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diff --git a/old/68377-0.txt b/old/68377-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 780a775..0000000 --- a/old/68377-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1171 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Let's Get Together, by Isaac Asimov - -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: Let's Get Together - -Author: Isaac Asimov - -Release Date: June 22, 2022 [eBook #68377] - -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 LET'S GET TOGETHER *** - - - - - - LET'S GET TOGETHER - - By ISAAC ASIMOV - - Illustrated by ENGLE - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Infinity, February 1957. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -A kind of peace had endured for a century and people had forgotten what -anything else was like. They would scarcely have known how to react had -they discovered that a kind of war had finally come. - -Certainly, Elias Lynn, Chief of the Bureau of Robotics, wasn't sure -how he ought to react when _he_ finally found out. The Bureau of -Robotics was headquartered in Cheyenne, in line with the century-old -trend toward decentralization, and Lynn stared dubiously at the young -Security officer from Washington who had brought the news. - -Elias Lynn was a large man, almost charmingly homely, with pale blue -eyes that bulged a bit. Men weren't usually comfortable under the stare -of those eyes, but the Security officer remained calm. - -Lynn decided that his first reaction ought to be incredulity. Hell, it -_was_ incredulity! He just didn't believe it! - -He eased himself back in his chair and said, "How certain is the -information?" - -The Security officer, who had introduced himself as Ralph G. -Breckenridge and had presented credentials to match, had the softness -of youth about him; full lips, plump cheeks that flushed easily, -and guileless eyes. His clothing was out of line with Cheyenne but -it suited a universally air-conditioned Washington, where Security, -despite everything, was still centered. - -Breckenridge flushed and said, "There's no doubt about it." - -"You people know all about Them, I suppose," said Lynn and was unable -to keep a trace of sarcasm out of his tone. He was not particularly -aware of his use of a slightly-stressed pronoun in his reference to the -enemy, the equivalent of capitalization in print. It was a cultural -habit of this generation and the one preceding. No one said the "East," -or the "Reds" or the "Soviets" or the "Russians" any more. That would -have been too confusing, since some of Them weren't of the East, -weren't Reds, Soviets, and especially not Russians. It was much simpler -to say We and They, and much more precise. - -Travelers had frequently reported that They did the same in reverse. -Over there, They were "We" (in the appropriate language) and We were -"They." - -Scarcely anyone gave thought to such things any more. It was all quite -comfortable and casual. There was no hatred, even. At the beginning, -it had been called a Cold War. Now it was only a game, almost a -good-natured game, with unspoken rules and a kind of decency about it. - -Lynn said, abruptly, "Why should They want to disturb the situation?" - -He rose and stood staring at a wall-map of the world, split into two -regions with faint edgings of color. An irregular portion on the left -of the map was edged in a mild green. A smaller, but just as irregular, -portion on the right of the map was bordered in a washed-out pink. We -and They. - -The map hadn't changed much in a century. The loss of Formosa and -the gain of East Germany some eighty years before had been the last -territorial switch of importance. - -There had been another change, though, that was significant enough and -that was in the colors. Two generations before, Their territory had -been a brooding, bloody red, Ours a pure and undefiled white. Now there -was a neutrality about the colors. Lynn had seen Their maps and it was -the same on Their side. - -"They wouldn't do it," he said. - -"They are doing it," said Breckenridge, "and you had better accustom -yourself to the fact. Of course, sir, I realize that it isn't pleasant -to think that they may be that far ahead of us in robotics." - -His eyes remained as guileless as ever, but the hidden knife-edges of -the words plunged deep, and Lynn quivered at the impact. - -Of course, that would account for why the Chief of Robotics learned of -this so late and through a Security officer at that. He had lost caste -in the eyes of the Government; if Robotics had really failed in the -struggle, Lynn could expect no political mercy. - -Lynn said wearily, "Even if what you say is true, they're not far ahead -of us. We could build humanoid robots." - -"Have we, sir?" - -"Yes. As a matter of fact, we have built a few models for experimental -purposes." - -"They were doing so ten years ago. They've made ten years' progress -since." - -Lynn was disturbed. He wondered if his incredulity concerning the whole -business were really the result of wounded pride and fear for his job -and reputation. He was embarrassed by the possibility that this might -be so, and yet he was forced into defense. - -He said, "Look, young man, the stalemate between Them and Us was never -perfect in every detail, you know. They have always been ahead in one -facet or another and We in some other facet or another. If They're -ahead of us right now in robotics, it's because They've placed a -greater proportion of Their effort into robotics than We have. And that -means that some other branch of endeavor has received a greater share -of Our efforts than it has of Theirs. It would mean We're ahead in -force-field research or in hyper-atomics, perhaps." - -Lynn felt distressed at his own statement that the stalemate wasn't -perfect. It was true enough, but that was the one great danger -threatening the world. The world depended on the stalemate being as -perfect as possible. If the small unevennesses that always existed -over-balanced too far in one direction or the other-- - -Almost at the beginning of what had been the Cold War, both sides -had developed thermonuclear weapons, and war became unthinkable. -Competition switched from the military to the economic and -psychological and had stayed there ever since. - -But always there was the driving effort on each side to break the -stalemate, to develop a parry for every possible thrust, to develop -a thrust that could not be parried in time--something that would make -war possible again. And that was not because either side wanted war so -desperately, but because both were afraid that the other side would -make the crucial discovery first. - -For a hundred years each side had kept the struggle even. And in the -process, peace had been maintained for a hundred years while, as -byproducts of the continuously intensive research, force-fields had -been produced and solar energy and insect control and robots. Each side -was making a beginning in the understanding of mentalics, which was the -name given to the biochemistry and biophysics of thought. Each side had -its outposts on the Moon and on Mars. Mankind was advancing in giant -strides under forced draft. - -It was even necessary for both sides to be as decent and humane as -possible among themselves, lest through cruelty and tyranny, friends be -made for the other side. - -It couldn't be that the stalemate would now be broken and that there -would be war. - -Lynn said, "I want to consult one of my men. I want his opinion." - -"Is he trustworthy?" - -Lynn looked disgusted. "Good Lord, what man in Robotics has not been -investigated and cleared to death by your people? Yes, I vouch for -him. If you can't trust a man like Humphrey Carl Laszlo, then we're in -no position to face the kind of attack you say They are launching, no -matter what else we do." - -"I've heard of Laszlo," said Breckenridge. - -"Good. Does he pass?" - -"Yes." - -"Then, I'll have him in and we'll find out what he thinks about the -possibility that robots could invade the U. S. A." - -"Not exactly," said Breckenridge, softly. "You still don't accept the -full truth. Find out what he thinks about the fact that robots have -_already_ invaded the U. S. A." - - * * * * * - -Laszlo was the grandson of a Hungarian who had broken through what -had then been called the Iron Curtain, and he had a comfortable -above-suspicion feeling about himself because of it. He was thick-set -and balding with a pugnacious look graven forever on his snub face, but -his accent was clear Harvard and he was almost excessively soft-spoken. - -To Lynn, who was conscious that after years of administration he was no -longer expert in the various phases of modern robotics, Laszlo was a -comforting receptacle for complete knowledge. Lynn felt better because -of the man's mere presence. - -Lynn said, "What do you think?" - -A scowl twisted Laszlo's face ferociously. "That They're that far ahead -of us. Completely incredible. It would mean They've produced humanoids -that could not be told from humans at close quarters. It would mean a -considerable advance in robo-mentalics." - -"You're personally involved," said Breckenridge, coldly. "Leaving -professional pride out of account, exactly why is it impossible that -They be ahead of Us?" - -Laszlo shrugged. "I assure you that I'm well acquainted with Their -literature on robotics. I know approximately where They are." - -"You know approximately where They want you to _think_ They are, is -what you really mean," corrected Breckenridge. "Have you ever visited -the other side?" - -"I haven't," said Laszlo, shortly. - -"Nor you, Dr. Lynn?" - -Lynn said, "No, I haven't, either." - -Breckenridge said, "Has any robotics man visited the other side in -twenty-five years?" He asked the question with a kind of confidence -that indicated he knew the answer. - -For a matter of seconds, the atmosphere was heavy with thought. -Discomfort crossed Laszlo's broad face. He said, "As a matter of fact, -They haven't held any conferences on robotics in a long time." - -"In twenty-five years," said Breckenridge. "Isn't that significant?" - -"Maybe," said Laszlo, reluctantly. "Something else bothers me, though. -None of Them have ever come to Our conferences on robotics. None that I -can remember." - -"Were They invited?" asked Breckenridge. - -Lynn, staring and worried, interposed quickly, "Of course." - -Breckenridge said, "Do They refuse attendance to any other types of -scientific conferences We hold?" - -"I don't know," said Laszlo. He was pacing the floor now. "I haven't -heard of any cases. Have you, Chief?" - -"No," said Lynn. - -Breckenridge said, "Wouldn't you say it was as though They didn't want -to be put in the position of having to return any such invitation? Or -as though They were afraid one of Their men might talk too much?" - -That was exactly how it seemed, and Lynn felt a helpless conviction -that Security's story was true after all steal over him. - -Why else had there been no contact between sides on robotics? There -had been a cross-fertilizing trickle of researchers moving in both -directions on a strictly one-for-one basis for years, dating back -to the days of Eisenhower and Khrushchev. There were a great many -good motives for that: an honest appreciation of the supra-national -character of science; impulses of friendliness that are hard to wipe -out completely in the individual human being; the desire to be exposed -to a fresh and interesting outlook and to have your own slightly-stale -notions greeted by others as fresh and interesting. - -The governments themselves were anxious that this continue. There was -always the obvious thought that by learning all you could and telling -as little as you could, your own side would gain by the exchange. - -But not in the case of robotics. Not there. - -Such a little thing to carry conviction. And a thing, moreover, they -had known all along. Lynn thought, darkly: We've taken the complacent -way out. - -Because the other side had done nothing publicly on robotics, it had -been tempting to sit back smugly and be comfortable in the assurance of -superiority. Why hadn't it seemed possible, even likely, that They were -hiding superior cards, a trump hand, for the proper time? - -Laszlo said, shakenly, "What do we do?" It was obvious that the same -line of thought had carried the same conviction to him. - -"Do?" parroted Lynn. It was hard to think right now of anything but of -the complete horror that came with conviction. There were ten humanoid -robots somewhere in the United States, each one carrying a fragment of -a TC bomb. - -TC! The race for sheer horror in bomb-ery had ended there. TC! Total -Conversion! The sun was no longer a synonym one could use. Total -conversion made the sun a penny candle. - -Ten humanoids, each completely harmless in separation, could, by the -simple act of coming together, exceed critical mass and-- - -Lynn rose to his feet heavily, the dark pouches under his eyes, which -ordinarily lent his ugly face a look of savage foreboding, more -prominent than ever. "It's going to be up to us to figure out ways -and means of telling a humanoid from a human and then finding the -humanoids." - -"How quickly?" muttered Laszlo. - -"Not later than five minutes before they get together," barked Lynn, -"and I don't know when that will be." - -Breckenridge nodded. "I'm glad you're with us now, sir. I'm to bring -you back to Washington for conference, you know." - -Lynn raised his eyebrows. "All right." - -He wondered if, had he delayed longer in being convinced, he might -not have been replaced forthwith--if some other Chief of the Bureau -of Robotics might not be conferring in Washington. He suddenly wished -earnestly that exactly that had come to pass. - - * * * * * - -The First Presidential Assistant was there, the Secretary of Science, -the Secretary of Security, Lynn himself, and Breckenridge. Five of them -sitting about a table in the dungeons of an underground fortress near -Washington. - -Presidential Assistant Jeffreys was an impressive man, handsome in a -white-haired and just-a-trifle-jowly fashion, solid, thoughtful and as -unobtrusive, politically, as a Presidential Assistant ought to be. - -He spoke incisively. "There are three questions that face us as I see -it. First, when are the humanoids going to get together? Second, where -are they going to get together? Third, how do we stop them before they -get together?" - -Secretary of Science Amberley nodded convulsively at that. He had been -Dean of Northwestern Engineering before his appointment. He was thin, -sharp-featured and noticeably edgy. His forefinger traced slow circles -on the table. - -"As far as _when_ they'll get together," he said. "I suppose it's -definite that it won't be for some time." - -"Why do you say that?" asked Lynn, sharply. - -"They've been in the U. S. at least a month already. So Security says." - -Lynn turned automatically to look at Breckenridge, and Secretary of -Security Macalaster intercepted the glance. Macalaster said, "The -information is reliable. Don't let Breckenridge's apparent youth fool -you, Dr. Lynn. That's part of his value to us. Actually, he's 34 and -has been with the department for ten years. He has been in Moscow for -nearly a year and without him, none of this terrible danger would be -known to us. As it is, we have most of the details." - -"Not the crucial ones," said Lynn. - -Macalaster of Security smiled frostily. His heavy chin and close-set -eyes were well-known to the public but almost nothing else about him -was. He said, "We are all finitely human, Dr. Lynn. Agent Breckenridge -has done a great deal." - -Presidential Assistant Jeffreys cut in. "Let us say we have a certain -amount of time. If action at the instant were necessary, it would -have happened before this. It seems likely that they are waiting for -a specific time. If we knew the place, perhaps the time would become -self-evident. - -"If they are going to TC a target, they will want to cripple us as much -as possible, so it would seem that a major city would have to be it. -In any case, a major metropolis is the only target worth a TC bomb. I -think there are four possibilities: Washington, as the administrative -center; New York, as the financial center; and Detroit and Pittsburgh -as the two chief industrial centers." - -Macalaster of Security said, "I vote for New York. Administration -and industry have both been decentralized to the point where the -destruction of any one particular city won't prevent instant -retaliation." - -"Then why New York?" asked Amberly of Science, perhaps more sharply -than he intended. "Finance has been decentralized as well." - -"A question of morale. It may be they intend to destroy our will to -resist, to induce surrender by the sheer horror of the first blow. -The greatest destruction of human life would be in the New York -Metropolitan area--" - -"Pretty cold-blooded," muttered Lynn. - -"I know," said Macalaster of Security, "but they're capable of it, if -they thought it would mean final victory at a stroke. Wouldn't we--" - -Presidential Assistant Jeffreys brushed back his white hair. "Let's -assume the worst. Let's assume that New York will be destroyed some -time during the winter, preferably immediately after a serious blizzard -when communications are at their worst and the disruption of utilities -and food supplies in fringe areas will be most serious in their effect. -Now, how do we stop them?" - -Amberley of Science could only say, "Finding ten men in two hundred and -twenty million is an awfully small needle in an awfully large haystack." - -Jeffreys shook his head. "You have it wrong. Ten humanoids among two -hundred twenty million humans." - -"No difference," said Amberley of Science. "We don't know that a -humanoid can be differentiated from a human at sight. Probably not." He -looked at Lynn. They all did. - -Lynn said heavily, "We in Cheyenne couldn't make one that would pass as -human in the daylight." - -"But They can," said Macalaster of Security, "and not only physically. -We're sure of that. They've advanced mentalic procedures to the point -where they can reel off the micro-electronic pattern of the brain and -focus it on the positronic pathways of the robot." - -Lynn stared. "Are you implying that they can create the replica of a -human being complete with personality and memory?" - -"I do." - -"Of specific human beings?" - -"That's right." - -"Is this also based on Agent Breckenridge's findings?" - -"Yes. The evidence can't be disputed." - -Lynn bent his head in thought for a moment. Then he said, "Then ten men -in the United States are not men but humanoids. But the originals would -have had to be available to them. They couldn't be Orientals, who would -be too easy to spot, so they would have to be East Europeans. How would -they be introduced into this country, then? With the radar network over -the entire world border as tight as a drum, how could They introduce -any individual, human or humanoid, without our knowing it?" - -Macalaster of Security said, "It can be done. There are certain -legitimate seepages across the border. Businessmen, pilots, even -tourists. They're watched, of course, on both sides. Still ten of -them might have been kidnapped and used as models for humanoids. The -humanoids would then be sent back in their place. Since we wouldn't -expect such a substitution, it would pass us by. If they were Americans -to begin with, there would be no difficulty in their getting into this -country. It's as simple as that." - -"And even their friends and family could not tell the difference?" - -"We must assume so. Believe me, we've been waiting for any report -that might imply sudden attacks of amnesia or troublesome changes in -personality. We've checked on thousands." - -Amberley of Science stared at his finger-tips. "I think ordinary -measures won't work. The attack must come from the Bureau of Robotics -and I depend on the chief of that bureau." - -Again eyes turned sharply, expectantly, on Lynn. - -Lynn felt bitterness rise. It seemed to him that this was what the -conference came to and was intended for. Nothing that had been said had -not been said before. He was sure of that. There was no solution to -the problem, no pregnant suggestion. It was a device for the record, a -device on the part of men who gravely feared defeat and who wished the -responsibility for it placed clearly and unequivocally on someone else. - -And yet there was justice in it. It was in robotics that We had fallen -short. And Lynn was not Lynn merely. He was Lynn of Robotics and the -responsibility had to be his. - -He said, "I will do what I can." - - * * * * * - -He spent a wakeful night and there was a haggardness about both -body and soul when he sought and attained another interview with -Presidential Assistant Jeffreys the next morning. Breckenridge was -there, and though Lynn would have preferred a private conference, -he could see the justice in the situation. It was obvious that -Breckenridge had attained enormous influence with the government as a -result of his successful Intelligence work. Well, why not? - -Lynn said, "Sir, I am considering the possibility that we are hopping -uselessly to enemy piping." - -"In what way?" - -"I'm sure that however impatient the public may grow at times, and -however legislators sometimes find it expedient to talk, the government -at least recognizes the world stalemate to be beneficial. They must -recognize it also. Ten humanoids with one TC bomb is a trivial way of -breaking the stalemate." - -"The destruction of fifteen million human beings is scarcely trivial." - -"It is from the world power standpoint. It would not so demoralize us -as to make us surrender or so cripple us as to convince us we could not -win. There would just be the same old planetary death-war that both -sides have avoided so long and so successfully. And all They would have -accomplished is to force us to fight minus one city. It's not enough." - -"What do you suggest?" said Jeffreys, coldly. "That They do not have -ten humanoids in our country? That there is not a TC bomb waiting to -get together?" - -"I'll agree that those things are here, but perhaps for some reason -greater than just mid-winter bomb-madness." - -"Such as?" - -"It may be that the physical destruction resulting from the humanoids -getting together is not the worst thing that can happen to us. What -about the moral and intellectual destruction that comes of their being -here at all? With all due respect to Agent Breckenridge, what if -They _intended_ for us to find out about the humanoids; what if the -humanoids are never supposed to get together, but merely to remain -separate in order to give us something to worry about." - -"Why?" - -"Tell me this. What measures have already been taken against the -humanoids? I suppose that Security is going through the files of all -citizens who have ever been across the border or close enough to it -to make kidnapping possible. I know, since Macalaster mentioned it -yesterday, that they are following up suspicious psychiatric cases. -What else?" - -Jeffreys said, "Small X-ray devices are being installed in key places -in the large cities. In the mass arenas, for instance--" - -"Where ten humanoids might slip in among a hundred thousand spectators -of a football game or an air-polo match?" - -"Exactly." - -"And concert halls and churches?" - -"We must start somewhere. We can't do it all at once." - -"Particularly when panic must be avoided?" said Lynn. "Isn't that so? -It wouldn't do to have the public realize that at any unpredictable -moment, some unpredictable city and its human contents would suddenly -cease to exist." - -"I suppose that's obvious. What are you driving at?" - -Lynn said strenuously, "That a growing fraction of our national effort -will be diverted entirely into the nasty problem of what Amberley -called finding a very small needle in a very large haystack. We'll -be chasing our tails madly, while They increase their research -lead to the point where we find we can no longer catch up; when we -must surrender without the chance even of snapping our fingers in -retaliation. - -"Consider further that this news will leak out as more and more people -become involved in our counter-measures and more and more people begin -to guess what we're doing. Then what? The panic might do us more harm -than any one TC bomb." - -The Presidential Assistant said, irritably, "In Heaven's name, man, -what do you suggest we do, then?" - -"Nothing," said Lynn. "Call their bluff. Live as we have lived and -gamble that They won't dare break the stalemate for the sake of a -one-bomb headstart." - -"Impossible!" said Jeffreys. "Completely impossible. The welfare of all -of Us is very largely in my hands, and doing nothing is the one thing -I cannot do. I agree with you, perhaps, that X-ray machines at sports -arenas are a kind of skin-deep measure that won't be effective, but it -has to be done so that people, in the aftermath, do not come to the -bitter conclusion that we tossed our country away for the sake of a -subtle line of reasoning that encouraged do-nothingism. In fact, our -counter-gambit will be active indeed." - -"In what way?" - -Presidential Assistant Jeffreys looked at Breckenridge. The young -Security officer, hitherto calmly silent, said, "It's no use talking -about a possible future break in the stalemate when the stalemate is -broken now. It doesn't matter whether these humanoids explode or do -not. Maybe they _are_ only a bait to divert us, as you say. But the -fact remains that we are a quarter of a century behind in robotics, and -that may be fatal. What other advances in robotics will there be to -surprise us if war does start? The only answer is to divert our entire -force immediately, _now_, into a crash program of robotics research, -and the first problem is to find the humanoids. Call it an exercise -in robotics, if you will, or call it the prevention of the death of -fifteen million men, women and children." - -Lynn shook his head, helplessly, "You _can't_. You'd be playing into -their hands. They want us lured into the one blind alley while they're -free to advance in all other directions." - -Jeffreys said, impatiently, "That's your guess. Breckenridge has made -his suggestion through channels and the government has approved, and we -will begin with an all-Science conference." - -"All-Science?" - -Breckenridge said, "We have listed every important scientist of every -branch of natural science. They'll all be at Cheyenne. There will -be only one point on the agenda: How to advance robotics. The major -specific sub-heading under that will be: How to develop a receiving -device for the electromagnetic fields of the cerebral cortex that will -be sufficiently delicate to distinguish between a protoplasmic human -brain and a positronic humanoid brain." - -Jeffreys said, "We had hoped you would be willing to be in charge of -the conference." - -"I was not consulted in this." - -"Obviously time was short, sir. Do you agree to be in charge?" - -Lynn smiled briefly. It was a matter of responsibility again. The -responsibility must be clearly that of Lynn of Robotics. He had the -feeling it would be Breckenridge who would really be in charge. But -what could he do? - -He said, "I agree." - - * * * * * - -Breckenridge and Lynn returned together to Cheyenne, where that evening -Laszlo listened with a sullen mistrust to Lynn's description of coming -events. - -Laszlo said, "While you were gone, Chief, I've started putting -five experimental models of humanoid structure through the testing -procedures. Our men are on a twelve-hour day, with three shifts -overlapping. If we've got to arrange a conference, we're going to be -crowded and red-taped out of everything. Work will come to a halt." - -Breckenridge said, "That will be only temporary. You will gain more -than you lose." - -Laszlo scowled. "A bunch of astrophysicists and geochemists around -won't help a damn toward robotics." - -"Views from specialists of other fields may be helpful." - -"Are you sure? How do we know that there _is_ any way of detecting -brain waves or that, even if we can, there is a way of differentiating -human and humanoid by wave pattern. Who set up the project, anyway?" - -"I did," said Breckenridge. - -"_You_ did? Are you a robotics man?" - -The young Security agent said, calmly, "I have studied robotics." - -"That's not the same thing." - -"I've had access to text-material dealing with Russian robotics--in -Russian. Top-secret material well in advance of anything you have here." - -Lynn said, ruefully, "He has us there, Laszlo." - -"It was on the basis of that material," Breckenridge went on, "that -I suggested this particular line of investigation. It is reasonably -certain that in copying off the electromagnetic pattern of a -specific human mind into a specific positronic brain, a perfectly -exact duplicate cannot be made. For one thing, the most complicated -positronic brain small enough to fit into a human-sized skull is -hundreds of times less complex than the human brain. It can't pick -up all the overtones, therefore, and there must be some way to take -advantage of that fact." - -Laszlo looked impressed despite himself and Lynn smiled grimly. It was -easy to resent Breckenridge and the coming intrusion of several hundred -scientists of non-robotics specialties, but the problem itself was an -intriguing one. There was that consolation, at least. - - * * * * * - -It came to him quietly. - -Lynn found he had nothing to do but sit in his office alone, with an -executive position that had grown merely titular. Perhaps that helped. -It gave him time to think, to picture the creative scientists of half -the world converging on Cheyenne. - -It was Breckenridge who, with cool efficiency, was handling the details -of preparation. There had been a kind of confidence in the way he said, -"Let's get together and we'll lick Them." - -Let's get together. - -It came to Lynn so quietly that anyone watching Lynn at that moment -might have seen his eyes blink slowly twice--but surely nothing more. - -He did what he had to do with a whirling detachment that kept him calm -when he felt that, by all rights, he ought to be going mad. - -He sought out Breckenridge in the other's improvised quarters. - -Breckenridge was alone and frowning. "Is anything wrong, sir?" - -Lynn said, wearily, "Everything's right, I think. I've invoked martial -law." - -"What!" - -"As chief of a division I can do so if I am of the opinion the -situation warrants it. Over my division, I can then be dictator. Chalk -up one for the beauties of decentralization." - -"You will rescind that order immediately." Breckenridge took a step -forward. "When Washington hears this, you will be ruined." - -"I'm ruined anyway. Do you think I don't realize that I've been set up -for the role of the greatest villain in American history: the man who -let Them break the stalemate. I have nothing to lose--and perhaps a -great deal to gain." - -He laughed a little wildly, "What a target the Division of Robotics -will be, eh, Breckenridge? Only a few thousand men to be killed by -a TC bomb capable of wiping out three hundred square miles in one -micro-second. But five hundred of those men would be our greatest -scientists. We would be in the peculiar position of having to fight a -war with our brains shot out, or surrendering. I think we'd surrender." - -"But this is impossible. Lynn, do you hear me? Do you understand? How -could the humanoids pass our security provisions? How could they get -together?" - -"But they _are_ getting together! We're helping them to do so. -We're ordering them to do so. Our scientists visit the other side, -Breckenridge. They visit Them regularly. You made a point of how -strange it was that no one in robotics did. Well, ten of those -scientists are still there and in their place, ten humanoids are -converging on Cheyenne." - -"That's a ridiculous guess." - -"I think it's a good one, Breckenridge. But it wouldn't work unless we -knew humanoids were in America so that we would call the conference in -the first place. Quite a coincidence that you brought the news of the -humanoids _and_ suggested the conference _and_ suggested the agenda -_and_ are running the show and know exactly which scientists were -invited. Did you make sure the right ten were included?" - -"Dr. Lynn!" cried Breckenridge in outrage. He poised to rush forward. - -Lynn said, "Don't move. I've got a blaster here. We'll just wait for -the scientists to get here one by one. One by one we'll X-ray them. One -by one, we'll monitor them for radioactivity. No two will get together -without being checked, and if all five hundred are clear, I'll give -you my blaster and surrender to you. Only I think we'll find the ten -humanoids. Sit down, Breckenridge." - -They both sat. - -Lynn said, "We wait. When I'm tired, Laszlo will spell me. We wait." - - * * * * * - -Professor Manuelo Jiminez of the Institute of Higher Studies of Buenos -Aires exploded while the stratospheric jet on which he traveled was -three miles above the Amazon Valley. It was a simple chemical explosion -but it was enough to destroy the plane. - -Dr. Herman Liebowitz of M. I. T. exploded in a monorail, killing twenty -people and injuring a hundred others. - -In similar manner, Dr. Auguste Marin of L'Institut Nucléonique of -Montreal and seven others died at various stages of their journey to -Cheyenne. - - * * * * * - -Laszlo hurtled in, pale-faced and stammering, with the first news -of it. It had only been two hours that Lynn had sat there, facing -Breckenridge, blaster in hand. - -Laszlo said, "I thought you were nuts, Chief, but you were right. -They _were_ humanoids. They _had_ to be." He turned to stare with -hate-filled eyes at Breckenridge. "Only they were warned. _He_ warned -them, and now there won't be one left intact. Not one to study." - -"God!" cried Lynn and in a frenzy of haste thrust his blaster out -toward Breckenridge and fired. The Security man's neck vanished; the -torso fell; the head dropped, thudded against the floor and rolled -crookedly. - -Lynn moaned, "I didn't understand, I thought he was a traitor. Nothing -more." - -And Laszlo stood immobile, mouth open, for the moment incapable of -speech. - -Lynn said, wildly. "Sure, he warned them. But how could he do so while -sitting in that chair unless he were equipped with built-in radio -transmission? Don't you see it? Breckenridge had been in Moscow. The -real Breckenridge is still there. Oh my God, there were _eleven_ of -them." - -Laszlo managed a hoarse squeak. "Why didn't _he_ explode?" - -"He was hanging on, I suppose, to make sure the others had received his -message and were safely destroyed. Lord, Lord, when you brought the -news and I realized the truth, I couldn't shoot fast enough. God knows -by how few seconds I may have beaten him to it." - -Laszlo said, shakily, "At least, we'll have one to study." He bent -and put his fingers on the sticky fluid trickling out of the mangled -remains at the neck end of the headless body. - -Not blood, but high-grade machine oil. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LET'S GET TOGETHER *** - -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. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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