -<p>Jeriann made a final adjustment on the machine but didn't straighten up -immediately as if it disturbed her to contemplate what went on in her -own mind. She snapped the synthesizer on and turned around, brushing -the hair away from her eyes. "Do you think your diagnosis is better -than Cameron's?"</p> - -<p>"I wasn't doubting his ability."</p> - -<p>"You'll have to take our word for it. I can see her because I'm a woman -and she hardly reacts to me. Cameron can visit her because she's been -conditioned to accept him. Even so he has to take precautions. The -hypnotics control only the surface of her mind."</p> - -<p>"What precautions?"</p> - -<p>"Sprays that plasticize his skin. By now her senses are far keener than -ours. The doctor has a cosmetic technician recreate his face, something -impersonal with which she had no association."</p> - -<p>"I'll take your word for it. I don't want to see her under those -conditions. But you didn't answer my question: how much worse?"</p> - -<p>The smock was clearly a laboratory garment to protect the wearer from -chemical irritation and the chemicals from human contamination. It -was only incidental there was a certain light in which it was almost -transparent. Jeriann became aware she was standing in such a light and -swished the smock angrily around her and moved out of the illumination. -"I can tell you this: neither Cameron nor I will be responsible for -keeping her alive longer than three weeks, <i>unless I get that power</i>."</p> - -<p>"Is this what Cameron said?"</p> - -<p>"It's my own idea. I know more about this machine than he does. But you -can ask him. He'll back me up."</p> - -<p>Docchi didn't doubt her but there was more to think of than the fate of -one individual. "You're just guessing, aren't you? There's a chance, if -you experiment wildly enough, you'll find the right compounds."</p> - -<p>"Please," said Jeriann. "It will only be for a few weeks. Less than -that if it works the way I think it will."</p> - -<p>"What about the other deficients? They need biologicals too."</p> - -<p>"They can wait and Maureen can't."</p> - -<p>Reluctantly he gave consent. "Then you can have all the power you need, -for the next few days anyway. After that we'll see."</p> - -<p>"You're a dear." Jeriann walked through the lab, inspecting it -critically from every angle. "Of course I'll need help. Part of the -trouble is that we can't get enough power to the machine, we're not -using it to the full capacity. With larger power connections we'll be -able to turn out stuff we haven't touched on before."</p> - -<p>He shook his head. "That wasn't in the bargain. You can have all the -power the existing lines will take. But we can't spare men to install -new lines. The technicians we have are busy elsewhere."</p> - -<p>"It's such a little thing," she coaxed. "The machine's not a sledge -hammer that smashes molecules apart and then crushes them into a new -chemical alignment. It's a keen instrument, an ultramicrosize knife -that slits delicately here and there and then slides the separated -atoms together to form a different molecule."</p> - -<p>"I'm not arguing about power," he said adamantly. "I said you can have -it and you can. Trained men you can't. I'll see if I can spare them -after what they're working on is finished."</p> - -<p>She stopped as if she'd stumbled into a taut wire she hadn't noticed. -She looked at him thoughtfully and strolled back to the synthesizer, -under the light that shone down and provocatively through the smock. -She wore other clothing but that too seemed almost to vanish. "For me, -won't you? Just a few men for a few days. It means a lot to Maureen."</p> - -<p>"I can't let you have technicians now," he said obstinately.</p> - -<p>She glanced at him curiously, sauntering closer as if to get a better -look. "I forgot. Cameron has Nona, hasn't he? They're going to get -married as soon as he can figure out a simple ceremony. And now you -hate women, don't you? That's why you won't give Maureen the same -chance you'd give a man."</p> - -<p>He rocked back under the cold hatred. He had no idea she was capable of -such venom. "You're reading into my emotions something that was never -there. I'm glad Nona found someone she can respond to. But why are you -so concerned with Maureen? You never liked her."</p> - -<p>"What rationalization," she said bitterly. "It makes no difference what -I thought about her. She's going to die if I don't help her, and I -will. I'd expect the same from anyone else."</p> - -<p>"Jeriann," he said but she was gone, tearing the smock off and -thrusting it on a hook, leaving him alone beside a machine that -alternately hummed and purred in oily accents. He stared at it with -complete lack of interest as the cycle changed. The synthesizer -grunted with satisfied pride and three drops of a colorless fluid were -discharged into a retort.</p> - -<p>If there was no other way they could save Maureen by contacting the -expedition behind them. They had the supplies Jeriann was trying vainly -to duplicate. But that was surrender and the only alternative was to go -ahead as planned.</p> - -<p>Docchi left the laboratory, taking the long way around to avoid the -doctor's office. Cameron wouldn't put the same pressure on him that -Jeriann had—no one could. Why did she have to think he was responsible?</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c13" id="c13">13</a></h2> - - -<p>The dimensions of the place were fear, panic and loneliness. It was -no-time or all-time, the endless instant of survival—or less. It was -light or it wasn't, the illumination of the closed mind, the intellect -turned in on itself, perception curled backward while it reached for -the outside world. It was a universe which neither existed nor would -ever quite vanish.</p> - -<p>And there wasn't a sound. To the distorted senses, wavering and -uncertain, sounds could be masculine. "Yes?" said Maureen poutingly. -"Where are you now?" But she couldn't hear what she said. So she -stopped speaking.</p> - -<p>It was forbidden.</p> - -<p>The bloodstream left her heart and had no path but to return deviously. -It travelled darkly with many branches, pounding, flushed with oxygen -from the lung machines. The mind was turned inward. The body was turned -inward. Life had no place to go. It was out of balance.</p> - -<p>Her feet touched the floor and she got out of bed. The flesh was heavy. -The tube in her chest whistled with exertion. There was oxygen, too -much of it, but there was no substitute for the regulative substances -her body didn't have. She was falling apart, pulled apart by the wild -dissimilar tendencies of all her cells.</p> - -<p>She kept on walking until she lunged against a wall. Her nose splayed -to one side but her veins weren't ready to bleed. There was nothing to -tell them to let out the red drops. She fell down and got up, walking -on, banging against the wall.</p> - -<p>She could never find anyone she knew. After a while she realized the -person she missed most was herself.</p> - -<p>Why was it light without being light and dark with no darkness? Her -eyes had forgotten they were supposed to see. She sat down in the -middle of the floor and began plucking at the hospital gown, pulling it -apart thread by thread. Her mind said she didn't feel what she touched -but she didn't believe everything. She practiced playing tricks on her -thoughts. There were so many tricks to play and such few thoughts.</p> - -<p>She sat there, pretending to listen to something that nobody said. She -waved her fingers languidly and closed her eyes with deep regret, lips -curved for the kiss that wasn't given.</p> - -<p>Cameron came in and hurried out after one glimpse, calling for Jeriann. -The deterioration was proceeding more rapidly than he expected. There -were not three weeks left. It might be less than three days.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Webber nodded and went on working, aware that Anti was watching the -coordination of his dissimilar arms and legs. It didn't disturb the -rhythm of his movements. Anti moved to the other side to get a better -view of what he was doing and as she did so remembered what she'd come -for.</p> - -<p>"So that's why I couldn't get a book. What's wrong?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing. We're tearing it down to move it."</p> - -<p>"Why move it? This is where the books are."</p> - -<p>He bent over the mechanism, disconnecting it. "I don't know. You'll -have to ask Docchi."</p> - -<p>He knew but was too engrossed to stop. Jordan could tell her but he -wasn't here. She wandered through the library but found no one who -could or would give her information. What made it worse was, with the -librarian torn apart, there wasn't a book available.</p> - -<p>She was curiously perturbed. She knew where she could find Docchi, at -gravity center where he had taken over the quarters formerly occupied -by Vogel. More and more the asteroid was beginning to resemble a ship -and if there was a definite control area it was located in gravity -center.</p> - -<p>The first thing she saw when she entered the low structure—most of the -gravity installation was underground—was the scanner. It had changed; -the last trace of the makeshift origin had disappeared. It was metal -encased and dials and switches replaced connections formerly made by -hand. These alterations were Nona's but bringing it here was Docchi's -idea. Anti frowned contemplatively; it wasn't far in straight distances -from where Nona had originally constructed it, but the labor involved -in carrying it through miles of tunnels and then overland to where it -was now standing—that was considerable effort. It didn't square with -what Jeriann had told her.</p> - -<p>She found Docchi a few stories below the entrance level, somewhere near -the actual gravity computers. He looked up and then wriggled his head -out of the harness. "Have you come to help, Anti?"</p> - -<p>"Nope. I've got a complaint."</p> - -<p>His smile wasn't appreciative. "The headquarters for that are in the -other division."</p> - -<p>She ignored the reference to Jeriann. "I'd help if I could but I'm -ignorant. And you're keeping me from learning."</p> - -<p>"The library?"</p> - -<p>"Of course. I can't get a single book."</p> - -<p>He looked at the design he'd been working on and then reluctantly -stepped out of the machine which enabled him to put his ideas on paper.</p> - -<p>"Don't stop drawing because of me," said Anti.</p> - -<p>"It was nearly done. Jordan can carry on from there." He sat down while -Anti remained standing, balancing an imaginary basket of fruit on her -head. The years in the tank had ruined her posture.</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry we had to take the librarian but you can still get books. -I've figured out a formula."</p> - -<p>"First I have to be a mathematician and then I've got to crawl back in -the stacks? There must be places no one can get to, especially tapes -and music."</p> - -<p>"That's the way it is. We'll have to go over the whole setup, relocate -the stacks and train human librarians."</p> - -<p>"Seems like a waste when what we had was working perfectly."</p> - -<p>"We had to do it if we want to get to Centauri before they do." He -jerked his head to indicate out there.</p> - -<p>"But what good is it? The librarian is just a——" She closed her mouth.</p> - -<p>"Just a memory system? That's what we need to duplicate the drive they -have. Of course the librarian remembers the wrong thing but we're -changing that."</p> - -<p>"Can't we do it in some other way?"</p> - -<p>"Not in time with the facilities we have. Maybe Nona could but the rest -of us are just humans."</p> - -<p>"Well, what's wrong with her?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing. If you can get her interested in building a control unit I'll -step aside."</p> - -<p>"Why build it? She <i>is</i> the control."</p> - -<p>"Now she is, but there are a number of reasons why a mechanical control -is better. For one thing we don't know how much of her attention it -requires. The drive may not function at all when she isn't consciously -thinking about it."</p> - -<p>"But the gravity never stops."</p> - -<p>"True, but does it apply to acceleration? We can't measure that."</p> - -<p>"You're working on a lot of suppositions—it may do this—it may not do -that."</p> - -<p>"We don't have to guess at one thing, Anti. The expedition is gaining -on us. And <i>they</i> are using a mechanical control."</p> - -<p>Anti looked over at the drawing Docchi had made. A bunch of squiggles. -"You know more about it than I do. If it's your opinion that this is -what we should have, then we ought to. To me it seems that another kind -of control won't make much difference."</p> - -<p>"Review what we have. A nuclear pile that supplies all the power, a set -of gravity coils, and three computers. One computer figures the gravity -for the asteroid. Another calculates the propulsive force. The third, -we think, actuates the scanner. Nona may rotate the duties among the -computers and the unit we're building will do the same.</p> - -<p>"But this is what we can do that Nona doesn't: we'll cut everything -to a minimum except the drive. Gravity, light, heat, all the personal -conveniences will be cut to the least we can stand."</p> - -<p>Anti rose a few inches and thought herself back to the floor. "This is -what you'll do if it works the way you imagine."</p> - -<p>"It will, Anti." Docchi's face was set. "Nona's too considerate. As -long as she has it she won't impose the sacrifices we're glad to make -ourselves. We're taking it out of her hands."</p> - -<p>If they needed somebody to make hard decisions, Docchi was the man. It -was a crusade with him and he was willing to drive everyone the same as -himself. Anti looked at his face and decided against the question she'd -come to ask. "Sounds grim, but you're right. We're willing if there's a -chance we'll get there first. What can I do to help?"</p> - -<p>"Reorganize the library. Get assistants to reach in the places too -small for you. Collect the medical texts first. Cameron may need them."</p> - -<p>"A thankless job," muttered Anti. "I started out to <i>read</i> a book."</p> - -<p>Docchi smiled. "I thought you had enough of sedentary life."</p> - -<p>"I have, but not enough of books. Picture and music tapes were easy to -get in the tank but they didn't make acid proof books. Limited demand, -I suppose."</p> - -<p>"Here's the formula I've worked out. Books are selected according to -subject and author, filed according to size and date received." He went -over the procedure until she had it straight.</p> - -<p>"I guess I can do it," she said dubiously. "But why not start at one -end and go through to the other side of the stacks?"</p> - -<p>"You've got to segregate the medical references first."</p> - -<p>Belated compensation because he had refused Jeriann? Perhaps, but he -was not that simple. If anything it was just recognition of what came -first in importance. "A tedious job," she grumbled as she started to -leave.</p> - -<p>"It is. But, except for what we are as persons and what we create in -the future, it's the total of our human heritage. It's the last we'll -get."</p> - -<p>"Sometimes I believe——" said Anti. "Oh, never mind what a huge old -woman thinks." She went out the door and when she came back seconds -later Docchi was again drawing.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Anti?"</p> - -<p>"You can start cutting down on me. I won't mind."</p> - -<p>"When it's necessary I'll take you up on it. I don't think it will -be. It doesn't take much power to run the computers and they're always -functioning anyway. And when we drop to quarter gravity, which is the -minimum we'll go, you won't actually need your gadget. You see, you're -not holding us back."</p> - -<p>"Just the same if it will help I'll stay in the tank."</p> - -<p>His face glittered and his eyes strayed back to the work. "If it's -necessary I'll ask you," he repeated.</p> - -<p>Anti left again, secure in the knowledge that he would do as he said. -In his own way Docchi was as ruthless as Judd. But the purpose was -different and therefore the comparison not accurate. Strength was not -easy to define.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The librarian resembled an angular metallic squid spread out to dry -on the floor. Docchi picked his way through the wiry tentacles, -scrutinizing the work of the crew. He squatted near Webber, watching -him splice and adjust the components, briefly giving advice and then -moving on to the next man. The librarian was dormant but to Docchi's -practiced eye it was nearly ready to be recalled to the semi-life of a -memory machine.</p> - -<p>Jordan came swinging in. Docchi heard him and turned. He knew who -it was by the sound but seemed disappointed to find his judgment -confirmed. "The star chart drum is finished," said Jordan, pausing at -the tangle of wires. "Most of the observed data on the neighboring -stars is included. Of course all the locations are figured from Earth."</p> - -<p>"It's all right. The computers won't mind making the conversions." With -his foot Docchi nudged a tool toward him that Webber was reaching for. -"What about the crossover relays?"</p> - -<p>"Done too, waiting to be tied in. Guaranteed to switch from one -computer to the other before even they realize what's happening."</p> - -<p>"Good. The next thing is the impulse recognition hunter. Last night -I thought of a way to make the selection tighter. Here, I'll show -you." Docchi went to a diagram strewn desk and waited while Jordan -pawed through the sheets for him. "There it is," he said when Jordan -uncovered it.</p> - -<p>Jordan studied it in silence. "Can't make it," he said at last.</p> - -<p>"Why not? It's not difficult."</p> - -<p>"Yeah. But we can't manage the delivery from Earth. Don't have all the -parts here." Jordan scratched his chest. "Tell you what. Think I can -rob nonessential stuff and put together something like this." He took a -pencil and began to sketch rapidly.</p> - -<p>"It'll do," said Docchi, finally approving it after a number of changes.</p> - -<p>Jordan scratched in the alterations. "Why so tight?" he complained, -folding the sheet and tucking it away. "The computers don't have to be -controlled so tight. They never have disobeyed."</p> - -<p>"I know, and I'm not going to give them a chance. Every watt we allot -must be used on the drive and for no other purpose."</p> - -<p>Privately Jordan doubted it was necessary. When he thought of the great -nuclear pile that warmed the heart of the asteroid and drove them on -he didn't see how a mere ship, no matter how efficient, could surpass -them. True, the ship was travelling faster now but that was because -they weren't exerting their full energies. And when they did—Jordan -shrugged and creased the paper again, swinging away.</p> - -<p>At the door he swerved to miss Jeriann. "Hi," he said, hurrying a -little faster. It was none of his concern what went on but he didn't -have to be around when it blew up.</p> - -<p>Jeriann returned the greeting and stood at the entrance. "May I come -in?"</p> - -<p>"Certainly. There's no sign it's restricted to electronic technicians."</p> - -<p>Webber winked at her and bent his head over his work. Docchi was -expressionless. "I want to talk to you," she said.</p> - -<p>"About Maureen? I've heard. Go ahead."</p> - -<p>She'd hoped he'd suggest a more private place but it was evident he -didn't want to be alone with her. She didn't altogether blame him. -"What I asked for the other day wasn't very realistic. It was mostly my -fault. I had at least a month to think of getting a larger power supply -to the machine but I thought I could get along without it. It was my -own shortsightedness and I had no reason to expect you to drop what -you're doing."</p> - -<p>"You don't have to apologize. We're all trying to do our best—and -various needs do conflict. Actually I might have found some way to -run the extra power line if I hadn't been sure it was an act of pure -desperation, that you had no idea of what you were going to do with it -when you got it."</p> - -<p>What made it worse was that he was right. The impulse had been -irrational, the feeling that there must be something that would help. -He should have said he was at fault too, that he should have built the -command unit months ago. It made no difference he hadn't known there -was a ship behind them. He should have said it.</p> - -<p>"It's over," she said. "We've done what we could. I thought you'd like -to see her while there's time."</p> - -<p>"I can't leave for another ten hours. None of us can. We've got to get -it wrapped up if it's going to be of any use at all," said Docchi, -looking at what remained to be done. "Wait. You said I can see her. -Sounds to me like she's better." He scanned her face hopefully.</p> - -<p>She shook her head. "It doesn't mean that. We've stopped using -hypnotics because they're no longer effective. Heavy sedatives, -extremely heavy, are the only things that keep her from jumping up and -running out to die."</p> - -<p>His face was sallow. This was one of the times his slender shoulderless -body seemed frailer than it was. "I'll come as soon as I can get away. -We're near the finish line on this." He turned and walked past Webber -to the far end of the room, bending over a technician's work to examine -it.</p> - -<p>She was trying to tell him and all he had to do was half listen. Nobody -blamed either of them. Maureen wouldn't, if she were capable of any -kind of judgment. From his position among the tangled tentacles of the -mechanical squid, seemingly strangled by the motionless machinery, -Webber winked soberly at her. Jeriann bit her lip and hurried out. -Her eyes burned but that was all. Her body was protected against -unnecessary fluid loss.</p> - -<p>It wasn't possible to drive the technicians. They weren't very skilled -and the work was delicate. From the beginning they had known the -importance of what they were doing and they were already at their top -speed and above that no increase in productivity could be achieved. -When he said ten hours Docchi optimistically thought eighteen.</p> - -<p>And yet they were done in nine. Not because it would help -Maureen—they knew it wouldn't. But because—well, why? Nobody asked -for explanations. They made no mistakes; nothing had to be torn down -and built again. And the less skilled men, those who puttered from -one instruction to the next, stalling between orders, now seemed to -anticipate what they would be told and to complete the work before it -was given to them. They learned fast and what they didn't know how to -do was done right anyway.</p> - -<p>The wires ceased to resemble tentacles and were neatly arranged in the -cabinet of the command unit, formerly the librarian, which was then -moved against the wall. Calling in Jordan and discussing it with him, -Docchi left the remainder of the work in his capable hands.</p> - -<p>He was tired all over, inside and out. He didn't want to see anyone -die, not someone he had been partly responsible for sentencing, -whatever the circumstances. He walked along in the semi-twilight, -wishing there was a cool breeze. He hadn't ordered one and so it -was missing. Before long there wouldn't be any power to spare for -circulation of the air.</p> - -<p>Anti met him at the hospital steps, going up with him. "I've been -waiting. I didn't want to go in alone."</p> - -<p>He talked to her briefly and they went on in silence. The asteroid was -being diminished, perhaps already had been. They all had first hand -knowledge of what death was—at one time or another they'd brushed very -near to it—but they were not accustomed to losing the encounter. One -of their own kind, who should live for hundreds of years, would not.</p> - -<p>Jeriann heard them and came outside of the hushed room. "I don't know -what to say," she whispered. "Oh yes I do. I wish I had your face, -Docchi. You would see it shining."</p> - -<p>Whatever she thought, her face <i>was</i> shining, though not in the same -way. He looked into her eyes but they were not easy to read. "You did -it," he whispered.</p> - -<p>"I don't know why I'm talking so low," she said, raising her voice. "It -doesn't hurt now. No, I didn't have anything to do with it. Come in and -see her."</p> - -<p>Maureen was sleeping. Her breathing was light but regular as the -lung machines responded normally. Her skin was waxen but it was not -unhealthy. The wrinkles of strain had fallen away and her face was -relaxed in the beauty of survival.</p> - -<p>"Go ahead and talk," said Cameron from the corner as he bent over an -analyzer. "I shot her full of dope. I guess I didn't have to—she'll -sleep now no matter what you do."</p> - -<p>"Thanks, doctor," said Docchi. "We're lucky to have you."</p> - -<p>"Not half as lucky as I am to be here. Damnedest thing I ever saw. My -colleagues wouldn't believe it." Carefully he closed the analyzer and -rolled it away. "I forget I no longer have colleagues."</p> - -<p>"The more remarkable. Your efforts alone."</p> - -<p>"I guess you don't understand. I had nothing to do with it," said -Cameron. "I was an interested and awed spectator but nothing more. The -person who saved Maureen was Maureen herself."</p> - -<p>"Now how could she?" said Anti. "She lacked male hormones and the -bodily processes were out of control, upset, running away with -themselves." She raised a few inches from the floor to get a better -glimpse of the patient. The best refutation of Anti's argument was -Maureen herself.</p> - -<p>"It couldn't happen to anyone but an accidental," began Jeriann, but -Cameron cut her off.</p> - -<p>His voice was cool and dry, that of a lecturer. It was the only chance -he'd get to share his discovery. "You know why you're biocompensators: -the severe injury, and later pulling through with the help of medical -science, developing the extraordinary resistance I spoke of. You had -to have it or you didn't live. And the resistance remained after the -injury was gone.</p> - -<p>"In Maureen's case every function began to be disturbed after the -supply of hormones was cut off. It got worse as we were unable to -manufacture what she needed. She developed a raging fever and was in -a constant state of hallucination. In an earlier era she would have -been a mass of cancerous tissue. Fortunately we are now able to control -cancer quite simply.</p> - -<p>"At any rate she was rapidly reaching the state where there was no -coordination at all. Death should have been the result—but the body -stepped in."</p> - -<p>"Yes, but how?" said Anti.</p> - -<p>"I don't know but I'm going to find out," said Cameron. "Last time I -tested all the normal hormones were present. Somehow, out of tissues -that weren't adapted to it, her body built up new organs and glands -that supply her with the substances she needs to live."</p> - -<p>Cell by cell the body had refused to die. Organs and nerves and tissues -had fought the enveloping chaos. The body as a whole and in parts tried -to survive but it was not adapted to conditions. So it adapted.</p> - -<p>Nerves forged new paths in places they had never gone before because -there was nothing at the end which they could attach to. But by the -time they arrived at their destination certain specialized cells had -changed their specialty. All cells in the adult body derived from an -original one and they remembered though it was long ago. In the endless -cellular generations since conception, in the continual microscopic -death and rebirth that constitutes the life process, the cells had -changed much—but in extremity the change was not irreversible.</p> - -<p>Here a nerve began to fatten its stringy length; it was the beginning -of what was later to become a long missing gland. Elsewhere a muscle -seemed to encyst, adhering to another stray cell, changing both of -them, working toward the definite goal.</p> - -<p>From the brink the body turned and began the slow march toward health. -What was missing it learned to replace and what could not be replaced -it found substitutes for. Cell by cell, with organs and tissues and -nerves, the body had fought its own great battle—and won.</p> - -<p>"Spontaneous reconstruction," commented the doctor, touching the -forehead of the patient he had not been able to help, merely observe. -"It begins where our artificial regenerative processes leave off. I -think—oh never mind. There's a lot of development to be done and I -don't want to promise anybody something I can't deliver." He eyed -Docchi's armless body speculatively.</p> - -<p>Webber came in, noisily clanking his mechanical arm and leg. "Heard the -good news," he said cheerfully. "Finished my work so I came over." He -glanced admiringly at Maureen. "Say, I didn't remember she looked like -that."</p> - -<p>She was a pleasant sight and not merely because she'd fought off death. -Her lips were full and color was returning to her face and the shape -under the sheets was provocatively curved.</p> - -<p>"Tomorrow or the next day she can leave the hospital for a few hours," -said Cameron. "The new functions are growing stronger by the minute. -Now she needs to get out after the long confinement."</p> - -<p>"I'll volunteer to take her for a walk," said Webber.</p> - -<p>"You will not," said Jeriann. "For the next few weeks she sees only -women. Physiologically she's sound again but mentally she's still the -complete female. You'll visit her when she's normal but not before."</p> - -<p>"Guess I'll have to wait," said Webber, but he looked pleased.</p> - -<p>She lingered outside while Webber left, seeking an opportunity to talk -to Docchi. "I wanted to see you," she said as soon as they were alone.</p> - -<p>"Any time. You know where I'll be."</p> - -<p>"I know, and always working too."</p> - -<p>"It's got to be done," he said doggedly.</p> - -<p>"Sure. I know. I'll come over when I can." But she wouldn't, not until -he gave her some encouragement. He had not forgiven the scene in the -lab. Cameron called then and she went inside to her patient.</p> - -<p>Docchi went back to gravity center, thoughts crowding through his -mind. Little victories, though the life or death of a woman was not -insignificant, were achieved without much effort. But that which meant -something to everyone on the asteroid was more difficult. Where, in -relation to their own position, was the ship that was striving to reach -the Centauri group before they did?</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c14" id="c14">14</a></h2> - - -<p>"I'm cold," said Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"Put on more clothes," said Docchi grimly.</p> - -<p>"That's not a nice thing to say to a girl with a figure as pretty as -hers," said Anti.</p> - -<p>"She can go to hydroponics," suggested Jordan. "It's warmer there and -we've had to allow lights."</p> - -<p>"But it's a lot smaller than it was and too many have crowded in. I -don't want to be crushed," said Jeriann. She wouldn't have left even if -it hadn't been true.</p> - -<p>"Have to cut down," said Anti. "Meanwhile, what do we eat? Synthetics." -She snorted.</p> - -<p>"Synthetics are pure," said Jordan. His enthusiasm was less than it had -been. A steady diet had begun to alter his opinion.</p> - -<p>"Pure what?" said Anti, but received no reply. She looked over the -circle huddled around the scanner. Nona was curled near Cameron, -sleeping peacefully. Docchi leaned forward with uncomfortable -intensity. Jeriann was beside him but he didn't seem to notice her. -"How long does this go on?" said Anti. "I'm getting tired of freezing -in the dark." Actually she didn't mind it; cold that would kill others -still bothered her hardly at all.</p> - -<p>"Until we know," said Docchi. "All the way to Centauri if it takes that -long."</p> - -<p>"How can we know?"</p> - -<p>"We'll find out as soon as we measure relative speeds," answered -Docchi. "The scanner is similar to radar but it uses gravity, which -makes things rather difficult. We can't send out an impulse and see how -long it takes to get back because it travels instantaneously as far as -we're concerned."</p> - -<p>"Then there isn't any way? They seem to know how fast we're going."</p> - -<p>"Better astronomical equipment," said Docchi. "We're a bigger object -and they were able to measure our light shift, until we stopped -illuminating the whole dome."</p> - -<p>"And now they can't tell because they can seldom see us?"</p> - -<p>"The contrary, if they're on their toes. They should guess that we're -putting most of the power into the drive."</p> - -<p>"Then how can we find out?" said Anti.</p> - -<p>"Triangulation," said Docchi. "When we first saw them it was from the -front. In past weeks they've crept up until they're nearly broadside. -Now I hope they'll drop back. It may take weeks to tell, especially if -our speeds are almost evenly matched."</p> - -<p>"And if we don't gain?"</p> - -<p>"With our power?" interrupted Jordan, ceasing to tune the scanner. -"But, all right, we don't gain. We'll get there first because we're -still a little ahead of them.</p> - -<p>"If there are no aliens there's no question of interstellar law. -They'll have to hunt us down over an entire planet and maybe blast us -off. I don't think sentiment will let them actually harm us. If there -are aliens, what are they going to do? We've told our story first."</p> - -<p>The asteroid seemed to leap ahead as all but the most necessary -functions were curtailed and additional power was channeled into -the drive. There was no sense of motion, merely of tension as the -unmistakable vibration increased. In the darkness through the darkness -they hurtled. Sleeping or waking Docchi remained near the scanner, as -if his presence would somehow cause the ship to recede. It didn't.</p> - -<p>Across the silence the race went on intently. Weeks passed and Anti -walked with increased assurance as her weight diminished and her -strength grew greater. Maureen recovered and was released from the -hospital. She disappeared frequently, mostly with Webber, and no one -questioned where they went.</p> - -<p>Jeriann came when she could get away from her hospital work. She came -at night because it was usually night now though occasionally lights -were turned on for short periods and warmth was allowed to filter -through the dome. They couldn't risk killing the plants on which they -depended for part of their oxygen supply.</p> - -<p>"Good thing you're here," said Docchi once when she entered. "I want -you to make some adjustments." She followed him to the next room where -the former librarian was now the command unit presiding over their -destiny.</p> - -<p>"There," he said gloomily as she changed a number of settings slightly. -"That's as good as I can do."</p> - -<p>"How good is it?"</p> - -<p>"Faster than we've gone before. I don't know the exact speed."</p> - -<p>"Faster than with Nona?"</p> - -<p>"I think so. Of course I don't know what she could have gotten out of -it if she'd tried—but she always seemed to hold something back."</p> - -<p>She would rather not have asked but the answer was on his face. "But -it's not good enough?"</p> - -<p>He sat down near the command unit. "They found out what we were doing -and increased their own speed. It's slightly greater than ours."</p> - -<p>"Well, why do we do it?" she said. "It takes more and more power to add -another mile per second as we approach the speed of light. But that -holds true for them too."</p> - -<p>He tried to frown away the problem she posed. "Sure, but it doesn't -matter to them as long as they can match anything we do."</p> - -<p>"But they'd just as soon not. They're inconvenienced the same as we -are when they have to divert too much power. They're better organized -and it's not so bad, but still they have to do without their ordinary -comforts. I don't see any point in tormenting ourselves. Let's turn on -the lights and warm up the place. They'll do the same when they see it."</p> - -<p>"Maybe they will," he said grudgingly. He was not going to accept her -advice.</p> - -<p>She tried again. "Will the scanner reach Earth?"</p> - -<p>He shook his head. "Not quite. The range is limited. I can't give you -figures but I estimate we're well over halfway to the Centauris." He -got up and paced in front of the command unit. "I know what you're -thinking—the appeal to the people of Earth. We tried it once. You know -where it got us."</p> - -<p>He had turned and didn't notice her. "I wasn't thinking of that at -all. I was wondering how close we are. We might get in touch with the -aliens."</p> - -<p>He whirled around. "Say that again. Did you really say that?"</p> - -<p>"Of course there may not <i>be</i> any aliens," murmured Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"Doesn't matter, or I don't think it does. I'll have to figure it out, -but I'm sure it will figure." His face flashed once. "Get Jordan, will -you? I'll be at the scanner."</p> - -<p>Gravity center was virtually a shaft that extended underground toward -the center of the asteroid. At the bottom, shielded and reshielded, -sealed off and impregnable, was the nuclear pile. Nearly half way down -a horizontal shaft branched off, leading to the gravity coils which -were anchored to solid rock.</p> - -<p>Much higher, near the surface, were the gravity computers. Physical -access to them was equally difficult. There were connections so that -electrical impulses could reach them, otherwise the command unit could -not have directed them, have taken over the control. But in every other -respect they were isolated and remote.</p> - -<p>It narrowed Jeriann's search that there were places she didn't have to -look. Nevertheless she passed him twice, going up and down, before she -saw him curled up inconspicuously beside a machine whose function she -didn't know.</p> - -<p>"Now what does he want?" grumbled Jordan, rubbing his eyes. "He won't -rest and he won't let anyone else get a few minutes sleep."</p> - -<p>"He's hardest on you," she said. "You're his hands. He wants you to -operate the scanner."</p> - -<p>"Well, his hands are getting mighty tired," growled Jordan. But his -sleepiness disappeared and he followed swiftly after her.</p> - -<p>Docchi was standing at the scanner, his face furrowed as if thought -alone would move dials. He inclined his head toward the image. "Take -the ship off," he said impatiently. "I've hypnotized myself with it. We -don't need to keep staring at it."</p> - -<p>The ship vanished. "Now what?"</p> - -<p>"They'll beat us to the stars. Let them. We don't have to be first. A -planet of our own will do." Doubt and hope struggled for Docchi's face -and Jeriann couldn't say which won. "Explore the Centauri system," he -said.</p> - -<p>"Both of them?"</p> - -<p>"The nearest one first. After that we'll see."</p> - -<p>A bright star slid to the center of the scanner. It flickered and -then grew brighter, blazing out as they visually approached it. They -were within a few million miles as the solar prominences lashed out -blindingly. Jeriann could feel the heat. For the first time in weeks -she was warm. "Cut the focus," called Docchi. "You'll burn out the -scanner."</p> - -<p>The sun softened and dimmed but remained where it was as the strength -of the field was reduced. Jordan awaited instructions.</p> - -<p>"Now that I'm sure we can reach it, we'll get the asteroid back to -normal. Later we'll resume exploration," said Docchi. He started toward -the command unit to make alterations and then saw that, though Jordan -was following him, Jeriann wasn't. "Can't you stay?" he asked.</p> - -<p>She indicated the empty belt. "I used my last absorption capsule."</p> - -<p>She had no right to be happy merely because he was less brusque than -usual. On her way home a facsimile of sunshine began blazing down from -the dome. The grass was crisp and sere but it would revive.</p> - -<p>The race didn't end because the ship and asteroid were no longer -constantly accelerating. Whatever the general thought of it and however -he modified his own plans, as far as the accidentals were concerned the -emphasis had merely shifted. Exploration. It didn't matter who got to -the system first—it was who found the inhabited or inhabitable planets.</p> - -<p>The ship had slightly more speed even when, by mutual consent, both cut -the strength of the drive. Slowly it pulled level and then began to -creep ahead. But the scanner nullified the advantage. The astronomical -equipment of the ship, superior though it was, was not adequate to -observe the planets in detail from this distance. Before the ship could -locate planets and catalogue the characteristics it would ultimately -have to slow down and waste days or weeks searching the specks of light -to decide which were worth closer investigation.</p> - -<p>With the mass sensitive scanner there was no such problem. Six planets -for Alpha and seven for Proxima with, for a while, the possibility that -one or two more might be on the far side of the respective suns. Within -weeks, relative to the asteroid, much longer for stationary objects, -that possibility was eliminated. Six and seven planets there were and -no more.</p> - -<p>In one respect the scanner wasn't perfect. Nona was shown where it -failed to perform satisfactorily and, after looking it over with mild -curiosity, took it completely apart, altering a number of circuits. -When she reassembled it again it had exactly the same limitations.</p> - -<p>Jordan switched it on and brought the planet in focus. He changed the -dial setting and the image blurred, scattering a coruscating rainbow of -brilliant light. Once again he patiently adjusted the dials and the -planet returned to normal. "That's as close as we can get," he said. -"I'd estimate about fifty thousand miles out."</p> - -<p>"Try the fourth planet, the Saturn type," suggested Docchi.</p> - -<p>Minus rings but with several satellites a large planet replaced the -smaller one they had been looking at. After vainly trying to get closer -Jordan gave his opinion. "A hundred and fifty thousand miles from the -surface. This thing's mass sensitive, that's all—proportional to the -mass. It won't resolve an image close to the surface of a planet. -Notice that we couldn't get nearer than a few million miles of the -sun—but we could slide right into a little thing like a ship."</p> - -<p>Reluctantly Docchi nodded. "We'll have to be satisfied with it as it -is. Nevertheless I think it can be made to approach the surface of any -mass, even the sun."</p> - -<p>"Nona couldn't do it," said Jordan.</p> - -<p>Docchi smiled. "I think she's more interested in her husband at the -moment. Besides, what did she have to work with? Odds and ends of -parts that really aren't suited for what they have to do. It would be -different if she had an unlimited supply of gravity generating parts, -or could get what she needs made to order."</p> - -<p>"What you want is a whole new science," said Jordan.</p> - -<p>"Why not? We've got the beginning of it," said Docchi.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the search went on. Each planet was scrutinized as closely -as the scanner would allow. The images were photographed, enlarged -and studied, pored over by everyone who could show some experience in -topographical work. Two inhabitable planets were discovered, one in -each star system.</p> - -<p>It was somewhat disappointing that there was no trace of an alien -civilization on either world or on any of the planets.</p> - -<p>Jeriann looked up from the photograph. "I can't see anything. Clouds. -Nothing but clouds."</p> - -<p>Jordan shrugged. "Methane probably. It was the best I could get. What -do you want to see?"</p> - -<p>"I think we should get a good look at the surface before we rule out -aliens."</p> - -<p>"Still after the aliens." Docchi smiled tolerantly. "You'll have to -wait till the next system, or the next."</p> - -<p>"I think she wants to find them because it's one of the reasons normals -didn't want us to go."</p> - -<p>"A little," confessed Jeriann. "They refused us because of what aliens -might think when they saw us."</p> - -<p>"Ever reflect it's exactly what they might think?"</p> - -<p>Jeriann was startled and before she could reply Jordan produced another -argument. "We're better off without them. Where would we be if those -two planets were settled, spilling over with strange creatures that -could outthink us without untwining their tails?"</p> - -<p>Jeriann flushed. "You're teasing me because I don't know much about -astronomy. You're not very good inside a medical lab." She stared hard -at the photograph. "I still think you're wrong to conclude there aren't -any aliens just because they don't show up on planets we can live on."</p> - -<p>Jordan rested his huge hand on the disc of the planet she was studying. -"Ever hear of Jupiter, Saturn, or Uranus?"</p> - -<p>"I'm not that ignorant."</p> - -<p>"I didn't mean you were," said Jordan. "But man's actually landed on -two of those planets and though we haven't got to Jupiter we have sent -down a little remote controlled ship. There's <i>nothing</i> on all three -of the big planets, not even microscopic life. The latest theory is -that there's some kind of life over most of the universe but that -intelligence will have to show up under conditions similar to those -that evolved us. Of course we're willing to be convinced, but——"</p> - -<p>He crumpled the photograph. "Nevertheless I'll try to get a better -picture of the Alpha Centauri version of Saturn."</p> - -<p>"Stop quarreling," said Anti. "I think it's nice that there are two -planets, neither of which has anyone to lay prior claim to it. Which -one shall we take?"</p> - -<p>"I'll take the Proxima planet," said Jordan as he went back to the -scanner.</p> - -<p>"Do we have to choose now?" asked Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"We should," said Docchi. "The advantage we have is very small; we have -to exploit it. Ideally we ought not to decelerate until the last minute -and at the end of that period we should find ourselves in a perfect -thousand mile orbit around the planet." He glanced at the model of the -system they'd constructed. "Myself, I'm for the second Alpha planet."</p> - -<p>Anti snorted. "That thing? It's nothing but a hotter edition of Mars."</p> - -<p>"Mars isn't bad, Anti. People live on it. Besides, it isn't Mars. It's -hotter, warmer than Earth in fact. Dry, but there are two small oceans -and several mountain chains and on the shady side of the hills there -seem to be trees. We can live comfortably there."</p> - -<p>"I thought of something else," said Jeriann. "They'll head straight for -the planet that will support the biggest population. Let them have the -prize—we don't need it."</p> - -<p>"I had that in mind," said Docchi. "It will give us more time to get -safely established. Once we're on, there's nothing much they can do."</p> - -<p>The deceleration began soon and went off smoothly. In less than a -subjective year since they left Earth they entered the Alpha system. -But they were not the first humans to arrive. The official expedition -in the Star Victory preceded them by several days. The difference was -that the accidentals knew exactly where they were going and actually -arrived at the planet while the other ship was still cautiously -investigating the outer orbits.</p> - -<p>"It doesn't matter," said Anti as they gathered by the scanner, -discussing it. "In principle we're responsible for what they've done. -They can have the glory. What we came for was a place to live in peace."</p> - -<p>"And we'll get it," said Docchi. In the last few weeks his uneasiness, -never very deep, had come to the surface. The knowledge of how narrow a -margin they had was frightening.</p> - -<p>Outside the planet filled the dome. It was actually quite small but it -was close and covered most of the sky. Now that they were near they -could see that only superficially did it resemble Mars. There were -mountains and several large streams and it wasn't as barren as at first -they had thought.</p> - -<p>"I wish I could land, or we could go closer," said Anti.</p> - -<p>There was no answer for that. Anti's personal null gravity field would -function only so long as it was in contact with the gravity computer, -which in effect it was an extension of. She wasn't yet strong enough to -stand on the surface of their new home. As for the other, the asteroid -was quite large and it wasn't advisable to risk a nearer approach.</p> - -<p>Webber came in, grinning hugely and rattling his arm and leg more than -necessary. "The first load's on. When do we peel off?"</p> - -<p>"Whenever you're ready. The rocket dome is on automatic. Take off and -it'll open for you."</p> - -<p>"It's safe to leave?"</p> - -<p>"If you're the rocket pilot you say you are. It's an ordinary landing. -The scouts the general left us are in fair condition."</p> - -<p>"Don't worry about me. I meant, will the expedition interfere?"</p> - -<p>"Last time we checked the ship was nosing around the outer planets."</p> - -<p>"Good stupid old Judd. It's nice that we can depend on him to proceed -with the utmost of military caution—and arrive at his goal too late."</p> - -<p>It was not quite fair to the general, who was shrewd enough when it -came to things he had been trained to deal with. From the military -standpoint he had to check every possibility before going on to the -next. He was the official representative of the entire solar system -and he did not dare act as hastily as the accidentals could. His -responsibilities held him back. But there were other times in which -unimaginative obedience to higher authority would carry the day.</p> - -<p>"Be careful," warned Docchi. "Don't let anyone go out until the air and -soil and water have been tested and retested and approved."</p> - -<p>"The doctor thinks we can handle any virus, bacteria, parasite, or -anything else you can name that shows up. It's not the first strange -world man has landed on."</p> - -<p>"This is not the solar system," said Docchi. "You may have to restrain -Cameron if he's overly anxious to show Nona what the new world is like."</p> - -<p>"For that reason you——" Webber stopped, glancing away from Docchi's -face. "It's too bad you can't go. You ought to have some first to your -name."</p> - -<p>"Don't concern yourself. I'll get there one of these days. Somebody's -got to be up here at this end."</p> - -<p>"And I'll make certain nothing goes wrong down there." Webber shifted -uncomfortably but the mood didn't last. "I'll be back in a week for the -next load. Once we get settled things will speed up."</p> - -<p>"We'll be waiting," called Jordan as Webber left.</p> - -<p>There was tension before the rocket lifted and sluiced through the -dome locks. It didn't abate as the swatch of light flared across the -darkness and faded against the bright illumination of the planetary -disc. It was only when they were able to observe the successful landing -on the selected site and the radio response came in. "All clear. A bit -shaken up on the way down but no damage except to my ego. I think I got -all the rusty rocketry out of my system. We're waiting while tests come -in. We'll let you know before we go out."</p> - -<p>"Now I can breathe," said Anti. "A place of our own. Just let the -general come and try to take us off."</p> - -<p>"Why not? He has weapons, which we don't. There's nothing to stop him -from landing down there and capturing them. I won't feel safe until we -have a real settlement going and can defend it. And then I'm not sure."</p> - -<p>"Now, Jeriann," admonished Anti.</p> - -<p>"They'll obey their own laws," said Docchi. "Planets outside the solar -system that aren't claimed by others belong to those who first settle -them. They passed that long ago as an incentive to interstellar travel. -The moment we landed we became independent. To molest us now would be a -clear violation of everything they believe in."</p> - -<p>"I hope you're right," said Jeriann. "I hope you are."</p> - -<p>Anti was gazing out the window at the arch of the dome, through which -she could see the edge of the planet, ruddy, with a small sparkling -green and gold ocean turned toward them. She got to her feet. "I'm -going outside and see the world before it slips away. I was wrong. It's -not like Mars. Much prettier."</p> - -<p>Docchi was busy for a moment as Anti and Jordan left and when the work -was finished and he turned around he saw that Jeriann had remained with -him. Without realizing what she was doing she was fingering the empty -spaces on her belt. It wasn't conspicuous but like him she wore her -infirmity on the outside where everyone could see.</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry you couldn't go first," she said, touching the one remaining -capsule.</p> - -<p>"First or later isn't important. But why not be sorry you weren't -first?"</p> - -<p>"Well, there are things to be done and oh, I don't know."</p> - -<p>She was disturbed for some reason he could not guess. The sight of -their world seemed to upset her as much as it did him, but with -different effects. "It's the same with me. But now the worst is over." -Docchi sat motionless. "Jeriann."</p> - -<p>"Yes?"</p> - -<p>"Once I said I'd come to see you when I could."</p> - -<p>"You promised, but you never came."</p> - -<p>"The promise was to myself. I can come to see you now. Am I still -invited?"</p> - -<p>"Why do you ask a question like that?" said Jeriann. "You know, don't -you? You know what I'll say."</p> - -<p>First they registered and then they left the Hall of Records, walking -slowly, watching the planet roll over the dome, disappearing by -degrees. It was out of sight, the last patch vanishing as they reached -her dwelling. And inside, where time was waiting everywhere, the -remainder of it on the floor, peering down from the ceiling and ticking -with soft persistence in the walls, they quite forgot time for a while.</p> - -<p>They slept dreamlessly. It was nearly morning before he became restless -and awakened. It was not the rhythmical noises that were intended to -keep her informed of the schedule that bothered him.</p> - -<p>He lay there and tried to determine where the sound came from. He could -feel her body next to his, warm and wonderful. He couldn't get back to -sleep and he couldn't ignore what was happening.</p> - -<p>He moved and touched her. She was quivering. "Are you laughing or -crying?" he whispered.</p> - -<p>"I can't cry so I've got to be laughing," she answered. "It's funny. I -was lying here thinking about it. I suppose I can cook. I don't know. -It's been a long time."</p> - -<p>"Is that all?" He chuckled. "Don't give it another thought. I -understand how you feel about it."</p> - -<p>"Do you? I don't think so." She squirmed closer and put her arms -around him "That's what's so funny. There's no food here and nothing to -cook it on. Not only that, there never will be. You've got yourself a -prize woman."</p> - -<p>"I think so too. I'm satisfied," he said. "Can't you feel my arms -around you?"</p> - -<p>She would never be able to convince him that she could.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c15" id="c15">15</a></h2> - - -<p>Now that Cameron was gone there was much more to be done in the -hospital. Jeriann rushed to get through but small errors plagued her, -nullifying a good part of her work. Finally she forced herself to be -more careful, checking the biologicals with extreme caution.</p> - -<p>"I hear," said Maureen, sauntering in, "the nuptials were informal, -catch as catch can."</p> - -<p>"No ceremony," said Jeriann. "We stopped in and registered and went on -to my place."</p> - -<p>"What's the difference as long as you're sure of him," said Maureen.</p> - -<p>"I'm not. I'm sure of me."</p> - -<p>Maureen looked at her critically. "In your case it's good enough," she -said with a trace of envy as she leaned against the machine.</p> - -<p>"Don't," said Jeriann sharply. "This thing is an art, not a science. -The heat of your hand will alter the product."</p> - -<p>"Well, all right," said Maureen crossly. "If I had something worthwhile -to do I wouldn't be so nervous."</p> - -<p>"I think it can be arranged," said Jeriann, smiling. "How would you -like to be a colonist?"</p> - -<p>"On the next ship? Maybe."</p> - -<p>"It would be exciting. Also you'd be near Webber." Jeriann made a -delicate adjustment.</p> - -<p>"I haven't made up my mind about him," said Maureen airily. "He's -virile though."</p> - -<p>"He clanks a lot, if that's what you mean."</p> - -<p>"At least he doesn't pretend he's carrying the world on his shoulders -without any——" Maureen stopped. "I guess I shouldn't say that in -front of you."</p> - -<p>"You shouldn't," agreed Jeriann. "Nowhere I'll be apt to hear it. Now -why don't you see Jordan about getting on the next ship?"</p> - -<p>After that the work went smoothly and she soon found she'd completed -the day's quota and part of the next. She continued longer until she -had tomorrow free. They had the whole day off to do what they liked, if -she could persuade him to rest. She was humming when she went out and -it was clear evening and there was a beautiful silver fleck in the sky.</p> - -<p>Only it was not beautiful because it was a ship—and it was not their -ship.</p> - -<p>And neither was it the Star Victory. She'd watched it so often on the -scanner that every line of it was etched in her mind.</p> - -<p>She hurried to gravity center, every step an effort. Why couldn't they -have been discovered later? She would have preferred an alien ship, -anything to this. Where had it come from?</p> - -<p>Jordan was waiting at the entrance. "I knew you'd be here. You saw the -scout?"</p> - -<p>It was simple if she had thought about it. The Star Victory was large -and carried auxiliary landing craft. "When did it come?"</p> - -<p>"Less than an hour ago. Go on in. I'll wait for Anti."</p> - -<p>Docchi was leaning against the command unit. The telescreen on the -opposite wall was glowing but there was nothing on it except harsh -white glare. "I tried to get you at the hospital as soon as they -stopped talking. You'd just left."</p> - -<p>"They didn't call until they got close?"</p> - -<p>A smile had died on his face and the corpse of it was still there. -"They nailed us dead. We should have had someone checking on the -scanner. It works turned away from the planet. I guess it wouldn't have -done any good though—there was just too much space to cover. First -thing we knew they were on the telescreen. Jordan went outside, and -there they were."</p> - -<p>She was thinking of the people on the planet. The asteroid couldn't -abandon them. She hoped the scout didn't know how vulnerable they -were. "What did they say?"</p> - -<p>"The general sent an urgent message. He asked us not to land on this or -any other planet."</p> - -<p>"He <i>asked</i> us?" The general was accustomed to commanding.</p> - -<p>His face was illuminated with the weak radiance of his veins. "I didn't -tell them we <i>had</i> landed and I don't think they observed it." He -stopped to recall what she said and the effort was painful. "Oh yes, -the general asked us. Below the cloud banks he discovered an alien -civilization on the Saturn type planet and is negotiating with them. -Naturally they'd regard it as a hostile act on the part of mankind if -we occupied a planet in their system without first asking."</p> - -<p>Jeriann touched the absorption capsules without feeling them. "Aliens!"</p> - -<p>"You were right, though you had no right to be. Not that it would -have made any difference what we thought. As long as the general was -cruising around the planet we wouldn't have dared investigate."</p> - -<p>It didn't pay to generalize on what they learned from one planet, in -one system. When man had journeyed throughout the galaxy there would -still be surprises waiting for him when he came to the other side. "Let -the expedition worry about hostile acts," said Jeriann. "If the aliens -break off negotiations, so much the better for us."</p> - -<p>"You forget we didn't come solely for ourselves. We hoped to make -ourselves useful to mankind. What kind of disservice is that, to -embroil humanity in a war with the first aliens we meet?" His face was -flaring and white and the smile gone.</p> - -<p>"Don't," whispered Jeriann. "I'm afraid of lightning—yours most of -all. I expect to hear thunder and be struck dead."</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry," he said. "We have a right to think of ourselves but not -exclusively of ourselves."</p> - -<p>"I mean, do they care? If they live on that planet they can't -want this. They couldn't survive under such different conditions. -Astronomical observations must be difficult with so many clouds and -without space travel are we sure the aliens even know about this world?"</p> - -<p>He blinked wearily. "We took a chance. We had to. They have space -travel. The general wouldn't be so anxious not to offend them if they -were inferior to our own civilization."</p> - -<p>"But we didn't see their ships."</p> - -<p>"Again we weren't looking in the right place. There's nothing in this -system they travel to. But there is a comparable planet in Proxima, and -in recent months they've been on opposite sides of the respective suns. -They wait for more favorable positions."</p> - -<p>It was not luck that had favored the general. Theory said there should -be intelligent life in the Centauri system and it further indicated -that it would be found on an Earth type planet. It was half correct, -and the wrong half had fallen against the accidentals. Stubbornly -insisting on following the plan laid down by his superiors, the general -had won. "What are we going to do?" said Jeriann. "There are hostages -down there."</p> - -<p>"We'll get them back," said Docchi. "Nobody can stop us."</p> - -<p>"Can we? Their ships are faster than ours."</p> - -<p>"They can't use their speed close to a planet. And the expedition -won't be aggressive in someone else's backyard. We can't land without -breaking up the asteroid but we'll go near enough so they won't be able -to intercept our ship."</p> - -<p>It was a daring maneuver. The bulk of the asteroid could be used to -cut off any attempt to overtake their returning ship. "There's Roche's -limit," said Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"Doesn't apply. We're not a simple planetoidal mass. We'll clamp the -heaviest gravity we're capable of and, barring something unforeseen, we -can hold the crust together at a distance of ten to twenty miles of the -surface."</p> - -<p>She understood; they'd take the risk if necessary but it ought to be -avoided, because it was a risk. Nobody knew what solid tides would be -set in the crust of the asteroid as the result of an external gravity -field.</p> - -<p>"And then what?" she said. "We get them back and then what?" Her hands -were heavy. The silver mote overhead, shining in the light of Alpha, -was implacable.</p> - -<p>"What else is there?" said Docchi with an attempt at cheerfulness. -"We'll get them back, every person, and then we'll go on. To the next -star and the next, and if we have to, the one after that. Somewhere -we'll find a place."</p> - -<p>Jeriann touched him wonderingly. "I love you for saying that. I love -you anyway, but particularly for saying that."</p> - -<p>He seemed to shrink, flaming where she touched him, fiery fingertips on -his face. "You know?" he said dully.</p> - -<p>"Yes. For quite a while now. Anti suspects too. I think we all do. This -was our last chance, wasn't it?"</p> - -<p>He couldn't look at her. "We shouldn't have stopped. The next star -surely would have been the place."</p> - -<p>"Place," said Jeriann. "It wasn't your fault. Why do you suppose we -were so eager to agree with you? We knew the longer we went on the more -we were at a disadvantage."</p> - -<p>It was so drearily obvious that nearly everyone had some inkling of -the truth. The Star Victory was not the only ship of its class; some -were rusting in the spaceyards and some were in use as interplanetary -freighters. And if the Star Victory could be converted easily, why not -the others?</p> - -<p>A new drive to replace the obsolete one? Order it and with a little -switching around in the manufacturing plants, diverting it from other -uses, it was delivered tomorrow and completely installed the day after -that. The command unit the accidentals had labored so long to alter? -Every dinky little office had as good and in many cases all that was -required was changing the information spools. And thousands of crews -were available, already trained, used to working together. It wouldn't -be hard to recruit them and add a few officers at the top and a staff -of linguists and scientists.</p> - -<p>Nona had given them the one thing they needed and now mankind was -exploding into space. There was no end in sight. The whole neighboring -sphere of space that enveloped the solar system was due for immediate -exploration.</p> - -<p>And the accidentals hadn't been forgotten. They were not the objective, -wealth was: planets to be claimed and occupied or mined, civilizations -to be contacted with whom products and techniques and entire new -sciences could be exchanged.</p> - -<p>If they were lucky enough to get away from the Centauri system at the -next star they'd find other ships waiting, doing business with the -natives, if there were any; if not, establishing firm little colonies -on everything that was capable of supporting human life. They were -surrounded, overwhelmed by numbers. It was no wonder the general -hadn't been perturbed at the failure of his plan to land unnoticed on -the asteroid. He knew what had been slow in occurring to them. For them -there was no next star.</p> - -<p>Docchi gazed in sick defeat at Jeriann. There was no need to talk. -There was nothing to say.</p> - -<p>The asteroid was rolling toward twilight as Anti came in. "What are we -doing about those insolent pirates? They have no jurisdiction here. We -ought to aim the asteroid at them. We can smash them." She saw their -faces and the words stopped. "I was hoping—but I guess we can't hide -it among ourselves," she said.</p> - -<p>"It's no use," said Docchi heavily. "We'll have to go down and take -them off the planet."</p> - -<p>"How will they know? We can't get a beam down with a whole planet in -the way," said Anti. "Let's wait till morning so we can tell them to be -ready."</p> - -<p>"I don't know," said Docchi indecisively.</p> - -<p>"None of us know anything," said Anti fiercely. "Go home and get some -sleep. We'll think of something by morning."</p> - -<p>After they were gone Anti went outside. Looking up she could see the -scout, still visible, glistening in the light of Alpha. It was much -brighter than the stars that had been watching them.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Cameron tried to be detached and objective. "Do they know we're here?"</p> - -<p>"I don't think so. They'd have been upset if they had any idea."</p> - -<p>"Seems likely," agreed the doctor. "We left as they were approaching. -But we took off from the face nearest the planet and they came in from -the opposite side. The asteroid acted as a screen."</p> - -<p>"Probably," agreed Docchi with indifference. "How soon can you be -ready?"</p> - -<p>"Do we have to come up immediately?"</p> - -<p>Docchi shrugged. "I can shove the scout out of the way. I don't know -what will happen if and when the Star Victory gets here."</p> - -<p>"It's too big to maneuver close to the surface of the planet."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps. But it carries other scouts it can launch."</p> - -<p>Cameron grimaced. "Two or three fast little ships would be difficult to -brush away. But do we have to let them get close?"</p> - -<p>"How can we stop them? Better come up while you can."</p> - -<p>Cameron was fighting it, not recognizing the odds. "The scanner will -work, won't it?" questioned the doctor.</p> - -<p>"Turned away from the planet, yes."</p> - -<p>"That's what I meant. Keep it trained on the alien world. If the Star -Victory comes out of the clouds and heads this way you'll know it in -plenty of time to scoop us up."</p> - -<p>It could be done but why jeopardize themselves further? He wanted to -refuse but Jeriann was pressing close to him, whispering. "Do you have -any reason for wanting to stay?" he asked reluctantly.</p> - -<p>"You see right through me, don't you?" said Cameron. "No, there's no -real reason except this, Nona's interested in this world and wants to -stay."</p> - -<p>It was as valid as anything else he could have said. That they had come -so far, if only to fail at the final step, was due almost entirely -to her efforts. She deserved some reward, though it was only the -satisfaction of mild curiosity. "Wait," he said suspiciously. "Are you -sure you know <i>what</i> she wants? We're sometimes able to tell her what -we want, but never the other way around."</p> - -<p>"But I know——" The doctor stopped and looked at him wildly, his face -flooded with sudden exaltation which gradually faded. "I do know," he -said at last. "For a moment I thought it was telepathy. But I guess -not. I'm not a computer." He glanced out of the viewport at a world -they couldn't see.</p> - -<p>"Thank you for bringing it to my attention, Docchi," he said when he -faced them again. "It's just interest. For the first time she has -someone she wants to understand—me—and a world outside she longs to -visit. The combination is strong enough to stimulate her mind—and -she's bright enough to learn anything she decides she has to."</p> - -<p>Cameron rubbed his hand across his face and he was tired too. "Let us -stay here as long as you can without endangering yourselves. I want -to work with her under these surroundings. I think now, looking back -at the way she's behaved these last few days, I can make a start at -teaching her to read."</p> - -<p>"It must be a lovely place if she likes it so well," said Jeriann. -"Maybe you can turn the screen of your ship so we can see what it's -like outside."</p> - -<p>"No," said Docchi hoarsely. "Don't waste time taking apart the ship. -Get busy with her, teach her what you can. Take her outside if it's -safe, but don't go far. We may call suddenly." He lowered his voice as -he went on talking and at the end was no louder than usual.</p> - -<p>"I understand," said Cameron. "Don't worry about us. Something may come -out of it."</p> - -<p>"It's worse for them," said Jeriann when the screen darkened. "They've -seen it and then they'll have to come back. It won't be anything we'll -have to shove deep in our memories."</p> - -<p>He didn't know. He didn't know at all. "I need your help," he said, -going into the scanner room. Under his direction Jeriann made -adjustments and brought the alien world in view. Cloud swathed and -mysterious, a strange civilization hidden under the impenetrable -atmosphere, it rolled on through space.</p> - -<p>"We'll take turns," he said. "The minute anything bright comes up we'll -get busy."</p> - -<p>"I hate them," said Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"Who?"</p> - -<p>"The aliens. If it weren't for them we'd have a clear claim on the -planet."</p> - -<p>"But they didn't do anything," he said. "They're merely protecting -their own interests. We'd do the same." Nevertheless he hated the -aliens too.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Jeriann was shaking him. She had to shout before he started and woke -up. "They've left," she said. "We've got to hurry."</p> - -<p>He was tired and didn't want to move. It was very unimportant. "Are you -sure it was the Star Victory you saw? It may have been a satellite."</p> - -<p>"It was the ship—at least it was using rockets."</p> - -<p>He got out of bed and let her help him dress. Usually he refused her -aid. "Rockets? But the Star Victory doesn't have any." Of course it -did; it was part of the obsolete equipment that hadn't been removed -because there wasn't time. Besides, it was an excellent reverse source -of propulsion.</p> - -<p>"I don't care. That's what I saw," said Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"Where are Jordan and Anti?"</p> - -<p>"I've called them. They'll be there."</p> - -<p>He finished dressing and they hurried to the scanner. There was no -mistake; it was the ship, but there was no bright tail behind. They -were using the gravity drive. He watched it grimly.</p> - -<p>"But they were," said Jeriann. "There's nothing wrong with my eyesight. -They were using rockets."</p> - -<p>He withheld comment. Rockets weren't nearly as efficient as the gravity -drive, particularly near a large planet. Yet Jeriann said she saw it. -He hoped she hadn't.</p> - -<p>Anti and Jordan came in almost simultaneously and joined the vigil. -Minutes passed in silence and then the brief orange flower blossomed -again.</p> - -<p>"See," said Jeriann.</p> - -<p>"Now why are they doing that?" growled Jordan. "They were doing fine -without it."</p> - -<p>"Maybe they need more speed," suggested Anti.</p> - -<p>Jordan grunted. "Wouldn't add ten per cent."</p> - -<p>"But if they needed ten per cent, if they were in trouble——"</p> - -<p>"They are in trouble," said Jeriann. "It's a signal."</p> - -<p>This was a version he could accept—if there weren't better -explanations. Swiftly Docchi made mental approximations. "At the rate -they're going they'll be here in half a day. They can't reach us with -their telescreen until they're nearly here. Shall we go inside and see -what's wrong with them?"</p> - -<p>They looked at each other, and looked, until Anti answered. "What's a -few minutes?" she said. "We've plenty of time to pick up our people. We -can be gone before they get close."</p> - -<p>Could they? That was what he didn't know. Taking an asteroid near the -surface of a planet had never been tried and there were no rules. -He'd have to feel it out as he went along, ready to turn away at the -first indication of overload. Docchi looked at Jeriann, who nodded -imperceptibly.</p> - -<p>"I think we're in agreement," said Jordan, touching the dials.</p> - -<p>General Judd was waiting for them. "There you are," he said -enigmatically. "I hoped you'd understand."</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid we don't. You'll have to explain."</p> - -<p>"Still the old flamethrower, I see," said the general brusquely. -"Mainly I wanted to make sure you didn't run when you saw us coming. -My psychologists assured me you'd be a sucker for anything that looked -like distress. I've got new respect for them." He chuckled.</p> - -<p>"Now that we've been suckered, as you so kindly put it, please tell us -what you want."</p> - -<p>"I'm coming to——" The general's face reddened and his eyes bulged -and he started coughing. The air wheezed stranglingly in and out of -his lungs until finally he was able to control the spasm. He grabbed -a tissue and wiped his face with it. "Designs are no good," he said. -"Ship, spacesuits, everything. Meant to hold pressure from the inside -and down there it's in the other direction—and it's really pressure. -Gets into everything. Not very much but it fries your lungs. Remember -that."</p> - -<p>"We will. Get to the point, General."</p> - -<p>The general looked at Docchi thoughtfully and seemed satisfied with -what he saw. "Don't be impatient. What I have to say is complicated and -you'll have to get the background. Are you interested?"</p> - -<p>"I am," said Anti.</p> - -<p>"Good," said the general, not waiting for the others to signify. "Well, -we landed. We went in on the gravity drive and possibly it was a -mistake but I don't see what else we could have done—rockets wouldn't -have held us. Anyway they had their instruments out and we think they -could tell what we were using."</p> - -<p>"What were they like, the aliens?" asked Jeriann.</p> - -<p>The general seemed to regard that as unimportant information. He -glanced appreciatively at Jeriann but ignored her question. "Funny -thing. They didn't ask us about our drive and, of course, we didn't -tell them. As nearly as we can tell they have something like it—about -in the stage of development ours was a few years ago. Theirs will take -them to Proxima because it's relatively close but it's no good beyond -that." The general thought about what he'd just said. "Well, their -drive wouldn't work at real interstellar distances—which is why they -haven't visited us—but unfortunately we must have given them a clue. -They know ours works and in no time they'll have it figured out."</p> - -<p>"Sort of suspicious, aren't you?" said Anti.</p> - -<p>"Lord, yes," said the general. "Do you know what land surface their -planet has, what a population it will support? Two planets against -three, but theirs are so much bigger. It balances off a little that -we have a better drive and our reproduction rate can be higher than -theirs."</p> - -<p>"I take it you didn't tell them about Jupiter and Saturn?" said Jordan.</p> - -<p>"No point bringing <i>that</i> up," said the general, apprehensive at -the mere thought. "Oh they have things we want. Two very attractive -planets, and they're wizards at high pressure chemistry and -organics—you'd expect them to be—but the exchange was hardly worth -it." The general sat motionless, recalling the scenes on that strange -planet. "They <i>could</i> be very dangerous. It was imperative that we -establish some sort of friendly contact. Naturally we told them about -you."</p> - -<p>"Naturally," said Docchi dryly. "You were four light years from home -and you weren't dealing with uncivilized natives."</p> - -<p>"Nothing derogatory, you understand," said the general hastily.</p> - -<p>"I'm sure," said Docchi. "General, some time ago I asked what you -wanted. Much as we appreciate your friendly conversation—and the -friendliness is quite unexpected—unless you can tell us what you're -after in the next few minutes we'll have to conclude that your sole -objective is to hold us here while you get closer."</p> - -<p>"Don't do anything rash," said the general, as concerned as Docchi had -ever seen him. "You see it was a stalemate. We were a little afraid -of them and they didn't trust us and both sides were noncommittal. We -didn't show each other a thing. But there had to be a solution."</p> - -<p>"General, I warned you."</p> - -<p>"Can't you see?" half-shouted the general, rising up. "I thought you -were smart. We're going home and we may as well unload our surplus -supplies. You'll need them. It will be about nine years before anyone -gets back." He shoved the chair aside and concentrated steadily on -Jeriann, the one normal human among them.</p> - -<p>"This is what we decided," he said. "You get the planet for the next -fifteen or twenty years, longer if they approve. Meanwhile all trade -between us passes through you." He jammed his hands in his pockets. -"There. Do you accept?"</p> - -<p>"Do we accept?" said Anti. "He asks us."</p> - -<p>"I see you do," said the general with gloomy satisfaction. "It was -their suggestion. They want to study you at length to see what makes -humans behave. Naturally you'll be keeping <i>your</i> eyes open." He -swallowed and conquered the incipient cough. "Now if you'll turn off -this beastly little gadget and let me have some privacy I'll talk to -you when we get there."</p> - -<p>Jordan reached for the scanner but was not quite soon enough. The -general thought he was alone when he wasn't. "Those damned butterflies. -Trillions of them." His face twisted.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h2><a name="c16" id="c16">16</a></h2> - - -<p>They went walking in the night. Stars were out but they didn't notice. -They had found a star to belong to and weren't looking for others. -"Which one?" said Jeriann, turning her head.</p> - -<p>"I can't point. Anyway I don't know," said Docchi. "I can get it for -you on the scanner."</p> - -<p>Jeriann laughed. "Never mind. I don't need to see their planet. They'll -come soon enough."</p> - -<p>"Almost too soon. I keep wondering what they're actually like."</p> - -<p>"Me, too," said Jeriann. "I don't even know how big they are. Sure, I -saw them on the screen for a short time, but it's not like meeting -them. Large butterflies is what I first thought, but the resemblance -fades as you continue looking. And, what is their size? There was -nothing familiar to judge them against."</p> - -<p>"Wingspread is a better measure," said Docchi. "The general said eight -feet but I think he was overly impressed by the flat expanse of their -bodies." In a while he added thoughtfully: "But it was not their height -I was thinking of."</p> - -<p>"I know," said Jeriann. She frowned. "Why did they choose us? They -could have had the general's expedition. Instead they asked for us. -Why?"</p> - -<p>They went on in silence, past the acid tank. They looked in. It was -empty. Now they had better use for the chemicals. "How is this for a -reason?" said Jeriann as they strolled away.</p> - -<p>"Still on the aliens?"</p> - -<p>"Why not? We've got to learn how they think."</p> - -<p>Docchi smiled and through the darkness she could see the faint -luminosity of his lips and where his eyes crinkled. "We do, but in the -absence of anything positive all I can apply is self-interest. And I -don't see how they benefit by having us."</p> - -<p>"I do," said Jeriann. "It's because we're normal." She hurried on -before Docchi could protest. "Don't try to talk me down until I -explain. When they contacted us yesterday and said they'd be here in -about three weeks, on an official visit, did you notice which one was -prettiest?"</p> - -<p>"I figured that much out myself," said Docchi. "At least in the -beginning we look very much alike to them, as they do to us. Appearance -doesn't count."</p> - -<p>"True, but that was not my point. I haven't reached it. When you looked -at the—uh—butterfly that spoke to you in that high squeaky voice you -were wondering how he learned our language so well in such a short -time. You were thinking: are they all as smart? Can I trust him?"</p> - -<p>"We've got to trust them," said Docchi grimly. "We're a long way from -support. And they did ask us to stay."</p> - -<p>"But trust all of them, every individual butterfly, under any -circumstance? Or just some?"</p> - -<p>"We're dealing with a government," said Docchi. "We aren't concerned -with individuals. There must be deviations in what they're like. Some -won't be trustworthy." He paused. "But of course a government is a -reflection of what its citizens are." He paused again, came to a dead -stop. "And so, for the aliens, we are average humans."</p> - -<p>"That's what I meant," said Jeriann. "A <i>cross section</i> of what -they'd find on Earth. But of course they can't go to Earth and see for -themselves—not yet. And so they had to make the best choice of what -was at hand."</p> - -<p>They started walking again and Docchi leaned against her. "I think -you're right. The general's expedition, all specialists and experts, -including the military, who are specialists of another kind, was not a -representative group. The butterflies could study them forever but they -wouldn't get a true picture.</p> - -<p>"But they had to know exactly what humans are like, what their -potentialities are, and how they live together. And so they took us."</p> - -<p>"It seems strange," said Jeriann, sliding her arm around him. "Until -now I've never thought of us as normal. But even if the aliens -had refused both of us and asked for another group of colonists -they wouldn't have done as well. Colonists for a special planet -are specially selected—hardiest, strongest, most aggressive or -discontented—there would always be something to throw them off.</p> - -<p>"But accidents cut across everything, age, intelligence, sex, -occupation. Name it and it's here. We're the only representative group -that ever left Earth or ever will."</p> - -<p>"It's odd," agreed Docchi. "But it doesn't match what happens when -we meet our first aliens. It's nothing like anyone imagined. Here we -stand, face to face across the stars. There is no competition for -inhabitable planets since our definitions are mutually exclusive. But -we are afraid; neither side wants war. And so we go ahead cautiously, -looking for signs in the other that will reassure us."</p> - -<p>"I don't know," said Jeriann. "We're being tested. Will we measure up?"</p> - -<p>"We won't fail. In spite of what we may seem to some of our own people, -we're average men and women—and man hasn't stopped climbing upward -since that day somebody built the first fire."</p> - -<p>Jeriann squeezed him and they slowed. In their wandering they had come -to gravity center. They looked at each other and decided to go in. -Jeriann opened the door and there was a light down the hall. They went -to it and looked in.</p> - -<p>Jordan was in front of the scanner, scowling at it in fierce -concentration. "I hope those idiots got it down straight," he muttered -back at them.</p> - -<p>"Don't be so concerned. You took it apart for them, didn't you?"</p> - -<p>"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I made them understand." He wiped his -forehead. "However, even if they don't know what it's all about, -somebody ought to be able to build another. It'll work if they use a -little sense."</p> - -<p>Docchi smiled. "Don't discount what gravity experts know. After they -get through thinking over the ideas in those circuits they'll doll up -the scanner and before you know it they'll have a machine that can -reach us from Earth."</p> - -<p>"That'll be the day," said Jordan. "Let's hope they don't. It's bad -enough they know we're here—but if they have to look at us too...." He -shook his head.</p> - -<p>"You're wrong," said Anti, coming in and sitting down. "Won't be that -way at all." She bent and began rubbing her legs. "My poor feet. I've -been walking around for the longest time—full weight too."</p> - -<p>"Why won't it?" said Jordan. "Remember what happened the last time we -got in touch with them."</p> - -<p>"Not the same people," said Anti. "There were always some, like the -doctor, who didn't think we had to be beautiful to talk to us or be -near. We'll get more of that kind. They don't <i>have</i> to call unless -they want to."</p> - -<p>"And last time we weren't anybody, less than a thousand and not an -important person in the lot. Now we're representatives to the Centauri -system."</p> - -<p>"Profit," said Jordan. "You think they won't be able to afford to show -their feelings. I wish I could agree. But even with the gravity drive -they can't carry much between here and Earth. In the next fifty years -the trade that goes out of here won't make one person rich."</p> - -<p>"I disagree. Ideas don't weigh much and there'll be lots of those -flying back and forth. And was there ever anything more valuable?" -Anti smiled. "But there's more. <i>We</i> won't be the same. Only yesterday -Cameron said he saw Nona looking worriedly at a book. It won't be long -before she gets the idea and wham—new books."</p> - -<p>"She was never the one who had trouble. Anyway, she'll never speak."</p> - -<p>"She doesn't have to as long as she can write—and get some idea of -what we're saying."</p> - -<p>"Then she's all right and that will make the doctor happy." Jordan was -dubious. "But what of us—Docchi, Jeriann, me—the rest?"</p> - -<p>Anti leaned back and slid off her sandals, wriggling her toes in -voluptuously and looking at them with wondering pleasure. "Me? I don't -plan to dance again, but in a year or so I'll get around. The doctor -expects Docchi to have arms in the next three or four years if the -principle he discovered with Maureen works out.</p> - -<p>"And even you, Jordan, may be kicking again, though it will take -longer. Say four or five years for you."</p> - -<p>"I'll kick," scoffed Jordan, but his disbelief wasn't as strong as it -had been.</p> - -<p>"Sure you will," said Anti. "It may not be as quick as we expect. -Of course if we learn anything from interchange of science with the -aliens the time may be shortened. Cameron says they're bound to help us -advance, just as we'll aid them. He's cautious though, and doesn't want -to figure that in until it actually occurs."</p> - -<p>"I'll believe it then," said Docchi. "But you didn't mention Jeriann. -Or do you consider her already normal?"</p> - -<p>Anti frowned at her toes and slipped her feet into the sandals. "No, -I don't. She seems to be in nearly perfect health. But don't believe -everything you see."</p> - -<p>"Darling," said Jeriann. "When did I have my last capsule? I don't have -any with me."</p> - -<p>"An hour or so ago."</p> - -<p>"Are you sure? My time sense keeps warning me."</p> - -<p>"If you think we should let's go and get one."</p> - -<p>"She knows," said Anti. "I heard the doctor telling her that her case -looked easy but wasn't. She'll be the last."</p> - -<p>"Wait," called Docchi who scarcely heard what Anti was saying. He -hurried out into the hall after Jeriann. He was gone a few minutes, -and when he came back there was a handprint flaming and furious on his -face.</p> - -<p>He looked at Anti dully. "I didn't say anything. I told her to wait and -I'd go with her."</p> - -<p>"She can't help it," said Anti. "I thought it was time you knew."</p> - -<p>"What is there to know?" he said bitterly. "She's upset because she -can't eat. Compared to some of us it's merely an inconvenience. I -resent her childishness."</p> - -<p>"It was always there for you to see but you never looked close enough," -sighed Anti. "How many times has she had to control herself."</p> - -<p>"But I never said anything——"</p> - -<p>"I know what you said," answered Anti. "When she had <i>her</i> accident -it was a very hot day. She was a young girl and was busy playing and -didn't realize how badly she wanted it until she started for the -fountain. She was struck down before she reached it. Now—what was it -you told her?"</p> - -<p>"A drink," he said, staring at Anti in dismay. "I told her——"</p> - -<p>"Twenty years of thirst. But you knew there was nothing that is even -moist in her house. The shower spouts fine dry particles. And she had -no pictures that show lakes or rivers. Go find her."</p> - -<p>Water. It was life because it came before life. There were creatures -that could exist quite comfortably without light. There were some that -died in the half strength of the sun, to whom the visible spectrum -and beyond was inimical. There were others that didn't need oxygen, -anerobic microorganisms which perished in the free atmosphere because -of the presence of a substance commonly considered necessary for living -things.</p> - -<p>But there was nothing that could exist without water. Life on Earth -originated there and to it must always return. It was the cradle of -the first cell, and the mother too. There were minute cells that lived -motionless and free floating in water long before any living thing -learned to swim through its droplet universe. Before there were fins -or hands and feet, eyes to respond to light, and an orifice to eat and -shape fine noises with—there was water. And any living creature that -had a mouth from time to time might refresh its lips with the common -and precious fluid.</p> - -<p>Except Jeriann.</p> - -<p>The psychotechnicians knew they could condition her and so it had -been done. She could not drink, would not. She would resist if it -were forced upon her, struggle until her bones broke. But even the -psychotechnicians who had created the mental block hadn't completely -trusted it. And so a place had been built for her in which she would -not be reminded of water, the one thing she never got enough of.</p> - -<p>Because the habit of life was strong and water meant survival. This was -not something she imagined. It was buried in the memory of the cells, -deeper than any mind, going back to the beginning. Twenty years of -never enough.</p> - -<p>Docchi stumbled out. It was neither light nor dawn when he found her. -The side of the asteroid was turned away from the sun but though the -planet was rising brightly and filled much of the sky there were still -deep shadows within the dome. "I've been waiting for you," she said -quietly as he came near. Her face reflected the planet shine.</p> - -<p>"Jeriann," he said.</p> - -<p>"Look at it," she said.</p> - -<p>"I see."</p> - -<p>"But you're looking at me." She turned his head toward the planet. -"There. If you look closely you can see sunlight sparkling on the -ocean. Isn't it beautiful?"</p> - -<p>"Someday you'll lie on the beach and let the waves wash over you."</p> - -<p>"Someday," she said.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<p class="ph3">ADDRESS: CENTAURI</p> - -<p class="ph4">by F. L. Wallace</p> - - -<p>Imagine, if you can, that Christopher Columbus never existed—that in -his place was a fantastic crew of circus freaks. They would be our -heroes of history as discoverers of the New World. We all would honor -the Fat Woman, erect statues to the Human Firefly, perhaps name a -continent after the Half Man-Half Machine. Ridiculous? Preposterous? -Well, maybe not....</p> - -<p>Mankind is faced with such a possibility in this unusual science -fiction novel. In a future age of interplanetary travel new worlds and -alien races are awaiting discovery and a decision must be made. Who -will be the first interstellar explorers—and make the first alien -contact?</p> - -<p>On a tiny asteroid between Mars and Jupiter a handful of people seek -the honor. They are "the Accidentals." They are pathetic, crippled and -deformed humans, half or quarter men and women, fractional organisms -masquerading as people. To many they are just "circus freaks", but to -themselves they are still members of the human race. Their plan is -sound. The galaxy has long since been conquered and now the distant -stars await the probing of Earthmen. Yet the stars are very very far -away and the exploratory trips will be very very long. Ordinary men -would find the voyages nearly unbearable. The Accidentals, though, are -not ordinary men. The medical skills which have kept them alive have -given them incredible endurance. They are unbelievably tough, nearly -immortal. They are the ones who could be the star-flung explorers.</p> - -<p>From that begins one of the strangest flights to the Stars that mankind -may ever see.</p> - -<p class="ph4">"Science-Fiction at its Best"</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Address: Centauri, by F. L. 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Wallace - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Address: Centauri - -Author: F. L. Wallace - -Release Date: December 21, 2015 [EBook #50736] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADDRESS: CENTAURI *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - ADDRESS: CENTAURI - - by - F. L. WALLACE - - Published by - GALAXY PUBLISHING CORP. - New York 14, New York - - A Galaxy Science Fiction Novel - by special arrangement with Gnome Press - - Based on "Accidental Flight," copyright - 1952 by Galaxy Publishing Corp. - - Published in book form by Gnome - Press, copyright 1955 by F. L. Wallace. - - [Transcriber's Note: Extensive research did not uncover any - evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - Galaxy Science Fiction Novels_ are sturdy, inexpensive editions - of choice works in this field, both original and reprint, - selected by the editors of _Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine. - - Cover by Wallace A. Wood - - Printed in the U.S.A. by - The Guinn Company - New York 14, N. Y. - - - - - Earth was too perfect for these extraordinary - exiles--to belong to it, they had to flee it! - - - - -1 - - -Light flickered. It was uncomfortably bright. - -Doctor Cameron gazed intently at the top of the desk. It wasn't easy -to be diplomatic. "The request was turned over to the Medicouncil," he -said. "I assure you it was studied thoroughly before it was reported -back to the Solar Committee." - -Docchi edged forward, his face alight with anticipation. - -The doctor kept his eyes averted. The man was damnably -disconcerting--had no right to be alive. In the depths of the sea there -were certain creatures like him and on a warm summer evening there was -still another parallel, but never any human with such an infirmity. -"I'm afraid you know what the answer is. A flat no for the present." - -Docchi sagged and his arms hung limp. "That's the answer?" - -"It's not as hopeless as you think. Decisions can be changed. It won't -be the first time." - -"Sure," said Docchi. "We'll wait and wait until it's finally changed. -We've got centuries, haven't we?" His face was blazing. It had slipped -out of control though he wasn't aware of it. Beneath the skin certain -cells had been modified, there were substances in his body that the -ordinary individual didn't have. And when there was an extreme flow of -nervous energy the response was--light. His metabolism was akin to that -of a firefly. - -Cameron meddled with buttons. It was impossible to keep the lighting at -a decent level. Docchi was a nuisance. - -"Why?" questioned Docchi. "We're capable, you know that. How could they -refuse?" - -That was something he didn't want asked because there was no answer -both of them would accept. Sometimes a blunt reply was the best -evasion. "Do you think they'd take you? Or Nona, Jordan, or Anti?" - -Docchi winced, his arms quivering uselessly. "Maybe not. But we told -you we're willing to let experts decide. There's nearly a thousand of -us. They should be able to get one qualified crew." - -"Perhaps. I'm not going to say." Cameron abandoned the light as beyond -his control. "Most of you are biocompensators. I concede it's a factor -in your favor. But you must realize there are many things against you." -He squinted at the desk top. Below the solid surface there was a drawer -and in the drawer there was--that was what he was trying to see or -determine. The more he looked the less clear anything seemed to be. He -tried to make his voice crisp and professional. "You're wasting time -discussing this with me. I've merely passed the decision on. I'm not -responsible for it and I can't do anything for you." - -Docchi stood up, his face colorless and bright. But the inner -illumination was no indication of hope. - -Doctor Cameron looked at him directly for the first time. It wasn't -as bad as he expected. "I suggest you calm down. Be patient and wait. -You'll be surprised how often you get what you want." - -"You'd be surprised how we get what we want," said Docchi. He turned -away, lurching toward the door which opened automatically and closed -behind him. - -Again Cameron concentrated on the desk, trying to look through it. -He wrote down the sequence he expected to find, lingering over it to -make sure he didn't force the pictures that came into his mind. He -opened the drawer and compared the Rhine cards with what he'd written, -frowning in disappointment. No matter how he tried he never got better -than average results. Perhaps there was something to telepathy but he'd -never found it. Anyway it was clear he wasn't one of the gifted few. - -He shut the drawer. It was a private game, a method to keep from -becoming involved in Docchi's problems, to avoid emotional entanglement -with people he had nothing in common with. He didn't enjoy depriving -weak and helpless men and women of what little hope they had. It was -their lack of strength that made them so difficult to handle. - -He reached for the telecom. "Get Medicouncilor Thorton," he told the -operator. "Direct if you can; indirect if you have to. I'll hold on." - -Approximate mean diameter thirty miles, the asteroid was listed on the -charts as Handicap Haven with a mark that indicated except in emergency -no one not authorized was to land there. Those who were confined to it -were willing to admit they were handicapped but they didn't call it -haven. They used other terms, none suggesting sanctuary. - -It was a hospital, of course, but even more it was a convalescent -home--the permanent kind. Healthy and vigorous humanity had reserved -the remote planetoid, a whirling bleak rock of no other value, and -built large installations there for less fortunate people. It was a -noble gesture but like many gestures the reality fell short of the -intentions. And not many people outside the Haven itself realized -wherein it was a failure. - -The robot operator broke into his thoughts. "Medicouncilor Thorton has -been located." - -An older man looked out of the screen, competent, forceful. "I'm on -my way to the satellites of Jupiter. I'll be in direct range for -the next half hour." At such distances transmission and reception -were practically instantaneous. Cameron was assured of uninterrupted -conversation. "It's a good thing you called. Have you got the Solar -Committee reply?" - -"This morning. I saw no reason to hold it up. I just finished giving -Docchi the news." - -"Dispatch. I like that. Get the disagreeable job done with." The -medicouncilor searched through the desk in front of him without -success. "Never mind. I'll find the information later. Now. How did -Docchi react?" - -"He didn't like it. He was mad clear through." - -"That speaks well for his bounce." - -"They all have spirit. Nothing to use it on," said Dr. Cameron. "I -confess I didn't look at him often though he was quite presentable, -even handsome in a startling sort of way." - -Thorton nodded brusquely. "Presentable. Does that mean he had arms?" - -"Today he did. Is it important?" - -"I think so. He expected a favorable reply and wanted to look his -best, as nearly normal as possible. In view of that I'm surprised he -didn't threaten you." - -Cameron tried to recall the incident. "I think he did, mildly. He said -something to the effect that I'd be surprised how _they_ got what they -wanted." - -"So you anticipate trouble. That's why you called?" - -"I don't know. I want your opinion." - -"You're on the scene, doctor. You get the important nuances," said -the medicouncilor hastily. "However it's my considered judgment they -won't start anything immediately. It takes time to get over the shock -of refusal. They can't do anything. Individually they're helpless -and collectively there aren't parts for a dozen sound bodies on the -asteroid." - -"I'll have to agree," said Dr. Cameron. "But there's something that -bothers me. I've looked over the records. No accidental has ever liked -being here, and that covers quite a few years." - -"Nobody appreciates the hospital until he's sick, doctor." - -"I know. That's partly what's wrong. They're no longer ill and yet they -have to stay here. What worries me is that there's never been such open -discontent as now." - -"I hope I don't have to point out that someone's stirring them up. Find -out who and keep a close watch. As a doctor you can find pretexts, a -different diet, a series of tests. You can keep the person coming to -you every day." - -"I've found out. There's a self-elected group of four, Docchi, Nona, -Anti and Jordan. I believe they're supposed to be the local recreation -committee." - -The medicouncilor smiled. "An apt camouflage. It keeps them amused." - -"I thought so too but now I'm convinced they're no longer harmless. I'd -like permission to break up the group. Humanely of course." - -"I always welcome new ideas." - -In spite of what he'd said the medicouncilor probably did have an open -mind. "Start with those it's possible to do the most with. Docchi, -for instance. With prosthetic arms, he appears normal except for that -uncanny fluorescence. Granted that the last is repulsive to the average -person. We can't correct the condition medically but we can make it -into an asset." - -"An asset? Very neat, if it can be done." The medicouncilor's -expression said it couldn't be. - -"Gland opera," said Cameron, hurrying on. "The most popular program -in the solar system, telepaths, teleports, pyrotics and so forth the -heroes. Fake of course, makeup and trick camera shots. - -"But Docchi can be made into a real star. The death-ray man, say. When -his face shines men fall dead or paralyzed. He'd have a tremendous -following of kids." - -"Children," mused the medicouncilor. "Are you serious about exposing -them to his influence? Do you really want them to see him?" - -"He'd have a chance to return to society in a way that would be -acceptable to him," said Cameron defensively. He shouldn't have -specifically mentioned kids. - -"To him, perhaps," reflected the medicouncilor. "It's an ingenious -idea, doctor, one which does credit to your humanitarianism. But I'm -afraid of the public's reception. Have you gone into Docchi's medical -history?" - -"I glanced at it before I called him in." The man was unusual, -even in a place that specialized in the abnormal. Docchi had been -an electrochemical engineer with a degree in cold lighting. On his -way to a brilliant career, he had been the victim of a particularly -messy accident. The details hadn't been described but Cameron could -supplement them with his imagination. He'd been badly mangled and -tossed into a tank of the basic cold lighting fluid. - -There was life left in the body; it flickered but never went entirely -out. His arms were gone and his ribs were crushed into his spinal -column. Regeneration wasn't easy; a partial rib cage could be built up, -but no more than that. He had no shoulder muscles and only a minimum -in his back and now, much later, that was why he tired easily and why -the prosthetic arms with which he'd been fitted were merely ornamental, -there was nothing which could move them. - -And then there was the cold lighting fluid. To begin with it was -semi-organic which, perhaps, was the reason he had remained alive so -long when he should have died. It had preserved him, had in part -replaced his blood, permeating every tissue. By the time Docchi had -been found his body had adapted to the cold lighting substance. And the -adaptation couldn't be reversed and it was self-perpetuating. Life was -hardier than most men realized but occasionally it was also perverse. - -"Then you know what he's like," said the medicouncilor, shaking his -head. "Our profession can't sponsor such a freakish display of his -misfortune. No doubt he'd be successful on the program you mention. But -there's more to life than financial achievement or the rather peculiar -admiration that would be certain to follow him. As an actor he'd have a -niche. But can you imagine, doctor, the dead silence that would occur -when he walks into a social gathering of normal people?" - -"I see," said Cameron, though he didn't--not eye to eye. He didn't -agree with Thorton but there wasn't much he could do to alter the -other's conviction at the moment. There was a long fight ahead of him. -"I'll forget about Docchi. But there's another way to break up the -group." - -The medicouncilor interrupted. "Nona?" - -"Yes. I'm not sure she really belongs here." - -"Every young doctor thinks the same," said the medicouncilor kindly. -"Usually they wait until their term is nearly up before they suggest -that she'd respond better if she were returned to normal society. I -think I know what response they have in mind." Thorton smiled in a -fatherly fashion. "No offense, doctor, but it happens so often I'm -thinking of inserting a note in our briefing program. Something to the -effect that the new medical director should avoid the beautiful and -self-possessed moron." - -"Is she stupid?" asked Cameron stubbornly. "It's my impression that -she's not." - -"Clever with her hands," agreed the medicouncilor. "People in her -mental classification, which is very low, sometimes are. But don't -confuse manual dexterity with intelligence. For one thing she doesn't -have the brain structure for the real article. - -"She's definitely not normal. She can't talk or hear, and never will. -Her larynx is missing and though we could replace it, it wouldn't -help if we did. We'd have to change her entire brain structure to -accommodate it and we're not that good at the present." - -"I was thinking about the nerve dissimilarities," began Cameron. - -"A superior mutation, is that what you were going to say? You can -forget that. It's much more of an anomaly, in the nature of cleft -palates, which were once common--poor pre-natal nutrition or traumas. -These we can correct rather easily but Nona is surgically beyond us. -There always is something beyond us, you know." The medicouncilor -glanced at the chronometer beside him. - -Cameron saw the time too but continued. It ought to be settled. It -would do no good to bring up Helen Keller; the medicouncilor would -use that evidence against him. The Keller techniques had been studied -and reinterpreted for Nona's benefit. That much was in her medical -record. They had been tried on Nona, and they hadn't worked. It made no -difference that he, Cameron, thought there were certain flaws in the -way the old techniques had been applied. Thorton would not allow that -the previous practitioners could have been wrong. "I've been wondering -if we haven't tried to force her to conform. She can be intelligent -without understanding what we say or knowing how to read and write." - -"How?" demanded the medicouncilor. "The most important tool humans -have is language. Through this we pass along all knowledge." Thorton -paused, reflecting. "Unless you're referring to this Gland Opera stuff -you mentioned. I believe you are, though personally I prefer to call it -Rhine Opera." - -"I've been thinking of that," admitted Cameron. "Maybe if there was -someone else like her she wouldn't need to talk the way we do. Anyway -I'd like to make some tests, with your permission. I'll need some new -equipment." - -The medicouncilor found the sheet he'd been looking for from time -to time. He creased it absently. "Go ahead with those tests if it -will make you feel better. I'll personally approve the requisition. -It doesn't mean you'll get everything you want. Others have to sign -too. However you ought to know you're not the first to think she's -telepathic or something related to that phenomena." - -"I've seen that in the record too. But I think I can be the first one -to prove it." - -"I'm glad you're enthusiastic. But don't lose sight of the main -objective. Even if she _is_ telepathic, and so far as we're concerned -she's not, would she be better suited to life outside?" - -He had one answer--but the medicouncilor believed in another. "Perhaps -you're right. She'll have to stay here no matter what happens." - -"She will. It would solve your problems if you could break up the -group, but don't count on it. You'll have to learn to manage them as -they are." - -"I'll see that they don't cause any trouble," said Cameron. - -"I'm sure you will." The medicouncilor's manner didn't ooze confidence. -"If you need help we can send in reinforcements." - -"I don't anticipate that much difficulty," said Cameron hastily. "I'll -keep them running around in circles." - -"Confusion is the best policy," agreed the medicouncilor. He unfolded -the sheet and looked down at it. "Oh yes, before it's too late I'd -better tell you I'm sending details of new treatments for a number of -deficients----" - -The picture collapsed into meaningless swirls of color. For an instant -the voice was distinguishable again before it too was drowned by noise. -"Did you understand what I said, doctor? If it isn't clear contact me. -Deviation can be fatal." - -"I can't keep the ship in focus," said the robot. "If you wish to -continue the conversation it will have to be relayed through the -nearest main station. At present that's Mars." - -It was inconvenient to wait several minutes for each reply. Besides the -medicouncilor couldn't or wouldn't help him. He wanted the status quo -maintained; nothing else would satisfy him. It was the function of the -medical director to see that it was. "We're through," said Cameron. - -He sat there after the telecom clicked off. What were the deficients -the medicouncilor had talked about? A subdivision of the accidentals -of course, but it wasn't a medical term he was familiar with. Probably -a semi-slang description. The medicouncilor had been associated with -accidentals so long that he assumed every doctor would know at once -what he meant. - -Deficients. Mentally Cameron turned the word over. If it was -used accurately it could indicate only one thing. He'd see when -the medicouncilor's report came in. He could always ask for more -information if it wasn't clear. - -The doctor got heavily to his feet--and he actually was heavier. It -wasn't a psychological reaction. He made a mental note of it. He'd have -to investigate the gravity surge. - -In a way accidentals were pathetic, patchwork humans, half or quarter -men and women, fractional organisms which masqueraded as people. The -illusion died hard for them, harder than that which remained of their -bodies, and those bodies were unbelievably tough. Medicine and surgery -were partly to blame. Techniques were too good or not good enough, -depending on the viewpoint--doctor or patient. - -Too good in that the most horribly injured person, if he were found -alive, could be kept alive. Not good enough because a certain per cent -of the injured couldn't be returned to society completely sound and -whole. The miracles of healing were incomplete. - -There weren't many humans who were broken beyond repair, but though -the details varied in every respect, the results were monotonously -the same. For the most part disease had been eliminated. Everyone was -healthy--except those who'd been hurt in accidents and who couldn't be -resurgeried and regenerated into the beautiful mold characteristic of -the entire population. And those few were sent to the asteroid. - -They didn't like it. They didn't like being _confined_ to Handicap -Haven. They were sensitive and they didn't want to go back. They knew -how conspicuous they'd be, hobbling and crawling among the multitudes -of beautiful men and women who inhabited the planets. The accidentals -didn't want to return. - -What they did want was ridiculous. They had talked about, hoped, and -finally embodied it in a petition. They had requested rockets to make -the first long hard journey to Alpha and Proxima Centauri. Man was -restricted to the solar system and had no way of getting to even the -nearest stars. They thought they could break through the barrier. Some -accidentals would go and some would remain behind, lonelier except for -their share in the dangerous enterprise. - -It was a particularly uncontrollable form of self-deception. They were -the broken people, without a face they could call their own, who wore -their hearts not on their sleeves but in a blood-pumping chamber, those -without limbs or organs--or too many. The categories were endless. No -accidental was like any other. - -The self-deception was vicious precisely because the accidentals _were_ -qualified. Of all the billions of solar citizens _they alone could make -the long journey there and return_. But there were other factors that -ruled them out. It was never safe to discuss the first reason with them -because the second would have to be explained. Cameron himself wasn't -sadistic and no one else was interested enough to inform them. - - - - -2 - - -Docchi sat beside the pool. It would be pleasant if he could forget -where he was. It was pastoral though not quite a scene from Earth. The -horizon was too near and the sky was shallow and only seemed to be -bright. Darkness lurked outside. - -A small tree stretched shade overhead. Waves lapped and made gurgling -sounds against the banks. But there was no plant life of any kind, and -no fish swam in the liquid. It looked like water but wasn't--the pool -held acid. And floating in it, all but submerged, was a shape. The -records in the hospital said it was a woman. - -"Anti, they turned us down," said Docchi bitterly. - -"What did you expect?" rumbled the creature in the pool. Wavelets of -acid danced across the surface, stirred by her voice. - -"I didn't expect that." - -"You don't know the Medicouncil very well." - -"I guess I don't." He stared sullenly at the fluid. It was faintly -blue. "I have the feeling they didn't consider it, that they held the -request for a time and then answered no without looking at it." - -"Now you're beginning to learn. Wait till you've been here as long as I -have." - -Morosely he kicked an anemic tuft of grass. Plants didn't do well here -either. They too were exiled, far from the sun, removed from the soil -they originated in. The conditions they grew in were artificial. "Why -did they turn us down?" said Docchi. - -"Answer it yourself. Remember what the Medicouncil is like. Different -things are important to them. The main thing is that we don't have to -follow their example. There's no need to be irrational even though they -are." - -"I wish I knew what to do," said Docchi. "It meant so much to us." - -"We can wait, outlast the attitude," said Anti, moving slowly. It was -the only way she could move. Most of her bulk was beneath the surface. - -"Cameron suggested waiting." Reflectively Docchi added: "It's true we -are biocompensators." - -"They always bring in biocompensation," muttered Anti restlessly. "I'm -getting tired of that excuse. Time passes just as slow." - -"But what else is there? Shall we draw up another request?" - -"Memorandum number ten? Let's not be naive. Things get lost when we -send them to the Medicouncil. Their filing system is in terrible shape." - -"Lost or distorted," grunted Docchi angrily. The grass he'd kicked -already had begun to wilt. It wasn't hardy in this environment. Few -things were. - -"Maybe we ought to give the Medicouncil a rest. I'm sure they don't -want to hear from us again." - -Docchi moved closer to the pool. "Then you think we should go ahead -with the plan we discussed before we sent in the petition? Good. I'll -call the others together and tell them what happened. They'll agree -that we have to do it." - -"Then why call them? More talk, that's all. Besides I don't see why we -should warn Cameron what we're up to." - -Docchi glanced at her worriedly. "Do you think someone would report it? -I'm certain everyone feels as I do." - -"Not everyone. There's bound to be dissent," said Anti placidly. "But I -wasn't thinking of people." - -"Oh that," said Docchi. "We can block that source any time we need to." -It was a relief to know that he could trust the accidentals. Unanimity -was important and some of the reasons weren't obvious. - -"Maybe you can and maybe you can't," said Anti. "But why make it -difficult, why waste time?" - -Docchi got up awkwardly but he wasn't clumsy once he was on his feet. -"I'll get Jordan. I know I'll need arms." - -"Depends on what you mean," said Anti. - -"Both," said Docchi, smiling. "We're a dangerous weapon." - -She called out as he walked away. "I'll see you when you leave for far -Centauri." - -"Sooner than that, Anti. Much sooner." - -Stars were beginning to wink. Twilight brought out the shadows and -tracery of the structure that supported the transparent dome overhead. -Soon controlled slow rotation would bring near darkness to this side of -the asteroid. The sun was small at this distance but even so it was a -tie to the familiar scenes of Earth. Before long it would be lost. - - * * * * * - -Cameron leaned back and looked speculatively at the gravity engineer, -Vogel. The engineer could give him considerable assistance. There was -no reason why he shouldn't but anyone who voluntarily had remained -on the asteroid as long as Vogel was a doubtful quantity. He didn't -distrust him, the man was strange. - -"I've been busy trying to keep the place running smoothly. I hope you -don't mind that I haven't been able to discuss your job at length," -said the doctor, watching him closely. - -"Naw, I don't mind," said Vogel. "Medical directors come and go. I stay -on. It's easier than getting another job." - -"I know. By now you should know the place pretty well. I sometimes -think you could do my work with half the trouble." - -"Ain't in the least curious about medicine and never bothered to -learn," grunted Vogel. "I keep my stuff running and that's all. I -don't interfere with nobody and they don't come around and get friendly -with me." - -Cameron believed it. The statement fit the personality. He needn't be -concerned about fraternization. "There are a few things that puzzle -me," he began. "That's why I called you in. Usually we maintain about -half Earth-normal gravity. Is that correct?" - -The engineer nodded and grunted assent. - -"I'm not sure why half gravity is used. Perhaps it's easier on the -weakened bodies of the accidentals. Or there may be economic factors. -Either way it's not important as long as half gravity is what we get." - -"You want to know why we use that figure?" - -"If you can tell me without getting too technical, yes. I feel I should -learn everything I can about the place." - -The engineer warmed up, seeming to enjoy himself. "Ain't no reason -except the gravity units themselves," Vogel said. "Theoretically we can -get anything we want. Practically we take whatever comes out, anything -from a quarter to full Earth gravity." - -"You have no control over it?" This contradicted what he'd heard. His -information was that gravity generators were the product of an awesome -bit of scientific development. It seemed inconceivable that they should -be so haphazardly directed. - -"Sure we got control," answered the engineer, grinning. "We can -turn them off or on. If gravity varies, that's too bad. We take the -fluctuation or we don't get anything." - -Cameron frowned; the man knew what he was doing or he wouldn't be -here. His position was of only slightly less importance than that of -the medical director--and where it mattered the Medicouncil wouldn't -tolerate incompetence. And yet---- - -The engineer rumbled on. "You were talking how the generators were -designed especially for the asteroid. Some fancy medical reason why -it's easier on the accidentals to have a lesser gravity plus a certain -amount of change. Me, I dunno. I guess the designers couldn't help what -was built and the reason was dug up later." - -Cameron concealed his irritation. He wanted information, not a heart -to heart confession. Back on Earth he _had_ been told it was for -the benefit of the accidentals. He'd reserved judgment then and saw -no reason not to do so now. "All practical sciences try to justify -what they can't escape but would like to. Medicine, I'm sure, is no -exception." - -He paused thoughtfully. "I understand there are three separate -generators on the asteroid. One runs for forty-five minutes while two -are idle. When the first one stops another one cuts in. The operations -are supposed to be synchronized. I don't have to tell you that they're -not. Not long ago you felt your weight increase suddenly. I know I did. -What is wrong?" - -"Nothing wrong," said the engineer soothingly. "You get fluctuations -while one generator is running. You get a gravity surge when one -generator is supposed to drop out but doesn't. The companion machine -adds to it, that's all." - -"They're supposed to be that way? Overlapping so that for a time we -have Earth or Earth and a half gravity?" - -"Better than having none," said Vogel with heavy pride. "Used to happen -quite often, before I came. You can ask any of the old timers. I fixed -that though." - -He didn't like the direction his questions were taking him. "What did -you do?" he asked suspiciously. - -"Nothing," said the engineer uncomfortably. "Nothing I can think of. I -guess the machines just got used to having me around." - -There were people who tended to anthropomorphize anything they came -in contact with and Vogel was one of them. It made no difference to -him that he was talking about insensate machines. He would continue to -endow them with personality. "This is the best you can say, that we'll -get a wild variation of gravity, sometimes none?" - -"It's not _supposed_ to work that way but nobody's ever done better -with a setup like this," said Vogel defensively. "If you want you can -check the company that makes these units." - -"I'm not trying to challenge your knowledge and I'm not anxious to make -myself look silly. I do want to make sure I don't overlook anything. -You see, I think there's a possibility of sabotage." - -The engineer's grin was wider than the remark required. - -Cameron swiveled the chair around and leaned on the desk. "All right," -he said tiredly, "tell me why the idea of sabotage is so funny." - -"It would have to be someone living here," said the big engineer. "He -wouldn't like it if it jumped up to nine G, which it could. I think -he'd let it alone. But there are better reasons. Do you know how each -gravity unit is put together?" - -"Not in detail." - -The gravity generating unit was not a unit. It was built in three -parts. First there was a power source, which could be anything as long -as it supplied ample energy. The basic supply on the asteroid was a -nuclear pile, buried deep in the core. Handicap Haven would have to be -taken apart, stone by stone, before it could be reached. - -Part two were the gravity coils, which actually originated and directed -the gravity. They were simple and very nearly indestructible. They -could be destroyed but they couldn't be altered and still produce the -field. - -The third part was the control unit, the real heart of the gravity -generating system. It calculated the relationship between the power -flowing through the coils and the created field in any one microsecond. -It used the computed relationship to alter the power flowing in -the next microsecond to get the same gravity. If the power didn't -change the field died instantly. The control unit was thus actually a -computer, one of the best made, accurate and fast beyond belief. - -The engineer rubbed his chin. "Now I guess you can see why it doesn't -always behave as we want it to." - -He looked questioningly at Cameron, expecting a reply. "I'm afraid I -can't," said the doctor. - -"If it was one of your patients you'd understand," said Vogel. -"Fatigue. The gravity control unit is an intricate computer and it gets -tired. It has to rest an hour and a half to do forty-five minutes work. -It can't keep running all the time any more than any delicate machine -can. It has to be shut down to clear the circuits. - -"Naturally they don't want anyone tinkering with it. It's sealed and -non-repairable. Crack the case open and it disintegrates. But first -you've got to open it. Now I know that it can be done, but not without -a lot of high-powered equipment that I could detect if it was anywhere -on the asteroid." - -In spite of the engineer's attitude it didn't seem completely -foolproof. But Cameron had to admit that it was probable none of the -accidentals could tamper with it. "I'll forget about gravity," he said. -"Next, what about hand weapons? What's available?" - -"Nothing. No knives even. Maybe a stray bar or so of metal." Vogel -scratched his head. "There is something that's dangerous though. I -dunno whether you could classify it as a weapon." - -Cameron was instantly alert. "If it's dangerous someone can find a way -to use it. What is it?" - -"The asteroid itself. Nobody can physically touch any part of the -gravity system. But I've often wondered if an impulse couldn't be -squeezed into the computer. If anybody can do that he can change -direction of the field." Vogel's voice was grave. "Somebody could pick -up Handicap Haven and throw it anywhere he wanted. At Earth, say. -Thirty miles in diameter is a big hunk of rock." - -This was the kind of information Cameron had been looking for, though -the big engineer seemed to regard the occasion as merely a long overdue -social call. "What's the possibility?" - -Vogel grinned. "Thought I'd scare you. Used to wake up sweating myself. -Got so bad I had to find out about it." - -"Can or can't it be done?" demanded the doctor. - -"Naw. It's too big to take a chance with. They got monitors set up all -over, moons of Jupiter, Mars, Earth, Venus. This or any other gravity -computer gets dizzy, the monitor overrides it. If that fails they send -a jammer impulse and freeze it up tight. It can't get away until the -monitor lets loose." - -Cameron's mind was already busy elsewhere. Vogel was loquacious -and would talk all night if encouraged. It wasn't that he lacked -information but he had no sense of what was important. "You don't know -how you've helped me," the doctor said, standing up. "We'll have to get -together again." - -He watched the engineer depart for the gravity generating chamber -below the surface of the asteroid. The day had started badly and -wasn't getting better. Docchi to Thorton to Vogel. All the shades of -shortsightedness, the convalescent's, authority's, and finally the -technician who refused to see beyond his dials. A fine progression, but -somewhere the curve ought to turn upward. - -The post on Handicap Haven wasn't pleasant but there were -advantages--advancement was proportional to the disagreeableness of the -place. After shepherding accidentals for a year any other assignment -would be a snap. Ten months to go before the year was over and if -Cameron could survive with nothing to mar his administration he was -in line for something better, definitely better. This was where the -Medicouncil sent promising young doctors. - -Cameron flipped on the telecom. "Connect me with the rocket dome. Get -the pilot." - -When the robot answered it wasn't encouraging. "There's no answer. I'm -sorry. I'll notify you when he comes in." - -"Trace him," he snapped. "If he's not near the rocket he's somewhere in -the main dome. I don't care how you do it, get him." - -A few seconds of silence followed. The answer was puzzling. "There's no -record that the pilot has left the rocket dome." - -His heart skipped and his breathing was constricted. He spoke -carefully. "Scan the whole area. Look every place, even if you think he -can't be there. I've got to have the pilot." - -"Scanning isn't possible. The system is out of operation in that area. -I'm trying to check why." - -That was bad. He could feel muscles tighten that he didn't know he had. -"All right. Send out repair robots." They'd get the job done--they -always did. But they were intolerably slow and just now he needed speed. - -"Mobile repair units were dispatched as soon as scanning failed to -work. Is this an emergency? If so I can alert the staff." - -He thought about it. He needed help, plenty of it. But was there any -one he could depend on? Vogel? He'd probably be ready for action. But -to call on him would leave the gravity generating plant unprotected. -And if he told the engineer what he suspected, Vogel would insist on -mixing in with it. He was too vital where he was. - -Who else? The sour middle-aged nurse who'd signed up because she -wanted quick credits toward retirement? She slept through most of her -shift and considering her efficiency perhaps it was just as well she -did. Or the sweet young trainee--her diploma said she'd completed her -training, but you couldn't lie to a doctor--who had bravely volunteered -because someone ought to help poor unfortunate men? Not a word about -women of course. She always walked in when Cameron was examining a -patient, male, but she had the deplorable habit of swooning when she -saw blood. Fainting was too vulgar for her and, as Cameron had once -told her, so was the profession of her choice. - -These were the people the emergency signal would alert. He would do -better to rely on robots. They weren't much help but at least they -wouldn't get hysterically in his way. Oh yes, there was the pilot too, -but he couldn't be located. - -The damned place was undermanned and always had been. Nobody wanted to -be stationed here except those who were mildly psychotic or inefficient -and lazy. There was one exception. Ambitious young doctors had been -known to ask for the position. Mentally Cameron berated himself. -Ambition wasn't far from psychosis, or at times it could produce -results as bad. If anything serious happened here he'd begin and end -his career bandaging scratches at a children's playground. - -"This is not an emergency," he said. "However leave word in gravity -with Vogel. Tell him to put on his electronic guards. I don't want him -to let anyone get near the place." - -"Is that all?" - -"Send out six geepees. I'll pick them up near the entrance to the -rocket dome." - -"Repair robots are already in the area. Will they do as well?" - -"They won't. I want general purpose robots for another reason. Send the -latest huskiest models we have." They were not bright but they were -strong and could move fast. He clicked off the picture. What did he -have to be afraid of? For the most part they were a beaten ragged bunch -of humans. He would feel sorry for them if he wasn't apprehensive about -his future. - - - - -3 - - -Docchi waited near the rocket dome. He wasn't hiding but he did make -himself inconspicuous among the carefully nurtured shrubbery. Plants -failed to give the illusion of an Earth landscape--in part because some -of them were Venusian or Martian imports--but at least the greenery -added to the oxygen supply of the asteroid. - -"That's a good job," commented Docchi. "I thought Nona could do it." - -Jordan could feel him relax as he watched the event. "A mechanical -marvel," he agreed. "But we can gab about that later. I think you ought -to get going." - -Docchi glanced around and then went boldly into the passageway that -connected the main dome with the much smaller rocket dome that was -adjacent to it. Normally it was never completely dark in the inhabited -part of the asteroid, modulated twilight was considered more conducive -to the slumber of the grievously infirm. It was the benevolent -Medicouncil's theory that a little light would keep away bad dreams. -But this wasn't twilight as they neared the rocket dome. It was a full -scale rehearsal for the darkness of interstellar space. - -Docchi stopped at the emergency airlock which loomed formidably solid -in front of them. "Let's hope," he said. "We can forget about it if -Nona didn't manage to cut _this_ out of the circuit." - -"She seemed to understand, didn't she? What more do you want?" Jordan -twisted around Docchi and reached out. The great slab moved easily -in the grooves. It was open. "The trouble with you is that you lack -confidence, in yourself and in genius." - -Docchi didn't answer. He was listening intently, trying to interpret -the faint sounds ahead of him. - -"Okay, I hear it," whispered Jordan. "Let's get way inside before he -comes near us." - -Docchi went cautiously into the darkness of the rocket dome, feeling -his way. He'd never recover in time if he stumbled and fell. He tried -to force the luminescence into his face. Occasionally he could control -his altered metabolism, and now was the time he needed it. - -He was nervous and that hindered his accuracy. He couldn't be sure -the light was right, enough so that he'd be noticed, not so much that -the details of his appearance would be plain. He wished he could ask -Jordan, but Jordan was in no position to tell him. - -The footsteps came nearer and so did profanity, rich in volume but -rather meager in imaginative symbolism. Docchi flashed his face -once, as bright as he could manage, and then lowered the intensity -immediately. - -The footsteps stopped. "Docchi?" - -"No. Just a lonely little light bulb out for an evening stroll." - -The rocket pilot's laughter wasn't altogether friendly. "Sure it's you. -I'd recognize you at the bottom of the sea. What I mean was what are -you doing here?" - -"I saw the lights go out in the rocket dome. The airlock at the -entrance was open so I came. I thought I might be able to help." - -"The lights are off all right. Everything. Even the standby system. -First time in my life even the hand beams wouldn't go on." The pilot -moved closer. The deadly little toaster was in his hand. "Thanks, but -you can't help. You'd better get out. It's against regulations for -patients to be in here. You might steal a rocket or something." - -Docchi ignored the weapon. "What was the cause, a high velocity meteor -strike?" - -The pilot grunted. "I'd have heard if it was." - -"And you didn't hear a thing?" - -"Nothing." The pilot peered intently at Docchi, a barely visible -silhouette. "Well, I see you're getting smart these days. You should do -it all the time. Wear your arms. You look better that way even if you -can't use them. You look hundred per cent better, almost...." His voice -faded. - -"Almost human?" asked Docchi kindly. "Nothing like, say a pair of legs -and a very good if slightly used spinal column with a lightning bug -face stuck on top? You didn't have this in mind?" - -"I didn't say it. I'm used to you. I can't help it if you're overly -sensitive. I don't suppose it's your fault." His voice got higher. -"Anyway I told you to get going. You don't belong in here." - -"But I don't want to go," said Docchi. "I'm not afraid of the dark. Are -you? I'm looking for some corner to brighten. Can I let a little light -in your life?" - -"I'm supposed to report psycho talk, Docchi, and damned if I won't. -Personally I always suspected you. Get out of here before I take your -fake hand and drag you out." - -"Now you've hurt my feelings," said Docchi reproachfully, stepping -nimbly away. - -"Don't say you didn't try to make me mad," growled the pilot, lunging -after him. What he took hold of wasn't an imitation hand, delicately -molded and colored to duplicate skin. The hand he touched was real and -the muscles in it were more than a match for his own. It was surprise, -at first, that caused him to scream. - -Docchi bent double and the dark figure on his back came over his head -like a knife from a sheath. The pilot was lifted off his feet and -slammed to the floor. - -"Jordan," gurgled the pilot. - -"It's me," said Jordan. He wrapped one arm around the pilot's throat -and clamped tight. With the other he felt for the toaster the pilot -still held but hadn't time to use. Effortlessly he tore it away and -hammered the man unconscious with the butt. He stopped just short of -smashing the skull. Docchi stood ineffectually by, kicking where he -could, but the action was fast and he had no arms. - -But Jordan didn't need help. "Let there be light," he said when he was -finished, and there was--a feeble flickering illumination from Docchi. - -Jordan balanced himself with his hands. He had a strong head and -massive powerful arms and shoulders. His body stopped below his chest, -there was no more. A round metal capsule contained his digestive -organs. Accidentals were indeed the odds and ends of creation, and of -Jordan one end was missing. But the part that remained made up for the -loss. - -"Dead?" Docchi glanced down at the pilot. - -Jordan rocked forward and listened for the heartbeat. "Nah," he said. -"I was going to clout him again but I remembered we can't afford to -kill anybody." - -"See that you don't forget," said Docchi. He stifled an exclamation as -something coiled around his leg. Jumping forward he broke loose from -the thing that caught him. - -"Repair robot," chuckled Jordan, looking around. "The place is lousy -with them." - -Docchi blinked on and off in confusion and the robot rolled clumsily -toward him. - -"Friendly creature," commented Jordan. "I think it wants to tinker with -your lighting system." - -Docchi shook off the squat contrivance which, after it touched his -flesh, whirred puzzledly to itself. The job was beyond its capacity but -it didn't leave. "What'll we do with him?" asked Docchi, staring at the -pilot. - -"He needs attention," said Jordan. "_Not_ the kind I gave him." He -balanced the toaster in his hand and burned a small hole in the little -wheeled monster. Extensibles emerged from the side of the machine and -carefully explored the damaged area. The extensibles slid back into -the machine and presently came out again with a small torch. It began -welding the hole. - -Meanwhile Jordan pulled the unconscious man toward him. He leaned -against the machine for leverage and raised the inert pilot over his -head and laid him gently on the top flat surface. The reaction from -the robot was immediate. Another extensible reached out to investigate -the body. Jordan welded the joints solid. Three times he repeated the -process until the pilot was securely fastened to the robot. - -"It doesn't know when it's licked," said Jordan. "It'll stay there -repairing itself until it's completely sound. However I can do -something about that." He adjusted the toaster beam to an imperceptible -thickness and deftly sliced through the control case, removing a -circular section. He thrust his hand inside and ripped out circuits. -"No further self-repair," he said cheerfully. "Docchi, I'll need your -help. I think it's a good idea to route the robot around the main dome -a few times before it delivers the pilot to the hospital. No point -giving ourselves away before we're ready." - -Docchi bent over to help him and with some trouble the proper sequence -was implanted. The robot stood motionless as the newest commands -shuttled erratically through damaged but not inoperative circuits. -Finally it screeched softly and began to roll drunkenly away. - -"Get on my back," said Docchi doggedly. "You know we've got to hurry." - -"You're tired," said Jordan. "Half gravity or not, you can't carry me -farther." He worked swiftly and the harness that had supported him on -Docchi's back fell to the floor. "Stay down and listen," growled Jordan -as Docchi attempted to get up. - -Docchi listened. "Geepees." - -"Yeah," said Jordan. "I wonder who they're after. You'll have to move -fast to get to the rocket." - -"What can I do when I get there? By myself nothing. You'll have to help -me." - -"Get on your back and neither of us get there?" said Jordan. "You can -figure out something later. Start moving." - -"I'm not leaving you," said Docchi. - -A huge paw clamped on the back of his head. "Now you listen," said -Jordan fiercely. "Together we were a better man than the pilot--your -legs and my arms. Now we got to separate but we can still prove we're -better than Cameron and all his geepees." - -"We're not trying to _prove_ anything," said Docchi. "It's a question -of urgent principle. Right now there are men who can go to the stars -and it's up to us to let the rest of mankind know it." - -A brilliant light sliced through the darkness and swept around the -rocket dome, revealing beams and columns of the structure. "Maybe -you're not trying to prove anything personal," said Jordan. "I am. The -rest of us are. Otherwise why shouldn't we let them go on spoon feeding -us, rocking us to sleep every night?" Impatiently he hitched himself -along the ground until he came to a column. - -"You can't hide behind that," said Docchi. - -"Not behind it. On top I can. With no legs that's where I belong." He -grasped the steel member in his great hands and in the light gravity -ascended rapidly. - -"Careful," called Docchi. - -"What have I got to be careful about?" Jordan's voice floated down from -the lacy structure. And it was no longer directly overhead. Jordan was -moving away along the beams that stretched from column to column. For -those who knew of it there was an unsuspected roadway above. Jordan had -it to himself and the geepees would never find him. - -It was foolish to become elated over such a trivial thing. Jordan -wasn't there yet and what he'd do when he arrived was problematical. -But it did prove--yes, there was already proof of some sort for him. -Docchi set out, walking faster and faster until he was running. He -wouldn't have thought it possible but he was able to increase the -distance between himself and the pursuing robots. - -Even so he didn't have much time to look around when he reached the -rocket. The first glimpse of the ship was disheartening. Passenger and -freight locks were still closed. Nona either hadn't understood their -instructions completely or she hadn't been able to carry them out. -Probably the first. She'd disrupted the circuits, light and scanning, -with no tools except her hands. Her skill with machines she couldn't -have known about previously was sometimes uncanny. But it was too much -to expect that she'd have the rocket ready for them to walk into. - -It was up to Docchi to get in by himself. If he was ever going to -it would have to be by his own efforts. Momentarily he wished for -the toaster they'd taken from the pilot, and then dropped the wish -before it was fully formed. With the toaster he might have managed to -soften the inside catch at the entrance. And the thought itself was an -indication of how his mind rebelled at reality--he had no arms and he -couldn't have used the toaster. It was right and proper that Jordan had -kept the weapon. It was of value to him. - -Docchi searched frantically, trying to comprehend the complex -installation around him in a glance. There had to be some provision -made for opening the ship when no one was inside, a device which would -send an impulse to actuate the catches. He'd be lucky if he could -operate it, but luck had been with him so far. - -But if there was an external control he failed to find it. And the -approaching lights warned that his chances were diminishing. That there -was any time left was Cameron's mistake--he'd ordered the geepees to -look too thoroughly as they came along. They were capable of faster -pursuit. This mistake was on Cameron and he might make more. - -From the sounds that drifted to him Docchi surmised that Jordan was -still at large, perhaps nearby. Did the doctor know this? Probably -not--he'd tend to underestimate the accidentals. - -Docchi descended into the shallow landing pit. It was remarkably ill -suited for concealment. The walls were smooth, glazed with a faintly -green substance, and there were no doors or niches anywhere. Yet he had -to be somewhere near the ship and this was as close as he could get. -It wouldn't do to wander away--Cameron would post a robot guard around -the ship and he wouldn't be able to get back through. He had to hide at -once. - -He leaned against the stern tube cluster, the metal pressing hard into -the thin flesh that covered his back. Seconds passed before he realized -that the tubes were the answer. He turned around to look at them. A -small boy could climb inside and crawl out of sight. So could a grown -man who had no shoulders or arms to get wedged in the narrow cylinder. - -It was difficult to get into them. He tried a lower tube, bending down -and thrusting his head in. He wriggled and shoved with his feet until -he was almost entirely in. His feet were still out and so he bent his -knees to get better purchase and forced himself further in. He didn't -stop until he was certain he couldn't be seen by anyone who didn't -specifically peer into the tube. - -He waited there, listening. A geepee came down noisily into the landing -pit. The absence of any other sound indicated to Docchi that it -probably was radio controlled. The robot clambered around, searching. -The noise abated soon but it became apparent that the geepee wasn't -going to leave. It had been stationed to watch the pit. - -Docchi couldn't get out. He was caught in the pit. He fought back the -claustrophobia that swirled through his mind. It was nothing to be -afraid of; he could assure his rescue, or capture, by shouting. The -robot would drag him out instantly. - -But that was not the only way. The tube extended forward as well as -back. The inner end of the tube was closed with a combustion chamber -which was singed and would swing away. The ship hadn't been used for -months and there was a distinct possibility that the tubes _were_ open -at the other end. He might get through. - -He stopped to catch his breath. The metal conducted sound well, almost -magnifying it. In the interval, over his own breathing, he heard the -characteristic sputter, like frying, that the toaster beam made when it -struck metal. A great clatter followed. - -"Get him," shouted Cameron. "He's up there." - -Jordan had arrived and succeeded in disabling a geepee. And Cameron -would find out that he wasn't easily captured. The diversion came when -Docchi needed it. - -"Don't use heat," ordered Cameron. "Get lights on him. Drive him up -higher. Corner him and go up and get him." - -Docchi had been wrong; the geepees were voice controlled, not by radio. -It would make it easier once he got inside. If he ever did get in the -ship. But he had to hurry. Jordan couldn't elude the robots forever. - -Docchi shoved on less cautiously. The robot in the pit had joined the -others and he needn't fear detection. It became harder to advance, -though. He had expected it but he didn't know it would be this hard to -push through the narrowing tube. - -His legs slipped and it didn't matter, somehow he inched along. Blood -pounded furiously but his head slid out of the end of the tube--and he -was looking at the inside of the ship. - -He gazed longingly at the combustion cap a few feet away. If he had -hands he could grasp it and pull himself out. But if he had, he'd never -have gotten this far. He closed his eyes to rest for a moment and then -continued wriggling, his back arching with the effort. He was nearly -through now, only his legs were in the tube. He kicked once, hard, and -fell to the floor. - -He lay there until his head cleared and his breath came back. He -rolled over, bent his knees, and stood up, staggering forward through -the corridor to the control compartment. The rocket was his but he -didn't want it for himself, and by himself he couldn't use it. - -He studied the instrument panel carefully. It had been a long time -since he'd operated a ship. A long time and two arms ago. When he -thought he understood he bent down and thrust his chin against a dial. -Laboriously he rotated his head, turning the dial to the setting he -wanted. Then he sat down and kicked on a switch. The ship rocked--and -rose a few inches. - -He was betting that Cameron wouldn't notice it. The doctor ought to -be too busy trying to capture Jordan. But if Cameron did see what was -happening, he had thirty seconds in which to stop Docchi. It wasn't -enough. Things looked good for their plan. - -"Rocket landing," said Docchi when the allotted thirty seconds had -passed. "Emergency instructions. Repeat, emergency instructions. Stand -by." Technically the ship was in flight, though by very little, and the -frequency he was using was assurance that the message would be heard, -and heeded. - -"All energized geepees lend assistance. This order supersedes any -previous command. Additional equipment is necessary to prepare for a -possible crash landing." After listing what equipment was needed Docchi -sat down and chuckled. - -He waited for another few minutes and then flicked on the external -lights with his knee. He got up and went to the passenger entrance, -brushing against the switch on the way. The passenger ramp swung down -and he stood boldly at the entrance, looking out. The whole rocket dome -was floodlighted by the ship, beams and columns standing out in sharp -detail. It was an impressive structure now, even beautiful, though he -remembered hating it once, coming in. - -"All right, Jordan, it's safe to come down," he called. - -Jordan dangled overhead. He swung along until he reached a column and -slid down. Awkwardly he propelled himself across the floor and up the -ramp. Balancing himself with his hands he looked up at Docchi. - -"Well, monster," he grinned. "How did you do it?" - -"Monster yourself," said Docchi. "I crawled through the rocket tube." - -"I saw you start in," said Jordan. "I wasn't sure you'd make it. -Even when the ship rose I wasn't certain until you came out." Jordan -scratched his cheek. "What I meant was: how did you get rid of Cameron?" - -"Doctors usually aren't mechanically inclined," said Docchi. "Cameron -was no exception. He forgot an emergency rocket landing cancels any -verbal orders. So I took the ship up a few inches. Geepees aren't very -bright and it wouldn't matter if they were. As long as the ship was in -the air and I said I was coming in for a landing they had to obey." - -Jordan nodded delightedly. "Poor doc," he said. "It wasn't that he was -dumb. There was nothing he could do when you outsmarted him." - -"He should have anticipated it," said Docchi. "He could have splashed -heat against a gravity generator. This would have created an emergency -condition in the main dome, artificial of course, but it would have -outweighed the one I set up. He'd have had priority, not me, and he -could have directed the robots from gravity center." - -"_I_ wouldn't have thought of it," said Jordan. "Anyway, how did you -get the robots to rush off, carrying Cameron with them?" - -"I didn't have to do anything. As long as the pilot of the incoming -ship declares he may crash, the geepees must remove all humans from the -danger zone, willing or not. They'd have taken you too if they could -have reached you but they had to abandon that idea when I ordered crash -equipment." - -"Glad they did," said Jordan. "Wouldn't want to hear what Cameron's -saying. Besides it's safer inside the ship." He swung himself in, -touching the hull fondly, peering down the corridor with grave wonder. -"It's ours now," he said. "But what about the others? How do we get -them?" - -"Anti's taken care of. Geepees aren't built to question anything and in -their mind she's listed as emergency landing material. They'll bring -her. And Nona is supposed to be waiting with Anti." Docchi's face -showed misgiving. "I think we made it clear she was supposed to stay -there." - -"What if she didn't understand?" - -"I'm sure she did," said Docchi. "It wasn't complicated. Meanwhile -you'd better get ready to lift ship." - -Jordan disappeared, heading toward the control compartment. Docchi -stationed himself at the passenger lock. He had said the instructions -weren't hard to understand, and they weren't--for anyone else. But to -Nona the world was upside down; the simplest things often she didn't -comprehend--and the reverse was true. He hoped she hadn't got mixed up. - -He had little time to dwell on it. The geepees were coming back. He -heard them first and saw them seconds later. They came into sight -half carrying, half pushing a huge rectangular tank. With ingenuity -that was unexpected in robots they had mounted it on four of their -smaller brethren, the squat repair robots. This served to support the -tremendous weight. - -The tank was filled with blue liquid. Twisted pipes dangled from the -ends--it had been torn from the pit in the ground, lifted up from the -foundation. Broken plants still clung to a narrow ledge on top and -moist soil adhered to the sides. Wracked out of shape and askew, the -tank was intact and did not leak. Five geepees pushed it rapidly toward -the ship, mechanically oblivious to the disheveled man who shouted and -struck at them, incoherent with frustrated rage. - -"Jordan, open the freight lock." - -In response the ship rose a few more inches and hung quivering. To the -rear a section of the ship hinged outward and downward to form a ramp. -The ship was ready and the cargo had arrived. - -Docchi remained at the passenger entrance. Cameron was an idiot. He -should have stayed in the main dome once the geepees had released him. -His presence was unwelcome, more than he may have realized. Still, -they'd gotten rid of him once and it ought to work again. - -It was Nona who worried Docchi. She hadn't accompanied the robots and -she wasn't to be seen. It didn't look as if Cameron had found her there -and managed to confine her to the hospital. It had happened too fast; -the doctor was lucky to have kept up with the geepees. Docchi started -uncertainly down the ramp and came back. She wasn't around, he could -see that, and it was too late to go back to the main dome. - -The tank neared the ship, the forward section sliding onto the ramp. -The motion slowed as the geepees' effort slackened. Then the robots -stopped altogether, straightening up in bewilderment. - -The tank rolled backward. The geepees got out of the way, shaking and -buzzing, looking questioningly around. Simultaneously, it seemed, they -saw Docchi. Their intentions were obvious but he forestalled them, -leaping back in the ship. "Close the passenger entrance," he shouted. - -Jordan appeared at the far end of the corridor. "Sure. What's wrong?" - -"Vogel, the engineer. He must have seen the geepees on scanning when -they entered the main dome. He's trying to do what Cameron should have -thought of but didn't have sense." - -Jordan went away and the passenger ramp rose with ponderous slowness, -clamping shut with metallic finality. As soon as he saw there was no -danger there Docchi hurried to the control compartment. - -"Now we can't see what to do," complained Jordan. - -"Maybe," said Docchi. "Try to get something on the telecom." - -From the angle it was difficult to see anything. The receptor tubes -were close to the hull, and the ship curved backward, filling most of -the screen. By rotating the view they managed to pick up a corner of -the tank. Apparently it was resting where Docchi had last seen it. He -couldn't be sure but he thought it hadn't been moved. - -"I don't know whether we can bring it in," said Jordan nervously. -"Maybe we should leave it. We'll make out by ourselves." - -"Leave without the tank? Not a chance. Vogel hasn't got complete -control of the robots yet." It seemed to be true. They were huddled -away from the ship, looking alternately at the rocket and the tank, -nearly motionless, paralyzed. - -"Yeah, but he'll have them soon. Look at them." - -"I am, which is why I think he's having trouble. Give me full power on -the emergency radio." - -"What good will it do? He's got priority." - -"He's got it, but can he push it through to them? It's my idea that he -can't, that he's at the wrong angle to put much power in his signal. -There's a lot of steel between him and the robots and that's weakening -his beam." - -"Maybe you've got something," said Jordan. "I'll burn the emergency -stuff out. If it doesn't work we won't need it again anyway." He -flipped the dials until the lights above them were blazing fiercely. - -"Energized geepees are requested to lend assistance. This is an -emergency. Place the tank in the ship. At once. At once." - -Geepees were not designed to sift contradictory commands at nearly -the same level of urgency. Their reasoning ability was feeble but the -mechanism that enabled them to think at all was complicated. In one -respect they resembled humans: borderline decisions were difficult. A -ship in distress--an asteroid in danger. Both called for the robot to -destroy itself if necessary. It seemed as if that was all that would be -accomplished. - -"More power," whispered Docchi. - -"There ain't more," answered Jordan, but somehow he coaxed an extra -trickle out of the reserves. - -Marionettes. But they were always that, puppets on invisible wires. -And now this string led toward one action. Another, intrinsically -more important but suddenly less powerful, pulled for something else. -Circuits burned in electronic brains. Microrays fluttered under the -stress. They didn't know. They just didn't know. - -But there had to be a choice. - -Stiffly the geepees moved in and grasped the tank. The quality of their -decision was strained. They were pushing themselves more than the tank -but inch by inch the huge twisted structure rolled up the ramp. - -"When it's completely on, raise the ramp." Docchi wasn't aware that he -could hardly be heard. - -The cargo ramp began to lift up. The tank gained speed as it rolled -forward into the ship. "Geepees, the job is finished. Save yourselves," -shouted Docchi. He saw a swirl of metallic bodies as they leaped from -the ramp. - -Jordan breathed deeply. "That did it. I don't think they can hurt us -now." - -"It's not over. Get ship-to-station communication, if there's any radio -left." - -"I'll be surprised if there is," muttered Jordan, but his skepticism -was without basis. The radio was still functioning. He made the -adjustments. - -Docchi was matter of fact. "Vogel, we're going out. Don't try to stop -us. Give us clearance and save the dome some damage." - -There was no reply. - -"He's bluffing," said Jordan. "He knows the airlocks in the main dome -will close automatically if we break through." - -"Sure," said Docchi. "Everyone in the main dome is safe--_if_ everyone -is in there. Vogel, do you know where Cameron is? Are you certain a -nurse or an accidental hasn't wandered in here to see what's wrong? -We'll give you time to think about it." - -Again they waited and waited. Each second was tangible, the precious -duration that lives and events were measured with--and the measure was -exceedingly slow. Meanwhile Jordan flipped on the telecom and searched -the rocket dome. They saw nothing; there was not even a geepee in -sight. Docchi watched the screen impassively; what he thought didn't -show on his face. - -And still there was no reply from the engineer in the gravity station. - -"All right. We've given you a chance," said Docchi. His voice was -brittle. "You know what we're going to do. If anybody gets hurt you can -take the credit." He turned away from the screen. "Jordan, let's go. -Hit the shell with the bow." - -Jordan grasped the levers. The ship hardly quivered as it tilted -upward and leaped away. It roared in the air and then fell silent as -it passed into space. And the silence was worse than any sound--it was -filled with the imagined hiss of air escaping from a great hole in the -transparent covering of the dome. - -Jordan sat at the controls. "Did he?" - -"He had to. He wouldn't risk killing some innocent person." - -"I don't know," said Jordan. "If you'd said he wouldn't want his pretty -machinery banged up it would be easier to believe." - -"I didn't hear anything. We would have if we'd hit." - -"It was fast. Could we tell? Maybe Vogel played it safe and had the -inner shell out of the way even if he didn't give us the automatic -signal. In that event it's all right because it would close as soon -as we got out of the way even if we did rip through the outer shell. -All the air wouldn't escape." Jordan sat there for a moment, silently -reviewing his own arguments. - -He twisted the lever and the ship leaped forward. "Cameron I don't -mind. He had time to get away and he knew what we were going to do. I -keep thinking Nona _might_ have been there." - -"He opened it," said Docchi harshly. "We didn't hit the dome. I didn't -hear anything. Nona wasn't there." His face was gray, there was no -light at all in it. "Come on," he said, walking away. - -Jordan rocked back and forth. The hemisphere that held what remained of -his body was suited for it. He set the auto-controls and reduced the -gravity to quarter normal. He bent his arms and shoved himself into the -air, deftly catching a guide rail, swinging along it. - -It was pure chance that he glanced toward the back of the ship instead -of forward as he entered the corridor after Docchi. There was a light -blinking at a cabin door. - -It was occupied. - - - - -4 - - -Jordan caught up before Docchi reached the cargo hold. In lesser -gravity he was more active and could move freely. Now his handicap -was almost unnoticeable, seemed to have disappeared. The same was not -true of Docchi. It required less effort to walk but there was also a -profound unsettling effect that made him cautious and uncertain. - -Docchi heard him coming and waited, bracing himself against the wall -in case the gravity should momentarily change. Jordan still carried -the weapon he'd taken from the pilot. It was clipped to the sacklike -garment, dangling from his midsection which, for him, was just below -his shoulders. Down the passageway he came, swinging from the guide -rails with easy grace though the gravity on the ship was as erratic as -on the asteroid. - -Jordan halted, hanging on with one hand. "We have a passenger. Someone -we didn't know about." - -Docchi stiffened. "Who?" he asked. But the answer was already on -Jordan's face. "Nona," he said in relief. He slumped forward. "How did -she get on?" - -"A good question," said Jordan. "But there isn't any answer and never -will be. It's my guess that after she jammed the lights and scanners -in the rocket dome she went to the ship and it looked inviting. So she -went in. She wouldn't let a little thing like a lock that couldn't be -opened stop her." - -"It's a good guess," agreed Docchi. "She's exceedingly curious." - -"We may as well make the picture complete. Once in the ship she felt -tired. She found a comfortable cabin and fell asleep. She can't hear -anything so our little skirmish with the geepees didn't bother her." - -"I can't argue with you. It'll do until a better explanation comes -along." - -"But I wish she'd waited a few minutes to take her nap. She'd have -saved us a lot of trouble. She didn't know you'd be able to crawl -through the tubes--and neither did you until you'd actually done it." - -"What do you want?" said Docchi. "She did more than we did. We depend -too much on her. Next thing we'll expect her to escort us personally to -the stars." - -"I wasn't criticizing her," protested Jordan. - -"Maybe not. You've got to remember her mind works differently. It never -occurred to her that we'd have difficulty with something that was so -simple to her. At the same time she's completely unable to grasp our -concepts." He straightened up. "We'd better get going if we don't want -Anti to start yelling." - -The cargo hold was sizable. It had to be to hold the tank, which was -now quite battered and twisted. But the tank was sturdily built and -looked as if it would hold together for ages to come. There was some -doubt as to whether the ship would. The wall opposite the ramp was -badly bent where the tank had plowed into it and the storage racks -were demolished. Odds and ends of equipment lay in scattered heaps on -the floor. - -"Anti," called Docchi. - -"Here." - -"Are you hurt?" - -"Never felt a thing," came the cheerful reply. It was not surprising; -her surplus flesh was adequate protection against deceleration. - -Jordan began to scale the side of the tank, reaching the top and -peering over. "She seems to be all right," he called down. "Part of the -acid's gone. Otherwise there's no damage." - -"Of course not," replied Anti. "What did I say?" - -It was perhaps more serious than she realized. She might personally -dislike it, but acid was necessary to her life. And some of it had -been splashed from the tank. Where it had spilled metal was corroding -rapidly. By itself this was no cause for alarm. The ship was built for -a multitude of strange environments and the scavenging system would -handle acid as readily as water, neutralizing it and disposing of it -where it would do no harm. But the supply had to be conserved. There -was no more. - -"What are you waiting for?" Anti rumbled with impatience. "Get me out -of here. I've stewed in this disgusting soup long enough." - -"We were thinking how we could get you out. We'll figure out a way." - -"You let me do the thinking. You just get busy. After you left I -decided there must be some way to live outside the tank and of course -when I bent my mind to it there was a way. After all, who knows more -about my condition than me?" - -"You're the expert. Tell us what to do." - -"Oh I will. All I need from you is no gravity and I'll take care of the -rest. I've got muscles, more than you think. I can walk as long as my -bones don't break from the weight." - -Light gravity was bad, none at all was worse for Docchi. Having no arms -he'd be helpless. The prospect of floating free without being able to -grasp anything was terrifying. He forced down his fear. Anti had to -have it and so he could get used to null gravity. - -"We'll get around to it," he promised. "Before we do we'll have to -drain and store the acid." - -"I don't care what you do with it," said Anti. "All I know is that I -don't want to be in it." - -Jordan was already working. He swung off the tank and was busy -expelling water from an auxiliary compartment into space. As soon as -the compartment was empty he led a hose from it to the tank. A pump -vibrated and the acid level in the tank began to fall. - -Docchi felt the ship lurch familiarly. The ship was older than he -thought, the gravity generator more out of date. "Hurry," he called to -Jordan. - -In time they'd cut it off. But if gravity went out before they were -ready they were in for rough moments. Free floating globes of highly -corrosive acid, scattered throughout the ship by air currents, could be -as destructive as high velocity meteor clusters. - -Jordan tinkered with the pump and then jammed the lever as far as it -would go, holding it there. "I think we'll make it," he said above the -screech of the pump. The machinery gasped, but it won. The throbbing -broke into a vacant clatter that betokened the tank was empty. Jordan -had the hose rolled away before the gravity generator let the feeling -of weight trickle off into nothingness. - -As soon as she was weightless Anti rose out of the tank. - -In all the time Docchi had known her he had seen no more than a -face framed in blue acid. Where it was necessary periodic surgery -had trimmed the flesh away. For the rest, she lived submerged in a -corrosive fluid that destroyed the wild tissue as fast as it grew. -Anyway, nearly as fast. - -"Well, junkman, look at a real freak," snapped Anti. - -He had anticipated--and he was wrong in what he thought. It was true -humans weren't meant to grow so large, but Jupiter wasn't repulsive -merely because it was the bulging giant of planets. It was unbelievable -and overwhelming when seen close up but it was not obscene. It took -getting used to but he could stand the sight of Anti. - -"How long can you live out of the acid?" he stammered. - -"Can't live out of it," said Anti loftily. "So I take it with me. If -you weren't as unobservant as most men you'd see how I do it." - -"It's a robe of some kind," said Docchi carefully after studying it. - -"Exactly. A surgical robe, the only thing I have to my name. Maybe -it's the only garment in the solar system that will fit me. Anyway, -if you've really examined it you'll notice it's made of a spongelike -substance. It holds enough acid to last at least thirty-six hours." - -She grasped a rail and propelled herself toward the passageway. For -most people it was spacious enough but not for Anti. However she could -squeeze through. And satellites, one glowing and the other swinging in -an eccentric orbit, followed after the Jupiter of humans. - - * * * * * - -Nona was standing in front of the instrument panel when they came back. -It was more or less like all panels built since designers first got the -hang of what could really be done with seemingly simple components. -There was a bewildering array of lights, levers, dials, and indicators -in front of her but Nona was interested in none of these. There was a -single small switch and dial, separate from the rest, that held her -complete attention. She seemed disturbed by what she saw or failed to -see. Disturbed or excited, it was difficult to guess which. - -Anti stopped. "Look at her. If I didn't know she's as bad as the rest -of us, in fact the only one who was born that way, it would be easy to -hate her. She's disgustingly normal." - -There was truth in what Anti said--and yet there wasn't. Surgical -techniques that could take bodies apart and put them together with a -skill once reserved for machines had made beauty commonplace. There -were no more sagging muscles, discolored skin, or wrinkles. Even the -aged were attractive and youthful seeming until the day they died, -and the day after too. There were no more ill-formed limbs, misshapen -bodies, unsightly hair. Everyone was handsome or beautiful. No -exceptions. - -The accidentals didn't belong, of course. In another day most of them -would have been employed by a circus--if they had first escaped the -formaldehyde of the specimen bottle. - -And Nona didn't belong--doubly. She couldn't be called normal, and she -wasn't a repair job as the other accidentals were. Looked at closely -she was an original as far from the average in one direction as Anti -was in the other. - -"What's she staring at?" asked Anti as the others slipped past her into -the compartment. "Is there something wrong with the little dial?" - -"That dial has a curious history," said Docchi. "It's not useless, it -just isn't used. Actually it's an indicator for the gravity drive which -at one time was considered fairly promising. It hasn't been removed -because it might come in handy during an extreme emergency." - -"But all that extra weight----" - -"There's no weight, Anti. The gravity drive is run from the same -generator that supplies passenger gravity. It's very interesting that -Nona should spot it at once. I'm certain she's never been in a control -room before and yet she went straight to it. She may even have some -inkling of what it's for." - -Anti dismissed the intellectual feat. "Well, why are you waiting here? -You know she can't hear us. Go stand in front of her." - -"How do I get there?" Docchi had risen a few inches now that Jordan -had released his grip. He was free floating and helpless, sort of a -plankton of space. - -"A good engineer would have sense to put on magnetics. Nona did." Anti -grasped his jacket. How she was able to move was uncertain. The tissues -that surrounded the woman were too vast to permit the perception of -individual motions. Nevertheless she proceeded to the center of the -compartment and with her came Docchi. - -Nona turned before they reached her. "My poor boy," sighed Anti. "If -you're trying to conceal your emotions, that's a very bad job. Anyway, -stop glowing like a rainbow and say something." - -It was one time Anti missed. He almost _did_ feel that way and maybe -if she weren't so competent in his own specialty he might have. It was -irritating to study and work for so many years as he had--and then to -be completely outclassed by someone who did neither, to whom certain -kinds of knowledge came so easily it seemed to be inborn. She was -attractive but for him something was missing. "Hello," he said lamely. - -Nona smiled at him though it was Anti she went to. - -"No, not too close, child. Don't touch the surgery robe unless you want -your pretty face to peel off when you're not looking." - -Nona stopped; she was close but she may as well have been miles away. -She said nothing. - -Anti shook her head hopelessly. "I wish she'd learn to read lips or at -least recognize words. What can you say to her?" - -"She knows facial expressions and actions, I think," said Docchi. -"She's pretty good at emotions too. She falls down when it comes to -words. I don't think she knows there is such a thing." - -"Then how does she think?" asked Anti, and answered her own question. -"Maybe she doesn't." - -"Let's not be as dogmatic as psychologists have been. We know she does. -What concepts she uses is uncertain. Not verbal, nor mathematical -anyway--she's been tested for that." He frowned puzzledly. "I don't -know what concepts she uses in thinking. I wish I did." - -"Save some of the worry for our present situation," said Anti. "The -object of your concern doesn't seem to need it. At least she isn't -interested." - -Nona had wandered back to the instrument panel and was staring at the -gravity drive indicator again. There was really nothing there to hold -her attention but her curiosity was insatiable and childlike. - -And in many ways she seemed immature. And that led to an elusive -thought: what child was she? Not whose child--what child. Her actual -parents were known, obscure technicians and mechanics, descendants -themselves of a long line of mechanics and technicians. Not one notable -or distinguished person among them, her family was decently unknown to -fame or misfortune in every branch--until she'd come along. And what -was her place, according to heredity? Docchi didn't know but he didn't -share the official medical view. - -With an effort Docchi stopped thinking about Nona. "We appealed to the -medicouncilor," he said. "We asked for a ship to go to the nearest -star, a rocket, naturally. Even allowing for a better design than we -now have the journey will take a long time--forty or fifty years going -and the same time back. That's entirely too long for a normal crew, but -it wouldn't matter to us. You know what the Medicouncil did with that -request. That's why we're here." - -"Why rockets?" interrupted Jordan. "Why not some form of that gravity -drive you were talking about? Seems to me for travel over a long -distance it would be much better." - -"As an idea it's very good," said Docchi. "Theoretically there's no -upper limit to the gravity drive except the velocity of light and even -that's questionable. If it would work the time element could be cut in -fractions. But the last twenty years have proved that gravity drives -don't work at all outside the solar system. They work very well close -to the sun, start acting up at the orbit of Venus and are no good at -all from Earth on out." - -"Why don't they?" asked Jordan. "You said they used the same generator -as passenger gravity. Those work away from the sun." - -"Sure they do," said Docchi impatiently. "Like ours is working now? -Actually ship internal gravity is more erratic than we had on the -asteroid, and that's hardly reliable. For some reason the drive is -always worse than passenger gravity. Don't ask me why. If I knew I -wouldn't be on Handicap Haven. Arms or no arms, biocompensator or not, -I'd be the most important scientist on Earth." - -"With multitudes of women competing for your affections," said Anti. - -"I think he'd settle for one," suggested Jordan. - -"Poor unimaginative man," said Anti. "When I was young I was not so -narrow in my outlook." - -"We've heard about your youth," said Jordan. "I don't believe very much -of it." - -"Talk about your youth and love affairs privately if you want but spare -us the details. Especially now, since there are more important things -to attend to." Docchi glowered at them. "Anyway the gravity drive is -out," he resumed. "At one time they had hopes for it but no longer. The -present function of the generator is to provide gravity _inside_ the -ship, for passenger comfort. Nothing else. - -"So it is a rocket ship, slow and clumsy but reliable. It'll get us -there. The Medicouncil refused us and so we'll have to go higher." - -"I'm all for it," said Anti. "How do we get higher?" - -"We've discussed it before," answered Docchi. "The Medicouncil is -responsible to the Solar Government, and in turn Solar has been known -to yield to devious little pressures." - -"Or not so devious great big pressures. Fine. I'm in favor," said Anti. -"I just wanted to be sure." - -"Mars is close," continued Docchi. "But Earth is more influential. -Therefore I recommend it." His voice trailed off and he stopped and -listened, listened. - -Anti listened too but the sound was too faint for her hearing. "What's -the matter?" she said. "I think you're imagining things." - -Jordan leaned forward in his seat and examined the instrument panel -carefully before answering. "That's the trouble, Anti. You're not -supposed to _hear_ it, but you should be able to feel vibrations as -long as the rocket's on." - -"I don't feel it either." - -"I know," said Jordan, looking at Docchi. "I can't understand. There's -plenty of fuel." - - * * * * * - -The momentum of the ship carried it along after the rockets stopped -firing. They were still moving but not very fast and not in the -direction they ultimately had to go. Gingerly Docchi tried out the -magnetic shoes. He was clumsy but no longer helpless in the gravityless -ship. He stared futilely at the instruments as if he could wring out -more secrets than the panel had electronic access to. - -"It's mechanical trouble of some sort," he said uneasily. "I don't know -where to begin." - -Before he could get to it Anti was in the passageway that led from the -control compartment. "Course I'm completely ignorant," she said. "Seems -to me we ought to start with the rocket tubes and trace the trouble -from there." - -"I was going to," said Docchi. "You stay here, Anti. I'll see what's -wrong." - -She reached nearly from the floor to the ceiling. She missed by scant -inches the sides of the corridor. Locomotion was easy for her, turning -around wasn't. So she didn't turn. "Look, honey," her voice floated -back. "You brought me along for the ride. That's fine. I'm grateful but -I'm not satisfied with just that. Seems to me I've got to earn my fare. -You stay and run the ship. You and Jordan know how. I don't. I'll find -out what's wrong." - -"But you won't know what to do." - -"I don't have to. You don't have to be a mechanic to see something's -broken. I'll find it, and when I do you can come and fix it." - -He knew when it was useless to argue with her. "We'll both go," he -said. "Jordan will stay at the controls." - -It was a dingy poorly lighted passageway in an older ship. Handicap -Haven didn't rate the best equipment that was being produced, and even -when it was new the ship had been no prize. On one side of the corridor -was the hull of the ship; on the other a few small cabins. None were -occupied. Anti stopped. The long hall ended in a cross corridor that -led to the other side of the ship where a return passage led back to -the control compartment. - -"We'll check the stern tubes," he said, still unable to see around her. -"Open the door and we'll look in." - -"Can't," said Anti. "Tried to but the handle won't turn. There's a red -light too. Does it mean anything?" - -He'd expected something like this but nevertheless his heart sank now -that he was actually confronted with it. "It does. Don't try again. -With your strength you might be unlucky enough to open the door." - -"There's a man for you," said Anti. "First you tell me to open it and -then you don't want me to." - -"There's no air in the rear compartment, Anti. The combustion chamber's -been retracted--that's why the rockets stopped firing. The air rushed -out into space as soon as it happened. That's what the red light means." - -"We'd all die if I opened it now?" - -"We would." - -"Then let's get busy and fix it." - -"We will. But we've got to make sure it doesn't happen again. You see, -it wasn't accidental. Someone, or something, was responsible." - -"Are you sure?" - -"Very sure. Did you see anyone while we were loading your tank in the -ship?" - -"Nothing. How could I? I heard Cameron shouting, other noise. But I -couldn't see a thing that wasn't directly overhead, and there wasn't -anything." - -"I thought so. A geepee _could_ have got in without anyone seeing him. -I didn't count them but I was certain all of them had dropped outside. -I was mistaken; one of them didn't." - -"Why does it have to be a geepee?" - -"It just does, Anti. The combustion chamber was retracted while we were -all in the control compartment. We didn't do it and therefore it had to -be someone back here. - -"No man is strong enough to retract the cap, but if he somehow exerted -superhuman effort, as soon as the chamber cleared the tubes rocket -action would cease and the air in the compartment would exhaust into -space." - -"So we have a dead geepee in the rocket compartment." - -"A geepee doesn't die or even become inactive. Lack of air doesn't -hinder it in the least. Not only that, a geepee might be able to -escape from the compartment. It's strong and fast enough to open the -door against the pressure and get out and close it again in less than -a second. We wouldn't notice it because the ship would automatically -replenish the small amount of air that would escape." - -Anti settled down grimly. "Then there's a geepee on the loose, intent -on wrecking us?" - -"I'm afraid so." - -"Then what are we standing around for? All we have to do is go back to -the controls and pick up the robot on the radio. We'll make it go in -there and repair the damage it's done." - -She partly turned around and saw Docchi's face. "Don't tell me," she -said, "I should have thought of it. The radio doesn't work inside the -ship." - -Docchi nodded reluctantly. "It doesn't. Robots are never used aboard -and so the emergency band is broadcast by the bow antenna. The hull of -the ship is a pretty good insulation." - -"Ain't that nice?" said Anti happily. "We've got a robot hunt ahead of -us." - -"And our bare hands to hunt it with." - -"Oh come. It's not as hopeless as that. Look, the robot was back here -when the rockets stopped. It couldn't get by the control compartment -without our seeing it." - -"That's right. There are two corridors leading through the compartment, -one on each side of the ship." - -"That's what I mean. We came down one and there wasn't any geepee. So -it's got to be in the other. If it goes in a cabin a light will shine -outside. It can't hide from us." - -"I don't doubt we'll find it. But what'll we do then?" - -"I was thinking," said Anti. "Can you get past me when I'm standing -like this?" - -"No." - -"That's what I thought. Neither can a geepee. All I need is a toaster, -or something that looks like it. I'll drive the robot forward and -Jordan can burn it down." Determinedly she began to move toward the far -corridor. "Hurry back to Jordan and tell him. There ought to be another -weapon on the ship. Should be one for the pilot to use. Bring it back -to me." - -Docchi bit his lip and stared at the back of the huge woman. He knew -Anti, and when it was useless to argue with her. "All right," he -answered. "Stay here though. Don't try anything until I get a toaster -for you." - -The magnetics on his feet were no substitute for gravity. Docchi -couldn't move fast, no human could. He had time to think as he went -along but nothing better suggested itself. A toaster for Jordan and -another for Anti--if there was another. - -And Anti would block the passageway. A geepee might go through her but -it could never squeeze past. The robot would try to get away. If it -came toward Anti she might disable it. But she would be firing directly -into the control compartment. And if she missed even partially--well, -the instruments were delicate. - -But Jordan might get the chance to bring down the robot. Then Anti -would be in the line of fire. No matter how he looked at it, Docchi -was sure the plan was unworkable. They'd have to devise something else. - -"Jordan," called Docchi as soon as he got there; but Jordan wasn't -in sight. Nona was, still gazing serenely at the gravity indicator. -Nothing seemed capable of breaking through the shell that surrounded -her. - -Light was streaming from the opposite corridor. Docchi hurried over. -Jordan was just inside the entrance, the toaster clutched grimly in his -hand. He was hitching his truncated body slowly toward the stern. - -Coming to meet him was Anti--unarmed enormous Anti. She hadn't meant -to wait for the weapon--she was pretty certain there wasn't any--she -had merely wanted to get him out of the way. And she wasn't walking; -somehow it seemed more like swimming, a bulbous huge sea animal moving -through the air. She waved what resembled fins against the wall, with -them propelling herself forward. "Melt it down," she cried. - -It was difficult to make out the vaguely human form of the geepee. -The powerful shining body blended in with the structure of the -ship--unintentional camouflage, though the robot wasn't aware of it. It -crouched at the threshold of a cabin, hesitating between approaching -dangers. - -Jordan raised the weapon and lowered it with the same motion. "Get out -of the way." He gestured futilely to Anti. - -There was no place she could go. She was too big to enter a cabin, too -massive to let the robot squeeze by even if she wanted. "Never mind. -Get him," she called. - -The geepee wasn't a genius even by robot standards. But it did know -that heat is deadly and that a human body is a fragile thing. And so it -ran toward Anti. Unlike humans it didn't need special magnetics; such -a function was built into it and the absence or presence of gravity -disturbed it not at all. It moved very fast. - -Docchi had to watch though he didn't want to. The robot exploded into -action, launching its body at Anti. But it was the robot that was -thrown back. It had calculated swiftly but incorrectly--relative mass -favored the enormous woman. - -The electronic brain obeyed the original instructions, whatever they -were. It got up and rushed Anti again. Metal arms shot out with -dazzling speed and crashed against the flesh of the huge woman. Docchi -could hear the rattle of blows. No ordinary person could take that -punishment and live. - -But Anti wasn't ordinary. Even for an accidental she was strange, -living far inside a deep armor of flesh. It was possible she never felt -the crushing force of those blows. And she didn't turn away, try to -escape. Instead she reached out and grasped the robot, drawing it to -her. And the geepee lost another advantage, leverage. The bright arms -didn't flash so fast nor with such lethal power. - -"Gravity," cried Anti. "Give me all you've got." - -Her strategy was obvious; she was leaning against the struggling -machine. And here at least Docchi could help her. He turned and took -two steps before the surge hit him. Gravity came in waves, each one -greater than that before. The first impulse staggered him, and at the -second his knees buckled and he sank to the floor. After that his -eardrums hurt and he thought he could feel the ship quiver. He knew -dazedly that an artificial gravity field of this magnitude had never -been attained--but the knowledge didn't help him move. He was powerless -in the force that held him. - -And it vanished as quickly as it had come. Painfully his lungs -expanded, each muscle aching individually. He rolled over and got up, -lurching past Jordan. - -Anti wasn't the inert broken flesh he expected. Already she was moving -and was standing up by the time he got to her. "Oof," she grunted, -gazing with satisfaction at the twisted shape at her feet. It was past -repair, the body dented and arms and legs bent, the head smashed, the -electronic brain in it completely useless. - -"Are you hurt?" asked Docchi in awe. - -She waggled the extremities and waited as if for the signal to travel -through the nerves. "Nope," she said finally. "Can't feel anything -broken. Would have been if I'd tried to stand." She moved back to get a -better view of the robot. "That's throwing my weight around," she said -with satisfaction. "At the right time in the right way. The secret's -timing. And I must say you took the cue well." Her laughter rolled -through the ship. - -"I didn't have anything to do with the gravity," said Docchi. - -"Who? Jordan--no, he's just getting up." - -"Nona," said Docchi. "She was the only one who wasn't doing anything -else. She saw what had to be done and got to it before I did. But I -can't figure out how she got so much gravity." - -"Ask her," said Anti. - -Docchi grimaced, limping into the control room, followed by Anti -and Jordan. Nona was at the gravity panel, her face pleasant and -unconcerned. - -The unprecedented power of the gravity field could be accounted for, -of course. The ship was old and had seen much use. Connections were -loose or broken and had somehow crossed, circuiting more power into -the gravity generator than it was designed for. Miraculously it had -held up for a brief time--and that was all there was to it. And yet the -explanation failed to be completely satisfactory. "I wonder if you had -anything to do with it," he said to her. Nona smiled questioningly. - -"Had to, didn't she?" said Jordan. "She was the only one who could have -turned it on." - -"Started it, yes. Increased the power of the field, I don't know," said -Docchi. He outlined what he thought had taken place. - -"That sounds logical," agreed Jordan. "But it doesn't matter how it was -done. Gravity engineers would find it interesting. If we had time I'd -like to see how the circuits are crossed. We might discover something -new." - -"I'm sure it's interesting," said Anti irritably. "Interesting to -everybody but me. And I'm pragmatic. All I want to know is: when do we -start the rockets? We've got a long way to go." - -"There's something that comes before that, Anti," said Jordan. "A -retracted combustion cap in flight generally means at least one burned -out tube." He made his way to the instruments, checking them glumly. -"This time it's three." - -"You forgot something yourself, Jordan," said Docchi. "I was thinking -of the robot." - -"I thought we'd settled _that_," said Anti impatiently. - -"We have. But let's follow it through. Where did the robot get -instructions? Not from Vogel via the radio. The ship's hull cuts off -that band. And the last we knew it was in our control." - -"Voice," said Jordan. "We freed it. Someone else could take it over." - -"Who?" said Anti. "None of us." - -"No. But think back to when we were loading the tank. We saw it through -the telecom and the angle of vision was bad. You couldn't see anything -that wasn't directly overhead. Not only the robot but Cameron also -managed to get inside." - -Jordan hefted the weapon. "So we've got another hunt on our hands. Only -this time it's in our favor. Nothing I like better than aiming at a -nice normal doctor." - -Docchi glanced at the weapon. "Take it along. But don't use it. A -homicide would ruin us. We could forget what we're going for. Anyway, -you won't actually need it. The ship's temporarily disabled and he'll -consider that damage enough. He'll be ready to surrender." - -He was. - - - - -5 - - -The doctor was at ease, confident. "You've got the ship and you've -caught me. How long do you think you can keep either of us?" - -Docchi regarded him levelly. "I don't expect active cooperation but I'd -like to think you'll give us your word not to hinder us hereafter." - -Cameron glared at the toaster. "I won't promise anything." - -"We can chain him to Anti," suggested Jordan. "That will keep him out -of trouble." - -"Don't wince, Cameron," said Docchi. "She was a woman once. An -attractive one too." - -"We can put him in a spacesuit and lock his hands behind his back," -said Jordan. "Like the old-fashioned straitjacket." - -Cameron laughed loudly. "Go ahead." - -Jordan juggled the toaster. "I can use this to weld with. Let's put him -in a cabin and close the door, permanently. I'll cut a slot to shove -food in--a very narrow slot." - -"Excellent. That's the solution. Cameron, do you want to reconsider -your decision?" - -Cameron shrugged blithely. "They'll pick you up in a day or less -anyway. I'm not compromising myself if I agree." - -"It's good enough for me," declared Anti. "A doctor's word is as good -as his oath--Hippocratic or hypocritic." - -"Don't be cynical, Anti. Doctors have an economic sense as well as the -next person," said Docchi. He turned to Cameron. "You see, after Anti -grew too massive for her skeletal structure, doctors reasoned she'd be -most comfortable in the absence of gravity. That was in the early days, -before successful ship gravity units were developed. They put her on an -interplanetary ship and kept transferring her before each landing. - -"But the treatment was troublesome--and expensive. So they devised a -new method--the asteroid and the tank of acid. Not being aquatic by -nature, Anti resented the change. She still does." - -"Don't blame me for that," said Cameron. "I wasn't responsible." - -"It was before your time," agreed Docchi. He frowned speculatively at -the doctor. "I noticed it at the time but I had other things to think -about. Tell me, why did you laugh when Jordan mentioned spacesuits?" - -Cameron grinned broadly. "That was my project while you were busy with -the robot." - -"To do what? Jordan----" - -But Jordan was already on his way. He was gone for some time, minutes -that passed slowly. - -"Well?" asked Docchi on Jordan's return. The question was hardly -necessary; his face told the story. - -"Cut to ribbons." - -"All of them? Even the emergency pack?" - -"That too. He knew where everything was. Nothing can be repaired." - -"So who cares?" rumbled Anti. "We don't need spacesuits unless -something happens and we have to go outside the ship." - -"Exactly, Anti. How do we replace the defective tubes? From the -outside, of course. By destroying the spacesuits Cameron made sure we -can't." - -Anti glowered at the doctor. "And I suppose you merely had our welfare -at heart. Isn't that so, Cameron?" - -"You can think anything you want. I did and I do," said Cameron -imperturbably. "Now be reasonable. We're still in the asteroid zone. In -itself that's not dangerous. Without power to avoid stray rocks it can -be very unpleasant. My advice is to contact the Medicouncil at once. -They'll send a ship to take us in." - -"Thanks, no. I don't like Handicap Haven as well as you," Anti said -brusquely. She turned to Docchi. "Maybe I'm stupid for asking but -what's so deadly about being in space without a spacesuit?" - -"Cold. Lack of pressure. Lack of oxygen." - -"Is that all? Nothing else?" - -His voice was too loud; it seemed thunderous to him. "Isn't that -enough?" - -"Maybe not for me. I just wanted to be sure." She beckoned to Nona and -together they went forward, where the spacesuits were kept. "Don't do -anything drastic until I get back," she said as she left. - -Cameron scowled puzzledly and started to follow until Jordan waved the -toaster in front of him. "All right, I see it," he growled, stopping -and rubbing his chin. "There's nothing she can do. You know it as well -as I do." - -"Do I? Well, for once I'm inclined to agree with you," said Docchi. -"But you never can tell with Anti. Sometimes she comes up with -surprising things. She's not scientifically trained but she has a good -mind, as good as her body once was." - -"And how good was that?" asked Cameron ironically. - -"Look it up in your records," said Jordan shortly. "We don't talk about -it ourselves." - - * * * * * - -The women didn't come back soon, and when they did Cameron wasn't sure -that the weird creature that floated into the control compartment with -Nona _was_ Anti. He looked again and saw shudderingly what she had done -to herself. "You _do_ need psychotherapy," he said bitingly. "When we -get back it's the first thing I'll recommend. Can't you understand how -fool-hardy you're being?" - -"Be quiet," growled Jordan. "Anti, explain what you've rigged up. I'm -not sure we can let you do it." - -"Any kind of pressure will do as far as the outside of the body is -concerned," answered Anti, flipping back the helmet. "Mechanical -pressure is as satisfactory as air. I had Nona cut the spacesuit in -strips and wind them around me, very hard. That will keep me from -squishing out. Then I found a helmet that would cover my head when the -damaged part was cut away. It won't hold much air pressure even taped -tight to my skin. It doesn't have to as long as it's pure oxygen." - -"So far it makes sense," admitted Docchi. "But what can you do about -temperature?" - -"Do you think I'm going to worry about cold?" asked Anti. "Me? Way down -below all this flesh? Mountains and mountains of it?" - -"I've heard enough," said Cameron, standing in front of Anti. "Now -listen to me. Stop this nonsense and take off that childish rig. I -can't permit you to ruin my career by deliberate suicide." - -"You and your stinking career," said Jordan disgustedly. "You don't -know what success is and what it means to give it up. Stay out of this. -We don't have to ask your permission to do anything." Cameron retreated -from the toaster and Jordan turned to Anti. "Do you understand what the -risk, is, Anti? You know that it may not work at all?" - -"I've thought about it," said Anti. "On the other hand I've thought -about the asteroid. I don't want to go back." - -"We should have viewers outside," said Docchi. "One directly in back, -one on each side. At least we'll know what's happening." - -At the control panel Jordan began flipping levers. "They're out and -working," he said at last. "Anti, go to the freight ramp. Close your -helmet and wait. I'll let the air out slowly. If everything doesn't -work perfectly let me know on the helmet radio and I'll yank you in -immediately. Once you're outside I'll give you further instructions. -You'll find the tools and equipment that opens to space." - -Anti waddled away. Huge, but she wasn't any bigger than her -determination. - -Once she was gone Jordan looked down at his legless body. "I hate to -do this but we've got to be realistic about it." - -"It's the only way we've got a chance," answered Docchi. "Anti's the -only one who can do the job. And I think she'll survive." - -Jordan adjusted a dial. "Cameron had better hope she will," he -muttered. "He'll join her if she doesn't." - -Docchi glanced hastily at the screen. Anti was hanging free in space, -wrapped and strapped in strips torn from the supposedly useless -spacesuits. And she was also enclosed in more flesh than any human -had borne. The helmet was taped jauntily to her head and the oxygen -cylinder was fastened to her back. And she lived. - -"How is she?" he asked anxiously, unaware that the microphone was open. - -"Fine," came the reply, faint and reedy. "The air's thin but it's pure." - -"Cold?" - -"Don't know. Don't feel it yet. Anyway it can't be worse than the acid. -What do I do?" - -Jordan gave her directions while the others watched. It required -considerable effort to find the tools and examine the tubes for -defectives, to loosen the tubes in the sockets and pull them out, -sending them spinning into space. It was still more difficult to -replace them, though there was no gravity and Anti was held firmly to -the hull by magnetics. - -Anti had never been a technician of any kind. Cameron was sure of -it. She was ignorant of the commonest terms, the simplest tool. She -shouldn't have been able to do it. And yet she managed nicely, though -she didn't know how. The explanation must be that she did know, that -somewhere in her remote past, of which he was totally uninformed, she -had had training which prepared her for this. Such contradiction was -ridiculous. But there was rhythm to her motions, this giant shapeless -creature whose bones would break with weight if she tried to stand at -half gravity. - -The whale plowing through the deeps and waves has the attraction of -beauty. It can't be otherwise for any animal in an environment which it -is suited to live in. And the human race had produced, haphazardly, one -unlikely person to whom interplanetary space was not alien. Anti was -at last in her element. - -"Now," said Jordan, keeping tension out of his voice though it was -trembling in his hand. "Go back to the outside tool compartment. You'll -find a lever near it. Pull. This will set the combustion cap in place." - -"Done," said Anti when it was. - -"That's all. Come in now." - -She went slowly over the hull to the cargo ramp and while she did -Jordan reeled in the viewers. The lock was no sooner closed to the -outside and the air hissing into the intermediate space than he was -there, waiting for the inner lock to open. - -"Are you all right?" he asked gruffly. - -She flipped back the helmet. There was frost on her eyebrows and her -face was bright and red. "Why shouldn't I be? My hands aren't cold." -She stripped off the heated gloves and waggled her fingers. - -"I can't believe it," protested Cameron with more vehemence than he -intended. "You should be frozen through." - -"Why?" said Anti with gurgling laughter. "It's merely a matter of -insulation and I have plenty of that. More than I want." - -Shaking his head Cameron turned to Docchi. "When I was a boy I saw -a film of a dancer. She did a ballet. I think it was called: Free -Space-Free Life. Something like that. I can't say why but it came to my -mind when Anti was out there. I hadn't thought of it in years." - -He rubbed his hand over his forehead. "It fascinated me when I first -saw it. I went to it again and again. When I grew older I found out a -tragic thing had happened to the dancer. She was on a tour of Venus -when the ship she was in was forced down. Searching parties were sent -out but they didn't find anyone except her. And she had been struggling -over a fungus plain for a week. You know what that meant. The great -ballerina was a living spore culture medium." - -"Shut up," said Jordan. "Shut up." - -Cameron was engrossed in the remembrance and didn't seem to hear. -"Naturally she died. I can't recall her name but I can't forget the -ballet. And that's funny because it reminded me of Anti out there----" - -"I told you to shut up!" Jordan exploded a fist in the doctor's face. -If there had been more behind the blow than shoulders and a fragment -of a body Cameron's jaw would have been broken. As it was he floated -through the air and crashed against the wall. - -Angrily he got to his feet. "I gave my word I wouldn't cause trouble. -I thought the agreement worked both ways." He glanced significantly at -the weapon Jordan carried. "Better keep that around all the time." - -"I told you," said Jordan. "I told you more than once." After that he -ignored the doctor, thrusting the weapon securely into his garment. -He turned to Anti. "Very good," he said, his anger gone and his voice -courtly. "An excellent performance. One of your best, Antoinette." - -"You should have seen me when I was good," said Anti. The frost had -melted from her eyebrows and was trickling down her cheek. She left -with Jordan. - -Cameron remained behind. It was too bad about his ambition. He knew -now he was never going to be the spectacular success he'd once -envisioned--not after this escape from Handicap Haven. He'd done all -he could to prevent it but it wouldn't count with the Medicouncil that -he had good intentions. Still, he'd be able to practice somewhere; -doctors were always necessary. There were worse fates--suppose he had -to abandon medicine altogether? - -Think of the ballerina he'd been talking about--she hadn't died as the -history tapes indicated. That much was window dressing; people were -supposed to believe it because it was preferable to the truth. It would -have been better for that woman if she hadn't lived on. By now he had -recalled her name: Antoinette. - -And now it was Anti. He could have found it out by checking the -records--if Handicap Haven kept that particular information on file. -He was suddenly willing to bet that it wasn't there. He felt his -jaw, which ached throbbingly. He deserved it. He hadn't really been -convinced that they were people too. - - * * * * * - -"We'll stick to the regular lanes," decided Docchi. "I think we'll get -closer. They've no reason to suspect we're heading toward Earth. Mars -is more logical, or one of the moons of Jupiter, or another asteroid. -I'm sure they don't know what we're trying to do." - -Jordan shifted uneasily. "I'm against it. They'll pick us up before we -have a chance to do anything." - -"There's nothing to distinguish us from an ordinary Earth to Mars -rocket. We have a ship's registry on board. Use it. Take a ship that's -in our general class and thereafter we'll be that ship. If Traffic -blips us, and I don't think they will unless we try to land, we'll have -a recording ready. Something like this: 'ME 21 zip crackle 9 reporting. -Our communication is acting up. We can't hear you, Traffic.' - -"That's quite believable in view of the age and condition of our ship. -Don't overdo the static effects but repeat it with suitable variations -and I don't think they'll bother us." - -Shaking his head dubiously Jordan swung away toward the tiny -fabricating shop. - -"You seem worried," said Anti as she came in. - -Docchi didn't turn around. "Yeah." - -"What's the matter, won't it work?" - -"Sure. There are too many ships. They can't pick us out among so many. -Anyway they're not looking for us around Earth. They don't really know -why we took the rocket and escaped." - -"Then why so much concern? Once we're near Earth we won't need much -time." - -His face was taut and tired. "I thought so too, in the beginning. -Things have changed. The entire Solar Police force has been alerted for -us." - -"So the Solar Police really want us? But I still don't understand why -that changes a thing." - -"Look, Anti. We planned to bypass the Medicouncil and take our case -directly to the Solar Government. But if they want us as badly as the -radio indicates they're not going to be sympathetic. Not at all. - -"And if they're not, if the Solar Government doesn't support us all -the way, we'll never get another chance. Hereafter there'll be guards -everywhere on the asteroid. They'll watch us even when we sleep." - -"Well?" said Anti. She seemed trimmer and more vigorous. "We considered -it _might_ turn out this way, didn't we? Let's take the last step -first." - -Docchi raised his head. "Go to the ultimate authority? The Solar -Government won't like it." - -"They won't, but there's nothing they can do about it." - -"Don't be sure. They can shoot us down. When we stole the ship we -automatically became criminals." - -"I know, but they'll be careful, especially after we make contact. How -would it look if we were blown to bits in front of their eyes, in a -billion homes?" - -Docchi chuckled grimly. "Very shrewd. All right, they'll be careful. -But is it worth it to us?" - -"It is to me." - -"Then it is to me," said Docchi. "I suggest we start getting ready." - -Anti scrutinized him carefully. "Maybe we ought to fix you up." - -"With fake arms and a cosmetikit? No. They'll have to take us as we -are, unpretty, even repulsive." - -"That's a better idea. I hadn't thought of the sympathy angle." - -"Not sympathy--reality. It means too much to us. I don't want them to -approve of us as handsome unfortunates and then have them change their -minds when they discover what we're really like." - -Sitting in silence, Docchi watched her go. She at least would benefit. -Dr. Cameron apparently hadn't noticed that the exposure to extreme cold -had done more to inhibit her unceasing growth than the acid bath. She -probably would never get back to her former size but some day, if the -cold treatment were properly investigated, she might be able to stand -at normal gravity. For her there was hope. The rest of them had to keep -on pretending that there was. - -He examined the telecom. They were getting closer. No longer a point -of light, Earth was a perceptible disc. He could see the outline of -oceans, the shapes of land and the shadows of mountains, the flat -ripple where prairies and plains were; he could imagine people. This -was home--once. - -Jordan came in. "The radio tape is rigged up. I haven't had to use it -yet. But we have a friend trailing along behind us, an official friend." - -"Has he blipped at us?" - -"When I left he hadn't. He keeps hanging on." - -"Is he overtaking us?" - -"He'd like to." - -"Don't let him." - -"With this bag of bolts?" - -"Shake it apart if you have to," said Docchi impatiently. "How soon can -you slide into a broadcast orbit?" - -Jordan furrowed his forehead. "I didn't think we'd planned on that this -time. It was supposed to be our last resort." - -"Anti and I have talked it over. We agree that this is our last chance. -Now's the time to speak up if you've got any objections." - -"I've been listening to the police calls," said Jordan thoughtfully. -"No, I guess I haven't got any objection. Not with a heavy cruiser -behind us. None at all." - - * * * * * - -They came together in the control compartment. "I don't want a focus -exclusively on me," Docchi was saving. "Nor on Nona either, though I -know she's most acceptable. To a world of perfect and beautiful people -we may look strange but they must see us as we are. We have to avoid -the family portrait effect." - -"Samples," suggested Anti. - -"In a sense we are, yes. A lot depends on whether they accept those -samples." - -For the first time Cameron began to realize what they were attempting. -"Wait," he said urgently. "You're making a mistake. You've got to -listen to me." - -"We've got to do this and we've got to do that," said Jordan. "I'm -getting tired of it. Can't you understand we're giving orders now?" - -"That's right," said Docchi. "Jordan, see that Cameron stays out of the -transmitting angle and doesn't interrupt. We've come too far to let him -influence us." - -"Sure. If he makes a sound I'll melt the teeth out of his mouth." -Jordan held the toaster against his side, away from the telecom but -aimed at Cameron. - -The doctor wanted to break in but the weapon, though small, was very -real. And Jordan was ready to use it. That was the only justification -for his silence, that and the fact they'd learn anyway. - -"Ready?" said Docchi. - -"Flip the switch and we will be. I've hooked everything on. They can't -help themselves. They've got to listen." - -The rocket slipped out of the approach lanes. It spun down, stem tubes -pulsing brightly, falling toward Earth in a tight trajectory. Down, -down; the familiar planet was very large. - -"Citizens of the solar system, everyone on Earth," began Docchi. "This -is an unscheduled broadcast. We're using the emergency bands because -for us it is an emergency. I said we, and you want to know who _we_ -are. Look at us. Accidentals--that's all we can be. - -"We're not pretty. We know it. But there are other things more -important. Accomplishment, contribution to progress. And though it may -seem unlikely to you there are contributions we can make--if we're -permitted to do so. - -"But shut away on a little asteroid we're denied our rights. All we -can do is exist in frustration and boredom, kept alive whether we want -to be or not. And yet we can help you as you've helped us--if we're -allowed to. You can't go to the stars yet, but we can. And ultimately, -through what we learn, you'll be able to. - -"You've listened to experts who say it can't be done, that rockets are -too slow and that the crew would die of old age before they got back. -They're almost right, but accidentals are the exception. Ordinary -people would die but we won't. The Medicouncil has all the facts--they -know what we are--and still they refuse us." - -At the side of the control compartment Cameron moved to protest. Jordan -glanced at him, imperceptibly waggling the weapon. Cameron stopped, the -words unspoken. - -"Biocompensation," continued Docchi evenly as if nothing had occurred. -"Let me explain what it means in case information on it has been -suppressed. The principle of biocompensation has long been a matter -of conjecture. This is the first age in which medical techniques -are advanced enough to explore it. Every cell and organism tends to -survive as an individual and a species. Injure it and it strives for -survival according to the extent of damage. If it can it will heal the -wound and live on in its present state. Otherwise it propagates almost -immediately. You can verify this by forgetting to water the lawn and -watch how soon it goes to seed. - -"Humans aren't plants, you say. And yet the principle applies. -Accidentals are people who have been maimed and mutilated almost past -belief. And our bodies have had the assistance of medical science, -_real_ medical science. Everyone knows how, after certain illnesses, -immunity to that disease can be acquired. And more than blood fractions -are involved in the process. For us blood was supplied as long as -we needed it, machines did our breathing, kidneys replaced, hearts -furnished, glandular products in exact minute quantities, nervous and -muscular systems regenerated--and our bodies responded. They had to -respond or none of us would be here today. And such was the extremity -of the struggle--so close did we come to it that we gained practical -immunity to--death." - -Sweat ran down Docchi's face. He longed for hands to wipe it away. - -"Most accidentals are nearly immortal. Not quite of course; we may die -four or five hundred years from now. Meanwhile there is no reason why -we can't be explorers for you. Rockets are slow. You'd die before you -got to Alpha Centauri and back. We won't. Time means nothing to us. - -"Perhaps better faster rockets will be devised after we leave. You may -get there before we do. We don't mind. We will have tried to repay you -the best way we know how and that will satisfy us." - -With an effort Docchi smiled. The instant he did so he felt it was a -mistake, one he couldn't call back. Even to himself it seemed more like -a snarl. - -"You know where we're kept--that's more polite than saying imprisoned. -We don't call it Handicap Haven. Our name for it is: _Junkpile_. And -we're junkmen. Do you know how we feel? - -"I don't know how you can persuade the Medicouncil to let us man an -expedition to the stars. We've appealed and appealed and they've always -turned us down. Now that we've let you know it's up to you. Our future -as humans is at stake. Settle it with your conscience. When you go to -sleep think of us out there on the junkpile." - -He nudged the switch and sat down. His face was gray and his eyes were -rimmed and burning. - -"I don't want to bother you," said Jordan. "What'll we do about these?" - -Docchi glanced at the telecom. The ships were uncomfortably close and -considerably more numerous than the last time he had looked. "Take -evasive action," he said wearily. "Swing close to Earth and use the -planet's gravity to give us a good fast sendoff. We can't let them take -us until people have a chance to make their feelings known." - -"Now that you've finished I want to discuss it with you," said Cameron. -There was an odd tone to his voice. - -"Later," said Docchi. "Save it. I'm going to sleep. Jordan, wake me if -anything happens. And remember you don't have to listen to this fellow -if you don't want to." - -Jordan nodded contemptuously. "I know what he's like. He's got nothing -to say to me." - -Nona, leaning against the panel, paid no attention to any of them. She -seemed to be listening to something nobody else could hear, she, to -whom sound had no meaning. Docchi's body sagged as he went out. Her -perpetual air of wondering search for something she could never have -was not new but it was no more bearable because of that. - -And while Docchi slept the race went on against a slowly changing -backdrop of stars and planets. Only the darkness remained the same; it -was immutable. The little flecks of light that edged nearer hour after -hour didn't seem cheerful to Jordan. His lips were fixed in a thin hard -line. His expression didn't alter. Presently, long after Earth was far -behind, he heard Docchi come in again. - -"I've been thinking about it," said Cameron. "Nice speech." - -"Yeah." Docchi glanced at the screen. The view didn't inspire comment. - -Cameron was standing at the threshold. "I may as well tell you," he -said reluctantly. "I tried to stop the broadcast as soon as I found out -what was going on. You wouldn't listen." - -He came on into the control compartment. Nona was huddled in a seat, -her face blankly incurious. Anti was absent, replenishing the acid for -her robe. "Do you know why the Medicouncil refused to let you go?" - -"Get to the point." - -"Damn it, I am," said Cameron, sweating. "The Centauri group contains -several planets, just how many we're not sure. From what we know of -cosmology there's a good chance intelligent life exists there, probably -not far behind us in technical development. Whoever goes there will -be our representatives to an alien race. What _they_ look like isn't -important; it's their concern. But our ambassadors have to meet certain -minimum standards. It's an important occasion, our future relations -rest on. Damn it--don't you see _our_ ambassadors must at least -_appear_ to be human beings?" - -"You're not telling us anything new. We know how you feel." Jordan was -rigid with disgust. - -"You're wrong," said Cameron. "You're so wrong. I'm not speaking for -myself. I'm a doctor. The medicouncilors are doctors. We graft on or -regenerate legs and arms and eyes. The tools of our trade are blood and -bones and intestines. We know very well what people look like from the -inside. We're well aware of the thin borderline that separates normal -men and women from accidentals. - -"Can't you still understand what I'm saying? They're perfect, -everybody's perfect. Too much so. They can't tolerate small blemishes. -More money is spent for research on acne than to support the whole -asteroid. They rush to us with wrinkles and dandruff. Health, or the -appearance of it, has become a fetish. You may think the people you -appealed to are sympathetic but what they feel is something else." - -"What are you driving at?" said Docchi in a low voice. - -"Just this: if it were up to the Medicouncil you'd be on your way to -the Centauris. It isn't. The decision wasn't made by us. Actually it -came directly from the Solar Government. And the Solar Government never -acts contrary to public opinion." - -Docchi turned away, his face wrinkled in distaste. "I didn't think you -had the nerve to stand there and say that." - -"I didn't want to. But you've got to know the truth." Cameron twisted -his head uncomfortably. "You're not far from Earth. You can still pick -up the reaction to your broadcast. Try it and see." - -Jordan looked at Docchi who nodded imperceptibly. "We may as well," -said Docchi. "It's settled now, one way or the other. Nothing we can do -will change it." - -Jordan searched band after band, eagerly at first. His enthusiasm died -and still the reaction never varied. Private citizen or public figure, -man or woman, the indignation was concealed but nevertheless firm and -unmistakable. There was no doubt accidentals were unfortunate but they -were well taken care of. There was no need to trade on deformity; the -era of the freak show had passed and it never would return. - -"Turn it off," said Docchi at last. - -Numbly Jordan complied. - -"Now what?" he said. - -"Why fight it?" said the doctor. "Go back to the asteroid. It'll be -forgotten." - -"Not by us," said Docchi dully. "But there doesn't seem to be any -choice. It would have been better if we had tried to work through the -Medicouncil. We misjudged our allies." - -"We knew you had," said Cameron. "We thought we'd let you go on -thinking as you did. It gave you something to hope for, allowed you to -feel you weren't alone. The trouble was that your discontent carried -you further than we thought it could." - -"We did get somewhere," Docchi said. His lethargy seemed to lift -somewhat as he contemplated what they'd achieved. "And there's no -reason we have to stop. Jordan, contact the ships behind us. Tell -them we've got Cameron on board. A hostage. Play him up as their man. -Basically he's not bad. He's not against us as much as the rest are." - -Anti came into the compartment. Cheerfulness faded from her face. -"What's the matter?" - -"Jordan'll tell you. I want to think." - -Docchi closed his eyes and his mind to the whispered consultation of -Anti and Jordan, to the feeble ultimatum to the ships behind them. The -rocket lurched slightly though the vibration from the exhaust did not -change. There was no cause for alarm, the flight of a ship was never -completely steady. Minor disturbances no longer affected Docchi. - -When he had it straightened out in his mind he looked around. "If we -were properly fueled and provisioned I would be in favor of heading for -Alpha or Proxima. Maybe even Sirius. Distance doesn't matter since we -don't care whether we come back." It was plain he wasn't expending much -hope. "But we can't make it with the small fuel reserve we have. If we -can lose the ships behind us we may be able to hide until we can steal -fuel and food." - -"What'll we do with doc?" said Jordan. He too was infected with defeat. - -"We'll have to raid an unguarded outpost, a small mining asteroid is -our best bet. We'll leave him there." - -"Yeah," said Jordan listlessly. "A good idea, _if_ we can run away from -our personal escort. Offhand I don't think we can. They hesitated when -I told them we had Cameron but they didn't drop back. Look." - -He looked himself and, unbelievingly, looked again. He blinked rapidly -but the screen could report only what there was. - -"They're gone," he said, his voice breaking with excitement. - -Almost instantly Docchi was at his side. "No, they're still following -but they're very far behind." Even as he looked the pursuing ships -shrank visibly, steadily losing ground. - -"What's the relative speed?" said Jordan. He looked at the dials, -tapped them, pounded on them, but the speed wouldn't change. If it -hadn't been confirmed by the screen he'd have said that the needles -were stuck or the instruments were completely unreliable. - -"What did you do with the rockets?" demanded Docchi. - -"That's a foolish question. What could I do? We were already at top -speed for this piece of junk." - -And there was no way to explain the astonishing thing that had -happened. They were all in the control compartment, Cameron, Anti, -Jordan and himself. Nona was there too, sitting huddled up, head -resting in her arms. There was no explanation at all, unless--Docchi -scanned all the instruments again. That was when he first noticed it. - -Power was pouring into the gravity drive. The useless, or at least long -unused dial was indicating unheard of consumption. "The gravity drive -is working," Docchi said. - -"Nonsense," said Anti. "I don't feel the weight." - -"You don't and won't," said Docchi. "The gravity drive was installed to -propel the ship. When it was proved unsatisfactory for that purpose it -was converted, which was cheaper than removing it. - -"The difference between the drive and ordinary gravity is slight but -important. An _undirected_ general field produces weight effects inside -the ship. That's for passenger comfort. A _directed_ field, outside it, -will drive it. You can have one or the other but not both." - -"But I didn't turn on the drive," said Jordan in bewilderment. "It -wouldn't work for more than a few seconds if I did. That's been proven." - -"I'd agree with you except for one thing. It is working, has been -working and shows no sign of stopping." Docchi stared speculatively at -Nona. She was curled up but she wasn't resting. Her body was too tense. -"Get her attention," he said. - -Jordan gently touched her shoulder. She opened her eyes but she wasn't -looking at them. On the panel the needle of a once useless dial rose -and fell. - -"What's the matter with the poor dear?" asked Anti. "She's shaking." - -"Let her alone," said Docchi. "Let her alone if you don't want to -return to the asteroid." No one moved. No one said anything. Minutes -passed and the ancient ship creaked and quivered and ran away from the -fastest rockets in the system. - -"I think I can explain it," said Docchi at last, frowning because -he couldn't quite. There were things that still eluded him. "Part -of the gravity generating plant--in a sense the key component--is -an electronic computer, capable of making all the calculations and -juggling the proportion of power required to produce directed or -undirected gravity continuously. In other words a brain, a complex -mechanical intelligence. But it was an ignorant intelligence and it -couldn't see why it should perform ad infinitum a complicated and -meaningless routine. It couldn't see why and because it couldn't very -simply it refused to do so. - -"It was something like Nona. She's deaf, can't speak, can't communicate -in any way. Like it she has a very high potential intelligence and -also, in the very same way, she's had difficulty grasping the facts of -her environment. Differently though, she does have some contact with -people and she has learned something. How much she knows is uncertain -but it's far beyond what psychologists credit her with. They just can't -measure her type of knowledge." - -"Yeah," said Jordan dubiously. "I'll agree about Nona. But what is she -doing?" - -"If there were two humans you'd call it telepathy," said Docchi. It -upset his concepts too. A machine was a machine--a tool to be used. How -could there ever be rapport? "One intelligence is electronic, the other -organic. You'll have to dream up your own term because the only thing -I can think of is extra sensory perception. It's ridiculous but that's -what it is." - -Jordan smiled and flexed his arms. Under the shapeless garment muscles -rippled. "To me it makes sense," he said. "The power was always there -but they didn't know what to do with it." The smile broadened. "It -couldn't have fallen into better hands. We can use the power, or rather -Nona can." - -"Power?" said Anti, rising majestically. "If you mean by that what it -sounds like, I don't care for it. All I want is just enough to take us -to Centauri." - -"You'll get there," said Docchi. "A lot of things seem clearer now. In -the past why did the drive work so poorly the further out it got? I -don't think anyone investigated this aspect but if they had I'm sure -they'd have found that the efficiency was inversely proportional to the -square of the distance from the sun. - -"It's what you'd expect from a deaf, blind, mass sensitive brain, the -gravity computer. It wouldn't be aware of the stars. To it the sun -would seem the center of the universe and it would no more leave the -system than our remote ancestors would think of stepping off the edge -of a flat world. - -"And now that it knows differently the drive ought to work anywhere. -With Nona to direct it, even Sirius isn't far." - -"What are you thinking about, doc?" said Jordan carelessly. "If I were -you I'd be figuring a way to get off the ship. Remember we're going -faster than man ever went before." He chuckled. "Unless, of course, you -_like_ our company and don't want to leave." - -"We've got to do some figuring ourselves," said Docchi. "There's -no use heading where there are no stars. We'd better determine our -destination." - -"A good idea," said Jordan, hoisting himself up to the charts. He -busied himself with interminable calculations. Gradually his flying -fingers slowed and his head bent lower over the work. Finally he -stopped, his arms hanging slack. - -"Got it?" - -"Yeah," said Jordan. "There." Dully he punched the telecom selector and -a view took shape on the screen. In the center glimmered a tiny world, -a fragment of a long exploded planet. The end of their journey was -easily recognizable. - -It was Handicap Haven. - -"But why are we going there?" asked Anti. She looked at Docchi in -amazement. - -"We're not going voluntarily," he said, his voice flat and spent. -"That's where the Medicouncil wants us. We forgot about the monitor -system. When Nona activated the gravity drive it was indicated at some -central station. All the Medicouncil had to do was take the control -away from Nona." - -"We thought we were running away from the ships," said Anti. "We were, -but only to beat them back to the junkpile." - -"Yeah," said Docchi. "Nona doesn't know it yet." - -"Well, it's over. We did our best. There's no use crying about it." Yet -she was. Anti passed by the girl, patting her gently. "It's all right, -darling. You tried to help us." - -Jordan followed her from the compartment. Cameron remained, coming over -to Docchi. "Everything isn't lost," he said awkwardly. "The rest of you -are back where you started but at least Nona isn't." - -"Do you think she'll benefit?" asked Docchi. "Someone will, but it -won't be Nona." - -"You're wrong. Suddenly she's become important." - -"So is a special experimental machine. Very valuable but totally -without rights or feelings. I don't imagine she'll like her new status." - -Silence met silence. It was the doctor who turned away. "You're sick -with disappointment," he said thickly. "Irrational, you always are when -you glow. I thought we could talk over what was best for her but I can -see it's no use. I'll come back when you're calmer." - -Docchi glared sightlessly after him. Cameron was the only normal who -was aware that it was Nona who controlled the gravity drive. All the -outside world realized was that it was in operation--that at last it -was working as originally intended. If they should dispose of Cameron-- - -He shook his head. It wouldn't solve anything. He could fool them for a -while, pretend that he was responsible. But in the end they'd find out. -Nona wasn't capable of deception--and they'd be very insistent with a -discovery of this magnitude. - -She looked up and smiled. She had a right to be happy. Until now she -had been alone as few people ever are. But the first contact had been -made and however unsatisfactory--what could the limited electronic mind -say?--in other circumstances it might have presaged better days. She -didn't know she was no less a captive than the computer. - -Abruptly he turned away. At the telecom he stopped and methodically -kicked it apart, smashing delicate tubes into powder. Before he left he -also demolished the emergency radio. The ship was firmly in the grip of -the monitor and it would take them back. There was nothing they had to -do. All that remained for him was to protect Nona as long as he could. -The Medicouncil would start prying into her mind soon enough. He hoped -they'd find what they were after without too much effort. For her sake -he hoped they would. - - - - -6 - - -Perfectly synchronized to their speed the outer shell of the dome -opened, closing behind them before they reached the inner shell. It -too gaped wide to swallow them, snapping shut like a quickly sprung -trap. Jordan set the controls in neutral and dropped his hands, -muttering to himself. They glided to a stop over the landing pit, -thereafter settling slowly. Homecoming. - -"Cheer up," said Cameron jauntily. "You're not prisoners." - -Nona alone seemed not to mind. Docchi hadn't said anything for hours -and the light was gone from his face. Anti wasn't with them; she was -back floating in the acid tank. The reentry into the gravity field of -the asteroid made it necessary. - -The ship scraped gently; they were down. Jordan mechanically touched a -lever, flicked a switch. Passenger and freight locks swung open. "Let's -go," said Cameron. "I imagine there's a reception committee for us." - -Even he was surprised at what was waiting. The little rocket dome held -more ships than normally came in a year. The precise confusion of -military discipline was everywhere. Armed guards lined either side of -the landing ramp and more platoons were in the distance. It was almost -amusing to see how dangerous the Medicouncil considered them. - -Near the end of the ramp a large telecom had been set up. If size -indicated anything someone thought this was an important occasion. -From the screen, larger than life, Medicouncilor Thorton looked out -approvingly. - -"A good job, Dr. Cameron," said the medicouncilor as the procession -from the ship halted. "We were quite surprised at the escape of our -accidentals and your disappearance which coincided with it. From what -we were able to piece together, you followed them deliberately. A -splendid example of quick thinking, doctor. You deserve recognition." - -"I thought it was my fault for letting them get so far. I had to try to -stop them." - -"No doubt it was. But you atoned, you atoned. I'm sorry I can't -be there in person to congratulate you but I'll arrive soon." The -medicouncilor paused discreetly. "At first the publicity was bad, very -bad. We thought it unwise to try to conceal it. Of course the broadcast -made it impossible to hide anything. Fortunately the discovery of the -gravity drive came along at just the right time. When we announced it -opinion began swinging in our direction. I don't mind telling you the -net effect is now in our favor." - -"I hoped it would be," said Cameron. "I don't want them to be hurt. -They're all vulnerable, Nona especially, because of what she is. I've -thought quite a bit about how she should be approached----" - -"I'm sure you have." The medicouncilor smiled faintly. "Don't let -your emotions run away with you. In due time we'll discuss her. For -the present see that she and the other accidentals are returned to -their usual places. Bring Docchi to your office at once. He's to be -questioned privately." - -It was a strange request and mentally Cameron retreated. "Wait. Are you -sure you want Docchi? He's the engineer but----" - -"No objections, doctor," said Thorton sternly. "Important people are -waiting. Don't spoil their good opinion of you." The telecom snapped -into darkness. - -"I think you heard what he said, Dr. Cameron." The officer at his side -was very polite, perhaps because it emphasized the three big planets on -his tunic. - -"I heard," said Cameron irritably. "I don't want to argue with -authority but since I'm in charge of this place I demand that you -furnish a guard for this girl. - -"So you're in charge?" drawled the officer. "You know I've got a funny -feeling I'm commander here. My orders said I was to replace you until -further notice. I haven't got that notice." He looked around at his men -and crooked a finger. "Lieutenant, see that the little fella--Jordan, -I think his name is--gets a lift back to the main dome. And you can -walk the pretty lady to her room, or whatever it is she lives in. -Don't get too personal though unless she encourages it." He smiled -condescendingly at Cameron. "Anything else I can do to oblige a fellow -commander?" - -Cameron glanced at the guards. They were everywhere he looked, -smartly uniformed, alert. There was no indication of amusement in the -expressions of those near enough to have heard the conversation. They -were well disciplined. "Nothing else, General," he said stonily. "Keep -her in sight. You're responsible." - -"So I am," remarked the officer pleasantly, winking at the lieutenant. -"Let's go." - - * * * * * - -Medicouncilor Thorton was waiting impatiently on the screen in -Cameron's office. The attitude suited him well, as if he'd tried many -and found slightly concealed discourtesy best for the personality -of the busy executive. "We'll arrive in about two hours," he said -immediately. "By this I mean a number of top governmental officials, -scientists, and some of our leading industrialists. Their time is -valuable so let's get on with this gravity business." - -He caught sight of the commander. "General Judd, this is a technical -matter. I don't think you'll be interested." - -"Very well, sir. I'll stand guard outside." - -The medicouncilor was silent until the door closed. "Sit down, Docchi," -he said with unexpected solicitude, pausing to note the effect. "I can -sympathize with you. Everything within your reach--and then to return -here. Well, I can understand how you feel. But since you did come back -I think we can arrange to do things for you." - -Docchi stared at the screen. A spot of light pulsed in his cheek -and then flared rapidly over his face. "You probably will," he said -casually. "But what about theft charges? We stole a ship." - -"A formality," declared the medicouncilor with earnest simplicity. -"With a thing like the discovery, or rediscovery, of the gravity drive, -no one's going to worry about an obsolete ship. How else could you test -your theories except by trying them out in actual flight?" - -The medicouncilor was dulcet, coaxing. "I don't want to mislead you. -Medically we can't do any more for you than we have. However you'll -find yourself the center of a more adequate social life. Friends, work, -whatever you want. In return for this naturally we'll expect your -cooperation." - -"Wait," said Cameron, walking to the screen and standing squarely in -front of it. "I don't think you realize Docchi's part----" - -"Don't interrupt," glowered Thorton. "I want to reach an agreement at -once. It will look very good for us if we can show these famous people -how well we work with our patients. Now, Docchi, how much of the drive -can you have on paper by the time we land?" - -"He can't have anything," Cameron started shouting. "I tried to tell -you--he doesn't know----" - -"Look out," cried Thorton too late. - -Cameron's knees buckled and he clutched his legs in pain. Again Docchi -kicked out and the doctor fell down. Docchi aimed another savage blow -with his foot that grazed the back of Cameron's head. Blood trickled -from his mouth and he stopped trying to get up. - -"Docchi," screeched Thorton, but there was no answer. - -Docchi crashed through the door. The commander was lounging against the -wall, looking around vacantly. Head down Docchi plunged into him. The -toaster fell from his belt to the floor. With scarcely a pause Docchi -stamped on it and continued running. - -The commander got up, retrieving the weapon. He aimed it at the -retreating figure and would have triggered it except that it didn't -feel right in his hand. He lowered it and quickly examined the damaged -mechanism. Sweating, he slipped it gingerly into a tunic pocket. - -Muffled shouts were coming from Cameron's office, growing in vehemence. -The general broke in. - -The medicouncilor glared at him from the screen. "I see that you let -him get away." - -The disheveled officer straightened his uniform. "I'm sorry, sir. -I didn't think he had that much life in him. I'll alert the guards -immediately." - -"Never mind now. Revive that man." - -The general wasn't accustomed to resuscitation; saving lives was out of -his line. Nevertheless in a few minutes Cameron was conscious, though -somewhat dazed. - -"Now, doctor, who does know something about the gravity drive if it -isn't Docchi?" - -Cameron shook his head groggily. "It was an easy mistake," he said. -"Cut off from communication with us the drive began to work. How, why, -who did it? Mostly who. Not me, I'm a doctor, not a physicist. Nor -Jordan; he's at best a mechanic. Therefore it had to be Docchi because -he's an engineer." He stopped to wipe the blood from his cheek. - -"For God's sake tell me," said Thorton. "It couldn't be----" - -"No," said Cameron with quiet satisfaction. "It wasn't Anti either. -The last person you'd think of. The little deaf and dumb girl the -psychologists wouldn't bother with." - -"Nona?" said Thorton incredulously. - -"I told you," said Cameron and proceeded to tell him more, filling in -the details. - -"I see. We overlooked that possibility," said the medicouncilor -gravely. "Not the mechanical genius of an engineer. Instead the strange -telepathic sense of a girl. That puts the problem in a different light." - -"It's not so difficult though." Cameron rubbed the lump on the back of -his head. The hair was bristling, clotted with blood. "She can't tell -us how she does it. We'll have to find out by experiment, but it won't -involve any danger. The monitor can always control the drive." - -The medicouncilor laughed shakily, teetering backward. "The monitor -is worth exactly nothing. We tried it. For a microsecond it seemed to -take over as it always has on other units--but this gravity generator -slipped away. We thought Docchi found a way to disengage the control -circuit." - -"But it wasn't Docchi who told the computer how to do it." - -"We figured it out when we thought it was Docchi," growled the -medicouncilor wearily. "He was sensible, that's all. It was the only -reasonable thing a man could do, come back and take advantage of his -discovery." He shook his head in perplexed disgust. "Why the girl -returned is beyond me." - -"Do you think----" said Cameron and then wished he'd left it unsaid. - -"Yes, by God, I do think." The medicouncilor's fist crashed down. -"Docchi knows why. He found out in this room and we told him. As soon -as he knew he escaped." - -Panic slipped into Thorton's face and then was gone, covered over -almost at once by long habits of sudden decisions. "She could have -taken the ship anywhere she wanted and we couldn't stop her. Since -she's here voluntarily it's obvious what she wants--the asteroid." - -The medicouncilor tried to shove himself out of the screen. "Don't -you ever think, General? There's no real difference between gravity -generators except size and power. What she did on the ship she can do -as easily here." - -"Don't worry," said the startled officer. "I'll get her. I'll find the -girl and Docchi too." - -"Never mind him," choked the medicouncilor. "I don't care how you do -it. Take Nona at once, without delay." - -The time had passed for that command. The great dome overhead trembled -and creaked in countless joints. But the structure held though -unexpected stresses were imposed on it. And the tiny world shivered, -groaning and grumbling at the orbit it had lain too long in. Already -that was changing--the asteroid began to move. - - - - -7 - - -Vague shapes were stirring. They walked if they could, crawled if -they couldn't--fantastic and near-fantastic creatures were coming -to the assembly. Large or tiny, on their own legs or borrowed ones -they arrived, with or without arms, faces. The news had spread fast, -by voice or written message, sign language, lip reading, all the -conceivable ways that humans communicate, not the least of which was -the vague intuition that something was going on that the person should -know about. The people on Handicap Haven sensed the emergency. - -"Remember it will be hours or perhaps days before we're safe," said -Docchi. His voice was hoarse but he hadn't noticed it yet. "It's up to -us to see that Nona has all the time she needs." - -"Where is she hiding?" asked someone in the crowd. - -"I don't know. I wouldn't tell you if I did. They might pry it out of -you. Right now our sole job is to keep them from finding her." - -"How?" demanded someone else near the front. "Do you expect us to fight -the guards?" - -"Not directly," said Docchi. "We have no weapons for that, no armament. -Many of us have no arms in another sense. All we can do is to obstruct -their search. Unless someone can think of something better, this is -what I plan: - -"I want all the men, older women and the younger ones who aren't -suitable for reasons I'll explain later. The guards won't be here for -half an hour--it will take that long to get them together and give them -orders. When they do come the first group will attempt to interfere in -every possible way with their search. - -"How you do it I'll leave to your imagination. Appeal to their sympathy -as long as they have any. Put yourself in dangerous situations. They -have ethics and at first they'll be inclined to help you. When they do, -try to steal their weapons. Avoid physical violence as much as you can. -We don't want to force them into retaliation--they'll be so much better -at it. Make the most of this phase of their behavior. It won't last -long." - -Docchi paused to look over the crowd. "Each of you will have to decide -for himself when to drop passive resistance and start the real battle. -Again, you may be able to think of more things than I can tell you -but here are some suggestions. Try to disrupt the light, scanning and -ventilation systems. They'll be forced to keep them in repair. Perhaps -they'll even attempt to guard all the strategic points. So much the -better for us--there'll be fewer guards to contend with." - -"What about me?" called a woman from far in back. "What can I do?" - -"You're in for a rough time," Docchi promised. "Is Jeriann here?" - -Jeriann elbowed her way through the crowd to his side. Docchi glanced -at her. He'd seen her many times but never so close. It was hard to -believe that she should be here with the rest of them. "Jeriann," -said Docchi to the accidentals, "is a normal pretty woman--outwardly. -However she has no trace of a digestive system. The maximum time she -can go without food and fluid absorption is ten hours. That's why she's -with us and not on Earth." - -Docchi scanned the group. "I'm looking for a miracle. Is there a -cosmetechnician who thinks she can perform one? Bring your kit." - -A legless woman propelled herself forward. Docchi conferred at -length with her. At first she was startled, reluctant to try but -after persuasion she consented. Under her deft fingers Jeriann was -transformed. When she turned around and faced the crowd she was no -longer herself--she was Nona. - -"She can get away with the disguise longer and therefore she'll be the -first Nona they find," explained Docchi. "I think--hope--that they'll -call off the search for a few hours after they take her. Eventually -they'll find out she isn't Nona when they can't get her to stop the -drive. Fingerprints or x-rays would reveal it at once but they'll be so -sure they have her that it won't occur to them. Nona is impossible to -question as you know and Jeriann will give as good an imitation as she -can. - -"As soon as they discover that the girl they have is Jeriann they won't -bother to be polite. Guards will like the idea of finding attractive -girls they can manhandle in the line of duty especially if they think -it will help them find Nona. It won't, but I think they'll get too -enthusiastic and that in itself will hold up the search." - -No one moved. The women in the crowd were still, looking at each other -in silent apprehension. Jordan started them. He twisted his head, -grimacing. "Let's get busy," he said somberly. - -"Wait," said Docchi. "I have one Nona. I need more volunteers, at least -fifty. It doesn't matter whether the person is physically sound or not, -we'll raid the lab for plastic tissue. If you're about her size and can -walk and have at least one arm come forward." - -And slowly, singly and by twos and threes, they came to the platform. -There were few indeed who wouldn't require liberal use of camouflage. -It was primarily on these women their hopes rested. - -The other group followed Jordan out, looking at Docchi for some sign. -When he gave them none they hurried on determinedly. He could depend on -them. The sum total of their ingenuity would produce some results. - -Mass production of an individual. Not perfect in every instance--good -enough to pass in most. Docchi watched critically, suggesting -occasional touches that improved the resemblance. "She can't speak -or hear," he reminded the volunteers. "Remember it at all times no -matter what they do. Don't scream for help, we won't be able to. Hide -in difficult places. After Jeriann is taken and the search called off -and then resumed, let yourselves be found, one at a time. We can't -communicate with you and so you'll just have to guess when it's your -turn. You should be able to tell by the flurry of activity. That will -mean they've discovered the last person they captured wasn't Nona. -Every guard that has to take you in for examination is one less to -search for the girl they really want. They'll have to find Nona soon or -get off the asteroid." - -The cosmetechnicians were busy and they couldn't stop. But there was -one who looked up. "Get off?" she asked. "Why?" - -He thought he'd told everyone. She must have arrived late. It was -satisfying to repeat it. "Handicap Haven is leaving the solar system," -he said. - -Her fingers flew, molding the beautiful curve of a jaw where there had -been none. Next, plastic lips were applied that were more lifelike than -any this woman had ever created. - -Soon Nona was hiding in half a hundred places. - -And one more. - - * * * * * - -The orbit of Neptune was behind them, far behind, and still the -asteroid accelerated. Two giant gravity generators strained at the -crust and core of the asteroid. The third clamped an abnormally heavy -gravity field around the fragment of an isolated world. Prolonged -physical exertion was awkward and doubly exhausting. It tied right in; -the guards were not and couldn't be very active. Hours turned into -a day and the day passed too--and the generators never faltered. It -seemed they never would. - -"Have you figured it out precisely? It's your responsibility, you -know," said Docchi ironically. "You share our velocity away from the -sun. You'll have to overcome it before you start going back. If you -wait too long you might not be able to reach Earth." - -Superficially the general seemed to ignore him but the muscles in his -jaw twitched. "If we could only turn off that damned drive." - -"That's what we're trying to do," said Vogel placatingly. - -"I know. But if we could do it without finding her." - -The resident engineer shrugged sickly. "Go ahead. Try it. I don't want -to be around when you do. I know, it sounds easy, just a couple of -gravity generators. But remember there's also a good sized nuclear pile -involved." - -"I know, I know," muttered the general morosely. "Damned atomics not -worth inventing. Nothing you can do with them, always too touchy." He -glowered at the darkness overhead. "On the other hand we can take off -and blow this rock apart from a safe distance." - -"And lose all hope of finding her?" taunted Docchi. - -"We're losing her anyway," commented Vogel sourly. - -"You're getting way from the perspective. It's not as bad as that," -counselled Docchi. "Now that you know where the difficulty is you can -always build other computers and this time furnish them with auxiliary -senses. Or maybe give them the facts of elementary astronomy." - -"Now why didn't I think of that?" said Vogel disgustedly. "You don't -need me here, do you, General? If not I'd like to go back to my ship." -The general grunted consent and the engineer left, lurching under the -massive gravity. - -"There's even another solution though it may not appeal to you," said -Docchi cautiously. "I can't believe Nona is altogether unique. There -must be others like her, so-called 'born mechanics' whose understanding -of machinery is a form of intelligence we haven't suspected. -Look hard and you may find them, perhaps in the most unlikely or -unlovely bodies." It didn't show but inwardly he was smiling. He was -harassing them effectively from this end. Hope was sometimes the most -demoralizing agent. - -General Judd growled wearily. "If I thought you knew where she is----" - -Docchi stiffened, glowing involuntarily. - -"Forget the dramatics, General," said Cameron with distaste. -"Resistance we'd have had in any event. He's responsible merely for -making it more effective." - -He frowned heavily, continuing. "At the moment what he's trying to do -is obvious. He needn't bother tearing down our morale though--it's -already collapsed. I can't think of a thing we can do that will help -us." He wished the medicouncilor had been able to land; he needed -further instructions. His own role wasn't clear and he kept thinking, -thinking.... He should stop thinking. Of course the ship that carried -the medicouncilor couldn't actually touch on the asteroid--there were -too many important people aboard and they couldn't risk being taken -out of the system. Still, the medicouncilor _might_ have spared a few -minutes to discuss things with him. He knew what he ought to do. - -The sun was high in the center of the dome. Sun? It was much more like -a very bright star. It cast no shadows; it was the lights in the dome -that did. They flickered and with monotonous regularity went out again. -Each time the general swore constantly and emotionlessly until service -was restored. - -A guard approached, walking warily behind his captive. He saluted -negligently. "I think I've found her, sir." - -Cameron looked at the girl. "I don't think you have. And it seems to me -you were unnecessarily rough." - -The guard smirked with bland insolence. "Orders, sir." - -"Whose orders?" - -"Yours, sir. You said she couldn't talk or make any kind of a sound. It -was the easiest way to make sure. She didn't say a thing." - -Cameron turned to the general but saw he'd get no support there. Judd -was scowling, completely indifferent to the guard's behavior. - -The doctor snapped open the sharp scalpel and thrust it savagely deep -in the girl's thigh. She looked at him with a tear-stained face but -didn't complain or move a muscle. - -"Plastic tissue as any fool can plainly see," said Cameron dourly. His -rage was growing. - -The guard stared, twisting his lips. "Let her go," snapped the doctor. - -The girl darted away. The guard saluted stiffly and left, rubbing his -hands against his uniform. He'll go and scrub his hands, because he -touched her, Cameron thought wearily. - -"I have a request to make," said Docchi. - -"Sure, sure," said the general cholerically. "We're apt to give you -what you want. If you don't see it, just ask. We'll send out and get -it." - -"You might at that." Docchi was smiling openly. "You're going to leave -without Nona, and very soon. When you go, don't take all the ships. You -won't need them but we will, when we get to another system." - -The general started to reply but his anger was greater than his -epithets. There was nothing left to use, and so he remained silent. - -"Don't say anything you'll regret," cautioned Docchi. "When you get -back, what will you report? Can you tell your superiors that you left -in good order, while there was still time to continue the search? -Or will they like it better if they know you stayed until the last -minute--so late that you had to transfer your men and abandon some -ships? Think it over. I have your interests at heart." - -The general swallowed with difficulty, his face reddening at first and -then becoming quite white. Wordlessly he stamped away. Cameron looked -after the retreating officer and in a few minutes followed. But he -walked slower and the distance between doctor and officer grew greater. -Docchi was beginning to relax at the nearness of victory and didn't -notice where either of them went. - - * * * * * - -The last rocket disappeared, leaving a trail behind that overwhelming -darkness soon extinguished. The sun was now one bright star among many, -which one was sometimes difficult to say. And the asteroid itself -seemed subtly to have been transformed, more spacious than it had been -and not so dingy--and it was not hard to find a reason--it had become a -miniature world, a tiny system complete in itself. - -"I think we can survive," said Docchi. "We've got power and we can -replenish the oxygen. We'll have to grow or synthesize our food but -actually the place was set up originally to do just that. It will take -work to make everything serviceable again--but we've always wanted -something more than meaningless routine." - -They were sitting beside the tank, which had been returned to the usual -place. A tree rustled in the artificial breeze and the grass around -them had been torn and trampled by the guards. It seemed more peaceful -because of the violence which had lately swept over them. Now it had -ebbed and it would never come back. - -Jordan teetered beside the tree. "We'll find some way to get Anti out -of the tank," he said. "When Nona comes back maybe we can rig up a null -gravity place--something to make Anti more comfortable. And of course -we've got to continue the cold treatment." - -"I can wait," said Anti, "I've already waited a long time." - -Docchi glanced around; his eyes were following his mind, which was -wandering and searching. - -"Now there's no need to worry," said Anti. "The guards were rough with -some of the women but plastic tissue doesn't feel pain and so they -escaped with fewer injuries than you'd believe. As for Nona, well, she -can look out not only for herself but the rest of us as well." - -It was almost true; she seemed fragile, ethereal even, but she wasn't. -And her awareness began where that of normal humans left off. And -where her perceptions ended no one knew, least of all herself. Right -there was a source of trouble. "I think we should start looking," said -Docchi. "At the last moment, upset at leaving and not knowing or caring -who she was, one of the guards might have----" The enormity of the -thought was too great to complete. - -"Listen," said Anti. The ground vibrated, felt rather than heard. "As -long as the gravity is functioning can there be any doubt?" - -In his mind there could be. Nona had started it but once the gravity -computer was informed of the nature of the universe there was no reason -to suppose that it wouldn't keep running indefinitely. It existed to -perform such tasks. It didn't actually have volition--but that applied -to stopping as well. - -"I think I can convince you," said Jordan. "First you'll have to turn -around." - -Docchi scrambled to his feet and there she was coming toward them, -fresh and rested. There was a smudge on her cheek but she might have -got that from some machine she'd stopped to investigate on the way -here. Her curiosity was not limited and there was nothing mechanically -so insignificant that it escaped her attention. - -"Where were you?" asked Docchi, expecting no reply. She smiled and for -a moment he thought she knew what he asked. He was relieved that she -was safe--and that was all. Something was missing in the reactions he -expected from himself but he couldn't say where. At one time he had -thought--and now he no longer did. Perhaps it was an expression of the -new freedom they had all achieved. - -Jordan looked at him quizzically, half penetrating the screen he'd -thrown over his lack of emotions. "It's not as bad as you think. She -understands some things. Machines." - -And a machine he was not. He wasn't even a complete human. Perhaps that -was where the difference was. - -"She's a born mechanic, such as never existed. It's about time one -appeared in the human race. We've worked with machines long enough to -evolve someone who understands them without having to study and learn. -I'm that way myself, a little. Nothing like her." - -They all knew that. Even on Earth they were probably busy revising -their intelligence ratings. "That doesn't change our problem--her -problem." - -Jordan hesitated. "The idea's pretty vague but we've made one advance: -we know she can think." - -"We always did," said Anti. - -"Sure, we did. But doctors and psychologists weren't convinced and they -were the ones who were studying her. Now it's up to us." - -There was a difference. No matter what they'd thought, previously -they'd been patients, and it was axiomatic that the patient's ideas -were largely ignored. Now they had stepped into a dual role, patient -and doctor, subject and experimenter, the eye at the microscope and the -object on the slide. - -They all had second-hand medical training--with long association some -of it had rubbed off on them. There wasn't one of them who didn't -know his own body far better than the average man. That knowledge, -subjective though it was, could be pooled. Fortunately they had a well -equipped hospital to work with. - -"We'll have to get busy on Nona," continued Jordan. "Where are we -going? She knows but we don't. There's got to be some way to find out." - -It hadn't mattered before--it was enough that they were leaving. But -once they had achieved that, new problems were thrusting up every -direction they looked. "What do you suggest?" asked Docchi. - -"An oscillograph," said Jordan triumphantly. - -Docchi shook his head. "No good. She's been around them often enough to -show an interest if she really feels any." - -"Maybe she could learn to write, actually, on the screen." - -"She hasn't changed and I doubt if her interests have. From what we -know she doesn't use words; she thinks directly in terms of mechanical -function. The gravity computer was the first thing she found complex -enough to arouse her interest." - -"But she's always been near the computer." - -"That's not so. She came here years ago and though there was a computer -in the ship that brought her she wasn't mature enough to use it. Since -then she's been kept away from the main computers the same as the rest -of us have been." - -Jordan leaned on his hands and rocked thoughtfully. "She learned all -that during the few hours we were on the ship?" - -"It was days," said Docchi. "Yes, she did. It was the only opportunity -she had." It was a strange language she'd learned, the code a complex -computer used inside itself, the stop, go; current and no current; -the electron stream; the mechanical memory rocked back and forth -magnetically--and all the while the whisper of a steel tape as it -coiled and uncoiled. It was possible that only a computer would ever -be able to understand the girl. And yet she was a creature of flesh, -bones, glands, nerves, and blood flowing through her veins in response -to the intangible demands of life. - -Anti stirred restlessly. Waves of acid spilled over the sides and where -the fluid touched, grass curled and blackened. "I said I'd wait but I -didn't say I liked waiting. Why don't you two get busy?" - -"I was thinking where to begin," said Jordan. He hoisted himself onto -a repair robot he'd taken for himself. It was an uncomfortable vehicle -for anyone else but it seemed just right for him. - -Docchi got up; there was no question where to start. Anything they -considered needed something done. In the struggle for freedom, in their -resistance to the guards, they'd overlooked it. They'd have to reorient -their outlook. Perhaps that was the biggest thing that confronted them. - -"Goodbye," Anti called out as they left. The picture Docchi looked -back to was unforgettable--the tank and Anti in it, Nona sitting in -blank pensiveness under the tree. One was capable of near miracles with -seemingly little effort, but at times she seemed inert. The other was -raw vitality with an urge to live--but there was hardly any time she -could stand upright. - -Docchi hurried along, trying to keep up with Jordan. He lengthened his -pace but still the gap grew. After a while he slowed down, attempting -to assess the damage the guards had done as he passed by evidence of -their destructiveness. - -Visibly they seemed to have torn everything apart but actually not much -had been destroyed. Mostly the repairs would consist in reassembling -machines and structures that had been dismantled. This wasn't the -result of consideration. Until the last moment the general had been -certain he'd find Nona and hence retain possession of the asteroid. -If he had, the unnecessary violence would have been hard to explain. -Lucky--because the guards _could_ have wrecked the place. - -They'd still have difficulty; even able-bodied men would, and they were -far from that. They were not equipped for an expedition of this nature -and somehow they'd have to build what they lacked. Light and heat, the -function of power, was automatic, and the oxygen supply was nearly so. -It was with the lesser things they'd have trouble. Some food had always -been brought in, and now that supply was gone. It would have to be -replaced. They could do without other luxuries now that they had the -biggest one--freedom to do what they wanted. - -Docchi himself was a good engineer and Nona couldn't be too highly -evaluated. Between them they could convert unnecessary equipment into -something they needed. Two geepees and a repair robot taken apart and -properly reassembled might equal some inconceivable machine that would -go a long way toward solving problems of food, air, meteor detection or -what have you. It was a thought. - -Jordan clung perilously to the robot as it rumbled along. "Where is -everyone?" he called back. - -"Asleep, I guess," said Docchi. - -"Sleeping, when there's so much to be done?" - -Habit had taken over. The mechanisms of the asteroid were still -operating as they were set to function. The lighting in the dome -indicated it was time and so they slept. But there were no hours, days, -weeks, and moments any more, nothing but necessity to guide them. - -"We'll change this," said Docchi. "Most of us have been treated as -invalids so long we believe it. We'll divide up in groups and from now -on somebody will always be awake, working or watching, or both." - -It was obvious what the watch would be for. Empty space--but how empty? -The region near Sol had been explored but what lay beyond? Between the -sun and Alpha Centauri there might be many interstellar masses large -enough to smash the asteroid. They'd have to take precautions. - -Jordan sent the machine along faster as if to compensate for others' -inactivity. Presently he stopped abruptly, waiting for Docchi to catch -up. He glanced down in front of his machine. "Here's one of them who -was very sleepy," he said. "Unless----" - -Docchi looked at her. It was one of the Nonas who hadn't yet removed -the disguise. The cosmetechnicians had done their work well and it was -difficult to say who she was. There was a startling resemblance to the -girl they'd just left with Anti. She was curled up in an uncomfortable -position and it was obvious she wasn't there by choice. - -Jordan swung off the machine and felt her pulse. "There is one," he -muttered, carefully looking her over. "Can't see anything," he said at -last. "At first I thought the guards had done it but there's no broken -bones nor, as far as I can tell, internal injuries. She ought to have a -medical examination." - -Startled, Docchi glittered. Medical care was one of the luxuries they'd -have to do without. They needn't fear epidemics; they were isolated -and their bodies were phenomenally resistant to disease and anyway the -antibiotics they had would quell any known infections. But here was -something they hadn't accounted for. "There are a few people around who -used to be nurses," said Docchi. "We'd better get them." - -"Where?" grunted Jordan. "She needs attention now." - -Jordan was right; the girl couldn't wait. Part of the difficulty was -that there were so many accidentals with peculiarities. What was safe -for one accidental might be deadly to another. They had to know who the -girl was before they could decide whether to do anything. The disguise -had helped them get away but it was hurting them now. "Can you pry off -the makeup?" he asked. - -"Without the goop they carry in the cosmetic kit? Hardly. I'd tear her -own face off." - -It could mean her death to move her before something was done--but what -was that something? She would know; everyone did. They were all experts -on their own ailments and could give down to the last item on their -prescription, diet or exercise, a concise analysis of what they had to -do to maintain their health. - -Jordan shook her gently, harder when that failed. Presently she -stirred, her eyes fluttered and she whispered something. - -"Ask her who she is," said Docchi, but that was impossible. It had -taken strength to respond at all and after she'd used it the girl had -lapsed back in the coma. - -"She didn't say," said Jordan helplessly. "She whispered one -word--food. That was all." - -Food. Docchi knelt beside her to check his conclusions. Now that he -was close he could see that her skin was extraordinarily smooth and -lustrous. Her face, arms, legs, even her hands, and if they removed -her clothing the rest of her body would be the same. Her skin and the -mention of food told him what he needed to know. It was Jeriann, the -first volunteer Nona--and the first real casualty. - -He could reconstruct with some accuracy what had happened. After -Cameron discovered who she was she'd been kept in custody and given -medical care. As the search wore on and more guards were sent out to -search she had managed to escape, hiding from the guards. But she -had remained hidden too long and had collapsed trying to get to the -hospital. - -Hunger shock, simply that, but with her hunger was a traumatic -experience. Having no digestive system at all she was always close to -starvation. "Pick her up. It won't hurt her," said Docchi. "Let's rush -her to the dispensary." - -Jordan hoisted the limp girl to the top of the repair robot, wrapping -extensibles around her, adjusting them so they held her. He got on -beside her, reaching into the controls and squeezing extra speed out of -the makeshift ambulance. - -Docchi was not far behind, arriving at the hospital not long after -Jordan and his passenger did. The dispensary was on the first floor and -so Jordan wheeled the robot directly to the door. He dismounted and -lifted Jeriann off. - -Inside the dispensary there was little that had actually been broken. -This was remarkable considering how thoroughly the guards had ransacked -the hospital. But someone with a grim sense of humor had seen to it -that the medical preparations were hopelessly intermixed, scattered -over the floor in complete confusion. For the present emergency it -couldn't have been worse if everything _had_ been broken. - -Docchi stared down at the litter, his face twitching as he glanced back -at Jeriann. - -"It's in here somewhere," said Jordan. "How do we find it in a hurry?" - -"See if there are names or symbols on them." - -Jordan was close to the floor anyway; he leaned down and began pawing -hastily but with extreme care through the confusion of medicals. Every -bit of it was precious even though they didn't know what it was. -Someone could use it, had to have it, and eventually they'd be able to -place whom it was intended for. "No names," said Jordan as he continued -to look. - -Docchi was afraid of that, but it was a thought for the future. -Hereafter there _would_ be names on everything so that even if it got -displaced they'd be able to identify it. The medical administration -must have been exceedingly lax. "What about symbols?" he said quickly. - -"There seem to be some. Don't know what they mean." Jordan brightened. -"We can look in the files." - -Docchi bent his body. He'd observed that when he entered. "Won't do -any good. The files are scattered too." And that was an act of wanton -hatred. It hadn't helped the guards find Nona. - -Jordan stopped scrabbling through the piles of miscellaneous bottles, -capsules, and vials. "Then we've got to go for help," he said slowly. -"There's got to be somebody who knows what she takes looks like." - -He couldn't condemn her so easily and that's what it would mean if she -wasn't attended to in the next few minutes. There was a line beyond -which the body couldn't pass without extreme damage, perhaps death. -And she'd been close to it when they found her. Docchi began to review -desperately what he knew of Jeriann. It wasn't much. There were too -many accidentals for him to know all of them. - -First, she never ate or drank. Her needs in this respect were supplied -medically. That was why her skin was so soft and evenly beautiful. It -was not a reflection of inner health. If anything it was due to the -method of intake. _And that told him what he had to know._ - -Another accidental might have guessed it instantly, but there were -various kinds of accidentals, groups within groups, and their -peculiarities varied so widely that few knew what all of them were. In -one sense Jeriann was a deficient. - -"I think we can find it. Look for the largest capsule," said Docchi. - -"I know what you're thinking, but it won't work," said Jordan, sweeping -his arm around to indicate how impossible the request was. "She gets -all her food and water that way so it has to be the largest. But which -one? Some of the preparations are supposed to last for weeks. They -might be bigger than hers." - -"It's simpler than you suppose. I don't know what her schedule is but -it must be at least five times daily, and massive at that. It would be -exceedingly painful, not to say inconvenient, if she got all her food -and fluid needs by injection." - -"Absorption capsules," exclaimed Jordan. "Why didn't I think of that? -That makes it easy." - -"Don't be so sure. There are other deficients," cautioned Docchi. - -Jordan had cleared a space around him and was already separating the -preparations. At first glimpse the absorption capsules were like any -other container--and then they weren't. The shape was not quite regular -and the outside was soft to the touch, almost like human flesh. That's -what it was, almost. And in time, when properly applied, that's what it -did become. - -Further, there was a thin film on one side. When this was peeled off -and the exposed surface was pressed against the body, only surgery -could remove it. - -Jordan gazed in indecision at the absorption capsules he'd assembled in -the cleared space near Jordan. "Which one is hers?" he said doubtfully. -"They're all alike." - -Actually they weren't. There were subtle differences in size and shape -that would enable anyone who was familiar with it to distinguish his -preparation from any other. Another deficient might say which was -Jeriann's since generally they'd be more observant of these matters. -But it did no good to wish that the girl's friends were here. "We'll -have to keep looking," said Jordan, hitching himself over to the heap -of medicals he'd just gone through. - -It hadn't worked out as well as he'd expected. Reflection should have -shown it wouldn't. The capsules were expensive and difficult to make -and so they wouldn't be used except where the sheer volume and the -repetitive nature of the injection required it. There was probably no -case on the asteroid as extreme as Jeriann's, but once a day instead of -five was still repetition. "There's nothing in that pile," said Docchi -harshly. "You've gone through it and I watched." - -Jordan paused; he knew it too. "What'll we do?" - -"Simplify it. Toss out the smaller ones until only fifteen are left." -There was no real reason for selecting that figure, none but this: in -her dazed condition she'd have time for one glance. If it wasn't there, -it just wasn't. - -Jordan complied, exceedingly dextrous when he had to be, though more -than dexterity was involved. Visual comparison had to suffice and it -was never harder to make. "That look about right?" asked Jordan when he -finished. - -"It should be one of them," said Docchi. He was guessing. They both -knew they were. The capsules were set near Jeriann, about the size of -a man's fist. One of them, the one for Jeriann, was remarkably small -considering it had to supply the total needs of a human body. For a -fraction of a day only, a fourth or a sixth, but even so it was little. -She must be always hungry. It would never do to mention food to her. - -Jordan raised her up gently, tilting her limp body so she could see -what she had to choose from. He glanced at Docchi for confirmation and -then began to slap her. Still the consciousness was buried deep. He hit -her harder until breath ran shudderingly into her lungs. "Which one?" -he asked quickly, as soon as her eyes flickered open, running over the -array of capsules. - -He grabbed the one she seemed to indicate, holding it closer. "Is this -it?" Her eyes dropped shut and she couldn't answer. Jordan laid her -down. He wiped his hands on the sacklike garment. "She recognized this -one," he said, not looking at Docchi. - -So she had, but was it recognition of something that was _hers_? "I -could see that. We'll give it to her." - -"Should I sterilize it or something?" - -Jordan wanted to delay because he wasn't sure. And they couldn't delay, -even if it was the wrong thing. It might be like giving sugar to a -person in a diabetic coma, the certain way of finishing him off faster. -And yet with Jeriann it had to be done. Actually very little time had -elapsed since they found her, five or ten minutes. What they didn't -know was how long she'd lain there. - -Docchi shook his head. "The absorption capsule was meant to be -administered under any condition. Outside of puncturing it and -squirting in a virus culture there's no way to harm it. It's -self-sterilizing." - -"I forgot," said Jordan. "Where'll I give it to her?" - -"Anywhere. Oh, I guess maybe her thigh. It may sink in faster since -she's gone so long without." - -Jordan brushed her skirt up and carefully peeled off the film on one -side, making certain the exposed surface didn't come in contact with -his hand. The capsule contracted as the film came off, rhythmically -writhing. The shape changed too; it was like nothing so much as a giant -amoeba. Quickly Jordan thrust the raw surface of the squirming thing on -Jeriann's thigh. It was not alive but it was capable of motion and it -moved a quarter of an inch before it adhered. - -It stuck there. It was one with the girl, it _was_ her; and the correct -injection or not it couldn't be removed. The fluid in that pseudobody -was being injected into Jeriann through the countless pores it -covered--through her skin without a puncture. It was no wonder her skin -was radiantly beautiful--five times a day an area of ten to fifteen -square inches. In a short time her body would be covered, and she never -could use the same place on successive days. She achieved clarity and -flawlessness of complexion, but at a price. At a price. - -Jordan wiped his forehead. "Shouldn't we be seeing some results?" he -said anxiously. - -"It has a long way to go," Docchi assured him. "Into her bloodstream -and to her muscles and glands, to her brain. In a minute now if we -don't see some results we'll know we've failed." - -They waited. - - - - -8 - - -Docchi slumped in the chair, looking the place over with some -satisfaction. The medical inventory was proceeding quite well; one by -one each preparation was being identified and the local source checked. -It wasn't nearly as bad as he had assumed at first; they were nearly -self-sufficient. - -One of the checkers came in. Docchi recognized her vaguely; he'd seen -her around but that was all. He didn't know who she was nor what she -did. Unless he was mistaken her arms and legs were her own, a trifle -heavy but shapely enough. If there was anything about her that was -camouflaged with plastic tissue it was her face--the sullen glamour was -an exaggeration of nature and moreover her expression didn't change -at all as she came nearer. There must be something with her face that -couldn't be corrected surgically and so she'd overcompensated. - -"We've got it all done," she said in a flat throaty voice. Glamour -there too, in about the same degree. - -"What?" he said. "Oh yes, the check of the biologicals. All -identified?" He recalled her name, Maureen something or other. - -"Everything that people claimed. There was some that no one knew what -it was. Useless I suppose, or worse. It ought to be destroyed." - -That was a logical assumption any time save now. Medicine was precious -and had to be hoarded even if they didn't know what it was. "Save it, -Maureen. Sooner or later someone will be in for it." - -"They've all been in. You don't know how they rushed here when they -learned the dispensary had been ransacked by the guards." She smiled -with faint disdain. - -He was beginning to doubt whether her expression came out of the -cosmetic kit; it was applied with extraordinary skill if it had, -flexible enough to allow her to smile without seeming strained. But -if it actually was her face it was monotonous. How long could she -keep up the glamour? "Don't be condescending, Maureen. Of course they -were concerned. There are people who need those preparations to live -comfortably, some in order to live at all." - -"I know," she said. "I've personally contacted all the regular -deficients." - -She seemed to know more about it than he did. There was a fraternity of -the ailing and degrees of confraternity. Within the accidentals there -were special groups, allied by the common nature of their infirmity. -It was possible she belonged to some such group or knew someone who -did. The latter probably; there seemed to be nothing seriously wrong -with her. "What do you suppose happened? Why is there some left?" said -Docchi. "If everyone's been here all of it ought to be accounted for." - -"They're always experimenting," said Maureen. - -"Who?" - -"Doctors," she said. "They try the latest ideas out on us and if we -survive they use it on normal people." - -There was some truth in it--not much, but the bitterness was there -though Earth and all it stood for was far behind. "Don't blame them. -They've got to make improvements," he said in mild reproof. - -"You don't know," said Maureen. "Anyway, what I was saying is that -there is some stuff we can't place. In each case it substitutes for one -or more substances that have been in use up to now. We don't know who -it's for." - -It was more serious than he thought, if only in a negative sense. He -straightened up. "How many are missing biologicals?" - -"I didn't keep track accurately. Thirty or forty." - -A small number compared to the total. _But thirty or forty invalids?_ -And some would be affected seriously, depending on the nature of the -preparation that couldn't be traced to the person who should have it. -The man whose unaided body couldn't utilize calcium would certainly be -in for trouble but not as soon as he who couldn't make use of, say, -iron. "We'll find out," he said with a confidence he didn't altogether -feel. "There are records around and we'll look into them." There were -records but it was uncertain how complete they were after the guards -had scattered them. "Do you know where they're kept?" - -She shook her head, the sullen glamorous smile transfixing her face. "I -wish I did," she said. - -He was struck by the intensity. "Why?" he asked. He wanted to know too -but it wasn't an emotional thing. - -"Don't you know? I'm one of them." - -One of what, he was about to ask before he realized she meant she was -a deficient whose salvaged body lacked certain physiological elements. -More, she was one whose preparation couldn't be identified. "Don't -worry. It'll take us a little while to trace everything but we'll have -it straightened out in a matter of days." - -"You'd better," she said, and it was not exactly a threat. There were -overtones he couldn't account for. - -Before he could stop her she began loosening her dress and for the -first time he saw that she wasn't breathing, that she never did. Her -dress fluttered as the air went in and out, sleeping or waking, without -volition, responding mechanically to the needs of her bloodstream. -The breathing mechanism was hidden in her body, replacing her lungs. -Moreover it was probably connected to her speech centers in such a -way to release a certain amount to her throat when the nervous system -demanded. Perhaps it accounted for the peculiar vibrant quality of her -voice. - -She pointed to the tube that was showing. "It's not just lungs I lack," -she said. "Everyone, man or woman, manufactures both male and female -hormones, in different proportions of course. Except me. I don't -produce a single male hormone." She stared at him intently. - -"Do you know what that means?" Her voice was rising, terror mingled -with something else. "Without injections in a few months I'll be -completely female. One hundred per cent woman and nothing else." - -He thought he saw her grow more feminine before his eyes; reluctantly -he turned away. Theoretically the completely female person should be -repulsive, yet she wasn't. If anything, pathetic features dominated. - -Pure feminity could destroy her, but how long would it take? He could -discount her own estimate as arbitrary. She had decided on it in an -attempt at self dramatization. - -"You're fortunate," he said, and he couldn't keep his eyes from -straying back to her. "There are plenty of people around, both men -and women, who can be donors. There must be some way to extract the -hormones you need from the bloodstream. Our medical techniques may be -crude but we'll manage. Keep that in mind." - -"I will--will you?" she asked, her lips parted, and it wasn't to -breathe because she couldn't. - -He had the uncomfortable feeling that he knew exactly what she meant -and it didn't have anything to do with what he'd said. Had she even -been listening? Probably she hadn't. A pure male or female creature -didn't exist but if one should come into being it would scarcely be -human. To a human life mattered or death did but to the pure abstract -creature there was only one thing of importance. - -He looked up to see her coming toward him. "I'm afraid," she said, -clasping him to her, carefully keeping the tube free and open. And she -was afraid--it was not dramatization. The studied glamour slipped from -her face. "I don't want to be like this," she whispered. "But if it -happens--help me, please." Her nearness was overpowering, and deadly. - -At length she drew away. Terror left her eyes--and it had been there, -real though with other factors. Even in fear, and he was conscious of -that and her deeper design, she had planned ahead against the time she -might not be wholely human. It was something like to death to change -drastically from a thinking reasoning person to someone who could react -only to one stimulus. - -"We'll see that nothing happens to you," he said with weak assurance. -"There may be a delay but it won't be long. We'll work it out." - -She was regarding him fixedly and he could see she was reverting. -What he said wasn't penetrating. He cleared his throat. "You're as -familiar with the place as any of us. Look around and see if you can -find duplicate records. There may be a clue in them as to what the new -preparations are for." Clarity returned to her face as he spoke. It -would leave again and come back at decreasing intervals unless or until -the hormone deficiency was corrected. How far she could descend and -remain mentally unscathed he didn't know, nor did he want to find out. -"Don't leave until I come back. Do you understand?" - -She smiled invitingly to show that perhaps she did understand what he -said. He knew now that the sullen glamour was real, and terrifying. She -couldn't help any of her responses. Docchi hurried out; so little time -had elapsed she must be nearly normal. - -He thought of locking the door but there was no way to do that. The -essence of a hospital was free access at all times, and so it was -built. Besides, it wasn't a good idea to try to keep her in. Constraint -might produce violent reaction. - -Docchi slanted the louvers so that the place looked vacant and let it -go at that. The best he could hope for was that Maureen wouldn't think -of leaving. - -He walked away. There were villages. Planned or otherwise, over the -years dwellings and dormitories had gradually grown around three main -centers. Externally there was not much to distinguish one village from -the other except the distance from the hospital. The buildings nearest -were little more than very large machines which fed, bathed, and tried -to anticipate the intellectual stimulation of the almost helpless -tenants. The houses in the farthest village, except for certain -peculiarities, were much like any comfortable dwelling on Earth. - -At the third village he found the house, glancing at the tiny light -on the door. It was glowing; the occupant was at home. The numbered -positions flashed on, indicating further that the person was awake -and in bed. This information was necessary on the asteroid where many -people suffered from some disability which might strike suddenly, -leaving them helpless and unattended. Docchi leaned against the button -and the light blinked him in. - -Jeriann was sitting up in the middle of the bed; she seemed healthy and -alert. "How do you feel?" he asked as he caught a chair with his foot -and slid it near her. - -She made a wry face and smiled. "Fine." - -"No polite answers, please. Do you feel like work?" - -"Now that you're here, no." She laughed outright at his discomfiture. -"Maybe now you'll believe me when I say I'm all right. Do you?" - -She didn't wait for his answer but smoothed the covers around her. -"You're the one who found me, aren't you?" - -"Jordan really. I was there." - -She didn't attempt to thank him; help was expected. No one knew when -his turn would come. "I guess you're wondering what I was doing there -without my capsules." - -He wasn't but he'd listen if she felt she had to talk. "It seemed -strange you'd forget something like that. But everyone was confused -then." - -"Not me. I knew exactly what I was doing. I was running from some big -lunk who kept chasing me all over the dome. He knew I wasn't Nona -because I yelled for him to leave me alone. He didn't pay any attention -and I guess I lost the absorbics just before he caught me." - -"You don't have to talk about it if it's painful," he said impassively. - -"What do you think?" she said scornfully. "You think I'd let _him_ -bother me? I told him to go away or I'd slip my face off. He got sick -right there and let go." - -He smiled at her vigor. "It's a good thing he didn't take you at your -word and let you remove the disguise." - -"Thank you, kind sir. Now I know I'm pretty too." Her manner overcame -the apparent sharpness. "Anyway there I was. I'd used up more energy -than usual and I had nothing to take. I didn't make it to the hospital." - -"I didn't know the details but I imagined something like that. You're -lucky we found you and even more so that we were able to discover your -particular absorbics in the dispensary mess." - -"Right both times--but you didn't find my absorption capsules. They -weren't there. Never are. I have to go directly to the lab to get them. -Of course I couldn't expect you to know that." - -"Then what are you doing here, alive?" he asked, frowning. "The wrong -thing should have killed you." - -"I'm not a true deficient, you know. It's not that my body fails -to produce glandular substances. What I lack is food and water and -anything that's composed mostly of that will do, providing it's in a -form I can assimilate. When you slapped me and held me up I saw someone -else's capsule but I knew it would do. That person has trouble with a -number of blood sugars and several fluids--not what I require for a -complete diet--but it brought me out of the hunger shock." - -It was not ordinary hunger which had caused her to stumble and be -unable to get up; this was acute, a trauma which affected her whole -organism. And because it was such a constant threat, unconsciously -or not, she had prepared for it. Deficients knew each other better -than any other group. They were aware which prescription could in an -emergency be substituted for their own. It was unlikely to be used--but -that knowledge had paid off for Jeriann. - -The house ticked on as he sat watching her. That was another -peculiarity of the place, aside from the lack of kitchen or any room -wherein she could eat. She didn't need it and so it hadn't been built. -She didn't feel hunger except negatively; it would be easy to die if -she should decide to do so. And so, to reinforce her will to live, a -comprehensive schedule had been imposed from above. But the most rigid -personal schedule meant nothing without time. Time took the place of -hunger, of the need for food, of all the savour in it. - -There were clocks on the wall, inconspicuous dials or larger ones, -integrated in pictures and summed up in designs. There was a huge -circular chronograph on the ceiling; hourglasses and sundials were -contrived in the motif on the floor--and they all seemed actually -to function. And when she slept or whether she didn't, there were -arrangements for that too. The house vibrated, ever so softly, but the -attuned senses could hear it, feel it, in sickness and in health. - -"Damn," muttered Jeriann as the vibration momentarily grew louder. She -tried to say something to Docchi but her thoughts were confused and she -couldn't concentrate. "Don't mind me," she said, smiling ruefully. "I -was conditioned to this sort of thing. They seem to think I've got to -be ready on the dot." - -She could see that it wasn't very clear. "There's a clock in my head -too. Everybody has one naturally but mine has been trained. Any natural -beat will regulate the self alarm, even the pounding of my heart, even -if I don't think about it--but the house is more effective. _They_ said -I had to have it if I expected to live." - -It was obvious who _they_ were, the psychotechnicians who had attended -her after her original accident. They were right but Docchi could see -that it might become annoying. - -The ticking grew in volume and the house shook and though Jeriann tried -to ignore it, it would not let her be. "Time," tolled the house, though -the word was unspoken, "time time time." To Docchi it was subdued and -soft but it had a different effect on Jeriann. - -"All right," she shouted to the tormenter, scrambling out of bed. She -dashed into the next room, scooping up hurriedly an absorbic capsule -that lay unnoticed on a shelf near the door. She was gone for some -time, so long that Docchi was beginning to worry before she came out. - -In the interim, she had changed into street clothing and the tension -that had marked her departure was gone. "I feel better," she said -cheerfully. "Breakfast, such as it was, and a shower." - -She sat opposite him. "I can see you're trying to figure out how I took -a shower when you couldn't hear water running. Special shower. Don't -ask about it." - -Docchi had no intention, though he was wondering. He had his own -gadgets to help him get dressed and no one was curious about them. - -"You came here for something," said Jeriann. "Thanks for being polite -and talking to the patient but now you can tell me what it is." - -He was considering whether he should ask someone else. It was complex, -too difficult to explain to Nona. Anti, who would have been best, was -confined to the tank. And Jordan wouldn't do at all. That left only -Jeriann, who was capable enough, _if_ she was fully recovered. "Do you -know Maureen?" he asked. - -"I do. Can I guess what she's done now?" said Jeriann dryly. - -"Your guess is probably right, except that she hasn't done it yet. I -want to make certain she doesn't." He thought over Jeriann's reply. -"This isn't the first time this has happened to her?" - -"Of course it isn't. She's always looking for excuses. Long ago, before -you came, I think, she managed to throw the stuff away and pretend -she'd taken it. She concealed what she'd done for three weeks, until -the doctor discovered it." - -He hadn't heard this, even as a whispered legend. He'd been too busy -trying to achieve new status for the accidentals to bother with gossip. -He didn't know the people here as well as Jeriann did; he'd have to -draw on her for detailed information. "This time it's not an excuse. -The deficiency prescription isn't there for her to take." - -"Nonsense," said Jeriann sharply. "I remember thinking in that split -second in the dispensary: If I were only Maureen now, the worst that -could happen to me is that I'd attract attention." - -He glanced at her. She hadn't thought that at all, though it was a -reflection of another sort of bitterness. The girl didn't know how -lucky she was in comparison to others who were seriously handicapped. -"Could you go and take a look?" he asked. "Maureen said it isn't there. -I understand that they do experiment occasionally. The new consignment -might have got shoved aside in the excitement we had a while back--or -it might be there under a different formula that Maureen can't -identify." If what Jeriann said was correct, Maureen liked the idea of -becoming an all female woman. To her it might seem an anodyne, surcease -from disappointment and things that hadn't gone right. - -"Sure, I'll go," said Jeriann. Her cheerfulness had diminished while he -spoke. Until now she hadn't actually realized there was no longer Earth -to signal to in event of an emergency. "It's true they experiment. -And maybe they _didn't_ send the last shipment during our mixup." She -tossed her head, recovering her buoyancy rapidly. "Oh well, I'll go and -take a look. I know the hospital pretty well." - -"Good." Docchi got up. - -"Wait for me," said Jeriann, going to a drawer and taking things out. -She slipped a watch on her arm; there was another in the rather wide -belt she wore. She selected a series of absorption capsules and dropped -them into pouches on the belt that appeared to be merely ornamental -until he saw what went into it. "Lunch, a drink, and an extra one for -emergency," she explained laconically. - -"I should think you'd require more fluid." - -She looked at him disturbingly. "I would, if I had normal metabolism. -But remember I don't need fluid for the digestive process. And then to -further reduce the intake they've included an antiperspirant in what I -do get." - -He followed her to the door, where she turned around and looked back -at the place she lived in. It was a small, curious house, completely -arranged for the kind of person she was. - -"Are you going to the hospital with me?" she asked. - -"No, there's some work I've got to do near here." - -"Well, then, thanks for saving my life." She slipped her arms around -him and kissed him, quickly but satisfactorily. Her lips were cool and -dry. Very smooth but dry; her touch was like silk. That was because of -her skin. - -She smiled and opened the door. "See you," she said as they parted. She -never once looked back though he did. He was glad, because she might -have waved and it would have been impossible to return it. - -Twice, now, within an hour, he thought as he went along. Maureen of -course he could dismiss since she would respond to anything that was -remotely male. It was not at all the same reaction from Jeriann, and -it pleased him that it wasn't. - -Their environment had changed. Life on the asteroid had undergone a -not so subtle transformation now that there were no longer any normals -around to be compared with, to make the disastrous self-comparison to. -They could begin to behave healthily and sensibly. It was nice that -Jeriann had kissed him and liked it. It was the first installment of -freedom. - -The second installment was going to be harder--to keep that freedom at -a level that meant something. He frowned heavily as he thought of what -had to be done. - -He was late. Except for Anti, who was absent and always would be, -everyone he knew was there. In addition there were many others who -hardly ever attended. It was a good sign that they were coming out and -mingling; before they had seldom left their houses. Docchi spotted -Jeriann but there wasn't a vacant seat near her. He sat down toward the -rear. - -Jordan rapped for silence. "Are there any questions?" - -At the front a man stood up. Docchi remembered him from months ago, a -Jack or Jed Webber. Jed it was, a quiet fellow with pale blue eyes and -almost colorless blond hair. Docchi had never heard him say anything -but he was speaking now, emerging from his self-imposed shell. "Yes," -said Webber. "I want to know where we're going." - -Jordan rapped again. "Out of order. Not on the subject. Anyway the -question's not important." - -"I think it is," said the man, shuffling his body awkwardly. He was -not exact in his movements because he'd been sliced very nearly down -the middle. Except for his head he was half man and half machine. -Unlike others who'd been injured past regeneration, he could use his -composite body with some degree of skill because there was one arm -and one leg to which the motion of his mechanical limbs could be -coordinated. His skill wasn't as great as it could have been because he -hadn't practiced. The spectre of the ideal human body had hindered him -greatly--in the past. "You don't know where we're going," insisted the -man in a high voice. "We're just moving but you don't know where." - -Docchi got up. "I can answer that question. It should be answered. -We're going to Centauri, either Alpha or Proxima, whichever is most -suitable. Is there some place else you wanted to go?" - -The reply was drowned for a few seconds by an appreciative rumble but -Webber was stubborn and waited until the noise died down. He swayed on -his feet and pointed at Nona. "I suppose you asked her," he said. Nona -smiled dreamily as attention turned to her. - -"No. It would be a joke if we did and we're not interested in playing -tricks on ourselves. You've forgotten one thing, that we do have a -telescope." - -"A small one, built as a hobby," Webber said. His voice was uncertain, -as wobbly as his body was. - -"True, but it's better than Gallileo had." He hoped Webber wouldn't -point out that Gallileo hadn't tried to plot a voyage across space with -his instrument. - -Actually there was something strange about the few observations he'd -made. He had reconstructed their path to the best of his ability--not a -bad guess since no records had been kept. At the time they had left Sol -they hadn't been heading directly toward the Centauris. Nona must have -used their tangential motion to take them out of the system as fast as -she could and later had looped back toward their present destination. -The sketchy charts Docchi had, indicated the Centauris by plus or minus -a few degrees, all the accuracy he could expect from the telescope. It -was in the stars themselves that he had detected changes he couldn't -account for. - -At the far side a woman stood. Jordan nodded to her. "I wasn't asked -for my opinion about all this," she said defiantly. "I don't like it. I -want to go back." - -Jordan cocked his head humorously. "You should have told the guards -this while they were here. They'd have been glad to take you with them." - -"I certainly wouldn't leave with them," she said in surprise. "Look how -they acted while they were here." - -"I'm afraid you're out of luck. We can't turn back because of you." - -"Don't tell me we're marooned here," said the woman vehemently. "The -guards left a couple of scout ships, didn't they? Why can't we take -those back to Earth?" - -"For the same reason _they_ didn't," said Jordan patiently. "The range -of the scouts is limited, it wouldn't reach then and it won't do it -now." - -"Pshaw," said the woman. "You're just arguing. Docchi said the gravity -generator in each ship could be changed to a drive without much -work--something about adding a little star encyclopedia unit. I think -that's what he said." - -Docchi started. Had he said that? He must have for the woman to have -remembered it. He shouldn't have made such a statement, first because -it wasn't so. He had made the possibility of return to Earth seem too -easy. - -There was another reason he regretted his rash explanation and it was -the opposite of the first: inadvertently he might have blurted out the -secret of the drive. It was possible to talk too much. - -"I'm not the only one," the woman was insisting. She'd found a point -and wouldn't let go. "There are plenty of others who feel as I do and -they'll say so if they're not afraid. Who wants to go on for years and -years, never reaching any place?" - -"Look at the stars." A voice ahead of Docchi answered her. It was -Webber again, the meek little man who never spoke. - -"I don't _want_ to look at the stars," she said violently. "I never -want to see anything but the sun. _Our_ sun. It was good enough for -mankind and I certainly don't care to change it." - -"That's because you don't know," said Webber confidently. "You're -afraid and you don't need to be. When I said look at the stars I meant -that those ahead of us are brighter than the ones behind. Do you know -what that means?" - -Docchi nodded exultantly to himself; they'd found their astronomer. -He himself had noticed the first part of what Webber remarked on; he -hadn't thought to turn the telescope in the opposite direction because -he wasn't interested in where they'd been. The apparent brightness of -the Centauri system was much greater than it should have been--that's -what he hadn't been able to account for. He could now. It was -surprising how much power the gravity drive could deliver. - -"We're approaching the speed of light," went on Webber. "It won't take -decades to reach a star. We'll be there in a few years." - -The woman turned and glared at him but could find nothing to say. -She wasn't convinced but she sat down to cover her confusion. Around -her people began to whisper to each other, their voices rising with -excitement. They'd lived long enough at the rim of the system to know -what stellar distances meant and how much speed could affect their -voyage. - -Jordan rapped them into silence. "I've tried to get you to talk on the -subject but you've resolutely refrained. Therefore you'll have to vote -on it without discussion." - -The vote took place, whatever it was. Docchi was unable to discover -what and so he didn't participate. When the count was over Jordan -gavelled sharply. "Motion carried. That's all. Meeting adjourned." - -Before Docchi could protest, people were leaving, carrying him part of -the way with them. He reached the wall and stood there until traffic -subsided, afterwards making his way to Jordan who was talking happily -to Jeriann. - -"We did it," said Jordan, grinning as he came up. - -"Did what? All I heard were people complaining. We had to depend on -someone from the floor to smack them down. Seems to me there were a lot -of important things to discuss." - -"Seem to me we covered everything, which you would have known if you -had got here on time," said Jordan, still grinning. "This is Jeriann's -idea. It was what we were voting on." - -Twisting his head Docchi read the sheet Jordan laid in front of him. -It was a resolution of some sort, that he gathered from the usual -whereases. He scanned it once and was halfway through again before he -caught the import. - -"The wages aren't high," remarked Jordan. "Survival _if_ we do our job -well, grousing if we don't. Otherwise we can keep on doing just what -we have been." He picked up the sheet and read from it. "Whereas we -are bound together by a common condition and destination--ain't that -nice?--and have a common plan----" Jordan looked up. "Since you're the -one they're talking about when they refer to the head of the planning -committee, just what the hell _is_ our plan?" - -There were innumerable small goals that had to be reached before they -could consider themselves self-sufficient, and to some extent Docchi -was capable of summarizing them. But when it came to a final statement -of aims he could only feel his way. Docchi didn't know either. - - - - -9 - - -Jeriann came into the office. "I've got it down to twenty," she said -briskly. - -"What?" said Docchi absently. Management details were unfamiliar to -him and he was trying to pick them up as he went along. The scattered -records were in order but some were still unaccounted for. "Oh. The -deficiency biologicals. Good. How did you do it?" - -"I asked them." - -"And they knew? It's surprising. I'd expect them to be familiar with -their standard treatment. But not something that's entirely new." - -Jeriann smiled faintly. "I'm not that good. I did find out what -they used to get and then scrounged around in storage until I found -supplies. If the old stuff kept them healthy once it should do so now." - -He hadn't thought of that, but then he wasn't accustomed to considering -the same things a doctor would. Any trained person would know that -sulfa hadn't been discarded with the discovery of penicillin, nor -penicillin with the advent of the neo-biotics. Docchi studied her -covertly; Jeriann was a competent woman, and an attractive one. - -"Of the remaining twenty we don't have biologicals for, I've determined -we can make what eleven need." - -Only nine who were left out. It was a remarkable advance over a few -days ago when there were forty-two. Nine for whom so far they could -do nothing. It was queer how he worried about them more as the number -diminished. Somehow it had greater significance now that he could -remember each face distinctly. "And Maureen?" he inquired. - -Instinctively Jeriann touched the decorative belt that was so much more -than what it seemed. "I'm afraid I misjudged her. I couldn't locate a -thing for her." - -"You're sure she didn't destroy her prescription?" - -"I don't see what difference it makes as long as we don't have it," -said Jeriann. "But yes, I'm sure. Once something is brought in it's -simply not possible for a person as ignorant of the system as she is to -track down and destroy every entry relating to it." - -"All right. I believe you." He glanced down at the list she'd given -him. The actual figures weren't as optimistic as her report had been. -"Wait. I notice you say here that out of twenty that we don't have -supplies for that we can synthesize biologicals for eleven." - -She sat down. "That's what I said. How else can we get them? We've got -the equipment. The asteroid never did depend on Earth for very many of -our biologicals." - -He knew vaguely how the medical equipment functioned, rather like the -commonplace food synthesizers. "We don't have anyone with experience." - -Jeriann shrugged. "I'm not a technician but I used to help out when -there was nothing else to do. I expected to run it." - -The light flashed on his desk but Docchi ignored it. "Have you thought -what an infinitesimal error means?" he asked. - -"Of course." He was struck by her calmness. "One atom hooked in the -wrong place and instead of a substance the body must have it becomes a -deadly poison. I've talked it over with the deficients. They agreed to -it. This way they know they have a chance." - -"We'll do something," he acknowledged. "Pick out the worst and work for -their deficiency. Check with me before you give them anything." - -"I've selected them," she said. "There are four extreme cases. They -won't collapse today or tomorrow. Perhaps not in a week. But we can't -let them get close." - -"Agreed." The light kept flashing annoyingly in his eyes. Another -complaint. Nodding at Jeriann Docchi nudged the switch and glanced at -the screen. "Anything wrong?" he asked. - -It was Webber. "Nothing much. Jordan and I just bumped into an old -acquaintance. I suppose we'd better bring him in." - -"Cameron," exclaimed Docchi as Webber moved aside, revealing the man -behind him. - -The doctor's clothing was rumpled and he hadn't shaved but he was calm -and assured. "You seem to be running things now," he said. "I'd like a -chance to talk with you." - -Docchi didn't answer directly. "Where did you find him, Webber?" - -"He was living out in the open near a stream which, I imagine, was -his water supply. We were checking some of the stuff the guards -didn't wreck when we spotted him. We saw bushes move and went over to -investigate, figuring it might be a geepee at loose ends. There was our -man." - -"Did he give you any trouble?" - -Webber shrugged. "He wasn't exactly glad to see us. But he must have -known there was no place to hide because he didn't actually try to get -away." - -"That's your interpretation," said Cameron, his face beside Webber. -"The truth is I wanted to make sure you had no way of sending me back -with the general's forces. I was taking plenty of time." - -From beyond the screen Jordan snorted. - -Cameron continued. "There was no use going back to Earth. My career -wasn't exactly ruined--but you can appreciate the difficulties I'd -have. Anyway a doctor is trained to take the most urgent cases, and I -thought they were here. I'm sorry only that I had to be discovered. It -spoiled the entry I was going to make." - -Jeriann's face showed what she thought. Relief, and was there something -else? The thought was distasteful if only because it indicated there -was now a normal human present. The deadly comparison was back with -them. - -But it was more than that--how much more was up to him to find out. -Docchi kept his emotions far away. It would hardly do to let Cameron -know what he thought. "Well, there's work to do, if that's what you -want. Come up as soon as you can get here." - -Cameron cocked his head. "If they'll let me." - -"They'll let you." Docchi switched off the screen and turned to see -Jeriann getting up. - -"Don't leave. I want you to check on him." - -"Why should we check?" she asked in surprise. - -Another one who accepted the doctor at face value. There would be -plenty of others like her. Perhaps Cameron _had_ remained for the -reasons he'd given. If so it ought to be easy to prove. "Did I say -we'd have to watch him? I didn't mean quite that. Cameron's here and -we intend to use him. At the same time we must admit that he has many -conventional ideas. We'll have to give him our slant on what we need." - -She sat down. "I don't want to waste your time or his." - -"You're not." Docchi pretended to be busy while they waited. He had to -learn whether his suspicions were unfounded. Cameron may have stayed -in the best medical tradition. But there was another tradition less -honorable and it was an equal possibility. - -It was better not to say anything to Jeriann. She respected the doctor -but she wouldn't be blinded by that attitude. She'd report any untoward -thing she saw. And she was attractive. Sooner than anyone else save -Nona, who couldn't communicate, she'd learn what the doctor's true -motives were. - -Docchi found himself studying her. She didn't have to be that anxious. -He wished she weren't so eager for the doctor to arrive. - - * * * * * - -Cameron shook his head. "Don't let your enthusiasm run away with you. -I can help the deficients but if new treatments are developed it will -probably be the result of ideas you people have." - -"What about the list? Can we synthesize for them?" - -"I haven't studied it and I'm not familiar with the medical history of -everyone here. I do know three of the eleven that Jeriann's selected -and in each one she's exactly right. It's merely a matter of testing -the preparations. I'll check but I'm sure she can do it as well as I -can." - -It was nice to know that they were doing all right by themselves, that -they'd have gotten along without the doctor. It helped that he was here -but they'd have survived anyway. "Can you do anything for Maureen?" -asked Docchi. - -"I don't remember her. I'll have to look it up." - -"The records aren't in the best condition." - -"Guards?" Docchi noted that Cameron scowled. Either he was a good -actor or he was sincere. "I tried to get the general to restrain them -but he wouldn't listen." - -"No harm done, I suppose," said Docchi. He wanted to forget as much of -that episode as he could. "However I can tell you what's wrong with -Maureen. No male hormones." - -"I remember." Cameron pondered. "I've never had anything to do with -her. Most of her treatment came direct from Earth. I don't know. I -really can't say." - -"Most glands are paired. Can't you transplant one, or part of one, from -some of us? We'll get donors." - -"Off hand I'd say that if it were possible it would have been done -long ago. For reasons that aren't understood transplants aren't always -effective. Sometimes the body acts to dissolve foreign tissue or, if -there's irritation, grow a tumor around it." - -"That's why she's still a deficient?" - -"It's my guess. They tried transplants but had to cut them out." -Cameron turned to Jeriann. "Do we have equipment for synthetic -hormones?" - -"Maybe. I never prepared any." - -The doctor leaned over the desk, flipping through the files until -he came to the section he wanted. "Some test animals. Probably not -enough," he said after studying it briefly. "I'll do something to keep -her quiet until I can figure out a substitute." - -"No experiments on us, Cameron." - -He smiled wryly. "The history of medicine is a long series of -experiments. If it weren't for that we'd still be in the stone age, -medically speaking." - -Docchi shrugged. "Suit yourself. Do what you can with Maureen." - -"What about Anti?" - -"We haven't had time to think about her." - -"I'll see what I can do. If I stumble on anything that seems beneficial -I'll let you know." Cameron turned to leave and Jeriann went with him. - -Docchi watched him go. The doctor was an asset they hadn't counted on. -His presence would help silence the objections of those who agreed with -the woman at the meeting but hadn't said anything yet. This was the -temporary advantage. - -But there was still the doubt. Cameron might have stayed at the -general's request. A few serious illnesses or a death here and there -might influence them to turn back. Somehow Docchi couldn't credit the -doctor with such intentions. - -Then what? Well, the doctor might have remained with them on a long, -long chance. A gamble, but he was the kind who took risks. - -It was not suspicion alone that made Docchi suddenly tired and morose. -He wished he could call Jeriann back on some pretext. She'd gone and -she hadn't looked his way when she left. - - * * * * * - -Anti bobbed gently in the acid. "What's the contraption?" - -"An idea of mine," said Jordan, lowering the coils carefully so the -acid didn't splash. - -Anti looked at it judicially. "Maybe next time you'll think of -something better." - -"Don't be nasty," said Jordan as the coils reached the surface of the -liquid and began to submerge. "Cameron thinks it will work." - -"My faith is shaken." - -"It isn't a question of faith and anyway he's as good a doctor as we've -ever had." Jordan kept lowering until the mechanism reached the bottom. -A single cable over the side of the tank was the only thing visible. -Jordan wiped his hands on the grass. "I was thinking about radiation -when this thing occurred to me." - -"Would you believe it? Once I was young and radiant myself." - -"It's not the same thing." - -"Don't think I wouldn't trade." - -"You won't have to," said Jordan. "This is my idea, not the doctor's. -He merely confirmed it." - -"In that case it's bound to work." - -Jordan pulled a tuft of grass loose and tossed it into the tank. It -disappeared in a soundless blaze. To conform with what was expected of -her, Anti blinked. "Don't be so afraid we're going to fail that you -can't listen to what I have to say. Do you want to be cured and not -know why? I've run my legs off to make this gadget." - -"A figure of speech," commented Anti. - -"A figure of speech," agreed Jordan. "To begin with we discovered that -when you were exposed to space the cold caused the fungus flesh to die -back faster than it grew. Right?" - -"The fungus came from Venus," said Anti. "It's only natural it wouldn't -grow well in the cold." - -"The origin doesn't have anything to do with it. Normally it doesn't -grow in flesh and it had to make concessions to live in the human body, -the biggest one being adaptation to body temperature. At the same time -the body cells tried to outgrow it but the faster they grew the more -there was for the fungus to live in. A sort of an inimical symbiosis." - -"If you can imagine inimical symbiosis," said Anti. "I can't." - -"You haven't tried very hard. Anyway, there seems to be a ratio between -the amount of fungus in one connected mass and the vigor. The more -there is the faster it grows, and conversely." - -"Such a pleasant reference," said Anti. "Mass. Still it's an accurate -description of me, though I can think of a better one. Lump." She swam, -splashing ponderously toward the edge of the tank. "Are you trying to -say that if I can ever get below a certain point my body will be able -to keep the fungus in check?" - -"Exactly." - -"What's wrong with the treatment we discovered? Give me an oxygen -helmet and tie me to a cable and let me float outside the dome." - -"You wouldn't float as long as the gravity's on. Besides, we can do -it better. In space you lose heat solely by radiation. Radiation -depends on surface and the larger a body is the more surface it had in -proportion." - -"Convection is what you meant," said Anti. "Acid alone helps, but a -_cold_ acid would combine treatments." - -"A very cold acid. Supercold." - -Anti nodded and nodded and then stopped. "A fine piece of reasoning -except for one thing. When the temperature is decreased chemical -activity slows down." - -"That's the triumph of my gadget," said Jordan. "It's not only a -refrigerant coil but electronically it steps up ionizations as the -temperature is lowered. We sacrifice neither effect." - -Soundlessly Anti sank below the surface and remained there for some -time. When she came up acid trickled over her face. "I had to think. -It's been so long since I dared hope," she said. "When can I walk?" - -"I didn't say you would," said Jordan hastily. "There may be a lower -limit beyond which it's dangerous to continue the cold acid treatment." - -"Then what's the use?" said Anti. "I'm not interested in merely -reducing. I'll still be bigger than a house. I want to get around." - -"This is the first step," explained Jordan patiently. "After this is -successful we'll think of something else." - -"What language," said Anti. "The first step when obviously I'm nowhere -near taking one. Can't you turn off the gravity?" - -If they did it would hinder others, and the odds were nearly a thousand -to one. Of course they might compromise, a short gravityless period at -intervals. It would be unsatisfactory to everyone but it might give -Anti the encouragement she needed. - -Besides, he was unsure they _could_ turn off the gravity without -also turning off the drive. Their momentum would carry them along at -the same speed they had been going--but was it wise to tamper with -a mechanism that till now was functioning so smoothly and was so -important? - -Jordan shook his head. "I said we'd think of something else and we -will. Continue with this treatment and watch your weight go down." - -"Don't think I'm not aware of your cheerful intentions," said Anti. -"How can you possibly weigh me as long as I have to stay in the tank?" - -"The same way Archimedes did--fluid displacement. I've rigged up a -scale so you can keep track of what's happening." He didn't tell her -what the scale was calibrated in. Absolute figures were disheartening. -It was only the progress which counted. - -Anti looked at the dial near the edge of the tank. "I thought it was -just another gadget." When Jordan didn't answer she looked for him. -"Hey, don't leave me to freeze in this cold goop." - -"You're not cold and you know it. You can't feel a thing." - -"Don't be so frank," she grumbled. "Hardly anyone comes to talk to me. -I like company." - -"Sure, but I've got to get busy on that other idea." He didn't have one -but he looked very wise and it had the desired effect. - -"Guess I can't stop you," grumbled Anti. "Tell someone to come and -visit with me." - -Again she looked long at the dial. It was a pleasant surprise to find -she was not so far from average that she could be weighed. Jordan was a -gadgeteer but sometimes his contraptions worked and once in a while his -ventures in psychology were extraordinarily shrewd. - -For instance, the dial. - -She imagined she could feel her toes tingling from the cold--if she -still had toes. Soon they would emerge from the fungus flesh in which -they were buried. She felt she was shedding. - -What did they have that made anything seem possible? Jordan, the -sometimes wonderful gadgeteer. Docchi, a competent engineer but no more -than that. Unsure of himself personally he had a passion for correcting -inequalities. And then there was Cameron, a good doctor who was trying -to realign his principles. He wouldn't have made it except that he had -a powerful attraction ahead of him. Lord knows what he saw in Nona or -she in him. - -And lastly there was Nona herself, to whom big miracles came easier -than small ones. There was a fragile grandeur about her but she knew -nothing at all of the human body, especially her own. - -And this is what they relied on. It was strikingly little to balance -against the forces of Earth, which had failed them. And yet it was -enough; the accidentals would not fail. - -It didn't matter what the resources were as long as they weren't aimed -in the right direction. She didn't have figures on the conquest of -cancer but the one-time scourge of mankind could have vanished far -sooner if the cost of one insignificant political gesture had been -spent instead to wipe out the disease. - -Perhaps this was one answer. They were struggling not to make beautiful -men and women still more beautiful but to restore those who were less -than perfect to some sort of usefulness, especially in their own -evaluation. - -The lights in the dome dimmed appreciably. It was the lengthening -shadows which made the needle on the dial that Anti was watching quiver -and seem to turn downward. - - * * * * * - -Jordan rode the repair robot away from the tank. It was more than -had ever been done for Anti but it wasn't enough. A fifty per cent -reduction and she still wouldn't be able to walk. He'd have to check -with anyone who had ideas of what to do. He didn't have much hope -there; nobody but himself had given much thought to Anti recently. - -The machine he was on wasn't functioning properly. Nothing definite, -it just wasn't. He was sensitive enough to notice this through his -preoccupation with other problems. It was sluggish to his touch. It -was not unexpected; there was a lot of equipment that was supposed to -be foolproof and wasn't, any number of machines built to last forever -which didn't. - -Once it would have been easy to blame technicians for failure to -keep the robots in proper condition. Now he couldn't because he was -that technician, the only one. Nona kept the big stuff working and -Docchi helped out with anything else when he could find them. But -minor machines were important too and this was his province. Robot -repair units affected gross corrections on themselves but weren't -capable of detecting defects in the basic repair circuit. This was his -responsibility. - -He stopped the squat machine and opened it. There was nothing wrong -that he could see. Some other time he'd work it over thoroughly. He -climbed back on and touched the controls he added for his own use. - -For a while nothing happened and then an extensible started flailing. -It was not what he'd signalled for. He shoved the lever in the opposite -direction and though it didn't stop the gyrations of the extensible it -did start the treads. The machine rumbled away at greater than ordinary -speed. Jordan would have fallen off if an extensible hadn't steadied -him. - -Momentarily he wondered; the last response was not within the machine's -capacity. It was built to repair other machines and, within limits, -itself. It had no knowledge of the frailties of the human body. He -wondered at this and then forgot it completely. - -The robot lurched heavily, narrowly missing one of the columns that -supported the dome. A collision at this speed--well, no, the column -wouldn't have been greatly damaged. - -Hastily Jordan reached to shut it off. There was a shower of sparks and -the handle grew hot and sputtered. The grip flashed, fusing, visibly -becoming inoperative. - -The robot no longer faltered. Jordan wasn't in immediate danger. He -could always swing off, slide off, or fall. But he ought to stop it -before it wrecked itself or, worse, the dome. - -The dome enclosed a good part of the asteroid but it came to an end -somewhere, curving downward and joining the ground at a flexible -seal. Naturally it was protected against collision and naturally the -protection wasn't complete. It was conceivable that an uncontrolled -robot could break through. Jordan clutched an extensible as the machine -jolted and rocked. The nearest place it could damage the dome was miles -away. He'd disable it long before it got there. - -He steadied himself and reached for the panel, prying it open. He -thrust his hand in and the lid slammed shut on his fingers. He yelled -and pulled loose, leaving part of his skin inside. The lid was firmly -closed. - -He glowered at the machine. It was an accident that a wildly moving -extensible clamped the lid down as he reached inside. He didn't like -those kinds of accidents; the element of purpose was very strong. - -He hesitated whether he should disable the machine. It was valuable -equipment and they wouldn't get more like it. It would have to last for -the duration. "Easy does it," he muttered but it wasn't easy. His hand -slid back to the toaster--and it wasn't there. The sensible thing was -to suppose that it had been jolted loose. The machine couldn't think in -complex terms. - -Or could it? He glanced down; there were indications the robot had been -sliced into and he thought he knew who had done it. It was probably -the one he and Docchi had disabled long ago on their escape from the -asteroid. It had been repaired since and the technician who had done so -had altered the circuits. - -The essential thing was to stop it before it caused real damage. He -suspected that, with a number of extensibles curled firmly around him, -there was no danger he'd fall off. Maybe he couldn't get off if he -wanted to. - -He wished he'd encounter someone. He hated to admit it but he needed -help. In the distance he saw people and shouted. They knew him; he was -the person who rode the robot. They waved gaily and said something -unintelligible as he sped by. It was irritating that they didn't see -anything amiss. - -The edge of the dome loomed up. They'd been going longer than he'd -thought. He squirmed uneasily; he should have gotten off long ago and -used something else to intercept the errant machine. A geepee, if he'd -had sense enough to get one, could run it down and smash it. His only -excuse was that he hadn't wanted to destroy valuable machinery. - -With tremendous effort he tore himself loose and using the power of his -overdeveloped arms he threw himself off. He covered his head and rolled -along the ground in a tight ball. He was free. - -But not for long. The treads whining in reverse, the robot whirled, -scooping him up as it passed by. This time it didn't pause as it headed -toward the edge of the dome. It was all his fault. The dome would -seal itself after the robot plunged through, but not without loss of -air--and one good mechanic. - -The machine churned on but surprisingly didn't plow heedlessly into the -curved transparent wall. The extensibles felt the surface, the speed -was checked and the direction changed. The robot moved parallel with -the edge of the dome. It had a better sense of self-preservation than -was common with robots of this type. - -It felt the wall as it rolled along. There was nothing noteworthy about -the surface, smooth, hard, and slightly curved. Another extensible -emerged from the squat body; the tip flashed a light toward the outside. - -It was strange out there. Jordan hadn't often seen it; not many people -came to look out. When the asteroid was in the solar system jagged -rocks had gleamed in the sharp light of the sun. But now the landscape -was always dark except when some curious person wanted to remind -himself what the rest of his world was like. It was a torn and crumpled -sight the robot's light displayed, as if some giant had risen and -tossed aside the rocks he slept in. But not completely rumpled; here -and there were smooth areas that some vast engine might have planed -flat--or the same giant had straightened out with a swipe of his hand -before departing. - -The robot flicked off the light and turned away. Jordan breathed with -relief when he saw where it was going, toward the central repair depot -to which all robots returned periodically. It would slide into a stall -and stop. He would get off. And he would see to it that the robot was -thoroughly checked over before it was called out again. - -The entrance slot was extremely wide and equally low; it wasn't built -for passengers on the robots. Momentarily the thought flashed across -his mind that he should let himself be scraped off. But it seemed a -precipitous way to dismount and anyway the machine would soon stop and -he could get off more conventionally. Instinct won and Jordan flattened -himself as they swept under the gate. He could feel the masonry -twitching at his clothing. - -The slot opened into a circular space in which other robots were -stationed in stalls. In the center were bins of spare parts. Jordan -called out, not too hopefully. Robots were assigned from here on a -broadcast band; he didn't think there were facilities for responding to -the human voice. - -His machine headed toward a stall at the rear. This far from the -entrance the light was dim. Jordan wondered why there was any light -at all; robots didn't need it. Upon reflection he decided it was a -concession to human limitations. - -But the machine didn't slow down as he expected. It rumbled between -walls, turned at a sharp angle--and the parking slot was not what it -had seemed. They were in a passageway, narrow and even more dimly -lighted. That it was lighted at all indicated it wasn't a chance -fissure. It had been built long ago and forgotten. - -This was serious. Where was the machine going and when would it stop? -He hoped it _would_ stop. An outcropping in the passageway loomed ahead -of him; he flung himself flat. A sharp projection grazed his ear. The -tunnel wound on through solid rock. He was lost by the time it ended. - -There were no true directions on the asteroid. Toward the sun or -away from it; toward the hospital or the rocket dome. These were the -principle orientations and the main one had been left behind--the sun. -He didn't know where he was except that it was somewhere under the main -dome. He was sure of this because he was still alive. There was air. - -The passageway terminated in a large cavern. Once he saw it he relaxed. -It was a laboratory and a workshop and he knew whose. There was only -one person who would disassemble nine general purpose robots and -arrange their headpieces in a neat row on a stone slab. Their eyes -revolved slowly as the machine rumbled farther in. He stared back; the -intensity with which they gazed at him was uncomfortable. How long Nona -had had this workshop he didn't know. Perhaps it was here she'd hidden -from the guards. - -Nine pair of eyes followed their progress as the machine rolled across -the floor. Jordan glared back. He could see that they were not merely -in a row, that they were hooked together by a complex circuitry that -wove an indefinable pattern between them. The purpose was obscure. - -A repair robot was an idiot outside the one thing it was built to -do. A general purpose robot, the geepee, was a higher type. It was a -moron. Were nine morons brighter than one? With men, not necessarily; -stupidity was often merely compounded. But with mechanical brains, -using modules of computation, the combination might constitute an -accurate data evaluating system. - -Jordan squirmed to get a better glimpse of the heads on the slab--and -fell off the machine that held him captive. He was free. - -His first impulse was to scurry away. When he remembered how far he had -to go and by what labyrinth route he decided to wait. Something better -might come up. He raised himself and rubbed fine gravel off his cheek. -Dust irritated his nose; he sneezed. Eighteen eyes glowered at him. - -The repair robot ignored him. Having brought him so far and clung -possessively, now it refused to notice him. On the bench there was -something new to interest it. The unshakable directive around which it -was built had taken over: there was a machine which should be fixed. - -What? A mechanism of some sort. Not the nine heads. The repair robot -raised a visual stalk and scanned. Jordan craned but couldn't see to -the top of the stone bench. Extending other stalks the robot began -working up high on the unknown something. - -His own curiosity was aroused. Jordan swung to the bench and, gripping -the edge, hoisted himself up. Parts of disassembled geepees and other -electronic devices were scattered over the slab. He inched carefully -along until he could see what his robot, microsenses clicking -furiously, was busy with. - -It was disappointing. He had expected to find a complicated machine -and instead it was nothing at all--a strand of woven wire with a -rectangular metal piece at one end. A belt with a buckle on it. This -was what fascinated the repair robot. - -Jordan went closer. The robot hummed and shook, extensibles racing -through the scattered parts which it sorted and laid aside for other -stalks to add to the end of the slender strand. It worked on, from time -to time stopping to buzz inquisitively. When nothing happened after -these outbursts it resumed activity. The pattern was clear: the belt -was not functioning properly and the robot was busy repairing it. - -Gradually it slowed and the pauses became longer. It clattered loudly -and sputtered, extensibles waving uncontrollably until they seemed to -freeze. The directive completely frustrated, the robot whined once and -then was silent. It was motionless. - -Jordan reached for the object, ready to swing away if there was any -objection. There wasn't. He examined it closely; it was _not_ a belt. -And the rectangular metal piece was not a buckle though it could serve -as one. Actually it was a mechanism of some kind, though what it was -supposed to do he couldn't tell. - -It was one of Nona's experiments. Of that there was little doubt. The -strands were not wires but microparts fastened together and woven into -an intricate pattern. Jordan snorted; the robot hadn't improved on what -Nona had wrought. - -He inspected it thoroughly. He could see where the robot had begun to -add parts. Methodically he unhooked the surplus components. If Nona had -thought they should be on there she would have attached them. They -didn't belong. - -When he was down to the original mechanism he looked at it perplexedly. -It was designed to be worn as a belt. He fastened it around his waist -and touched the stud. - -By now he had some idea of what it was intended for. It was not -surprising that it worked perfectly. - -He expected that it would. Nona seldom failed. What Jordan didn't -notice and would never discover--no one would--was that there were -three minute parts that the robot had added, almost too small for the -human eye to see. And those three parts were indispensable. Without -them the belt would not function at all. For the lack of them Nona had -discarded the idea as unworkable. - - - - -10 - - -Jed Webber came in noisily. His left foot was heavy and his left arm -swung more than it should. Otherwise there wasn't much that remained of -the timid awkward man of weeks ago. - -Docchi looked up. "Did my calculations check?" - -Webber grinned. "I thought they would but I wanted to be sure. It's one -of the Centauris." - -"Is that as close as you can come?" - -"With that telescope it is. It's pretty wobbly. Who made it, anyway?" - -"I did." - -Webber grinned again. "In that case it's pretty damned good." With -difficulty Webber kept himself from looking down but Docchi could see -that his real foot was wriggling. - -"Thanks. Did you get an estimate of the speed?" - -Webber grunted. "Not a spectroscope on the place and without one how -can I measure the light shift?" He rubbed his arm slowly. "Unless you -made one of those too and have it stored away." - -"I don't. I made the telescope when I first came here. I didn't see -that it proved anything even to myself so I stopped." Docchi thought -briefly. "There's an analyzer in the medical lab. You can borrow it -but don't change it in any way. We can't risk ruining the only means we -have of checking our synthetics." - -"We don't have to know how fast we're going. We'll get there just as -soon. I'll look into that analyzer after my work period. There's a -chance it will do what I want it to." - -"What you're doing is work. You don't have to put in more hours than -anyone else." - -Webber smiled unhappily. "Oh--I'm as lazy as the next person. We're -short handed in hard labor. I thought I'd fill in for a while." - -The reference was what he'd expect from Webber, not at all subtle. "You -mean that there's criticism over the shortage of geepees?" - -"I didn't want to say anything--but yes, there is." - -"I've heard the same complaint. You're not revealing something I don't -know." Docchi leaned back. "To you it seems like ingratitude and I -suppose it is. More than anyone else Nona is responsible for what we've -achieved. I don't object to anything she wants--twice as many geepees -if she needs them and we have them. We'll get it back in ways we didn't -expect." - -"I agree. But not everyone feels the same way." - -"It doesn't hurt. In times of hardship everyone complains, and they may -as well direct it at her. Actually it's a measure of how important they -feel she is--and the accusations are so ill-founded they can't believe -them themselves." - -Webber got up. For the first time since he entered the mechanical and -muscular halves of his body failed to coordinate. "You're right. I -thought if I had something to tell them they'd be less uncertain." - -"Perhaps they would, for a while. I'm not keeping secrets. The truth is -I don't know what she's using the geepees for." - -If the explanation failed to be completely convincing it was because -Webber didn't want to believe. There were others like him. He didn't -blame anyone for wanting an accounting for every piece of equipment -on the asteroid. And yet the attitude was an advantage. Discontent, -real or fancied, wouldn't become a problem as long as it was openly -displayed. There would be time to worry if Webber didn't mention his -dissatisfaction. Docchi watched him leave and then bent over his work. - -A few hours and a score of unimportant details later Cameron hurried -in. "Need a couple of lab workers," he said on entering. - -"I thought Jeriann was doing all right." - -"She is--indispensable. We can't have that. Suppose she should get -sick? I want her to teach someone else the synthesizers. She's got too -much on her hands." - -Docchi hooked his knee on a corner of the desk and tilted the chair -back. "Sounds reasonable. Do you have anyone in mind?" - -"Jeriann says two women have worked with her in the past. She won't -have to start from scratch. She'll give you their names." Cameron -rifled the files and jotted down the information. He folded the sheet, -stuffing it in his pocket. "Here's something for you. We've reduced the -unsolved deficients to three. All the rest we can synthesize for." - -From forty-two to nine and now it was three. It was all the progress -they could hope for, and much of it was due to Cameron. He had -misjudged the doctor's reasons for staying and he was thankful he could -admit it to himself. The man was sincere--and he was also very fond of -Nona. - -Coupled with an increased food supply the major hazards were vanishing. -Power, of course, never had been a problem and never would be. There -was only one small doubt that remained and though there was no basis -for it he couldn't get it out of his mind. He wished there was some way -to reassure himself. - -"We weren't able to replace everything the deficients need," Cameron -was saying. "However they'll get along on what we manufacture." - -"Then they're still deficients?" - -"Hardly," said Cameron. "The body's more versatile than you think. Long -ago it was learned that certain vitamins can be created in the body -from simpler substances. - -"In several cases we're depending on an analogous process. We supply -simple compounds and depend on the body to put it together. Afterwards, -when we checked, the body did create the new substance." - -"Good. When will you take the remaining three off the emergency list?" - -"Two are minor. It doesn't matter when we get to them as long as it's -within the next few years." - -He didn't have to be told who the third was. Maureen. He'd all but -forgotten her. It was the doctor's responsibility, but he didn't feel -that way. - -"She's not causing trouble," emphasized Cameron. "Daily she is growing -more feminine and we'd have positive proof of it except that we've -taken steps." - -"Confinement?" - -"No, except the solitude of her mind. Hypnotics. We tell her she's -getting the regular injections and it's these which cause her to want -to be left alone." - -It was more stringent than he cared for but he didn't have a better -suggestion. "How long can she continue on hypnotics?" - -"Depends. The reaction varies with the person. She can tolerate quite a -bit more." - -Docchi's face darkened. "You said you can't transfer tissue from any of -us. Is that also true of hormones concentrated from blood donations?" - -"Let's put it this way: blood won't help Maureen at all. We can't -extract the complete hormone spectrum from blood--the basic factors she -must have to utilize the rest just don't exist there. If I thought it -would help I'd have asked for donations long ago." - -Docchi tried to shut out the pictures that were coming fast. Maureen -alone in a room in which she had darkened the windows so she wouldn't -look outside. The door would swing open at the touch of her hand, -but she would never touch it. The lock was intangible and hence -unbreakable. It would break when her mind broke. - -"That's all you've planned," said Docchi, "wait and see what happens?" - -"Hardly. I'm having Jeriann work solely on synthesizing those hormone -fractions we can't extract from blood. If she gets even a few we'll -call for blood and between the two sources we'll have Maureen out of -trouble." - -Docchi refrained from asking what chance of success Jeriann had. -It might be better not to know. Before he could question the doctor -further Jordan wandered in, buoyant and cheerful. Tacitly they let the -subject of Maureen drop. - -"Where have you been the last few days?" said Cameron. "I've been -wanting you to fix some of my equipment." - -"I've been busy tearing down a robot." - -"That's important but the hospital comes first," said Docchi. - -"Not before this one," said Jordan. "It was erratic and I had to get -out those faulty circuits before it decided to look into a nuclear -pile. If I'd let it go there might be no robot, power plant or -asteroid. Not to mention a hospital." - -"You're exaggerating." - -"No I'm not. You should have seen it. It had more curiosity than--well, -Anti." - -"Or you?" suggested Docchi, smiling faintly at the man's good nature. -"Get to the doctor's equipment when you can." - -"I'm not in a real hurry," said Cameron. "By the way, I saw Anti -yesterday. She's coming along nicely with your treatment, looking -almost human." - -"She always did seem human to me," said Jordan. - -"Sorry. No offense." - -"Sure, I know. It was a compliment." The tension left Jordan again; he -was relaxed and easy. "Anyway, you should see her today. Better yet. I -don't have to rig the scale in her favor. I can let her read the honest -figures." - -"Good. But don't overdo the encouragement. It will make it harder when -she finds she won't be walking for years." - -"She'll be up long before you think," said Jordan mildly but the -doctor chuckled at the wrong time and the mildness vanished. Jordan -had come to tell them but now he couldn't. Cameron thought he was good -and so he was but he forgot he wasn't dealing with ordinary people. -His rules just didn't apply to Anti, nor to Nona, Jordan, or even the -spectacularly useless robot. The doctor didn't understand and because -of that he'd have to wait, Docchi too. - -"I discovered where Nona does most of her work these days," Jordan -muttered. He described where it was, omitting the details of how he got -there. He was also careful not to mention anything he saw. - -Cameron looked out the window as Jordan talked. "Glad you told me," he -said. "I've been meaning to see what I could do for her. It might help -if I watched her working." - -"Very ordinary," said Jordan. "She putters around--but things fall -together when she touches them." - -"I imagine. I've seen great surgeons operate." Cameron gathered up his -notes and left. - -Jordan lingered for a while trying to make up his mind whether to tell -Docchi what he had refrained from discussing while the doctor was -present. He wanted to, but the longer he kept it to himself the harder -it was to share. Eventually Docchi tired of chatting and bent over his -work and Jordan wandered out, his secret still safe, too safe. - -Docchi stopped foggily when he was alone again. Cameron would soon be -trying to help Nona. Somebody had to and he, Docchi, couldn't. It was -enough to settle all the prosaic details that must be attended to if -the place were to function properly. - -It was a relief to know that he no longer be concerned about her. -Nevertheless a certain grayness descended that didn't lift until -Jeriann came in to check on a patient's file. - - - - -11 - - -In the beginning there was silence and it never changed. No sound came -to break the stillness. Darkness changed to light with regularity or -not, but in the particular universe in which she lived there was never -any noise nor any conversation, and music was unknown. She didn't miss -it. - -There were also machines in the universe in which she dwelt and these -too observed a dichotomy. Some machines were warm and soft and this -distinguished them from those which were hard and cool. The warm ones -started themselves when they were very small. Later they grew up but -they didn't know how they did it. Neither did she. Once she was little -and she didn't remember doing anything to change it, but it did change. - -The hard machines she knew more about. They didn't always have picture -receptors on top. Some were blind and some saw more than she did, -though not quite in the same way. She could never tell by looking at -them which was apt to do which. - -(There was a stupid little running machine that she had discovered -once that was perpetually scurrying about looking for things to do. It -would never have survived on Earth because there was an unexpected flaw -in it. She herself had sensed the fault and started to fix it only to -realize that here was an unexpected stroke of luck. Curiosity circuits -there were by the million but they were all mechanical and what they -produced could be strictly predicted. But this was unique. A deviation -in the manufacturing process, a slight change in the density of the -material, whatever it was something extraordinarily fine had been put -together and it would take a hundred years of chance to duplicate it.) - -(Midway she had changed her mind and instead had altered the machine to -encourage the basic sensitivity. She hadn't seen it recently. She hoped -someone who didn't understand hadn't undone her work.) - -The known order crumbled under the touch into something that was -strange. But where sight itself would not suffice, it was possible -to touch reality, to soak it into the skin, like understanding which -cometh slowly to the growing mind. But what was understanding? Parts of -it were always left out and she could venture toward it only a little -way. - -She twisted the head on the bench. The silence was unchanging. (What -was silence?) Other heads on the bench didn't move; they weren't -supposed to. Once they had been attached to clumsy machines and could -move about with a stiff degree of freedom. They couldn't now, though -they could twist the light perceptors in whichever direction suited -them. - -But they didn't know where to look. - -She herself couldn't see the thing that was approaching. It was because -her eyes were imperfect. Lenses were pliable and nerve endings were -huge things, too gross to catch the instant infinitesimal signals. Or -perhaps it was permeability--force bounced on distant impenetrability -and bounded back to and through her senses. - -She'd have to align the heads to help them help her, string them -together for what reinforcement they offered each other. And still they -wouldn't see because what they depended on for seeing was too slow. By -itself the hookup wouldn't correct their sight. - -But nearby was a fast mind though a lazy one. It liked routine once -the meaning of it was made clear. And it worked with instantaneity. -Blind itself it could fingertip touch the incredible impulses and -interpret what it felt for those who had eyes. It would join with her, -reluctantly but surely if she made it interesting, a game at which it -could always win. And winning wouldn't be difficult for it, not against -these nine circuit bound minds, even if it was true that they did -augment one another. Singly there were stupid and even added they were -not much better. Their virtue was that they were electronic. - -(Alone) Were there intangible machines? Sometimes she thought there -might be. People twisted their mouth and (not because they were -smiling) to indicate that they too understood. She could touch the air -coming out but the impulses had no meaning. It was not like vibrations -machines set up, harmonics that told of the unseen structure. There was -nothing mechanical that could be concealed from harmonics--there were -no hard and fast secrets. But what came out of mouths was senseless. -It told nothing, or if it did have meaning her hands and her skin were -unable to relay the interpretation further. (People were soft machines -and they did not ring true. It was difficult to understand.) - -Her hands were usually quite capable. (Now) she wove wires so fine -that only occasional light was caught and brilliantly reflected. Each -strand led somewhere. She removed panels from the robots' heads and -grouped them closer. They were beginning to shake off their incomplete -individuality. They were no longer separate mechanisms, each of which -could only grope for a small fragment of reality. They were merging, -becoming larger and stronger. There was more to be done to them but she -couldn't do it. - -As light as her touch was it was too inaccurate for what must follow. -There were objects smaller than her eye could see, movements finer -than her muscles could control. She summoned a repair machine whose -microsenses were adequate to begin with. She would like to have the -one she repaired some time ago (actually it was quite smart) but it -had disappeared and she didn't know where to find it. However this one -would do. - -It was set merely to repair what was already built, but what she wanted -was not yet made. She changed the instructions; they were not to her -liking anyway. - -She delved into the machine and set the problem. The statement of it -was complex and she wasn't sure how much data the robot aide would -need. When she finished it stood there thrumming. It didn't move. - -She waited but nothing happened. The robot, whose senses were far finer -than her own, remained frozen and baffled. Impatiently she restated the -problem, rephrased it so that it could reach every part of the circuit -almost instantly. Where it was complex she simplified, reducing it at -last to an order the robot could act on. It began to work, slowly at -first. - -It copied exactly a circuit she had made previously. After she approved -it started another, like the first but much smaller, attaching it in -series. Satisfied it was obeying instructions, she left it. It would -continue to make those circuits, each one progressively smaller, the -final one delicate enough to contact the gravity computer. - -Meanwhile there was her own work. It wouldn't suffice that the geepees -be linked with the gravity computer. They would then see what she had -discovered long ago--but it was people who had to be shown. Their eyes -were even less sensitive than hers. - -Fortunately this was the easiest part. She went to the screen and began -to alter it. It could be made to scan what the gravity computer passed -on to the geepee heads. A row of dominos, each of which would topple if -the first were struck, and the screen was the last of the series. - -"Hello," said a voice. "So this is where you always are. What a dreary -place to work." - -She didn't hear the voice. She felt the footsteps and the air brushing -against her skin. She turned around, letting her hands continue, deft -and sure. She didn't need to see what she was doing. The smile was -involuntary. - -He leaned against the wall, watching her. It was embarrassing the way -she gazed back. He wished she could say something but then he'd always -wished it. He'd had a thesis once, hadn't he? that for mechanics -deafness wasn't a handicap considering how noisy machines were. A deaf -person could withstand a concentration of sound the average man would -find intolerable. And there was no need for such a person to talk since -there was no one who could hear. - -The connections in her hands grew swiftly. She felt that she could work -better while he was near. Why was this? - -"What do you respond to?" he said gruffly. "Diagrams, blue-prints? -If so I'll have to learn to draw the damnedest things." He laughed -uncertainly. "Come on, help me a little bit. I've got some ideas that -might help you break out of your shell if you'd try to respond." - -He fixed things too, warm soft mechanisms. She didn't know but she -thought it was a higher skill than hers. He was not as adept as she -was, though he could learn to be. There was so much more he could do if -he would realize. His mouth was a handicap. He moved it often when he -should be thinking. - -"Listen, robot face, I left a career for you. Do you think they -wouldn't take me back? The Medicouncil wouldn't like it but I'd have -been a popular hero. Sometimes they want their heroes to fail. Besides -from their viewpoint it was the best possible solution. Now they don't -have to think of people like you out on that god-forsaken asteroid. -You're off their conscience and they don't have to have bad dreams -about you." - -She smiled again and it was infuriating. What he said or did had no -effect. "At least show that you recognize me. Stop what you're doing. -It can't be important." - -He drew her to him roughly and the work fell from her hands. The -connections had been done minutes before and she'd continued to hold -them because she didn't want to move away from him. She was willing to -let him look at her closely if he wanted. It was surprising how much he -wanted to. - -Later he held her away from him. "I take it back," he said softly. -"You're not a robot face. There's no point of resemblance to a machine. -And look, you've even discovered that you've got more than one -expression." - -The robot aide that had been laboring on whirred inaudibly and clacked -its extensibles. It rolled away from the work bench, brushing lightly -against the doctor as it did so. - -Cameron glanced down blankly, not actually seeing it. "What do I do -now?" he said with unexpected gloominess. "You're a child. You're -as old as Jeriann, maybe as old as I am, but in this you're hardly -more than a child." What was consent and how would he know when he -had it? Well, no, that was not the problem--he knew, but would she? -What _could_ he explain to her? He put his arms around her and gazed -thoughtfully over her head at the odds and ends of machinery she -had been stringing together. The screen flickered and sprang into -illumination. - -He glared at it for interrupting his thoughts. It seemed to him he had -just discovered something very significant and if he'd had a few more -minutes he'd have been able to say it in a way he'd never forget. But -there was a shape on the screen and he couldn't ignore it. The image -wavered in and out of focus, growing clearer as the machine learned to -hold it steady. - -It was a ship. - -A ship. He dropped his hands. "Don't give up on me. I'm not going to -run out on you." Was it his imagination that the ship was growing -larger? His throat was dry and tight. The last thing he wanted to see -was a ship. - -"I don't know what we can do about this, Nona, but come on. We'll see." - -She leaned against the wall, showing no inclination to follow. She -seemed to be disturbed but he would guess it was not about the same -thing he was. "Come on," he said. "We've got to tell the others." - -And still she didn't move. "I can't stay here," he muttered and kissed -her. He started walking away fast so he'd be able to leave. - -She could tell that he was upset by the unexpected appearance of the -ship on the scanner. Perhaps he thought they were alone in space, that -emptiness was lonely. He ought to have known better. She had seen it -long ago, and guessed what it meant. It would have to be overcome. - -What she couldn't understand was what happened to her when he touched -her. Others had tried to come close and either she minded or was -indifferent and they went away. But this was surely outside of her -experience. She thought it meant something to touch a machine and to -know therefrom what it was. But to come in contact with him and to -learn all at once what he was--yes and herself too.... The warm soft -mechanism that she was behaved strangely--never the same way twice. - -And now she was becoming confused--because she would always feel this -when he was near--and she didn't mind. - -She closed her eyes and could see him more clearly. (What was choice?) - - * * * * * - -Docchi walked on, carefully skirting one of the columns that supported -the dome. Once it had seemed huge and unshakable and now it was -remarkably slender. The dome itself was hardly adequate to keep the -darkness overhead from descending. This was the dull side of their -rotation; they were looking back at the way they'd come. The stars were -gray and faint. "Where did you see it?" he asked after a long silence. - -"In the place Jordan described. It's deep underground but I believe -it's near one of the piles. I felt the wall and it was warm." - -"Somewhere below the gravity computer," said Docchi. "Why there, I -don't know, but Nona may have had a reason. What I want to know is: how -do you account for the ship?" - -"What?" said Cameron. "Oh, I leave that to you and Jordan. I can't -explain it." - -Docchi guessed why the doctor was less concerned than he tried to be. -Let him live with his exaltation for a while. It might not last. "Part -of it's easy, how the ship came to be there." - -"It isn't to me," said Cameron. "We haven't been gone long, not much -more than a month." - -"Six weeks to be exact. Six weeks on our calendar." - -"I see, relative time. I heard we were approaching the speed of light -but I didn't think we were close enough to make any difference." He -glanced at his watch as if it held secrets he couldn't fathom. "How -long have we actually been gone, Earth time?" - -"I don't know. We haven't any figures on our acceleration rate nor our -present speed." - -"What are you planning to do? We can't just sit here and let them -overtake us." - -"I don't know. We're not helpless." Docchi's plans were vague. There -was much that had to be determined before he could decide on anything. -"You're certain it's one of ours? It's not an alien ship?" - -The idea hadn't occurred to Cameron. He turned the image around in his -mind before he answered. "I'm not familiar with ship classifications, -but it's ours unless these aliens use the English language. There was a -name on it. I could read part. It ended in -_tory_." - -"The Victory class," said Docchi. "The biggest thing built. At one time -it was intended for interstellar service, before the gravity drive -fizzled." - -"That's how they were able to do it," said Cameron. "I've been -wondering how they were able to send a ship after us so soon, even -allowing for the fact that we've been gone longer than it seems to us, -maybe two or three months instead of six weeks." - -He had nothing definite to go on but in Docchi's opinion the time was -closer to half a year. "Right. Since the ships were already there -rusting in the spaceport all they had to do was clean them up and add -an information unit to the drive. They may have started work on it -while we were in the solar system, when they were still looking for -Nona." - -The special irony was that our own discoveries were being used -against them. Nona's first, the resurrected drive, and then his -own not negligible contribution. Docchi himself had told them. His -thoughtless remark that the drive would function without Nona had been -relayed back to Earth. Vogel the engineer had probably picked it up -and sent the information on. Someone would have chanced on the idea -anyway, but he had given them weeks. And a week was of incalculable -importance--planets could be won or lost. - -Cameron was silent as they walked on. "There's a ship but we don't know -where. Let's not worry until we find where it's going." - -Docchi didn't answer. That the scanner Nona had built was capable of -detecting a ship between the stars indicated a tremendous range--old -style. But distances had shrunk lately. There was a ship behind them -and it wasn't far. Neither was it on a pleasure jaunt. - -At the hospital steps they conferred briefly and then separated, -Cameron leaving to find Jeriann. Docchi went into his office and tried -unsuccessfully to locate Jordan. - -Ultimately he gave it up. Jordan had his own ideas of what was -important and lately had been mysteriously concerned with some -undertaking he refused to disclose. He had even tried to conceal that -there was something he was working on. Docchi switched his efforts and -finally contacted Webber. At a time like this they needed what support -they could get. Webber was not a substitute for Jordan but he'd do. The -person he'd most have liked to have along was Anti but she couldn't -leave the prison, her tank. They missed her. They always would as long -as she was confined. - -Docchi sat down while he waited for Webber. He needed the rest. He had -been hoping that the pursuit would not begin as soon as it had. They -would find some way to throw off the ship behind them--but it was not -the biggest threat. - - * * * * * - -"Do you suppose she hid here when the guards were looking for her?" -said Webber. - -"Doesn't seem likely," said Docchi, trying to keep up. The other's -composite body gave him strength he wasn't aware of. Docchi couldn't -match the effortless stride, the endurance. "Guards searched here too." - -They had, but how thoroughly? The asteroid had once been a planet, a -world with an atmosphere, oceans, lakes, streams. Water had seeped into -the ground, creating imperceptible weaknesses in the crust. And long -ago when the catastrophe came it had struck suddenly. The planet had -been split with such violence that whole chunks had been hurled apart, -each one intact except that the shock had enlarged on the work begun by -water. Faults became underground caverns, tortuous caverns in the rock -that intersected the man-made tunnel. - -No matter what their orders were, the guards wouldn't have been -anxious to explore too far. Under the stress of unusual gravity -fissures could close again on the unwary--it was possible they'd made -only a token search here. - -"If we come here often there ought to be an easier way than this," said -Webber as they went along. - -Docchi had been thinking of it. He would be able to tell when he saw it -whether it would be possible to move the scanner. If so a good place -might be in gravity center. As nearly as he could tell it was almost -directly overhead. - -Voices sprang out of the tunnel as they neared the destination. "Don't -know what's keeping them," grumbled Jordan. "Maybe we ought not to -wait." - -"He was looking for you," said Jeriann, her voice carrying in the -stillness of the underground. "He said it was urgent for you to be -here." - -"A few minutes won't hurt," said Cameron. "Lucky we found you when we -did or you'd have missed it." - -"What do you mean, lucky?" growled Jordan. "I was on my way here when -you yelled." - -"Have you seen it in operation?" said Jeriann. "Cameron said you found -the place." - -"If I had I'd have told you. The scanner wasn't finished last time I -was here. I figured Nona would let us know when she was ready." - -The tunnel turned sharply and though they could hear Jordan's voice the -words were indistinct. It was a quirk of acoustics because, as they -travelled on, utter silence descended. They could hear nothing at all -until the tunnel curved again and they entered the cavern. - -He glanced around once before they were noticed. The nine geepee -heads Cameron had described were almost indiscernible under the mass -of circuitry that covered them. Nona had improved the scanner. He -could identify some of the components but the arrangement was totally -unfamiliar. - -He thought he could trace the basic outline. It was a gravity device -of some kind, what kind he wasn't sure. If he had thought about it -previously he would have realized it practically had to be that. - -"They're here," said Jeriann at his side, and he hadn't seen how she'd -got there. Seconds before she'd been arguing with Jordan and now she -was next to him. - -Jordan looked up and Nona clipped a few connections in place. She -stayed close to the doctor. "We all know what we came for so there's no -need for preliminaries," said Docchi. "Cameron, can you tell Nona to -start the scanner?" - -"My communication is rather primitive," said Cameron with a slight -smile. "However----" He had no time to say more. Nona didn't move but -the scanner responded. - -A shape glowed, a vague nebula, far away. It came closer and the nebula -dissolved--it was a ship. There was darkness all around and yet the -ship wasn't dark. The lights that streamed out of the ports couldn't -account for this, there was nothing to reflect it on the hull. Radar -was one explanation, a gravity radar. The impulses left the asteroid, -traversed the space to the far away object and bounced back--in no-time. - -"It's a military ship," said Jordan. "The biggest." - -The ship rocked a little or perhaps the scanner resolved the image -better. The name began to swing into sight. "Tory," repeated Webber -when he was able to read it. "Victory. And victory always ends with -_tory_." - -"Star Victory," said Jeriann as the ship rotated and the full name grew -visible. "They're premature. They haven't won yet." - -"But how far away?" growled Jordan. "We ought to know the power of the -screen." - -The scanner wasn't calibrated and so they didn't know the distance. -Later Nona might add that refinement but if she didn't there was -practically no way of telling her what they wanted. Now there was -merely a three quarter view, the nose of the ship and enough to make -out that the rockets weren't flaring. Gravity drive of course. But they -knew that. - -"We've seen it," said Webber flatly. "Now what?" - -"We're not going to let them take us," said Jeriann. "Docchi will think -of something." - -Her confidence wasn't warranted. Actually he'd done little to bring -them this far. Intellectual force perhaps. He had turned discontent -into something positive--and joint action had so far overcome the -obstacles. But it was Nona who had given them the power to make the -action worthwhile. And she was limited too--there would come an end -to the seemingly endless flow of invention. There were circumstances -against which no ingenuity could prevail. - -At the present they needed more to go on. They knew there was a ship -behind them. The relationship had to be defined. Space was vast and -they might be able to elude the pursuer. They had to find out where the -ship was. - -They looked at Nona. She was standing close to Cameron, very close. She -seemed to know what was expected of her, a mass rapport. She touched -the doctor wonderingly as he smiled down at her and then she went to -the scanner, working on it, changing the connections with negligent -skill. - -The ship wavered as she worked. It disappeared for seconds and when -it came back it was rapidly approaching the viewing surface of the -scanner. Closer--they touched the hull--and then they were inside, -gazing out of a screen. - -Jordan frowned. "They've duplicated the drive--have they duplicated her -scanner?" - -"I don't think so," said Docchi. "They have telescreens of short range. -But there's no reason why two completely different systems can't be -spliced together." - -They were looking at an empty room and no one came in. Impatiently -Nona touched the connections and the scene dissolved, shifted and -blurred and when it cleared they were elsewhere, another screen, a -different room. A broadshouldered man hunched over a desk, muttering -and scratching his scalp. He signed his name several times; one of the -sheets he crumpled and discarded, first tearing out his signature. The -rest of the documents he dispatched in a slot. - -When he turned around they saw it was General Judd. - -He reached hastily for the switch but withdrew his hand before it got -there. "Well, the orphans have come back, hand in hand." He smirked -with calm deliberation. "Or should I say arm in arm, Cameron?" - -Docchi noticed it if no one else did. The general hadn't called Cameron -a doctor. As far as the Medicouncil was concerned Cameron probably no -longer was. It was the final proof, if Docchi had needed it; of which -side Cameron was on. - -"We have a whole new alignment," continued the general. "Cameron with -Nona, and our rebellious engineer with Jeriann." - -Docchi's face began to glitter but he caught the light as it surged -through his veins, willing it to stop before it showed in his skin. -"We haven't come back, General. We didn't think it would hurt to talk, -though, if you don't mind." - -"I never mind a little chat, Docchi. Always willing to hear what the -other fellow has to say--as long as he comes to the point." - -The general thought his position was strong enough that he could be as -insulting as he wanted. He was very nearly right. "First we'd like to -know what you want." - -"Our terms haven't changed a bit. Turn around and go back." Judd smiled -broadly, an official wolfish expression. "We don't insist you return to -the same orbit. In fact it might be better if you moved the asteroid -closer to Earth." - -Where the Medicouncil could keep a perpetual watch. And where they -would swing through the heavens forever in sight of Earth but never a -part of it. "Naturally we don't accept," said Docchi. "However we don't -reject negotiations completely. There are some of us who might go back -for one reason or another--homesickness mostly. If you're willing we -can make arrangements to transfer them to your ship." - -"Ah, trouble," said the general gravely, trying to conceal his delight. -"And I think I know where the trouble is. We came fully prepared for -every emergency that we--or you--might meet. The Medicouncil is very -thorough." - -The picture of Maureen crouched in a darkened room, whimpering through -clenched teeth that she didn't want ever to see anyone. The tautness as -one set of muscles extended her hand toward the door and another set -tore it away. And there were other images, vague now, but in time they -could become threatening. - -The Medicouncil _had_ foreseen this; there were biologicals on the ship -to cure Maureen. Docchi's face twitched and he hoped the general didn't -notice. "I haven't checked to see how many are willing to go with you. -I will, if it's satisfactory." - -"Don't bother," said the general. "In case you weren't listening, I -didn't say that we're a cozy little group of altruists, just anxious -as hell to take over your responsibilities. The biologicals are here. -You'll get them when we land a crew to make sure you do go back. My -orders are very plain. We want all of you--or none." - -"You know what we'll say," said Docchi. "None of us, of course." The -letdown was less than he expected. He'd half known the conditions; it -was consistent with all the attitudes toward accidentals--once human -but now not quite. It was a typical way to ease their conscience--load -the ship with every medical supply--and then refuse those in need -unless they all came back. "We're getting along quite nicely without -your help," he continued, and if it was less true than he liked, it was -more so than the general realized. "One thing, Judd, don't try to land -_without_ our consent." - -"So you still think we're stupid," said the general affably, at ease -in the situation. _He didn't expect us to surrender_, thought Docchi. -_Then why had he asked?_ "We won't attempt to land until you cooperate. -You will. Sooner or later you will." - -"I hardly think so. We decided that a long time ago." - -The general shrugged. "Suit yourself. Remember we're not vindictive, -we're not trying to punish you. We do insist that you're sick and -helpless. You'll have to come back and be placed under competent -medical care." He glanced amusedly at Cameron. - -"You don't act as if we're helpless," said Jeriann. - -"Dangerously sick," said the general. "Have you ever heard of hysteria, -in which the patient must be protected against himself--and he may hurt -others?" He was fingering a chart on the desk, had been all the while -he was talking. He examined it briefly and then looked up. "What goes -on here? How can you talk across this distance?" - -"It took you a long time to realize it, General. We're _not_ right next -to you." Again it was Docchi's bad habit to talk too much but there was -a reason for it and this time he wasn't telling the general anything he -wouldn't figure out for himself. - -The general's jaw hardened and he pawed futilely at the switch. "How do -we do it?" said Docchi. "It's our secret." But the general didn't reply -and he wouldn't reveal the information Docchi wanted. Nona finally -broke the connection at her end. - -Webber breathed noisily as the image faded. He stamped the mechanical -foot, echoes rolling through the cavern. "Will somebody tell me why the -general's so polite? Why won't he land unless we ask him to?" - -"It's not consideration," said Docchi. "The asteroid's much larger than -his ship, and nearly as fast. Did you ever try to land on a stationary -port?" - -Webber looked abashed. "I keep forgetting we're moving." - -"Sure. Aside from the fact we could smash his ship and it wouldn't -inconvenience us unless it hit the dome, not a very large part of the -total surface, what else can he do? Come close and try to send out men -in space suits? We veer off and leave them stranded until he picks them -up. If he wants to we'll play tag half way across the galaxy with him." - -"So he can't land," said Webber, gaining assurance. "Why didn't I think -of the reasons?" - -"Because one man can't figure out everything," said Jeriann. "If there -was just Nona we'd still be back in the solar system. Or Docchi by -himself, or Jordan, or Anti. Together we get the answers." - -So far--but it might not always hold true. Docchi was worried by -the general's lack of concern. He hadn't expected to contact the -accidentals but when they'd got in touch with him he wasn't startled. -He knew what to do because he had been told. He wasn't a fast thinker -who could improvise, his specialty was carrying out a plan. - -But if Judd was not at first disconcerted he'd made up for it when he -became aware they weren't using conventional communication. Docchi -would have given a lot to see the chart the general had. He'd tried to -provoke the officer but the ruse hadn't been effective. The general -knew the distance between the ship and the asteroid, but he hadn't -revealed it. - -Webber walked noisily to the scanner, peering into the circuits. "The -general's communication experts will be working overtime for a while," -he remarked. - -"For the rest of the voyage. They'll know the scanner's a gravity -device but that won't help them." It was another count against them. -Communication at practically unlimited range was not a prize easily -given up. - -But what they really wanted was Nona. Indirectly she'd given them back -the gravity drive, and now this. And they would think, rightly, that -there was more where these inventions came from. - -He wished Anti were here to advise them. Docchi looked around to ask -Jordan about her but he was already gone. Cameron was standing quietly -in a corner with Nona, talking to her in a low voice while she smiled -and smiled. Webber was still looking into the scanner. - -Only Jeriann was waiting for him. Now that the general had mentioned -it, Docchi wondered if she really was waiting for him--and for how long. - - - - -12 - - -Anti looked up at the dome. It was all she could see with comfort. -Stars changed less than she would have believed. The patterns were -substantially the same as on Earth. Brightness varied with rotation, -that was the main difference. Now those overhead were brilliant and -that meant she was facing the direction they were travelling. She -wondered which was Alpha and which Proxima Centauri. She never had been -able to recognize them. - -She extended one arm, splashing acid. Lately there were times she had -to keep moving if she didn't want to freeze. It wasn't pleasant but she -could endure it for the sake of walking some day. There were degrees of -helplessness and no one else, even here, was completely immobilized, -confined completely to a specialized environment. She had forgotten -much of the past and couldn't see far into the future. Perhaps it -wasn't worth looking into. - -"Quiet, you'll scare the fish." - -She paddled around until she could see Jordan. "If you find fish who -can live in this, throw them in. I'll welcome any kind of company." - -"Maybe Cameron can mutate fish to stand the cold," suggested Jordan. -"Or if that fails he can always transfer the fungus to them." - -"I don't wish it on anything, even a fish." - -"It wouldn't hurt. Besides, it might make them immortal." - -"Thanks. I like fish, but not as playmates. They're better on a plate." - -"Barbaric," said Jordan. "I prefer scientific food, synthetics. Wholly -removed from the taint of the living creature. Something that didn't -die in quick agony so that you could smack your lips. Germ free, -compounded of balanced elements." - -"Came from nature myself," said Anti. "Uncivilized though it is, I -prefer nutrition from the same source." - -"You're confusing yourself," commented Jordan. "Synthetics contain -everything necessary for life. When was the last time Jeriann ate?" - -"Longer than she cares to remember. Besides you're quibbling. She gets -concentrates, which is not the same as synthetics." - -"A minor point," conceded Jordan, coming closer. "However I didn't -intend to talk about food." - -"I don't care what it is as long as you talk. I need conversation too." - -"There's Nona," began Jordan. - -"Exceptions, exceptions. What do I care except that I get tired of -staring up at nothing? Sometimes I wish they'd planted the tank at the -entrance to the hospital. People'd have to stop and talk." - -"For a while I was thinking of that." - -"No you don't," said Anti. "There are useful things that have to be -done." - -"I abandoned the idea when I considered what your viewpoint would be. -But we did move the tank once." - -"Never again. Anyway geepees are scarce and who else could do it?" - -"I could," said Jordan. He added quickly: "It's a joke." He swung along -the tank until he was as close as he could get without toppling in. -"Instead of something you'd forget once I left, I brought a gift." - -"What is it? I can't see from this angle." - -"It's a belt." - -"You doll. It's beautiful." - -"No it's not--merely wonderful." - -"I know. Save it for me, till later. It will go swoosh if acid touches -it." - -"It positively will not react. I took care of that. There are some -metals that are just about inert. It wasn't easy to cover it but I did." - -"You made it for me. You shouldn't have." - -Jordan puzzled himself with it. He hadn't much to do with it. At -the most he'd made a protective covering for it. Nona was solely -responsible for the way it functioned. And there was no doubt whom she -intended it for; that was why he hadn't hesitated taking it. And yet, -why hadn't she turned it over to Anti? It was working perfectly the -first time he saw it. - -The logical answer was that it wasn't in operating condition, that she -couldn't make it work and had laid it aside for further inspiration. -But this led to nonsensical conclusions involving the repair robot. -He refused to accept the conclusions. "Let's say I didn't make it -entirely. I added to what was existing." He swung the belt out to her. - -"Are you sure it will fit? I'm quite big." - -"Originally it wouldn't. I had to make it longer." - -Anti examined the belt at length. "Hammered link effect. Primitive but -striking." - -Jordan blushed. "I thought it was a pretty smooth job. I had to do it -by hand." - -"It is," exclaimed Anti. "You have a strong unconscious sense of -design." With trepidation she lowered it in the acid and when nothing -happened she fastened it. "There," she said in triumph. "The first -piece of jewelry in years. I feel like a new woman." - -"You are, Anti. Believe me, you are." - -She laughed giddily. "It's silly, but I do believe it. It's amazing -what jewelry will do for a woman." - -"It's not exactly jewelry." Jordan tried to think of how to explain -it. Anti was unscientific, or better--prescientific. "Think of it as a -complicated machine that's remotely connected to your mind." - -"My mind? Am I supposed to be telepathic now? Is that what it is? Can I -talk with anyone, no matter at what distance they are?" - -"No, you're not telepathic except well maybe in a certain way." - -Jordan was silent, trying to sort the explanation. It never occurred -to her that machines operated at different levels, many of them -simultaneously, electrical or electromagnetic, others more subtle. -Jordan gave up. "Think of what you'd most like to do." - -"It's no use, Jordan. I won't torment myself. I know how long it's -going to take." - -He should have kept it and demonstrated. That would have convinced -her. He would never forget the first time he had worn it--and nearly -frightened himself off the ceiling. He cast about for other ways but -nothing else was necessary. Anti was thinking of what she'd forbidden -herself to contemplate. - -"There," said Jordan, his voice rough with pride. "I knew you'd get the -hang of it." - -"Why didn't you say so?" said Anti. "The gravity computer. My mind and -_that_ mind." - -For a prescientific person she'd grasped the essentials quickly. -"Jordan, maybe you should keep it," she called. "You can use it as well -as I can." - -"I don't need it," he said. "Nobody's heard me complaining. And you -can't, or couldn't move." He gazed at her in alarm. "Come on down," he -shouted. "You can't catch the stars by yourself." - -"You think I can't?" said Anti. "I'll come closer to it than anyone who -ever lived." - -Nevertheless she obeyed his instructions, sinking slowly until her feet -touched the ground. The grass crackled and smouldered, though it was -green, bursting into flame where she walked as the acid dripped down. -And it was walking, though her legs carried only a fraction of her real -weight. The rest of the weight was destroyed for her convenience by -the gravity computer as it responded continually and repeatedly to her -unspoken commands. - -"The doctor will be surprised," muttered Jordan. - -"Not as much as I am," said Anti. "I can fly if I want, but do you -know, I'd rather walk." - - * * * * * - -Docchi teetered on the chair. Not much; if he fell he had no way of -stopping himself, and there was the devil's own time getting up. "I'm -speechless," he said. - -"So was Cameron," said Anti. - -"I imagine. He didn't expect his prognosis to be disproved so soon." -Docchi righted the chair. "This is the thing Jordan's been working on." - -"He said he didn't have much to do with it. He would." Anti moved -warily. The acid soaked robe had stopped dripping but there was enough -left to react with subdued violence if she came into contact with the -wrong substance. "The best is I'm already stronger--using my muscles -more. I don't have an exact way of knowing since there aren't gadgets -and dials in my mind but it seems to me I can support a lot more of my -weight. Maybe I can walk unaided at quarter gravity." - -Docchi let the calls, of which there were several, go unattended. -It was the first big personal victory for any accidental and it was -heartening amidst the general uncertainties. "Fine, fine. But how long -can you continue? Won't you revert?" - -"Cameron says I won't. He made several tests which indicate the -virulence of the fungus. He says the body conquers." - -And for her it had. The biological mechanism had reached the point of -strength wherein it could contain the attenuated invasion with little -outside help. After some indefinite period the menace would be reduced, -finally vanquished, utterly and forever. The body conquered. - -"Cameron says it will be enough to sleep in the tank. I don't mind, -though I won't get much sleep. I feel the cold now, though not as much -as anyone else would. - -"For the rest I'll increase the weight on my legs as much as I can. -It's almost automatic; no buttons to push except mentally. If I get -tired I think myself lighter." - -The mechanism couldn't be improved on. It was a portable null gravity -field that fit neatly around her and touched nothing else. And if -Anti had reported Jordan's views correctly, it was impossible to -build another like it because they didn't have the parts. It was an -excellent device but not of great importance except to Anti. Jordan -could use one too and so could a number of others though they wouldn't -get it. It replaced legs and was more efficient in all respects save -appearance. - -There was nothing, however, that was a substitute for hands. - -"Now that you're up and moving, what do you want to do?" he said. "You -must be anxious to get busy." - -"It's a funny thing but I'm not," she said. "It sounds queer but I want -to look around. I haven't seen anything except what I could glimpse -from the tank." - -Docchi rocked back; he'd always thought of her as knowing more about -the asteroid than anyone else. In a personal sense she did, having been -there longer than anyone he could name. It was said she may even have -been responsible for the building of the asteroid, so they'd have some -place to put her. It might be true. "Go ahead. Jordan will show you -around. You don't have to be in a hurry to take a job." - -Anti rose a few inches to show that she could. "First I want to visit -the laboratory Nona has. I want to see the ship that's after us. I know -they haven't given up just because they can't land." - -He felt so too though he hadn't figured out what they could do. "Let me -know if anything occurs to you." - -When she left, walking by preference, the responsibilities came back, -Maureen and other deficients with various degrees of disability, the -ship with undetermined resources behind them, stars and planets ahead -of them, unknown or vaguely guessed at, mysterious. They'd reach their -goal but all of the accidentals might not survive. - -Anti alone was better off but there were others who were not. It was -depressing at times, so much freedom and so little to show for it. -Docchi went back to work but the image of the ship kept rising up out -of the countless important and unimportant decisions he had to make. -What did they plan to do? - -Late the following day Anti returned. She marched in determinedly and -sat down. It was no longer remarkable that a few chairs would fit her. -She'd never be mistaken for someone else, but her bulk had diminished -considerably and her weight was whatever she wanted. That the chair -didn't collapse in a soggy mass or burst into flame was an indication -that Jordan had found a way to neutralize the acid that clung to her -without reducing the medical effectiveness. "Nice place we have," she -remarked. "Didn't realize it was so pretty." - -"There are others who disagree." - -"They don't really see it. The only thing I don't like is the ship." - -"Neither do I. What do you think?" - -"Well----" Anti hesitated. "What did it look like to you?" - -He described it as he remembered, answering the questions with which -she kept interrupting. After he finished she was silent, nodding to -herself as if he wasn't there. "You know what I think," she said. "You -saw it three quarters, from the front. When I looked it was flatter. -They're gaining." - -Docchi glanced out the window. "Anti, they can't land here unless we -let them--and we won't. What else can they do?" - -"It's a military ship. They've got the force to stop us." - -"Not without shattering the dome, or blowing the place apart. And they -won't. You don't cure a sick person by killing him, and for their own -peace of mind they've convinced themselves that we're sick." - -"So we're safe there," commented Anti dubiously. "They figured at first -they'd sneak up and land before we knew it. The scanner squashed that. -But they had other plans from the very beginning, what they'd do if we -discovered them in time." She nodded and nodded. "Well, if it was me -and I couldn't stop somebody, I'd try to get where they're going before -they did. It ties right in, doesn't it? They don't want us to contact -aliens. All they have to do is get there first." - -Of course. It was very plain, but anxiety had prevented his seeing it. -Fearfulness was often next door to stupidity. Whoever got there first -controlled the situation even more than Anti realized. He began to -suspect the depth of preparation that was against them, the intense -fury and careful planning they had to overcome. Mankind was capable of -more hatred for its own kind than it ever expended against outsiders. -Methodically Docchi began kicking open switches. - -"You're right, Anti," he said. "But I think there are ways to see that -they don't get there first." He was lying blithely, perhaps as much -because he didn't want to face what he foresaw. "If those don't work, -and there's a chance they won't, we have an unexpected ally." - -"Who?" - -"Not who, what. Distance." It was a most preposterous untruth. "If we -don't get there in time we'll let them have both of the Centauris. -We'll go on to the next star." - -"You can always think of some way out," said Anti as tiny lights began -to flash on the panel. The flickering confusion there matched his -emotions. - -"Jordan?" he said urgently when the latter appeared on the screen. And -after that there was Webber and anyone else who knew something about -electronics or could be taught with a minimum of instruction. They were -willing to drive themselves to exhaustion but there was no substitute -for technical superiority. - -"Now don't worry," said Anti after he'd finished summoning everyone who -could help. "I have a feeling they can't stop us no matter what they -do." - -"That so?" he said. "Which toe tells you that, or is it an ache in your -bones? Think it will rain tomorrow?" - -"Don't laugh," said Anti, rising and leaving with him as he hurried -out. "I have confidence in what we're able to do together." - -It was a good thing someone did. - - * * * * * - -"Maureen's getting worse," said Jeriann. "I need more power." There was -a tiny bead of sweat on her temple, the first Docchi had seen since -ordinarily she didn't perspire. - -"How much worse? I'd like to see her." - -Jeriann made a final adjustment on the machine but didn't straighten up -immediately as if it disturbed her to contemplate what went on in her -own mind. She snapped the synthesizer on and turned around, brushing -the hair away from her eyes. "Do you think your diagnosis is better -than Cameron's?" - -"I wasn't doubting his ability." - -"You'll have to take our word for it. I can see her because I'm a woman -and she hardly reacts to me. Cameron can visit her because she's been -conditioned to accept him. Even so he has to take precautions. The -hypnotics control only the surface of her mind." - -"What precautions?" - -"Sprays that plasticize his skin. By now her senses are far keener than -ours. The doctor has a cosmetic technician recreate his face, something -impersonal with which she had no association." - -"I'll take your word for it. I don't want to see her under those -conditions. But you didn't answer my question: how much worse?" - -The smock was clearly a laboratory garment to protect the wearer from -chemical irritation and the chemicals from human contamination. It -was only incidental there was a certain light in which it was almost -transparent. Jeriann became aware she was standing in such a light and -swished the smock angrily around her and moved out of the illumination. -"I can tell you this: neither Cameron nor I will be responsible for -keeping her alive longer than three weeks, _unless I get that power_." - -"Is this what Cameron said?" - -"It's my own idea. I know more about this machine than he does. But you -can ask him. He'll back me up." - -Docchi didn't doubt her but there was more to think of than the fate of -one individual. "You're just guessing, aren't you? There's a chance, if -you experiment wildly enough, you'll find the right compounds." - -"Please," said Jeriann. "It will only be for a few weeks. Less than -that if it works the way I think it will." - -"What about the other deficients? They need biologicals too." - -"They can wait and Maureen can't." - -Reluctantly he gave consent. "Then you can have all the power you need, -for the next few days anyway. After that we'll see." - -"You're a dear." Jeriann walked through the lab, inspecting it -critically from every angle. "Of course I'll need help. Part of the -trouble is that we can't get enough power to the machine, we're not -using it to the full capacity. With larger power connections we'll be -able to turn out stuff we haven't touched on before." - -He shook his head. "That wasn't in the bargain. You can have all the -power the existing lines will take. But we can't spare men to install -new lines. The technicians we have are busy elsewhere." - -"It's such a little thing," she coaxed. "The machine's not a sledge -hammer that smashes molecules apart and then crushes them into a new -chemical alignment. It's a keen instrument, an ultramicrosize knife -that slits delicately here and there and then slides the separated -atoms together to form a different molecule." - -"I'm not arguing about power," he said adamantly. "I said you can have -it and you can. Trained men you can't. I'll see if I can spare them -after what they're working on is finished." - -She stopped as if she'd stumbled into a taut wire she hadn't noticed. -She looked at him thoughtfully and strolled back to the synthesizer, -under the light that shone down and provocatively through the smock. -She wore other clothing but that too seemed almost to vanish. "For me, -won't you? Just a few men for a few days. It means a lot to Maureen." - -"I can't let you have technicians now," he said obstinately. - -She glanced at him curiously, sauntering closer as if to get a better -look. "I forgot. Cameron has Nona, hasn't he? They're going to get -married as soon as he can figure out a simple ceremony. And now you -hate women, don't you? That's why you won't give Maureen the same -chance you'd give a man." - -He rocked back under the cold hatred. He had no idea she was capable of -such venom. "You're reading into my emotions something that was never -there. I'm glad Nona found someone she can respond to. But why are you -so concerned with Maureen? You never liked her." - -"What rationalization," she said bitterly. "It makes no difference what -I thought about her. She's going to die if I don't help her, and I -will. I'd expect the same from anyone else." - -"Jeriann," he said but she was gone, tearing the smock off and -thrusting it on a hook, leaving him alone beside a machine that -alternately hummed and purred in oily accents. He stared at it with -complete lack of interest as the cycle changed. The synthesizer -grunted with satisfied pride and three drops of a colorless fluid were -discharged into a retort. - -If there was no other way they could save Maureen by contacting the -expedition behind them. They had the supplies Jeriann was trying vainly -to duplicate. But that was surrender and the only alternative was to go -ahead as planned. - -Docchi left the laboratory, taking the long way around to avoid the -doctor's office. Cameron wouldn't put the same pressure on him that -Jeriann had--no one could. Why did she have to think he was responsible? - - - - -13 - - -The dimensions of the place were fear, panic and loneliness. It was -no-time or all-time, the endless instant of survival--or less. It was -light or it wasn't, the illumination of the closed mind, the intellect -turned in on itself, perception curled backward while it reached for -the outside world. It was a universe which neither existed nor would -ever quite vanish. - -And there wasn't a sound. To the distorted senses, wavering and -uncertain, sounds could be masculine. "Yes?" said Maureen poutingly. -"Where are you now?" But she couldn't hear what she said. So she -stopped speaking. - -It was forbidden. - -The bloodstream left her heart and had no path but to return deviously. -It travelled darkly with many branches, pounding, flushed with oxygen -from the lung machines. The mind was turned inward. The body was turned -inward. Life had no place to go. It was out of balance. - -Her feet touched the floor and she got out of bed. The flesh was heavy. -The tube in her chest whistled with exertion. There was oxygen, too -much of it, but there was no substitute for the regulative substances -her body didn't have. She was falling apart, pulled apart by the wild -dissimilar tendencies of all her cells. - -She kept on walking until she lunged against a wall. Her nose splayed -to one side but her veins weren't ready to bleed. There was nothing to -tell them to let out the red drops. She fell down and got up, walking -on, banging against the wall. - -She could never find anyone she knew. After a while she realized the -person she missed most was herself. - -Why was it light without being light and dark with no darkness? Her -eyes had forgotten they were supposed to see. She sat down in the -middle of the floor and began plucking at the hospital gown, pulling it -apart thread by thread. Her mind said she didn't feel what she touched -but she didn't believe everything. She practiced playing tricks on her -thoughts. There were so many tricks to play and such few thoughts. - -She sat there, pretending to listen to something that nobody said. She -waved her fingers languidly and closed her eyes with deep regret, lips -curved for the kiss that wasn't given. - -Cameron came in and hurried out after one glimpse, calling for Jeriann. -The deterioration was proceeding more rapidly than he expected. There -were not three weeks left. It might be less than three days. - - * * * * * - -Webber nodded and went on working, aware that Anti was watching the -coordination of his dissimilar arms and legs. It didn't disturb the -rhythm of his movements. Anti moved to the other side to get a better -view of what he was doing and as she did so remembered what she'd come -for. - -"So that's why I couldn't get a book. What's wrong?" - -"Nothing. We're tearing it down to move it." - -"Why move it? This is where the books are." - -He bent over the mechanism, disconnecting it. "I don't know. You'll -have to ask Docchi." - -He knew but was too engrossed to stop. Jordan could tell her but he -wasn't here. She wandered through the library but found no one who -could or would give her information. What made it worse was, with the -librarian torn apart, there wasn't a book available. - -She was curiously perturbed. She knew where she could find Docchi, at -gravity center where he had taken over the quarters formerly occupied -by Vogel. More and more the asteroid was beginning to resemble a ship -and if there was a definite control area it was located in gravity -center. - -The first thing she saw when she entered the low structure--most of the -gravity installation was underground--was the scanner. It had changed; -the last trace of the makeshift origin had disappeared. It was metal -encased and dials and switches replaced connections formerly made by -hand. These alterations were Nona's but bringing it here was Docchi's -idea. Anti frowned contemplatively; it wasn't far in straight distances -from where Nona had originally constructed it, but the labor involved -in carrying it through miles of tunnels and then overland to where it -was now standing--that was considerable effort. It didn't square with -what Jeriann had told her. - -She found Docchi a few stories below the entrance level, somewhere near -the actual gravity computers. He looked up and then wriggled his head -out of the harness. "Have you come to help, Anti?" - -"Nope. I've got a complaint." - -His smile wasn't appreciative. "The headquarters for that are in the -other division." - -She ignored the reference to Jeriann. "I'd help if I could but I'm -ignorant. And you're keeping me from learning." - -"The library?" - -"Of course. I can't get a single book." - -He looked at the design he'd been working on and then reluctantly -stepped out of the machine which enabled him to put his ideas on paper. - -"Don't stop drawing because of me," said Anti. - -"It was nearly done. Jordan can carry on from there." He sat down while -Anti remained standing, balancing an imaginary basket of fruit on her -head. The years in the tank had ruined her posture. - -"I'm sorry we had to take the librarian but you can still get books. -I've figured out a formula." - -"First I have to be a mathematician and then I've got to crawl back in -the stacks? There must be places no one can get to, especially tapes -and music." - -"That's the way it is. We'll have to go over the whole setup, relocate -the stacks and train human librarians." - -"Seems like a waste when what we had was working perfectly." - -"We had to do it if we want to get to Centauri before they do." He -jerked his head to indicate out there. - -"But what good is it? The librarian is just a----" She closed her mouth. - -"Just a memory system? That's what we need to duplicate the drive they -have. Of course the librarian remembers the wrong thing but we're -changing that." - -"Can't we do it in some other way?" - -"Not in time with the facilities we have. Maybe Nona could but the rest -of us are just humans." - -"Well, what's wrong with her?" - -"Nothing. If you can get her interested in building a control unit I'll -step aside." - -"Why build it? She _is_ the control." - -"Now she is, but there are a number of reasons why a mechanical control -is better. For one thing we don't know how much of her attention it -requires. The drive may not function at all when she isn't consciously -thinking about it." - -"But the gravity never stops." - -"True, but does it apply to acceleration? We can't measure that." - -"You're working on a lot of suppositions--it may do this--it may not do -that." - -"We don't have to guess at one thing, Anti. The expedition is gaining -on us. And _they_ are using a mechanical control." - -Anti looked over at the drawing Docchi had made. A bunch of squiggles. -"You know more about it than I do. If it's your opinion that this is -what we should have, then we ought to. To me it seems that another kind -of control won't make much difference." - -"Review what we have. A nuclear pile that supplies all the power, a set -of gravity coils, and three computers. One computer figures the gravity -for the asteroid. Another calculates the propulsive force. The third, -we think, actuates the scanner. Nona may rotate the duties among the -computers and the unit we're building will do the same. - -"But this is what we can do that Nona doesn't: we'll cut everything -to a minimum except the drive. Gravity, light, heat, all the personal -conveniences will be cut to the least we can stand." - -Anti rose a few inches and thought herself back to the floor. "This is -what you'll do if it works the way you imagine." - -"It will, Anti." Docchi's face was set. "Nona's too considerate. As -long as she has it she won't impose the sacrifices we're glad to make -ourselves. We're taking it out of her hands." - -If they needed somebody to make hard decisions, Docchi was the man. It -was a crusade with him and he was willing to drive everyone the same as -himself. Anti looked at his face and decided against the question she'd -come to ask. "Sounds grim, but you're right. We're willing if there's a -chance we'll get there first. What can I do to help?" - -"Reorganize the library. Get assistants to reach in the places too -small for you. Collect the medical texts first. Cameron may need them." - -"A thankless job," muttered Anti. "I started out to _read_ a book." - -Docchi smiled. "I thought you had enough of sedentary life." - -"I have, but not enough of books. Picture and music tapes were easy to -get in the tank but they didn't make acid proof books. Limited demand, -I suppose." - -"Here's the formula I've worked out. Books are selected according to -subject and author, filed according to size and date received." He went -over the procedure until she had it straight. - -"I guess I can do it," she said dubiously. "But why not start at one -end and go through to the other side of the stacks?" - -"You've got to segregate the medical references first." - -Belated compensation because he had refused Jeriann? Perhaps, but he -was not that simple. If anything it was just recognition of what came -first in importance. "A tedious job," she grumbled as she started to -leave. - -"It is. But, except for what we are as persons and what we create in -the future, it's the total of our human heritage. It's the last we'll -get." - -"Sometimes I believe----" said Anti. "Oh, never mind what a huge old -woman thinks." She went out the door and when she came back seconds -later Docchi was again drawing. - -"Yes, Anti?" - -"You can start cutting down on me. I won't mind." - -"When it's necessary I'll take you up on it. I don't think it will -be. It doesn't take much power to run the computers and they're always -functioning anyway. And when we drop to quarter gravity, which is the -minimum we'll go, you won't actually need your gadget. You see, you're -not holding us back." - -"Just the same if it will help I'll stay in the tank." - -His face glittered and his eyes strayed back to the work. "If it's -necessary I'll ask you," he repeated. - -Anti left again, secure in the knowledge that he would do as he said. -In his own way Docchi was as ruthless as Judd. But the purpose was -different and therefore the comparison not accurate. Strength was not -easy to define. - - * * * * * - -The librarian resembled an angular metallic squid spread out to dry -on the floor. Docchi picked his way through the wiry tentacles, -scrutinizing the work of the crew. He squatted near Webber, watching -him splice and adjust the components, briefly giving advice and then -moving on to the next man. The librarian was dormant but to Docchi's -practiced eye it was nearly ready to be recalled to the semi-life of a -memory machine. - -Jordan came swinging in. Docchi heard him and turned. He knew who -it was by the sound but seemed disappointed to find his judgment -confirmed. "The star chart drum is finished," said Jordan, pausing at -the tangle of wires. "Most of the observed data on the neighboring -stars is included. Of course all the locations are figured from Earth." - -"It's all right. The computers won't mind making the conversions." With -his foot Docchi nudged a tool toward him that Webber was reaching for. -"What about the crossover relays?" - -"Done too, waiting to be tied in. Guaranteed to switch from one -computer to the other before even they realize what's happening." - -"Good. The next thing is the impulse recognition hunter. Last night -I thought of a way to make the selection tighter. Here, I'll show -you." Docchi went to a diagram strewn desk and waited while Jordan -pawed through the sheets for him. "There it is," he said when Jordan -uncovered it. - -Jordan studied it in silence. "Can't make it," he said at last. - -"Why not? It's not difficult." - -"Yeah. But we can't manage the delivery from Earth. Don't have all the -parts here." Jordan scratched his chest. "Tell you what. Think I can -rob nonessential stuff and put together something like this." He took a -pencil and began to sketch rapidly. - -"It'll do," said Docchi, finally approving it after a number of changes. - -Jordan scratched in the alterations. "Why so tight?" he complained, -folding the sheet and tucking it away. "The computers don't have to be -controlled so tight. They never have disobeyed." - -"I know, and I'm not going to give them a chance. Every watt we allot -must be used on the drive and for no other purpose." - -Privately Jordan doubted it was necessary. When he thought of the great -nuclear pile that warmed the heart of the asteroid and drove them on -he didn't see how a mere ship, no matter how efficient, could surpass -them. True, the ship was travelling faster now but that was because -they weren't exerting their full energies. And when they did--Jordan -shrugged and creased the paper again, swinging away. - -At the door he swerved to miss Jeriann. "Hi," he said, hurrying a -little faster. It was none of his concern what went on but he didn't -have to be around when it blew up. - -Jeriann returned the greeting and stood at the entrance. "May I come -in?" - -"Certainly. There's no sign it's restricted to electronic technicians." - -Webber winked at her and bent his head over his work. Docchi was -expressionless. "I want to talk to you," she said. - -"About Maureen? I've heard. Go ahead." - -She'd hoped he'd suggest a more private place but it was evident he -didn't want to be alone with her. She didn't altogether blame him. -"What I asked for the other day wasn't very realistic. It was mostly my -fault. I had at least a month to think of getting a larger power supply -to the machine but I thought I could get along without it. It was my -own shortsightedness and I had no reason to expect you to drop what -you're doing." - -"You don't have to apologize. We're all trying to do our best--and -various needs do conflict. Actually I might have found some way to -run the extra power line if I hadn't been sure it was an act of pure -desperation, that you had no idea of what you were going to do with it -when you got it." - -What made it worse was that he was right. The impulse had been -irrational, the feeling that there must be something that would help. -He should have said he was at fault too, that he should have built the -command unit months ago. It made no difference he hadn't known there -was a ship behind them. He should have said it. - -"It's over," she said. "We've done what we could. I thought you'd like -to see her while there's time." - -"I can't leave for another ten hours. None of us can. We've got to get -it wrapped up if it's going to be of any use at all," said Docchi, -looking at what remained to be done. "Wait. You said I can see her. -Sounds to me like she's better." He scanned her face hopefully. - -She shook her head. "It doesn't mean that. We've stopped using -hypnotics because they're no longer effective. Heavy sedatives, -extremely heavy, are the only things that keep her from jumping up and -running out to die." - -His face was sallow. This was one of the times his slender shoulderless -body seemed frailer than it was. "I'll come as soon as I can get away. -We're near the finish line on this." He turned and walked past Webber -to the far end of the room, bending over a technician's work to examine -it. - -She was trying to tell him and all he had to do was half listen. Nobody -blamed either of them. Maureen wouldn't, if she were capable of any -kind of judgment. From his position among the tangled tentacles of the -mechanical squid, seemingly strangled by the motionless machinery, -Webber winked soberly at her. Jeriann bit her lip and hurried out. -Her eyes burned but that was all. Her body was protected against -unnecessary fluid loss. - -It wasn't possible to drive the technicians. They weren't very skilled -and the work was delicate. From the beginning they had known the -importance of what they were doing and they were already at their top -speed and above that no increase in productivity could be achieved. -When he said ten hours Docchi optimistically thought eighteen. - -And yet they were done in nine. Not because it would help -Maureen--they knew it wouldn't. But because--well, why? Nobody asked -for explanations. They made no mistakes; nothing had to be torn down -and built again. And the less skilled men, those who puttered from -one instruction to the next, stalling between orders, now seemed to -anticipate what they would be told and to complete the work before it -was given to them. They learned fast and what they didn't know how to -do was done right anyway. - -The wires ceased to resemble tentacles and were neatly arranged in the -cabinet of the command unit, formerly the librarian, which was then -moved against the wall. Calling in Jordan and discussing it with him, -Docchi left the remainder of the work in his capable hands. - -He was tired all over, inside and out. He didn't want to see anyone -die, not someone he had been partly responsible for sentencing, -whatever the circumstances. He walked along in the semi-twilight, -wishing there was a cool breeze. He hadn't ordered one and so it -was missing. Before long there wouldn't be any power to spare for -circulation of the air. - -Anti met him at the hospital steps, going up with him. "I've been -waiting. I didn't want to go in alone." - -He talked to her briefly and they went on in silence. The asteroid was -being diminished, perhaps already had been. They all had first hand -knowledge of what death was--at one time or another they'd brushed very -near to it--but they were not accustomed to losing the encounter. One -of their own kind, who should live for hundreds of years, would not. - -Jeriann heard them and came outside of the hushed room. "I don't know -what to say," she whispered. "Oh yes I do. I wish I had your face, -Docchi. You would see it shining." - -Whatever she thought, her face _was_ shining, though not in the same -way. He looked into her eyes but they were not easy to read. "You did -it," he whispered. - -"I don't know why I'm talking so low," she said, raising her voice. "It -doesn't hurt now. No, I didn't have anything to do with it. Come in and -see her." - -Maureen was sleeping. Her breathing was light but regular as the -lung machines responded normally. Her skin was waxen but it was not -unhealthy. The wrinkles of strain had fallen away and her face was -relaxed in the beauty of survival. - -"Go ahead and talk," said Cameron from the corner as he bent over an -analyzer. "I shot her full of dope. I guess I didn't have to--she'll -sleep now no matter what you do." - -"Thanks, doctor," said Docchi. "We're lucky to have you." - -"Not half as lucky as I am to be here. Damnedest thing I ever saw. My -colleagues wouldn't believe it." Carefully he closed the analyzer and -rolled it away. "I forget I no longer have colleagues." - -"The more remarkable. Your efforts alone." - -"I guess you don't understand. I had nothing to do with it," said -Cameron. "I was an interested and awed spectator but nothing more. The -person who saved Maureen was Maureen herself." - -"Now how could she?" said Anti. "She lacked male hormones and the -bodily processes were out of control, upset, running away with -themselves." She raised a few inches from the floor to get a better -glimpse of the patient. The best refutation of Anti's argument was -Maureen herself. - -"It couldn't happen to anyone but an accidental," began Jeriann, but -Cameron cut her off. - -His voice was cool and dry, that of a lecturer. It was the only chance -he'd get to share his discovery. "You know why you're biocompensators: -the severe injury, and later pulling through with the help of medical -science, developing the extraordinary resistance I spoke of. You had -to have it or you didn't live. And the resistance remained after the -injury was gone. - -"In Maureen's case every function began to be disturbed after the -supply of hormones was cut off. It got worse as we were unable to -manufacture what she needed. She developed a raging fever and was in -a constant state of hallucination. In an earlier era she would have -been a mass of cancerous tissue. Fortunately we are now able to control -cancer quite simply. - -"At any rate she was rapidly reaching the state where there was no -coordination at all. Death should have been the result--but the body -stepped in." - -"Yes, but how?" said Anti. - -"I don't know but I'm going to find out," said Cameron. "Last time I -tested all the normal hormones were present. Somehow, out of tissues -that weren't adapted to it, her body built up new organs and glands -that supply her with the substances she needs to live." - -Cell by cell the body had refused to die. Organs and nerves and tissues -had fought the enveloping chaos. The body as a whole and in parts tried -to survive but it was not adapted to conditions. So it adapted. - -Nerves forged new paths in places they had never gone before because -there was nothing at the end which they could attach to. But by the -time they arrived at their destination certain specialized cells had -changed their specialty. All cells in the adult body derived from an -original one and they remembered though it was long ago. In the endless -cellular generations since conception, in the continual microscopic -death and rebirth that constitutes the life process, the cells had -changed much--but in extremity the change was not irreversible. - -Here a nerve began to fatten its stringy length; it was the beginning -of what was later to become a long missing gland. Elsewhere a muscle -seemed to encyst, adhering to another stray cell, changing both of -them, working toward the definite goal. - -From the brink the body turned and began the slow march toward health. -What was missing it learned to replace and what could not be replaced -it found substitutes for. Cell by cell, with organs and tissues and -nerves, the body had fought its own great battle--and won. - -"Spontaneous reconstruction," commented the doctor, touching the -forehead of the patient he had not been able to help, merely observe. -"It begins where our artificial regenerative processes leave off. I -think--oh never mind. There's a lot of development to be done and I -don't want to promise anybody something I can't deliver." He eyed -Docchi's armless body speculatively. - -Webber came in, noisily clanking his mechanical arm and leg. "Heard the -good news," he said cheerfully. "Finished my work so I came over." He -glanced admiringly at Maureen. "Say, I didn't remember she looked like -that." - -She was a pleasant sight and not merely because she'd fought off death. -Her lips were full and color was returning to her face and the shape -under the sheets was provocatively curved. - -"Tomorrow or the next day she can leave the hospital for a few hours," -said Cameron. "The new functions are growing stronger by the minute. -Now she needs to get out after the long confinement." - -"I'll volunteer to take her for a walk," said Webber. - -"You will not," said Jeriann. "For the next few weeks she sees only -women. Physiologically she's sound again but mentally she's still the -complete female. You'll visit her when she's normal but not before." - -"Guess I'll have to wait," said Webber, but he looked pleased. - -She lingered outside while Webber left, seeking an opportunity to talk -to Docchi. "I wanted to see you," she said as soon as they were alone. - -"Any time. You know where I'll be." - -"I know, and always working too." - -"It's got to be done," he said doggedly. - -"Sure. I know. I'll come over when I can." But she wouldn't, not until -he gave her some encouragement. He had not forgiven the scene in the -lab. Cameron called then and she went inside to her patient. - -Docchi went back to gravity center, thoughts crowding through his -mind. Little victories, though the life or death of a woman was not -insignificant, were achieved without much effort. But that which meant -something to everyone on the asteroid was more difficult. Where, in -relation to their own position, was the ship that was striving to reach -the Centauri group before they did? - - - - -14 - - -"I'm cold," said Jeriann. - -"Put on more clothes," said Docchi grimly. - -"That's not a nice thing to say to a girl with a figure as pretty as -hers," said Anti. - -"She can go to hydroponics," suggested Jordan. "It's warmer there and -we've had to allow lights." - -"But it's a lot smaller than it was and too many have crowded in. I -don't want to be crushed," said Jeriann. She wouldn't have left even if -it hadn't been true. - -"Have to cut down," said Anti. "Meanwhile, what do we eat? Synthetics." -She snorted. - -"Synthetics are pure," said Jordan. His enthusiasm was less than it had -been. A steady diet had begun to alter his opinion. - -"Pure what?" said Anti, but received no reply. She looked over the -circle huddled around the scanner. Nona was curled near Cameron, -sleeping peacefully. Docchi leaned forward with uncomfortable -intensity. Jeriann was beside him but he didn't seem to notice her. -"How long does this go on?" said Anti. "I'm getting tired of freezing -in the dark." Actually she didn't mind it; cold that would kill others -still bothered her hardly at all. - -"Until we know," said Docchi. "All the way to Centauri if it takes that -long." - -"How can we know?" - -"We'll find out as soon as we measure relative speeds," answered -Docchi. "The scanner is similar to radar but it uses gravity, which -makes things rather difficult. We can't send out an impulse and see how -long it takes to get back because it travels instantaneously as far as -we're concerned." - -"Then there isn't any way? They seem to know how fast we're going." - -"Better astronomical equipment," said Docchi. "We're a bigger object -and they were able to measure our light shift, until we stopped -illuminating the whole dome." - -"And now they can't tell because they can seldom see us?" - -"The contrary, if they're on their toes. They should guess that we're -putting most of the power into the drive." - -"Then how can we find out?" said Anti. - -"Triangulation," said Docchi. "When we first saw them it was from the -front. In past weeks they've crept up until they're nearly broadside. -Now I hope they'll drop back. It may take weeks to tell, especially if -our speeds are almost evenly matched." - -"And if we don't gain?" - -"With our power?" interrupted Jordan, ceasing to tune the scanner. -"But, all right, we don't gain. We'll get there first because we're -still a little ahead of them. - -"If there are no aliens there's no question of interstellar law. -They'll have to hunt us down over an entire planet and maybe blast us -off. I don't think sentiment will let them actually harm us. If there -are aliens, what are they going to do? We've told our story first." - -The asteroid seemed to leap ahead as all but the most necessary -functions were curtailed and additional power was channeled into -the drive. There was no sense of motion, merely of tension as the -unmistakable vibration increased. In the darkness through the darkness -they hurtled. Sleeping or waking Docchi remained near the scanner, as -if his presence would somehow cause the ship to recede. It didn't. - -Across the silence the race went on intently. Weeks passed and Anti -walked with increased assurance as her weight diminished and her -strength grew greater. Maureen recovered and was released from the -hospital. She disappeared frequently, mostly with Webber, and no one -questioned where they went. - -Jeriann came when she could get away from her hospital work. She came -at night because it was usually night now though occasionally lights -were turned on for short periods and warmth was allowed to filter -through the dome. They couldn't risk killing the plants on which they -depended for part of their oxygen supply. - -"Good thing you're here," said Docchi once when she entered. "I want -you to make some adjustments." She followed him to the next room where -the former librarian was now the command unit presiding over their -destiny. - -"There," he said gloomily as she changed a number of settings slightly. -"That's as good as I can do." - -"How good is it?" - -"Faster than we've gone before. I don't know the exact speed." - -"Faster than with Nona?" - -"I think so. Of course I don't know what she could have gotten out of -it if she'd tried--but she always seemed to hold something back." - -She would rather not have asked but the answer was on his face. "But -it's not good enough?" - -He sat down near the command unit. "They found out what we were doing -and increased their own speed. It's slightly greater than ours." - -"Well, why do we do it?" she said. "It takes more and more power to add -another mile per second as we approach the speed of light. But that -holds true for them too." - -He tried to frown away the problem she posed. "Sure, but it doesn't -matter to them as long as they can match anything we do." - -"But they'd just as soon not. They're inconvenienced the same as we -are when they have to divert too much power. They're better organized -and it's not so bad, but still they have to do without their ordinary -comforts. I don't see any point in tormenting ourselves. Let's turn on -the lights and warm up the place. They'll do the same when they see it." - -"Maybe they will," he said grudgingly. He was not going to accept her -advice. - -She tried again. "Will the scanner reach Earth?" - -He shook his head. "Not quite. The range is limited. I can't give you -figures but I estimate we're well over halfway to the Centauris." He -got up and paced in front of the command unit. "I know what you're -thinking--the appeal to the people of Earth. We tried it once. You know -where it got us." - -He had turned and didn't notice her. "I wasn't thinking of that at -all. I was wondering how close we are. We might get in touch with the -aliens." - -He whirled around. "Say that again. Did you really say that?" - -"Of course there may not _be_ any aliens," murmured Jeriann. - -"Doesn't matter, or I don't think it does. I'll have to figure it out, -but I'm sure it will figure." His face flashed once. "Get Jordan, will -you? I'll be at the scanner." - -Gravity center was virtually a shaft that extended underground toward -the center of the asteroid. At the bottom, shielded and reshielded, -sealed off and impregnable, was the nuclear pile. Nearly half way down -a horizontal shaft branched off, leading to the gravity coils which -were anchored to solid rock. - -Much higher, near the surface, were the gravity computers. Physical -access to them was equally difficult. There were connections so that -electrical impulses could reach them, otherwise the command unit could -not have directed them, have taken over the control. But in every other -respect they were isolated and remote. - -It narrowed Jeriann's search that there were places she didn't have to -look. Nevertheless she passed him twice, going up and down, before she -saw him curled up inconspicuously beside a machine whose function she -didn't know. - -"Now what does he want?" grumbled Jordan, rubbing his eyes. "He won't -rest and he won't let anyone else get a few minutes sleep." - -"He's hardest on you," she said. "You're his hands. He wants you to -operate the scanner." - -"Well, his hands are getting mighty tired," growled Jordan. But his -sleepiness disappeared and he followed swiftly after her. - -Docchi was standing at the scanner, his face furrowed as if thought -alone would move dials. He inclined his head toward the image. "Take -the ship off," he said impatiently. "I've hypnotized myself with it. We -don't need to keep staring at it." - -The ship vanished. "Now what?" - -"They'll beat us to the stars. Let them. We don't have to be first. A -planet of our own will do." Doubt and hope struggled for Docchi's face -and Jeriann couldn't say which won. "Explore the Centauri system," he -said. - -"Both of them?" - -"The nearest one first. After that we'll see." - -A bright star slid to the center of the scanner. It flickered and -then grew brighter, blazing out as they visually approached it. They -were within a few million miles as the solar prominences lashed out -blindingly. Jeriann could feel the heat. For the first time in weeks -she was warm. "Cut the focus," called Docchi. "You'll burn out the -scanner." - -The sun softened and dimmed but remained where it was as the strength -of the field was reduced. Jordan awaited instructions. - -"Now that I'm sure we can reach it, we'll get the asteroid back to -normal. Later we'll resume exploration," said Docchi. He started toward -the command unit to make alterations and then saw that, though Jordan -was following him, Jeriann wasn't. "Can't you stay?" he asked. - -She indicated the empty belt. "I used my last absorption capsule." - -She had no right to be happy merely because he was less brusque than -usual. On her way home a facsimile of sunshine began blazing down from -the dome. The grass was crisp and sere but it would revive. - -The race didn't end because the ship and asteroid were no longer -constantly accelerating. Whatever the general thought of it and however -he modified his own plans, as far as the accidentals were concerned the -emphasis had merely shifted. Exploration. It didn't matter who got to -the system first--it was who found the inhabited or inhabitable planets. - -The ship had slightly more speed even when, by mutual consent, both cut -the strength of the drive. Slowly it pulled level and then began to -creep ahead. But the scanner nullified the advantage. The astronomical -equipment of the ship, superior though it was, was not adequate to -observe the planets in detail from this distance. Before the ship could -locate planets and catalogue the characteristics it would ultimately -have to slow down and waste days or weeks searching the specks of light -to decide which were worth closer investigation. - -With the mass sensitive scanner there was no such problem. Six planets -for Alpha and seven for Proxima with, for a while, the possibility that -one or two more might be on the far side of the respective suns. Within -weeks, relative to the asteroid, much longer for stationary objects, -that possibility was eliminated. Six and seven planets there were and -no more. - -In one respect the scanner wasn't perfect. Nona was shown where it -failed to perform satisfactorily and, after looking it over with mild -curiosity, took it completely apart, altering a number of circuits. -When she reassembled it again it had exactly the same limitations. - -Jordan switched it on and brought the planet in focus. He changed the -dial setting and the image blurred, scattering a coruscating rainbow of -brilliant light. Once again he patiently adjusted the dials and the -planet returned to normal. "That's as close as we can get," he said. -"I'd estimate about fifty thousand miles out." - -"Try the fourth planet, the Saturn type," suggested Docchi. - -Minus rings but with several satellites a large planet replaced the -smaller one they had been looking at. After vainly trying to get closer -Jordan gave his opinion. "A hundred and fifty thousand miles from the -surface. This thing's mass sensitive, that's all--proportional to the -mass. It won't resolve an image close to the surface of a planet. -Notice that we couldn't get nearer than a few million miles of the -sun--but we could slide right into a little thing like a ship." - -Reluctantly Docchi nodded. "We'll have to be satisfied with it as it -is. Nevertheless I think it can be made to approach the surface of any -mass, even the sun." - -"Nona couldn't do it," said Jordan. - -Docchi smiled. "I think she's more interested in her husband at the -moment. Besides, what did she have to work with? Odds and ends of -parts that really aren't suited for what they have to do. It would be -different if she had an unlimited supply of gravity generating parts, -or could get what she needs made to order." - -"What you want is a whole new science," said Jordan. - -"Why not? We've got the beginning of it," said Docchi. - -Meanwhile the search went on. Each planet was scrutinized as closely -as the scanner would allow. The images were photographed, enlarged -and studied, pored over by everyone who could show some experience in -topographical work. Two inhabitable planets were discovered, one in -each star system. - -It was somewhat disappointing that there was no trace of an alien -civilization on either world or on any of the planets. - -Jeriann looked up from the photograph. "I can't see anything. Clouds. -Nothing but clouds." - -Jordan shrugged. "Methane probably. It was the best I could get. What -do you want to see?" - -"I think we should get a good look at the surface before we rule out -aliens." - -"Still after the aliens." Docchi smiled tolerantly. "You'll have to -wait till the next system, or the next." - -"I think she wants to find them because it's one of the reasons normals -didn't want us to go." - -"A little," confessed Jeriann. "They refused us because of what aliens -might think when they saw us." - -"Ever reflect it's exactly what they might think?" - -Jeriann was startled and before she could reply Jordan produced another -argument. "We're better off without them. Where would we be if those -two planets were settled, spilling over with strange creatures that -could outthink us without untwining their tails?" - -Jeriann flushed. "You're teasing me because I don't know much about -astronomy. You're not very good inside a medical lab." She stared hard -at the photograph. "I still think you're wrong to conclude there aren't -any aliens just because they don't show up on planets we can live on." - -Jordan rested his huge hand on the disc of the planet she was studying. -"Ever hear of Jupiter, Saturn, or Uranus?" - -"I'm not that ignorant." - -"I didn't mean you were," said Jordan. "But man's actually landed on -two of those planets and though we haven't got to Jupiter we have sent -down a little remote controlled ship. There's _nothing_ on all three -of the big planets, not even microscopic life. The latest theory is -that there's some kind of life over most of the universe but that -intelligence will have to show up under conditions similar to those -that evolved us. Of course we're willing to be convinced, but----" - -He crumpled the photograph. "Nevertheless I'll try to get a better -picture of the Alpha Centauri version of Saturn." - -"Stop quarreling," said Anti. "I think it's nice that there are two -planets, neither of which has anyone to lay prior claim to it. Which -one shall we take?" - -"I'll take the Proxima planet," said Jordan as he went back to the -scanner. - -"Do we have to choose now?" asked Jeriann. - -"We should," said Docchi. "The advantage we have is very small; we have -to exploit it. Ideally we ought not to decelerate until the last minute -and at the end of that period we should find ourselves in a perfect -thousand mile orbit around the planet." He glanced at the model of the -system they'd constructed. "Myself, I'm for the second Alpha planet." - -Anti snorted. "That thing? It's nothing but a hotter edition of Mars." - -"Mars isn't bad, Anti. People live on it. Besides, it isn't Mars. It's -hotter, warmer than Earth in fact. Dry, but there are two small oceans -and several mountain chains and on the shady side of the hills there -seem to be trees. We can live comfortably there." - -"I thought of something else," said Jeriann. "They'll head straight for -the planet that will support the biggest population. Let them have the -prize--we don't need it." - -"I had that in mind," said Docchi. "It will give us more time to get -safely established. Once we're on, there's nothing much they can do." - -The deceleration began soon and went off smoothly. In less than a -subjective year since they left Earth they entered the Alpha system. -But they were not the first humans to arrive. The official expedition -in the Star Victory preceded them by several days. The difference was -that the accidentals knew exactly where they were going and actually -arrived at the planet while the other ship was still cautiously -investigating the outer orbits. - -"It doesn't matter," said Anti as they gathered by the scanner, -discussing it. "In principle we're responsible for what they've done. -They can have the glory. What we came for was a place to live in peace." - -"And we'll get it," said Docchi. In the last few weeks his uneasiness, -never very deep, had come to the surface. The knowledge of how narrow a -margin they had was frightening. - -Outside the planet filled the dome. It was actually quite small but it -was close and covered most of the sky. Now that they were near they -could see that only superficially did it resemble Mars. There were -mountains and several large streams and it wasn't as barren as at first -they had thought. - -"I wish I could land, or we could go closer," said Anti. - -There was no answer for that. Anti's personal null gravity field would -function only so long as it was in contact with the gravity computer, -which in effect it was an extension of. She wasn't yet strong enough to -stand on the surface of their new home. As for the other, the asteroid -was quite large and it wasn't advisable to risk a nearer approach. - -Webber came in, grinning hugely and rattling his arm and leg more than -necessary. "The first load's on. When do we peel off?" - -"Whenever you're ready. The rocket dome is on automatic. Take off and -it'll open for you." - -"It's safe to leave?" - -"If you're the rocket pilot you say you are. It's an ordinary landing. -The scouts the general left us are in fair condition." - -"Don't worry about me. I meant, will the expedition interfere?" - -"Last time we checked the ship was nosing around the outer planets." - -"Good stupid old Judd. It's nice that we can depend on him to proceed -with the utmost of military caution--and arrive at his goal too late." - -It was not quite fair to the general, who was shrewd enough when it -came to things he had been trained to deal with. From the military -standpoint he had to check every possibility before going on to the -next. He was the official representative of the entire solar system -and he did not dare act as hastily as the accidentals could. His -responsibilities held him back. But there were other times in which -unimaginative obedience to higher authority would carry the day. - -"Be careful," warned Docchi. "Don't let anyone go out until the air and -soil and water have been tested and retested and approved." - -"The doctor thinks we can handle any virus, bacteria, parasite, or -anything else you can name that shows up. It's not the first strange -world man has landed on." - -"This is not the solar system," said Docchi. "You may have to restrain -Cameron if he's overly anxious to show Nona what the new world is like." - -"For that reason you----" Webber stopped, glancing away from Docchi's -face. "It's too bad you can't go. You ought to have some first to your -name." - -"Don't concern yourself. I'll get there one of these days. Somebody's -got to be up here at this end." - -"And I'll make certain nothing goes wrong down there." Webber shifted -uncomfortably but the mood didn't last. "I'll be back in a week for the -next load. Once we get settled things will speed up." - -"We'll be waiting," called Jordan as Webber left. - -There was tension before the rocket lifted and sluiced through the -dome locks. It didn't abate as the swatch of light flared across the -darkness and faded against the bright illumination of the planetary -disc. It was only when they were able to observe the successful landing -on the selected site and the radio response came in. "All clear. A bit -shaken up on the way down but no damage except to my ego. I think I got -all the rusty rocketry out of my system. We're waiting while tests come -in. We'll let you know before we go out." - -"Now I can breathe," said Anti. "A place of our own. Just let the -general come and try to take us off." - -"Why not? He has weapons, which we don't. There's nothing to stop him -from landing down there and capturing them. I won't feel safe until we -have a real settlement going and can defend it. And then I'm not sure." - -"Now, Jeriann," admonished Anti. - -"They'll obey their own laws," said Docchi. "Planets outside the solar -system that aren't claimed by others belong to those who first settle -them. They passed that long ago as an incentive to interstellar travel. -The moment we landed we became independent. To molest us now would be a -clear violation of everything they believe in." - -"I hope you're right," said Jeriann. "I hope you are." - -Anti was gazing out the window at the arch of the dome, through which -she could see the edge of the planet, ruddy, with a small sparkling -green and gold ocean turned toward them. She got to her feet. "I'm -going outside and see the world before it slips away. I was wrong. It's -not like Mars. Much prettier." - -Docchi was busy for a moment as Anti and Jordan left and when the work -was finished and he turned around he saw that Jeriann had remained with -him. Without realizing what she was doing she was fingering the empty -spaces on her belt. It wasn't conspicuous but like him she wore her -infirmity on the outside where everyone could see. - -"I'm sorry you couldn't go first," she said, touching the one remaining -capsule. - -"First or later isn't important. But why not be sorry you weren't -first?" - -"Well, there are things to be done and oh, I don't know." - -She was disturbed for some reason he could not guess. The sight of -their world seemed to upset her as much as it did him, but with -different effects. "It's the same with me. But now the worst is over." -Docchi sat motionless. "Jeriann." - -"Yes?" - -"Once I said I'd come to see you when I could." - -"You promised, but you never came." - -"The promise was to myself. I can come to see you now. Am I still -invited?" - -"Why do you ask a question like that?" said Jeriann. "You know, don't -you? You know what I'll say." - -First they registered and then they left the Hall of Records, walking -slowly, watching the planet roll over the dome, disappearing by -degrees. It was out of sight, the last patch vanishing as they reached -her dwelling. And inside, where time was waiting everywhere, the -remainder of it on the floor, peering down from the ceiling and ticking -with soft persistence in the walls, they quite forgot time for a while. - -They slept dreamlessly. It was nearly morning before he became restless -and awakened. It was not the rhythmical noises that were intended to -keep her informed of the schedule that bothered him. - -He lay there and tried to determine where the sound came from. He could -feel her body next to his, warm and wonderful. He couldn't get back to -sleep and he couldn't ignore what was happening. - -He moved and touched her. She was quivering. "Are you laughing or -crying?" he whispered. - -"I can't cry so I've got to be laughing," she answered. "It's funny. I -was lying here thinking about it. I suppose I can cook. I don't know. -It's been a long time." - -"Is that all?" He chuckled. "Don't give it another thought. I -understand how you feel about it." - -"Do you? I don't think so." She squirmed closer and put her arms -around him "That's what's so funny. There's no food here and nothing to -cook it on. Not only that, there never will be. You've got yourself a -prize woman." - -"I think so too. I'm satisfied," he said. "Can't you feel my arms -around you?" - -She would never be able to convince him that she could. - - - - -15 - - -Now that Cameron was gone there was much more to be done in the -hospital. Jeriann rushed to get through but small errors plagued her, -nullifying a good part of her work. Finally she forced herself to be -more careful, checking the biologicals with extreme caution. - -"I hear," said Maureen, sauntering in, "the nuptials were informal, -catch as catch can." - -"No ceremony," said Jeriann. "We stopped in and registered and went on -to my place." - -"What's the difference as long as you're sure of him," said Maureen. - -"I'm not. I'm sure of me." - -Maureen looked at her critically. "In your case it's good enough," she -said with a trace of envy as she leaned against the machine. - -"Don't," said Jeriann sharply. "This thing is an art, not a science. -The heat of your hand will alter the product." - -"Well, all right," said Maureen crossly. "If I had something worthwhile -to do I wouldn't be so nervous." - -"I think it can be arranged," said Jeriann, smiling. "How would you -like to be a colonist?" - -"On the next ship? Maybe." - -"It would be exciting. Also you'd be near Webber." Jeriann made a -delicate adjustment. - -"I haven't made up my mind about him," said Maureen airily. "He's -virile though." - -"He clanks a lot, if that's what you mean." - -"At least he doesn't pretend he's carrying the world on his shoulders -without any----" Maureen stopped. "I guess I shouldn't say that in -front of you." - -"You shouldn't," agreed Jeriann. "Nowhere I'll be apt to hear it. Now -why don't you see Jordan about getting on the next ship?" - -After that the work went smoothly and she soon found she'd completed -the day's quota and part of the next. She continued longer until she -had tomorrow free. They had the whole day off to do what they liked, if -she could persuade him to rest. She was humming when she went out and -it was clear evening and there was a beautiful silver fleck in the sky. - -Only it was not beautiful because it was a ship--and it was not their -ship. - -And neither was it the Star Victory. She'd watched it so often on the -scanner that every line of it was etched in her mind. - -She hurried to gravity center, every step an effort. Why couldn't they -have been discovered later? She would have preferred an alien ship, -anything to this. Where had it come from? - -Jordan was waiting at the entrance. "I knew you'd be here. You saw the -scout?" - -It was simple if she had thought about it. The Star Victory was large -and carried auxiliary landing craft. "When did it come?" - -"Less than an hour ago. Go on in. I'll wait for Anti." - -Docchi was leaning against the command unit. The telescreen on the -opposite wall was glowing but there was nothing on it except harsh -white glare. "I tried to get you at the hospital as soon as they -stopped talking. You'd just left." - -"They didn't call until they got close?" - -A smile had died on his face and the corpse of it was still there. -"They nailed us dead. We should have had someone checking on the -scanner. It works turned away from the planet. I guess it wouldn't have -done any good though--there was just too much space to cover. First -thing we knew they were on the telescreen. Jordan went outside, and -there they were." - -She was thinking of the people on the planet. The asteroid couldn't -abandon them. She hoped the scout didn't know how vulnerable they -were. "What did they say?" - -"The general sent an urgent message. He asked us not to land on this or -any other planet." - -"He _asked_ us?" The general was accustomed to commanding. - -His face was illuminated with the weak radiance of his veins. "I didn't -tell them we _had_ landed and I don't think they observed it." He -stopped to recall what she said and the effort was painful. "Oh yes, -the general asked us. Below the cloud banks he discovered an alien -civilization on the Saturn type planet and is negotiating with them. -Naturally they'd regard it as a hostile act on the part of mankind if -we occupied a planet in their system without first asking." - -Jeriann touched the absorption capsules without feeling them. "Aliens!" - -"You were right, though you had no right to be. Not that it would -have made any difference what we thought. As long as the general was -cruising around the planet we wouldn't have dared investigate." - -It didn't pay to generalize on what they learned from one planet, in -one system. When man had journeyed throughout the galaxy there would -still be surprises waiting for him when he came to the other side. "Let -the expedition worry about hostile acts," said Jeriann. "If the aliens -break off negotiations, so much the better for us." - -"You forget we didn't come solely for ourselves. We hoped to make -ourselves useful to mankind. What kind of disservice is that, to -embroil humanity in a war with the first aliens we meet?" His face was -flaring and white and the smile gone. - -"Don't," whispered Jeriann. "I'm afraid of lightning--yours most of -all. I expect to hear thunder and be struck dead." - -"I'm sorry," he said. "We have a right to think of ourselves but not -exclusively of ourselves." - -"I mean, do they care? If they live on that planet they can't -want this. They couldn't survive under such different conditions. -Astronomical observations must be difficult with so many clouds and -without space travel are we sure the aliens even know about this world?" - -He blinked wearily. "We took a chance. We had to. They have space -travel. The general wouldn't be so anxious not to offend them if they -were inferior to our own civilization." - -"But we didn't see their ships." - -"Again we weren't looking in the right place. There's nothing in this -system they travel to. But there is a comparable planet in Proxima, and -in recent months they've been on opposite sides of the respective suns. -They wait for more favorable positions." - -It was not luck that had favored the general. Theory said there should -be intelligent life in the Centauri system and it further indicated -that it would be found on an Earth type planet. It was half correct, -and the wrong half had fallen against the accidentals. Stubbornly -insisting on following the plan laid down by his superiors, the general -had won. "What are we going to do?" said Jeriann. "There are hostages -down there." - -"We'll get them back," said Docchi. "Nobody can stop us." - -"Can we? Their ships are faster than ours." - -"They can't use their speed close to a planet. And the expedition -won't be aggressive in someone else's backyard. We can't land without -breaking up the asteroid but we'll go near enough so they won't be able -to intercept our ship." - -It was a daring maneuver. The bulk of the asteroid could be used to -cut off any attempt to overtake their returning ship. "There's Roche's -limit," said Jeriann. - -"Doesn't apply. We're not a simple planetoidal mass. We'll clamp the -heaviest gravity we're capable of and, barring something unforeseen, we -can hold the crust together at a distance of ten to twenty miles of the -surface." - -She understood; they'd take the risk if necessary but it ought to be -avoided, because it was a risk. Nobody knew what solid tides would be -set in the crust of the asteroid as the result of an external gravity -field. - -"And then what?" she said. "We get them back and then what?" Her hands -were heavy. The silver mote overhead, shining in the light of Alpha, -was implacable. - -"What else is there?" said Docchi with an attempt at cheerfulness. -"We'll get them back, every person, and then we'll go on. To the next -star and the next, and if we have to, the one after that. Somewhere -we'll find a place." - -Jeriann touched him wonderingly. "I love you for saying that. I love -you anyway, but particularly for saying that." - -He seemed to shrink, flaming where she touched him, fiery fingertips on -his face. "You know?" he said dully. - -"Yes. For quite a while now. Anti suspects too. I think we all do. This -was our last chance, wasn't it?" - -He couldn't look at her. "We shouldn't have stopped. The next star -surely would have been the place." - -"Place," said Jeriann. "It wasn't your fault. Why do you suppose we -were so eager to agree with you? We knew the longer we went on the more -we were at a disadvantage." - -It was so drearily obvious that nearly everyone had some inkling of -the truth. The Star Victory was not the only ship of its class; some -were rusting in the spaceyards and some were in use as interplanetary -freighters. And if the Star Victory could be converted easily, why not -the others? - -A new drive to replace the obsolete one? Order it and with a little -switching around in the manufacturing plants, diverting it from other -uses, it was delivered tomorrow and completely installed the day after -that. The command unit the accidentals had labored so long to alter? -Every dinky little office had as good and in many cases all that was -required was changing the information spools. And thousands of crews -were available, already trained, used to working together. It wouldn't -be hard to recruit them and add a few officers at the top and a staff -of linguists and scientists. - -Nona had given them the one thing they needed and now mankind was -exploding into space. There was no end in sight. The whole neighboring -sphere of space that enveloped the solar system was due for immediate -exploration. - -And the accidentals hadn't been forgotten. They were not the objective, -wealth was: planets to be claimed and occupied or mined, civilizations -to be contacted with whom products and techniques and entire new -sciences could be exchanged. - -If they were lucky enough to get away from the Centauri system at the -next star they'd find other ships waiting, doing business with the -natives, if there were any; if not, establishing firm little colonies -on everything that was capable of supporting human life. They were -surrounded, overwhelmed by numbers. It was no wonder the general -hadn't been perturbed at the failure of his plan to land unnoticed on -the asteroid. He knew what had been slow in occurring to them. For them -there was no next star. - -Docchi gazed in sick defeat at Jeriann. There was no need to talk. -There was nothing to say. - -The asteroid was rolling toward twilight as Anti came in. "What are we -doing about those insolent pirates? They have no jurisdiction here. We -ought to aim the asteroid at them. We can smash them." She saw their -faces and the words stopped. "I was hoping--but I guess we can't hide -it among ourselves," she said. - -"It's no use," said Docchi heavily. "We'll have to go down and take -them off the planet." - -"How will they know? We can't get a beam down with a whole planet in -the way," said Anti. "Let's wait till morning so we can tell them to be -ready." - -"I don't know," said Docchi indecisively. - -"None of us know anything," said Anti fiercely. "Go home and get some -sleep. We'll think of something by morning." - -After they were gone Anti went outside. Looking up she could see the -scout, still visible, glistening in the light of Alpha. It was much -brighter than the stars that had been watching them. - - * * * * * - -Cameron tried to be detached and objective. "Do they know we're here?" - -"I don't think so. They'd have been upset if they had any idea." - -"Seems likely," agreed the doctor. "We left as they were approaching. -But we took off from the face nearest the planet and they came in from -the opposite side. The asteroid acted as a screen." - -"Probably," agreed Docchi with indifference. "How soon can you be -ready?" - -"Do we have to come up immediately?" - -Docchi shrugged. "I can shove the scout out of the way. I don't know -what will happen if and when the Star Victory gets here." - -"It's too big to maneuver close to the surface of the planet." - -"Perhaps. But it carries other scouts it can launch." - -Cameron grimaced. "Two or three fast little ships would be difficult to -brush away. But do we have to let them get close?" - -"How can we stop them? Better come up while you can." - -Cameron was fighting it, not recognizing the odds. "The scanner will -work, won't it?" questioned the doctor. - -"Turned away from the planet, yes." - -"That's what I meant. Keep it trained on the alien world. If the Star -Victory comes out of the clouds and heads this way you'll know it in -plenty of time to scoop us up." - -It could be done but why jeopardize themselves further? He wanted to -refuse but Jeriann was pressing close to him, whispering. "Do you have -any reason for wanting to stay?" he asked reluctantly. - -"You see right through me, don't you?" said Cameron. "No, there's no -real reason except this, Nona's interested in this world and wants to -stay." - -It was as valid as anything else he could have said. That they had come -so far, if only to fail at the final step, was due almost entirely -to her efforts. She deserved some reward, though it was only the -satisfaction of mild curiosity. "Wait," he said suspiciously. "Are you -sure you know _what_ she wants? We're sometimes able to tell her what -we want, but never the other way around." - -"But I know----" The doctor stopped and looked at him wildly, his face -flooded with sudden exaltation which gradually faded. "I do know," he -said at last. "For a moment I thought it was telepathy. But I guess -not. I'm not a computer." He glanced out of the viewport at a world -they couldn't see. - -"Thank you for bringing it to my attention, Docchi," he said when he -faced them again. "It's just interest. For the first time she has -someone she wants to understand--me--and a world outside she longs to -visit. The combination is strong enough to stimulate her mind--and -she's bright enough to learn anything she decides she has to." - -Cameron rubbed his hand across his face and he was tired too. "Let us -stay here as long as you can without endangering yourselves. I want -to work with her under these surroundings. I think now, looking back -at the way she's behaved these last few days, I can make a start at -teaching her to read." - -"It must be a lovely place if she likes it so well," said Jeriann. -"Maybe you can turn the screen of your ship so we can see what it's -like outside." - -"No," said Docchi hoarsely. "Don't waste time taking apart the ship. -Get busy with her, teach her what you can. Take her outside if it's -safe, but don't go far. We may call suddenly." He lowered his voice as -he went on talking and at the end was no louder than usual. - -"I understand," said Cameron. "Don't worry about us. Something may come -out of it." - -"It's worse for them," said Jeriann when the screen darkened. "They've -seen it and then they'll have to come back. It won't be anything we'll -have to shove deep in our memories." - -He didn't know. He didn't know at all. "I need your help," he said, -going into the scanner room. Under his direction Jeriann made -adjustments and brought the alien world in view. Cloud swathed and -mysterious, a strange civilization hidden under the impenetrable -atmosphere, it rolled on through space. - -"We'll take turns," he said. "The minute anything bright comes up we'll -get busy." - -"I hate them," said Jeriann. - -"Who?" - -"The aliens. If it weren't for them we'd have a clear claim on the -planet." - -"But they didn't do anything," he said. "They're merely protecting -their own interests. We'd do the same." Nevertheless he hated the -aliens too. - - * * * * * - -Jeriann was shaking him. She had to shout before he started and woke -up. "They've left," she said. "We've got to hurry." - -He was tired and didn't want to move. It was very unimportant. "Are you -sure it was the Star Victory you saw? It may have been a satellite." - -"It was the ship--at least it was using rockets." - -He got out of bed and let her help him dress. Usually he refused her -aid. "Rockets? But the Star Victory doesn't have any." Of course it -did; it was part of the obsolete equipment that hadn't been removed -because there wasn't time. Besides, it was an excellent reverse source -of propulsion. - -"I don't care. That's what I saw," said Jeriann. - -"Where are Jordan and Anti?" - -"I've called them. They'll be there." - -He finished dressing and they hurried to the scanner. There was no -mistake; it was the ship, but there was no bright tail behind. They -were using the gravity drive. He watched it grimly. - -"But they were," said Jeriann. "There's nothing wrong with my eyesight. -They were using rockets." - -He withheld comment. Rockets weren't nearly as efficient as the gravity -drive, particularly near a large planet. Yet Jeriann said she saw it. -He hoped she hadn't. - -Anti and Jordan came in almost simultaneously and joined the vigil. -Minutes passed in silence and then the brief orange flower blossomed -again. - -"See," said Jeriann. - -"Now why are they doing that?" growled Jordan. "They were doing fine -without it." - -"Maybe they need more speed," suggested Anti. - -Jordan grunted. "Wouldn't add ten per cent." - -"But if they needed ten per cent, if they were in trouble----" - -"They are in trouble," said Jeriann. "It's a signal." - -This was a version he could accept--if there weren't better -explanations. Swiftly Docchi made mental approximations. "At the rate -they're going they'll be here in half a day. They can't reach us with -their telescreen until they're nearly here. Shall we go inside and see -what's wrong with them?" - -They looked at each other, and looked, until Anti answered. "What's a -few minutes?" she said. "We've plenty of time to pick up our people. We -can be gone before they get close." - -Could they? That was what he didn't know. Taking an asteroid near the -surface of a planet had never been tried and there were no rules. -He'd have to feel it out as he went along, ready to turn away at the -first indication of overload. Docchi looked at Jeriann, who nodded -imperceptibly. - -"I think we're in agreement," said Jordan, touching the dials. - -General Judd was waiting for them. "There you are," he said -enigmatically. "I hoped you'd understand." - -"I'm afraid we don't. You'll have to explain." - -"Still the old flamethrower, I see," said the general brusquely. -"Mainly I wanted to make sure you didn't run when you saw us coming. -My psychologists assured me you'd be a sucker for anything that looked -like distress. I've got new respect for them." He chuckled. - -"Now that we've been suckered, as you so kindly put it, please tell us -what you want." - -"I'm coming to----" The general's face reddened and his eyes bulged -and he started coughing. The air wheezed stranglingly in and out of -his lungs until finally he was able to control the spasm. He grabbed -a tissue and wiped his face with it. "Designs are no good," he said. -"Ship, spacesuits, everything. Meant to hold pressure from the inside -and down there it's in the other direction--and it's really pressure. -Gets into everything. Not very much but it fries your lungs. Remember -that." - -"We will. Get to the point, General." - -The general looked at Docchi thoughtfully and seemed satisfied with -what he saw. "Don't be impatient. What I have to say is complicated and -you'll have to get the background. Are you interested?" - -"I am," said Anti. - -"Good," said the general, not waiting for the others to signify. "Well, -we landed. We went in on the gravity drive and possibly it was a -mistake but I don't see what else we could have done--rockets wouldn't -have held us. Anyway they had their instruments out and we think they -could tell what we were using." - -"What were they like, the aliens?" asked Jeriann. - -The general seemed to regard that as unimportant information. He -glanced appreciatively at Jeriann but ignored her question. "Funny -thing. They didn't ask us about our drive and, of course, we didn't -tell them. As nearly as we can tell they have something like it--about -in the stage of development ours was a few years ago. Theirs will take -them to Proxima because it's relatively close but it's no good beyond -that." The general thought about what he'd just said. "Well, their -drive wouldn't work at real interstellar distances--which is why they -haven't visited us--but unfortunately we must have given them a clue. -They know ours works and in no time they'll have it figured out." - -"Sort of suspicious, aren't you?" said Anti. - -"Lord, yes," said the general. "Do you know what land surface their -planet has, what a population it will support? Two planets against -three, but theirs are so much bigger. It balances off a little that -we have a better drive and our reproduction rate can be higher than -theirs." - -"I take it you didn't tell them about Jupiter and Saturn?" said Jordan. - -"No point bringing _that_ up," said the general, apprehensive at -the mere thought. "Oh they have things we want. Two very attractive -planets, and they're wizards at high pressure chemistry and -organics--you'd expect them to be--but the exchange was hardly worth -it." The general sat motionless, recalling the scenes on that strange -planet. "They _could_ be very dangerous. It was imperative that we -establish some sort of friendly contact. Naturally we told them about -you." - -"Naturally," said Docchi dryly. "You were four light years from home -and you weren't dealing with uncivilized natives." - -"Nothing derogatory, you understand," said the general hastily. - -"I'm sure," said Docchi. "General, some time ago I asked what you -wanted. Much as we appreciate your friendly conversation--and the -friendliness is quite unexpected--unless you can tell us what you're -after in the next few minutes we'll have to conclude that your sole -objective is to hold us here while you get closer." - -"Don't do anything rash," said the general, as concerned as Docchi had -ever seen him. "You see it was a stalemate. We were a little afraid -of them and they didn't trust us and both sides were noncommittal. We -didn't show each other a thing. But there had to be a solution." - -"General, I warned you." - -"Can't you see?" half-shouted the general, rising up. "I thought you -were smart. We're going home and we may as well unload our surplus -supplies. You'll need them. It will be about nine years before anyone -gets back." He shoved the chair aside and concentrated steadily on -Jeriann, the one normal human among them. - -"This is what we decided," he said. "You get the planet for the next -fifteen or twenty years, longer if they approve. Meanwhile all trade -between us passes through you." He jammed his hands in his pockets. -"There. Do you accept?" - -"Do we accept?" said Anti. "He asks us." - -"I see you do," said the general with gloomy satisfaction. "It was -their suggestion. They want to study you at length to see what makes -humans behave. Naturally you'll be keeping _your_ eyes open." He -swallowed and conquered the incipient cough. "Now if you'll turn off -this beastly little gadget and let me have some privacy I'll talk to -you when we get there." - -Jordan reached for the scanner but was not quite soon enough. The -general thought he was alone when he wasn't. "Those damned butterflies. -Trillions of them." His face twisted. - - - - -16 - - -They went walking in the night. Stars were out but they didn't notice. -They had found a star to belong to and weren't looking for others. -"Which one?" said Jeriann, turning her head. - -"I can't point. Anyway I don't know," said Docchi. "I can get it for -you on the scanner." - -Jeriann laughed. "Never mind. I don't need to see their planet. They'll -come soon enough." - -"Almost too soon. I keep wondering what they're actually like." - -"Me, too," said Jeriann. "I don't even know how big they are. Sure, I -saw them on the screen for a short time, but it's not like meeting -them. Large butterflies is what I first thought, but the resemblance -fades as you continue looking. And, what is their size? There was -nothing familiar to judge them against." - -"Wingspread is a better measure," said Docchi. "The general said eight -feet but I think he was overly impressed by the flat expanse of their -bodies." In a while he added thoughtfully: "But it was not their height -I was thinking of." - -"I know," said Jeriann. She frowned. "Why did they choose us? They -could have had the general's expedition. Instead they asked for us. -Why?" - -They went on in silence, past the acid tank. They looked in. It was -empty. Now they had better use for the chemicals. "How is this for a -reason?" said Jeriann as they strolled away. - -"Still on the aliens?" - -"Why not? We've got to learn how they think." - -Docchi smiled and through the darkness she could see the faint -luminosity of his lips and where his eyes crinkled. "We do, but in the -absence of anything positive all I can apply is self-interest. And I -don't see how they benefit by having us." - -"I do," said Jeriann. "It's because we're normal." She hurried on -before Docchi could protest. "Don't try to talk me down until I -explain. When they contacted us yesterday and said they'd be here in -about three weeks, on an official visit, did you notice which one was -prettiest?" - -"I figured that much out myself," said Docchi. "At least in the -beginning we look very much alike to them, as they do to us. Appearance -doesn't count." - -"True, but that was not my point. I haven't reached it. When you looked -at the--uh--butterfly that spoke to you in that high squeaky voice you -were wondering how he learned our language so well in such a short -time. You were thinking: are they all as smart? Can I trust him?" - -"We've got to trust them," said Docchi grimly. "We're a long way from -support. And they did ask us to stay." - -"But trust all of them, every individual butterfly, under any -circumstance? Or just some?" - -"We're dealing with a government," said Docchi. "We aren't concerned -with individuals. There must be deviations in what they're like. Some -won't be trustworthy." He paused. "But of course a government is a -reflection of what its citizens are." He paused again, came to a dead -stop. "And so, for the aliens, we are average humans." - -"That's what I meant," said Jeriann. "A _cross section_ of what -they'd find on Earth. But of course they can't go to Earth and see for -themselves--not yet. And so they had to make the best choice of what -was at hand." - -They started walking again and Docchi leaned against her. "I think -you're right. The general's expedition, all specialists and experts, -including the military, who are specialists of another kind, was not a -representative group. The butterflies could study them forever but they -wouldn't get a true picture. - -"But they had to know exactly what humans are like, what their -potentialities are, and how they live together. And so they took us." - -"It seems strange," said Jeriann, sliding her arm around him. "Until -now I've never thought of us as normal. But even if the aliens -had refused both of us and asked for another group of colonists -they wouldn't have done as well. Colonists for a special planet -are specially selected--hardiest, strongest, most aggressive or -discontented--there would always be something to throw them off. - -"But accidents cut across everything, age, intelligence, sex, -occupation. Name it and it's here. We're the only representative group -that ever left Earth or ever will." - -"It's odd," agreed Docchi. "But it doesn't match what happens when -we meet our first aliens. It's nothing like anyone imagined. Here we -stand, face to face across the stars. There is no competition for -inhabitable planets since our definitions are mutually exclusive. But -we are afraid; neither side wants war. And so we go ahead cautiously, -looking for signs in the other that will reassure us." - -"I don't know," said Jeriann. "We're being tested. Will we measure up?" - -"We won't fail. In spite of what we may seem to some of our own people, -we're average men and women--and man hasn't stopped climbing upward -since that day somebody built the first fire." - -Jeriann squeezed him and they slowed. In their wandering they had come -to gravity center. They looked at each other and decided to go in. -Jeriann opened the door and there was a light down the hall. They went -to it and looked in. - -Jordan was in front of the scanner, scowling at it in fierce -concentration. "I hope those idiots got it down straight," he muttered -back at them. - -"Don't be so concerned. You took it apart for them, didn't you?" - -"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I made them understand." He wiped his -forehead. "However, even if they don't know what it's all about, -somebody ought to be able to build another. It'll work if they use a -little sense." - -Docchi smiled. "Don't discount what gravity experts know. After they -get through thinking over the ideas in those circuits they'll doll up -the scanner and before you know it they'll have a machine that can -reach us from Earth." - -"That'll be the day," said Jordan. "Let's hope they don't. It's bad -enough they know we're here--but if they have to look at us too...." He -shook his head. - -"You're wrong," said Anti, coming in and sitting down. "Won't be that -way at all." She bent and began rubbing her legs. "My poor feet. I've -been walking around for the longest time--full weight too." - -"Why won't it?" said Jordan. "Remember what happened the last time we -got in touch with them." - -"Not the same people," said Anti. "There were always some, like the -doctor, who didn't think we had to be beautiful to talk to us or be -near. We'll get more of that kind. They don't _have_ to call unless -they want to." - -"And last time we weren't anybody, less than a thousand and not an -important person in the lot. Now we're representatives to the Centauri -system." - -"Profit," said Jordan. "You think they won't be able to afford to show -their feelings. I wish I could agree. But even with the gravity drive -they can't carry much between here and Earth. In the next fifty years -the trade that goes out of here won't make one person rich." - -"I disagree. Ideas don't weigh much and there'll be lots of those -flying back and forth. And was there ever anything more valuable?" -Anti smiled. "But there's more. _We_ won't be the same. Only yesterday -Cameron said he saw Nona looking worriedly at a book. It won't be long -before she gets the idea and wham--new books." - -"She was never the one who had trouble. Anyway, she'll never speak." - -"She doesn't have to as long as she can write--and get some idea of -what we're saying." - -"Then she's all right and that will make the doctor happy." Jordan was -dubious. "But what of us--Docchi, Jeriann, me--the rest?" - -Anti leaned back and slid off her sandals, wriggling her toes in -voluptuously and looking at them with wondering pleasure. "Me? I don't -plan to dance again, but in a year or so I'll get around. The doctor -expects Docchi to have arms in the next three or four years if the -principle he discovered with Maureen works out. - -"And even you, Jordan, may be kicking again, though it will take -longer. Say four or five years for you." - -"I'll kick," scoffed Jordan, but his disbelief wasn't as strong as it -had been. - -"Sure you will," said Anti. "It may not be as quick as we expect. -Of course if we learn anything from interchange of science with the -aliens the time may be shortened. Cameron says they're bound to help us -advance, just as we'll aid them. He's cautious though, and doesn't want -to figure that in until it actually occurs." - -"I'll believe it then," said Docchi. "But you didn't mention Jeriann. -Or do you consider her already normal?" - -Anti frowned at her toes and slipped her feet into the sandals. "No, -I don't. She seems to be in nearly perfect health. But don't believe -everything you see." - -"Darling," said Jeriann. "When did I have my last capsule? I don't have -any with me." - -"An hour or so ago." - -"Are you sure? My time sense keeps warning me." - -"If you think we should let's go and get one." - -"She knows," said Anti. "I heard the doctor telling her that her case -looked easy but wasn't. She'll be the last." - -"Wait," called Docchi who scarcely heard what Anti was saying. He -hurried out into the hall after Jeriann. He was gone a few minutes, -and when he came back there was a handprint flaming and furious on his -face. - -He looked at Anti dully. "I didn't say anything. I told her to wait and -I'd go with her." - -"She can't help it," said Anti. "I thought it was time you knew." - -"What is there to know?" he said bitterly. "She's upset because she -can't eat. Compared to some of us it's merely an inconvenience. I -resent her childishness." - -"It was always there for you to see but you never looked close enough," -sighed Anti. "How many times has she had to control herself." - -"But I never said anything----" - -"I know what you said," answered Anti. "When she had _her_ accident -it was a very hot day. She was a young girl and was busy playing and -didn't realize how badly she wanted it until she started for the -fountain. She was struck down before she reached it. Now--what was it -you told her?" - -"A drink," he said, staring at Anti in dismay. "I told her----" - -"Twenty years of thirst. But you knew there was nothing that is even -moist in her house. The shower spouts fine dry particles. And she had -no pictures that show lakes or rivers. Go find her." - -Water. It was life because it came before life. There were creatures -that could exist quite comfortably without light. There were some that -died in the half strength of the sun, to whom the visible spectrum -and beyond was inimical. There were others that didn't need oxygen, -anerobic microorganisms which perished in the free atmosphere because -of the presence of a substance commonly considered necessary for living -things. - -But there was nothing that could exist without water. Life on Earth -originated there and to it must always return. It was the cradle of -the first cell, and the mother too. There were minute cells that lived -motionless and free floating in water long before any living thing -learned to swim through its droplet universe. Before there were fins -or hands and feet, eyes to respond to light, and an orifice to eat and -shape fine noises with--there was water. And any living creature that -had a mouth from time to time might refresh its lips with the common -and precious fluid. - -Except Jeriann. - -The psychotechnicians knew they could condition her and so it had -been done. She could not drink, would not. She would resist if it -were forced upon her, struggle until her bones broke. But even the -psychotechnicians who had created the mental block hadn't completely -trusted it. And so a place had been built for her in which she would -not be reminded of water, the one thing she never got enough of. - -Because the habit of life was strong and water meant survival. This was -not something she imagined. It was buried in the memory of the cells, -deeper than any mind, going back to the beginning. Twenty years of -never enough. - -Docchi stumbled out. It was neither light nor dawn when he found her. -The side of the asteroid was turned away from the sun but though the -planet was rising brightly and filled much of the sky there were still -deep shadows within the dome. "I've been waiting for you," she said -quietly as he came near. Her face reflected the planet shine. - -"Jeriann," he said. - -"Look at it," she said. - -"I see." - -"But you're looking at me." She turned his head toward the planet. -"There. If you look closely you can see sunlight sparkling on the -ocean. Isn't it beautiful?" - -"Someday you'll lie on the beach and let the waves wash over you." - -"Someday," she said. - - * * * * * - - - - -ADDRESS: CENTAURI - -by F. L. Wallace - - -Imagine, if you can, that Christopher Columbus never existed--that in -his place was a fantastic crew of circus freaks. They would be our -heroes of history as discoverers of the New World. We all would honor -the Fat Woman, erect statues to the Human Firefly, perhaps name a -continent after the Half Man-Half Machine. Ridiculous? Preposterous? -Well, maybe not.... - -Mankind is faced with such a possibility in this unusual science -fiction novel. In a future age of interplanetary travel new worlds and -alien races are awaiting discovery and a decision must be made. Who -will be the first interstellar explorers--and make the first alien -contact? - -On a tiny asteroid between Mars and Jupiter a handful of people seek -the honor. They are "the Accidentals." They are pathetic, crippled and -deformed humans, half or quarter men and women, fractional organisms -masquerading as people. To many they are just "circus freaks", but to -themselves they are still members of the human race. Their plan is -sound. The galaxy has long since been conquered and now the distant -stars await the probing of Earthmen. Yet the stars are very very far -away and the exploratory trips will be very very long. Ordinary men -would find the voyages nearly unbearable. The Accidentals, though, are -not ordinary men. The medical skills which have kept them alive have -given them incredible endurance. They are unbelievably tough, nearly -immortal. They are the ones who could be the star-flung explorers. - -From that begins one of the strangest flights to the Stars that mankind -may ever see. - -"Science-Fiction at its Best" - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Address: Centauri, by F. L. 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