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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..4815890 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #68247 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/68247) diff --git a/old/68247-0.txt b/old/68247-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 9ec1f6e..0000000 --- a/old/68247-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1495 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Vocation, by George O. Smith - -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 -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Vocation - -Author: George O. Smith - -Illustrator: Williams - -Release Date: June 5, 2022 [eBook #68247] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOCATION *** - - - - - - Vocation - - By GEORGE O. SMITH - - Illustrated by Williams - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1945. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -Gerd Lel Rayne stood in the arched doorway of the living room of his -home and smiled at the Terran. Andrew Tremaine smiled up at his host -with an almost microscopic feeling of annoyance. The Terran was a large -man, well proportioned, but the other was somewhat larger and somewhat -in better proportion. The annoyance was the usual jealousy of the -better man. - -Tremaine knew that Gerd was a better man, and he stifled his feeling of -annoyance because hating Gerd was unjust. Besides, Tremaine wanted a -favor and one does not irritate a favor-giver. - -Gerd Lel Rayne was of a breed that could know when a man disliked him -no matter how well it was concealed. Therefore-- - -Andrew smiled. "You've been well?" - -"Positively dripping with good health," boomed Gerd in a resonant -voice. "And yourself?" - -"Fair to middling." - -"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Will you have refreshment?" - -"A cigarette, perhaps." - -Gerd opened an ornate box on the table and offered Andrew a cigarette. -Andrew puffed it into illumination and exhaled a cloud of smoke. -"Busy?" he asked. - -"Yes," drawled Gerd. "I'm always busy, more or less. But being busy or -un-busy is my own desire. Being without something to do would drive me -crazy, I'm sure." Gerd laughed at the thought. "At the present time I'm -busy seeing you. Is this a business visit or a personal visit?" - -"Partly pleasure, partly business. There's something been bothering me -for some time." - -"Glad to help--That's what I'm here for, you know." - -"Now that I'm here," admitted Andrew with some abashment, "I have a -feeling that the same question has been asked and answered before. -But I want to hear, firsthand, why your race denies us the secret of -interstellar travel." - -"Because you have not developed it yet," said Gerd. "Yes, we could give -it to you. You couldn't use it." - -"You're looking down at us again." - -"I'm honestly sorry that I give you that opinion. I have no desire to -look down at anything or anyone. Please believe me." - -"But--" - -"May I offer an hypothetical case?" asked Gerd, and then went on -because he knew the answer to his own question: "A hundred years ago, -the Terrans were living without directive power. You used solar phoenix -power. It brought you out of the mire of wire and machinery under which -Terra writhed. You were, you thought, quite advanced. You were. But, -Andy, could you have used directives? Supposing that I had given you -the secret of directive power? What would have happened?" - -"Um--Trouble, perhaps. But with supervision?" - -"I can not give you supervision. I am but one. Consider, Andy. A planet -filled with inventive people, a large quantity of which are highly -trained technically. What would they say to a program which restricted -them to any single phase? We came, and all that we could do to assist -was to let your race know that directive power was available. The -problem of power is an interesting thing, Andy. The initial steps into -any realm of power are such that the discoverers are self-protected by -their own lack of knowledge, and their investigations lead them into -more and more knowledge; they gain the dangerous after learning how to -protect themselves against it. The directive power could destroy not -only Terra but the entire Solar System if improperly applied." - -"What you're saying is that we could not understand it," objected -Andrew. - -"I admit it. Could a savage hurt himself if permitted to enter a -powerhouse--even one of the primitive electronic places? Obviously he -could. Even were he given the tools of the art, his survival might -be a matter of guesswork. Only study permits any of us to work with -power, Andy. When the Terrans are capable of handling the source of -interstellar power, it shall come to them--be discovered by them, if -you will. Meanwhile I can but watch and wait, and when I am approached -I can and will try to guide Terra. That, Andy, is my job." - -"We'll hunt for it!" - -"I know," said Gerd Lel Rayne with a smile. "Your fellows are hunting -now. I approve. But I may not point the way. Your race must only find -it when you are ready to handle it." - - * * * * * - -Gerd arose from his chair and flexed the muscles across his back. The -reason for his arising was not clear to Andrew immediately, but it came -less than three seconds later--It was Gaya Lel Rayne, Gerd's mate. -Andrew arose and greeted her with genuine pleasure. - -Her smile was brilliant and genuine. "Business?" she asked. - -"Yes," answered Gerd. "But do not leave, because the discussion is -interesting. Andy, the perfect example of the persistent newsman, is -holding forth on the interstellar power." - -"They've discovered it?" asked Gaya in hopeful pleasure. - -"No," answered Tremaine. "We'd like to, though." - -"You will," said Gaya. "I know you will." - -"We know we will, too," said Andrew. "Our irritation is not that we -shall be denied it, but that it takes us so long to find it when there -is one on Terra that knows it well." - -"Please, Andy. I do most definitely not know it well. I am no -technician." - -Gaya looked at her husband quickly. "He's excusing himself," she said -with a laugh. - -"He's hoping that we'll believe that his knowledge is no better than -ours and that we'll be content. But, Gerd, I know that you know enough -to give us the answer." - -"You know? How, may I ask?" - -"It is inconceivable that you would not know." - -"Perhaps I do," came the slow answer. "Perhaps I do." The tone of the -speech was low and self-reflective. "But again, perhaps I, too, am -in the dangerous position of not knowing enough. You Terrans have a -saying--'A little knowledge is dangerous.' It is true. Again we strike -the parallel. I give you stellar power and you, knowing nothing about -its intricacies, use it. Can you hope to know down which road lies -total destruction?" - -"You are possibly right. We could learn." - -"But not from me," said Gerd with finality. "That I cannot and will not -do. One can not supervise and control the inventiveness of a planet -such as yours. Your rugged individualists would be investigating in -their small laboratories with inadequate protection, and inevitably one -or more of them would strike the danger-spot." - -"I'm answered," said Andrew reluctantly. "Answered negatively. I'm -forced into accepting your statements. They are quite logical--and -Gaya's willingness to be glad for us when she thought that we had -discovered it is evidence that you are not withholding it with malice. -But logic does not fill an empty spot, Gerd." - -Gerd laughed. "If you had everything you want, your race would have -died out before it came out of the jungles." - -Tremaine laughed. "I know," he admitted. "Also--and I'm talking against -my own race--there is the interesting observation that if Heaven is the -place where we have everything we want, why are people always trying to -live as long as they can?" - -"Perhaps they're not certain of the hereafter." - -"Whether they are firmly convinced yes or as firmly convinced no, they -still view death with disfavor. I'd say their dislike was about even. -All right, Gerd. I'll take your statements as you made them and with -reluctance I'll return to my work and ponder." - -"Stay for dinner," urged Gaya. She gave him the benefit of a brilliant -smile, but Andrew shook his head. - -"I've got to write an editorial," he said. "I've got to change one -already written. I was a bit harsh about you, and I feel it was unfair. -Perhaps you'll join us at dinner tomorrow?" - -Gaya laughed. "You're speaking for Lenore, too?" - -"Yes," nodded Andrew. "She'll be glad to see you." - -"Then we'll be glad to come," said Gerd. - - * * * * * - -As he left, Gerd turned to his wife and said: "He'll bear watching." - -"I caught your thought. He will. Shall I?" - -"From time to time. Tremaine suspects. He is a brilliant man, Gaya, and -for his own peace of mind, he must never know the truth." - -"If he suspects," said Gaya thoughtfully, "it may mean that he has too -little to do. There are many sciences--would it be possible to hint the -way into one. That might occupy his mind enough to exclude the other -question." - -"In another man it might work. But Andrew Tremaine is not a physical -scientist. He is a mental scientist working in an applied line. To give -him the key to any science would mean just momentarily postponing the -pursuit of the original problem. Were he a physical scientist, his mind -would never have come upon the question in the first place. I'm almost -tempted to let loose the initial key to stellar power." - -Gaya blanched. "They'd destroy everything. No, Gerd, not that. You'd be -defying the Ones." - -"I know," nodded Gerd. "I have to continue for my own personal -satisfaction. Giving in is the easy way--and entirely foreign to -our policy. Terra must find their goal alone. You and I, Gaya, must -never interfere. We are emissaries only; evidences of good will and -friendship. Our position is made most difficult because of the general -impression, held by all Terrans, that an ambassador is a man who lies -to you, who knows that he is lying, and who further knows that you know -he is lying--and still goes ahead and lies, smiling cheerfully at the -same time." - -"We've given good evidence of our friendship." - -"Naturally. That's our main purpose in life. To befriend, to protect, -even to aid when possible. One day, Gaya, Terra will be one of us. -But guiding Terra and the Solar System into such a channel is most -difficult. Yet, who is to do it but you and I?" - -"Shall we request advice? Perhaps the Ones will be interested to know -that Terrans are overly ambitious?" - -"You mean they're too confounded curious? The Ones know that. The Ones -put us here because we can cope with Terra--I'll make mention of it in -the standard report--but coping with Terra is our problem, presented to -us, and given with the expectation that we shall handle it well. To ask -for any aid would be an admission of undisputed failure." - -"I guess you're right." - -Gerd smiled. "Honestly, there is no real danger. If we are capable of -protecting them, we should be equally capable of protecting ourselves -against them. And," said Gerd with an expansive gesture, "the Ones -rate us adequate. We can do no more than to prove their trust. After -all, our race has been wrong about a classification only once in three -galactic years." - -"I might be worried," smiled Gaya. "Isn't it about time for them to -make another mistake?" - -Gerd put his hands on her shoulders and shook her gently. -"Superstitious lady," he said, "that's against the Law of -Probabilities." - -"No," disagreed Gaya with a smile. "Right in accordance with it. When -the tossed coin comes up heads ten million times without a tail, it -indicates that there may be two heads on the coin, or that some outside -force is at work. I was fooling, Gerd." - -"I know," he said with a laugh. "Now enough of our worries. What's on -the program this evening?" - -"Dinner with Executive General Atkins and wife. Theater afterwards." - -"I'd better dress, then," said Gerd. "Complete with all the trimmings. -Toni Atkins would be horrified at the idea of dining without the males -all girded and braced in full formal dress." - -"Once dinner is over, you'll enjoy them." - -"I always do," said Gerd. "They're both interesting people. Save for -her ideas of propriety." - -Gaya pushed him in the direction of the dressing room. "I do, too," -she called after him with malicious pleasure. "And remember, that I'm -just as they are--and not above them at all." - -"I might be able to get the legislature to pass laws against women," -returned Gerd thoughtfully. - -"The result might be quite devastating," said Gaya. - -The answer came back through the closing door. It was a cheerful laugh, -and: "Yes, wouldn't it?" - - * * * * * - -Andrew Tremaine jerked the paper from the electrotyper and pressed two -buzzers simultaneously. The answer to one came immediately: "Yes?" - -"Tell Jackson that the editorial page is complete and that he should -get the revised copy set up." - -"Yes, Mr. Tremaine. It's on the way." - -"Should be coming out of his typer now." - -"I'll call him." - -The door opened, and the answer to buzzer number two entered. - -He was a tall, thin, pale-looking man with stooped shoulders and thick -glasses. He came in and seated himself before Andrew's desk and waited -in silence until the editor spoke. - -"Gene, how many fields in psychology have you covered?" - -The other shook his head. "Since I came to work for you, only one. -Applied psychology, or the art of finding out what people want to be -told and then telling them." - -"That's soft-soapism." - -"You name it," grinned the thin man. "You asked for it. Oh, we've -carried the burning torch often enough--that's the other psychology. -Finding out what people think is good for them and crying against it." - -"Or both." - -"Or both," smiled Gene. - -"This is a crazy business, sometimes. I'm on another branch again, -Gene. How much of the human brain is used?" - -"Less than ten percent." - -"Right. What would happen if the whole brain were used? - -"Andy, what kind of a card file would you need to do the following: -One: locate from a mention the complete account of a complex -experience; two: do it almost instantly, and three: compile the data in -five dimensions?" - -"Five dim--? Are you kidding?" - -"Not at all. Each of the five senses are essentially different and will -require separate cards to make the picture complete. A rose smell, -for instance, would be meaningless alone--you must classify it. The -same card would not fit for all rose-smelling memories since some are -strong, some are weak, some are mixed with other minor odors, and so -forth. Do you follow?" - -"Yes, but aren't we getting off the track?" - -"Not at all. If your mind can run through ten to the fiftieth power -experiences in five mediums and come up with the proper, correlated -accounts, all in a matter of seconds--think what the same mind might be -able to do if presented with a lesser problem." - -"Why can't it do just that?" - -"Because when you start to figure out a problem, something restricts -your brain power to less than ten percent of its capability." - -"That means that ninety percent of the brain is nonfunctional." - -"Right. It is. You can carve better than half of a man's brain out and -not impair a single memory, or action, or ability." - -"And nature does not continue with a nonfunctional organ." - -"Nature would most certainly weed out anything that was completely -useless. Evolution of a nonfunctional part does not happen." - -"Appendix?" - -"It had a use once. It is atrophying now. But the brain should be -increasing since we're using it more every year. Instead of being -forced into increase by demand, the brain is already too big for the -work. How did it get that way?" - -"You'll never explain it by the law of supply and demand," said Gene. -"We might go over a few brains with analyzers." - -"And if you get a nonconforming curve, then what?" - -"Fifty years of eliminating the sand to get the single grain of gold." - -"You mean process of elimination?" - -"Didn't I say it?" - -"You'd never recognize it," said Andrew. They both laughed. - - * * * * * - -"But what brought you to this conference?" asked Gene. "Knowing you as -I do, you aren't just spending the time of day." - -"No, I'm not. Look, Gene, what do you know about Gerd Lel Rayne?" - -"Just common knowledge." - -"I know. But catalogue it for me. I am trying to think of something and -you may urge the thought into solidification." - -"Sounds silly," said Gene. "But here it is--and quite incoherent." -He laughed. "What was I saying about the excellence of memory files? -Well, anyway, Gerd Lel Rayne is a member of a race that has and employs -interstellar travel. Terra has nothing, produces nothing, manufactures -nothing that this race requires. Neither, according to Gerd, has this -race anything that would interest Terrans. Save power and the stellar -drive." - -"Stellar power," muttered Andrew. - -"What was that? Stellar Power? Call it that if you wish. It may -well be called that for lack of a better name. At any rate, it is -more than obvious that Gerd Lel Rayne and his wife enjoy us. They -are emissaries--ambassadors of good will, if you want to call them -that--whose sole purpose is to give advice upon things that Terra does -not quite understand." - -"Except stellar power." - -"Reason enough for that," said Gene. "Terra is a sort of vicious race. -We were forced to fight for our very existence. We fought animals, -nature, plants, insects, reptiles, the earth itself. We've fought and -won against weather and wind and sun and rain. And when we ran out of -things to fight, we fought among ourselves because there were too many -differences of opinion as to how men should live. We, Andrew Tremaine, -are civilized--and yet the one thing we all enjoy is a bare-handed -fight to the finish between two members of our own race." - -"That's not true." - -"Yes it is. What sport has undergone little change for a thousand -years? It is no sport using equipment. The equipment-sports are -constantly changing with the development of new materials with which to -make the equipment. Take the ancient game of golf, for instance. They -used to make four strikes to cover a stinking four hundred yard green. -That's because control of materials was insufficiently perfect to -maintain precision. No two golf balls were identical, and no two clubs -were alike. - -"But--and stop me if my rambling annoys you, although it is seldom that -I am permitted to ramble--the sport of ring-fighting is still similar -to its inception. Men stand in a ring and fight with their hands until -one is _hors de combat_ for a period of ten seconds. They used gloves -at one time, I believe, but men are harder and stronger now--and -surgery repairs scars, mars, and abrasions. Also, my fine and literary -friend, the audience, gentle people, like to see the vanquished -battered, torn, and slightly damaged. Civilization! One step removed -from Ancient Roma, where they tossed malcontents into an arena to see -if he could avoid being eaten by a hungry carnivore! - -"Well, the one thing that Terra would most probably do is to make use -of this drive and go out and fight with the Ones." - -"Are they afraid?" - -"I don't know. I'd hardly think so." - -"Gene, you're wrong. They wouldn't even bother brushing us off." - -"No?" - -"No. We'd be polished off before we got to see them. There's something -else there and I don't know what it is." - -"You don't follow the hatred angle?" - -"You, my friend, have a warped personality. You have the usual -viewpoint of a man of minor stature. That lanky body of yours has -driven you into believing that your race is tough, vicious, and most -deadly to everything. Not because you really believe it, but you -yourself are not tough, deadly, or invincible but you want to belong to -a group that is." - -"You think them benign?" - -"I wonder--but am forced to believe the overwhelming pile of evidence. -In every way, Gerd and his wife have been willing to co-operate. -They've willingly submitted themselves to our mental testing--and -that is complete, believe me--and in every case they have proven -intelligent, enthusiastic, and capable. Oh, we make mistakes, but not -such complete blunders. I'll tell you one thing, Gene. I went over -there today to ask one question. I wanted to know just why they refuse -to give us the stellar power. Their answer was that we were not ready -for it--and in the face of it, I was forced to agree." - -"Whitewash." - -"Think so? Then tell me how you can tell." - - * * * * * - -"Gerd Lel Rayne is a supergenius, according to the card files. -Intelligence Quotient 260! That, my friend, is high enough to fool the -machine!" - -"Nonsense." - -"A machine, Andy, is a mechanical projection of a man's mind. It -is built to do that which can not be done by man himself. It is -capable--sometimes--of exceeding man's desire by a small amount, but -is seldom capable of coping with a situation for which it is not -engineered. Since no man on Terra has an I.Q. of higher than about 160, -for a guess, the machine can not be engineered to analyze mentalities -of I.Q. 260 without fail." - -"You do not believe the I.Q. 260 then?" - -"Yes, I believe that machine. But the one that gives the curves of -intent can be fooled by such a man." - -"Then what is his purpose?" - -"Supposing this race intends to take over?" - -"Then why don't they just move in and take?" - -"Time. Say this race is overrunning the Galaxy. No matter how they -start, plans must be made, even if they originated on Centauri. -Since--and let's try to put ourselves in their place and consider. -They have not moved in. That means a waiting period of some kind. It -also means considerable distance from home base, because if we were -close to them, the program would have started already. Now, since there -is this waiting program, we can assume that they are not ready yet. And -not being ready means one of two things. They are finding opposition -on other planets of other systems. In this case it is not Divide and -Conquer, but _keep divided in order to conquer_!" - - * * * * * - -"I'm beginning to follow you." - -"If we had the drive, and the power for it, their job might well be -impossible. I doubt that anything alive could make conquest of an armed -planet unless that planet was quite inferior in weapons. Given the same -weapons and power, and at best stalemate. For the very energy-mass of a -planet is unbelievably great, and the weapons that may be permanently -anchored in the granite of Terra would be able to withstand anything -up to and including another, equally armed planet to stalemate or -draw. And granting that Terrans are hard-boiled people because we were -brought up that way from infancy, we'd give any race a mighty tough -fight." - -"Then what do you want me to do?" - -"I want knowledge. I want something that will permit me to use that -ninety percent of my brain." - -"How in the devil do you expect me to come up with something like -that?" - -Andrew Tremaine smiled solemnly and said, flatly: "Gene, I'm almost -convinced that Gerd Lel Rayne and company are generating some -force-field that prevents it!" - -Gene sat silent after that. He thought about it for some time before -answering. "The answer to that," he said very slowly and very -carefully, "is this: If some force is being generated to prevent full -use of the human brain, a counter-force may be set up to nullify the -field. That will be simple enough once we isolate the field that -prevents thought. But on the other hand, if no such field exists and -it is just one of those paradoxes, we'll have considerable working to -do to generate a force-field that _will_ permit one hundred percent -brain-usage." - -"Right. And remembering that this may be the answer to Terra's -existence, we'll have to keep it silent." - -"You're handing me the job?" - -"Yes. You're a practising psychologist. You're also an amateur -technician. If you need anything, no matter what, requisition it and -I'll see that it is O.K.'d. Send the thing to me marked _personal_ so -that some clerk won't toss it out for not belonging to the publishing -business." - -"You know how much this will cost?" - -"Sure. You'll start off with a copy of the I.Q. Register and recorder -and work your way up through the intent-register. From there on in, -Gene, you're on your own. And--alone! I do not want to know what you're -doing. I might let it out before Rayne or his wife. Come to me as soon -as you find something." - -"Right. But look, Andy. Why not give me a batch of signed requisitions -so that you won't know what I'm working on next?" - -"Good. I'll sign me one block, and mail it to your home. You are fired -as of now for ... for--" - -"Differing with the management in a matter of policy." - -"Excellent. And when the requisition numbering the last of the block -comes in, I'll sign up and mail another block to your home. Leave a -forwarding address. The bank will honor your signature on company -checks to the tune of one thousand dollars per month." - -"Applied psychology is wonderful," smiled the tall, thin man. "You -wouldn't have trusted me a thousand years ago." - -"There are a lot of people I wouldn't trust now, today." - -"But the difference is, Andy, that nowadays you know whom you can -trust." - - * * * * * - -Gaya Lel Rayne's entry into the grand ballroom had the same effect, -just as it always had. In another woman it might have produced -triangle-trouble, but Gaya's attraction for men was not her only charm; -the woman who hated her for her ability to draw men was one who did -not know her. Once introduced, and permitted to talk with Gaya, the -jealous dislike died, for Gaya was not far below her husband in wit and -intelligence. Like all intelligent people, Gaya was capable of making -herself liked by all, even in the face of dislike. Those who still -felt the twinge of jealousy often pitied her; feeling that her beauty -was compensation for the necessity that she be of high intelligence, -and quite certain of their husbands, whom they knew would not care to -live their lives with a woman who outshone them in every field. They -knew also that there was but one man on the whole planet that Gaya -loved--Gerd. He was the only man she could possibly love and the only -man who could possibly love her. Gerd was the only man who could even -keep up with her thought-processes. - -Gerd had his amusement, too. Partly in payment for the slight put upon -them by their husbands, Gerd was surrounded by women as he entered. And -they knew that he was more than capable of running far ahead of their -own devious thought-processes, a condition which they hoped was untrue -in their husbands. Yet he was interesting and attractive, and equally -as versatile as his wife. - -The party took on a faster air, and all were dazzled save one. Andrew -Tremaine stood on the side lines and watched. - -He saw Gaya whirl from man to man across the dance floor and with equal -amusement he saw Gerd moving through a closely-knit crowd. He wished -fervently for someone to discuss it with, but even his wife was in the -press of people about Gerd Lel Rayne. - -Emissaries, he thought. Ambassadors who cut their mentality because -they did not care to appear so far beyond their friends would certainly -develop a contempt. It must be so, if for no other reason than it could -not be otherwise. Andrew wondered what made them tick. - -He'd heard from Gene Leglen briefly. It was not good. A negative -result--which was inconclusive. Yet, according to the letter, the -thought-process frequencies had been inspected carefully by the most -delicate detector that Gene could make, and he had found nothing out of -line. Strays from the I.Q. Register machine that ran continually in -the shielded vault below the psychology building in government square -were recorded; a few pip-markers leaked out of the intent-register on -strong impulses and caused Gene's machine to chatter wildly at long -and indefinite times; even a few infra-faint recordings came from the -intent-register machine as a matrix was sent through to record changes -from a previous marking were caught on Gene's detector. - -But nothing with overall intensity. Nothing that could be expected to -block the operation of nine tenths of a man's brain. - - * * * * * - -Andy saw Rayne approaching with Lenore, and smiled. - -"Why so thoughtful?" asked his wife. - -"Thinking deeply again?" asked Rayne. "More power?" - -"Don't laugh at me, Gerd," pleaded Andrew. - -"Laugh at you?" asked Gerd in genuine dismay. "Never. You are a good -friend, Andrew. I will never laugh at you." He shook his head. "Tell -me, what makes you think I'm laughing?" - -"I can not but think, sometimes, that you are playing with all of us." - -"Please ... please. Is there nothing I can do to dispel this idea, -this fixation of yours?" he turned to Lenore. "Do you, too, think I'm -toying?" - -"No," she said quickly. "You're too fine a person to toy with another. -I know." - -Gerd flustered at that. "The trouble with this job of mine," he said, -"is that no one ever tells me that I'm a meddling fool or to mind my -own business." - -"That's your fault," said Andrew. "Honestly, I doubt that there is -a man on this confounded planet that wouldn't hasten to carry your -banner. You are a well-liked man, Gerd, and as such no one wants to -tell you off. Furthermore, you always seem to know when to let a man -alone--and that in itself precludes any possibility of telling you to -stay away. How do you know that sort of thing?" - -"Accident of birth," said Gerd wryly. - -"Spacewash." - -"You think I studied to learn it?" - -Andrew laughed. "If I thought that, I'd apply for entrance to the same -school," he said. "I'd like to have that trait myself." - -Lenore interrupted. "Andy," she said, "you must remember that Gerd is -a sensitive man. You might have been a sensitive man at one time, but -being a publisher has taken all of the reticence out of you. Wresting -hidden secrets from people who have things to hide is life and blood -for a newsman--and it does not make a man sensitive for other people's -feelings." - -"Well," grumbled Andrew, "I'd like to be able to recognize when someone -does not want to be bothered, anyway." - -"And those are just the people you'd bother, I know." - -"But what was bothering you?" asked Gerd with honest concern. - -"I was just thinking about brains. One of the women said that your -wife's brains excluded her from the 'dangerous female' classification -because she wouldn't be really bothered with any one of the husbands -present. It led to other trains of thought and I came to the universal -question: Why does a man use but nine tenths of his brain?" - -"Oh that? That's obvious! You have a flier. What is its peak power?" - -"About seven dirats." - -"And it develops that total power only at high speed. Suppose you drove -the machine at that power all the time?" - -"Wouldn't last--besides, you couldn't. It takes time to get to that -speed." - -"Right. It is a matter of capacity. The brain is built to exceed the -present demand, Andy. When it is needed, it will be available. Nature -expects that the brain will be called on, one hundred percent, and she -intends to keep increasing that availability as it is needed. But it -takes millions of years to develop and evolve something as intricate -as brain-material, and nature does not intend that you and I catch up -with her and find her adaptive ultimate inadequate to proceed because -of her lack of foresight. The necessities of brain material have far -exceeded her ability to evolve it, up to the present time. You're using -infinitely greater proportions of your brain than your ancestors. -Suppose that they had been running at full capability? You'd be -limited; at the top of your capability to progress. - -"So, Andrew, you're running on one tenth of your brain all because no -real thinking can come out of a full brain. The fill will increase, -with evolution and science, to high percentages, but will never reach -saturation. Saturation, I believe, might be dangerous." - -"Sounds plausible," admitted Andrew. - -"It is true," said Gerd. "And now before you drive yourself mad by -thinking in circles, come and have a good time." - -"No, I've just thought of something important. Your explanation gave -me the impetus to think it out. Lenore, do you mind if I leave for an -hour?" - -"I'd better go along--" - -"Please do not," objected Gerd. "Andy, I'll see that Lenore is properly -entertained in your absence. May I?" - -Andrew nodded, and Lenore smiled brightly. "I'll be in excellent -company," she said. - -"The best," agreed Andrew. "Don't forget that Gaya is here, too." - -"This is an evening of pleasure," said Gerd. "One, I should not deny -Gaya her admiration nor her friends the opportunity of being with her. -Two, Gaya and I understand one another perfectly." - -"Look, Gerd, I was fooling with Lenore. No one has any illusions about -either you or Gaya, or fears, or doubts, or worries. If you'll keep -Lenore from being lonely while I'm gone, I'll be more than grateful. -See you in an hour." - -"Fair enough." - - * * * * * - -Andrew drove his flier at almost peak power all the way to Gene's home -and dropped in on the roof with a sharp landing. He raced inside and -found Gene working over a bread-board layout of an amplifier for the -thought frequencies. - -He told Gene about Rayne's speech and waited for an answer. - -"What did you expect?" asked Gene. "The answer?" - -"No, but I hoped to catch him." - -"In catching anything, Andy, you should first know more than your -rabbit." - -"You do not believe it?" - -"Nope." Gene handed the editor a sheet of paper. "Follow that?" - -Andrew started down the listed equations and stopped after the fourth. -"Way ahead of me. How did you derive this term here?" - -"By deduction." - -"Guesswork?" - -"Deduction. It can be nothing else." - -"But knowing that is like establishing the validity of a negative -result." - -"Yes, but I tried everything else and nothing else worked." - -"You tried everything? Look, Gene, everything covers--" - -"I know," grinned Gene. "Space is bigger than anything. I'm going to -make another try at seeking the possible conflicting term. That is, as -soon as I get this field-generator adjusted higher." - -"You did it with that?" - -"So far, yes. But it still leaves a lot to be desired. Now, I've got it -running properly. Give me that paper and stand back out of the way!" - -Gene set the temple-clamp over his head and snapped the switch. The -equipment warmed for a minute, and then Gene started to put characters -down on the page as fast as he could write. He filled a half page in -finger-cramping fury, and then stopped writing to stare at the page for -a full ten seconds. Another equation appeared after this, and another -which Gene combined. There was no more writing for a full minute then, -and Andrew lost all track or semblance of order to Gene's writing. A -scant term here, a single character there, a summation line--it became -a sort of mathematical shorthand; a mere reminder of the salient points -in the argument. The manipulation of the terms went on mentally. - -The tenseness increased. The shorthand scrawls became fewer and fewer -and disappeared entirely. The paper was forgotten, and the pencil -dropped from Gene's fingers. - -Andrew watched, held by the intensity of Gene's thinking. The other man -was motionless, his muscles tensed slightly. An hour passed, and Gene -had not moved, before Andrew became worried. He remembered-- - -"Gene had not blinked his eye for forty minutes!" - -"Gene! Gene!" - -No answer. - -"Shut that thing off!" - -No answer. - - * * * * * - -Andrew stood up, looked around, and then stepped forward. Nothing -happened, so he took another step forward. What had happened to Gene? -He didn't know, but he was going to find out. He stepped forward again, -and then walked into the field of the machine. A wave of excitement -filled him as the leakage-impact caught him; it heightened his -perceptive sense and increased his emotional powers proportionately to -the square of the distance between himself and the machine. He touched -the corner of the desk with the tip of his hand and though he was not -looking at the wood he knew that it was Terran oak, had been varnished -with synthanic twice, and that it should be refinished again in a few -months if it was to be preserved adequately. The air in the room came -to his notice, and a portion of his brain found time to wonder at the -phenomena for the breath of life is seldom questioned. Yet the air -seemed tangy, pleasant, as though some subtle perfumes had been blended -in it. He forgot the air in a quick inspection of the inert man. Yes, -he knew without close examination that the psychologist was dead. From -what cause? Andrew guessed that it was overload; if his senses and -brain power were heightened with this mere field-leakage of Gene's -machine, the effect of being in absolute contact with the machine's -output would be similar to running a small motor without protective -circuits from a high-power source. Gene had succeeded too well. - -His perception of his surroundings continued to lift into the higher -levels. Knotty little problems did not bother him, and his mind leaped -from problem to answer without stopping to investigate and inspect the -in-between steps. - -Andrew wondered whether leaving the machine would cause his increased -perception to drop. Forgetting Gene because the dead psychologist was -no longer a sentient being, Andrew turned and walked away from the -desk. The field must be terrific, he thought, and to further check the -field effect, Andrew left the building and made his way down the street. - -He finally dismissed the dead man from his mind. The things he saw -and felt and knew were of greater consequence--and whether or not the -effect failed, there was one great question that he, Andrew Tremaine, -was going to solve. - -He returned to the party. - -He stood upon the rim of the dance floor and considered the crowd of -circling dancers. He listened to the light chatter and the foolish -laughter and he pitied them. His ears, he found, had taken on a sort -of selectivity and were infinitely higher in sensitivity--and yet he -could control that sound-pickup to a comfortable degree. Talk from -the far side of the floor came to him, filtered from the rest of the -general noise-level by his own, newly-found ability. He shamelessly -listened to the conversations, and found them dull and uninteresting. - -Through the broad doorway at the far side of the floor he looked in -upon the bar. The odor of liquor came then, powerful and overwhelming -until Andrew decided that it was too strong and caused his smell-sense -to drop. - -Foolishness. - -There were so many important things to be done and these people were -frittering their time away in utter foolishness. He wondered whether -Gerd Lel Rayne would agree with him, and with the thought he knew where -to find the emissary. He turned and went through the moving crowd -impatiently until he found Rayne and Lenore. - - * * * * * - -"You're back?" asked Lenore. - -"Obviously," he said shortly. "Rayne, I have a question to ask." - -"Come now, Andrew," came the booming, resonant answer, "you're not -going to mix business with pleasure?" - -"I must--for I may lose the trend of my thought if I wait." - -"Then by all means ... Lenore, you'll forgive us?" - -"Yes," smiled she, "but not for too long." - -Andrew contemplated his wife's exquisite shoulders as she left, and -then he turned back to Gerd and bluntly asked: "Gerd, doesn't all this -waste of time, effort, and brain-power disgust you?" - -"Not at all. I find that relaxation is good." - -"But the time--and life is so short." - -"Continuous running of any machine will cause its life to be shorter. -The same is true of the brain." - -"Thought is thought, and we use the same portion of the brain while -thinking foolishness as while thinking in deep, profound terms." - -"Perhaps so." - -"Don't you know?" - -"Who does?" - -"You and I know. Gerd, what is behind all of this? Who are you?" - -"You know who I am." - -Yes, Andrew knew. His higher perception told him without argument that -Gerd Lel Rayne was exactly what the emissary claimed. - -"But why?" - -"Pure and sheer altruism." - -"What do you want?" - -"Nothing. We are but waiting until you evolve to the proper degree to -join us. At that time you are welcome." - -"Then," stormed Andrew, "why not help us evolve?" - -"Impossible." - -"Nonsense. You are not too far above me." - -"At the present time you and I are fairly equal in intelligence. You've -been working with the mental amplifier, haven't you? A more hellish -instrument has never been invented, Andy." - -"I find myself enjoying the sensation. If there is one thing that -will raise our general level sufficiently, it is this machine. Can it -be, Gerd, that your race does not want us to evolve? Do you want us to -remain ignorant? Do you fear our competition?" - -"My race," said Gerd with pride, "has absolutely nothing that your -race can use. Your race has absolutely nothing that can possibly be of -interest to us--save eventual evolution into our civilization-level. -That we desire." - -"Since the level of my intelligence has been raised to equal yours, why -couldn't the same process work on my race as a whole. The problem then -will be solved immediately." - -"I see that your answer does not lie with me. Also, since you are equal -to me, you must be capable of understanding the whole truth. Will you -come to my home immediately?" - -"To solve this problem? Certainly." - -"Then come quickly. A member of the Ones is there now, reading my -periodic report. I will prevail upon him to see you. But it must be -swift, for he is due to leave in about one hour." - -They went from the building side by side and entered Rayne's flier. -Andrew wondered whether the emissary was willing to discuss the problem -before his visit, and decided to try. "Who is your visitor?" - -"He is Yord Tan Verde." - -"A sort of high overseer?" - -"Sort of. He is not connected with the Grand Council of Galactic -Civilization in any managerial position, though. Yord is merely one of -the group-leaders--a field representative." - -"Do you mind discussing yourself?" - -"I'd prefer not--though if you ask me a question that I think is not -too personal, I'll be glad to answer." - -"Your I.Q. is 260, according to the register. If he is your immediate -superior, what must his be?" - -Rayne shook his head. "I don't really know," he answered. "Your Terran -method of rating intelligence is based upon age. Since your age is -based upon a purely Terran concept, we could not possibly rate our -intelligence on your basis, until we encounter your machines. Frankly, -I'd say his was higher--but you shall see." - - * * * * * - -Gerd stopped Andrew at the door to his library. "Wait," he said. "I'll -see if Yord is willing to see you." - -"If he isn't?" - -"I'll be as persuasive as I can. I think he may be interested when I -inform him that you have artificially increased your I.Q. to my level." - -"You think so?" - -"I know so. However, Andrew, it will not be a productive interest. Your -means is still artificial and not to be assumed adequate." - -"Why not?" - -"Because without the machine to step up your brain, you'd revert to -your original state in a single generation. It is worse than the fabled -death of power--for power is also the power to destroy. To lose the -power of understanding and to leave the machines of intelligence lying -around for all to play with would be disastrous. No, you wait and I'll -go in and prepare Yord Tan Verde." - -Rayne left the door partly open. There was a greeting in an alien -tongue, and then as the other voice continued, Gerd interrupted. -"Please--I was trained in Terran. I think best in Terran. May we use -it?" - -Verde's reply came in Terran. "I'd forgotten." - -"Thank you." Gerd Lel Rayne explained the situation to his overseer, -and it was quite obvious to Andrew that Gerd accelerated the story -continuously, and the emissary ended with an air that gave Andrew to -understand that the overseer was quite impatient and that he was ahead -of Gerd. - -The answer was a single word. It was unintelligible to Andrew at first, -and then it soaked in that Verde had uttered the word: "Inconsistent." - -Gerd objected at length and began to explain the workings of Andrew's -mind. - -"Granted!" came the answer half-way through the account. "Have him -enter--he may be able to understand." - -Gerd came out and nodded at Andrew. "Go in," he said with an -encouraging smile. "And--good luck." - -"Thanks, Gerd," said Andrew. He straightened up his shoulders and -entered the inner library. - -He fell under the full, interested glance of Yord Tan Verde as he -entered, and Andrew's eyes were held immobile. His springy step -faltered, and his swift and purposeful walk slowed to a slogging -trudge. Andrew came up to the desk, looked full in the face of the -One, shook his head in understanding, finally; and then by sheer force -dropped his eyes. He turned and left the room. - -Gerd was waiting for him, a sympathetic smile upon his benign face. -Andrew looked at him for a long, quiet moment. Then: "You--are his -emissary?" - -"I am--a moron," Gerd said evenly. - -"You have a job." - -"I am his in-between." - -"Because only a moron can understand us," said Andrew slowly. - -"No--because your people can understand me, but not the Ones." - -"And my efforts with the mental amplifier can do no more than bring me -to your level." - -"Worse, Andrew. Nature causes many sports to be sterile because they -interfere with her proper plan. Your machine will introduce sterility." - -"I have one protecting job to do myself," said Andrew thoughtfully. -"Or--perhaps it should be maintained--secretly, of course, for some -emergency?" - -"Your race is adequately protected." - -Andrew shrugged. "I see. Terra will need neither the machine nor its -product." - - - THE END. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOCATION *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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Smith</p> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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 <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Vocation</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: George O. Smith</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Illustrator: Williams</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: June 5, 2022 [eBook #68247]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net.</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOCATION ***</div> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>Vocation</h1> - -<h2>By GEORGE O. SMITH</h2> - -<p>Illustrated by Williams</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1945.<br /> -Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> -the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>Gerd Lel Rayne stood in the arched doorway of the living room of his -home and smiled at the Terran. Andrew Tremaine smiled up at his host -with an almost microscopic feeling of annoyance. The Terran was a large -man, well proportioned, but the other was somewhat larger and somewhat -in better proportion. The annoyance was the usual jealousy of the -better man.</p> - -<p>Tremaine knew that Gerd was a better man, and he stifled his feeling of -annoyance because hating Gerd was unjust. Besides, Tremaine wanted a -favor and one does not irritate a favor-giver.</p> - -<p>Gerd Lel Rayne was of a breed that could know when a man disliked him -no matter how well it was concealed. Therefore—</p> - -<p>Andrew smiled. "You've been well?"</p> - -<p>"Positively dripping with good health," boomed Gerd in a resonant -voice. "And yourself?"</p> - -<p>"Fair to middling."</p> - -<p>"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Will you have refreshment?"</p> - -<p>"A cigarette, perhaps."</p> - -<p>Gerd opened an ornate box on the table and offered Andrew a cigarette. -Andrew puffed it into illumination and exhaled a cloud of smoke. -"Busy?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes," drawled Gerd. "I'm always busy, more or less. But being busy or -un-busy is my own desire. Being without something to do would drive me -crazy, I'm sure." Gerd laughed at the thought. "At the present time I'm -busy seeing you. Is this a business visit or a personal visit?"</p> - -<p>"Partly pleasure, partly business. There's something been bothering me -for some time."</p> - -<p>"Glad to help—That's what I'm here for, you know."</p> - -<p>"Now that I'm here," admitted Andrew with some abashment, "I have a -feeling that the same question has been asked and answered before. -But I want to hear, firsthand, why your race denies us the secret of -interstellar travel."</p> - -<p>"Because you have not developed it yet," said Gerd. "Yes, we could give -it to you. You couldn't use it."</p> - -<p>"You're looking down at us again."</p> - -<p>"I'm honestly sorry that I give you that opinion. I have no desire to -look down at anything or anyone. Please believe me."</p> - -<p>"But—"</p> - -<p>"May I offer an hypothetical case?" asked Gerd, and then went on -because he knew the answer to his own question: "A hundred years ago, -the Terrans were living without directive power. You used solar phoenix -power. It brought you out of the mire of wire and machinery under which -Terra writhed. You were, you thought, quite advanced. You were. But, -Andy, could you have used directives? Supposing that I had given you -the secret of directive power? What would have happened?"</p> - -<p>"Um—Trouble, perhaps. But with supervision?"</p> - -<p>"I can not give you supervision. I am but one. Consider, Andy. A planet -filled with inventive people, a large quantity of which are highly -trained technically. What would they say to a program which restricted -them to any single phase? We came, and all that we could do to assist -was to let your race know that directive power was available. The -problem of power is an interesting thing, Andy. The initial steps into -any realm of power are such that the discoverers are self-protected by -their own lack of knowledge, and their investigations lead them into -more and more knowledge; they gain the dangerous after learning how to -protect themselves against it. The directive power could destroy not -only Terra but the entire Solar System if improperly applied."</p> - -<p>"What you're saying is that we could not understand it," objected -Andrew.</p> - -<p>"I admit it. Could a savage hurt himself if permitted to enter a -powerhouse—even one of the primitive electronic places? Obviously he -could. Even were he given the tools of the art, his survival might -be a matter of guesswork. Only study permits any of us to work with -power, Andy. When the Terrans are capable of handling the source of -interstellar power, it shall come to them—be discovered by them, if -you will. Meanwhile I can but watch and wait, and when I am approached -I can and will try to guide Terra. That, Andy, is my job."</p> - -<p>"We'll hunt for it!"</p> - -<p>"I know," said Gerd Lel Rayne with a smile. "Your fellows are hunting -now. I approve. But I may not point the way. Your race must only find -it when you are ready to handle it."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Gerd arose from his chair and flexed the muscles across his back. The -reason for his arising was not clear to Andrew immediately, but it came -less than three seconds later—It was Gaya Lel Rayne, Gerd's mate. -Andrew arose and greeted her with genuine pleasure.</p> - -<p>Her smile was brilliant and genuine. "Business?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes," answered Gerd. "But do not leave, because the discussion is -interesting. Andy, the perfect example of the persistent newsman, is -holding forth on the interstellar power."</p> - -<p>"They've discovered it?" asked Gaya in hopeful pleasure.</p> - -<p>"No," answered Tremaine. "We'd like to, though."</p> - -<p>"You will," said Gaya. "I know you will."</p> - -<p>"We know we will, too," said Andrew. "Our irritation is not that we -shall be denied it, but that it takes us so long to find it when there -is one on Terra that knows it well."</p> - -<p>"Please, Andy. I do most definitely not know it well. I am no -technician."</p> - -<p>Gaya looked at her husband quickly. "He's excusing himself," she said -with a laugh.</p> - -<p>"He's hoping that we'll believe that his knowledge is no better than -ours and that we'll be content. But, Gerd, I know that you know enough -to give us the answer."</p> - -<p>"You know? How, may I ask?"</p> - -<p>"It is inconceivable that you would not know."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps I do," came the slow answer. "Perhaps I do." The tone of the -speech was low and self-reflective. "But again, perhaps I, too, am -in the dangerous position of not knowing enough. You Terrans have a -saying—'A little knowledge is dangerous.' It is true. Again we strike -the parallel. I give you stellar power and you, knowing nothing about -its intricacies, use it. Can you hope to know down which road lies -total destruction?"</p> - -<p>"You are possibly right. We could learn."</p> - -<p>"But not from me," said Gerd with finality. "That I cannot and will not -do. One can not supervise and control the inventiveness of a planet -such as yours. Your rugged individualists would be investigating in -their small laboratories with inadequate protection, and inevitably one -or more of them would strike the danger-spot."</p> - -<p>"I'm answered," said Andrew reluctantly. "Answered negatively. I'm -forced into accepting your statements. They are quite logical—and -Gaya's willingness to be glad for us when she thought that we had -discovered it is evidence that you are not withholding it with malice. -But logic does not fill an empty spot, Gerd."</p> - -<p>Gerd laughed. "If you had everything you want, your race would have -died out before it came out of the jungles."</p> - -<p>Tremaine laughed. "I know," he admitted. "Also—and I'm talking against -my own race—there is the interesting observation that if Heaven is the -place where we have everything we want, why are people always trying to -live as long as they can?"</p> - -<p>"Perhaps they're not certain of the hereafter."</p> - -<p>"Whether they are firmly convinced yes or as firmly convinced no, they -still view death with disfavor. I'd say their dislike was about even. -All right, Gerd. I'll take your statements as you made them and with -reluctance I'll return to my work and ponder."</p> - -<p>"Stay for dinner," urged Gaya. She gave him the benefit of a brilliant -smile, but Andrew shook his head.</p> - -<p>"I've got to write an editorial," he said. "I've got to change one -already written. I was a bit harsh about you, and I feel it was unfair. -Perhaps you'll join us at dinner tomorrow?"</p> - -<p>Gaya laughed. "You're speaking for Lenore, too?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," nodded Andrew. "She'll be glad to see you."</p> - -<p>"Then we'll be glad to come," said Gerd.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>As he left, Gerd turned to his wife and said: "He'll bear watching."</p> - -<p>"I caught your thought. He will. Shall I?"</p> - -<p>"From time to time. Tremaine suspects. He is a brilliant man, Gaya, and -for his own peace of mind, he must never know the truth."</p> - -<p>"If he suspects," said Gaya thoughtfully, "it may mean that he has too -little to do. There are many sciences—would it be possible to hint the -way into one. That might occupy his mind enough to exclude the other -question."</p> - -<p>"In another man it might work. But Andrew Tremaine is not a physical -scientist. He is a mental scientist working in an applied line. To give -him the key to any science would mean just momentarily postponing the -pursuit of the original problem. Were he a physical scientist, his mind -would never have come upon the question in the first place. I'm almost -tempted to let loose the initial key to stellar power."</p> - -<p>Gaya blanched. "They'd destroy everything. No, Gerd, not that. You'd be -defying the Ones."</p> - -<p>"I know," nodded Gerd. "I have to continue for my own personal -satisfaction. Giving in is the easy way—and entirely foreign to -our policy. Terra must find their goal alone. You and I, Gaya, must -never interfere. We are emissaries only; evidences of good will and -friendship. Our position is made most difficult because of the general -impression, held by all Terrans, that an ambassador is a man who lies -to you, who knows that he is lying, and who further knows that you know -he is lying—and still goes ahead and lies, smiling cheerfully at the -same time."</p> - -<p>"We've given good evidence of our friendship."</p> - -<p>"Naturally. That's our main purpose in life. To befriend, to protect, -even to aid when possible. One day, Gaya, Terra will be one of us. -But guiding Terra and the Solar System into such a channel is most -difficult. Yet, who is to do it but you and I?"</p> - -<p>"Shall we request advice? Perhaps the Ones will be interested to know -that Terrans are overly ambitious?"</p> - -<p>"You mean they're too confounded curious? The Ones know that. The Ones -put us here because we can cope with Terra—I'll make mention of it in -the standard report—but coping with Terra is our problem, presented to -us, and given with the expectation that we shall handle it well. To ask -for any aid would be an admission of undisputed failure."</p> - -<p>"I guess you're right."</p> - -<p>Gerd smiled. "Honestly, there is no real danger. If we are capable of -protecting them, we should be equally capable of protecting ourselves -against them. And," said Gerd with an expansive gesture, "the Ones -rate us adequate. We can do no more than to prove their trust. After -all, our race has been wrong about a classification only once in three -galactic years."</p> - -<p>"I might be worried," smiled Gaya. "Isn't it about time for them to -make another mistake?"</p> - -<p>Gerd put his hands on her shoulders and shook her gently. -"Superstitious lady," he said, "that's against the Law of -Probabilities."</p> - -<p>"No," disagreed Gaya with a smile. "Right in accordance with it. When -the tossed coin comes up heads ten million times without a tail, it -indicates that there may be two heads on the coin, or that some outside -force is at work. I was fooling, Gerd."</p> - -<p>"I know," he said with a laugh. "Now enough of our worries. What's on -the program this evening?"</p> - -<p>"Dinner with Executive General Atkins and wife. Theater afterwards."</p> - -<p>"I'd better dress, then," said Gerd. "Complete with all the trimmings. -Toni Atkins would be horrified at the idea of dining without the males -all girded and braced in full formal dress."</p> - -<p>"Once dinner is over, you'll enjoy them."</p> - -<p>"I always do," said Gerd. "They're both interesting people. Save for -her ideas of propriety."</p> - -<p>Gaya pushed him in the direction of the dressing room. "I do, too," -she called after him with malicious pleasure. "And remember, that I'm -just as they are—and not above them at all."</p> - -<p>"I might be able to get the legislature to pass laws against women," -returned Gerd thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"The result might be quite devastating," said Gaya.</p> - -<p>The answer came back through the closing door. It was a cheerful laugh, -and: "Yes, wouldn't it?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Andrew Tremaine jerked the paper from the electrotyper and pressed two -buzzers simultaneously. The answer to one came immediately: "Yes?"</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"Tell Jackson that the editorial page is complete and that he should -get the revised copy set up."</p> - -<p>"Yes, Mr. Tremaine. It's on the way."</p> - -<p>"Should be coming out of his typer now."</p> - -<p>"I'll call him."</p> - -<p>The door opened, and the answer to buzzer number two entered.</p> - -<p>He was a tall, thin, pale-looking man with stooped shoulders and thick -glasses. He came in and seated himself before Andrew's desk and waited -in silence until the editor spoke.</p> - -<p>"Gene, how many fields in psychology have you covered?"</p> - -<p>The other shook his head. "Since I came to work for you, only one. -Applied psychology, or the art of finding out what people want to be -told and then telling them."</p> - -<p>"That's soft-soapism."</p> - -<p>"You name it," grinned the thin man. "You asked for it. Oh, we've -carried the burning torch often enough—that's the other psychology. -Finding out what people think is good for them and crying against it."</p> - -<p>"Or both."</p> - -<p>"Or both," smiled Gene.</p> - -<p>"This is a crazy business, sometimes. I'm on another branch again, -Gene. How much of the human brain is used?"</p> - -<p>"Less than ten percent."</p> - -<p>"Right. What would happen if the whole brain were used?</p> - -<p>"Andy, what kind of a card file would you need to do the following: -One: locate from a mention the complete account of a complex -experience; two: do it almost instantly, and three: compile the data in -five dimensions?"</p> - -<p>"Five dim—? Are you kidding?"</p> - -<p>"Not at all. Each of the five senses are essentially different and will -require separate cards to make the picture complete. A rose smell, -for instance, would be meaningless alone—you must classify it. The -same card would not fit for all rose-smelling memories since some are -strong, some are weak, some are mixed with other minor odors, and so -forth. Do you follow?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, but aren't we getting off the track?"</p> - -<p>"Not at all. If your mind can run through ten to the fiftieth power -experiences in five mediums and come up with the proper, correlated -accounts, all in a matter of seconds—think what the same mind might be -able to do if presented with a lesser problem."</p> - -<p>"Why can't it do just that?"</p> - -<p>"Because when you start to figure out a problem, something restricts -your brain power to less than ten percent of its capability."</p> - -<p>"That means that ninety percent of the brain is nonfunctional."</p> - -<p>"Right. It is. You can carve better than half of a man's brain out and -not impair a single memory, or action, or ability."</p> - -<p>"And nature does not continue with a nonfunctional organ."</p> - -<p>"Nature would most certainly weed out anything that was completely -useless. Evolution of a nonfunctional part does not happen."</p> - -<p>"Appendix?"</p> - -<p>"It had a use once. It is atrophying now. But the brain should be -increasing since we're using it more every year. Instead of being -forced into increase by demand, the brain is already too big for the -work. How did it get that way?"</p> - -<p>"You'll never explain it by the law of supply and demand," said Gene. -"We might go over a few brains with analyzers."</p> - -<p>"And if you get a nonconforming curve, then what?"</p> - -<p>"Fifty years of eliminating the sand to get the single grain of gold."</p> - -<p>"You mean process of elimination?"</p> - -<p>"Didn't I say it?"</p> - -<p>"You'd never recognize it," said Andrew. They both laughed.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"But what brought you to this conference?" asked Gene. "Knowing you as -I do, you aren't just spending the time of day."</p> - -<p>"No, I'm not. Look, Gene, what do you know about Gerd Lel Rayne?"</p> - -<p>"Just common knowledge."</p> - -<p>"I know. But catalogue it for me. I am trying to think of something and -you may urge the thought into solidification."</p> - -<p>"Sounds silly," said Gene. "But here it is—and quite incoherent." -He laughed. "What was I saying about the excellence of memory files? -Well, anyway, Gerd Lel Rayne is a member of a race that has and employs -interstellar travel. Terra has nothing, produces nothing, manufactures -nothing that this race requires. Neither, according to Gerd, has this -race anything that would interest Terrans. Save power and the stellar -drive."</p> - -<p>"Stellar power," muttered Andrew.</p> - -<p>"What was that? Stellar Power? Call it that if you wish. It may -well be called that for lack of a better name. At any rate, it is -more than obvious that Gerd Lel Rayne and his wife enjoy us. They -are emissaries—ambassadors of good will, if you want to call them -that—whose sole purpose is to give advice upon things that Terra does -not quite understand."</p> - -<p>"Except stellar power."</p> - -<p>"Reason enough for that," said Gene. "Terra is a sort of vicious race. -We were forced to fight for our very existence. We fought animals, -nature, plants, insects, reptiles, the earth itself. We've fought and -won against weather and wind and sun and rain. And when we ran out of -things to fight, we fought among ourselves because there were too many -differences of opinion as to how men should live. We, Andrew Tremaine, -are civilized—and yet the one thing we all enjoy is a bare-handed -fight to the finish between two members of our own race."</p> - -<p>"That's not true."</p> - -<p>"Yes it is. What sport has undergone little change for a thousand -years? It is no sport using equipment. The equipment-sports are -constantly changing with the development of new materials with which to -make the equipment. Take the ancient game of golf, for instance. They -used to make four strikes to cover a stinking four hundred yard green. -That's because control of materials was insufficiently perfect to -maintain precision. No two golf balls were identical, and no two clubs -were alike.</p> - -<p>"But—and stop me if my rambling annoys you, although it is seldom that -I am permitted to ramble—the sport of ring-fighting is still similar -to its inception. Men stand in a ring and fight with their hands until -one is <i>hors de combat</i> for a period of ten seconds. They used gloves -at one time, I believe, but men are harder and stronger now—and -surgery repairs scars, mars, and abrasions. Also, my fine and literary -friend, the audience, gentle people, like to see the vanquished -battered, torn, and slightly damaged. Civilization! One step removed -from Ancient Roma, where they tossed malcontents into an arena to see -if he could avoid being eaten by a hungry carnivore!</p> - -<p>"Well, the one thing that Terra would most probably do is to make use -of this drive and go out and fight with the Ones."</p> - -<p>"Are they afraid?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know. I'd hardly think so."</p> - -<p>"Gene, you're wrong. They wouldn't even bother brushing us off."</p> - -<p>"No?"</p> - -<p>"No. We'd be polished off before we got to see them. There's something -else there and I don't know what it is."</p> - -<p>"You don't follow the hatred angle?"</p> - -<p>"You, my friend, have a warped personality. You have the usual -viewpoint of a man of minor stature. That lanky body of yours has -driven you into believing that your race is tough, vicious, and most -deadly to everything. Not because you really believe it, but you -yourself are not tough, deadly, or invincible but you want to belong to -a group that is."</p> - -<p>"You think them benign?"</p> - -<p>"I wonder—but am forced to believe the overwhelming pile of evidence. -In every way, Gerd and his wife have been willing to co-operate. -They've willingly submitted themselves to our mental testing—and -that is complete, believe me—and in every case they have proven -intelligent, enthusiastic, and capable. Oh, we make mistakes, but not -such complete blunders. I'll tell you one thing, Gene. I went over -there today to ask one question. I wanted to know just why they refuse -to give us the stellar power. Their answer was that we were not ready -for it—and in the face of it, I was forced to agree."</p> - -<p>"Whitewash."</p> - -<p>"Think so? Then tell me how you can tell."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Gerd Lel Rayne is a supergenius, according to the card files. -Intelligence Quotient 260! That, my friend, is high enough to fool the -machine!"</p> - -<p>"Nonsense."</p> - -<p>"A machine, Andy, is a mechanical projection of a man's mind. It -is built to do that which can not be done by man himself. It is -capable—sometimes—of exceeding man's desire by a small amount, but -is seldom capable of coping with a situation for which it is not -engineered. Since no man on Terra has an I.Q. of higher than about 160, -for a guess, the machine can not be engineered to analyze mentalities -of I.Q. 260 without fail."</p> - -<p>"You do not believe the I.Q. 260 then?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I believe that machine. But the one that gives the curves of -intent can be fooled by such a man."</p> - -<p>"Then what is his purpose?"</p> - -<p>"Supposing this race intends to take over?"</p> - -<p>"Then why don't they just move in and take?"</p> - -<p>"Time. Say this race is overrunning the Galaxy. No matter how they -start, plans must be made, even if they originated on Centauri. -Since—and let's try to put ourselves in their place and consider. -They have not moved in. That means a waiting period of some kind. It -also means considerable distance from home base, because if we were -close to them, the program would have started already. Now, since there -is this waiting program, we can assume that they are not ready yet. And -not being ready means one of two things. They are finding opposition -on other planets of other systems. In this case it is not Divide and -Conquer, but <i>keep divided in order to conquer</i>!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"I'm beginning to follow you."</p> - -<p>"If we had the drive, and the power for it, their job might well be -impossible. I doubt that anything alive could make conquest of an armed -planet unless that planet was quite inferior in weapons. Given the same -weapons and power, and at best stalemate. For the very energy-mass of a -planet is unbelievably great, and the weapons that may be permanently -anchored in the granite of Terra would be able to withstand anything -up to and including another, equally armed planet to stalemate or -draw. And granting that Terrans are hard-boiled people because we were -brought up that way from infancy, we'd give any race a mighty tough -fight."</p> - -<p>"Then what do you want me to do?"</p> - -<p>"I want knowledge. I want something that will permit me to use that -ninety percent of my brain."</p> - -<p>"How in the devil do you expect me to come up with something like -that?"</p> - -<p>Andrew Tremaine smiled solemnly and said, flatly: "Gene, I'm almost -convinced that Gerd Lel Rayne and company are generating some -force-field that prevents it!"</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>Gene sat silent after that. He thought about it for some time before -answering. "The answer to that," he said very slowly and very -carefully, "is this: If some force is being generated to prevent full -use of the human brain, a counter-force may be set up to nullify the -field. That will be simple enough once we isolate the field that -prevents thought. But on the other hand, if no such field exists and -it is just one of those paradoxes, we'll have considerable working to -do to generate a force-field that <i>will</i> permit one hundred percent -brain-usage."</p> - -<p>"Right. And remembering that this may be the answer to Terra's -existence, we'll have to keep it silent."</p> - -<p>"You're handing me the job?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. You're a practising psychologist. You're also an amateur -technician. If you need anything, no matter what, requisition it and -I'll see that it is O.K.'d. Send the thing to me marked <i>personal</i> so -that some clerk won't toss it out for not belonging to the publishing -business."</p> - -<p>"You know how much this will cost?"</p> - -<p>"Sure. You'll start off with a copy of the I.Q. Register and recorder -and work your way up through the intent-register. From there on in, -Gene, you're on your own. And—alone! I do not want to know what you're -doing. I might let it out before Rayne or his wife. Come to me as soon -as you find something."</p> - -<p>"Right. But look, Andy. Why not give me a batch of signed requisitions -so that you won't know what I'm working on next?"</p> - -<p>"Good. I'll sign me one block, and mail it to your home. You are fired -as of now for ... for—"</p> - -<p>"Differing with the management in a matter of policy."</p> - -<p>"Excellent. And when the requisition numbering the last of the block -comes in, I'll sign up and mail another block to your home. Leave a -forwarding address. The bank will honor your signature on company -checks to the tune of one thousand dollars per month."</p> - -<p>"Applied psychology is wonderful," smiled the tall, thin man. "You -wouldn't have trusted me a thousand years ago."</p> - -<p>"There are a lot of people I wouldn't trust now, today."</p> - -<p>"But the difference is, Andy, that nowadays you know whom you can -trust."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Gaya Lel Rayne's entry into the grand ballroom had the same effect, -just as it always had. In another woman it might have produced -triangle-trouble, but Gaya's attraction for men was not her only charm; -the woman who hated her for her ability to draw men was one who did -not know her. Once introduced, and permitted to talk with Gaya, the -jealous dislike died, for Gaya was not far below her husband in wit and -intelligence. Like all intelligent people, Gaya was capable of making -herself liked by all, even in the face of dislike. Those who still -felt the twinge of jealousy often pitied her; feeling that her beauty -was compensation for the necessity that she be of high intelligence, -and quite certain of their husbands, whom they knew would not care to -live their lives with a woman who outshone them in every field. They -knew also that there was but one man on the whole planet that Gaya -loved—Gerd. He was the only man she could possibly love and the only -man who could possibly love her. Gerd was the only man who could even -keep up with her thought-processes.</p> - -<p>Gerd had his amusement, too. Partly in payment for the slight put upon -them by their husbands, Gerd was surrounded by women as he entered. And -they knew that he was more than capable of running far ahead of their -own devious thought-processes, a condition which they hoped was untrue -in their husbands. Yet he was interesting and attractive, and equally -as versatile as his wife.</p> - -<p>The party took on a faster air, and all were dazzled save one. Andrew -Tremaine stood on the side lines and watched.</p> - -<p>He saw Gaya whirl from man to man across the dance floor and with equal -amusement he saw Gerd moving through a closely-knit crowd. He wished -fervently for someone to discuss it with, but even his wife was in the -press of people about Gerd Lel Rayne.</p> - -<p>Emissaries, he thought. Ambassadors who cut their mentality because -they did not care to appear so far beyond their friends would certainly -develop a contempt. It must be so, if for no other reason than it could -not be otherwise. Andrew wondered what made them tick.</p> - -<p>He'd heard from Gene Leglen briefly. It was not good. A negative -result—which was inconclusive. Yet, according to the letter, the -thought-process frequencies had been inspected carefully by the most -delicate detector that Gene could make, and he had found nothing out of -line. Strays from the I.Q. Register machine that ran continually in -the shielded vault below the psychology building in government square -were recorded; a few pip-markers leaked out of the intent-register on -strong impulses and caused Gene's machine to chatter wildly at long -and indefinite times; even a few infra-faint recordings came from the -intent-register machine as a matrix was sent through to record changes -from a previous marking were caught on Gene's detector.</p> - -<p>But nothing with overall intensity. Nothing that could be expected to -block the operation of nine tenths of a man's brain.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Andy saw Rayne approaching with Lenore, and smiled.</p> - -<p>"Why so thoughtful?" asked his wife.</p> - -<p>"Thinking deeply again?" asked Rayne. "More power?"</p> - -<p>"Don't laugh at me, Gerd," pleaded Andrew.</p> - -<p>"Laugh at you?" asked Gerd in genuine dismay. "Never. You are a good -friend, Andrew. I will never laugh at you." He shook his head. "Tell -me, what makes you think I'm laughing?"</p> - -<p>"I can not but think, sometimes, that you are playing with all of us."</p> - -<p>"Please ... please. Is there nothing I can do to dispel this idea, -this fixation of yours?" he turned to Lenore. "Do you, too, think I'm -toying?"</p> - -<p>"No," she said quickly. "You're too fine a person to toy with another. -I know."</p> - -<p>Gerd flustered at that. "The trouble with this job of mine," he said, -"is that no one ever tells me that I'm a meddling fool or to mind my -own business."</p> - -<p>"That's your fault," said Andrew. "Honestly, I doubt that there is -a man on this confounded planet that wouldn't hasten to carry your -banner. You are a well-liked man, Gerd, and as such no one wants to -tell you off. Furthermore, you always seem to know when to let a man -alone—and that in itself precludes any possibility of telling you to -stay away. How do you know that sort of thing?"</p> - -<p>"Accident of birth," said Gerd wryly.</p> - -<p>"Spacewash."</p> - -<p>"You think I studied to learn it?"</p> - -<p>Andrew laughed. "If I thought that, I'd apply for entrance to the same -school," he said. "I'd like to have that trait myself."</p> - -<p>Lenore interrupted. "Andy," she said, "you must remember that Gerd is -a sensitive man. You might have been a sensitive man at one time, but -being a publisher has taken all of the reticence out of you. Wresting -hidden secrets from people who have things to hide is life and blood -for a newsman—and it does not make a man sensitive for other people's -feelings."</p> - -<p>"Well," grumbled Andrew, "I'd like to be able to recognize when someone -does not want to be bothered, anyway."</p> - -<p>"And those are just the people you'd bother, I know."</p> - -<p>"But what was bothering you?" asked Gerd with honest concern.</p> - -<p>"I was just thinking about brains. One of the women said that your -wife's brains excluded her from the 'dangerous female' classification -because she wouldn't be really bothered with any one of the husbands -present. It led to other trains of thought and I came to the universal -question: Why does a man use but nine tenths of his brain?"</p> - -<p>"Oh that? That's obvious! You have a flier. What is its peak power?"</p> - -<p>"About seven dirats."</p> - -<p>"And it develops that total power only at high speed. Suppose you drove -the machine at that power all the time?"</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't last—besides, you couldn't. It takes time to get to that -speed."</p> - -<p>"Right. It is a matter of capacity. The brain is built to exceed the -present demand, Andy. When it is needed, it will be available. Nature -expects that the brain will be called on, one hundred percent, and she -intends to keep increasing that availability as it is needed. But it -takes millions of years to develop and evolve something as intricate -as brain-material, and nature does not intend that you and I catch up -with her and find her adaptive ultimate inadequate to proceed because -of her lack of foresight. The necessities of brain material have far -exceeded her ability to evolve it, up to the present time. You're using -infinitely greater proportions of your brain than your ancestors. -Suppose that they had been running at full capability? You'd be -limited; at the top of your capability to progress.</p> - -<p>"So, Andrew, you're running on one tenth of your brain all because no -real thinking can come out of a full brain. The fill will increase, -with evolution and science, to high percentages, but will never reach -saturation. Saturation, I believe, might be dangerous."</p> - -<p>"Sounds plausible," admitted Andrew.</p> - -<p>"It is true," said Gerd. "And now before you drive yourself mad by -thinking in circles, come and have a good time."</p> - -<p>"No, I've just thought of something important. Your explanation gave -me the impetus to think it out. Lenore, do you mind if I leave for an -hour?"</p> - -<p>"I'd better go along—"</p> - -<p>"Please do not," objected Gerd. "Andy, I'll see that Lenore is properly -entertained in your absence. May I?"</p> - -<p>Andrew nodded, and Lenore smiled brightly. "I'll be in excellent -company," she said.</p> - -<p>"The best," agreed Andrew. "Don't forget that Gaya is here, too."</p> - -<p>"This is an evening of pleasure," said Gerd. "One, I should not deny -Gaya her admiration nor her friends the opportunity of being with her. -Two, Gaya and I understand one another perfectly."</p> - -<p>"Look, Gerd, I was fooling with Lenore. No one has any illusions about -either you or Gaya, or fears, or doubts, or worries. If you'll keep -Lenore from being lonely while I'm gone, I'll be more than grateful. -See you in an hour."</p> - -<p>"Fair enough."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Andrew drove his flier at almost peak power all the way to Gene's home -and dropped in on the roof with a sharp landing. He raced inside and -found Gene working over a bread-board layout of an amplifier for the -thought frequencies.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus3.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>He told Gene about Rayne's speech and waited for an answer.</p> - -<p>"What did you expect?" asked Gene. "The answer?"</p> - -<p>"No, but I hoped to catch him."</p> - -<p>"In catching anything, Andy, you should first know more than your -rabbit."</p> - -<p>"You do not believe it?"</p> - -<p>"Nope." Gene handed the editor a sheet of paper. "Follow that?"</p> - -<p>Andrew started down the listed equations and stopped after the fourth. -"Way ahead of me. How did you derive this term here?"</p> - -<p>"By deduction."</p> - -<p>"Guesswork?"</p> - -<p>"Deduction. It can be nothing else."</p> - -<p>"But knowing that is like establishing the validity of a negative -result."</p> - -<p>"Yes, but I tried everything else and nothing else worked."</p> - -<p>"You tried everything? Look, Gene, everything covers—"</p> - -<p>"I know," grinned Gene. "Space is bigger than anything. I'm going to -make another try at seeking the possible conflicting term. That is, as -soon as I get this field-generator adjusted higher."</p> - -<p>"You did it with that?"</p> - -<p>"So far, yes. But it still leaves a lot to be desired. Now, I've got it -running properly. Give me that paper and stand back out of the way!"</p> - -<p>Gene set the temple-clamp over his head and snapped the switch. The -equipment warmed for a minute, and then Gene started to put characters -down on the page as fast as he could write. He filled a half page in -finger-cramping fury, and then stopped writing to stare at the page for -a full ten seconds. Another equation appeared after this, and another -which Gene combined. There was no more writing for a full minute then, -and Andrew lost all track or semblance of order to Gene's writing. A -scant term here, a single character there, a summation line—it became -a sort of mathematical shorthand; a mere reminder of the salient points -in the argument. The manipulation of the terms went on mentally.</p> - -<p>The tenseness increased. The shorthand scrawls became fewer and fewer -and disappeared entirely. The paper was forgotten, and the pencil -dropped from Gene's fingers.</p> - -<p>Andrew watched, held by the intensity of Gene's thinking. The other man -was motionless, his muscles tensed slightly. An hour passed, and Gene -had not moved, before Andrew became worried. He remembered—</p> - -<p>"Gene had not blinked his eye for forty minutes!"</p> - -<p>"Gene! Gene!"</p> - -<p>No answer.</p> - -<p>"Shut that thing off!"</p> - -<p>No answer.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Andrew stood up, looked around, and then stepped forward. Nothing -happened, so he took another step forward. What had happened to Gene? -He didn't know, but he was going to find out. He stepped forward again, -and then walked into the field of the machine. A wave of excitement -filled him as the leakage-impact caught him; it heightened his -perceptive sense and increased his emotional powers proportionately to -the square of the distance between himself and the machine. He touched -the corner of the desk with the tip of his hand and though he was not -looking at the wood he knew that it was Terran oak, had been varnished -with synthanic twice, and that it should be refinished again in a few -months if it was to be preserved adequately. The air in the room came -to his notice, and a portion of his brain found time to wonder at the -phenomena for the breath of life is seldom questioned. Yet the air -seemed tangy, pleasant, as though some subtle perfumes had been blended -in it. He forgot the air in a quick inspection of the inert man. Yes, -he knew without close examination that the psychologist was dead. From -what cause? Andrew guessed that it was overload; if his senses and -brain power were heightened with this mere field-leakage of Gene's -machine, the effect of being in absolute contact with the machine's -output would be similar to running a small motor without protective -circuits from a high-power source. Gene had succeeded too well.</p> - -<p>His perception of his surroundings continued to lift into the higher -levels. Knotty little problems did not bother him, and his mind leaped -from problem to answer without stopping to investigate and inspect the -in-between steps.</p> - -<p>Andrew wondered whether leaving the machine would cause his increased -perception to drop. Forgetting Gene because the dead psychologist was -no longer a sentient being, Andrew turned and walked away from the -desk. The field must be terrific, he thought, and to further check the -field effect, Andrew left the building and made his way down the street.</p> - -<p>He finally dismissed the dead man from his mind. The things he saw -and felt and knew were of greater consequence—and whether or not the -effect failed, there was one great question that he, Andrew Tremaine, -was going to solve.</p> - -<p>He returned to the party.</p> - -<p>He stood upon the rim of the dance floor and considered the crowd of -circling dancers. He listened to the light chatter and the foolish -laughter and he pitied them. His ears, he found, had taken on a sort -of selectivity and were infinitely higher in sensitivity—and yet he -could control that sound-pickup to a comfortable degree. Talk from -the far side of the floor came to him, filtered from the rest of the -general noise-level by his own, newly-found ability. He shamelessly -listened to the conversations, and found them dull and uninteresting.</p> - -<p>Through the broad doorway at the far side of the floor he looked in -upon the bar. The odor of liquor came then, powerful and overwhelming -until Andrew decided that it was too strong and caused his smell-sense -to drop.</p> - -<p>Foolishness.</p> - -<p>There were so many important things to be done and these people were -frittering their time away in utter foolishness. He wondered whether -Gerd Lel Rayne would agree with him, and with the thought he knew where -to find the emissary. He turned and went through the moving crowd -impatiently until he found Rayne and Lenore.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"You're back?" asked Lenore.</p> - -<p>"Obviously," he said shortly. "Rayne, I have a question to ask."</p> - -<p>"Come now, Andrew," came the booming, resonant answer, "you're not -going to mix business with pleasure?"</p> - -<p>"I must—for I may lose the trend of my thought if I wait."</p> - -<p>"Then by all means ... Lenore, you'll forgive us?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," smiled she, "but not for too long."</p> - -<p>Andrew contemplated his wife's exquisite shoulders as she left, and -then he turned back to Gerd and bluntly asked: "Gerd, doesn't all this -waste of time, effort, and brain-power disgust you?"</p> - -<p>"Not at all. I find that relaxation is good."</p> - -<p>"But the time—and life is so short."</p> - -<p>"Continuous running of any machine will cause its life to be shorter. -The same is true of the brain."</p> - -<p>"Thought is thought, and we use the same portion of the brain while -thinking foolishness as while thinking in deep, profound terms."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps so."</p> - -<p>"Don't you know?"</p> - -<p>"Who does?"</p> - -<p>"You and I know. Gerd, what is behind all of this? Who are you?"</p> - -<p>"You know who I am."</p> - -<p>Yes, Andrew knew. His higher perception told him without argument that -Gerd Lel Rayne was exactly what the emissary claimed.</p> - -<p>"But why?"</p> - -<p>"Pure and sheer altruism."</p> - -<p>"What do you want?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing. We are but waiting until you evolve to the proper degree to -join us. At that time you are welcome."</p> - -<p>"Then," stormed Andrew, "why not help us evolve?"</p> - -<p>"Impossible."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense. You are not too far above me."</p> - -<p>"At the present time you and I are fairly equal in intelligence. You've -been working with the mental amplifier, haven't you? A more hellish -instrument has never been invented, Andy."</p> - -<p>"I find myself enjoying the sensation. If there is one thing that -will raise our general level sufficiently, it is this machine. Can it -be, Gerd, that your race does not want us to evolve? Do you want us to -remain ignorant? Do you fear our competition?"</p> - -<p>"My race," said Gerd with pride, "has absolutely nothing that your -race can use. Your race has absolutely nothing that can possibly be of -interest to us—save eventual evolution into our civilization-level. -That we desire."</p> - -<p>"Since the level of my intelligence has been raised to equal yours, why -couldn't the same process work on my race as a whole. The problem then -will be solved immediately."</p> - -<p>"I see that your answer does not lie with me. Also, since you are equal -to me, you must be capable of understanding the whole truth. Will you -come to my home immediately?"</p> - -<p>"To solve this problem? Certainly."</p> - -<p>"Then come quickly. A member of the Ones is there now, reading my -periodic report. I will prevail upon him to see you. But it must be -swift, for he is due to leave in about one hour."</p> - -<p>They went from the building side by side and entered Rayne's flier. -Andrew wondered whether the emissary was willing to discuss the problem -before his visit, and decided to try. "Who is your visitor?"</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus4.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"He is Yord Tan Verde."</p> - -<p>"A sort of high overseer?"</p> - -<p>"Sort of. He is not connected with the Grand Council of Galactic -Civilization in any managerial position, though. Yord is merely one of -the group-leaders—a field representative."</p> - -<p>"Do you mind discussing yourself?"</p> - -<p>"I'd prefer not—though if you ask me a question that I think is not -too personal, I'll be glad to answer."</p> - -<p>"Your I.Q. is 260, according to the register. If he is your immediate -superior, what must his be?"</p> - -<p>Rayne shook his head. "I don't really know," he answered. "Your Terran -method of rating intelligence is based upon age. Since your age is -based upon a purely Terran concept, we could not possibly rate our -intelligence on your basis, until we encounter your machines. Frankly, -I'd say his was higher—but you shall see."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Gerd stopped Andrew at the door to his library. "Wait," he said. "I'll -see if Yord is willing to see you."</p> - -<p>"If he isn't?"</p> - -<p>"I'll be as persuasive as I can. I think he may be interested when I -inform him that you have artificially increased your I.Q. to my level."</p> - -<p>"You think so?"</p> - -<p>"I know so. However, Andrew, it will not be a productive interest. Your -means is still artificial and not to be assumed adequate."</p> - -<p>"Why not?"</p> - -<p>"Because without the machine to step up your brain, you'd revert to -your original state in a single generation. It is worse than the fabled -death of power—for power is also the power to destroy. To lose the -power of understanding and to leave the machines of intelligence lying -around for all to play with would be disastrous. No, you wait and I'll -go in and prepare Yord Tan Verde."</p> - -<p>Rayne left the door partly open. There was a greeting in an alien -tongue, and then as the other voice continued, Gerd interrupted. -"Please—I was trained in Terran. I think best in Terran. May we use -it?"</p> - -<p>Verde's reply came in Terran. "I'd forgotten."</p> - -<p>"Thank you." Gerd Lel Rayne explained the situation to his overseer, -and it was quite obvious to Andrew that Gerd accelerated the story -continuously, and the emissary ended with an air that gave Andrew to -understand that the overseer was quite impatient and that he was ahead -of Gerd.</p> - -<p>The answer was a single word. It was unintelligible to Andrew at first, -and then it soaked in that Verde had uttered the word: "Inconsistent."</p> - -<p>Gerd objected at length and began to explain the workings of Andrew's -mind.</p> - -<p>"Granted!" came the answer half-way through the account. "Have him -enter—he may be able to understand."</p> - -<p>Gerd came out and nodded at Andrew. "Go in," he said with an -encouraging smile. "And—good luck."</p> - -<p>"Thanks, Gerd," said Andrew. He straightened up his shoulders and -entered the inner library.</p> - -<p>He fell under the full, interested glance of Yord Tan Verde as he -entered, and Andrew's eyes were held immobile. His springy step -faltered, and his swift and purposeful walk slowed to a slogging -trudge. Andrew came up to the desk, looked full in the face of the -One, shook his head in understanding, finally; and then by sheer force -dropped his eyes. He turned and left the room.</p> - -<p>Gerd was waiting for him, a sympathetic smile upon his benign face. -Andrew looked at him for a long, quiet moment. Then: "You—are his -emissary?"</p> - -<p>"I am—a moron," Gerd said evenly.</p> - -<p>"You have a job."</p> - -<p>"I am his in-between."</p> - -<p>"Because only a moron can understand us," said Andrew slowly.</p> - -<p>"No—because your people can understand me, but not the Ones."</p> - -<p>"And my efforts with the mental amplifier can do no more than bring me -to your level."</p> - -<p>"Worse, Andrew. Nature causes many sports to be sterile because they -interfere with her proper plan. Your machine will introduce sterility."</p> - -<p>"I have one protecting job to do myself," said Andrew thoughtfully. -"Or—perhaps it should be maintained—secretly, of course, for some -emergency?"</p> - -<p>"Your race is adequately protected."</p> - -<p>Andrew shrugged. "I see. Terra will need neither the machine nor its -product."</p> - - -<p class="ph1">THE END.</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOCATION ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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