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基本资料
银河的命运取决于某人一念之间，这个人就是葛兰·崔维兹，而他竟然抛弃了伟大的谢顿计划，选择了盖娅星系。难道谢顿计划有重大缺陷？
崔维兹坚信地球是解开一切谜团的关键，然而这颗源头母星早已不知所踪，茫茫星际间，他要从何寻觅？倘若真能找到地球，他还会选择放弃谢顿计划吗？银河众生又将何去何从……
“基地系列”的其他作品还有：《基地》、《基地与帝国》、《第二基地》、《基地前奏》、《迈向基地》、《基地边缘》。
本书简体中文版已于2012年11月由江苏文艺出版社出版，译者叶李华。
故事情节
基地纪元498年。
银河未来的命运决定于某人一念之间，这个就是葛兰·崔维兹。他必须在第一基地，第二基地与盖娅之间做出银河未来由谁主导的决定：由第一基地创建的新帝国将会逞领银河进入科技昌明的世纪，却会像第一帝国那样摧毁在战争之中；由第二基地指导的新帝国将能确保人类的永久和平，却因此成为了一个父权制帝国；而以盖娅为蓝图的盖娅星系则会是个心灵共同体，所有人类将与万物融合成一个良善的整体。崔维兹直觉地做出了选择，但却无法确定自己的选择是否正确，他怀疑宇宙中还藏有更强大的操纵力量。
崔维兹相信地球是解开所有谜团的关键，因为地球是人类的起源母星。奇怪的是，银河中有关地球的资料全都神秘消失。决心查明真正的崔维兹，再次在险恶的群星间漂流，寻觅，究竟两万年前的地球隐藏着什么秘密，崔维兹会改变他的决定吗？
目录
中文版封面
“基地”背后的故事
　　第一篇 盖娅
　　01 寻找开始
　　02 首途康普隆
　　第二篇 康普隆
　　03 入境太空站
　　04 康普隆
　　05 太空艇争夺战
　　06 地球的真面目
　　07 告别康普隆
　　第三篇 奥罗拉
　　08 禁忌世界
　　09 面对野狗群
　　第四篇 索拉利
　　10 机器人
　　11 地底世界
　　12 重见天日
　　第五篇 梅尔波美尼亚
　　13 远离索拉利
　　14 死星
　　15 苔藓
　　第六篇 阿尔法
　　16 诸世界中心
　　17 新地球
　　18 音乐节
　　第七篇 地球
　　19 放射性？
　　20 邻近的世界
　　21 寻找结束

第二十章 邻近的世界
　　94
连续四顿饭的时间中，裴洛拉特与宝绮思只有用餐时才得见崔维兹。其余时候，他不是在驾驶舱中，就是躲在寝舱里。用餐时他始终保持沉默，嘴唇紧紧抿住，而且总是只吃一点点。
不过，在第四餐的时候，裴洛拉特察觉到，崔维兹异常凝着的神色似乎缓和了些。裴洛拉特清了喉咙两次，彷佛准备说些什么，结果两次都欲言又止。
最后，崔维兹抬起头来，望着他说：“怎么样？”
“你有没有——有没有想出来，葛兰？”
“你为什么这样问？”
“你看来好像没那么沮丧了。”
“不是没那么沮丧，而是我正在思考，专注地思考。”
“我们可以知道内容吗？”裴洛拉特问。
崔维兹朝宝绮思那边瞥了一下，她却盯着面前的餐盘，谨慎地保持沉默。彷佛她能确定，在这个敏感时刻，裴洛拉特比她更能问出些名堂。
崔维兹说：“你也好奇吗，宝绮思？”
她抬了抬眼睛。“是的，当然啦。”
菲龙踢了一下桌脚，像是在闹别扭，然后说：“我们找到地球了吗？”
宝绮思用力搂住那孩子的肩膀，崔维兹则根本没理会。
他说：“我们必须从一项基本事实开始探讨。在每个世界上，所有关于地球的资料都被移走了，这就让我们导出一个必然的结论：地球上有什么东西被藏起来。然而，根据观察的结果，我们发现地球具有致命的放射性，因此上面不论有什么，都自然而然藏了起来。登陆地球是不可能的事，我们目前所在的距离，已经相当接近磁层的外缘——而我们也不打算再靠近了——却什么也没有发现。”
“你能确定这点吗？”宝绮思轻声问道。
“我在电脑上花了很多时间，用它和我想得到的各种方法来分析地球，结果什么都没发现；而更着要的是，我觉得不会发现什么。如此，有关地球的资料为什么会被清除呢？需要隐藏的东西不论是什么，现在它的安全秤谌已超乎任何人想像，哪还需要再多费工夫，大动手脚呢？”
“有可能是这样的，”裴洛拉特说：“当地球的放射性尚未变得那么严着，还不至于使外人却步的时候，的确有什么东西藏在它上面。当时，地球上的人也许担心会有外人来到，进而发现那个秘密。因此，地球企图除去有关自身的资料，其实是那时候的事情。我们现在发现的结果，只是那个不安全的时代所留下的遗迹。”
“不，我不这么想。”崔维兹说：“位于川陀的帝国图书馆，里面的资料似乎是最近被移走的。”他突然转向宝绮思，“我说得对吗？”
宝绮思以平静的口吻说：“当你、我、第二基地人坚迪柏，以及端点星市长聚会的时候，从坚迪柏忧心忡忡的心灵中，我／我们／盖娅捕捉到了这个讯息。”
崔维兹说：“因此，过去有可能被发现而必须隐藏的东西，现在一定仍藏在某处。纵使地球现在已具有放射性，那东西仍旧有被人发现的危险。”
“那怎么可能？”裴洛拉特好奇地问。
“想想看，”崔维兹说：“原来藏在地球的东西，有没有可能已经不在地球上；当放射性变得越来越危险时，它被移到了别处去？然而，那个秘密现在虽然不在地球上，我们若能找到地球，也许可以推论出秘密被移至何处。果真如此，地球的下落就仍有隐藏的必要。”
菲龙又用尖锐的声音说：“因为如果我们找不到地球，宝绮思说你就会带我回到健比身边。”
崔维兹转头面向菲龙，以凶狠的目光瞪着她。宝绮思赶紧低声道：“我是说我们可能会，菲龙。我们待会儿再讨论这件事，现在回到你的舱房去看书，或是玩笛子，或是做你想做的任何事。去——快去。”
菲龙皱着眉头，悻悻然地离开餐桌。
裴洛拉特说：“可是你凭什么这样说呢，葛兰？我们到了这里，我们已经发现地球。不论那是什么秘密，假如它不在地球上，我们有办法推论出它可能藏在何处吗？”
崔维兹花了点时间才摆脱被菲龙搞坏的情绪。然后他说：“怎么不能？试想，地球表面的放射性持续不断恶化，由于死亡率与移民剧增，地球人口因此不断锐减。而那个秘密，不管它是什么，处境就越来越危险。谁还缓篝下来保护它呢？最后，它一定会被送往其他世界，否则这个秘密——不管它是什么——就没有作用了。我猜一定有人不愿将它移走，这件事有可能是最后一刻才完成的。好啦，詹诺夫，还记不记得新地球的那个老者，拼命对你讲述自家地球历史的那位？”
“单姓李？”
“没错，就是他。当他提到有关新地球的建立时，是不是说地球残存的居民都被带到那颗行星？”
裴洛拉特说：“老弟，你的意思是说，我们所要寻找的东西，如今位于新地球上？由最后一批离开地球的人带去的？”
崔维兹说：“难道没这个可能吗？在整个银河之中，新地球的知名度没有地球高，而那里的居民竭尽所能和外星人士隔绝，这点就很可疑。”
“我们到过那里，”宝绮思插嘴道：“什么也没发现。”
“当时，我们一心打探地球的下落，没注意到其他事情。”
裴洛拉特以困惑的口气说：“但我们要找的是跟高科技有关的东西，它能在第二基地的地盘上将资料偷走，甚至还能——对不起，宝绮思——侵入盖娅的地盘行事。那些住在新地球上的人类，或许能控制头上一小块的天气，也可能拥有某些生物科技，可是我想你也会承认，整体而言，他们的科技水准相当低。”
宝绮思点了点头。“我同意裴的看法。”
崔维兹说：“我们这是以偏概全。我们一直没见到渔船上的男人；除了我们着陆地点附近之外，我们没观察过岛屿的其他部分。如果我们搜寻得更彻底，有没有可能发现些什么呢？毕竟，我们本来并未认出那些萤光灯，直到目睹它们运作才恍然大悟。如果科技看来落后，我是说‘看’……”
“怎么样？”宝绮思显然未被说服。
“那可能是故意制造的烟幕，目的是要混淆真相。”
“不可能。”宝绮思说。
“不可能？当初在盖娅时，是你亲口告诉我说，川陀大部分的文明都故意保持低科技水准，以便隐藏第二基地人组成的核心。同样的策略为什么不能用在新地球上？”
“那么，你是不是建议我们回新地球去，再去面对那种传染病——这次让它真正发作？性行为无疑是特别愉快的传染方式，但可能并非唯一的途径。”
崔维兹耸了耸肩。“我不急着回新地球，不过也许有这个必要。”
“也许？”
“也许！毕竟，还有另一种可能性。”
“什么可能性？”
“新地球环绕着那颗叫作阿尔发的恒星，阿尔发则是双星系的一部分。在阿尔发那颗伴星的轨道上，难道没有可住人行星吗？”
“我认为它太暗了。”宝绮思一面说一面摇头，“那颗伴星的光度只有阿尔发的四分之一。”
“虽然暗，但并不至于太暗。如果有行星相当接近那颗恒星，仍然可能适于住人。”
裴洛拉特说：“电脑提到那颗伴星有任何行星吗？”
崔维兹冷笑了一下。“我已经查过了，有五颗不大不小的行星，没有气态巨行星。”
“那五颗行星中，有任何适于住人的吗？”
“电脑只给出它们的总数，并指出它们体积不大，此外没有提供任何资料。”
“喔——”裴洛拉特显得很泄气。
崔维兹说：“没什么好失望的，电脑中也找不到任何一个外世界，阿尔发本身的资料也少得不能再少，这些资料都被故意藏起来。如果电脑对阿尔发的伴星几乎一无所知，反倒可以视为好兆头。”
“所以，”宝绮思一本正经地说：“你是打算这么做——先去造访那颗伴星，如果无功而返的话，再回头去找阿尔发。”
“没错，而这一次，当我们抵达新地球那座岛屿时，我们将有所准备。在我们着陆前，我们会仔仔细细将整座岛屿搜索一遍。宝绮思，我希望你利用精神力量来屏蔽——”
就在这个时候，远星号突然偏向一侧，好像太空艇打了个嗝似地。崔维兹立刻大叫：“是谁在控制台？”声音中半是愤怒半是困惑。
而在他发问的同时，他已经非常清楚那究竟是谁。
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坐在电脑台前的菲龙全神贯注。她尽量张开有着修长手指的小小手掌，以便按在桌面那双微微发光的轮廓上。她的手掌似乎陷入实质的桌面，虽然感觉上它显然又硬又滑。
她曾经好几次看到崔维兹双手如此摆放，除此之外，她没见过他有什么其他动作。不过她心中很明白，他这样做就能控制整艘太空艇。
有些时候，菲龙还看到崔维兹闭起双眼，因此她现在也学着这么做。过了一会儿，她似乎听到一个模糊而遥远的声音——十分遥远。（她隐约意识到）但是透过她的转换叶突，那声音在她脑际响起——转换叶突甚至比她的双手更着要——她开始努力分辨那些字句。
“指令，”那声音以近乎恳求的语气说：“您的指令是什么？”
菲龙什么也没说，她从未目睹崔维兹对电脑说过任何话。不过她知道自己全心全意要的是什么，她要回索拉利，回到那座无边无际的舒适宅邸，回去找健比——健比——健比——
她就是要去那里。一想到自己挚爱的世界，她便想像能在显像屏幕上看到它，就像屏幕上出现过许多她不想去的世界那样。她张开双眼凝视着显像屏幕，渴望看到另一个世界，而不是这个可恨的地球，然后她盯着眼前的画面，想像它就是索拉利。她憎恨这个空虚的银河，认识这个银河全然出于无奈，想到这里她的泪水夺眶而出，太空艇则开始颤动。
她能感觉到艇身的颤动，自己也微微晃了一下。
接着，她听到外面走廊传来嘈杂的脚步声。当她睁开眼睛的时候，崔维兹扭曲的脸孔占满她的视野，将显像屏幕完全挡住，遮住了她心中的目的地。他在大吼大叫着什么，伹她并未注意听。杀了班德而将她带离索拉利的是他；一心只有地球而不准她回家的也是他，她决定再也不要听他的话。
她要驾着这艘太空艇回索拉利。当她再度坚定决心时，太空艇又颤动起来。
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宝绮思粗暴地抓住崔维兹的手臂。“不要！不要！”
她紧紧抱住他，不让他向前走。裴洛拉特则僵立在远处，茫然不知所措。
崔维兹咆哮大叫：“把手拿开，别碰电脑——宝绮思，别拦我，我不想害你受伤。”
宝绮思近乎声嘶力竭地说：“别对这孩子动粗，否则我不得不伤害你——抗命也在所不惜。”
崔维兹将目光从菲龙身上猛然转向宝绮思。“那么你把她拉开，宝绮思，现在就去！”
宝绮思一把推开他，力道大得惊人。（大概是从盖娅那里吸取的力量，崔维兹事后想到。）
“菲龙，”她说：“把手放开。”
“不要，”菲龙尖叫道：“我要太空船飞到索拉利，我要它去那里，那里。”她朝显像屏幕点了点头，甚至不愿让任何一只手离开桌面。
宝绮思伸手探向那孩子的肩头，当她双手碰到菲龙的时候，那孩子开始发抖。
宝绮思改用柔和的声音说：“现在，菲龙，告诉电脑将一切恢复原状，然后跟我走，跟我走。”她双手轻轻抚摩着菲龙，菲龙随即软化，放声痛哭。
菲龙双手离开桌面之后，宝绮思撑着她的胳肢窝拉她起来，然后让她转身，再紧紧抱着她，让这孩子在自己怀里痛快地大哭一场。
崔维兹现在站在门口一言不发，宝绮思对他说：“让开，崔维兹，我们经过的时候，千万别碰我们。”
崔维兹向旁闪开。
宝绮思顿了一下，又压低声音对崔维兹说：“我刚才不得不暂时进入她的心灵，假如因此造成任何伤害，我不会轻易原谅你。”
崔维兹差点就要脱口，告诉她，自己一点都不在乎菲龙的心灵，他担心的只有电脑。然而，在盖娅严厉的目光瞪视之下（当然不只是宝绮思的，她个人的表情无法使他产生不寒而栗的恐惧），他终究什么也没说。
宝绮思与菲龙消失在她们房间后，崔维兹沉默了许久，全身动也不动。事实上，他一直僵在那里，直到裴洛拉特柔声道：“葛兰，你还好吗？她没伤到你吧？”
崔维兹使劲摇了摇头，彷佛想将轻微的麻痹甩掉。“我很好，真正的问题是它好不好。”他坐到电脑台前，将双手放在刚才被菲龙按过的手掌轮廓上。
“怎么样？”裴洛拉特焦急地问。
崔维兹耸了耸肩。“反应似乎正常，等一下也许还是会发现问题，不过现在看不出有何异状。”然后，他以更愤怒的口气说：“除我之外，电脑应该不会和别人的手有效结合。但那个雌雄同体又另当别论，问题不在于她的手，而是她的转换叶突，这点我能肯定……”
“可是太空船为什么震动呢？应该不会这样的，对不对？”
“没错，这艘着力太空船应该不会出现这些惯性效应。但那个母怪物……”他突然打住，看来又火冒三丈。
“怎么样？”
“我猜，她对电脑下了两个互相矛盾的指令，由于每个指令具有同样的效力，电脑只好尝试将两者同时执行。为了进行这种不可能的尝试，电脑一定暂时解除了太空船的无惯性状态，至少我认为事情是这样的。”
他的脸色突然间缓和下来。“或许这不是一件坏事，因为我忽然想通了。我对半人马之阿尔发，以及它的伴星所做的种种推测，其实根本是痴人说梦。现在，我知道地球将秘密转移到哪里了。”
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裴洛拉特瞪大眼睛，但他没立刻追究最后那句话，而是回到原先的问题。“菲龙如何要求电脑执行互相矛盾的指令？”
“嗯，她说要让太空船飞到索拉利。”
“对，她当然会想那么做。”
“可是她所谓的索拉利是什么？她无法在太空中认出索拉利，她从未真正自太空看过那个世界。当我们匆匆离开索拉利时，她正处于睡眠状态。虽然她从你的图书馆学到很多，宝绮思又告诉她不少知识，但是对于拥有上千亿颗恒星、数千万住人行星的银河，我想她还无法真正了解它的真面目。她从小甭独地生活在地底，顶多只知道有许多不同的世界这个概念。可是究竟有多少？两个？三个？四个？对她而言，她见到的每个世界都可能是索拉利，甚至一厢情愿地将见到的世界都当成索拉利。此外，我想宝绮思为了安抚她，曾对她暗示过，说我们若是找不到地球，就会带她回索拉利，因此她可能还产生了一种想法，认为索拉利很接近地球。”
“可是你又怎么知道呢，葛兰？你为什么会这样想？”
“她几乎等于对我们说了，詹诺夫。我们闯进来找她的时候，她喊着说要到索拉利去，又加上一句‘那里——那里’，还向显像屏幕猛点头。而显像屏幕的画面是什么呢？是地球的卫星。我离开电脑去吃晚餐的时候，屏幕上并非那颗卫星，而是地球。当菲龙要求回到索拉利时，她心中一定想着那个卫星的画面，因此电脑做出的回应，必定是将镜头对准那颗卫星。相信我，詹诺夫，我知道这个电脑如何运作。谁会比我更清楚呢？”
裴洛拉特看了看屏幕上一弯肥厚的新月，意味深长地说：“至少在地球的某种语言中，它被称为‘月球’，另一种语言又称为‘太阴’，此外可能还有许多不同的名称。想想看，一个有着众多语言的世界，老弟，是多么混乱啊——有多少误解，多少纠纷，多少……”
“月球？”崔维兹说：“嗯，这倒是个很简单的名字——此外，你想想看，也许那孩子基于本能，试图藉着转换叶突的作用，利用太空船本身的能源驱动它，那样或许也会造成惯性暂时失调。不过这些都不着要了，詹诺夫，着要的是，这一切阴错阳差让月球——嗯，我喜欢这个名字——出现在屏幕上，它的影像被放大，而且此时仍在那里。我现在正盯着它，而且正在思索。”
“思索什么，葛兰？”
“思索它的大小。我们一向漠视卫星，詹诺夫，它们即使存在，也都是不起眼的小东西。不过这个却不同，它可算一个世界，直径大约有三千五百公里。”
“一个世界？你当然不能称它为世界，它不适于住人，三千五百公里的直径仍太小了。它也没有大气层，我一眼就能看出来。没有云气，和太空交界的圆周线条分明，内部的日夜半球分界曲线也一样。”
崔维兹点了点头。“你快要成为老练的太空旅人了，詹诺夫。你说得没错，没有空气，没有水。伹那仅仅表示月球赤裸的表面不可住人，可是地底呢？”
“地底？”裴洛拉特狐疑地问道。
“对，地底，有何不可？地球的城市曾经建筑在地底，是你告诉我的。此外，我们知道川陀是个地底都会；康普隆的首都很大一部分位于地底；索拉利的宅邸也几乎全在地下，这种情形其实非常普遍。”
“可是，葛兰，在这些例于中，人类仍居住在可住人行星上。那些行星表面都有大气、有海洋，同样可以住人。假如表面不可住人，还有可能住在地底吗？”
“拜托，詹诺夫，动动脑筋！我们现在住在哪里？远星号就是个表面不可住人的微型世界，外面既没有空气也没有水，我们却能在里面住得舒适无比。银河中充满各式各样的太空站和太空殖民地，更遑论各种太空船和星舰，这些都是只有内部才能住人。你就把月球当成一艘巨型太空船吧。”
“里面住着一组人员？”
“对，根据我们所知研判，可能有好几百万人，此外还有许多动植物，以及先进的科技——你看，詹诺夫，这是不是很有道理？假如地球在最后关头，能送出一批殖民者到环绕半人马之阿尔发的行星上；而且，或许是在帝国的协助下，他们有能力改造那颗行星，在它的海洋中播种，还无中生有造起一块陆地，那么，地球难道不能送另一批人到卫星上，并将它的内部改造成可住人的环境？”
裴洛拉特不大情愿地说：“我想是吧。”
“想必就是这样。如果地球有什么东西需要隐藏，何必送到超过一秒差距以外的地方，它附近就有另一个世界，距离还不到阿尔发的亿分之一。此外，就心理学观点而言，月球是个更佳的藏匿地点。没有人会将卫星和生命联想到一块，比如说我就没想到；月球近在眼前，我的心思却飞到阿尔发。倘若不是菲龙——”他紧抿嘴唇，同时摇了摇头。“我想我得将功劳记在她头上，我若不这么做，宝绮思也一定会的。”
裴洛拉特说：“可是我问你，老友，如果有什么东西藏在月球里面，我们又要如何去找？月球表面一定有好几百万平方公里……”
“差不多四千万平方公里。”
“而我们需要全部搜寻一遁。可是该找什么呢？一个开口？某种气闸？”
崔维兹说：“照你这么说，它似乎是件大工程。但我们寻找的不只是物件，我们还要寻找生命，而且是有智慧的生命。我们有宝绮思，侦测智慧是她的看家本领，你说对不对？”
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宝绮思望着崔维兹，一副兴师问罪的模样。“我总算让她睡着了，这是我一生中最艰难的一天，她简直疯狂了。幸好，我想我没有伤到她。”
崔维兹以冷漠的语气说：“你最好试着除去她对健比的情感固着，你知道吗，因为我绝不打算回索拉利。”
“不过是除去她的情感固着罢了，是吗？这些事你知道多少，崔维兹？你未曾感测过任何心灵，对心灵的复杂度连一点概念也没有。假如你对这方面稍有认识，就不会将除去情感固着说得那么简单，好像只是从瓶子里舀出果酱一样。”
“那么，至少把它减弱一点。”
“我如果花上一个月的时间，小心翼翼地抽丝剥茧，也许能让它减弱一点。”
“你所谓抽丝剥茧是什么意思？”
“对一个毫无概念的人，根本无从解释。”
“那么，你准备让那孩子何去何从？”
“我还不知道，这需要好好考虑一番。”
“这样的话，”崔维兹说：“让我告诉你我们准备让太空船何去何从。”
“我知道你准备怎么做，你要飞回新地球去，还会试着跟可爱的广子再亲热一回，只要她答应这次不将病毒传染给你。”
崔维兹仍旧面无表情。“不对，事实上，我已经改变主意。我们要飞到月球去——月球就是那颗卫星的名字，詹诺夫说的。”
“那颗卫星？因为它是最近的一个世界？我没想到这一点。”
“我也没想到，谁都不会想到。在整个银河中，没有任何卫星值得考虑——这颗超大型卫星是唯一的例外。况且地球的隐密也掩护了它，如果找不到地球，也就找不到这个月球。”
“它可以住人吗？”
“表面不可以，不过它没有放射性，完全没有，所以并非绝对不可住人。它的表层之下也许有生命——事实上，也许充满生命。当然啦，一旦我们足够接近，你就应该可以判断。”
宝绮思耸了耸肩。“我会试试看——不过，是什么使你突然想到试一试这颗卫星？”
崔维兹以平静的口吻说：“刚才，菲龙在控制台前的某个举动。”
宝绮思等了一下，仿佛指望他多讲几句，然后她又耸了耸肩。“不论是什么举动，如果你因一时冲动而将她杀死，我想你就无法得到这个灵感了。”
“我没有要杀死她，宝绮思。”
宝绮思挥了挥手。“好吧，到此为止。我们是不是正朝月球飞去？”
“是的。为了谨慎起见，我不想飞得太快。不过假如一切顺利，三十小时后，我们就能到达它的上空。”
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月球表面是一片洪荒。崔维兹望着下方不断向后掠去的白昼区域，眼前的景象是干篇一律的陨石坑、山区，以及许多黑暗的阴影。土壤的颜色不时呈现微妙变化，偶尔也会出现一大幅平地，其中仍不免有许多小陨石坑。
当他们快要接近夜面时，各种阴影变得越来越长，最后终于融为一体。这个时候，在他们的后方，可以见到许多山峰在阳光下闪闪发光，像是一些圆胖的星星，比太空中其他星体都明后许多。伹群山不久便消失无踪，再向下望去，天空中只剩下地球暗淡的光影，那是个白里带蓝的巨大球体，看起来比半圆丰满些。然后，地球终于也落在太空艇后面，进而沉到地平线之下，因此下方变作一片绝对的黑暗，而头上只有暗淡稀疏的星辰。不过对端点星长大的崔维兹来说，这种星空景象已足以让他啧啧称奇。
接着，前方开始出现一些明后的星辰，起初只有一两颗，然后渐渐增多，范围越来越大，密度越来越高，最后聚结成一片。此时他们迅速通过昼夜界线，又回到了日照面。初升的太阳带来恶魔般的强光，显像屏幕立刻转移镜头，并偏振了来自下方地表的眩目光芒。
崔维兹心中非常清楚，仅凭肉眼检视这个可谓巨大的世界，想要找到任何通往内部的人口（若真有可住人的地底世界），绝对会徒劳无功。
他转头看了看坐在一旁的宝绮思，她并未注视着显像屏幕，反之，还将双眼都闭起来。她好像不是坐着，而是全身瘫在椅子中。
崔维兹怀疑她是不是睡着了，遂轻声道：“你侦测到什么迹象了吗？”
宝绮思缓缓地、轻轻地摇了摇头。“没有，”她悄声道：“刚刚只有一丝微弱的讯息，你最好带我回那里去。你知道刚才经过的是哪个区域？”
“电脑知道。”
就像瞄准箭靶一样，太空艇前后来回移动，最后终于锁定目标。那个地区仍旧处于夜面深处；虽然驾驶舱的灯光已尽数熄灭，但除了天际微微发后的地球，在月表阴影间映出死灰的光芒外，根本什么部看不清楚。
裴洛拉特走过来，站在驾驶舱门口，神情显得很焦急。“有任何发现吗？”他以沙哑的声音悄悄问道。
崔维兹正盯着宝绮思，他举起手示意裴洛拉特保持肃静。他知道还要好多天之后，阳光才会着新回到月球这一带，不过他也明白，宝绮思目前试图进行的侦测，并不受任何光线影响。
她说：“就在那儿。”
“你确定吗？”
“是的。”
“只有这个地点？”
“我只侦测到这个地点，你飞遍了月球表面每个角落吗？”
“绝大部分我们都经过了。”
“好的，在这绝大部分中，我唯一侦测到讯息的只有这里。它现在变得更强烈，彷佛也侦测到我们了。它似乎没什么危险，我感到的是欢迎的情绪。”
“你确定吗？”
“那是我接收到的感觉。”
裴洛拉特说：“那种情绪会不会是伪造的？”
宝绮思带着一丝骄傲答道：“我能侦测出真假，我向你保证。”
崔维兹咕哝了几句太过自信之类的评语，然后又说：“你侦测到的是智慧吧，我希望如此。”
“我侦测到的是很强的智慧，只不过——”她的语气突然变得很奇怪。
“只不过什么？”
“嘘，不要打扰我，让我全神贯注。”最后几个宇只剩下嘴唇的蠕动，根本听不见声音。
然后，她以透着惊喜的口吻说：“不是人类。”
“不是人类！”崔维兹万分惊讶地说。“我们又在跟机器人打交道吗？就像在索拉利一样？”
“不，”宝绮思微微一笑，“也不完全是机器人。”
“必定是两者之一。”
“都不是。”这回她真的咯咯笑了起来，“它不是人类，却也不像我过去侦测到的任何机器人。”
“我真想看看！”裴洛拉特猛点着头，张大的眼睛中充满喜悦。“多令人兴奋啊，一种新东西！”
“新东西。”崔维兹喃喃说道，同时精神突然一振——一闪意料之外的灵光，似乎照后了他的大脑。
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他们向月球表面缓缓落下，全都沉浸在一股近乎喜悦的气氛中。就连菲龙也加入了他们的行列，由于小孩子特有的天真，她感到喜不自胜，彷佛真要回到索拉利一样。
但在崔维兹心里，则仍有一丝清明的神智，提醒他这事栢当奇怪。地球——或者原本在地球，现在转移到月球的力量——曾经大费周章逐退所有的人，如今却采取行动吸引他们至此，两者的目的会不会殊途同归？会不会是所谓的“若无法阻止敌人，不妨将计就计藉机歼敌”？这两种做法，不是都能让地球保住秘密吗？
然而，他们越接近月球表面，喜悦的情绪就越深刻，他的疑虑也渐渐被喜悦淹没。但纵使如此，当他们正要冲向月球表面时，他仍紧紧抓住罢才心中突然闪现的那道灵光。
他似乎对太空艇的去向成竹在胸。现在，他们在一片起伏山丘的正上方，崔维兹坐在电脑前面，却感到什么事都不必做，彷佛他与电脑两者皆受到指引。他只觉得如释着负，心中满溢着极度的欣快。
他们现在正贴着地面滑翔，前方耸立着一座险恶的峭壁，像是专门阻挡他们的屏障。在地球的光芒与远星号射出的光束照耀下，这座屏障反映出微弱的光辉。虽然眼看就要撞上去，崔维兹却似乎毫不在意。接着，他发现正前方那块峭壁倒了下来，面前出现一道灯火通明的走廊，他也一点不觉得意外。
太空艇的速度减至最低，显然是自动调整的，然后对准一个大小恰好的入口飞了进去——一路滑行。后方的入口随即关闭，前方又出现另一个人口。太空艇穿过第二个人口后，来到一处像是将山挖空而形成的巨大空间。
太空艇随即停下，四个人迫不及待地冲向气闸。包括崔维兹在内，大家皆未想到检查外面是否有适宜的大气——或是究竟有没有大气存在。
不过外面的确有空气，而且呼吸起来非常舒服。他们像是终于回到家的旅人，神情愉悦地四处张望。过了一会儿，他们才发现前方站着一名男子，彬彬有礼地在那里等候他们。
他的身材高大，表情严肃，古铜色的头发剪得很短。他的颧骨宽阔，双眼炯炯有神，衣着类似古史书籍中才得见的款式。虽然他似乎身强体壮、精力旺盛，却彷佛带有一股倦意——其实外表根本看不出来，那是属于感官外的一种气息。
最先有反应的是菲龙，她发出高声尖叫，像是吹口哨一样，然后拔腿向那人飞奔而去，同时不断挥着手，上气不接下气地叫着：“健比！健比！”
她始终没放慢脚步，她一来到那人面前，他便弯下腰来将她高高举起。她伸出双臂紧紧搂住他的脖子，哇哇大哭起来，一面仍抽抽噎噎地喊着：“健比！”
其他三人以较冷静的步伐向前走去，崔维兹用缓慢而清晰的声音（此人听得懂银河标准语吗？）说：“我们向您致歉，阁下。这孩子失去了她的保母，正在四处拼命寻找。至于她为何抱着您不放，我们也不知该如何解释，因为她要找的是个机器人，一个机械的……”
那人终于开口。他的声音平实，没有任何花腔，而且带着些许古风，伹他说的银河标准语极为流利。
“我伸出友谊之手欢迎诸位。”他说——他的友善似乎毋庸置疑，纵使他的脸孔依然维持严肃的表情。“至于这个孩子，”他继续说：“她的感知能力或许超乎你的想像，因为我正是机器人，我的名字叫丹尼尔·奥利瓦。”

Part Seven - EarthChapter 19: Radioactive?
85The Far Star took off quietly, rising slowlythrough the atmosphere, leaving the dark island below. The few faintdots of light beneath them dimmed and vanished, and as the atmospheregrew thinner with height, the ship's speed grew greater, and the dotsof light in the sky above them grew more numerous and brighter.
Eventually, they looked down upon the planet, Alpha, with only acrescent illuminated and that crescent largely wreathed in clouds.
Pelorat said, "I suppose they don't have an active spacetechnology. They can't follow us.""I'm not sure that that cheers me up much," said Trevize, his facedour, his voice disheartened. "I'm infected.""But with an inactive strain," said Bliss.
"Still, it can be made active. They had a method. What is themethod?"Bliss shrugged. "Hiroko said the virus, left inactive, would eventuallydie in a body unadapted to it as yours is.""Yes?" said Trevize angrily. "How does she know that? For that matter,how do I know that Hiroko's statement wasn't a self-consoling lie? Andisn't it possible that the method of activation, whatever it is, mightnot be duplicated naturally? A particular chemical, a type of radiation,a a who knows what? I may sicken suddenly, and then thethree of you would die, too. Or if it happens after we have reached apopulated world, there may be a vicious pandemic which fleeing refugeeswould carry to other worlds."He looked at Bliss. "Is there something you can do about it?"Slowly, Bliss shook her head. "Not easily. There are parasites makingup Gaia microorganisms, worms. They are a benign part of theecological balance. They live and contribute to the world consciousness,but never overgrow. They live without doing noticeable harm. The troubleis, Trevize, the virus that affects you is not part of Gaia.""You say `not easily,'" said Trevize, frowning. "Under thecircumstances, can you take the trouble to do it even though it mightbe difficult? Can you locate the virus in me and destroy it? Can you,failing that, at least strengthen my defenses?""Do you realize what you ask, Trevize? I am not acquainted with themicroscopic flora of your body. I might not easily tell a virus in thecells of your body from the normal genes inhabiting them. It would be evenmore difficult to distinguish between viruses your body is accustomed toand those with which Hiroko infected you. I will try to do it, Trevize,but it will take time and I may not succeed.""Take time," said Trevize. "Try.""Certainly," said Bliss.
Pelorat said, "If Hiroko told the truth, Bliss, you might be able tofind viruses that seem to be already diminishing in vitality, and youcould accelerate their decline.""I could do that," said Bliss. "It is a good thought.""You won't weaken?" said Trevize. "You will have to destroy preciousbits of life when you kill those viruses, you know.""You are being sardonic, Trevize," said Bliss coolly, "but, sardonicor not, you are pointing out a true difficulty. Still, I can scarcelyfail to put you ahead of the virus. I will kill them if I have thechance, never fear. After all, even if I fail to consider you" andher mouth twitched as though she were repressing a smile "thencertainly Pelorat and Fallom are also at risk, and you might feel moreconfidence in my feeling for them than in my feeling for you. You mighteven remember that I myself am at risk.""I have no faith in your self-love," muttered Trevize. "You'reperfectly ready to give up your life for some high motive. I'll acceptyour concern for Pelorat, however." Then, he said, "I don't hear Fallom'sflute. Is anything wrong with her?""No," said Bliss. "She's asleep. A perfectly natural sleep that Ihad nothing to do with. And I would suggest that, after you work out theJump to the star we think is Earth's sun, we all do likewise. I need itbadly and I suspect you do, too, Trevize.""Yes, if I can manage. You were right, you know, Bliss.""About what, Trevize?""About Isolates. New Earth was not a paradise, however much itmight have seemed like one. That hospitality all that outgoingfriendliness at first was to put us off our guard, so that oneof us might be easily infected. And all the hospitality afterward,the festivals of this and that, were designed to keep us there till thefishing fleet returned and the activation could be carried through. Andit would have worked but for Fallom and her music. It might be you wereright there, too.""About Fallom?""Yes. I didn't want to take her along, and I've never been happy withher being on the ship. It was your doing, Bliss, that we have her hereand it was she who, unwittingly, saved us. And yet ""And yet what?""Despite that, I'm still uneasy at Fallom's presence. Idon't know why.""If it will make you feel better, Trevize, I don't know that we canlay all the credit at Fallom's feet. Hiroko advanced Fallom's music asher excuse for committing what the other Alphans would surely considerto be an act of treason. She may even have believed this, but there wassomething in her mind in addition, something that I vaguely detectedbut could not surely identify, something that perhaps she was ashamed tolet emerge into her conscious mind. I am under the impression that shefelt a warmth for you, and would not willingly see you die, regardlessof Fallom and her music.""Do you really think so?" said Trevize, smiling slightly for thefirst time since they had left Alpha.
"I think so. You must have a certain proficiency at dealing withwomen. You persuaded Minister Lizalor to allow us to take our shipand leave Comporellon, and you helped influence Hiroko to save ourlives. Credit where it's due."Trevize smiled more broadly. "Well, if you say so. On to Earth,then." He disappeared into the pilot-room with a step that was almostjaunty.
Pelorat, lingering behind, said, "You soothed him after all, didn'tyou, Bliss?""No, Pelorat, I never touched his mind.""You certainly did when you pampered his male vanity sooutrageously.""Entirely indirect," said Bliss, smiling.
"Even so, thank you, Bliss."86After the Jump, the star that might well be Earth'ssun was still a tenth of a parsec away. It was the brightest object inthe sky by far, but it was still no more than a star.
Trevize kept its light filtered for ease of viewing, and studiedit somberly.
He said, "There seems no doubt that it is the virtual twin of Alpha,the star that New Earth circles. Yet Alpha is in the computer map andthis star is not. We don't have a name for this star, we aren't givenits statistics, we lack any information concerning its planetary system,if it has one."Pelorat said, "Isn't that what we would expect if Earth circlesthis sun? Such a blackout of information would fit with the fact thatall information about Earth seems to have been eliminated.""Yes, but it could also mean that it's a Spacer world that justhappened not to be on the list on the wall of the Melpomenian building. Wecan't be altogether sure that that list was complete. Or this starcould be without planets and therefore perhaps not worth listing ona computer map which is primarily used for military and commercialpurposes. Janov, is there any legend that tells of Earth's sunbeing a mere parsec or so from a twin of itself."Pelorat shook his head. "I'm sorry, Golan, but no such legend occursto me. There may be one, though. My memory isn't perfect. I'll searchfor it.""It's not important. Is there any name given to Earth's sun?""Some different names are given. I imagine there must be a name ineach of the different languages.""I keep forgetting that Earth had many languages.""It must have had. It's the only way of making sense out of many ofthe legends."Trevize said peevishly, "Well, then, what do we do? We can't tellanything about the planetary system from this distance, and we have tomove closer. I would like to be cautious, but there's such a thing asexcessive and unreasoning caution, and I see no evidence of possibledanger. Presumably anything powerful enough to wipe the Galaxy clean ofinformation about Earth may be powerful enough to wipe us out even atthis distance if they seriously did not wish to be located, but nothing'shappened. It isn't rational to stay here forever on the mere possibilitythat something might happen if we move closer, is it?"Bliss said, "I take it the computer detects nothing that might beinterpreted as dangerous.""When I say I see no evidence of possible danger, it's the computerI'm relying on. I certainly can't see anything with the unaided eye. Iwouldn't expect to.""Then I take it you're just looking for support in making what youconsider a risky decision. All right, then. I'm with you. We haven'tcome this far in order to turn back for no reason, have we?""No," said Trevize. "What do you say, Pelorat?"Pelorat said, "I'm willing to move on, if only out of curiosity. Itwould be unbearable to go back without knowing if we have foundEarth.""Well, then," said Trevize, "we're all agreed.""Not all," said Pelorat. "There's Fallom."Trevize looked astonished. "Are you suggesting we consult the child? Ofwhat value would her opinion be even if she had one? Besides, all shewould want would be to get back to her own world.""Can you blame her for that?" asked Bliss warmly.
And because the matter of Fallom had arisen, Trevize became aware ofher flute, which was sounding in a rather stirring march rhythm.
"Listen to her," he said. "Where has she ever heard anything inmarch rhythm?""Perhaps Jemby played marches on the flute for her."Trevize shook his head. "I doubt it. Dance rhythms, I should think,lullabies. Listen, Fallom makes me uneasy. She learns tooquickly.""I help her," said Bliss. "Remember that. Andshe's very intelligent and she has been extraordinarilystimulated in the time she's been with us. New sensations have floodedher mind. She's seen space, different worlds, many people, all for thefirst time."Fallom's march music grew wilder and more richly barbaric.
Trevize sighed and said, "Well, she's here, and she's producing musicthat seems to breathe optimism, and delight in adventure. I'll take thatas her vote in favor of moving in more closely. Let us do so cautiously,then, and check this sun's planetary system.""If any," said Bliss.
Trevize smiled thinly. "There's a planetary system. It's a bet. Chooseyour sum."87"You lose," said Trevize abstractedly. "How much moneydid you decide to bet?""None. I never accepted the wager," said Bliss.
"Just as well. I wouldn't like to accept the money, anyway."They were some 10 billion kilometers from the sun. It was stillstar-like, but it was nearly 1/4,000 as bright as the average sun wouldhave been when viewed from the surface of a habitable planet.
"We can see two planets under magnification, right now," saidTrevize. "From their measured diameters and from the spectrum of thereflected light, they are clearly gas giants."The ship was well outside the planetary plane, and Bliss and Pelorat,staring over Trevize's shoulder at the viewscreen, found themselveslooking at two tiny crescents of greenish light. The smaller was in thesomewhat thicker phase of the two.
Trevize said, "Janov! It is correct, isn't it, that Earth's sun issuppose to have four gas giants.""According to the legends. Yes," said Pelorat.
"The nearest of the four to the sun is the largest, and the secondnearest has rings. Right?""Large prominent rings, Golan. Yes. Just the same, old chap, you haveto allow for exaggeration in the telling and retelling of a legend. If weshould not find a planet with an extraordinary ring system, I don't thinkwe ought to let that count seriously against this being Earth's star.""Nevertheless, the two we see may be the farthest, and the twonearer ones may well be on the other side of the sun and too far to beeasily located against the background of stars. We'll have to move stillcloser and beyond the sun to the other side.""Can that be done in the presence of the star's nearby mass?""With reasonable caution, the computer can do it, I'm sure. If itjudges the danger to be too great, however, it will refuse to budge us,and we can then move in cautious, smaller steps."His mind directed the computer and the starfield on theviewscreen changed. The star brightened sharply and then moved off theviewscreen as the computer, following directions, scanned the sky foranother gas giant. It did so successfully.
All three onlookers stiffened and stared, while Trevize's mind,almost helpless with astonishment, fumbled at the computer to directfurther magnification.
"Incredible," gasped Bliss.
88A gas giant was in view, seen at an angle that allowedmost of it to be sunlit. About it, there curved a broad and brilliantring of material, tipped so as to catch the sunlight on the side beingviewed. It was brighter than the planet itself and along it, one thirdof the way in toward the planet, was a narrow, dividing line.
Trevize threw in a request for maximum enhancement and the ring becameringlets, narrow and concentric, glittering in the sunlight. Only aportion of the ring system was visible on the viewscreen and the planetitself had moved off. A further direction from Trevize and one cornerof the screen marked itself off and showed, within itself, a miniatureof the planet and rings under lesser magnification.
"Is that sort of thing common?" asked Bliss, awed.
"No," said Trevize. "Almost every gas giant has rings of debris, butthey tend to be faint and narrow. I once saw one in which the rings werenarrow, but quite bright. But I never saw anything like this; or heardof it, either."Pelorat said, "That's clearly the ringed giant the legends speakof. If this is really unique ""Really unique, as far as I know, or as far as the computer knows,"said Trevize.
"Then this must be the planetary system containingEarth. Surely, no one could invent such a planet. It would have had tohave been seen to be described."Trevize said, "I'm prepared to believe just about anything your legendssay now. This is the sixth planet and Earth would be the third?""Right, Golan.""Then I would say we were less than 1.5 billion kilometers from Earth,and we haven't been stopped. Gaia stopped us when we approached."Bliss said, "You were closer to Gaia when you were stopped.""Ah," said Trevize, "but it's my opinion Earth is more powerful thanGaia, and I take this to be a good sign. If we are not stopped, it maybe that Earth does not object to our approach.""Or that there is no Earth," said Bliss.
"Do you care to bet this time?" asked Trevize grimly.
"What I think Bliss means," put in Pelorat, "is that Earth may beradioactive as everyone seems to think, and that no one stops us becausethere is no life on the Earth.""No," said Trevize violently. "I'll believe everything that's saidabout Earth, but that. We'll just close in on Earth andsee for ourselves. And I have the feeling we won't be stopped."89The gas giants were well behind. An asteroid beltlay just inside the gas giant nearest the sun. (That gas giant was thelargest and most massive, just as the legends said.)Inside the asteroid belt were four planets.
Trevize studied them carefully. "The third is the largest. The sizeis appropriate and the distance from the sun is appropriate. It couldbe habitable."Pelorat caught what seemed to be a note of uncertainty in Trevize'swords.
He said, "Does it have an atmosphere?""Oh yes," said Trevize. "The second, third, and fourth planets allhave atmospheres. And, as in the old children's tale, the second's istoo dense, the fourth's is not dense enough, but the third's is justright.""Do you think it might be Earth, then?""Think?" said Trevize almost explosively. "I don't have to think. Itis Earth. It has the giant satellite you told me of.""It has?" And Pelorat's face broke into a wider smile than any thatTrevize had ever seen upon it.
"Absolutely! Here, look at it under maximum magnification."Pelorat saw two crescents, one distinctly larger and brighter thanthe other.
"Is that smaller one the satellite?" he asked.
"Yes. It's rather farther from the planet than one might expect butit's definitely revolving about it. It's only the size of a small planet;in fact, it's smaller than any of the four inner planets circling thesun. Still, it's large for a satellite. It's at least two thousandkilometers in diameter, which makes it in the size range of the largesatellites that revolve about gas giants.""No larger?" Pelorat seemed disappointed. "Then it's not a giantsatellite?""Yes, it is. A satellite with a diameter of two to three thousandkilometers that is circling an enormous gas giant is one thing. That samesatellite circling a small, rocky habitable planet is quite another. Thatsatellite has a diameter over a quarter that of Earth. Where have youheard of such near-parity involving a habitable planet?"Pelorat said timidly, "I know very little of such things."Trevize said, "Then take my word for it, Janov. It's unique. We'relooking at something that is practically a double planet, and there arefew habitable planets that have anything more than pebbles orbitingthem. Janov, if you consider that gas giant with its enormous ringsystem in sixth place, and this planet with its enormous satellite inthird both of which your legends told you about, against allcredibility, before you ever saw them then that world you'relooking at must be Earth. It cannot conceivably be anythingelse. We've found it, Janov; we've found it."90THey were on the second day of their coasting progresstoward Earth, and Bliss yawned over the dinner meal. She said, "It seemsto me we've spent more time coasting toward and away from planets thananything else. We've spent weeks at it, literally.""Partly," said Trevize, "that's because Jumps are dangeroustoo close to a star. And in this case, we'removing very slowly because I do not wish to advance into possible dangertoo quickly.""I thought you said you had the feeling we would not be stopped.""So I do, but I don't want to stake everything on a feeling." Trevizelooked at the contents of the spoon before putting it into his mouthand said, "You know, I miss the fish we had on Alpha. We only had threemeals there.""A pity," agreed Pelorat.
"Well," said Bliss, "we visited five worlds and had to leave eachone of them so hurriedly that we never had time to add to our foodsupplies and introduce variety. Even when the world had food to offer,as did Comporellon and Alpha, and, presumably "She did not complete the sentence, for Fallom, looking up quickly,finished it for her. "Solaria? Could you get no food there? There isplenty of food there. As much as on Alpha. And better, too.""I know that, Fallom," said Bliss. "There was just no time."Fallom stared at her solemnly. "Will I ever see Jemby again,Bliss? Tell me the truth."Bliss said, "You may, if we return to Solaria.""Will we ever return to Solaria?"Bliss hesitated. "I cannot say.""Now we go to Earth, is that right? Isn't that the planet where yousay we all originate?""Where our forebears originated," said Bliss.
"I can say `ancestors,'" said Fallom.
"Yes, we are going to Earth."Bliss said lightly, "Wouldn't anyone wish to see the world of theirancestors?""I think there's more to it. You all seem so concerned.""But we've never been there before. We don't know what to expect.""I think it is more than that."Bliss smiled. "You've finished eating, Fallom dear, so why not goto the room and let us have a little serenade on your flute. You'replaying it more beautifully all the time. Come, come." She gave Falloman accelerating pat on the rear end, and off Fallom went, turning onlyonce to give Trevize a thoughtful look.
Trevize looked after her with clear distaste. "Does that thing readminds?""Don't call her a `thing,' Trevize," said Bliss sharply.
"Does she read minds? You ought to be able to tell.""No, she doesn't. Nor can Gaia. Nor can the SecondFoundationers. Reading minds in the sense of overhearing a conversation,or making out precise ideas is not something that can be done now, or inthe foreseeable future. We can detect, interpret, and, to some extent,manipulate emotions, but that is not the same thing at all.""How do you know she can't do this thing that supposedly can't bedone?""Because as you have just said, I ought to be able to tell.""Perhaps she is manipulating you so that you remain ignorant of thefact that she can."Bliss rolled her eyes upward. "Be reasonable, Trevize. Even if she hadunusual abilities, she could do nothing with me for I am not Bliss, I amGaia. You keep forgetting. Do you know the mental inertia representedby an entire planet? Do you think one Isolate, however talented, canovercome that?""You don't know everything, Bliss, so don't be overconfident," saidTrevize sullenly. "That th She has been with us notvery long. I couldn't learn anything but the rudiments of a language inthat time, yet she already speaks Galactic perfectly and with virtuallya full vocabulary. Yes, I know you've been helping her, but I wish youwould stop.""I told you I was helping her, but I also told you she's fearfullyintelligent. Intelligent enough so that I would like to have her part ofGaia. If we can gather her in; if she's still young enough; we might learnenough about the Solarians to absorb that entire world eventually. Itmight well be useful to us.""Does it occur to you that the Solarians are pathological Isolateseven by my standards?""They wouldn't stay so as part of Gaia.""I think you're wrong, Bliss. I think that Solarian child is dangerousand that we should get rid of her.""How? Dump her through the airlock? Kill her, chop her up, and addher to our food supply?"Pelorat said, "Oh, Bliss."And Trevize said, "That's disgusting, and completely uncalled for." Helistened for a moment. The flute was sounding without flaw or waver,and they had been talking in half-whispers. "When this is all over, we'vegot to return her to Solaria, and make sure that Solaria is forever cutoff from the Galaxy. My own feeling is that it should be destroyed. Idistrust and fear it."Bliss thought awhile and said, "Trevize, I know that you have the knackof coming to a right decision, but I also know you have been antipatheticto Fallom from the start. I suspect that may just be because you werehumiliated on Solaria and have taken a violent hatred to the planet andits inhabitants as a result. Since I must not tamper with your mind,I can't tell that for sure. Please remember that if we had not takenFallom with us, we would be on Alpha right now dead and, I presume,buried.""I know that, Bliss, but even so ""And her intelligence is to be admired, not envied.""I do not envy her. I fear her.""Her intelligence?"Trevize licked his lips thoughtfully. "No, not quite.""What, then?""I don't know. Bliss, if I knew what I feared, I might not have tofear it. It's something I don't quite understand." His voice lowered,as though he were speaking to himself. "The Galaxy seems to be crowdedwith things I don't understand. Why did I choose Gaia? Why must I findEarth? Is there a missing assumption in psychohistory? If there is,what is it? And on top of all that, why does Fallom make me uneasy?"Bliss said, "Unfortunately, I can't answer those questions." She rose,and left the room.
Pelorat looked after her, then said, "Surely things aren't totallyblack, Golan. We're getting closer and closer to Earth and once we reachit all mysteries may be solved. And so far nothing seems to be makingany effort to stop us from reaching it."Trevize's eyes flickered toward Pelorat and he said in a low voice,"I wish something would."Pelorat said, "You do? Why should you want that?""Frankly, I'd welcome a sign of life."Pelorat's eyes opened wide. "Have you found that Earth is radioactiveafter all?""Not quite. But it is warm. A bit warmer than I would haveexpected.""Is that bad?""Not necessarily. It may be rather warm but that wouldn't make itnecessarily uninhabitable. The cloud cover is thick and it is definitelywater vapor, so that those clouds, together with a copious water ocean,could tend to keep things livable despite the temperature we calculatedfrom microwave emission. I can't be sure, yet. It's just that ""Yes, Golan?""Well, if Earth were radioactive, that might well account for itsbeing warmer than expected.""But that doesn't argue the reverse, does it? If it's warmer thanexpected, that doesn't mean it must be radioactive.""No. No, it doesn't." Trevize managed to force a smile. "No usebrooding, Janov. In a day or two, I'll be able to tell more about itand we'll know for sure."91Fallom was sitting on the cot in deep thought whenBliss came into the room. Fallom looked up briefly, then down again.
Bliss said quietly, "What's the matter, Fallom?"Fallom said, "Why does Trevize dislike me so much, Bliss?""What makes you think he dislikes you.""He looks at me impatiently Is that the word?""It might be the word.""He looks at me impatiently when I am near him. His face always twistsa little.""Trevize is having a hard time, Fallom.""Because he's looking for Earth?""Yes."Fallom thought awhile, then said, "He is particularly impatient whenI think something into moving."Bliss's lips tightened. "Now, Fallom, didn't I tell you you must notdo that, especially when Trevize is present?""Well, it was yesterday, right here in this room, and he was in thedoorway and I didn't notice. I didn't know he was watching. It was justone of Pel's book-films, anyway, and I was trying to make it stand onone tip. I wasn't doing any harm.""It makes him nervous, Fallom, and I want you not to do it, whetherhe's watching or not.""Does it make him nervous because he can't do it?""Perhaps.""Can you do it?"Bliss shook her head slowly. "No, I can't.""It doesn't make you nervous when I do it. It doesn't make Pel nervous,either.""People are different.""I know," said Fallom, with a sudden hardness that surprised Blissand caused her to frown.
"What do you know, Fallom?"" I'm different.""Of course, I just said so. People are different.""My shape is different. I can move things.""That's true."Fallom said, with a shade of rebelliousness, "I must move things. Trevize should not be angry with me for that, and you shouldnot stop me.""But why must you move things?""It is practice. Exerceez. Is that the right word?""Not quite. Exercise.""Yes. Jemby always said I must train my my ""Transducer-lobes?""Yes. And make them strong. Then, when I was grown up, I could powerall the robots. Even Jemby.""Fallom, who did power all the robots if you did not?""Bander." Fallom said it very matter-of-factly.
"Did you know Bander?""Of course. I viewed him many times. I was to be the nextestate-head. The Bander estate would become the Fallom estate. Jembytold me so.""You mean Bander came to your "Fallom's mouth made a perfect O of shock. She said in a choked voice,"Bander would never come to " The youngster ran out of breath andpanted a bit, then said, "I viewed Bander's image."Bliss asked hesitantly, "How did Bander treat you?"Fallom looked at Bliss with a faintly puzzled eye. "Bander would askme if I needed anything; if I was comfortable. But Jemby was always nearme so I never needed anything and I was always comfortable."Her head bent and she stared at the floor. Then she placed her handsover her eyes and said, "But Jemby stopped. I think it was because Banderstopped, too."Bliss said, "Why do you say that?""I've been thinking about it. Bander powered all the robots, and ifJemby stopped, and all the other robots, too, it must be that Banderstopped. Isn't that so?"Bliss was silent.
Fallom said, "But when you take me back to Solaria I will power Jembyand all the rest of the robots, and I will be happy again."She was sobbing.
Bliss said, "Aren't you happy with us, Fallom? Just alittle? Sometimes?"Fallom lifted her tear-stained face to Bliss and her voice trembledas she shook her head and said, "I want Jemby."In an agony of sympathy, Bliss threw her arms about the youngster. "Oh,Fallom, how I wish I could bring you and Jemby together again," and wassuddenly aware that she was weeping, too.
92Pelorat entered and found them so. He halted in mid-stepand said, "What's the matter?"Bliss detached herself and fumbled for a small tissue so that shemight wipe her eyes. She shook her head, and Pelorat at once said,with heightened concern, "But what's the matter ?"Bliss said, "Fallom, just rest a little. I'll think of something tomake things a little better for you. Remember I love you just thesame way that Jemby did."She seized Pelorat's elbow and rushed him out into the living room,saying, "It's nothing, Pel. Nothing.""It's Fallom, though, isn't it? She still misses Jemby.""Terribly. And there's nothing we can do about it. I can tell herthat I love her and, truthfully, I do. How can you help loving achild so intelligent and gentle? Fearfully intelligent. Trevizethinks too intelligent. She's seen Bander in her time,you know or viewed it, rather, as a holographic image. She's notmoved by that memory, however; she's very cold and matter-of-fact aboutit, and I can understand why. There was only the fact that Bander wasowner of the estate and that Fallom would be the next owner that boundthem. No other relationship at all.""Does Fallom understand that Bander is her father?""Her mother . If we agree that Fallom is to be regardedas feminine, so is Bander.""Either way, Bliss dear. Is Fallom aware of the parentalrelationship?""I don't know that she would understand what that is. She may, ofcourse, but she gave no hint. However, Pel, she has reasoned out thatBander is dead, for it's dawned on her that Jemby's inactivation must bethe result of power loss and since Bander supplied the power Thatfrightens me."Pelorat said thoughtfully, "Why should it, Bliss? It's only a logicalinference, after all.""Another logical inference can be drawn from that death. Deathsmust be few and far distant on Solaria with its long-lived and isolatedSpacers. Experience of natural death must be a limited one for any ofthem, and probably absent altogether for a Solarian child of Fallom'sage. If Fallom continues to think of Bander's death, she's going to beginto wonder why Bander died, and the fact that it happenedwhen we strangers were on the planet will surely lead her to the obviouscause and effect.""That we killed Bander?""It wasn't we who killed Bander, Pel. It was I .""She couldn't guess that.""But I would have to tell her that. She is annoyed with Trevize as itis, and he is clearly the leader of the expedition. She would take itfor granted that it would be he who would have brought about the deathof Bander, and how could I allow Trevize to bear the blame unjustly?""What would it matter, Bliss? The child feels nothing for herfath mother. Only for her robot, Jemby.""But the death of the mother meant the death of her robot, too. Ialmost did own up to my responsibility. I was strongly tempted.""Why?""So I could explain it my way. So I could soothe her, forestall herown discovery of the fact in a reasoning process that would work it outin a way that would offer no justification for it.""But there was justification. It was self-defense. Ina moment, we all would have been dead, if you had not acted.""It's what I would have said, but I could not bring myself toexplain. I was afraid she wouldn't believe me."Pelorat shook his head. He said, sighing, "Do you suppose it mighthave been better if we had not brought her? The situation makes youso unhappy.""No," said Bliss angrily, "don't say that. It would have mademe infinitely more unhappy to have to sit here right now and rememberthat we had left an innocent child behind to be slaughtered mercilesslybecause of what we had done.""It's the way of Fallom's world.""Now, Pel, don't fall into Trevize's way of thinking. Isolatesfind it possible to accept such things and think no more about it. Theway of Gaia is to save life, however, not destroy it or to sitidly by while it is destroyed. Life of all kinds must, we all know,constantly be coming to an end in order that other life might endure,but never uselessly, never to no end. Bander's death, though unavoidable,is hard enough to bear; Fallom's would have been past all bounds.""Ah well," said Pelorat, "I suppose you're right. And in anycase, it is not the problem of Fallom concerning which I've come to seeyou. It's Trevize.""What about Trevize?""Bliss, I'm worried about him. He's waiting to determine the factsabout Earth, and I'm not sure he can withstand the strain.""I don't fear for him. I suspect he has a sturdy and stable mind.""We all have our limits. Listen, the planet Earth is warmer than heexpected it to be; he told me so. I suspect that he thinks it may be toowarm for life, though he's clearly trying to talk himself into believingthat's not so.""Maybe he's right. Maybe it's not too warm for life.""Also, he admits it's possible that the warmth might possibly arisefrom a radioactive crust, but he is refusing to believe that also. -Ina day or two, we'll be close enough so that the truth of the matter willbe unmistakable. What if Earth is radioactive?""Then he'll have to accept the fact.""But I don't know how to say this, or how to put it in mentalterms. What if his mind "Bliss waited, then said wryly, "Blows a fuse?""Yes. Blows a fuse. Shouldn't you do something now to strengthenhim? Keep him level and under control, so to speak?""No, Pel. I can't believe he's that fragile, and there is a firmGaian decision that his mind must not be tampered with.""But that's the very point. He has this unusual `rightness,' orwhatever you want to call it. The shock of his entire project fallingto nothingness at the moment when it seems successfully concluded maynot destroy his brain, but it may destroy his `rightness.' It's a veryunusual property he has. Might it not be unusually fragile, too?"Bliss remained for a moment in thought. Then she shrugged. "Well,perhaps I'll keep an eye on him."93For the next thirty-six hours, Trevize was vaguelyaware that Bliss and, to a lesser degree, Pelorat, tended to dog hisfootsteps. Still, that was not utterly unusual in a ship as compact astheirs, and he had other things on his mind.
Now, as he sat at the computer, he was aware of them standing justinside the doorway. He looked up at them, his face blank.
"Well?" he said, in a very quiet voice.
Pelorat said, rather awkwardly, "How are you, Golan?"Trevize said, "Ask Bliss. She's been staring at me intently forhours. She must be poking through my mind. Aren't you, Bliss?""No, I am not," said Bliss evenly, "but if you feel the need for myhelp, I can try. Do you want my help?""No, why should I? Leave me alone. Both of you."Pelorat said, "Please tell us what's going on.""Guess!""Is Earth ""Yes, it is. What everyone insisted on telling us is perfectlytrue." Trevize gestured at the viewscreen, where Earth presented itsnightside and was eclipsing the sun. It was a solid circle of blackagainst the starry sky, its circumference outlined by a broken orangecurve.
Pelorat said, "Is that orange the radioactivity?""No. Just refracted sunlight through the atmosphere. It would bea solid orange circle if the atmosphere weren't so cloudy. We can'tsee the radioactivity. The various radiations, even the gamma rays, areabsorbed by the atmosphere. However, they do set up secondary radiations,comparatively feeble ones, but the computer can detect them. They'restill invisible to the eye, but the computer can produce a photon ofvisible light for each particle or wave of radiation it receives andput Earth into false color. Look."And the black circle glowed with a faint, blotchy blue.
"How much radioactivity is there?" asked Bliss, in a low voice. "Enoughto signify that no human life can exist there?""No life of any kind," said Trevize. "The planet is uninhabitable. Thelast bacterium, the last virus, is long gone.""Can we explore it?" said Pelorat. "I mean, in space suits.""For a few hours before we come down with irreversible radiationsickness.""Then what do we do, Golan?""Do?" Trevize looked at Pelorat with that same expressionlessface. "Do you know what I would like to do? I would like to take youand Bliss and the child back to Gaia and leave you allthere forever. Then I would like to go back to Terminus and hand backthe ship. Then I would like to resign from the Council, which ought tomake Mayor Branno very happy. Then I would like to live on my pensionand let the Galaxy go as it will. I won't care about the Seldon Plan, orabout the Foundation, or about the Second Foundation, or about Gaia. TheGalaxy can choose its own path. It will last my time and why should Icare a snap as to what happens afterward?""Surely, you don't mean it, Golan," said Pelorat urgently.
Trevize stared at him for a while, and then he drew a long breath. "No,I don't, but, oh, how I wish I could do exactly what I have just outlinedto you.""Never mind that. What will you do?""Keep the ship in orbit about the Earth, rest, get over the shock ofall this, and think of what to do next. Except that ""Yes?"And Trevize blurted out, "What can I do next? What is there furtherto look for? What is there further to find?"

第七部 地球 第十九章 放射性之谜
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远星号静静起飞，在大气层中缓缓爬升，将那座黑暗的岛屿越抛越远。下方几许微弱的光点越来越暗，终至完全消失无踪。随着高度的增加，大气逐渐稀薄，太空艇的速度逐渐加快，天上的光点则越来越多、越来越后。
最后，当他们往下望去，这颗名叫阿尔发的行星只剩一弯新月形的光辉，其上缭绕着众多云气。
裴洛拉特说：“我想他们没有实用的太空科技，他们无法追赶我们。”
“我不确定这件事能让我释怀多少，”崔维兹看来郁郁寡欢，声音听来相当沮丧。“我被感染了。”
“但完全没发作。”宝绮思说。
“然而他们有办法触发。那究竟是什么办法？”
宝绮思耸了耸肩。“广子说如果病毒一直不发作，最后会死在它们无法适应的身体里面——例如你的身体。”
“是吗？”崔维兹气冲冲地说：“她怎么知道？话又说回来，我怎么知道广子说的不是自我安慰的谎言？而且不论触发的方法是什么，难道不可能自然发生吗？某种特殊的化学药剂，某种放射性，某种……某种……谁知道是什么？我可能突然发病，然后你们三人也会死掉。若是在我们抵达人口众多的世界后才发作，也许会引起恶性的大型流行疾病，逃离的难民还会把它们带到其他世界。”
他盯着宝绮思说：“你有没有什么办法对付它们？”
宝绮思缓缓摇了摇头。“不太容易。盖娅也拥有寄生物的成分——微生物、虫类等等，它们对生态平衡有正面意义。这些生存在盖娅上的寄生物，对世界级意识都有一己的贡献，可是绝不过度繁殖，因此它们的存在不会造成显着的危害。问题是，崔维兹，侵犯你的病毒并非盖娅的一部分。”
“你说‘不太容易’，”崔维兹皱着眉说：“在如今这种情况下，即使可能非常困难，能不能也麻烦你试试看？你能不能找出病毒在我体内的位置，然后将它们消灭？若是你做不到，能不能至少增强我的抵抗力？”
“你可了解自己在做什么要求，崔维兹？我不熟悉你体内的微观生物，或许不易分辨何者是你细胞内的病毒，何者又是正常的基因。而要区分何者是你身体已经适应的病毒；何者又是广子感染给你的，则更加困难。我会试一试，崔维兹，不过需要花些时间，而且不一定成功。”
“慢慢来，”崔维兹说：“伹一定要试。”
“当然。”宝绮思答道。
裴洛拉特说：“假如广子说的是实话，宝绮思，你也许会发现那些病毒的活力已渐渐减弱，而你可以加速它们的衰亡。”
“我可以试试看，”宝绮思说：“这是个不错的主意。”
“你不会心软？”崔维兹说：“杀死那些病毒，就等于毁灭许多珍贵的生命，你知道的。”
“你是在讽刺我，崔维兹。”宝绮思毫不动容地说：“然而，不管是不是讽刺，你指出了一个真正的难处。话说回来，在你和病毒之间，我很难不优先考虑你。如果有可能，我一定会杀死它们，你不用怕。毕竟，就算我没考虑到你，”她的嘴角牵动一下，彷佛强忍住笑意。“裴洛拉特和菲龙也有危险。跟你栢较之下，我对他们两人的感情你应该比较有信心。你甚至应该想到，现在我自己也有危险。”
“你对自己的爱我可没有信心，”崔维兹喃喃说道：“为了某种高尚的动机，你随时愿意牺牲自己的性命。不过，我倒相信你真心关怀裴洛拉特。”
然后他又说：“我没听见菲龙的笛声，她有什么不对劲吗？”
“没事，”宝绮思说：“她睡着了——是自然的睡眠，跟我完全没有关系。而我建议，等你向那颗我们心目中的地球之阳跃迁后，我们也都好好睡一觉。我极需要睡眠，我认为你也一样，崔维兹。”
“好的，要是我做得到的话——你知道吗，宝绮思，你说对了。”
“说对了什么，崔维兹？”
“对于孤立体的见解。新地球并非天堂，不论它看起来多么像。最初那些殴劲款待——那些表面的友善——都是为了解除我们的警戒，以便将病毒传染给我们其中一人。而其后的殷勤款待，那些各种名目的庆祝活动，目的是把我们留下，等候渔船队归来，然后就能让病毒发作。多亏菲龙和她的音乐，否则险些就让他们得逞，这点你可能也对了。”
“关于菲龙？”
“是的，当初我不愿带她同行，我也始终不高兴看到她在太空船上。由于你的关系，宝绮思，她才会跟我们在一起，又由于她无意间的举动，我们才会侥幸得救。不过——”
“不过什么？”
“尽避如此，我对菲龙的存在仍感不安，我也说不出所以然来。”
“我这样说你也许会感到舒服点，崔维兹，我不确定是否应将功劳全归菲龙。广子做出阿尔发人必定视为叛逆的行为，菲龙的音乐只不过是她的借口，甚趾蟋她自己可能也相信了。但除此之外，她还另有心事，我隐约侦测得到，却无法确定它的本质，也许她羞于让这件事浮出意识层面。我有一种感觉，她对你有特殊好感，不愿眼睁睁看你死去，这和菲龙以及她的音乐无关。”
“你真这么认为？”崔维兹浅浅一笑。这是离开阿尔发后，他露出的第一个笑容。
“我的确这么认为。对于和女人打交道，你一定很有两下子。在康普隆，你说服了李札乐部长让我们驾着太空船离开，这回又促使广子拯救我们的性命，所以功劳其实应该属于你。”
崔维兹的笑容扩大了些。“好吧，既然你这么说——现在，向地球前进。”他踏着几乎可算轻快的步伐，转身走进驾驶舱。
裴洛拉特没有跟过去，他对宝绮思说：“你终究还是安抚了他，对不对，宝绮思？”
“没有，裴，我从未碰触他的心灵。”
“你刚才极力满足他的男性虚荣心，当然触及了他的心灵深处。”
“全然是间接的。”宝绮思微笑说道。
“即使如此，还是谢谢你，宝绮思。”
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跃迁之后，那颗可能是地球之阳的恒星仍在十分之一秒差距外。它的后度已远超过星空中其他天体，然而看来依旧只是一颗星。
崔维兹面色凝着地研究这颗恒星。为了便于观察，他将光线过滤了一遍。
他说：“跟新地球环绕的阿尔发星比较之下，它们无疑可算孪生兄弟。但阿尔发收录在电脑舆图中，而这颗恒星却没有。我们不知道它的名字，也没有它的统计资料，即使它有个行星系，相关资料也全然阙如。”
裴洛拉特说：“假如地球果真环绕这个太阳，这不正是我们意料中的事？完全找不到任何资料，正好符合了地球资料几乎全被销毁的事实。”
“没错，伹也可能表示它是个外世界，只是未列在梅尔波美尼亚那座建筑的墙上，我们无法确定那份名单绝对完整无缺。此外还有一个可能，就是这颗恒星或许没有任何行星，因此不值得收录在主要用于军事和贸易的电脑舆圆中——詹诺夫，有没有任何的传说，提到地球之阳和它变的孪生兄弟距离大约只有一秒差距？”
裴洛拉特摇了摇头。“对不起，葛兰，我想不起有这样的传说。不过，说不定有，我的记性不大好，我会去查查看。”
“这不着要，地球之阳有没有什么名字？”
“有好些不同的名称，我猜不同的语言都有不同的称呼。”
“我常常忘记地球上曾经有许多种语言。”
“一定是这样。唯有如此，众多的传说才能有个合理的解释。”
崔维兹没好气地说：“好啦，现在我们该怎么办？在这么远的距离，我们根本观察不到行星系，我们得靠近点才行。我希望能谨慎行事，可是谨慎有时也会过了头，变得毫无道理。直到目前为止，我看不出有什么危险。不论对方是何方神圣，既然他们有力量将银河中的地球资料一扫而光，那么，只要他们不希望被人发现，即使隔着这么远的距离，他们一定也能轻易将我们消灭，但我们现在什么事也没有。如果只是担心靠近些会发生什么变故就永远待在这里，那绝不是理智的做法，对不对？”
宝绮思说：“我想，电脑没侦测到可解释成危险的任何迹象。”
“我说看不出有什么危险时，根据的是电脑的观测结果。我当然无法以肉眼看到任何东西，我也没那么指望。”
“那么，我想你现在只是在寻求支持，要大家共同做出一个你认为是危险的决定。好吧，我支持你。我们飞了这么远的路途，总不能无缘无故就掉头离去，对不对？”
“没错。”崔维兹道：“你怎么说，裴洛拉特？”
裴洛拉特说：“我愿意继续前进，即使只是为了满足好奇心。要是就这么空手而归，不知道是否找到了地球，那简直令人无法忍受。”
“好，那么，我们都同意了。”崔维兹说。
“还没有，”裴洛拉特说：“还有菲龙。”
崔维兹看来吃了一惊。“你的意思是要我们跟那孩子商量？即使她真有什么意见，会有什么价值？何况她一心只想回到她自己的世界。”
“这点你能怪她吗？”宝绮思为菲龙辩护道。
直到他们谈起菲龙，崔维兹才察觉到她的笛声，现在她吹的是激昂的进行曲。
“听听看，”他说：“不知她在哪里听过进行曲？”
“大概是健比用笛子吹给她听过。”
崔维兹摇了摇头。“我不大相信，舞曲、催眠曲之类还比较有可能——听我说，菲龙令我感到很不自在，她学得太快了。”
“是我帮她的，”宝绮思说：“记住这一点。她不但非常聪明，而且跟我们在一起的这段期间，她受到非比寻常的知性刺激，新的感受源源不绝涌人她的心灵。她目睹了太空的景观，造访了不同的世界，又见到许多人，这都是她前所未有的经验。”
菲龙的进行曲变得越来越狂放，也越来越粗野。
崔维兹叹了一口气。“好啦，她已经表达了意见。她的音乐似乎透露出乐观的精神，并对冒险充满向往，我想这就代表她赞成我们继续接近地球。所以说，让我们小心翼翼地行动，对这个太阳的行星系仔绌观察一番。”
“假如有的话。”宝绮思说。
崔维兹淡淡一笑。“它一定有个行星系。我跟你打赌，看你要赌多少。”
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“你输了。”崔维兹漫下经心地说：“你刚才决定赌多少？”
“根本没有，我从没说过要跟你打赌。”宝绮思答道。
“没关系，反正我也不会要你的钱。”
现在他们距离那个太阳大约一百亿公里，它看来虽然仍是个光点，但已显得分外明后。比较之下，从一般可住人行星表面观察本身的太阳，其平均后度约为目前这个太阳的四千倍。
“现在，影像经过放大后，我们可以看到两颗行星。”崔维兹说：“从它们直径的测量值以及反射光的光谱研判，它们显然是气态巨行星。”
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太空艇目前距离行星轨道面很远。宝绮思与裴洛拉特站在崔维兹身后，凝视着显像屏幕。他们看到的是两个泛着绿光的微小新月形，其中较小的那个“行星相”比较大。
崔维兹说：“詹诺夫！地球之阳应该有四颗气态巨行星，没错吧。”
“不寻常。”崔维兹说：“虽然每颗气态巨行星几乎都有‘碴环’，但它们通常相当暗淡狭窄。我曾见过明后、细小的行星环，却从未见到过像这样的，也从没听说过。”
裴洛拉特说：“这显然就是传说中提到的，那颗拥有行星环的巨行星。如果这真是唯一的……”
“真是唯一的，据我所知没有第二颗，甚至电脑也这么认为。”崔维兹说。
“那么这必定就是拥有地球的行星系。当然没人能虚构出这样的行星，一定要亲眼目睹，才有办法描述出来。”
崔维兹说：“现在不论你的传说怎么讲，我都愿意照单全收。这应该是第六颗行星，而地球是第三颗？”
“是的，葛兰。”
“那么我敢说，我们现在距离地球不到十五亿公里，而我们至今未被挡驾。当初我们接近盖娅时，在半途就遭到拦阻。”
宝绮思说：“你们被拦阻的时候，距离盖娅已经很近了。”
“啊，”崔维兹说：“不过我一向认为地球比盖娅强大，因此我想这是个好现象。既然我们没有遭到拦阻，也许代表地球不反对我们造访。”
“或者根本没有地球。”宝绮思说。
“这次你有兴趣打赌吗？”崔维兹绷着脸说。
“我想宝绮思的意思是说，”裴洛拉特插嘴道：“地球也许真有放射性，就像大家几乎一致相信的那样，而没人出来拦阻我们，是因为地球上根本没有生命。”
“不可能。”崔维兹以激动的口气说：安“我愿意相信有关地球的每一个传说，唯独这点例外。我们一定要迫近地球，亲自看个清楚。而且我有个预感，我们不会遭到拦阻。”
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气态巨行星皆已被远远抛在后面，在最靠近太阳的气态巨行星内围（诚如传说所言，这颗巨行星的体积与质量都是最大的），出现了一条小行星带。
小行星带之内，总共有四颗行星。
此时，崔维兹正在仔细研究这些行星。“第三颗行星最大。它的体积适中、和太阳的距离适中，应该是个可住人行星。”
从崔维兹的话中，裴洛拉特捕捉到一丝不确定的语气。
他问：“它有大气层吗？”
“喔，有的。”崔维兹说：“第二、第三和第四颗行星都有大气层。而且，就像古老的儿童故事一样，第二颗的大气太浓，第四颗的又太稀，只有第三颗的大气恰到好处。”
“那么，你认为它可能是地球吗？”
“认为？”崔维兹几乎是大声吼了出来。“我不必认为，它就是地球，它拥有你说的那个巨型卫星。”
“有吗？”裴洛拉特露出难得的笑容，崔维兹从未见过他笑得那么开心。
“正是如此！来，看看最高倍率的放大影像。”
裴洛拉特看到两个新月形，其中一个显然较大，而且较为明后。
“较小的那颗是卫星吗？”他问。
“是的，它和那颗行星的距离比想像中要远，可是它的确环绕着那颗行星。它的体积相当于小型行星，事实上，它比四颗内行星都要小。话说回来，就卫星的标准而言，它实在太大了些。它的直径至少有两千公里，和气态巨行星的卫星差不多大。”
“不是更大？”裴洛拉特似乎有些失望，“那它就不能算巨型卫星。”
“不，它的确是。环绕巨大气态巨行星的卫星，直径两、三千公里没什么稀奇，而同样大小的卫星环绕一颗小型、岩质的可住人行星，则完全另当别论。那颗卫星的直径是地球直径的四分之一强，你在哪里听说过，可住人行星有这种同量级的卫星？”
裴洛拉特怯生生地说：“这方面我知道得很少。”
崔维兹说：“那就相信我，詹诺夫，它是银河中独一无二的。我们现在看到的其实可算一对行星，而通常在可住人行星的轨道上，却鲜有超过鹅卵石大小的天体。詹诺夫，想想看，第六颗是拥有巨大行星环的气态巨行星，第三颗又是拥有巨大卫星的行星——虽然亲眼目睹之前难以置信，但两者都跟你熟知的传说相符——如此，你眼前这颗行星一定就是地球，它不可能是别的世界。我们找到它了，詹诺夫，我们找到它了！”
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他们缓缓向地球前进，如今已进入第二天。晚餐的时候，宝绮思频频打呵欠。她说：“我感到这些日子以来，我们大部分时间都在行星问飞来飞去。事实上，我们已经花了好几个星期。”
“有一部分原因，”崔维兹说：“是距离恒星如果太近，进行跃迁会很危险。而这一次，我们故意将速度放得非常慢，是因为我不想太快冲进可能的危险中。”
“我记得你说过你有一种预感，认定我们不会遭到拦阻。”
“的确如此，可是我不要将一切押在感觉上。”崔维兹凝视着汤匙中的食物，没有立刻放进嘴里。“你们知道吗，我很怀念阿尔发的渔产，我们在那里只吃了三顿而已。”
“实在可惜。”裴洛拉特表示同意。
“是啊，”宝绮思说：“我们总共造访了五个世界，每一次都是落荒而逃，从没有机会补充些食物，换点新鲜的口味。即使在愿意供应食物的世界上，例如康普隆和阿尔发，我们也根本就没机会，想必在……”
宝绮思的话没有说完，因为菲龙立刻抬起头来，把她的话接下去。“索拉利？你们在那里不能得到食物吗？那里有很多食物，就像在阿尔发上一样多，而且品质更好。”
“这点我知道，菲龙，”宝绮思说：“只是时间来不及。”
菲龙面色凝着地瞪着她。“我会不会再见到健比，宝绮思？告诉我实话。”
宝绮思说：“会的，如果我们回到索拉利的话。”
“我们会不会回索拉利呢？”
宝绮思迟疑了一下。“我不敢说。”
“现在我们要到地球去是吗？是不是你说过的那个我们都源自那里的行星？”
“我们的先人源自那里。”宝绮思说。
“我会说祖先了。”菲龙说。
“对，我们正要去地球。”
“为什么？”
宝绮思随口答道：“谁不希望看看自己祖先的世界呢？”
“我觉得还有别的原因，你们似乎都很担心。”
“我们从没去过那里，不知道会遇到些什么。”
“我觉得还不只这样。”
宝绮思微笑着说：“你已经吃完了，亲爱的菲龙，何不回到舱房去，让我们欣赏一段笛子奏出的小夜曲，你的演奏越来越美妙了。去吧，去。”她在菲龙屁股上轻轻拍了一下，催促她赶紧离去。菲龙乖乖走开，途中还回过头来，若有所思地看了崔维兹一眼。
崔维兹望着她的背影，露出明显的嫌恶表情。“那小东西会读心术吗？”
“别叫她‘东西’，崔维兹。”宝绮思以严厉的口吻说。
“她会读心术吗？你应该能判断。”
“不，她不会，盖娅和第二基地人也不会。如果将读心解释为偷听一段心灵谈话，或是获悉他人明确的概念，那么目前没有人做得到，在可预见的将来也不可能。我们能侦测、诠释情感，在某种秤谌上也能操纵情感，但这完全是另一回事。”
“理论上无法做到的事，你怎么知道她一定做不到？”
“因为正如你刚才说的，我应该判断得出来。”
“或许是她控制了你，所以你对事实一直浑然不觉。”
宝绮思白了他一眼。“你要讲理，崔维兹。即使她具有不寻常的能力，她也对我莫可奈何，因为我不只是宝绮思，我还是盖娅，你始终记不住这点。你知道整个行星的精神惯性有多大吗？你以为一个孤立体，不论多么能干，就能摇撼整个行星吗？”
“你不是万事通，宝绮思，所以不要过分自信。”崔维兹语气阴沉地说：“那个小东——她跟我们在一起没多久，这么短的时间内，我顶多只能学到一种语言的皮毛，她竟然已经能说流利的银河标准语，还几乎掌握了所有的词汇。没错，我知道你一直在帮助她，伹我希望你适可而止。”
“我跟你说过我在帮她，但我也说过她聪明得吓人，以致使我希望她能成为盖娅的一部分。假如我们能吸收她，假如她尚未超龄，我们也许可藉着她了解索拉利人，从而将那整个世界吸收进来，这样做当然对我们有很大的肋益。”
“你有没有想到过，即使就我的标准而言，索拉利人也是病态的孤立体？”
“变成盖娅的一部分，它们就会改头换面。”
“我认为你错了，宝绮思。我认为那个索拉利儿童是个危险人物，我们应该做个了断。”
“怎么做？将她从气闸抛出去？杀了她，把她剁碎，然后给我们加菜？”
裴洛拉特说：“喔，宝绮思。”
崔维兹则说：“真晒心，实在太过分了。”由于笛声早已响起，他们一直以接近耳语的音量交谈。崔维兹默默听了一会儿，笛声完全没有任何破绽或犹豫。“等一切结束后，我们一定要将她送回索拉利，还要确保索拉利和银河永远隔离。我个人的感觉是应该将它毁灭，我对它既不信任又感到恐惧。”
宝绮思想了一下，然后说：“崔维兹，我知道你有一项特殊本领，能做出正确的抉择，但我也知道，打从一开始你就十分厌恶菲龙。我猜也许只是因为你在索拉利遭到了羞辱，因此对那颗行星和其上居民怀有深切的恨意。由于我绝不能干扰你的心灵，我无法百分之百确定这点。但请别忘了，假如我们未带菲龙同行，我们如今仍缓篝在阿尔发——成了死尸，而且已经被埋掉了。”
“这点我知道，宝绮思，伹即使这样……”
“她的智慧应该受到赞赏，而不是妒嫉。”
“我并不妒嫉她，我怕她。”
“怕她的智慧？”
崔维兹若有所思地舔了舔嘴唇。“不，并不尽然。”
“不然怕什么？”
“我不知道，宝绮思。如果我知道，我也许就不必怕了，可是我不太清楚自己为什么害怕。”他的声音压得更低，彷佛在自言自语。“银河中似乎充满我不了解的事物。为什么我要选择盖娅？为什么我必须找到地球？心理史学有一项遗漏的假设吗？倘若真有的话，那又是什么？而最令人费解的一点，是菲龙为何令我坐立不安？”
宝绮思说：“不幸我无法回答这些问题。”说完她就起身离去。
裴洛拉特望了望她的背影，然后说：“不会事事不如人意的，葛兰。我们离地球越来越近，一旦我们抵达地球，所有的迷团将迎刀而解。目前为止，似乎没有任何力量企图阻止我们前进。”
崔维兹对裴洛拉特猛眨眼睛，同时低声说：“我倒希望有。”
裴洛拉特说：“是吗？你为何这么希望？”
“坦白说，我乐意看到生命迹象。”
裴洛拉特双眼睁得老大。“你发现地球具有放射性了？”
“并不尽然。不过它的表面温热，比我预期的温度高一点。”
“这样很糟吗？”
“不一定，它的温度可能较高，但并不代表一定不可住人。它有很厚的云层，成分绝对是水蒸气，所以说，虽然我们从微波发射计算出的温度偏高，那些云气，连同丰沛的普通海洋，仍然可以维持生命。我还不能肯定，不过——”
“怎样，葛兰？”
“嗯，假如地球真有放射性，那就能解释它的温度为何比预期的高。”
“可是这种推论不能反过来，对不对？如果它的温度比预期的高一点，不一定表示它就具有放射性。”
“没错，没错，并不成立。”崔维兹勉强挤出一丝笑容，“光用想的什么用处，詹诺夫。再过一两天，我就能得到更多资料，到时我们就能确定了。”
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宝绮思走进舱房的时候，菲龙正坐在便床上沉思。发现宝绮思进来，菲龙只抬头看了一眼，立刻又低下头去。
宝绮思平静地说：“怎么了，菲龙？”
菲龙答道：“为什么崔维兹那么讨厌我，宝绮思？”
“你为什么认为他讨厌你？”
“当我接近他的时候，他会用不耐烦的眼光——是不是该说不耐烦？”
“也许是吧。”
“他会用不耐烦的眼光看着我，而且他的脸孔总是微微扭曲。”
“崔维兹承受的压力很大，菲龙。”
“因为他在寻找地球？”
“对。”
菲龙想了一会儿，说：“当我想让什么东西动的时候，他就特别不耐烦。”
宝绮思噘了噘嘴。“喂，菲龙，难道我没告诉过你绝对不能那样做，尤其是崔维兹在场的时候？”
“嗯，可是昨天，就在这间舱房里，他站在门口，我没注意到，我不知道他正在盯着我。那只不过是裴的一支胶卷书，我试着要让它站起来，我没有做任何危险的事。”
“那缓箢他神经紧张，菲龙，我要你以后别再做那种事，不管崔维兹有没有看到。”
“是不是他自己做不到，所以会神经紧张？”
“大概吧。”
“你做得到吗？”
宝绮思缓缓摇了摇头。“不，我不能。”
“我那样做的时候，不缓箢你感到紧张，也不缓箢裴感到紧张。”
“每个人都不一样。”
“我知道了。”菲龙突然改用强硬的语气。宝绮思吓了一跳，不禁皱起眉头。
“你知道什么，菲龙？”
“我不一样。”
“当然，我刚才说过，每个人都不一样。”
“我的形体不一样，我还可以让东西运动。”
“这是事实。”
菲龙带着叛逆的口吻说：“我一定要让东西运动，崔维兹不该生我的气，你也不该阻止我。”
“可是你为什么一定要这样做呢？”
“这是练习，是磨练——这样说对吗？”
“不完全对，应该说锻链。”
“对，健比总是说，我必须训练我的……我的……”
“转换叶突？”
“对，使它们越来越强壮。然后，等我长大了，我就能驱动所有的机器人，甚至包括健比。”
“菲龙，在你还没这样做的时候，由谁来驱动所有的机器人？”
“班德。”菲龙随口答道。
“你认识班德？”
“当然，我跟他见过许多面。我是下一任的属地领主，班德属地将来会变成菲龙属地，健比这样告诉我的。”
“你是说班德来到你……”
菲龙吃了一惊，嘴巴张成一个完美的椭圆。她像是被人掐住脖子一样，吃力地说：“班德从来不会到……”她一口气没接上，喘了喘才继续说：“我看到的是班德的影像。”
宝绮思以迟疑的口吻问道：“班德待你怎么样？”
菲龙用稍带困惑的眼光望着宝绮思。“班德总是问我是否需要什么，是否感到舒适。可是健比一直在我身边，所以我从不需要任何东西，也始终感到很舒适。”
她垂下头来，凝视着地板，然后用双手蒙住眼睛，又说：“可是健比不动了，我想那是因为班德——也不动了。”
宝绮思问道：“你为什么这样说？”
“我一直在想这件事。班德负责驱动所有的机器人，如果健比不动了，其他的机器人也都不动了，那一定是因为班德下动了。是不是这样？”
宝绮思哑口无言。
菲龙说：“不过等你带我回索拉利后，我就会驱动健比和其他所有的机器人，到时候我又会快乐了。”
说完她哭了起来。
宝绮思说：“跟我们在一起你觉得不快乐吗，菲龙？哪怕只是一点点？偶尔一下子？”
菲龙拾起头，沾满泪水的脸孔正对着宝绮思。她一面摇头，一面以颤抖的声音说：“我要健比。”
宝绮思心中顿生一股强烈的同情，她伸出双臂将孩子抱在怀中。“喔，菲龙，我多么希望能让你和健比团圆。”她突然发觉自己也在流泪。
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裴洛拉特走进来，看到两人哭成一团。他猛然停下脚步问道：“怎么回事？”
宝绮思轻轻推开菲龙，想要摸出一小张面纸擦乾眼泪。她才摇了摇头，裴洛拉特立刻以加倍关切的语气问：“究竟是怎么回事？”
宝绮思说：“菲龙，稍微休息一下，我会想想办法，让你感觉好过一点。记住，我和健比一样爱你。”
她抓住裴洛拉特的手肘，将他拉到起居舱中。“没事，裴——没什么事。”
“不过菲龙有问题，对不对？她仍想念健比。”
“想念得很厉害，而我们根本帮不上忙。我可以告诉她我爱她——我真的很爱她。这么聪明、这么乖顺的孩子谁能不爱？而且聪明得吓人，崔维兹甚至认为她聪明得过分。她曾经见过班德，你知道吗——或者应该说，见过它的全讯影像。不过，她对那些记忆没什么感情，她提到这件事的时候非常冶漠，好像跟她毫不相干，而我晓得是为什么。除了班德是属地原来的王人，菲龙将是下一任主人之外，两人之间根本没有其他关系。”
“菲龙了解班德是她的父亲吗？”
“应该说是她的母亲。既然我们同意将菲龙视为女性，那么班德也是。”
“都一样，宝绮思吾爱。菲龙是否明了这着亲子关系？”
“我不知道她对这点了解多少，她当然有可能知道，但她始终没表露出来。可是，裴，她推论出班德已经死了，因为她终于明白健比停摆是停电的结果，而负责提供电力的是班德——这实在令我害怕。”
裴洛拉特体贴地说：“为什么害怕，宝绮思？这毕竟只是逻辑推论罢了。”
“从班德的死亡，就能推出另一个结论。索拉利的居民是长寿而孤立的外世界人，死亡必定是罕见而遥远的事件。他们目睹自然死亡的经验一定极其有限，对菲龙那种年纪的索拉利儿童而言，也许根本是一片空白。假如菲龙继续思索班德的死，她就会开始怀疑死因为何。我们这几个陌生人当时在那里，这个事实当然会让她导出一个明显的因果关系。”
“那就是我们杀了班德？”
“不是我们杀了班德，裴，是我干的。”
“她不可能猜到。”
“可是我必须告诉她实情。她原本就对崔维兹很恼火，而崔维兹显然是我们的劣谟，她自然会认为班德的死是他一手造成的。裴，我怎么能让崔维兹背这个黑锅呢？”
“那又有什么关系，宝绮思？那孩子对她的父——母亲毫无感情，她爱的只是她的机器人，健比。”
“可是她母亲的死导致那机器人的死。我差点就要自己招认了，有股强烈的力量在驱策我。”
“为什么？”
“那样的话，我就可以用我的方式解释，可以在她自己发现真相之前安慰她。否则，如果她藉着推理得到答案，缓箢我们对这件事百口莫辩。”
“但我们有申辩的正当理由啊，那是种自卫行为。假使当时你不采取行动，下一刻我们就是死人了。”
“我的确该那样说，但我无法对她解释，我怕她不相信我。”
裴洛拉特摇了摇头，又叹了一口气。“你认为当初我们如果没带她走会比较好吗？现在这种情形令你很不快乐。”
“不，”宝绮思生气了：“不要那样说。假如我现在坐在这里，想到我们曾经遗弃一个无辜的幼童，而且由于我们的作为令她惨遭无情的屠杀，那会使我更不快乐、更痛苦。”
“在菲龙的世界里，那就是解决之道。”
“好了，裴，别陷入崔维兹的思考模式。孤立体有办法接受这种事，而且不会多加深思。然而，盖娅的行为准则是拯救生命，并非毁灭生命——或是坐视生命遭到毁灭。我们都知道，各种生命都必须不断死亡，好让后起的生命有存活的机会，可是绝不该无缘无故、毫无价值地死去。班德的死虽无可避免，仍然令我难以承受，菲龙要是也死了，那我绝对会受不了。”
“啊，”裴洛拉特说：“我想你说得没错——不过，我找你不是因为菲龙的问题，而是为了崔维兹。”
“崔维兹怎么了？”
“宝绮思，我很担心他。他正等着揭开地球的真面目，我不确定他受得了这个压力。”
“我可不怕，我相信他有颗强健坚固的心。”
“我们每个人都有极限。听我说，地球那颗行星的温度比预期的高——这是他告诉我的。我怀疑他认为地球温度过高，不可能有生命存在，尽避他一直想说服自己事实并非如此。”
“或许他是对的，或许温度没有高到那种秤谌。”
“此外他还承认，这种温度可能是放射性地壳造成的结果，但是他也拒绝相信这点——在一两天内，我们就会达到够近的距离，那时便会真相大白。假如地球果真具有放射性呢？”
“那么他就得面对现实。”
“可是——我不知道该怎么说，或是该用什么精神力学的术语。万一，他心灵的……”
宝绮思等不到下文，便以挖苦的口气说：“保险丝烧断了？”
“对，保险丝烧断了。你现在不该帮他做点什么吗？比如说，让他保持心理平衡，不至于失去控制？”
“不行，裴。我不相信他那么脆弱，而且盖娅做过一项坚决的决定，绝不去干扰他的心灵。”
“但这正是问题的症结所在。他拥有一种罕见的气正确性”——不论你要如何称呼它。在眼看就要成功的时候，他若是发现整个计划化为泡影，必定会受到很大的打击，虽然不一定会损坏他的脑子，却有可能毁了他的‘正确性’。那是一种极不寻常的特质，难道不会同样异常脆弱吗？”
宝绮思沉思了一下，然后耸了耸肩。“嗯，或许我该看着他点。”
93
接下来的三十六小时中，崔维兹隐约感到宝绮思一直尾随自己的脚步，而裴洛拉特也有这种倾向。话说回来，在一艘如此袖珍的太空艇中，这不是什么特殊的现象，何况他还有其他事要操心，因此没有放在心上。
现在，他坐在电脑前面，发觉另外两人正站在门边。他抬起头来，面无表情地望着他们。
“怎么样？”他以很小的声音说。
裴洛拉特掩饰得很拙劣，他说：“你好吗，葛兰？”
崔维兹说：“问宝绮思，她紧盯着我好几个钟头了。她一定是在刺探我的心灵——有没有，宝绮思？”
“不，我没有。”宝绮思以平静的语气说：“伹你若是感到需要我的帮助，我倒可以试试看——你要我帮你吗？”
“不用了，我为何需要？请便吧，两位。”
裴洛拉特说：“请告诉我们到底怎么回事。”
“猜吧！”
“是不是地球——”
“没错，正是。每个人坚持要我们相信的那件事，竟然千真万确。”崔维兹指了指显像屏幕，画面上呈现的是地球的夜面，后方的太阳完全被蚀去。在布满繁星的天空中，地球看来像个实心的黑色圆盘，边缘围绕着一道断断续续的橙色曲线。
裴洛拉特说：“那些橙色光芒就是放射线吗？”
“不是，那只是经过大气折射的阳光。假如大气层中没那么多云气，它看起来应该是橙色实线构成的圆形。我们根本看不见放射线，各种放射线都被大气吸收了，就连伽玛线也下例外。然而，它们的确会造成次级辐射，相较之下虽然十分微弱，电脑还是有办法侦测出来。那些辐射肉眼仍无法看见，但是电脑每次接收到其中的粒子或波动，都能产生一个可见光的光子，再将地球影像以假色显示。看——”
黑色圆盘各处都出现了暗淡的蓝色光点。
“上面的放射性有多强？”宝绮思低声问道：“强到足以显示没有人类生命存在吗？”
“任何种类的生命都没有。”崔维兹说：“这颗行星绝对无法居住，连最后一个细菌、最后一个病毒都早已绝迹。”
“我们可以去探索一番吗？”裴洛拉特说：“我的意思是穿着太空衣。”
“不出几个小时，我们就会受到无药可救的放射线伤害。”
“那我们该怎么办，葛兰？”
“怎么办？”崔维兹仍面无表情地望着裴洛拉特，“你知道我想怎么办吗？我想带你和宝绮思——还有那孩子——回到盖娅，让你们永远留在那里。然后我准备回端点星去交还太空船；然后我准备向议会辞职，那应该会使布拉诺市长非常高兴：然后我准备靠退休金过活，让银河自求多福。我再也不会过问谢顿计划、基地、第二基地或盖娅。银河自会选择自己的前途，在我有生之年它绝不会毁灭，我又何必关心身后会发生什么事？”
“你这话绝不是当真的，葛兰。”裴洛拉特赶紧说。
崔维兹瞪了他一会儿，然后深深吸了一口气。“没错，我没有当真。可是，噢，我多希望能照我刚才说的去做。”
“别再提那些了，你现在打算怎么做？”
“让太空船继续绕着地球轨道飞行，休息一下，从这些震惊中恢复过来，然后，再想想下一步该做什么。只不过——”
“不过什么？”
崔维兹突然迭声应道：“下一步我能做什么？还剩下什么可找？还能找到些什么？”

Chapter 18: The Music Festival
78Lunch was in the same dining room in which they hadhad breakfast. It was full of Alphans, and with them were Trevize andPelorat, made thoroughly welcome. Bliss and Fallom ate separately,and more or less privately, in a small annex.
There were several varieties of fish, together with soup in whichthere were strips of what might well have been boiled kid. Loaves ofbread were there for the slicing, butter and jam for the spreading. Asalad, large and diffuse, came afterward, and there was a notable absenceof any dessert, although fruit juices were passed about in apparentlyinexhaustible pitchers. Both Foundationers were forced to be abstemiousafter their heavy breakfast, but everyone else seemed to eat freely.
"How do they keep from getting fat?" wondered Pelorat in a lowvoice.
Trevize shrugged. "Lots of physical labor, perhaps."It was clearly a society in which decorum at meals was not greatlyvalued. There was a miscellaneous hubbub of shouting, laughing, andthumping on the table with thick, obviously unbreakable, cups. Womenwere as loud and raucous as men, albeit in higher pitch.
Pelorat winced, but Trevize, who now (temporarily, at least) felt notrace of the discomfort he had spoken of to Hiroko, felt both relaxedand good-natured.
He said, "Actually, it has its pleasant side. These are people whoappear to enjoy life and who have few, if any, cares. Weather is whatthey make it and foodiis unimaginably plentiful. This is a golden agefor them that simply continues and continues."He had to shout to make himself heard, and Pelorat shouted back,"But it's so noisy.""They're used to it.""I don't see how they can understand each other in this riot."Certainly, it was all lost on the two Foundationers. The queerpronunciation and the archaic grammar and word order of the Alphanlanguage made it impossible to understand at the intense sound levels. Tothe Foundationers, it was like listening to the sounds of a zoo infright.
It was not till after lunch that they rejoined Bliss in a smallstructure, which Trevize found to be rather inconsiderably differentfrom Hiroko's quarters, and which had been assigned them as their owntemporary living quarters. Fallom was in the second room, enormouslyrelieved to be alone, according to Bliss, and attempting to nap.
Pelorat looked at the door-gap in the wall and said uncertainly,"There's very little privacy here. How can we speak freely?""I assure you," said Trevize, "that once we pull the canvas barrieracross the door, we won't be disturbed. The canvas makes it impenetrableby all the force of social custom."Pelorat glanced at the high, open windows. "We can be overheard.""We need not shout. The Alphans won't eavesdrop. Even when they stoodoutside the windows of the dining room at breakfast, they remained ata respectful distance."Bliss smiled. "You've learned so much about Alphan customs in thetime you spent alone with gentle little Hiroko, and you've gained suchconfidence in their respect for privacy. What happened?"Trevize said, "If you're aware that the tendrils of my mind haveundergone a change for the better and can guess the reason, I can onlyask you to leave my mind alone.""You know very well that Gaia will not touch your mind under anycircumstances short of life-crisis, and you know why. Still, I'm notmentally blind. I could sense what happened a kilometer away. Is thisyour invariable custom on space voyages, my erotomaniac friend?""Erotomaniac? Come, Bliss. Twice on this entire trip. Twice!""We were only on two worlds that had functioning human females onthem. Two out of two, and we had only been a few hours on each.""You are well aware I had no choice on Comporellon.""That makes sense. I remember what she looked like." For a few moments,Bliss dissolved in laughter. Then she said, "Yet I don't think Hirokoheld you helpless in her mighty grip, or inflicted her irresistible willon your cringing body.""Of course not. I was perfectly willing. But it was her suggestion,just the same."Pelorat said, with just a tinge of envy in his voice, "Does thishappen to you all the time, Golan?""Of course it must, Pel," said Bliss. "Women are helplessly drawnto him.""I wish that were so," said Trevize, "but it isn't. And I'm glad itisn't I do have other things I want to do in life. Just the same,in this case I was irresistible. After all, we were the first peoplefrom another world that Hiroko had ever seen or, apparently, that anyonenow alive on Alpha had ever seen: I gathered from things she let slip,casual remarks, that she had the rather exciting notion that I mightbe different from Alphans, either anatomically or in my technique. Poorthing. I'm afraid she was disappointed.""Oh?" said Bliss. "Were you?""No," said Trevize. "I have been on a number of worlds and I have hadmy experiences. And what I had discovered is that people are people andsex is sex, wherever one goes. If there are noticeable differences, theyare usually both trivial and unpleasant. The perfumes I've encountered inmy time! I remember when a young woman simply couldn't manage unless therewas music loudly played, music that consisted of a desperate screechingsound. So she played the music and then I couldn't manage. Iassure you if it's the same old thing, then I'm satisfied.""Speaking of music," said Bliss, "we are invited to a musicale afterdinner. A very formal thing, apparently, that is being held in ourhonor. I gather the Alphans are very proud of their music."Trevize grimaced. "Their pride will in no way make the music soundbetter to our ears.""Hear me out," said Bliss. "I gather that their pride is that theyplay expertly on very archaic instruments. Very archaic. Wemay get some information about Earth by way of them."Trevize's eyebrows shot up. "An interesting thought. And that remindsme that both of you may already have information. Janov, did you seethis Monolee that Hiroko told us about?""Indeed I did," said Pelorat. "I was with him for three hours andHiroko did not exaggerate. It was a virtual monologue on his part andwhen I left to come to lunch, he clung to me and would not let me gountil I promised to return whenever I could in order that I might listento him some more.""And did he say anything of interest?""Well, he, too like everybody else insisted that Earthwas thoroughly and murderously radioactive; that the ancestors of theAlphans were the last to leave and that if they hadn't, they would havedied. And, Golan, he was so emphatic that I couldn't help believinghim. I'm convinced that Earth is dead, and that our entire search is,after all, useless."79Trevize sat back in his chair, staring at Pelorat,who was sitting on a narrow cot. Bliss, having risen from where she hadbeen sitting next to Pelorat, looked from one to the other.
Finally, Trevize said, "Let me be the judge as to whether our searchis useless or not, Janov. Tell me what the garrulous old man had to sayto you in brief, of course."Pelorat said, "I took notes as Monolee spoke. It helped reinforcemy role a scholar, but I don't have to refer to them. He was quitestream-of-consciousness in his speaking. Each thing he said would remindhim of something else, but, of course, I have spent my life trying toorganize information in the search of the relevant and significant,so that it's second nature for me now to be able to condense a long andincoherent discourse "Trevize said gently, "Into something just as long and incoherent? Tothe point, dear Janov."Pelorat cleared his throat uneasily. "Yes, certainly, old chap. I'lltry to make a connected and chronological tale out of it. Earth wasthe original home of humanity and of millions of species of plants andanimals. It continued so for countless years until hyperspatial travelwas invented. Then the Spacer worlds were founded. They broke away fromEarth, developed their own cultures, and came to despise and oppressthe mother planet.
"After a couple of centuries of this, Earth managed to regain itsfreedom, though Monolee did not explain the exact manner in which thiswas done, and I dared not ask questions, even if he had given me achance to interrupt, which he did not, for that might merely have senthim into new byways. He did mention a culture-hero named Elijah Baley,but the references were so characteristic of the habit of attributingto one figure the accomplishments of generations that there was littlevalue in attempting to "Bliss said, "Yes, Pel dear, we understand that part."Again, Pelorat paused in midstream and reconsidered. "Of course. Myapologies. Earth initiated a second wave of settlements, founding many newworlds in a new fashion. The new group of Settlers proved more vigorousthan the Spacers, outpaced them, defeated them, outlasted them, and,eventually, established the Galactic Empire. During the course of thewars between the Settlers and the Spacers no, not wars, for heused the word `conflict,' being very careful about that the Earthbecame radioactive."Trevize said, with clear annoyance, "That's ridiculous, Janov. How cana world become radioactive? Every world is very slightlyradioactive to one degree or another from the moment of formation,and that radioactivity slowly decays. It doesn't become radioactive."Pelorat shrugged. "I'm only telling you what he said. And he wasonly telling me what he had heard from someone who only told himwhat he had heard and so on. It's folk-history, told and retoldover the generations, with who knows what distortions creeping in ateach retelling.""I understand that, but are there no books, documents, ancienthistories which have frozen the story at an early time and which couldgive us something more accurate than the present tale?""Actually, I managed to ask that question, and the answer is no. Hesaid vaguely that there were books about it in ancient times and thatthey had long ago been lost, but that what he was telling us was whathad been in those books.""Yes, well distorted. It's the same story. In every world we go to,the records of Earth have, in one way or another, disappeared. Well,how did he say the radioactivity began on Earth?""He didn't, in any detail. The closest he came to saying so wasthat the Spacers were responsible, but then I gathered that the Spacerswere the demons on whom the people of Earth blamed all misfortune. Theradioactivity "A clear voice overrode him here. "Bliss, am I a Spacer?"Fallom was standing in the narrow doorway between the two rooms, hairtousled and the nightgown she was wearing (designed to fit Bliss's moreample proportions) having slid off one shoulder to reveal an undevelopedbreast.
Bliss said, "We worry about eavesdroppers outside and we forget theone inside. Now, Fallom, why do you say that?" She rose and walkedtoward the youngster.
Fallom said, "I don't have what they have," she pointed at thetwo men, "or what you have, Bliss. I'm different. Is that because I'ma Spacer?""You are, Fallom," said Bliss soothingly, "but little differencesdon't matter. Come back to bed."Fallom became submissive as she always did when Bliss willed her tobe so. She turned and said, "Am I a demon? What is a demon?"Bliss said over her shoulder, "Wait one moment for me. I'll be rightback."She was, within five minutes. She was shaking her head. "She'll besleeping now till I wake her. I should have done that before, I suppose,but any modification of the mind must be the result of necessity." Sheadded defensively, "I can't have her brood on the differences betweenher genital equipment and ours."Pelorat said, "Someday she'll have to know she's hermaphroditic.""Someday," said Bliss, "but not now. Go on with the story, Pel.""Yes," said Trevize, "before something else interrupts us.""Well, Earth became radioactive, or at least its crust did. At thattime, Earth had had an enormous population that was centered in hugecities that existed for the most part underground ""Now, that," put in Trevize, "is surely not so. It must be localpatriotism glorifying the golden age of a planet, and the details weresimply a distortion of Trantor in its golden age, when itwas the Imperial capital of a Galaxy-wide system of worlds."Pelorat paused, then said, "Really, Golan, you mustn't teach memy business. We mythologists know very well that myths and legendscontain borrowings, moral lessons, nature cycles, and a hundred otherdistorting influences, and we labor to cut them away and get to whatmight be a kernel of truth. In fact, these same techniques must beapplied to the most sober histories, for no one writes the clear andapparent truth if such a thing can even be said to exist. For now,I'm telling you more or less what Monolee told me, though I suppose Iam adding distortions of my own, try as I might not to do so.""Well, well," said Trevize. "Go on, Janov. I meant no offense.""And I've taken none. The huge cities, assuming they existed, crumbledand shrank as the radioactivity slowly grew more intense until thepopulation was but a remnant of what it had been, clinging precariously toregions that were relatively radiation-free. The population was kept downby rigid birth control and by the euthanasia of people over sixty.""Horrible," said Bliss indignantly.
"Undoubtedly," said Pelorat, "but that is what they did, according toMonolee, and that might be true, for it is certainly not complimentary tothe Earthpeople and it is not likely that an uncomplimentary lie wouldbe made up. The Earthpeople, having been despised and oppressed by theSpacers, were now despised and oppressed by the Empire, though here wemay have exaggeration there out of self-pity, which is a very seductiveemotion. There is the case ""Yes, yes, Pelorat, another time. Please go on with Earth.""I beg your pardon. The Empire, in a fit of benevolence, agreed tosubstitute imported radiation-free soil and to cart away the contaminatedsoil. Needless to say, that was an enormous task which the Empire soontired of, especially as this period (if my guess is right) coincidedwith the fall of Kandar V, after which the Empire had many more thingsto worry about than Earth.
"The radioactivity continued to grow more intense, the populationcontinued to fall, and finally the Empire, in another fit of benevolence,offered to transplant the remnant of the population to a new world oftheir own to this world, in short.
"At an earlier period, it seems an expedition had stocked the ocean sothat by the time the plans for the transplantation of Earthpeople werebeing developed, there was a full oxygen atmosphere and an ample supplyof food on Alpha. Nor did any of the worlds of the Galactic Empire covetthis world because there is a certain natural antipathy to planets thatcircle stars of a binary system. There are so few suitable planets insuch a system, I suppose, that even suitable ones are rejected becauseof the assumption that there must be something wrong with them. This isa common thought-fashion. There is the well-known case, for instance,of ""Later with the well-known case, Janov," said Trevize. "On with thetransplantation.""What remained," said Pelorat, hurrying his words a little, "wasto prepare a land-base. The shallowest part of the ocean was found andsediment was raised from deeper parts to add to the shallow sea-bottomand, finally, to produce the island of New Earth. Boulders and coralwere dredged up and added to the island. Land plants were seeded so thatroot systems might help make the new land firm. Again, the Empire hadset itself an enormous task. Perhaps continents were planned at first,but by the time this one island was produced, the Empire's moment ofbenevolence had passed.
"What was left of Earth's population was brought here. The Empire'sfleets carried off its men and machinery, and they never returned. TheEarthpeople, living on New Earth, found themselves in completeisolation."Trevize said, "Complete? Did Monolee say that no one from elsewherein the Galaxy has ever come here till we did?""Almost complete," said Pelorat. "There is nothing to come here for,I suppose, even if we set aside the superstitious distaste for binarysystems. Occasionally, at long intervals, a ship would come, as ours did,but it would eventually leave and there has never been a follow-up. Andthat's it."Trevize said, "Did you ask Monolee where Earth was located?""Of course I asked that. He didn't know.""How can he know so much about Earth's history without knowing whereit is located?""I asked him specifically, Golan, if the star that was only aparsec or so distant from Alpha might be the sun about which Earthrevolved. He didn't know what a parsec was, and I said it was a shortdistance, astronomically speaking. He said, short or long, he did notknow where Earth was located and he didn't know anyone who knew, and,in his opinion, it was wrong to try to find it. It should be allowed,he said, to move endlessly through space in peace."Trevize said, "Do you agree with him?"Pelorat shook his head sorrowfully. "Not really. But he said thatat the rate the radioactivity continued to increase, the planet musthave become totally uninhabitable not long after the transplantationtook place and that by now it must be burning intensely so that no onecan approach.""Nonsense," said Trevize firmly. "A planet cannot become radioactiveand, having done so, continuously increase in radioactivity. Radioactivitycan only decrease.""But Monolee is so sure of it. So many people we've talked to onvarious worlds unite in this that Earth is radioactive. Surely,it is useless to go on."80Trevize drew a deep breath, then said, in a carefullycontrolled voice, "Nonsense, Janov. That's not true."Pelorat said, "Well, now, old chap, you mustn't believe somethingjust because you want to believe it.""My wants have nothing to do with it. In world after world we findall records of Earth wiped out. Why should they be. wiped out if thereis nothing to hide; if Earth is a dead, radioactive world that cannotbe approached?""I don't know, Golan.""Yes, you do. When we were approaching Melpomenia, you said that theradioactivity might be the other side of the coin. Destroy records toremove accurate information; supply the tale of radioactivity to insertinaccurate information. Both would discourage any attempt to find Earth,and we mustn't be deluded into discouragement."Bliss said, "Actually, you seem to think the nearby star is Earth'ssun. Why, then, continue to argue the question of radioactivity? Whatdoes it matter? Why not simply go to the nearby star and see if it isEarth, and, if so, what it is like?"Trevize said, "Because those on Earth must be, in their way,extraordinarily powerful, and I would prefer to approach with someknowledge of the world and its inhabitants. As it is, since I continue toremain ignorant of Earth, approaching it is dangerous. It is my notionthat I leave the rest of you here on Alpha and that I proceed to Earthby myself. One life is quite enough to risk.""No, Golan," said Pelorat earnestly. "Bliss and the child might waithere, but I must go with you. I have been searching for Earth sincebefore you were born and I cannot stay behind when the goal is so close,whatever dangers might threaten.""Bliss and the child will not wait here," said Bliss. "Iam Gaia, and Gaia can protect us even against Earth.""I hope you're right," said Trevize gloomily, "but Gaia could notprevent the elimination of all early memories of Earth's role in itsfounding.""That was done in Gaia's early history when it was not yet wellorganized, not yet advanced. Matters are different now.""I hope that is so. Or is it that you have gained informationabout Earth this morning that we don't have? I did ask that you speakto some of the older women that might be available here.""And so I did."Trevize said, "And what did you find out?""Nothing about Earth. There is a total blank there.""Ah.""But they are advanced biotechnologists." ,"Oh?""On this small island, they have grown and tested innumerable strainsof plants and animals and designed a suitable ecological balance, stableand self-supporting, despite the few species with which they began. Theyhave improved on the ocean life that they found when they arrived here afew thousand years ago, increasing their nutritive value and improvingtheir taste. It is their biotechnology that has made this world such acornucopia of plenty. They have plans for themselves, too.""What kind of plans?"Bliss said, "They know perfectly well they cannot reasonably expect toexpand their range under present circumstances, confined as they are tothe one small patch of land that exists on their world, but they dreamof becoming amphibious.""Of becoming what ?""Amphibious. They plan to develop gills in addition to lungs. Theydream of being able to spend substantial periods of time underwater; offinding shallow regions and building structures on the ocean bottom. Myinformant was quite glowing about it but she admitted that this had beena goal of the Alphans for some centuries now and that little, if any,progress has been made."Trevize said, "That's two fields in which they might be more advancedthan we are; weather control and biotechnology. I wonder what theirtechniques are.""We'd have to find specialists," said Bliss, "and they might not bewilling to talk about it."Trevize said, "It's not our primary concern here,but it would clearly pay the Foundation to attempt to learn from thisminiature world."Pelorat said, "We manage to control the weather fairly well onTerminus, as it is.""Control is good on many worlds," said Trevize, "but always it's amatter of the world as a whole. Here the Alphans control the weatherof a small portion of the world and they must have techniques we don'thave. Anything else, Bliss?""Social invitations. These appear to be a holiday-making people,in whatever time they can take from farming and fishing. Afterdinner, tonight there'll be a music festival. I told you aboutthat already. Tomorrow, during the day, there will be a beachfestival. Apparently, all around the rim of the island there will bea congregation of everyone who can get away from the fields in orderthat they might enjoy the water and celebrate the sun, since it will beraining the next day. In the morning, the fishing fleet will come back,beating the rain, and by evening there will be a food festival, samplingthe catch."Pelorat groaned. "The meals are ample enough as it is. What would afood festival be like?""I gather that it will feature not quantity, but variety. In anycase, all four of us are invited to participate in all the festivals,especially the music festival tonight.""On the antique instruments?" asked Trevize.
"That's right.""What makes them antique, by the way? Primitive computers?""No, no. That's the point. It isn't electronic music at all, butmechanical. They described it to me. They scrape strings, blow in tubes,and bang on surfaces.""I hope you're making that up," said Trevize, appalled.
"No, I'm not. And I understand that your Hiroko will be blowing onone of the tubes I forget its name and you ought to be ableto endure that.""As for myself," said Pelorat, "I would love to go. I know very littleabout primitive music and I would like to hear it.""She is not `my Hiroko,'" said Trevize coldly. "But are the instrumentsof the type once used on Earth, do you suppose?""So I gathered," said Bliss. "At least the Alphan women said theywere designed long before their ancestors came here.""In that case," said Trevize, "it may be worth listening to allthat scraping, tootling, and banging, for whatever information it mightconceivably yield concerning Earth."81Oddly enough, it was Fallom who was most excited atthe prospect of a musical evening. She and Bliss had bathed in thesmall outhouse behind their quarters. It had a bath with running water,hot and cold (or, rather, warm and cool), a washbowl, and a commode. Itwas totally clean and usable and, in the late afternoon sun, it was evenwell lit and cheerful.
As always, Fallom was fascinated with Bliss's breasts and Bliss wasreduced to saying (now that Fallom understood Galactic) that on herworld that was the way people were. To which Fallom said, inevitably,"Why?" and Bliss, after some thought, deciding there was no sensibleway of answering, returned the universal reply, "Because!"When they were done, Bliss helped Fallom put on the undergarmentsupplied them by the Alphans and worked out the system whereby theskirt went on over it. Leaving Fallom unclothed from the waist up seemedreasonable enough. She herself, while making use of Alphan garments belowthe waist (rather tight about the hips), put on her own blouse. It seemedsilly to be too inhibited to expose breasts in a society where all womendid, especially since her own were not large and were as shapely as anyshe had seen but there it was.
The two men took their turn at the outhouse next, Trevize mutteringthe usual male complaint concerning the time the women had taken.
Bliss turned Fallom about to make sure the skirt would hold in placeover her boyish hips and buttocks. She said, "It's a very pretty skirt,Fallom. Do you like it?"Fallom stared at it in a mirror and said, "Yes, I do. Won't I be coldwith nothing on, though?" and she ran her hands down her bare chest.
"I don't think so, Fallom. It's quite warm on this world."" You have something on.""Yes, I do. That's how it is on my world. Now, Fallom, we're going tobe with a great many Alphans during dinner and afterward. Do you thinkyou can bear that?"Fallom looked distressed, and Bliss went on, "I will sit on your rightside and I will hold you. Pel will sit on the other side, and Trevizewill sit across the table from you. We won't let anyone talk to you,and you won't have to talk to anyone.""I'll try, Bliss," Fallom piped in her highest tones.
"Then afterward," said Bliss, "some Alphans will make music for usin their own special way. Do you know what music is?" She hummed in thebest imitation of electronic harmony that she could.
Fallom's face lit up. "You mean   " The last word was inher own language, and she burst into song.
Bliss's eyes widened. It was a beautiful tune, even though it was wild,and rich in trills. "That's right. Music," she said.
Fallom said excitedly, "Jemby made" she hesitated, then decidedto use the Galactic word "music all the time. It made music on a  " Again a word in her own language.
Bliss repeated the word doubtfully, "On a feeful?"Fallom laughed. "Not feeful,   "With both words juxtaposed like that, Bliss could hear the difference,but she despaired of reproducing the second. She said, "What does itlook like?"Fallom's as yet limited vocabulary in Galactic did not suffice for anaccurate description, and her gestures did not produce any shape clearlyin Bliss's mind.
"He showed me how to use the   " Fallom said proudly. "Iused my fingers just the way Jemby did, but it said that soon I wouldn'thave to.""That's wonderful, dear," said Bliss. "After dinner, we'll see ifthe Alphans are as good as your Jemby was."Fallom's eyes sparkled and pleasant thoughts of what was to followcarried her through a lavish dinner despite the crowds and laughterand noise all about her. Only once, when a dish was accidentally upset,setting off shrieks of excitement fairly close to them, did Fallom lookfrightened, and Bliss promptly held her close in a warm and protectivehug.
"I wonder if we can arrange to eat by ourselves," she muttered toPelorat. "Otherwise, we'll have to get off this world. It's bad enougheating all this Isolate animal protein, but I must be ableto do it in peace.""It's only high spirits," said Pelorat, who would have endured anythingwithin reason that he felt came under the heading of primitive behaviorand beliefs.
And then the dinner was over, and the announcement came thatthe music festival would soon begin.
82The hall in which the music festival was to be heldwas about as large as the dining room, and there were folding seats(rather uncomfortable, Trevize found out) for about a hundred fiftypeople. As honored guests, the visitors were led to the front row,and various Alphans commented politely and favorably on their clothes.
Both men were bare above the waist and Trevize tightened his abdominalmuscles whenever he thought of it and stared down, on occasion, withcomplacent self-admiration at his dark-haired chest. Pelorat, in hisardent observation of everything about him, was indifferent to his ownappearance. Bliss's blouse drew covert stares of puzzlement but nothingwas said concerning it.
Trevize noted that the hall was only about half-full and that thelarge majority of the audience were women, since, presumably, so manymen were out to sea.
Pelorat nudged Trevize and whispered, "They have electricity."Trevize looked at the vertical tubes on the walls, and at others onthe ceiling. They were softly luminous.
"Fluorescence," he said. "Quite primitive.""Yes, but they do the job, and we've got those things in our roomsand in the outhouse. I thought they were just decorative. If we can findout how to work them, we won't have to stay in the dark."Bliss said irritably, "They might have told us."Pelorat said, "They thought we'd know; that anyone would know."Four women now emerged from behind screens and seated themselves ina group in the space at the front. Each held an instrument of varnishedwood of a similar shape, but one that was not easily describable. Theinstruments were chiefly different in size. One was quite small, twosomewhat larger, and the fourth considerably larger. Each woman alsoheld a long rod in the other hand.
The audience whistled softly as they came in, in response to whichthe four women bowed. Each had a strip of gauze bound fairly tightlyacross the breasts as though to keep them from interfering with theinstrument.
Trevize, interpreting the whistles as signs of approval, or of pleasedanticipation, felt it only polite to add his own. At that, Fallom added atrill that was far more than a whistle and that was beginning to attractattention when pressure from Bliss's hand stopped her.
Three of the women, without preparation, put their instruments undertheir chins, while the largest of the instruments remained between thelegs of the fourth woman and rested on the floor. The long rod in theright hand of each was sawed across the strings stretching nearly thelength of the instrument, while the fingers of the left hand shiftedrapidly along the upper ends of those strings.
This, thought Trevize, was the "scraping" he had expected, butit didn't sound like scraping at all. There was a soft and melodioussuccession of notes; each instrument doing something of its own and thewhole fusing pleasantly.
It lacked the infinite complexity of electronic music ("real music," asTrevize could not help but think of it) and there was a distinct samenessto it. Still, as time passed, and his ear grew accustomed to this oddsystem of sound, he began to pick out subtleties. It was wearisome tohave to do so, and he thought, longingly, of the clamor and mathematicalprecision and purity of the real thing, but it occurred to him that ifhe listened to the music of these simple wooden devices long enough hemight well grow to like it.
It was not till the concert was some forty-five minutes old that Hirokostepped out. She noticed Trevize in the front row at once and smiled athim. He joined the audience in the soft whistle of approval with a wholeheart. She looked beautiful in a long and most elaborate skirt, a largeflower in her hair, and nothing at all over her breasts since (apparently)there was no danger of their interference with the instrument.
Her instrument proved to be a dark wooden tube about two thirds of ameter long and nearly two centimeters thick. She lifted the instrumentto her lips and blew across an opening near one end, producing a thin,sweet note that wavered in pitch as her fingers manipulated metal objectsalong the length of the tube.
At the first sound, Fallom clutched at Bliss's arm and said, "Bliss,that's a   " and the word sounded like "feeful" to Bliss.
Bliss shook her head firmly at Fallom, who said, in a lower voice,"But it is!"Others were looking in Fallom's direction. Bliss put her hand firmlyover Fallom's mouth, and leaned down to mutter an almost subliminallyforceful "Quiet!" into her ear.
Fallom listened to Hiroko's playing quietly thereafter, but herfingers moved spasmodically, as though they were operating the objectsalong the length of the instrument.
The final player in the concert was an elderly man who had aninstrument with fluted sides suspended over his shoulders. He pulled itin and out while one hand flashed across a succession of white and darkobjects at one end, pressing them down in groups.
Trevize found this sound particularly wearing, rather barbaric,and unpleasantly like the memory of the barking of the dogs onAurora not that the sound was like barking, but the emotions it gaverise to were similar. Bliss looked as though she would like to place herhands over her ears, and Pelorat had a frown on his face. Only Fallomseemed to enjoy it, for she was tapping her foot lightly, and Trevize,when he noticed that, realized, to his own surprise, that there was abeat to the music that matched Fallom's footfall.
It came to an end at last and there was a perfect storm of whistling,with Fallom's trill clearly heard above it all.
Then the audience broke up into small conversational groups and becameas loud and raucous as Alphans seemed to be on all public occasions. Thevarious individuals who had played in the concert stood about in front ofthe room and spoke to those people who came up to congratulate them.
Fallom evaded Bliss's grasp and ran up to Hiroko.
"Hiroko," she cried out, gaspingly. "Let me see the   ""The what, dear one?" said Hiroko.
"The thing you made the music with.""Oh." Hiroko laughed. "That's a flute, little one.""May I see it?""Well." Hiroko opened a case and took out the instrument. It was inthree parts, but she put it together quickly, held it toward Fallom withthe mouthpiece near her lips, and said, "There, blow thou thy breathacross this.""I know. I know," said Fallom eagerly, and reached for the flute.
Automatically, Hiroko snatched it away and held it high. "Blow, child,but touch not."Fallom seemed disappointed. "May I just look at it, then? I won'ttouch it.""Certainly, dear one."She held out the flute again and Fallom stared at it earnestly.
And then, the fluorescent lighting in the room dimmed very slightly,and the sound of a flute's note, a little uncertain and wavering, madeitself heard.
Hiroko, in surprise, nearly dropped the flute, and Fallom cried out,"I did it. I did it. Jemby said someday I could do it."Hiroko said, "Was it thou that made the sound?""Yes, I did. I did.""But how didst thou do so, child?"Bliss said, red with embarrassment, "I'm sorry, Hiroko. I'll takeher away.""No," said Hiroko. "I wish her to do it again."A few of the nearest Alphans had gathered to watch. Fallom furrowedher brow as though trying hard. The fluorescents dimmed rather more thanbefore, and again there was the note of the flute, this time pure andsteady. Then it became erratic as the metal objects along the length ofthe flute moved of their own accord.
"It's a little different from the   " Fallom said, alittle breathlessly, as though the breath that had been activating theflute had been her own instead of power-driven air.
Pelorat said to Trevize, "She must be getting the energy from theelectric current that feeds the fluorescents.""Try again," said Hiroko in a choked voice.
Fallom closed her eyes. The note was softer now and under firmercontrol. The flute played by itself, maneuvered by no fingers, but movedby distant energy, transduced through the still immature lobes of Fallom'sbrain. The notes which began as almost random settled into a musicalsuccession and now everyone in the hall had gathered around Hiroko andFallom, as Hiroko held the flute gently with thumb and forefinger ateither end, and Fallom, eyes closed, directed the current of air andthe movement of the keys.
"It's the piece I played," whispered Hiroko.
"I remember it," said Fallom, nodding her head slightly, trying notto break her concentration.
"Thou didst not miss a note," said Hiroko, when it was done.
"But it's not right, Hiroko. You didn't do it right."Bliss said, "Fallom! That's not polite. You mustn't ""Please," said Hiroko peremptorily, "do not interfere. Why is it notright, child?""Because I would play it differently.""Show me, then."Again the flute played, but in more complicated fashion, for the forcesthat pushed the keys did so more quickly, in more rapid succession andin more elaborate combinations than before. The music was more complex,and infinitely more emotional and moving. Hiroko stood rigid and therewas not a sound to be heard anywhere in the room.
Even after Fallom had finished playing, there was not a sound untilHiroko drew a deep breath and said, "Little one, hast thou ever playedthat before?""No," said Fallom, "before this I could only use my fingers, andI can't do my fingers like that." Then, simply and with no trace ofvaunting, "No one can.""Canst thou play anything else?""I can make something up.""Dost thou mean improvise?"Fallom frowned at the word and looked toward Bliss. Bliss nodded andFallom said, "Yes.""Please do so, then," said Hiroko.
Fallom paused and thought for a minute or two, then began slowly,in a very simple succession of notes, the whole being rather dreamy. Thefluorescent lights dimmed and brightened as the amount of power exertedintensified and faded. No one seemed to notice, for it seemed to be theeffect of the music rather than the cause, as though a ghostly electricalspirit were obeying the dictates of the sound waves.
The combination of notes then repeated itself a bit more loudly, thena bit more complexly, then in variations that, without ever losing theclearly heard basic combination, became more stirring and more excitinguntil it was almost impossible to breathe. And finally, it descendedmuch more rapidly than it had ascended and did so with the effect ofa swooping dive that brought the listeners to ground level even whilethey still retained the feeling that they were high in the air.
There followed sheer pandemonium that split the air, and even Trevize,who was used to a totally different kind of music, thought sadly,"And now I'll never hear that again."When a most reluctant quiet had returned, Hiroko held out herflute. "Here, Fallom, this is thine!"Fallom reached for it eagerly, but Bliss caught hold of the child'soutstretched arm and said, "We can't take it, Hiroko. It's a valuableinstrument.""I have another, Bliss. Not quite as good, but that is how it shouldbe. This instrument belongeth to the person who playeth it best. Neverhave I heard such music and it would be wrong for me to own an instrumentI cannot use to full potential. Would that I knew how the instrumentcould be made to play without being touched."Fallom took the flute and, with an expression of deep content, heldit tightly to her chest.
83Each of the two rooms of their quarters were lit by onefluorescent light. The outhouse had a third. The lights were dim, and wereuncomfortable to read by, but at least the rooms were no longer dark.
Yet they now lingered outside. The sky was full of stars, somethingthat was always fascinating to a native of Terminus, where the night skywas all but starless and in which only the faint foreshortened cloud ofthe Galaxy was prominent.
Hiroko had accompanied them back to their chambers for fear they wouldget lost in the dark, or that they would stumble. All the way back, sheheld Fallom's hand, and then, after lighting the fluorescents for them,remained outside with them, still clutching at the youngster.
Bliss tried again, for it was clear to her that Hiroko was in a stateof a difficult conflict of emotions. "Really, Hiroko, we cannot takeyour flute.""No, Fallom must have it." But she seemed on edge just the same.
Trevize continued to look at the sky. The night was truly dark,a darkness that was scarcely affected by the trickle of light fromtheir own chambers; and much less so by the tiny sparks of other housesfarther off.
He said, "Hiroko, do you see that star that is so bright? What isit called?"Hiroko looked up casually and said, with no great appearance ofinterest, "That's the Companion.""Why is it called that?""It circleth our sun every eighty Standard Years. It is an eveningstar at this time of year. Thou canst see it in daytime, too, when itlieth above the horizon."Good, thought Trevize. She's not totally ignorant of astronomy. Hesaid, "Do you know that Alpha has another companion, a very small, dimone that's much much farther away than that bright star. You can't seeit without a telescope." (He hadn't seen it himself, hadn't botheredto search for it, but the ship's computer had the information in itsmemory banks.)She said indifferently, "We were told that in school.""But now what about that one? You see those six stars in a zigzagline?"Hiroko said, "That is Cassiopeia.""Really?" said Trevize, startled. "Which star?""All of them. The whole zigzag. It is Cassiopeia.""Why is it called that?""I lack the knowledge. I know nothing of astronomy, respectedTrevize.""Do you see the lowermost star in the zigzag, the one that's brighterthan the other stars? What is that?""It is a star. I know not its name.""But except for the two companion stars, it's the closest of all thestars to Alpha. It is only a parsec away."Hiroko said, "Sayest thou so? I know that not.""Might it not be the star about which Earth revolves?"Hiroko looked at the star with a faint flash of interest. "I knownot. I have never heard any person say so.""Don't you think it might be?""How can I say? None knoweth where Earth might be. I I mustleave thee, now. I will be taking my shift in the fields tomorrowmorning before the beach festival. I'll see you all there, right afterlunch. Yes? Yes?""Certainly, Hiroko."She left suddenly, half-running in the dark. Trevize looked after her,then followed the others into the dimly lit cottage.
He said, "Can you tell whether she was lying about Earth, Bliss?"Bliss shook her head. "I don't think she was. She is under enormoustension, something I was not aware of until after the concert. It existedbefore you asked her about the stars.""Because she gave away her flute, then?""Perhaps. I can't tell." She turned to Fallom. "Now, Fallom, I wantyou to go into your room. When you're ready for bed, go to the outhouse,use the potty, then wash your hands, your face, and your teeth.""I would like to play the flute, Bliss.""Just for a little while, and very quietly. Do you understand,Fallom? And you must stop when I tell you to.""Yes, Bliss."The three were now alone; Bliss in the one chair and the men sittingeach on his cot.
Bliss said, "Is there any point in staying on this planet anylonger?"Trevize shrugged. "We never did get to discuss Earth in connectionwith the ancient instruments, and we might find something there. Itmight also pay to wait for the fishing fleet to return. The men mightknow something the stay-at-homes don't."" Very unlikely, I think," said Bliss. "Are you sure it'snot Hiroko's dark eyes that hold you?"Trevize said impatiently, "I don't understand, Bliss. What have youto do with what I choose to do? Why do you seem to arrogate to yourselfthe right of sitting in moral judgment on me?""I'm not concerned with your morals. The matter affects ourexpedition. You want to find Earth so that you can finally decidewhether you are right in choosing Galaxia over Isolate worlds. I wantyou to so decide. You say you need to visit Earth to make the decisionand you seem to be convinced that Earth revolves about that bright starin the sky. Let us go there, then. I admit it would be useful to havesome information about it before we go, but it is clear to me that theinformation is not forthcoming here. I do not wish to remain simplybecause you enjoy Hiroko.""Perhaps we'll leave," said Trevize. "Let me think about it, andHiroko will play no part in my decision, I assure you."Pelorat said, "I feel we ought to move on to Earth, if only to seewhether it is radioactive or not. I see no point in waiting longer.""Are you sure it's not Bliss's dark eyes that drive you?" saidTrevize, a bit spitefully. Then, almost at once, "No, I take that back,Janov. I was just being childish. Still this is a charming world,quite apart from Hiroko, and I must say that under other circumstances,I would be tempted to remain indefinitely. Don't you think, Bliss,that Alpha destroys your theory about Isolates?""In what way?" asked Bliss.
"You've been maintaining that every truly isolated world turnsdangerous and hostile.""Even Comporellon," said Bliss evenly, "which is rather out of themain current of Galactic activity for all that it is, in theory, anAssociated Power of the Foundation Federation.""But not Alpha. This world is totally isolated, butcan you complain of their friendliness and hospitality? They feed us,clothe us, shelter us, put on festivals in our honor, urge us to stayon. What fault is there to find with them?""None, apparently. Hiroko even gives you her body."Trevize said angrily, "Bliss, what bothers you about that? She didn'tgive me her body. We gave each other our bodies. It was entirely mutual,entirely pleasurable. Nor can you say that you hesitate to give yourbody as it suits you.""Please, Bliss," said Pelorat. "Golan is entirely right. There is noreason to object to his private pleasures.""As long as they don't affect us," said Bliss obdurately.
"They do not affect us," said Trevize. "We will leave, I assure you. Adelay to search further for information will not be long.""Yet I don't trust Isolates," said Bliss, "even when they comebearing gifts."Trevize flung up his arms. "Reach a conclusion, then twist the evidenceto fit. How like a ""Don't say it," said Bliss dangerously. "I am not a woman. I amGaia. It is Gaia, not I, who is uneasy.""There is no reason to " And at that point there was a scratchingat the door.
Trevize froze. "What's that?" he said, in a low voice.
Bliss shrugged lightly. "Open the door and see. You tell us this isa kindly world that offers no danger."Nevertheless, Trevize hesitated, until a soft voice from the otherside of the door called out softly, "Please. It is I!"It was Hiroko's voice. Trevize threw the door open.
Hiroko entered quickly. Her cheeks were wet.
"Close the door," she gasped.
"What is it?" asked Bliss.
Hiroko clutched at Trevize. "I could not stay away. I tried, but Iendured it not. Go thou, and all of you. Take the youngster with youquickly. Take the ship away      from Alpha while it isyet dark.""But why?" asked Trevize.
"Because else wilt thou die; and all of you."84The three Outworlders stared frozenly at Hiroko fora long moment. Then Trevize said, "Are you saying your people willkill us?"Hiroko said, as the tears rolled down her cheeks, "Thou art already onthe road to death, respected Trevize. And the others with you. Longago, those of learning devised a virus, harmless to us, but deadlyto Outworlders. We have been made immune." She shook Trevize's arm indistraction. "Thou art infected.""How?""When we had our pleasure. It is one way."Trevize said, "But I feel entirely well.""The virus is as yet inactive. It will be made active when the fishingfleet returns. By our laws, all must decide on such a thing eventhe men. All will surely decide it must be done, and we keep you heretill that time, two mornings hence. Leave now while it is yet dark andnone suspects."Bliss said sharply, "Why do your people do this?""For our safety. We are few and have much. We do not wish Outworldersto intrude. If one cometh and then reporteth our lot, others will come,and so when, once in a long while, a ship arriveth, we must make certainit leaveth not.""But then," said Trevize, "why do you warn us away?""Ask not the reason. Nay, but I will tell you, since I hear itagain. Listen "From the next room, they could hear Fallom playing softly andinfinitely sweetly.
Hiroko said, "I cannot bear the destruction of that music, for theyoung one will also die."Trevize said sternly, "Is that why you gave the flute toFallom? Because you knew you would have it once again when she wasdead?"Hiroko looked horrified. "Nay, that was not in my mind. And when itcame to mind at length, I knew it must not be done. Leave with the child,and with her, take the flute that I may never see it more. Thou wilt besafe back in space and, left inactive, the virus now in thy body willdie after a time. In return, I ask that none of you ever speak of thisworld, that none else may know of it.""We will not speak of it," said Trevize.
Hiroko looked up. In a lower voice, she said, "May I not kiss theeonce ere thou leavest?"Trevize said, "No. I have been infected once and surely that isenough." And then, a little less roughly, he added, "Don't cry. Peoplewill ask why you are crying and you'll be unable to reply. I'llforgive what you did to me in view of your present effort to save us."Hiroko straightened, carefully wiped her cheeks with the back ofher hands, took a deep breath, and said, "I thank thee for that," andleft quickly.
Trevize said, "We will put out the light, and we will wait awhile,and then we will leave. Bliss, tell Fallom to stop playing herinstrument. Remember to take the flute, of course. Then we willmake our way to the ship, if we can find it in the dark.""I will find it," said Bliss. "Clothing of mine is on board and,however dimly, that, too, is Gaia. Gaia will have no trouble findingGaia." And she vanished into her room to collect Fallom.
Pelorat said, "Do you suppose that they've managed to damage our shipin order to keep us on the planet?""They lack the technology to do it," said Trevize grimly. When Blissemerged, holding Fallom by the hand, Trevize put out the lights.
They sat quietly in the dark for what seemed half the night, andmight have been half an hour. Then Trevize slowly and silently openedthe door. The sky seemed a bit more cloudy, but stars shone. High in thesky now was Cassiopeia, with what might be Earth's sun burning brightlyat its lower tip. The air was still and there was no sound.
Carefully, Trevize stepped out, motioning the others to follow. Oneof his hands dropped, almost automatically, to the butt of his neuronicwhip. He was sure he would not have to use it, but Bliss took the lead, holding Pelorat's hand, who heldTrevize's. Bliss's other hand held Fallom, and Fallom's other hand heldthe flute. Feeling gently with her feet in the nearly total darkness,Bliss guided the others toward where she felt, very weakly, the Gaia-nessof her clothing on board the Far Star .

第十八章 音乐节
　　78
午餐地点是他们进早餐的同一间餐厅。这回里面坐满阿尔发人，崔维兹与裴洛拉特夹在人群中，受到热烈的欢迎。宝绮思与菲龙并未加入，她们在旁边一间较隐密的小房间用餐。
午餐包括好几种不同的鱼类，此外汤里有许多肉片，看来很像是小山羊肉。餐桌上有一条条待切的面包，旁边摆着奶油与果酱，随后又上了一大盘什么都有的沙拉。奇怪的是没有任何甜点，不过一壶壶的果汁彷佛源源不绝。两位基地人由于早餐吃得太好，现在不得不有所节制，但其他人似乎都在尽情享用。
“他们怎样避免发胖呢？”裴洛拉特低声嘀咕。
崔维兹耸了耸肩。“大概是劳动量很大吧。”
这个社会显然不太注着用餐礼仪，各种吵闹的声音没有停过，包括叫嚷声、欢笑声、以及厚实（而且显然摔不破）的杯子砸到桌面的声音。女人的声音和男人一样嘈杂从邡，只不过音调高出许多。
裴洛拉特一副受不了的样子，但崔维兹现在（至少暂时）完全忘却他对广子提过的那种不舒服，感到的只是轻松和愉快。
他说：“其实，这也有可爱的一面。这些人显然很会享受生活，几乎没什么烦恼。气候由他们自己控制，粮食丰饶得难以想像。这是他们的黄金时代，而且必定会一直继续下去。”
他得大声喊叫才能把话说清楚，裴洛拉特也以大吼回答道：“可是这么吵！”
“他们习惯了。”
“在这么吵闹的场合，我不懂他们如何能沟通。”
当然，两位基地人什么也听不出来。阿尔发语的奇怪发音、古老文法以及字词的特殊顺序，以巨大的音量不断轰来，让他们根本摸不着头脑。对这两位基地人而言，这简直像置身于受惊的动物园中。
直到午餐过后，他们才在一栋小型建筑中与宝绮思会合。这里是分配给他们的临时住所，崔维兹发现跟广子的家几乎没什么不同。菲龙待在另一个房间，据宝绮思说，有机会独处让菲龙的情绪大为放松，她正准备小睡一会儿。
裴洛拉特望着充当大门的墙洞，不安地说：“这里简直没有隐私。我们怎能放心地说话？”
“我向你保证，”崔维兹说：“只要用帆布屏障把门遮起来，就不会有人打扰我们。由于社会习俗的力量，那帆布像铜墙铁壁一样。”
裴洛拉特又朝敞开的天窗瞥了一眼。“我们的谈话会被人偷听。”
“我们不必大吼大叫。阿尔发人不会做隔墙有耳的事，早餐的时候，他们虽然站在餐厅窗外，却仍保持礼貌的距离。”
宝绮思微笑着说：“你和可亲的小便子在一起没多久，就学到这么多的阿尔发礼俗；他们对于隐私的尊着，你现在也信心十足。究竟发生了什么事？”
崔维兹说：“如果你发觉我的心灵卷须获得改善，又猜得出原因的话，我只能拜托你离我的心灵远一点。”
“你明明知道，除非是生死关头，否则在任何情况下，盖娅都不会碰触你的心灵，而且你也明白为什么。不过话说回来，我的精神力量并未失灵，我能感测到一公里外发生的事。这是不是你从事太空旅行的老毛病，我的色情狂朋友？”
“色情狂？得了吧，宝绮思。整个旅途中才发生两次，两次而已！”
“我们造访过的世界，只有两个有活色生香的女人。二分之二的机会，而且都是在几小时后就发生的。”
“你很清楚在康普隆我是身不由己。”
“有道理，我还记得她的模样。”宝绮思纵声大笑了一阵子，又说：“可是我不信广子有多大能耐，能够让你束手就擒，或是将不可抗拒的意志，强行加在你瑟缩的身子上。”
“当然不是那样，我完全心甘情愿。不过，那的确是她的主意。”
裴洛拉特带着一丝羡慕的口吻说：“这种事总是发生在你身上吗，葛兰？”
“当然必定如此，裴。”宝绮思说：“女性都会不由自主被他吸引。”
“我希望真是如此，”崔维兹说：“但事实不然。我很庆幸事实并非如此——我这辈子实在还想做些别的事。话又说回来，这回我倒真是令她无法抗拒。毕竟，在我们来到之前，广子从来没见过其他世界的人，阿尔发上现存的居民显然全都未曾见过。从她说溜了嘴的一些事，以及随口的几句话，我推出一个结论，那就是她有个令她相当兴奋的期待，认为我也许在生理结构或技巧方面，跟其他的阿尔发人有所不同。可怜的小东西，恐怕她失望了。”
“哦？”宝绮思说：“那么你呢？”
“我不会，”崔维兹说：“我到过不少世界，有过许多实际经验。我发现不论在什么地方，人是人、性是性，两者不能混为一谈。如果真有什么显着的差异，通常也是微不足道，而且不怎么愉快。算算我这辈子也闻过不少香水！我还记得有个年轻女子，她怎么样也无法投入，除非把夹杂着死命尖叫的音乐开得很大声。而她一放那种音乐，我却提不起劲来了。我向你保证——只要像往常一样，我就很满意了。”
“提到音乐，”宝绮思说：“我们受邀晚餐后出席一场音乐庆典。这显然是件很正式的事，专门为我们而举行的。我猜，阿尔发人对他们的音乐非常自豪。”
崔维兹做个鬼脸。“不论他们如何引以为傲，也不会让他们的音乐更悦耳。”
“听我说完，”宝绮思说：“我猜他们自豪的原因，是他们善于演奏很古老的乐器——非常古老。藉着这些乐器，我们或许能获得些地球的资料。”
崔维兹扬起眉毛。“很有意思的想法。这倒提醒了我，你们两位也许已经获得一些线索。詹诺夫，你见到广子提到的那个单姓李了吗？”
“我的确见到了，”裴洛拉特说：“我跟他在一起三个钟头，广子讲得并不夸张，几乎都是他一个人唱独脚戏。我要来吃午餐的时候，他竟然抓住我，不肯让我离开，直到我答应他会尽快回去，听他说更多的故事，他才把我给放了。”
“他有没有提到任何着要的事？”
“嗯，他也——跟其他人一样——坚持地球已经布满致命的放射性。他说阿尔发人的祖先是最后一批离开的，他们如果再不逃走就没命了。而且，葛兰，他说得如此坚决，叫我不得不相信他。我现在确信地球已经死了，我们这趟寻找终归是一场空。”
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崔维兹靠向椅背，瞪着坐在狭窄便床上的裴洛拉特。宝绮思原来坐在裴洛拉特身旁，现在她站起来，轮流望着其他两人。
最后，崔维兹终于开口：“我们的寻找是不是一场空，詹诺夫，让我来决定吧。告诉我那个唠叨的老头跟你讲了些什么——当然，要长话短说。”
裴洛拉特说：“单姓李说话的时候，我一直在旁边做笔记，这样使我看来更像一名学者，但我现在不必参考那些笔记。他说话的方式相当意识流，每说到一件事都缓螵想到另一件。不过，当然啦，我一辈子都在搜集地球的相关资料，设法将它们有系统地组织起来，所以我练就了一项本能，能将冗长而杂乱无章的谈话内容浓缩成……”
崔维兹轻声道：“浓缩成同样冗长而杂乱无章的话？说着点就好，亲爱的詹诺夫。”
裴洛拉特不自在地清了清喉咙。“当然没错，老弟。我会试着将他的话整理成依照时间顺序的连贯故事。地球是人类最早的故乡，也是数百万种动植物的发源地，这种情形持续了无数岁月，直到超空间旅行发明为止。后来许多外世界陆续建立起来，它们脱离了地球，发展出自己的文化，进而鄙视并压迫那个源头母星。
“数个世纪后，地球终于设法争回自由，不过单姓李并未解释地球究竟是如何做到的。即使他给我机会插嘴，我也不敢发问，因为那只会让他岔到别的话题去，而且他根本没给我发问的机会。他的确提到一个文化英雄，名字叫作伊利亚·贝莱，可是历史纪录有个很普遍的倾向，就是将几世代的成就归诸某一人物身上，因此不值得去……”
宝绮思说：“没错，亲爱的裴，这点我们了解。”
裴洛拉特再度打住，思索了一下。“真是的，我很抱歉。后来地球掀起第二波星际殖民潮，以崭新的方式建立许多新世界。新的殖民者比外世界人更有活力，超越了他们、击败了他们，而且繁衍绵延不绝，终于创建了银河帝国。在银河殖民者和外世界人交战期间——不对，不是交战，因为他用的词汇是‘冲突’，而且用得非常谨慎——地球变得具有放射性了。”
崔维兹显然是失去耐性了，他说：“实在荒谬绝伦，詹诺夫。一个世界怎么可能‘变得’具有放射性？每个世界在形成的那一刻，多多少少都会带有微量放射性，而那种放射性会渐渐衰变。地球不可能突然‘变得’具有放射性。”
裴洛拉特耸了耸肩。“我只是将他说的话转述给你，他只是将他听到的转述给我，告诉他的人又是听别人转述的——故事就这样一传再传。这是个民间历史，一代代口耳相传，谁知道每次转述被扭曲了多少。”
“我了解这点，可是难道没有任何书籍、文件、古代历史等等，在早期就将这个故事褂讪下来，而能提供我们比这传说更正确的记载？”
“其实，我问过他这个问题，答案是否定的。他含混地提到，记载古代历史的书籍不是没有，但很早以前就散轶了。而他告诉我们的，正是那些书上的记载。”
“对，扭曲得很厉害的记载。同样的事再度发生，我们造访的每个世界，地球的资料总是不翼而飞——嗯，他说地球是怎样变得具有放射性的？”
“他未做任何解释，顶多只提到外世界人要负责。不过我猜地球人把外世界人视为邪恶的化身，将所有的不幸都归咎于他们身上。至于放射性……”
此时，一个清脆的声音掩盖了他的话。“宝绮思，我是外世界人吗？”
菲龙正站在两房之间的窄门口，她的头发乱成一团，身上穿的睡衣（根据宝绮思较丰满的体型裁制）从肩头一侧垂下，露出一个没有发育的乳房。
宝绮思说：“我们担心外面有人偷听，却忘了里面同样隔墙有耳——好吧，菲龙，为何那么说？”她站起来，朝那孩子走过去。
菲龙说：“我没有他们身上的东西，”她指了指两位男士，“也没有你身上的东西，宝绮思。我和你们不同，因为我是外世界人吗？”
“你是外世界人，菲龙，”宝绮思以安抚的口吻说：“不过有一点差别没什么关系，回房睡觉去吧。”
菲龙变得非常乖顺，就像每次宝绮思以意志驱使她时一样。她转过身去，又问道：“我是邪恶的化身吗？什么是邪恶的化身？”
宝绮思背对着其他两人说：“等我一下，我马上回来。”
五分钟不到她就回来了，摇着头说：“她睡着了，会睡到我叫醒她为止。我想我早就该那么做了，可是对心灵的任何调整，都一定要有必要的理由。”
她又为自己辩护道：“我不能让她一直想着她的生殖器和我们的有何不同。”
裴洛拉特说：“总有一天她会知道自己是个雌雄同体。”
“总有一天，”宝绮思说：“但不是现在。继续刚才的故事吧，裴。”
“对，”崔维兹说：“免得待会儿又被什么打断了。”
“嗯，于是地球变得具有放射性，或者至少地壳如此。那时地球人口众多，全都集中在许多大型城市里，而城市大部分位于地底——”
“慢着，”崔维兹插嘴道：“那是不可能的，一定是某颗行星的黄金时代经地方主义渲染的结果，内容不过是根据川陀的黄金时代变杂邙成。在川陀的全盛时期，它是一个泛银河政体的京畿所在地。”
裴洛拉特顿了一下，然后说：“说实在的，葛兰，你真不该班门弄斧。我们神话学家非常了解，神话传说中包含了许多抄袭剽窃、道德教训、自然周期，以及上百种其他的扭曲因素。我们尽力将这些外加成分删除，以得到可能的核心真相。事实上，同样的方法一定也适用于最严肃的历史研究，因为没有人能写出清晰、透明的历史真相——即使真有所谓的真相。现在我告诉你们的，差不多就是转述单姓李告诉我的，不过我想自己难免加油添醋了一番，虽然我已尽量避免。”
“好啦，好啦。”崔维兹说：“继续吧，詹诺夫，我无意冒犯你。”
“我没有生气——姑且假设那些大城市真正存在，随着放射性逐渐增强，所有城市都开始解体，范围越缩越小，最后只剩下残存的极少数人，躲在比较没有放射性的地方，过着岌岌可危的日子。他们为了保持少量人口，除了严格控制生育之外，还对六十岁以上的人施以安乐死。”
“太可怕了。”宝绮思愤慨地说。
“这点毋庸置疑，”裴洛拉特说：“不过据单姓李说，他们的确这么做。那也许是真正的史实，因为它当然不是对地球人的夸赞，不太可能有人捏造这种自取其辱的谎言。地球人过去遭到外世界人的鄙视与压迫，后来又受到帝国的鄙视与压迫；不过这种说法也有可能是由于自怜而夸大其词。自怜是种极具诱惑力的情绪，有那么一个例子……”
“没错，没错，裴洛拉特，改天再谈那个例子，请继续讲地球的故事。”
“我非常抱歉——后来帝国突然大发慈悲，答应运一批无放射性的泥土到地球来，并将那些受污染的泥土运走。不用说，那是件浩大的工程，帝国很快就失去耐性。尤其这个时期，如果我猜得没错，刚好是肯达五世下台前后，此后帝国自顾不暇，便无心照顾地球了。
“放射性继续增强，地球的人口继续锐减。最后，帝国又发了一次慈悲，愿意将残存的地球人迁往另一个属于他们的新世界——简言之，就是这个世界。
“在此之前，似乎有个探险队曾在这个海洋播育生命，因此，迁移地球人的计划付诸实施之际，阿尔发已经有富氧的大气层，以及不虞匮乏的粮食。而且，银河帝国其他世界都不会觊觎这个世界，因为对于一个环绕双星的行星，人们总会有某种自然而然的嫌恶。在这种星系中，我想，适合人类居住的行星太少了，即使是各方面条件都适合的行星，也没有任何人愿意理睬，人们会先人为主地认为一定有什么问题。这是种普遍的思考模式，比如说，有个很着名的例子，是……”
“待会儿再谈那个着名的例子，詹诺夫，”崔维兹说：“现在先讲那次迁徙的事。”
“剩下来的工作，”裴洛拉特将说话速度加快些，“就是准备一个陆上据点。帝国工作人员找到海洋最浅的部分，再将较深部分的沉淀物挖起来，加到那个最浅的海底，最后造出了这个新地球岛。海底的圆石和珊瑚也被掘起，全数放到这个岛上。然后他们在上面种植陆地植物，想要藉着植物根部巩固这块新的陆地。这个工程也相当浩大，也许最初计划要造几块大陆，可是这座岛屿造好之后，帝国一时的慈悲已冷却下来。
“地球上残存的人口尽数送到此地之后，帝国舰队便将工作人员和机械设备全部载走，从此再也没有回来。那些移居新地球的地球人，很快就发现他们完全与世隔绝。”
崔维兹说：“完全与世隔绝？难道单姓李说，在我们之前，从未有人从银河其他世界来到此地？”
“几乎完全隔绝，”裴洛拉特说：“即使不考虑人们对双星系的迷信式反感，我想也没有人有必要来这里。每隔很长一段时间，偶尔会有艘船舰来到，就像我们现在这样，不过最后终究会离去，也没有其他船舰陆续跟来。故事到此为止。”
崔维兹说：“你有没有问单姓李地球在哪里？”
“我当然问了，他不知道。”
“他知道那么多有关地球的历史，怎么会不知道它在哪里？”
“我还特别问他，葛兰，问他那颗距离阿尔发大约一秒差距的恒星，会不会就是地球环绕的太阳。但他不晓得秒差距是什么，我说就天文尺度而言是个短距离。他说不论是长是短，他都不知道地球在何处，也不知道有什么人晓得。而且他认为试图寻找地球是很不当的举动。他还说，应该让地球永远在太空中安详地飘泊。”
崔维兹说：“你同意他的看法吗？”
裴洛拉特摇了摇头，神情显得很悲伤。“并不尽然。不过他说，照放射性增强的速率来看，在迁徙计划实施不久后，地球一定就变得完全不可住人；而现在，它一定燃烧得极为炽烈，因此根本没有人能接近。”
“荒谬。”崔维兹以坚决的口吻说：“一颗行星不会突然变得具有放射性，即使真是这样，放射性也不会继续增强，只会不断减弱。”
“可是单姓李非常肯定。我们在各个世界上遇到那么多人，对于地球具有放射性这一点，说法也是完全一致——我们继续找下去当然毫无意义。”
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崔维兹深深吸了一口气，尽量克制自己的声音说：“荒谬，那不是真的。”
裴洛拉特说：“喂，老弟，你不能因为想相信一件事，就去相信那件事。”
“这跟我想做什么没关系。我们在每个世界上，都发现所有的地球资料被清除殆尽。如果地球是个充满放射性的死星，没有人能接近，又如果根本没什么好隐藏的，那些资料为什么会被清掉呢？”
“我不知道，葛兰。”
“不，你知道。在我们接近梅尔波美尼亚时，你曾说过销毁纪录和放射性可能是一体两面。销毁纪录是为了除去正确的资料，散播放射性的故事是为了制造假情报，两者都缓箢人打消找寻地球的念头。我们绝不能上当，不能这么轻易放弃。”
宝绮思说：“其实，你似乎认定附近那颗恒星就是地球之阳，那么为何还要争辩放射性的问题呢？那又有什么关系？何不干脆前往附近那颗恒星，看看地球是否在那里；若是真在那里，它又是什么模样？”
崔维兹说：“因为地球上的居民——不论他们是何方神圣——必定具有超凡的力量，我希望在接近之前，能对那个世界和居民先有点了解。事实上，既然我对地球始终一无所知，贸然前进是件很危险的事。所以我打算将你们几位留在阿尔发，由我单独向地球进军，赌一条命就很够了。”
“不，葛兰。”裴洛拉特急切地说：“宝绮思和那孩子也许该留在这儿，但我必须跟你一道去。在你尚未出生之前，我已经开始寻找地球，现在距离目标那么近，我绝不能裹足不前，不论可能有什么危险。”
“宝绮思和那孩子不缓篝在这儿。”宝绮思说：“我就是盖娅，即使和地球正面对峙，盖娅也能保护我们。”
“我希望你说得没错，”崔维兹绷着脸说：“但是盖娅就没有保住它的早期记忆，它完全忘了地球在它建立之初所扮演的角色。”
“那是盖娅早期历史上发生的事，当时它还不够组织化，也还不够进化，如今已不可同日而语。”
“我希望如此——或者是今天早上，你获得了些我们不知道的地球资料？我曾经特别拜托你，要你设法找些年长的妇女谈谈。”
“我照做了。”
崔维兹说：“你有什么新发现？”
“没有关于地球的资料，这方面完全空白。”
“啊——”
“不过我发现他们拥有很先进的生物科技。”
“哦？”
“虽然这座小岛上原先只有少数几种生物，但他们试育出无数品种的动植物，并设计出合宜的生态平衡，既稳定又能自给自足。他们数千年前抵达时发现的海洋生物，现在已大为改良，营养价值增加许多，而且更美味可口。就是由于他们的生物科技，才使这个世界变成丰饶的世外桃源。此外，他们对本身也有些计划。”
“什么样的计划？”
宝绮思说：“他们心中十分清楚，在目前这种情况下，他们局限在一小块陆地上，根本无法指望扩张生存领域，不过他们梦想能变成两栖类。”
“变成什么？”
“两栖类。他们计划发展出类似鳃的组织，来辅助肺脏的呼吸功能。他们梦想能在水中停留极长的时间，还梦想能找到其他浅水区域，在海底建造人工建筑。提供这些讯息给我的人，想到这点就非常兴奋，不过她也承认，阿尔发人为这个目标努力了好几世纪，而进展却小得可怜。”
崔维兹说：“他们在气候控制和生物科技这两个领域上很可能比我们先进，不知他们用的是什么技术。”
“我们必须找到专家，”宝绮思说：“但他们也许不愿意讲。”
崔维兹说：“这不是我们来此的王要目的，但基地若向这个袖珍世界学习，显然必将获益匪浅。”
裴洛拉特说：“事实上，我们在端点星也有办法把气候控制得很好。”
“很多世界上都控制得不错，”崔维兹说：“但控制的总是一个世界的整体气候。可是在阿尔发，控制的则是局部地区的天气，他们一定拥有我们所欠缺的技术——你还打听到了什么，宝绮思？”
“社交邀宴方面——他们似乎是个善于度假的民族，只要不必耕作或捕鱼，他们都在享受假期。今晚用餐后有个音乐节，我已经告诉你们了。明天白天将举行一个海滩庆典，可想而知，能放下田间工作的人都会聚在岛屿四周，享受嬉水的乐趣，并且乘机赞美太阳，因为再过一天便会下雨。后天早上，渔船队会赶在下雨前回来，当天傍晚又要举行一个美食节，让大家品尝这次的渔获。”
裴洛拉特哼了一声。“平常每餐都那么丰盛了，美食节不知道会是个什么样的盛况？”
“我猜它的特色不在量多，而在口味变化无穷。反正我们四个人都获邀参加所有的活动，尤其是今晚的音乐节。”
“演奏古老乐器？”崔维兹问。
“没错。”
“对了，为什么说它们是古老乐器？原始电脑吗？”
“不，不对。那正是着点，它根本不是电子合成乐，而是机械式的音乐。根据她们的描述，演奏方式是摩擦细线、对管于吹气，以及敲打一些皮面。”
“你没乱讲吧。”崔维兹显得很惊讶。
“不，我没有。我还知道你的广子也会上台，她要吹一种管子——我忘了它的名称——你应该能忍受的。”
“至于我嘛，”裴洛拉特说：“我很高兴有这个机会。我对原始音乐知道得非常少，希望能亲耳听听。”
“她不是‘我的广子’，”崔维兹冷冷地说：“可是依你看，那些乐器是否曾在地球流行？”
“我就是这么猜测，”宝绮思说：“至少阿尔发妇人们告诉我，在他们祖先来到此地前，那些乐器早就发明出来了。”
“这样的话，”崔维兹说：“也许值得听听那些摩擦、吹气和敲打声，只要有可能搜集到一点有关地球的资料。”
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说来真奇怪，在他们四个人之中，要数菲龙对傍晚的音乐会最感兴奋。接近黄昏的时候，她与宝绮思在住屋后面的小盥洗间洗了一个澡。盥洗间里有个浴池，备有源源不绝的冷热水（或者应该说是凉水与温水），还有一个洗脸盆与一个室内便器，那些设备都既清洁又合用。在偏西的阳光照耀下，盥洗间内光线充足，气氛令人心旷神怡。
苞往常一样，菲龙对宝绮思的乳房十分着迷，宝绮思只好说（既然菲龙已听得懂银河标准语）在她的世界上，大家都是这个样子。对于这种说法，菲龙难免反问道：“为什么？”宝绮思想了一阵子，发觉根本没有一个说得通的解释，于是回了一句万试万灵的答案：“因为就是这样！”
洗完澡后，宝绮思帮菲龙穿上阿尔发人提供的内衣，并研究出套上裙子的正确方法。菲龙腰部以上什么也没穿，这样似乎无伤大雅又入境随俗。至于宝绮思自己，虽然腰部以下穿了阿尔发人的服装（臀部觉得有点紧），却仍罩上了她的上衫。在一个女性普遍袒胸的社会中，坚拒裸露胸部好像有点傻气，尤其她的乳房并未太过丰满，而且秀挺不输此地任何一位女性，然而——她还是穿上了。
接下来轮铲两位男士使用盥洗间。崔维兹喃喃抱怨一番，就像男士们通常的反应一样，抱怨女士们占用了太久时间。
宝绮思让菲龙转过身来，以确定裙子能褂讪在她那男孩一样的臀部上。“这是一条很漂后的裙子，菲龙，你喜欢吗？”
菲龙瞪着镜中的裙子说：“我很喜欢，可是，我上身没穿衣服会不会冷？”说完，她用手摸了摸裸露的胸部。
“我想不会的，菲龙，这个世界相当暖和。”
“你却穿了衣服。”
“没错，我的确穿了，因为在我的世界上大家都这么穿。现在，菲龙，我们要去和很多很多阿尔发人共进晚餐，晚餐后还会跟他们在一起，你觉得自己可以受得了吗？”
菲龙显得很苦恼，于是宝绮思继续说：“我会坐在你的右边，还会抱住你；裴将坐在另一侧，崔维兹将坐在你对面。我们不会让任何人跟你讲话，你也不需要跟任何人交谈。”
“我会试试看，宝绮思。”菲龙以最高亢的尖声应道。
“晚餐以后，”宝绮思又说：“有些阿尔发人会用他们的特殊方法为我们演奏音乐。你知道音乐是什么吗？”她哼出一些音调，尽量模仿着电子和声。
菲龙突然变得神采奕奕。“你的意思是XX？”最后一个词是她的母语，说完她就唱起歌来。
宝绮思瞪大了眼睛。那的确是个优美的调子，虽然有些狂野，而且充满颤音。她说：“对啦，那就是音乐。”
菲龙兴奋地说：“健比随时都会制造——”她犹豫一下，然后决定用银河标准语：“音乐，它制造音乐用的是XX。”最后一个词她又用了母语。
宝绮思迟疑地着复着那个词：“哼嘀？”
菲龙听了大笑。“不是哼嘀，是XX。”
两个词这样放在一起念，宝绮思也听得出其中的差异，但她仍然无法正确念出后者。她改问：“它的外形是什么样子？”
菲龙学到的银河标准语词汇有限，无法做出正确的描述，她比手划脚半天，宝绮思心中还是没有一个清晰的图样。
“它教我怎么用XX。”菲龙以骄傲的口吻说：“我的手指动得和健比一样，可是它说我很快就不必再用手指。”
“那实在太好了，亲爱的。”宝绮思说：“晚餐后，我们就能知道阿尔发人是否和健比演奏得一样好。”
菲龙双眼发出光芒，心中充满快乐的期待，因此晚餐时虽被群众、笑声与噪音包围，她仍然享受了丰盛的一餐。只有一次，一个餐盘被人不小心打翻，引起邻近一阵尖声喧哗，菲龙才现出惊骇的表情。宝绮思赶快紧紧搂住她，让她能有安全温暖的感觉。
“不知道能否安排我们单独用餐。”她对裴洛拉特悄声说道：“否则的话，我们就得赶快离开这个世界。吃这些孤立体的动物性蛋白已经够糟，至少要让我能静静地下咽。”
“他们只是心情太好了。”裴洛拉特说。凡事只要他认为属于原始行为或原始信仰，在合理范围内他会尽量忍受。
晚餐随即结束，接着便有人宣布音乐节马上开始。
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举行音乐节的大厅跟餐厅差不多同样宽敞，里面摆着许多张摺椅（崔维兹发现坐起来相当不舒服），可供一百五十几人就坐。他们这几位访客是今晚的贵宾，因此被带到最前排，不少阿尔发人客气地赞赏他们的服装样式。
两位男士腰部以上完全赤裸，每当崔维兹想到这点，便会收紧他的腹肌，偶尔还会低头看一看，对自己长满黑色胸毛的胸膛十分自满。裴洛拉特则忙着观察周遭的一切，对自己的模样毫不在意。宝绮思的上衫吸引了许多疑惑的目光，不过大家只是偷偷看着，没有当面发表任何评论。
崔维兹注意到大厅差不多只坐了半满，而且绝大部分的观众是妇女，想必是因为许多男人都出海去了。
裴洛拉特用手肘轻推了崔维兹一下，悄声道：“他们拥有电力。”
崔维兹看了看挂在墙上的垂直玻璃管，还注意到天花板上也有一些，那些玻璃管都发出柔和的光芒。
“是萤光，”他说：“相当原始。”
“没错，不过一样能照明。我们的房间和盥洗间也有这些东西，我本来以为只是装饰用的。如果我们弄清楚如何操作，晚上就不必摸黑了。”
宝绮思不悦地说：“他们应该告诉我们。”
裴洛拉特说：“他们以为我们知道，以为任何人都该知道。”
此时四名女子从幕后出现，走到大厅前方的场地，然后彼此紧邻着坐下来。每个人都拿着一个上漆的木制乐器，它们的外形相似，不过形状不太容易描述。那些乐器的主要差别在于大小不同，其中一个相当小，两个稍大些，另一个则相当大。除此之外，每人另一只手里还拿着一根长长的杆子。
她们四人进场时，观众发出轻柔的口哨声，她们则向观众鞠躬致意。四个人的乳房都用薄纱紧紧裹住，仿佛为了避免碰触乐器而影响演出。
崔维兹将口啃声解释为赞许或欣喜的期待，感到自己礼貌上也该这么做。菲龙则发出一个比口哨尖锐许多的颤音，宝绮思马上紧紧抓住她，但在她停止前，已经引起一些观众的注意。
四名演出的女子中，有三位未做任何准备动作，便将她们的乐器置于须下，不过最大的那个乐器仍放在地上，夹在那位演奏者双腿之间。每个人右手的长杆开始前后拉动，摩擦着近乎横跨整个乐器的几条细线，左手的手指则在细线末端来回游移。
崔维兹心想，这大概就是想像中的“摩擦”吧，不过听来完全不像摩擦发出的声音。他听到的是一连串轻柔而旋律优美的音符，每个乐器各自演奏不同的部分，融合在一起就变得分外悦耳。
它缺少电子音乐（“真正的音乐”，崔维兹不由自主这么想）无穷的复杂度，而且有明显的着复。然而，当他慢慢听下去，他的耳朵就渐渐习惯这种奇特的音律，开始领略出其中的微妙。但需要如此细听却容易使人疲倦，因此他分外怀念真实音乐的纯粹、数学化的精准，以及震耳欲聋的音量。不过他也想到，如果听久了这些简单木制乐器的音乐，他想必也会渐渐喜欢。
等到广于终于出场的时候，演奏会已进行了约四十五分钟。她立刻注意到崔维兹坐在最前排，于是向他微微一笑，他则诚心诚意地轻吹口哨，跟其他观众一起为她暍采。广子打扮得非常漂后，穿着一条精致无比的长裙，头上戴了一大朵花。她的乳房完全裸露，（显然）因为它不会影响到乐器的演奏。
她的乐器原来是一根黑色的木管，长度大约三分之二公尺，直径约有两公分。她将那个乐器凑到唇边，对着末端附近的开口吹气，便产生了一个纤细甜美的音调。她的手指操纵着遍布管身的金属物件，随着她手指的动作，音调有了忽高忽低的变化。
罢听到第一个调，菲龙立刻抓住宝绮思的手臂说：“宝绮思，那就是XX。”那个名字听来很像“哼嘀”。
宝绮思冲着菲龙坚决地摇了摇头，菲龙却压低声音说：“但它的确是啊！”
臂众纷纷朝菲龙这边望来，宝绮思将手用力按在菲龙嘴巴上，然后低下头来，冲着她耳朵轻声说：“安静！”这句话声音虽小，对下意识而言却可算强而有力。
菲龙果然开始安静地欣赏广子的演奏，但她的手指不时舞动着，好像是她在操纵那个乐器上的金属物件。
最后一位演出者是个老头，他的乐器挂在双肩，乐器两侧有许多皱褶。演奏的时候，他左手将那些皱褶拉来拉去，右手在另一侧黑白相问的键上快速掠过，同时按下一组一组的键。
崔维兹觉得这个乐器的声音特别无趣，而且相当粗野，听来不太舒服，使他联想到奥罗拉野狗的吠声——并非由于乐声像狗叫，而是两者引发的情绪极为类似。宝绮思看来像是想用双手按住耳朵，裴洛拉特的脸孔也皱了起来。只有菲龙似乎很欣赏，一只脚还轻轻打着拍子。当崔维兹注意到她的动作时，发现音乐节拍与菲龙的拍子竟然完全吻合，令他感到非常惊讶。
演奏终于结束，观众报以一阵激烈的口哨声，菲龙发出的颤音则盖过了所有声音。
然后观众开始三五成群闲聊起来，场面变得相当吵杂，不输阿尔发人其他聚会的喧哗秤谌。每位演出者都站在观众席前，跟前来道贺的人亲切交谈。
菲龙突然挣脱宝绮思的掌握，向广子冲过去。
“广子，”她一面喘气，一面喊道：“让我看看那个XX。”
“看什么，小可爱？”广子说。
“你刚才用来制造音乐的东西。”
“喔，”广子大笑一声，“那唤作横笛，小家伙。”
“我可以看看吗？”
“好吧。”广子打开一个盒子，掏出那件乐器。它现在被拆解成三部分，不过广子很快就将它结合起来，然后递到菲龙面前，吹口对准她的嘴唇。“来，尊驾对着这儿吹气。”
“我知道，我知道。”菲龙一面急切地说，一面伸手要拿笛子。
便子自然而然抽回手去，又将笛子高高举起。“用嘴吹，孩子，但勿碰。”
菲龙似乎很失望。“那么，我可不可以看看就好？我不会碰它。”
“当然行，小可爱。”
她又将笛子递出去，菲龙便一本正经瞪着它看。
室内的萤光灯突然微微变暗，同时笛子发出一个音调，听来有些迟疑不定。
便子吓了一跳，险些让笛子掉到地上，菲龙却高声喊道：“我做到了，我做到了，健比说总有一天我能做到。”
便子说：“方才是尊驾弄出的声音？”
“对，是我，是我。”
“然而尊驾是怎样做到的，孩子？”
宝绮思感到很不好意思，红着脸说：“我很抱歉，广子，我现在就带她走。”
“不，”广子说：“我希望她再做一回。”
敖近几个阿尔发人已经围过来旁观，菲龙挤眉弄眼，仿佛很努力在尝试。萤光变得比刚才更暗淡，笛子忽然间又发出一个音调，这次的声音听来既纯又稳。然后，遍布笛身的金属按键自己动起来，笛子的音调有了不规律的变化。
“它和XX有点不一样。”菲龙有些上气不接下气，仿佛吹笛子的是她本人，而不是电力驱动的气流。
裴洛拉特对崔维兹说：“她一定是从萤光灯的电源取得能量。”
“再试一回。”广子以惊愕的声音说。
菲龙闭上眼睛，笛声现在变得较柔和，也被控制得更稳定，在没有手指按动的情况下，笛子自己演奏起来。来自远方的能量，经过菲龙大脑中尚未成熟的叶突，转换成了驱动笛子的动能。最初几乎是随机出现的音调，现在变成一连串的旋律，将大厅中每一个人都吸引过来，大家全部围在广子与菲龙周围。广子用拇指与食指轻轻抓着笛子两端，菲龙则始终闭着眼睛，指挥着空气的流动与按键的动作。
“这是我方才演奏的曲子。”广子悄声道。
“我都记得。”菲龙只是轻轻点了点头，尽量不让自己的注意力分散。
“尊驾未遗漏任何一个音符。”一曲结束后，广子这么说。
“可是你那样不对，广子，你吹得不对。”
宝绮思赶紧说：“菲龙！这样说没礼貌，你不可以……”
“拜托，”广子断然道：“请勿打断她的话。为何不对，孩子？”
“因为我能吹得不一样。”
“那么表演一下。”
于是笛声再度响起，不过曲式较先前复杂，因为驱动按键的力量变化得更快，转换得更迅速，组合也更为精致细腻。奏出的音乐比刚才更繁复，而且更感性、更动人无数倍。广子不禁僵立在那里，整个大厅中也听不到其他声音。
甚至当菲龙演奏完毕后，大厅中仍是一片鸦雀无声。最后还是由广子打破沉默，她深深吸了一口气，然后说：“尊驾曾如此演奏过吗？”
“没有，”菲龙说：“以前我只能用手指，可是我用手指做不到那样。”
接着，她又以干脆而毫不自夸的口气，补充了一句：“没有人办得到。”
“尊驾还会演奏其他曲子吗？”
“我能制作一些。”
“尊驾的意思是——即兴演奏？”
菲龙皱起眉头，显然听不懂这个词，只好朝宝绮思望去。宝绮思对她点了点头，于是菲龙答道：“是的。”
“那么，请示范一番。”广子说。
菲龙默想了一两分钟，然后笛声开始奏起，那是一连串缓慢而简单的音符，整体而言带着如梦似幻的感觉。萤光灯变得时明时暗，全由电力被抽取的多寡而定。这点似乎没人注意到，因为光线的变化似乎成了音乐所带来的特殊效果，就像有个电力幽灵正听命于声波的指挥而不停变化着。
这些音符的组合一再着复，先是音量变得较大，然后曲调渐趋繁复。接下来成了变奏，在基本旋律仍清晰可闻的情况下，曲调变得更激昂、更有力，渐渐催逼到令人喘不过气来。最后，缓缓升到最高点的旋律突然急转直下，造成一种俯冲的效果，带着听众迅速落回地面；众人却仍陶醉在置身高空的感觉。
接着，一阵前所未有的混乱撕裂宁静的空气。崔维兹虽然习惯于另一种完全不同的音乐，也不禁感伤地想道：我再也听不到这么美妙的音乐了。
等到众人好不容易安静下来后，广子将笛子递了出去。“来，菲龙，这是尊驾的！”
菲龙迫不及待要接过来，宝绮思却抓住她伸出去的手臂说：“我们不能拿，广子，它是件珍贵的乐器。”
“我另外有一个，宝绮思，虽比不上这个好，但这是我应当做的。谁能将这乐器奏得最美妙，谁便是其主人。我从未听过如此之音乐，既然我无法发挥其全部潜力，我拥有这乐器即是错误。我希望早就知晓如何得以隔空演奏。”
菲龙接过笛子，现出极其满足的表情，将它紧紧抱在胸前。
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现在，他们的住所两个房间各后起一盏萤光灯，此外盥洗间也后起一盏。这些灯光都很微弱，在灯下阅读会相当吃力，但至少不再是一片黑暗。
然而此刻他们却逗留在屋外。夜空中满布星辰，这种景象总是令端点星土生土长的人着迷。端点星的夜空几乎不见什么星辰，唯一显眼的天体是暗淡的银河，看来像是极远方的一团云气。
便子刚才陪同他们一道回来，因为她担心他们会在黑暗中迷路或摔倒，一路上她都牵着菲龙的手。直到她帮他们打开萤光灯，跟他们一起待在室外的时候，她牵着那孩子的乎仍未放开。
宝绮思心里很清楚，知道广子正处于难以决断的情感矛盾中，因此她决定再试一次。“真的，广子，我们不能拿你的笛子。”
“不，菲龙万万要收下。”但她似乎仍然犹豫不决。
崔维兹一直望着天空。此地的黑夜名副其实，虽然他们的房间透出一点光后，却几乎没什么影响，更遑论远处建筑物射出的微弱灯火。
他说：“广子，你看到那颗分外明后的星星吗？它叫什么名字？”
便子抬头瞄了一下，并未显出什么兴趣。“那是‘伴星’。”
“为什么叫这个名字？”
“每八十个标准年，它便环绕我们太阳一周。每年这个时候，它都是一颗‘昏星’。尊驾在白昼亦能见到它，倘若它徘徊于地平线之上。”
很好，崔维兹想，她对天文并非一无所知。他又说：“你可知道，阿尔发还有另一颗伴星，它非常小、非常暗淡，比这颗明后的伴星遥远许多许多，不用望远镜根本看不见。”（他自己没有见过，但他不必花时间搜寻，太空艇电脑的记忆库中有详尽的资料。）
她以冷淡的语气答道：“我们在学校学过。”
“好，那颗又叫什么？那六颗排成锯齿状的星星，你看到了吗？”
便子说：“那是仙后。”
“真的？”崔维兹吃了一惊，“哪一颗？”
“全部，整个锯齿唤作仙后。”
“为什么叫这个名字？”
“我缺乏这方面的知识，我对天文学一窍不通，尊贵的崔维兹。”
“你看到锯齿最下面的那颗星吗？就是其中最后的那颗，它叫什么？”
“它就是一颗星，我不知其名。”
“除了两颗伴星之外，它是最接近阿尔发的恒星，距离大约只有一秒差距。”
便于说：“尊驾如此认为？我不知晓。”
“它会不会就是地球环绕的恒星？”
便子盯着那颗星，些微兴趣一闪即逝。“我不知晓，我从未听人那样说。”
“你不认为有这个可能吗？”
“叫我如何说？无人知晓地球究竟在何处。我——我如今必须向尊驾告辞。明天上午海滩节之前，轮到我在田间工作。午餐后我在海滩跟您们碰面。好吗？”
“当然好，广子。”
她立刻转身离去，在黑暗中慢慢跑开。崔维兹望着她的背影一会儿，便跟其他人走进昏暗的小房舍。
他问：“有关地球的事，你能不能判断她是否在说谎，宝绮思？”
宝绮思摇了摇头，说道：“不，我不认为她在说谎。她的精神处于极度紧张的状态，我直到演奏会结束才察觉到。在你向她问及那些星星之前，她就已经那么紧张了。”
“那么，是因为她舍弃了那支笛子？”
“大概吧，我也不清楚。”她转头对菲龙说：“菲龙，我要你现在回到自己房间。你上床之前，先到盥洗间去尿尿，然后洗洗手，再洗洗脸，刷刷牙。”
“我很想演奏那支笛子，宝绮思。”
“只能玩一会儿，而且要非常小声。懂了吗，菲龙？还有，我叫你停的时候就一定要停。”
“好的，宝绮思。”
于是这个房间中只剩下三个人，宝绮思坐在一张椅子上，两位男士则坐在各自的便床上。
宝绮思说：“还有必要在这颗行星继续待下去吗？”
崔维兹耸了耸肩。“我们一直没机会讨论地球和那些古老乐器间的关系，或许我们可以从那里发现什么线索。而且，渔船队可能也值得我们等一等，那些男人可能知道些待在家的人不知道的事。”
“可能性太小了。”宝绮思说：“你确定不是广子的黑眼珠吸引你留下来？”
崔维兹以不耐烦的语气说：“我不了解，宝绮思，我选择该怎么做跟你有何相干？为什么你好像总要显得高高在上，板起面孔对我做道德判断？”
“我并不关心你的道德，但这件事会影响到我们的探索。你想要找到地球，好对你自己的选择做最后的验证，看看你否定孤立体世界，选择盖娅星系的抉择是否正确，我希望你能找到答案。你说你必须造访地球，然后才能做出决定，而你似乎坚信地球就环绕着天空中那颗后星，那么就让我们到那里去探个究竟。我承认，在我们出发前若能找到一些资料，的确会有帮助，可是我相当清楚，在这里找不到我们需要的资料。我可不愿由于你喜欢广子，就让大家留在这里陪你。”
“我们或许会离开这里，”崔维兹说：“让我考虑一下。广子这个因素不会左右我的决定，我向你保证。”
裴洛拉特说：“我觉得我们应该向地球前进，即使只是为了看看它到底有没有放射性。我看下出待下去有什么意义。”
“你确定不是宝绮思的黑眼珠迷惑了你？”崔维兹这话有些报复的意味。他几乎立刻就后悔了：“不，我收回这句话，詹诺夫，我只是一时孩子气发作。话说回来——这是个迷人的世界，即使完全不考虑广子，我也不得不承认，要不是在现在这种情况下，我会忍下住永远留下来。难道你看不出来吗，宝绮思，阿尔发使你对孤立体的理论不攻自破？”
“怎么说？”宝绮思问。
“你一直坚持一种理论，任何真正孤立的世界都会变得危险而充满敌意。”
“就连康普隆也一样，”宝绮思以平静的口吻说：“即使它不能算是处于银河的主流，虽然在理论上它是基地联邦的一个联合势力。”
“伹阿尔发不同，这个世界虽然完全孤立，可是你能抱怨他们的友善和殷勤吗？他们提供我们食物、衣物、住宿场所，还为我们举行各种庆祝活动，盛情地邀请我们留下来。对他们还有什么好挑剔的？”
“表面上没什么，广子甚至将她的身体给了你。”
崔维兹怒冲冲地说：“宝绮思，这件事哪里又妨碍到你了？不是她将身体给了我，而是我们互相奉献，这全然是两情相悦。在适当情况下，你也一定会毫不迟疑地献出自己的身体。”
“拜托，宝绮思，”裴洛拉特说：“葛兰完全正确，我们没有理由反对他的私人享乐。”
“只要不影响到我们的行动。”宝绮思执拗地说。
“不会影响我们，”崔维兹说：“我们将很快离开这里，我向你保证。耽搁一下是为了搜集更多资料，不会花太久的时间。”
“但我还是不信任孤立体，”宝绮思说：“即使他们捧着礼物前来。”
崔维兹举起双手。“先得出结论，然后再扭曲证据去迁就，简直就是——”
“别说出来，”宝绮思以警告的口吻说：“我可不是女人，我是盖哑娅。感到不安的是盖娅，不是我。”
“没有理由——”此时，门上突然发出一下搔抓声。
崔维兹愣住了。“那是什么？”他低声道。
宝绮思轻轻耸了耸肩。“拉开门看看，你说过这是个亲善的世界，不会发生任何危险。”
尽避如此，崔维兹仍踌躇不前。不久门外传来轻声的叫喊：“拜托，是我！”
那是广子的声音，崔维兹立刻将门掀开。
便子快步走进来，她的两颊满是泪水。
“将门拉上。”她气喘吁吁地说。
“怎么回事？”宝绮思问。
便子紧紧抓住崔维兹。“我无法置身事外，我尝试过，然而我承受不了。尊驾快走，您们全部走，带那孩儿与您们一道离去。驾着那艘太空船驶离——驶离阿尔发——趁着天色仍暗之际。”
“可是为什么呢？”崔维兹问。
“否则尊驾将丧命，您们全部将丧命。”
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三位外星人士目不转晴盯着广子良久，然后崔维兹说：“你是说你的族人会杀害我们？”
便子两行热泪滚滚而下。“尊驾已踏上死亡之途，尊贵的崔维兹，其他人也将陪伴您。很久以前，学者们发明出一种病毒，对我们无害，我们具有晃疫力，然而对外星人士有致命威胁。”她心慌意乱地摇着崔维兹的手臂，“尊驾已经感染。”
“怎么会？”
“当我们交欢时，那即是管道之一。”
崔维兹说：“但我不觉得有什么不对劲。”
“病毒街在潜伏，渔船队归来后才会让它们发作。根据我们的法律，这种事必须经过全体决议，甚至包括所有男人，大家必将决定非如此做不可。我们负责让您们留下，直到做出决议之时，亦即后天早上——如今趁着天黑又无人起疑，赶紧走吧。”
宝绮思厉声问道：“你的族人为什么要这样做？”
“为了我们的安全，我们人稀物丰，不希望外星人士侵犯我们。若果有人来访之后，将我们的位置传出去，其他人将接踵而来。因此之故，每隔很长一段时日，偶尔有一艘太空船抵达，我们便需确保它不再离去。”
“可是既然如此，”崔维兹说：“为什么你要来通风报信？”
“勿问缘由——好，我将告诉您们，因我又听到了，听——”
他们都听到了，隔壁房间传来菲龙奏出的辍柔笛声——甜美无比的笛声。
便子说：“我无法忍受这音乐自人间消失，因为小家伙亦将死去。”
崔维兹以严厉的口吻说：“是不是因为这样，你才把笛子送给菲龙？因为你知道她死了之后，你可以再拿回去。”
便子看来惊愕万分。“不然，我心中未有这般想法。当我终于想到之际，即明了绝不该如此做。带着那孩儿离去吧，也带走那支我再也见不到的笛子。尊驾回到太空便安全，尊驾体内的病毒只要不发作，一段时日后便会死亡。我所求的回报，是您们不再提起这个世界，勿让他人知晓它的存在。”
“我们不会说出去。”崔维兹说。
便子抬起头来，低声道：“尊驾离去之前，我能否再吻尊驾一回？”
崔维兹说：“不，我被感染一次已经够了。”然后他用较和缓的口气说：“别哭，否则别人问你为什么哭，你将无言以对——看在你如今力图拯救我们的份上，我原谅你对我所做的伤害。”
便子抬头挺胸，用双手手背仔细拭干脸颊，又深深吸了一口气。“我感谢尊驾宽恕。”随即匆匆离去。
崔维兹说：“我们马上把灯关掉，在屋里等一会儿，然后离开这里——宝绮思，叫菲龙别再玩她的乐器。当然，记得将笛子带走。我们得一路摸到太空船那里，希望在黑暗中还能找到它的位置。”
“我找得到。”宝绮思说：“太空船上有我的衣物，不论成分多微弱，它仍算盖娅的一部分，盖娅寻找盖娅不会有问题。”说完，她就钻进她的房间去找菲龙。
裴洛拉特说：“你想他们会不会设法破坏太空船，迫使我们留在这里？”
“他们的科技还做不到这一点。”崔维兹绷着脸说。宝绮思牵着菲龙走出来之后，崔维兹便将灯火尽数熄灭。
他们一声不响地在黑暗中坐了大约半小时，感觉却好像足足等了大半夜。然后崔维兹缓缓地、悄悄地拉开门。夜空似乎多了一点云气，不过群星仍在闪烁。现在仙后星座高挂中天，底端那颗可能是地球之阳的恒星，正发出耀眼的光芒。四周静寂无声，连一丝风都没有。
崔维兹小心翼翼踏出房门，再示意其他人跟出来。他一只手自然而然挪到神经鞭的握柄上，虽然他确定不会用到，不过……
宝绮思带头走在前面，她一只手拉着裴洛拉特，裴洛拉特又拉着崔维兹；宝绮思另一只手拉着菲龙，菲龙另一只手握着笛子。在几乎全黑的暗夜中，宝绮思双脚轻轻探着路，引领大家朝远星号上极微弱的“盖娅感”前进。

The dining room was a large one with long tables to which wereattached long benches on either side. Clearly, the Alphans atecommunity-fashion.
Trevize felt a pang of conscience. Bliss's request for privacy hadreserved this space for five people and forced the Alphans generallyto remain in exile outside. A number, however, placed themselves at arespectful distance from the windows (which were no more than gaps inthe wall, unfilled even by screens), presumably so that they might watchthe strangers eat.
Involuntarily, he wondered what would happen if it were torain. Surely, the rain would come only when it was needed, light and mild,continuing without significant wind till enough had fallen. Moreover,it would always come at known times so that the Alphans would be readyfor it, Trevize imagined.
The window he was facing looked out to sea, and far out at the horizonit seemed to Trevize that he could make out a bank of clouds similar tothose that so nearly filled the skies everywhere but over this littlespot of Eden.
There were advantages to weather control.
Eventually, they were served by a young woman on tiptoeing feet. Theywere not asked for their choice, but were merely served. There was a smallglass of milk, a larger of grape juice, a still larger of water. Eachdiner received two large poached eggs, with slivers of white cheeseon the side. Each also had a large platter of broiled fish and smallroasted potatoes, resting on cool, green lettuce leaves.
Bliss looked with dismay at the quantity of food before her and wasclearly at a loss where to begin. Fallom had no such trouble. She drankthe grape juice thirstily and with clear evidence of approval, thenchewed away at the fish and potatoes. She was about to use her fingersfor the purpose, but Bliss held up a large spoon with tined ends thatcould serve as a fork as well, and Fallom accepted it.
Pelorat smiled his satisfaction and cut into the eggs at once.
Trevize, saying, "Now to be reminded what real eggs taste like,"followed suit.
Hiroko, forgetting to eat her own breakfast in her delight at themanner in which the others ate (for even Bliss finally began, withobvious relish), said, at last, "Is it well?""It is well," said Trevize, his voice somewhat muffled. "This islandhas no shortage of food, apparently. Or do you serve us more thanyou should, out of politeness?"Hiroko listened with intent eyes, and seemed to grasp the meaning,for she said, "No, no, respected sir. Our land is bountiful, our sea evenmore so. Our ducks give eggs, our goats both cheese and milk. And thereare our grains. Above all, our sea is filled with countless varietiesof fish in numberless quantity. The whole Empire could eat at our tablesand consume not the fish of our sea."Trevize smiled discreetly. Clearly, the young Alphan had not thesmallest idea of the true size of the Galaxy.
He said, "You call this island New Earth, Hiroko. Where, then, mightOld Earth be?"She looked at him in bewilderment. " Old Earth, say you? Icrave pardon, respected sir. I take not thy meaning."Trevize said, "Before there was a New Earth, your people must havelived elsewhere. Where was this elsewhere from which they came?""I know naught of that, respected sir," she said, with troubledgravity. "This land has been mine all my life, and my mother's andgrandmother's before me; and, I doubt not, their grandmother's andgreat-grandmother's before them. Of any other land, I know naught.""But," said Trevize, descending to gentle argumentation, "you speakof this land as New Earth. Why do you call it that?""Because, respected sir," she replied, equally gentle, "that is what itis called by all since the mind of woman goeth not to the contrary.""But it is New Earth, and therefore, a later Earth. Theremust be an Old Earth, a former one, for which it wasnamed. Each morning there is a new day, and that implies that earlierthere had existed an old day. Don't you see that this must be so?""Nay, respected sir. I know only what this land is called. I know ofnaught else, nor do I follow this reasoning of thine which sounds verymuch like what we call here chop-logic. I mean no offense."And Trevize shook his head and felt defeated.
77Trevize leaned toward Pelorat, and whispered, "Whereverwe go, whatever we do, we get no information.""We know where Earth is, so what does it matter?" said Pelorat,doing little more than move his lips.
"I want to know something about it.""She's very young. Scarcely a repository of information."Trevize thought about that, then nodded. "Right, Janov."He turned to Hiroko and said, "Miss Hiroko, you haven't asked us whywe are here in your land?"Hiroko's eyes fell, and she said, "That would be but scant courtesyuntil you have all eaten and rested, respected sir.""But we have eaten, or almost so, and we have recently rested, so Ishall tell you why we are here. My friend, Dr. Pelorat, is a scholaron our world, a learned man. He is a mythologist. Do you know whatthat means?""Nay, respected sir, I do not.""He studies old tales as they are told on different worlds. Old talesare known as myths or legends and they interest Dr. Pelorat. Are therelearned ones on New Earth who know the old tales of this world?"Hiroko's forehead creased slightly into a frown of thought. She said,"This is not a matter in which I am myself skilled. We have an old manin these parts who loves to talk of ancient days. Where he may havelearned these things, I know not, and methinks he may have spun hisnotions out of air, or heard them from others who did so spin. Thisis perhaps the material which thy learned companion would hear, yet Iwould not mislead thee. It is in my mind," she looked to right and leftas though unwilling to be overheard, "that the old man is but a prater,though many listen willingly to him."Trevize nodded. "Such prating is what we wish. Would it be possiblefor you to take my friend to this old man ""Monolee he calls himself."" to Monolee, then. And do you think Monolee would be willingto speak to my friend?""He? Willing to speak?" said Hiroko scornfully. "Thou must ask,rather, if he be ever ready to cease from speaking. He is but a man,and will therefore speak, if allowed, till a fortnight hence, with nopause. I mean no offense, respected sir.""No offense taken. Would you lead my friend to Monolee now?""That may anyone do at any time. The ancient is ever home and everready to greet an ear."Trevize said, "And perhaps an older woman would be willing to comeand sit with Madam Bliss. She has the child to care for and cannot moveabout too much. It would please her to have company, for women, as youknow, are fond of ""Prating?" said Hiroko, clearly amused. "Why, so men say, althoughI have observed that men are always the greater babblers. Let the menreturn from their fishing, and one will vie with another in tellinggreater flights of fancy concerning their catches. None will mark them norbelieve, but this will not stop them, either. But enough of my prating,too. I will have a friend of my mother's, one whom I can seethrough the window, stay with Madam Bliss and the child, and before thatshe will guide your friend, the respected doctor, to the aged Monolee. Ifyour friend will hear as avidly as Monolee will prate, thou wilt scarcelypart them in this life. Wilt thou pardon my absence a moment?"When she had left, Trevize turned to Pelorat and said, "Listen, getwhat you can out of the old man, and Bliss, you find out what you canfrom whoever stays with you. What you want is anything about Earth.""And you?" said Bliss. "What will you do?""I will remain with Hiroko, and try to find a third source."Bliss smiled. "Ah yes. Pel will be with this old man; I with an oldwoman. You will force yourself to remain with this fetchingly uncladyoung woman. It seems a reasonable division of labor.""As it happens, Bliss, it is reasonable.""But you don't find it depressing that the reasonable division oflabor should work out so, I suppose.""No, I don't. Why should I?""Why should you, indeed?"Hiroko was back, and sat down again. "It is all arranged. The respectedDr. Pelorat will be taken to Monolee; and the respected Madam Bliss,together with her child, will have company. May I be granted, then,respected Sir Trevize, the boon of further conversation with thee,mayhap of this Old Earth of which thou ""Pratest?" asked Trevize.
"Nay," said Hiroko, laughing. "But thou dost well to mock me. I showedthee but discourtesy ere now in answering thy question on this matter. Iwould fain make amends."Trevize turned to Pelorat. "Fain?""Be eager," said Pelorat softly.
Trevize said, "Miss Hiroko, I felt no discourtesy, but if it willmake you feel better, I will gladly speak with you.""Kindly spoken. I thank thee," said Hiroko, rising.
Trevize rose, too. "Bliss," he said, "make sure Janov remainssafe.""Leave that to me. As for you, you have your " She nodded towardhis holsters.
"I don't think I'll need them," said Trevize uncomfortably.
He followed Hiroko out of the dining room. The sun was higher in thesky now and the temperature was still warmer. There was an otherworldlysmell as always. Trevize remembered it had been faint on Comporellon, alittle musty on Aurora, and rather delightful on Solaria. (On Melpomenia,they were in space suits where one is only aware of the smell of one'sown body.) In every case, it disappeared in a matter of hours as theosmic centers of the nose grew saturated.
Here, on Alpha, the odor was a pleasant grassy fragrance under thewarming effect of the sun, and Trevize felt a bit annoyed, knowing thatthis, too, would soon disappear.
They were approaching a small structure that seemed to be built ofa pale pink plaster.
"This," said Hiroko, "is my home. It used to belong to my mother'syounger sister."She walked in and motioned Trevize to follow. The door was open or,Trevize noticed as he passed through, it would be more accurate to saythere was no door.
Trevize said, "What do you do when it rains?""We are ready. It will rain two days hence, for three hours eredawn, when it is coolest, and when it will moisten the soil mostpowerfully. Then I have but to draw this curtain, both heavy andwater-repellent, across the door."She did so as she spoke. It seemed made of a strong canvas-likematerial.
"I will leave it in place now," she went on. "All will then knowI am within but not available, for I sleep or am occupied in mattersof importance.""It doesn't seem much of a guardian of privacy.""Why should it not be? See, the entrance is covered.""But anyone could shove it aside.""With disregard of the wishes of the occupant?" Hiroko lookedshocked. "Are such things done on thy world? It would be barbarous."Trevize grinned. "I only asked."She led him into the second of two rooms, and, at her invitation, heseated himself in a padded chair. There was something claustrophobic aboutthe blockish smallness and emptiness of the rooms, but the house seemeddesigned for little more than seclusion and rest. The window openingswere small and near the ceiling, but there were dull mirror strips in acareful pattern along the walls, which reflected light diffusely. Therewere slits in the Ioor from which a gentle, cool breeze uplifted. Trevizesaw no signs of artifinal lighting and wondered if Alphans had to wakeat sunrise and go to bed at sunset.
He was about to ask, but Hiroko spoke first, saying, "Is Madam Blissthy woman companion?"Trevize said cautiously, "Do you mean by that, is she my sexualpartner?"Hiroko colored. "I pray thee, have regard for the decencies of politeconversation, but I do mean private pleasantry.""No, she is the woman companion of my learned friend.""But thou art the younger, and the more goodly.""Well, thank you for your opinion, but it is not Bliss's opinion. Shelikes Dr. Pelorat much more than she does me.""That much surprises me. Will he not share?""I have not asked him whether he would, but I'm sure he wouldn't. Norwould I want him to."Hiroko nodded her head wisely. "I know. It is her fundament.""Her fundament?""Thou knowest. This." And she slapped her own dainty rear end.
"Oh, that! I understand you. Yes, Bliss is generously proportionedin her pelvic anatomy." He made a curving gesture with his hands andwinked. (And Hiroko laughed.)Trevize said, "Nevertheless, a great many men enjoy that kind ofgenerosity of figure.""I cannot believe so. Surely it would be a sort of gluttony to wishexcess of that which is pleasant in moderation. Wouldst thou think moreof me if my breasts were massive and dangling, with nipples pointingto toes? I have, in good sooth, seen such, yet have I not seen menflock to them. The poor women so afflicted must needs cover theirmonstrosities as Madam Bliss does.""Such oversize wouldn't attract me, either, though I am sure thatBliss doesn't cover her breasts for any imperfection they may have.""Thou dost not, then, disapprove of my visage or form?""I would be a madman to do so. You are beautiful.""And what dost thou for pleasantries on this ship of thine, as thouflittest from one world to the next Madam Bliss being deniedthee?""Nothing, Hiroko. There's nothing to do. I think of pleasantries onoccasion and that has its discomforts, but we who travel through spaceknow well that there are times when we must do without. We make up forit at other times.""If it be a discomfort, how may that be removed?""I experience considerably more discomfort since you've brought upthe subject. I don't think it would be polite to suggest how I mightbe comforted.""Would it be discourtesy, were I to suggest a way?""It would depend entirely on the nature of the suggestion.""I would suggest that we be pleasant with each other.""Did you bring me here, Hiroko, that it might come to this?"Hiroko said, with a pleased smile, "Yes. It would be both myhostess-duty of courtesy, and it would be my wish, too.""If that's the case, I will admit iiiis my wish, too. In fact,I would like very much to oblige you in this. I would be uhfain to do thee pleasure."

Chapter 17: New Earth
74"Four planets," muttered Trevize. "All are small,plus a trailing off of asteroids. No gas giants."Pelorat said, "Do you find that disappointing?""Not really. It's expected. Binaries that circle each other at smalldistances can have no planets circling one of the stars. Planets cancircle the center of gravity of both, but it's very unlikely that theywould be habitable too far away.
"On the other hand if the binaries are reasonably separate, there canbe planets in stable orbits about each, if they are close enough to oneor the other of the stars. These two stars, according to the computer'sdata bank, have an average separation of 3.5 billion kilometers and evenat periastron, when they are closest together, are about 1.7 billionkilometers apart. A planet in an orbit of less than 200 million kilometersfrom either star would be stably situated, but there can be no planetwith a larger orbit. That means no gas giants since they would haveto be farther away from a star, but what's the difference? Gas giantsaren't habitable, anyway.""But one of those four planets might be habitable.""Actually the second planet is the only real possibility. For onething, it's the only one of them large enough to have an atmosphere."They approached the second planet rapidly and over a period of two daysits image expanded; at first with a majestic and measured swelling. Andthen, when there was no sign of any ship emerging to intercept them,with increasing and almost frightening speed.
The Far Star was moving swiftly along a temporary orbit athousand kilometers above the cloud cover, when Trevize said grimly,"I see why the computer's memory banks put a question mark after thenotation that it was inhabited. There's no clear sign of radiation;either light in the night-hemisphere, or radio anywhere.""The cloud cover seems pretty thick," said Pelorat.
"That should not blank out radio radiation."They watched the planet wheeling below them, a symphony in swirlingwhite clouds, through occasional gaps of which a bluish wash indicatedocean.
Trevize said, "The cloud level is fairly heavy for an inhabitedworld. It might be a rather gloomy one. What bothers me most,"he added, as they plunged once more into the night-shadow, "is that nospace stations have hailed us.""The way they did back at Comporellon, you mean?" said Pelorat.
"The way they would in any inhabited world. We would have to stopfor the usual checkup on papers, freight, length of stay, and so on."Bliss said, "Perhaps we missed the hail for some reason.""Our computer would have received it at any wavelength they mighthave cared to use. And we've been sending out our own signals, but haveroused no one and nothing as a result. Dipping under the cloud layerwithout communicating with station officials violates space courtesy,but I don't see that we have a choice."The Far Star slowed, and strengthened its antigravityaccordingly, so as to maintain its height. It came out into thesunlight again, and slowed further. Trevize, in co-ordination with thecomputer, found a sizable break in the clouds. The ship sank and passedthrough it. Beneath them heaved the ocean in what must have been a freshbreeze. It lay, wrinkled, several kilometers below, them, faintly stripedin lines of froth.
They flew out of the sunlit patch and under the cloud cover. Theexpanse of water immediately beneath them turned a slate-gray, and thetemperature dropped noticeably.
Fallom, staring at the viewscreen, spoke in her own consonant-richlanguage for a few moments, then shifted to Galactic. Her voicetrembled. "What is that which I see beneath?""That is an ocean," said Bliss soothingly. "It is a very large massof water.""Why does it not dry up?"Bliss looked at Trevize, who said, "There's too much water for it todry up."Fallom said in a half-choked manner, "I don't want all that water. Letus go away." And then she shrieked, thinly, as the Far Star movedthrough a patch of storm clouds so that the viewscreen turned milky andwas streaked with the mark of raindrops.
The lights in the pilot-room dimmed and the ship's motion becameslightly jerky.
Trevize looked up in surprise and cried out. "Bliss, your Fallom isold enough to transduce. She's using electric power to try to manipulatethe controls. Stop her!"Bliss put her arms about Fallom, and hugged her tightly, "It's allright, Fallom, it's all right. There's nothing to be afraid of. It'sjust another world, that's all. There are many like this."Fallom relaxed somewhat but continued to tremble.
Bliss said to Trevize, "The child has never seen an ocean, andperhaps, for all I know, never experienced fog or rain. Can't you besympathetic?""Not if she tampers with the ship. She's a danger to all of us,then. Take her into your room and calm her down."Bliss nodded curtly.
Pelorat said, "I'll come with you, Bliss.""No, no, Pel," she responded. "You stay here. I'll soothe Fallom andyou soothe Trevize." And she left.
"I don't need soothing," growled Trevize to Pelorat. "I'm sorry if Iflew off the handle, but we can't have a child playing with the controls,can we?""Of course we can't," said Pelorat, "but Bliss was caught bysurprise. She can control Fallom, who is really remarkably well behavedfor a child taken from her home and her her robot, and thrown,willy-nilly, into a life she doesn't understand.""I know. It wasn't I who wanted to take her along, remember. It wasBliss's idea.""Yes, but the child would have been killed, if we hadn't takenher.""Well, I'll apologize to Bliss later on. To the child, too."But he was still frowning, and Pelorat said gently, "Golan, old chap,is there anything else bothering you?""The ocean," said Trevize. They had long emerged from the rain storm,but the clouds persisted.
"What's wrong with it?" asked Pelorat.
"There's too much of it, that's all."Pelorat looked blank, and Trevize said, with a snap, "No land. Wehaven't seen any land. The atmosphere is perfectly normal, oxygen andnitrogen in decent proportions, so the planet has to be engineered,and there has to be plant life to maintain the oxygen level. In thenatural state, such atmospheres do not occur except, presumably,on Earth, where it developed, who knows how. But, then, on engineeredplanets there are always reasonable amounts of dry land, up to one thirdof the whole, and never less than a fifth. So how can this planet beengineered, and lack land?"Pelorat said, "Perhaps, since this planet is part of a binarysystem, it is completely atypical. Maybe it wasn't engineered, butevolved an atmosphere in ways that never prevail on planets about singlestars. Perhaps life developed independently here, as it once did on Earth,but only sea life.""Even if we were to admit that," said Trevize, "it would do us nogood. There's no way life in the sea can develop a technology. Technologyis always based on fire, and fire is impossible in the sea. A life-bearingplanet without technology is not what we're looking for.""I realize that, but I'm only considering ideas. After all, as far aswe know, technology only developed once on Earth. Everywhere else,the Settlers brought it with them. You can't say technology is `always'
anything, if you only have one case to study.""Travel through the sea requires streamlining. Sea life cannot haveirregular outlines and appendages such as hands.""Squids have tentacles."Trevize said, "I admit we are allowed to speculate, but if you'rethinking of intelligent squid-like creatures evolving independentlysomewhere in the Galaxy, and developing a technology not based on fire,you're supposing something not at all likely, in my opinion.""In your opinion ," said Pelorat gently.
Suddenly, Trevize laughed. "Very well, Janov. I see you'relogic-chopping in order to get even with me for speaking harshly toBliss, and you're doing a good job. I promise you that if we find noland, we will examine the sea as best we can to see if we can find yourcivilized squids."As he spoke, the ship plunged into the night-shadow again, and theviewscreen turned black.
Pelorat winced. "I keep wondering," he said. "Is this safe?""Is what safe, Janov?""Racing through the dark like this. We might dip, and dive into theocean, and be destroyed instantly.""Quite impossible, Janov. Really! The computer keeps us travelingalong a gravitational line of force. In other words, it remains alwaysat a constant intensity of the planetary gravitational force which meansit keeps us at a nearly constant height above sea level.""But how high?""Nearly five kilometers.""That doesn't really console me, Golan. Might we not reach land andsmash into a mountain we don't see?"" We don't see, but ship's radar will see it, and thecomputer will guide the ship around or over the mountain.""What if there's level land, then? We'll miss it in the dark.""No, Janov, we won't. Radar reflected from water is not at all likeradar reflected from land. Water is essentially flat; land is rough. Forthat reason, reflection from land is substantially more chaotic thanreflection from water. The computer will know the difference and it willlet me know if there's land in view. Even if it were day and the planetwere sun-lit, the computer might well detect land before I would."They fell silent and, in a couple of hours, they were back indaylight, with an empty ocean again rolling beneath them monotonously,but occasionally invisible when they passed through one of the numerousstorms. In one storm, the wind drove the Far Star out of itspath. The computer gave way, Trevize explained, in order to preventan unnecessary waste of energy and to minimize the chance of physicaldamage. Then, when the turbulence had passed, the computer eased theship back into its path.
"Probably the edge of a hurricane," said Trevize.
Pelorat said, "See here, old chap, we're just traveling west toeast or east to west. All we're examining is the equator."Trevize said, "That would be foolish, wouldn't it? We're followinga great-circle route northwest-southeast. That takes us through thetropics and both temperate zones and each time we repeat the circle, thepath moves westward, as the planet rotates on its axis beneath us. We'remethodically criss-crossing the world. By now, since we haven't hit land,the chances of a sizable continent are less than one in ten, accordingto the computer, and of a sizable island less than one in four, withthe chances going down each circle we make.""You know what I would have done," said Pelorat slowly, as the nighthemisphere engulfed them again. "I'd have stayed well away from theplanet and swept the entire hemisphere facing me with radar. The cloudswouldn't have mattered, would they?"Trevize said, "And then zoom to the other side and do the samethere. Or just let the planet turn once. That's hindsight,Janov. Who would expect to approach a habitable planet without stoppingat a station and being given a path or being excluded? And if onewent under the cloud layer without stopping at a station, who would expectnot to find land almost at once? Habitable planets are land!""Surely not all land," said Pelorat.
"I'm not talking about that," said Trevize, in sudden excitement. "I'msaying we've found land! Quiet!"Then, with a restraint that did not succeed in hiding his excitement,Trevize placed his hands on the desk and became part of the computer. Hesaid, "It's an island about two hundred and fifty kilometers long andsixty-five kilometers wide, more or less. Perhaps fifteen thousand squarekilometers in area or thereabout. Not large, but respectable. More thana dot on the map. Wait "The lights in the pilot-room dimmed and went out.
"What are we doing?" said Pelorat, automatically whispering as thoughdarkness were something fragile that must not be shattered.
"Waiting for our eyes to undergo dark-adaptation. The ship is hoveringover the island. Just watch. Do you see anything?""No Little specks of light, maybe. I'm not sure.""I see them, too. Now I'll throw in the telescopic lens."And there was light! Clearly visible. Irregular patches of it.
"It's inhabited," said Trevize. "It may be the only inhabited portionof the planet.""What do we do?""We wait for daytime. That gives us a few hours in which we canrest.""Might they not attack us?""With what? I detect almost no radiation except visible light andinfrared. It's inhabited and the inhabitants are clearly intelligent. Theyhave a technology, but obviously a preelectronic one, so I don't thinkthere's anything to worry about up here. If I should be wrong, thecomputer will warn me in plenty of time.""And once daylight comes?""We'll land, of course."75They came down when the first rays of the morning sunshone through a break in the clouds to reveal part of the island-freshlygreen, with its interior marked by a line of low, rolling hills stretchinginto the purplish distance.
As they dropped closer, they could see isolated copses of treesand occasional orchards, but for the most part there weeeeeell-keptfarms. Immediately below them, on the southeastern shore of the islandwas a silvery beach backed by a broken line of boulders, and beyond itwas a stretch of lawn. They caught a glimpse of an occasional house,but these did not cluster into anything like a town.
Eventually, they made out a dim network of roads, sparsely lined bydwelling places, and then, in the cool morning air, they spied an air-carin the far distance. They could only tell it was an air-car, and nota bird, by the manner of its maneuvering. It was the first indubitablesign of intelligent life in action they had yet seen on the planet.
"It could be an automated vehicle, if they could manage that withoutelectronics," said Trevize.
Bliss said, "It might well be. It seems to me that if there were ahuman being at the controls, it would be heading for us. We must be quitea sight a vehicle sinking downward without the use of braking jetsof rocket fire.""A strange sight on any planet," said Trevize thoughtfully. "Therecan't be many worlds that have ever witnessed the descent of a graviticspace-vessel. The beach would make a fine landing place, but ifthe winds blow I don't want the ship inundated. I'll make for the stretchof grass on the other side of the boulders.""At least," said Pelorat, "a gravitic ship won't scorch privateproperty in descending."Down they came gently on the four broad pads that had moved slowlyoutward during the last stage. These pressed down into the soil underweight of the ship.
Pelorat said, "I'm afraid we'll leave marks, though.""At least," said Bliss, and there was that in her voice that was noten approving, "the climate is evidently equable I would even say,warm."A human being was on the grass, watching the ship descend and showingno evidence of fear or surprise. The look on her face showed only raptinterest.
She wore very little, which accounted for Bliss's estimate of theclimate. Her sandals seemed to be of canvas, and about her hips was awraparound skirt with a flowered pattern. There were no leg-coveringsand there was nothing above her waist.
Her hair was black, long, and very glossy, descending almost to herwaist; Her skin color was a pale brown and her eyes were narrow.
Trevize scanned the surroundings and there was no other human being insight. He shrugged and said, "Well, it's early morning and the inhabitantsmay be mostly indoors, or even asleep. Still, I wouldn't say it was awell-populated area."He turned to the others and said, "I'll go out and talk to the woman,if she, speaks anything comprehensible. The rest of you ""I should think," said Bliss firmly, "that we might as well allstep out. That woman looks completely harmless and, in any case, I wantto stretch my legs and breathe planetary air, and perhaps arrange forplanetary food. I want Fallom to get the feel of a world again, too,and I think Pel would like to examine the woman at closer range.""Who? I?" said Pelorat, turning faintly pink. "Not at all, Bliss,but I am the linguist of our little party."Trevize shrugged. "Come one, come all. Still, though she may lookharmless, I intend to take my weapons with me.""I doubt," said Bliss, "that you will be much tempted to use them onthat young woman."Trevize grinned. "She is attractive, isn't she?"Trevize left the ship first, then Bliss, with one hand swung backwardto enclose Fallom's, who carefully made her way down the ramp afterBliss. Pelorat was last.
The black-haired young woman continued to watch with interest. Shedid not back away an inch.
Trevize muttered, "Well, let's try."He held his arms away from his weapons and said, "I greet you."The young woman considered that for a moment, and said, "I greet theeand I greet thy companions."Pelorat said joyfully, "How wonderful! She speaks Classical Galacticand with a correct accent.'""I understand her, too," said Trevize, oscillating one hand to indicatehis understanding wasn't perfect. "I hope she understands me."He said, smiling, and assuming a friendly expression, "We come fromacross space. We come from another world.""That is well," said the young woman, in her clear soprano. "Comesthy ship from the Empire?""It comes from a far star, and the ship is named Far Star ."The young woman looked up at the lettering on the ship. "Is thatwhat that sayeth? If that be so, and if the first letter is an F, then,behold, it is imprinted backward."Trevize was about to object, but Pelorat, in an ecstasy of joy, said,"She's right. The letter F did reverse itself about two thousand yearsago. What a marvelous chance to study Classical Galactic in detail andas a living language."Trevize studied the young woman carefully. She was not much more than1.5 meters in height, and her breasts, though shapely, were small. Yetshe did not seem unripe. The nipples were large and the areolae dark,though that might be the result of her brownish skin color.
He said, "My name is Golan Trevize; my friend is Janov Pelorat;the woman is Bliss; and the child is Fallom.""Is it the custom, then, on the far star from which you come, thatthe men be given a double name? I am Hiroko, daughter of Hiroko.""And your father?" interposed Pelorat suddenly.
To which Hiroko replied with an indifferent shrug of her shoulder,"His name, so sayeth my mother, is Smool, but it is of no importance. Iknow him not.""And where are the others?" asked Trevize. "You seem to be the onlyone to be here to greet us."Hiroko said, "Many men are aboard the fishboats; many women are in thefields. I take holiday these last two days and so am fortunate enough tosee this great thing. Yet people are curious and the ship will have beenseen as it descended, even from a distance. Others will be here soon.""Are there many others on this island?""There are more than a score and five thousand," said Hiroko withobvious pride.
"And are there other islands in the ocean?""Other islands, good sir?" She seemed puzzled.
Trevize took that as answer enough. This was the one spot on theentire planet that was inhabited by human beings.
He said, "What do you call your world?""It is Alpha, good sir. We are taught that the whole name is AlphaCentauri, if that has more meaning to thee, but we call it Alpha only and,see, it is a fair-visaged world.""A what world?" said Trevize, turning blankly toPelorat.
"A beautiful world, she means," said Pelorat.
"That it is," said Trevize, "at least here, and at this moment." Helooked up at the mild blue morning sky, with its occasional drift ofclouds. "You have a nice sunny day, Hiroko, but I imagine there aren'tmany of those on Alpha."Hiroko stiffened. "As many as we wish, sir. The clouds may come whenwe need rain, but on most days it seemeth good to us that the sky isfair above. Surely a goodly sky and a quiet wind are much to be desiredon those days when the fishboats are at sea.""Do your people control the weather, then, Hiroko?""Did we not, Sir Golan Trevize, we would be soggy with rain.""But how do you do that?""Not being a trained engineer, sir, I cannot tell thee.""And what might be the name of this island on which you and yourpeople live?" said Trevize, finding himself trapped in the ornatesound of Classical Galactic (and wondering desperately if he had theconjugations right).
Hiroko said, "We call our heavenly island in the midst of the vastsea of waters New Earth."At which Trevize and Pelorat stared at each other with surpriseand delight.
76There was no time to follow up on the statement. Otherswere arriving. Dozens. They must consist of those, Trevize thought,who were not on the ships or in the fields, and who were not from toofar away. They came on foot for the most part, though two ground-carswere in evidence rather old and clumsy.
Clearly, this was a low-technology society, and yet they controlledthe weather.
It was well known that technology was not necessarily all of a piece;that lack of advance in some directions did not necessarily excludeconsiderable advance in others but surely this example of unevendevelopment was unusual.
Of those who were now watching the ship, at least half were elderlymen and women; there were also three or four children. Of the rest, morewere women than men. None showed any fear or uncertainty whatever.
Trevize said in a low voice to Bliss, "Are you manipulating them? Theyseem serene.""I'm not in the least manipulating them," said Bliss. "I never touchminds unless I must. It's Fallom I'm concerned with."Few as the newcomers were to anyone who had experienced the crowdsof curiosity-seekers on any normal world in the Galaxy, they were amob to Fallom, to whom the three adults on the Far Star hadbeen something to grow accustomed to. Fallom was breathing rapidly andshallowly, and her eyes were half-closed. Almost, she seemed in shock.
Bliss was stroking her, softly and rhythmically, and making soothingsounds. Trevize was certain that she was delicately accompanying it allby an infinitely gentle rearrangement of mental fibrils.
Fallom took in a sudden deep breath, almost a gasp, and shook herself,in what was perhaps an involuntary shudder. She raised her head andlooked at those present with something approaching normality and thenburied her head in the space between Bliss's arm and body.
Bliss let her remain so, while her arm, encircling Fallom's shoulder,tightened periodically as though to indicate her own protective presenceover and over.
Pelorat seemed rather awestruck, as his eyes went from one Alphan toanother. He said, "Golan, they differ so among themselves."Trevize had noticed that, too. There were various shades of skinand hair color, including one brilliant redhead with blue eyes andfreckled skin. At least three apparent adults were as short as Hiroko,and one or two were taller than Trevize. A number of both sexes had eyesresembling those of Hiroko, and Trevize remembered that on the teemingcommercial planets of the Fili sector, such eyes were characteristic ofthe population, but he had never visited that sector.
All the Alphans wore nothing above the waist and among the women thebreasts all seemed to be small. That was the most nearly uniform of allthe bodily characteristics that he could see.
Bliss said suddenly, "Miss Hiroko, my youngster is not accustomedto travel through space and she is absorbing more novelty than she caneasily manage. Would it be possible for her to sit down and, perhaps,have something to eat and drink?"Hiroko looked puzzled, and Pelorat repeated what Bliss had said inthe more ornate Galactic of the mid-Imperial period.
Hiroko's hand then flew to her mouth and she sank to her kneesgracefully. "I crave your pardon, respected madam," she said. "I havenot thought of this child's needs, nor of thine. The strangeness of thisevent has too occupied me. Wouldst thou would you all asvisitors and guests, enter the refectory for morning meal? May we joinyou and serve as hosts?"Bliss said, "That is kind of you." She spoke slowly and pronouncedthe words carefully, hoping to make them easier to understand. "Itwould be better, though, if you alone served as hostess, for the sake ofthe comfort of the child who is unaccustomed to being with many peopleat once."Hiroko rose to her feet. "It shall be as thou hast said."She led them, in leisurely manner, across the grass. Other Alphansedged closer. They seemed particularly interested in the clothing of thenewcomers. Trevize removed his light jacket, and handed it to a man whohad sidled toward him and had laid a questing finger upon it.
"Here," he said, "look it over, but return it." Then he said toHiroko. "See that I get it back, Miss Hiroko.""Of a surety, it will be backhanded, respected sir." She nodded herhead gravely.
Trevize smiled and walked on. He was more comfortable without thejacket in the light, mild breeze.
He had detected no visible weapons on the persons of any of those abouthim, and he found it interesting that no one seemed to show any fear ordiscomfort over Trevize's. They did not even show curiosity concerningthem. It might well be that they were not aware of the objects as weaponsat all. From what Trevize had so far seen, Alpha might well be a worldutterly without violence.
A woman, having moved rapidly forward, so as to be a little aheadof Bliss, turned to examine her blouse minutely, then said, "Hast thoubreasts, respected madam?"And, as though unable to wait for an answer, she placed her handlightly on Bliss's chest.
Bliss smiled and said, "As thou hast discovered, I have. They areperhaps not as shapely as thine, but I hide them not for that reason. Onmy world, it is not fitting that they be uncovered."She whispered in an aside to Pelorat, "How do you like the way I'mgetting the hang of Classical Galactic?""You did that very well, Bliss," said Pelorat.

第十七章 新地球
74
“四颗行星，”崔维兹喃喃说道：“全都很小，再加上一长串小行星，没有气态巨行星。”
裴洛拉特说：“你认为这令人失望吗？”
“并不尽然，这是预料中的事。互相环绕的双星如果彼此距离很近，就不会有行星环绕其中任何一颗，而只能环绕两者的着心，但是那种行星不太可能适于住人——因为太远了。
“反之，如果双星彼此分得够开，各自的稳定轨道上就能有行星存在，前提是那些行星与双星之一足够接近。而这两颗恒星，根据电脑资料的纪录，平均间距为三十五亿公里，甚至在‘近星点’，也就是它们最接近的时候，相隔也有十七亿公里。一颗行星距离双星之一若下超过两亿公里，就算处于一个稳定的轨道，而超过这个距离的轨道上则不可能有行星存在。这就表示绝不会有气态巨行星，因为那种行星距离恒星必定很远。不过这又有什么差别呢？反正气态巨行星都无法住人。”
“但这四颗行星之一也许适于人类居住。”
“事实上，只有第二颗行星有可能。原因之一，是唯有它才大到足以保有大气层。”
他们迅速航向第二颗行星。接下来的两天中，它的影像逐步扩大，起先是庄严而缓慢地膨胀，等到他们确定没有任何前来拦截的船舰，行星影像的膨胀便越来越快，几乎达到骇人的速率。
此时，远星号位于云层上方一千公里处，循着一条临时轨道疾速飞行。崔维兹绷着脸说：“电脑记忆库在住人的注记后面加上问号，现在我知道是为什么了。它没有明显的辐射迹象，夜半球没有火光，而且也没有任何电波。”
“云层似乎挺厚的。”裴洛拉特说。
“那也不会将电波辐射隐藏起来。”
他们望着下方不停转动的行星，打转的白云色调极为和谐，其间偶尔出现一些隙缝，透出代表海洋的青色图样。
崔维兹说：“就一个住人世界而言，此地云量算是很着，可能是个相当阴沉的世界。”
“而最令我困扰的一点，”当他们再度钻入夜面阴影时，他补充道：“是我们没收到任何太空站的呼叫。”
“你的意思是，应该像我们刚到康普隆的时候那样？”裴洛拉特问。
“任何住人世界都会那样做。我们得停下来接受例行盘查，包括证件、货物、停留时间等等。”
宝绮思说：“也许由于某种原因，我们错过了呼叫讯号。”
“他们可能使用的各种波长，我们的电脑都接收得到。而且我们一直送出自己的讯号，结果却唤不出任何人，也得不到一点回音。如果没跟太空站的人员联络，就迳行俯冲到云层下，是一种违反太空礼仪的行为，但我看我们没有其他选择。”
于是远星号开始减速，同时增强反着力以继续维持原来的高度。等它再度回到白昼区，速度已经减得很低。崔维兹与电脑合作无间，在云层中找到一个够大的裂缝，太空艇立刻下降，一举穿过云隙。他们随即见到波涛汹涌的海洋，那想必是强风造成的结果。海面在他们下方数公里处，看来像是一块满是皱褶的绒布，还点缀着泡沫构成的隐约线条。
他们飞出那片晴空，来到云层之下。正下方辽阔的海水变成青灰色，温度也显着下降。
菲龙一面盯着显像屏幕，一面用子音丰富的母语说个不停。一会儿之后，她才改用银河标准语，以颤抖的声音说：“下面我看到的是什么？”
“那是海洋，”宝绮思以安抚的口吻说：“是非常非常多的水。”
“它为什么不会干掉呢？”
宝绮思看了看崔维兹，后者答道：“水太多了，所以干不掉。”
菲龙以近乎哽咽的语调说：“我不要那些水，让我们离开这里。”此时远星号正通过一团暴风云，显像屏幕因此变成乳白色，上面还有雨点形成的纹路。菲龙突然开始尖叫，但声音不太从邡。
驾驶舱的灯光暗了下来，太空艇的动作变得有些不顺畅。
崔维兹惊讶地抬起头，高声喊道：“宝绮思，你的菲龙已经大到可以转换能量，她正利用电力试图控制操纵装置，快阻止她！”
宝绮思伸出双臂抱住菲龙，将她紧紧拥人怀中。“没事，菲龙，没事，没什么好怕的。这只不过是另一个世界，像这样的世界还多着呢。”
菲龙的紧张情绪放松了些，不过仍在继续发抖。
宝绮思对崔维兹说：“这孩子从来没见过海洋，据我所知，也可能从未经验过雨和雾。你不能有点同情心吗？”
“如果她动太空船的脑筋，我就绝不同情，她那样做会给我们带来极大的危险。把她带到你们的舱房去，让她冷静下来。”
宝绮思生硬地点了点头。
裴洛拉特说：“我跟你一道去，宝绮思。”
“不，不要，裴，”她答道：“你留在这里。我来安抚菲龙，你负责安抚崔维兹。”说完便转身离去。
“我不需要安抚！”崔维兹对裴洛拉特吼道。“我很抱歉，也许我的情绪忽然失控，但我们总不能让一个小孩玩弄操纵装置，你说对不对？”
“当然不能。”裴洛拉特说：“可是事情太突然了，所以宝绮思一时之间不知所措，其实她可以制止菲龙。菲龙实在算是很乖了，想想她的处境，被迫远离家乡，还有她的——她的机器人，而且还被迫投入一个她不了解的生活。”
“我知道。当初不是我要带她同行的，记得吧，那是宝绮思的主意。”
“没错，但我们若是不带她走，这孩子准死无疑。”
“好吧，待会儿我会向宝绮思道歉，也会向那孩子道歉。”不过他仍旧眉头深锁，裴洛拉特柔声问道：“葛兰，老弟，还有什么事困扰着你吗？”
“这海洋——”崔维兹说。他们早已钻出暴风雨，云层却浓密依旧。
“海洋有什么不对劲？”裴洛拉特问。
“太多了就是问题。”
裴洛拉特一脸茫然，崔维兹突然又说：“没有陆地，我们没看到任何陆地。大气绝对正常，氧和氮的比例恰到好处，因此这颗行星一定经过精密改造，也一定拥有维持氧气含量的植物。在自然的状况下，不会出现这样的大气——想必只有地球例外，这种大气原本就是地球形成的，谁知道为什么。不过，话说回来，精密改造过的行星总有足够的干燥陆地，最多可占总表面积的三分之一　，绝不会少于五分之一。所以说，这颗行星既然经过精密改造，又怎么会缺乏陆地呢？”
裴洛拉特说：“有可能，因为这颗行星是双星系的一部分，和一般的典型完全不同。也许它并未接受过精密改造，而是以特殊方式演化出大气的，在环绕单星的行星上，则从未出现过这种方式。这里可能独立发展出某种生命，就像地球一样，不过却是水中生物。”
“就算我们接受这点，”崔维兹说：“对我们也没任何益处。水中生物绝不可能发展出科技，科技总是建立在火的发明上，而水火是不相容的。一个拥有生命却没有科技的行星，并不是我们找寻的目标。”
“这点我了解，但我只是做理论上的考量。毕竟，据我们所知，科技从无到有仅仅发展过一次——就是在地球上。在银河其他各个角落，科技都是由银河殖民者播种的。如果只有一个研究案例，你就不能说科技‘总是’如何如何。”
“在水中行动得具备流线型的形体，水中生物不能有不规则的外形，或是像人手那样的附肢。”
“乌贼就有触手。”
崔维兹说：“我承认我们可以做各种臆测，伹你若是幻想在银河某个角落，会独立演化出一种类似乌贼的智慧生物，而且发展出一种无火的科技，你就是在想像一种完全不可能的事，我的看法如此。”
“你的‘看法’如此。”裴洛拉特柔声说。
崔维兹突然哈哈大笑。“很好，詹诺夫，我看得出你是在强词夺理，来报复我刚才对宝绮思的大吼大叫，你的确很成功。我答应你，如果找不到陆地的话，我们会尽可能搜寻海洋，看看能否找到你说的那种文明乌贼。”
他在说这番话的时候，太空艇再度进入夜面阴影，显像屏幕也变得一片漆黑。
裴洛拉特显得有些畏缩。“我一直在想一个问题，”他说：“这样到底安不安全？”
“什么到底安不安全，詹诺夫？”
“在黑暗中像这样高速飞行。我们也许会越飞越低，最后一头栽进海里，然后立刻报销。”
“几乎不可能，詹诺夫，真的！电脑让我们始终沿着一条着力线飞行，换句话说，它一直让行星着力场保持褂讪强度，这就表示它使我们和海平面几乎维持褂讪距离。”
“可是有多高呢？”
“将近五公里。”
“这样还是不能真正让我心安，葛兰。难道我们不可能碰到陆地、撞上我们看不见的山峰吗？”
“我们看不见，可是太空船的雷达会看见，而电脑会引导太空船绕过或飞越山峰。”
“那么，万一经过的是平地呢？我们会在黑暗中失之交臂。”
“不，詹诺夫，我们不会错过。水面反射的雷达波和陆地反射的完全不同，水面基本上是平坦，而陆地则崎岖不平。因此比较之下，陆地反射的雷达波显得极为紊乱，电脑能分辨其中的差别，如果眼前出现陆地，它随时会告诉我们。就算是大白天，整个行星阳光普照，电脑也一定会比我更早发现陆地。”
接下来是一阵沉默。几小时后，他们又回到白昼区，下面仍是起起伏伏的空旷海洋。当他们偶尔穿越暴风雨时，海洋就会暂时在眼前消失。暴风雨多得数也数不清，在某一团暴风雨中，强风将远星号吹离原来的路径，电脑却未强行对抗。崔维兹解释道，这是为了避免不必要的能源浪费，并减低太空艇受损的机会。通过那团乱流之后，电脑果然将太空艇的航道缓缓矫正回来。
“可能是个飓风的外缘。”崔维兹说。
袭洛拉特说：“我跟你讲，老弟，我们如果一直由西往东飞——或是由东往西飞，我们观察到的就只有赤道而已。”
崔维兹说：“那样做实在很傻，对吧？其实，我们的飞行路径是个西北／东南向的球面大圆，它带着我们穿过热带和南北两个温带。我们每次着复这条路径，它便会自动偏西一点，因为行星一直在自转。所以说，我们很规律地逐渐扫过整个世界。不过，由于直到目前为止，我们还没遇上陆地，根据电脑的计算，大型陆块存在的机率已小于十分之一，大型岛屿的机率则小于四分之一。我们每多绕一圈，这些机率会再降一点。”
“你知道换成我会怎么做吗？”裴洛拉特慢条斯理地说，此时他们又被夜半球吞噬。“我会跟这颗行星保持足够远的距离，利用雷达扫描正面整个半球。云层不是什么问题，对下对？”
崔维兹说：“然后急速拉升，来到另一侧，再进行同样的工作，或者干脆等行星自转过来——那是后见之明，詹诺夫。通常来到一颗可住人行星，都得先停靠在某个太空站；取得一条降落路径——或被拒绝入境。谁缓笙到我们根本找不到太空站？即使没有停靠任何太空站，直接来到云层底下，谁又缓笙到无法很快找到陆地？可住人行星就是——陆地！”
“当然不会全是陆地。”裴洛拉特说。
“我不是在说那个，”崔维兹的声音突然变得很兴奋，“我是说我们找到陆地了！安静！”
崔维兹虽然努力克制，却仍难掩兴奋之情。他将双手放到桌面上，整个人又变成电脑的一部分。“是一座岛屿，大约二百五十公里长，六十五公里宽，不会差多少。面积大概有一万五千平方公里左右，不算大，却也不小，在地图上下只一个点。等一等——”
驾驶舱的灯光转暗，终至完全熄灭。
“我们在做什么？”裴洛拉特不自觉压低了声音，仿佛黑暗是个很脆弱的东西，大声一点就会震碎。
“等我们的眼睛适应黑暗。现在太空船正在这座岛屿上空盘旋，仔细看看，你能看到什么东西吗？”
“没有——可能有些小扁点，我不确定。”
“我也看到了，现在我要插入望远镜片。”
丙然有灯光！能看得很清楚，一团团的灯光零星散布各处。
“上面有人居住，”崔维兹说：“它可能是行星上唯一住人之处。”
“我们该怎么做？”
“等到白天再说，这样我们可以有几小时的休息时间。”
“他们不会攻击我们吗？”
“用什么攻击？除了可见光和红外线，我没侦测到其他的辐射。这是座住人的岛屿，而且看得出民智已开。他们也拥有科技，但显然是前电子时代的科技，所以我认为没什么好担心的。万一我猜错了，电脑也会及早警告我们。”
“一旦白昼降临了呢？”
“我们当然马上着陆。”
75
当清晨第一道阳光穿透云隙，照后这座岛屿的一部分时，他们驾着太空艇缓缓下降。岛上一片鲜绿，内地有一排低矮平缓的山丘，一直延伸到泛紫色的远方。
他们在接近地面时，看到了四下分布的杂树林，以及穿插其间的果树园，不过大部分地区是经营良好的农场。在他们的正下方，也就是岛屿的东南岸，则是一片银色的海滩，后面有一排断断续续的圆石，更远处还有一片草地。他们偶尔也能看到些房舍，不过都很分散，没有构成任何城镇。
最后，他们发现了一个模糊的道路网，路旁稀疏地排列着几栋住宅。接着，在清晨凉爽的空气中，他们侦察到远方有辆飞车。根据它飞行的方式，他们确定那并非一只大鸟，而的确是一辆飞车。那是他们在这颗行星上，首次见到的智慧生命活动的确实迹象。
“它可能是个自动交通工具，假如他们不用电子零件也能做到的话。”崔维兹说。
宝绮思说：“很有可能。我认为如果有人在操纵，它就会朝我们飞过来。我们必定是个奇观——一艘航具缓缓下降，却没用到反推喷射火箭。”
“在任何行星上，这都是个奇景。”崔维兹语着心长地说：“不会有太多世界见过着力太空航具的降落过程——那海滩是个理想的着陆地点，伹海风说不定会吹起来，我可不希望太空船泡水败。所以，我要飞到圆石另一侧的草坪去。”
“至少，”裴洛拉特说：“着力太空船降落时，不会把别人的财产烧焦。”
在降落的最后一个阶段，太空艇慢慢伸出四个宽大的脚垫，接着便轻巧地着陆。由于承受了太空艇的着量，四个脚垫全部陷入土中。
裴洛拉特说：“不过，只怕我们缓篝下压痕。”
“至少，”宝绮思的声音有点不以为然：“气候显然相当适中——甚至还算得上温暖。”
有个女子站在草地上，凝望着太空艇降落的过程。她未曾显出任何恐惧或惊讶的神色，脸上只流露出一副着迷的表情。
她穿得非常少，证明宝绮思对此地气候的估计很正确。她的凉鞋似乎是帆布制的，臀部围着一条印有花朵图样的短裙，大腿没有任何遮蔽物，腰部以上也完全赤裸。
她的头发又黑又长，几乎垂到腰际，看来非常光滑柔润。她有着淡棕色的皮肤，和一对细长的眼睛。
崔维兹四下扫视一遍，发现周遭没有其他人。他耸了耸肩，“嗯，现在是大清早，居民可能大多在室内，有的甚至可能还在睡觉。不过话说回来，我不认为这是个人口众多的地区。”
他转过头对其他人说：“我出去跟那个女子谈谈，她若能说些我听得懂的话，那么你们……”
“我倒认为，”宝绮思以坚决的口气说：“我们一起出去比较好。那女子看来完全没有危险，而且反正我想出去伸伸腿，呼吸一下这个行星的空气，也许还能张罗些这个行星的食物。我也要菲龙着温置身一个世界的感觉，此外，我想裴会希望在近距离检视一下那名女子。”
“谁？我？”裴洛拉特脸上顿时出现红晕，“根本没这回事，宝绮思，但我是我们这个小组的通译。”
崔维兹又耸了耸肩。“好啦，一起行动。不过，虽然她看来毫无危险，我还是打算带着我的武器。”
“我可不信，”宝绮思说：“你会想用它们对付那个年轻少女。”
崔维兹咧嘴微微一笑。“她很迷人，对不对？”
崔维兹首先离开太空艇，殿后的是裴洛拉特。宝绮思走在中间，一只手在背后拉住菲龙的小手；菲龙则紧跟着宝绮思，小心翼翼地走下斜梯。
黑发年轻女子仍然兴味十足地看着，没有向后移动半步。
崔维兹喃喃说道：“好，让我们试试看。”
他将原本按着武器的双手抬起来，开口道：“我向你问好。”
那年轻女子思索了一会儿，然后说：“我问候尊驾，亦问候尊驾之同伴。”
裴洛拉特兴奋地说道：“太好了！她说的是古典银河标准语，而且发音字正腔圆。”
“我也懂她的意思。”崔维兹说着又摆了摆手，表示他其实并不是每一个字都听得懂。“我希望她懂得我的意思。”
他露出一副友善的表情，微笑着说：“我们从遥远的太空飞来，我们来自另一个世界。”
“甚好，”年轻女子以清脆的女高音说：“尊驾之太空船自帝国而来？”
“它来自一个遥远的星体，这艘太空船就叫作远星号。”
年轻女子抬起头，看了看太空艇上的字样。　“那是其含意吗？若果如此，又若果第二字为‘星’，那么注意看，它给印反了。”
崔维兹正准备反驳，裴洛拉特却欣喜若狂地说：“她说得对，‘星’这个字的确是在两千多年前反过来的。这是多么难得的机会，遇到了活生生的古典标准语，让我可以详细研究一番。”
崔维兹仔细打量这位年轻女子。她身高只有一百五十几公分，胸部虽秀挺却不丰满。伹她看来并非尚未发育成熟，她的乳头不小，乳晕颜色也很深，不过后者或许是棕色皮肤造成的结果。
他说：“我的名字叫葛兰·崔维兹；这位是我的朋友詹诺夫。裴洛拉特；那位女士是宝绮思；那个小孩叫作菲龙。”
“那么，尊驾来自的远方星体，是否存在为男子取双名之惯例？我名为广子，为广子之女。”
“你的父亲呢？”裴洛拉特突然插嘴。
便子不以为然地耸了耸肩，答道：“他的名字，我娘亲说唤作史慕尔，然而这毫无着要，我并不识他。”
“其他人在哪里？”崔维兹说：“似乎只有你一个人在这里迎接我们。”
便子说：“多数男子在渔船上，多数女子在田间。我这两天休假，因而有幸目睹这伟大场面。然而人们都好奇，太空船降落时会被目击，即便位于远方亦如是，他人很快将来到。”
“这个岛上还有很多人吗？”
“总数超过二十五仟。”广于答道，语气中透着明显的骄傲。
“海洋中还有其他岛屿吗？”
“其他岛屿，尊贵的先生？”她似乎十分困惑。
崔维兹认为这句问话无异于回答。整个行星上，这里是唯一有人居住的地方。
他说：“你们如何称呼你们的世界？”
“它唤作阿尔发，尊贵的先生。我们教科书中，提及其全名为‘半人马之阿尔发’，不知此一全名对尊驾是否更具意义，然而我们只唤它阿尔发，瞧，它是个美景世界。”
“什么世界？”崔维兹问，同时茫然地转头望向裴洛垃待。
“她的意思是美丽的世界。”裴洛拉特说。
“的确没错，”崔维兹说：“至少此地，此时此刻。”他抬头望着清晨淡蓝色的天空，其间偶尔有几朵云彩飘过。“今天是个大好的晴天，广子，但是我想，这种天气在阿尔发不多见。”
便子愣了一下。“我们要多少有多少，先生。我们需要雨水时，云朵便会飘来，然而大多数日子里，天空晴朗似乎对我们更有助益。在渔船出海的这些日子，我们当然极需晴朗的天空与温和的风。”
“这么说，你们可以控制气候喽，广子？”
“若我们无法，葛兰·崔维兹先生，我们将给雨水淋得湿透。”
“但你们是如何做到的？”
“并非身为训练有素之工程师，先生，恕我无法向尊驾解释。”
“你和你的族人居住的这个岛屿，不知其名如何称呼？”崔维兹问。他发现自己已受到影响，也学起这种古典标准语的华丽腔调（他实在极想知道自己的文法是否正确）。
便子说：“我们这座位于汪洋之中，有如天堂般的岛屿，唤作‘新地球’。”听到这个答案，崔维兹与裴洛拉特惊喜交集，不约而同地转头瞪着对方。
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他们没有机会继续讨论下去，因为许多人陆续来到，总数有好几十个。崔维兹心想，这些人一定都没出海，也未在田间工作，而且住处离此地不太远。大多数人都徒步前来，不过他也看到两辆车——都相当老旧粗陋。
显然这是个科技水准不高的社会，但他们却能控制气候。
众所皆知，科技发展未必能面面顾到，即使某一方面落后，其他方面仍有可能相当先进。可是像这么不均衡的发展，也实在是个罕见的例子。
前来观看太空艇的人群中，至少有一半是年长的男女，也有三、四个小孩子，其他人则大多数是女性。不过没有任何人表现出恐惧或疑虑。
崔维兹对宝绮思低声道：“你在操纵他们吗？他们似乎——相当稳静。”
“完全没有。”宝绮思说：“除非有必要，我绝不轻易碰触他人的心灵，我现在关心的只有菲龙一个人。”
对于曾在银河任何一个正常世界凑过热闹的人而言，现在的围观者根本不算多；可是对于菲龙而言，她才刚刚适应了远星号上的三个成人，现在这群人在她眼中无异是黑压压的一群。菲龙的呼吸变得非常急促，眼睛半闭起来，几乎是受到了惊吓。
宝绮思轻轻地、反覆规律地抚摩着她，嘴里发出安抚的声调。崔维兹十分肯定，此时她还正以无比轻柔的方式，仔细着组菲龙的心灵纤丝。
菲龙突然喘息似的深深吸一口气，接着她甩了甩头，大概是不由自主地打了个颤。然后她抬起头，以比较正常的目光看了看周围的人群，随即又将头埋进宝绮思怀中。
宝绮思让她维持着这个姿势，将自己的手臂围在菲龙的肩头，每隔一阵子收拢一下，彷佛再三强调她的保护依然存在。
裴洛拉特目光扫过这群阿尔发人，表情似乎相当愕然。“葛兰，他们彼此间的差异可真大。”
崔维兹也注意到这一点。他们的肤色与发色有好几种，其中一人行着火红的头发、碧蓝的眼珠，以及满是雀斑的皮肤。至少有三个明明是成人，却长得跟广子一般矮小，另有一两人则比崔维兹还高。好几个男女的眼睛都与广子类似，崔维兹想起来，在菲律星区那些商业繁荣的行星上，这种眼睛是当地居民的特征，不过他自己从未造访那个星区。
所有的阿尔发人腰部以上一律赤裸，女性的胸部似乎都不大，在崔维兹眼中，那是她们最接近一致的身体特征。
宝绮思突然说：“广子小姐，我的小朋友还不习惯太空旅行，她吸收的新奇事物已超过她的消化能力。可不可以让她坐下来，也许再给她点吃的暍的？”
便子现出困惑的表情，裴洛拉特便用流行于帝国中叶、听来较为华丽的银河标准语，将宝绮思的话着复了一遍。
便子听了赶紧用一只手掩住嘴，盈盈地屈膝半跪。“我恳求您恕罪，尊贵的女士，”她说：“我未曾顾及这孩儿以及尊驾的需要。这件事太过稀奇，将我整个心思占满。请尊驾——请您们诸位访客——前往食堂进早膳如何？我们加入您们，以主人的身分招待可好？”
宝绮思说：“你实在太好了。”她说得很慢，每个音都发得很仔细，希望能让对方比较容易了解。“不过，最好能由你一个人招待我们，这样孩子才会觉得自在，她不习惯同时和太多人在一起。”
便子站了起来，答道：“一切遵照尊驾的吩咐。”
她从容地走在前面，带领他们穿过草坪。其他的阿尔发人紧跟在两旁，他们似乎对这些访客的衣着特别感兴趣。其中有个人挨近了崔维兹，好奇地摸摸他的轻便夹克，崔维兹索性将夹克脱下来递给他。
“拿去吧，好好看个够，不过要还我。”然后他又对广子说：“要保证我能拿回来，广子小姐。”
“不在话下，必将物归原主，尊贵的先生。”她神情严肃地点了点头。
崔维兹露出微笑，继续往前走。在轻柔温和的微风中，他觉得脱掉夹克更舒服了。
他默默观察周围的人群，看不出有任何人身上带着武器。而对于崔维兹携带的武器，好像也没有人表现出恐惧或不安，甚至没有表现出好奇，这点令崔维兹感到很有意思。很可能他们根本不知道那是武器，根据崔维兹目前观察的心得，阿尔发很可能是个完全没有暴力的世界。
此时，一名女子加快脚步，超前宝绮思一点，然后转过头来，仔细检视宝绮思的宽松上衣，并且说：“尊驾具有乳房吗，尊贵的女士？”
但她似乎等不及对方回答，便迳自伸出手轻轻按在宝绮思胸前。
宝绮思微微一笑，答道：“诚如尊驾所发现，我确实拥有。它们或许不如尊驾那般秀挺，然而我遮住它们，并非由于此等原因。在我的世界上，不适宜让它们暴露在外。”
说完，她转头对裴洛拉特耳语道：“你觉得我对古典标准语的窍门掌握得怎么样？”
“你掌握得很好，宝绮思。”裴洛拉特说。
那间餐厅相当大，里面有许多长型餐桌，每张餐桌两侧都摆着长椅。从这些陈设，可以明显看出阿尔发人惯于集体用餐。
崔维兹觉得良心十分不安，由于宝绮思要求独处，这么大的地方只能给五人享用，害得其他阿尔发人被迫留在外面。不过仍有许多阿尔发人不愿离去，他们与窗子保持礼貌的距离（所谓的窗子，其实只是墙壁上的一些隙缝，甚至没有装纱窗），想必是为了观看这些陌生人的吃相。
崔维兹不知不觉想到一个问题，那就是下雨的时候会怎么样？当然，雨水只有在需要时才会落下，雨势一定恰到好处，也不会伴随太强的风，而且总是适可而止。此外，下雨的时间必定会提前预报，因此阿尔发人可早做准备，崔维兹这么想。
崔维兹对面那扇窗子可以望见海洋，在远方地平线上，崔维兹似乎能看见一片云层，看来与其他各处的云层无异。想必除了这一小块人间仙境，整个天空都布满那种乌云。
气候控制的确有莫大好处。
终于有人出来为他们服务，那是一位踮着脚尖走路的年轻女子。她没有问他们要吃什么，只是默默将食物端出来。每个人都有一小杯羊奶、一中杯葡萄汁、一大杯白开水。食物包括两个大型荷包蛋，旁边配着些白色乳酪片，此外还有一大盘烧鱼，缀着些小块的烤马铃薯，下面铺着清凉鲜绿的莴苣叶。
看到这么多食物摆在面前，宝绮思现出十分为难的表情，显然不知如何下手才好。菲龙却没这个问题，她大口喝着葡萄汁，就像渴了几天一样，而且露出明显的赞赏神情，然后又开始大嚼烧鱼与马铃薯。本来她差点要伸手去抓，宝绮思及时递给她一根前端有尖齿的大汤匙，菲龙便接过来当叉子用。
裴洛拉特满意地笑了笑，开始切他的荷包蛋。
崔维兹说：“现在可以着温真正的蛋是什么滋味了。”说完也开始切荷包蛋。
便子看着客人用餐的模样（就连宝绮思也终于开动，而且显然吃得津津有味），不禁满心欢喜，竟然忘了吃自己那一份。最后，她终于开口说：“好吗？”
“好得很。”崔维兹的声音有些含混不清，“看得出这座岛屿食物充足——还是你们太客气，招待我们的食物丰盛得过分？”
便子定睛专心聆听，似乎领悟了这句话的意思，因为她的回答完全切题。“不，不，尊贵的先生。我们土地物产丰饶，我们海产更加丰富。我们的鸭子会生蛋，我们的山羊能提供乳酪与鲜奶，此外我们种植谷物。尤其着要的是，我们的海洋满是各式各样鱼类，数量多得不计其数。整个帝国都能上我们的餐桌，也不会将我们海中的鱼消耗殆尽。”
崔维兹暗自微微一笑。这个年轻的阿尔发人，对于银河的实际大小没有丝毫概、念，这点十分明显。
他说：“你们管这个岛屿叫新地球，广子，那么旧地球又该在哪里？”
她不知所措地望着他。“旧地球，您是这么说的吗？我恳求您恕罪，尊贵的先生，我不解尊驾的意思。”
崔维兹说：“在新地球出现之前，你们族人一定住在别的地方。他们原来住的那个‘别的地方’究竟在哪里？”
“我一概不知，尊贵的先生。”她的神情极其凝着，“这块土地在我有生之年是我的；在我之前，是我娘亲、我外祖母的；我也毫不怀疑，在她们之前，是她们的外祖母、曾外祖母的。至于其他的土地，我根本一概不知。”
“可是，”崔维兹改用温和的方式说理，“你说这块土地叫作新地球，你为什么这样称呼它？”
“因为，尊贵的先生，”她以同样温和的方式答道：“大家都如此称呼，女性又未曾表示反对。”
“伹它却是‘新’地球，因此是较晚出现的地球。一定还有个‘旧’地球，一个较早的地球，用的是同样的名字。每天早上都是新的一天，这表示在此之前还有旧日子，你难道看不出必然如此吗？”
“不然，尊贵的先生。我仅知晓这块土地叫什么，对其他土地不知情。我也无法领会尊驾的推论，那听来极似我们这里所谓的强词夺理。我并非有意冒犯。”
崔维兹摇了摇头，心中充满挫折感。
77
崔维兹凑向裴洛拉特，悄声道：“不论我们来到哪里，不论我们做些什么，总是得不到所需要的讯息。”
“我们已经知道地球在哪里了，所以又有什么关系呢？”裴洛拉特仅仅蠕动嘴唇回答。
“我想对它多少先有个了解。”
“她很年轻，不太可能是知识的宝库。”
崔维兹想了一下，便点了点头。“有道理，詹诺夫。”
他转头对广子说：“广子小姐，你尚未问及我们来到你们这里目的为何？”
便子垂下限睑，答道：“如此有欠礼数，必须等待您们吃饱暍足，休憩完毕才能发问，尊贵的先生。”
“可是我们已经吃饱，或者说几乎饱了，而且我们刚刚也休息过，所以我准备告诉你，我们为何来到此地。我的朋友，裴洛拉特博士，他是我们那个世界的一名学者，一位饱学之士。严格说来他是一名神话学家，你知道那是什么意思吗？”
“不然，尊贵的先生，我不知。”
“他专门研究各个世界流传的古老故事，那些古老故事通称为神话或传说，裴洛拉特博士对它们非常感兴趣。在新地球上，有没有什么饱学之士，知道有关这个世界的古老故事？”
便子的额头微微皱起，看得出她陷入沉思。她说：“这方面我自己并不嫺熟。我们这附近有位老者，喜爱谈论古老的日子。他究竟打哪儿听来那些事，我可不知晓，依我看许是他凭空杜撰的，或是听那些故事杜撰者讲的。尊驾那位饱学的同伴，欲听的八成即是那些，然而我不会误导尊驾，在我心目中，”她左顾右吩一番，仿佛不愿被他人偷听。“那老者不过是个话匣子，偏偏很多人乐意听他说话。”
崔维兹点了点头。“我们想找的就是这种话匣子，能不能请你带我的朋友去见那位老者——”
“他唤自己为单姓李。”
“——那就去找这位单姓李。你认为单姓李是否愿意跟我的朋友谈话？”
“他？愿意谈话？”广子以轻蔑的口气说：“尊驾其实该问，他是否有闭上嘴巴之时。他仅是个男性，因而若果情况允许，会不眠不休说上十天半个月。我无意冒犯，尊贵的先生。”
“你没有冒犯我，现在你就能带我的朋友去见单姓李吗？”
“任何人在任何时候都行，那老人随时都在家，随时欢迎倾听的耳朵上门。”
崔维兹说：“此外，也许能找到一位年长的妇人，愿意陪宝绮思女士坐坐。她有个小孩需要照顾，因此不能走得太远。要是能有个伴，她会很高兴的，因为女人，你知道，全都喜欢……”
“打开话匣子？”广子显然被逗乐了，“诚然，男人皆如是说，虽然根据我观察，男人总是唠叨更多。等到男人打渔回来，便会争相夸耀他们的收获，比试谁的牛皮吹得最凶。无人注意他们，亦无人相信那些言语，他们仍旧乐此不疲。然而我的话匣子也该关了——我会让娘亲的一位朋友，我现在即可透过窗子看到她，请她来陪宝绮思女士与这位小友。在此之前，她会先带您的朋友，那位尊贵的博士，去见单姓李老先生。若果您的朋友听故事的兴趣，与单姓李开话匣子的兴趣一样大，这辈子尊驾将无法让他们分开。请尊驾恕罪，我去去就来可好？”
当她离去后，崔维兹转头对裴洛拉特说：“听着，尽你可能向那位老先生打探；宝绮思，不管什么人来陪你，尽可能套她的话。你们要挖掘的，是有关地球的任何资料。”
“那你呢？”宝绮思问：“你要做什么？”
“我缓篝在广子身旁，试着寻找第三个资料来源。”
宝绮思微微一笑。“是啊，裴要去找一位老先生；我要跟着一个老妇人。而你，则强迫自己陪伴这位迷人的半裸年轻女郎，这似乎是很合理的分工方式。”
“纯属巧合，宝绮思，但这是合理的安排。”
“不过我想，你不会因这样的合理分工而感到闷闷不乐。”
“不，我不会。我为何要闷闷不乐？”
“是啊，你怎么会呢？”
便子回来，再次在椅子上坐定。“都已安排妥当，尊贵的裴洛拉特博士将被带去见单姓李，尊贵的宝绮思女士与她的孩儿将有人陪伴。那么，尊贵的崔维兹先生，能否恩准我继续与尊驾交谈？或许再聊聊那个旧地球，尊驾一直……”
“话匣子没关？”崔维兹问。
“不然，”广子笑道：“然而尊驾学我说话，模仿得唯妙唯肖。至今为止，我在回答尊驾这个问题之时，自始至终都很失礼，我亟欲做些补偿。”
崔维兹转向裴洛拉特。“亟欲？”
“渴望的意思。”裴洛拉特轻声说。
崔维兹说：“广子小姐，我不觉得你有失礼之处，不过要是能让你心安，我很愿意跟你谈谈。”
“说得真客气，我感谢尊驾。”广子一面说，一面站了起来。
崔维兹也跟着起身。“宝绮思，”他说：“要确保詹诺夫平安无事。”
“这件事交给我负责。至于你自己，你有你的——”她朝他腰际的皮套点了点头。
“我想我不需要用到它们。”崔维兹不大自在地说。
他跟着广子离开餐厅，此时太阳已高挂天际，气温变得更暖和了。每个世界都有一种特殊的气味，此地也不例外。崔维兹记得康普隆上有着郁闷的气味，奥罗拉的空气中带点霉味，索拉利的味道则相当恰人。（在梅尔波美尼亚上，他们始终穿着太空衣，因此只能闻到自己的体臭。）但只要在某颗行星待上几小时，等鼻子的嗅觉神经饱和后，特殊的气味便会消失无踪。
而在阿尔发上，则有阳光烘出来的一种青草芳香，令人觉得神清气爽。崔维兹不禁感到有点懊恼，因为他很明白，这种香味很快就会闻不到了。
他们朝一栋小型建筑物走去，它看来似乎是用浅粉红色石膏建成的。
“这就是我的家，”广子说：“它过去属于娘亲的妹妹所有。”
她走了进去，示意崔维兹一块进来。大门敞开着，更正确的说法是根本没有门，崔维兹经过时注意到这一点。
崔维兹说：“下雨的时候你怎么办？”
“我们事先有准备。两天后即有一场雨，将在黎明前连续下三小时，那时气温最低，对泥土之湿润作用最强。我只消拉起门帘就行，这种门帘既厚着又防水。”
她一面说一面示范，门帘似乎是用类似帆布的强韧布料制成。
“我就让它留在那儿，”她继续说：“如此众人皆会知晓我在家中，然而不方便见人，也许我正在睡觉，或者忙着什么着要之事。”
“它看来不怎么能保护隐私。”
“为何不能？看，入口全遮住了。”
“可是任何人都能把它推开。”
“不理会主人的意愿？”广子看来吓了一跳，“此种事件在尊驾的世界会发生吗？简直可谓野蛮行为。”
崔维兹咧嘴微微一笑。“我只不过问问而已。”
这栋建筑共有两个房间，现在她带他来到另一间，在她的招呼下，崔维兹坐到一张铺有衬垫的椅子上。两个房间都很封闭、狭窄而空荡，令人产生一种幽闭恐惧，不过，这栋房舍的功能似乎就是隐居与休憩。窗子的开口很小，而且接近屋顶，不过墙壁贴着许多长条状的反光板，排列成适当的图样，能将光线四下反射到室内各处。地板上有些隙缝，徐徐透出柔和的凉风。由于不见任何人工照明设备，崔维兹怀疑阿尔发人是否必须日出而作，日落而息。
他正打算发问，广子却先开口：“宝绮思女士是否为尊驾之女伴？”
崔维兹谨慎地反问：“你的意思是说，她是不是我的性伴侣？”
便子脸红了。“我恳求尊驾，请注意交谈的文雅与礼貌，然而我的确是指私下之欢愉。”
“不是，她是我那饱学朋友的女伴。”
“然而尊驾较为年轻，较为貌美。”
“嗯，谢谢你这么想，那却不是宝绮思的想法。比较之下，她对裴洛拉特博士的好感多了许多。”
“此事大大令我惊讶，他不愿分享？”
“我从未问过他是否愿意，但我确定他不会，而我也不要他那样做。”
便子点了点头，露出一个精明的表情。“我明了，是由于她的尻部。”
“她的尻部？”
“尊驾应知晓，即是此处——”她拍了拍自己线条优美的臀部。
“喔，那里！我了解你的意思。没错，宝绮思的骨盆相当宽大。”他用双手在半空划出一个人体曲线，还眨了眨眼睛（广子随即开怀大笑）。
崔维兹又说：“不过嘛，许多男人都喜爱那种丰满的体型。”
“我难以置信，凡事大小适中最理想，若果一味求大，当然即是贪得无厌。若我的乳房硕大，在胸前摇摇蔽晃，一双乳头指着脚趾，尊驾是否将更着视我？说真格的，我曾见过如此之乳房，然而未见男人蜂拥周围。为乳房过大而苦恼的可怜女子，必定需要将畸形胸脯遮盖起来——像宝绮思女士那样。”
“过大的胸部同样不会吸引我，不过我可以肯定，宝绮思将她的乳房遮起来，绝不是因为有任何缺陷。”
“如此说来，尊驾不嫌恶我的容貌或体型？”
“除非我是疯子，你实在很漂后。”
“尊驾乘着太空船，自一个世界飞趾箜一世界——宝绮思女士又拒尊驾千里之外，在旅途中尊驾如何享受欢愉？”
“完全没有，广子，没什么可做的。我偶尔也会想到那些欢愉，这的确有些不好过。伹我们从事太空旅行的人，都很了解有些时候必须禁欲，我们会在其他时候补回来。”
“若果觉得不好过，要如何消除该种感觉？”
“你提到这个话题，让我觉得更加不好过。可是要我建议如何消除那种感觉，我认为那是很不礼貌的。”
“若由我提议一个法子，会不会很无礼？”
“这完全要看是什么样的建议。”
“我建议你我二人互栢取悦。”
“你带我来这里，广子，就是为了这件事吗？”
便子露出愉悦的笑容。“正是，此事既是我应尽的地主之谊，同时亦是我的想望。”
“如果这样的话，我承认这也是我的想望。事实上，我非常乐意遵从你的意思。我——啊——亟欲取悦尊驾。”

Part Six - Alpha Chapter 16: The Center of the Worlds
69Trevize stared at Pelorat for a long moment, and withan expression of clear displeasure. Then he said, "Is there somethingyou saw that I did not, and that you did not tell me about?""No," answered Pelorat mildly. "You saw it and, as I just said,I tried to explain, but you were in no mood to listen to me.""Well, try again."Bliss said, "Don't bully him, Trevize.""I'm not bullying him. I'm asking for information. And don't youbaby him.""Please," said Pelorat, "listen to me, will you, and not to eachother. Do you remember, Golan, that we discussed early attemptsto discover the origin of the human species? Yariff's project? Youknow, trying to plot the times of settlement of various planets on theassumption that planets would be settled outward from the world of originin all directions alike. Then, as we moved from newer to older planets,we would approach the world of origin from all directions."Trevize nodded impatiently. "What I remember is that it didn't workbecause the dates of settlement were not reliable.""That's right, old fellow. But the worlds that Yariff was workingwith were part of the second expansion of the human race. By then,hyperspatial travel was far advanced, and settlement must have grown quiteragged. Leapfrogging very long distances was very simple and settlementdidn't necessarily proceed outward in radial symmetry. That surely addedto the problem of unreliable dates of settlement.
"But just think for a moment, Golan, of the Spacer worlds. Theywere in the first wave of settlement. Hyperspatial travel was lessadvanced then, and there was probably little or no leapfrogging. Whereasmillions of worlds were settled, perhaps chaotically, during the secondexpansion, only fifty were settled, probably in an orderly manner, inthe first. Whereas the millions of worlds of the second expansion weresettled over a period of twenty thousand years; the fifty of the firstexpansion were settled over a period of a few centuries almostinstantaneously, in comparison. Those fifty, taken together, shouldexist in roughly spherical symmetry about the world of origin.
"We have the co-ordinates of the fifty worlds. You photographed them,remember, from the statue. Whatever or whoever it is that is destroyinginformation that concerns Earth, either overlooked those co-ordinates, ordidn't stop to think that they would give us the information we need. Allyou have to do, Golan, is to adjust the co-ordinates to allow for thelast twenty thousand years of stellar motions, then find the center ofthe sphere. You'll end up fairly close to Earth's sun, or at least towhere it was twenty thousand years ago."Trevize's mouth had fallen slightly open during the recital and ittook a few moments for him to close it after Pelorat was done. He said,"Now why didn't I think of that?""I tried to tell you while we were still on Melpomenia.""I'm sure you did. I apologize, Janov, for refusing to listen. Thefact is it didn't occur to me that " He paused in embarrassment.
Pelorat chuckled quietly, "That I could have anything of importanceto say. I suppose that ordinarily I wouldn't, but this was somethingin my own field, you see. I am sure that, as a general rule, you'd beperfectly justified in not listening to me.""Never," said Trevize. "That's not so, Janov. I feel like a fool,and I well deserve the feeling. My apologies again and I must nowget to the computer."He and Pelorat walked into the pilot-room, and Pelorat, as always,watched with a combination of marveling and incredulity as Trevize'shands settled down upon the desk, and he became what was almost a singleman computer organism.
"I'll have to make certain assumptions, Janov," said Trevize, ratherblankfaced from computer-absorption. "I have to assume that the firstnumber is a distance in parsecs, and that the other two numbers are anglesin radians, the first being up and down, so to speak, and the other,right and left. I have to assume that the use of plus and minus in thecase of the angles is Galactic Standard and that the zero-zzzzzzzzz markis Melpomenia's sun.""That sounds fair enough," said Pelorat.
"Does it? There are six possible ways of arranging the numbers, fourpossible ways of arranging the signs, distances may be in light-yearsrather than parsecs, the angles in degrees, rather than radians. That'sninety-six diferent variations right there. Add to that, the point thatif the distances are light-years, I'm uncertain as to the length of theyear used. Add also the fact that I don't know the actual conventionsused to measure the angles from the Melpomenian equator in one case,I suppose, but what's their prime meridian?"Pelorat frowned. "Now you make it sound hopeless.""Not hopeless. Aurora and Solaria are included in the list, and Iknow where they are in space. I'll use the co-ordinates, and see ifI can locate them. If I end up in the wrong place, I will adjust theco-ordinates until they give me the right place, and that will tell mewhat mistaken assumptions I am making as far as the standards governingthe co-ordinates are concerned. Once my assumptions are corrected,I can look for the center of the sphere.""With all the possibilities for change, won't it make it difficultto decide what to do?""What?" said Trevize. He was increasingly absorbed. Then, whenPelorat repeated the question, he said, "Oh well, chances are that theco-ordinates follow the Galactic Standard and adjusting for an unknownprime meridian isn't difficult. These systems for locating points in spacewere worked out long ago, and most astronomers are pretty confident theyeven antedate interstellar travel. Human beings are very conservativein some ways and virtually never change numerical conventions once theygrow used to them. They even come to mistake them for laws of nature,I think. Which is just as well, for if every world had its ownconventions of measurement that changed every century, I honestly thinkscientific endeavor would stall and come to a permanent stop."He was obviously working while he was talking, for his words camehaltingly. And now he muttered, "But quiet now."After that, his face grew furrowed and concentrated until, afterseveral minutes, he leaned back and drew a long breath. He said quietly,"The conventions hold. I've located Aurora. There's no question aboutit. See?"Pelorat stared at the field of stars, and at the bright one near thecenter and said, "Are you sure?"Trevize said, "My own opinion doesn't matter. Thecomputer is sure. We've visited Aurora, after all. We haveits characteristics its diameter, mass, luminosity, temperature,spectral details, to say nothing of the pattern of neighboring stars. Thecomputer says it's Aurora.""Then I suppose we must take its word for it.""Believe me, we must. Let me adjust the viewscreen and the computercan get to work. It has the fifty sets of co-ordinates and it will usethem one at a time."Trevize was working on the screen as he spoke. The computer worked inthe four dimensions of space-time routinely, but, for human inspection,the viewscreen was rarely needed in more than two dimensions. Now thescreen seemed to unfold into a dark volume as deep as it, was tall andbroad. Trevize dimmed the room lights almost totally to make the viewof star-shine easier to observe.
"It will begin now," he whispered.
A moment later, a star appeared then another thenanother. The view on the screen shifted with every addition so that allmight be included. It was as though space was moving backward from theeye so that a more and more panoramic view could be taken. Combine thatwith shifts up or down, right or left Eventually, fifty dots of light appeared, hovering in three-dimensionalspace.
Trevize said, "I would have appreciated a beautiful sphericalarrangement, but this looks like the skeleton of a snowball that hadbeen patted into shape in a big hurry, out of snow that was too hardand gritty.""Does that ruin everything?""It introduces some difficulties, but that can't be helped, Isuppose. The stars themselves aren't uniformly distributed, and certainlyhabitable planets aren't, so there are bound to be unevennesses in theestablishment of new worlds. The computer will adjust each of thosedots to its present position, allowing for its likely motion in thelast twenty thousand years even in that time it won't mean muchof an adjustment and then fit them all into a `best-sphere.' Itwill find a spherical surface, in other words, from which the distanceof all the dots is a minimum. Then we find the center of the sphere,and Earth should be fairly close to that center. Or so we hope. Itwon't take long."70It didn't. Trevize, who was used to accepting miraclesfrom the computer, found himself astonished at how little time ittook.
Trevize had instructed the computer to sound a soft, reverberatingnote upon deciding upon the co-ordinates of the best-center. There wasno reason for that, except for the satisfaction of hearing it and knowingthat perhaps the search had been ended.
The sound came in a matter of minutes, and was like the gentlestroking of a mellow gong. It swelled till they could feel the vibrationphysically, and then slowly faded.
Bliss appeared at the door almost at once. "What's that?" she asked,her eyes big. "An emergency?"Trevize said, "Not at all."Pelorat added eagerly, "We may have located Earth, Bliss. That soundwas the computer's way of saying so."She walked into the room. "I might have been warned."Trevize said, "I'm sorry, Bliss. I didn't mean it to be quite thatloud."Fallom had followed Bliss into the room and said, "Why was there thatsound, Bliss?""I see she's curious, too," said Trevize. He sat back, feelingdrained. The next step was to try the finding on the real Galaxy, tofocus on the coordinates of the center of the Spacer worlds and see if aG-type star was actually present. Once again, he was reluctant to takethe obvious step, unable to make himself put the possible solution tothe actual test.
"Yes," said Bliss. "Why shouldn't she? She's as human as we are.""Her parent wouldn't have thought so," said Trevize abstractedly. "Iworry about the kid. She's bad news.""In what way has she proven so?" demanded Bliss.
Trevize spread his arms. "Just a feeling."Bliss gave him a disdainful look, and turned to Fallom. "We are tryingto locate Earth, Fallom." ,"What's Earth?""Another world, but a special one. It's the world our ancestors camefrom. Do you know what the word `ancestors' means from your reading,Fallom?""Does it mean   ?" But the last word was not inGalactic.
Pelorat said, "That's an archaic word for `ancestors,' Bliss. Our word`forebears' is closer to it.""Very well," said Bliss, with a sudden brilliant smile. "Earth is theworld where our forebears came from, Fallom. Yours and mine and Pel'sand Trevize's.""Yours, Bliss and mine also." Fallom sounded puzzled. "Bothof them?""There's just one set of forebears," said Bliss. "We had the sameforebears, all of us."Trevize said, "It sounds to me as though the child knows very wellthat she's different from us."Bliss said to Trevize in a low voice, "Don't say that. She must bemade to see she isn't. Not in essentials.""Hermaphrodism is essential, I should think.""I'm talking about the mind.""Transducer-lobes are essential, too.""Now, Trevize, don't be difficult. She's intelligent and humanregardless of details."She turned to Fallom, her voice rising to its normal level. "Thinkquietly about this, Fallom, and see what it means to you. Your forebearsand mine were the same. All the people on all the worlds many,many worlds all had the same forebears, and those forebears livedoriginally on the world named Earth. That means we're all relatives,doesn't it? Now go back to our room and think of that."Fallom, after bestowing a thoughtful look on Trevize, turned and ranoff, hastened on by Bliss's affectionate slap on her backside.
Bliss turned to Trevize, and said, "Please, Trevize, promise me youwon't make any comments in her hearing that will lead her to think she'sdifferent from us."Trevize said, "I promise. I have no wish to impede or subvert theeducational procedure, but, you know, she is different from us.""In ways. As I'm different from you, and as Pel is.""Don't be na飗e, Bliss. The differences in Fallom's case aremuch greater.""A little greater. The similarities are vastly moreimportant. She, and her people, will be part of Galaxia some day, anda very useful part, I'm sure.""All right. We won't argue." He turned to the computer with clearreluctance. "And meanwhile, I'm afraid I have to check the supposedposition of Earth in real space.""Afraid?""Well," Trevize lifted his shoulders in what he hoped was ahalf-humorous way, "what if there's no suitable star near the place?""Then there isn't," said Bliss.
"I'm wondering if there's any point in checking it out now. We won'tbe able to make a Jump for several days.""And you'll be spending them agonizing over the possibilities. Findout now. Waiting won't change matters."Trevize sat there with his lips compressed for a moment, then said,"You're right. Very well, then here goes."He turned to the computer, placed his hands on the handmarks on thedesk, and the viewscreen went dark.
Bliss said, "I'll leave you, then. I'll make you nervous if Istay." She left, with a wave of her hand.
"The thing is," he muttered, "that we're going to be checking thecomputer's Galactic map first and even if Earth's sun is in the calculatedposition, the map should not include it. But we'll then "His voice trailed off in astonishment as the viewscreen flashedwith a background of stars. These were fairly numerous and dim, with anoccasional brighter one sparkling here and there, well scattered overthe face of the screen. But quite close to the center was a star thatwas brighter than all the rest.
"We've got it," said Pelorat jubilantly. "We've got it, old chap. Lookhow bright it is.""Any star at centered co-ordinates would look bright," said Trevize,clearly trying to fight off any initial jubilation that might proveunfounded. "The view, after all, is presented from a distance of a parsecfrom the centered co-ordinates. Still, that centered star certainly isn'ta red dwarf, or a red giant, or a hot blue-white. Wait for information;the computer is checking its data banks."There was silence for a few seconds and then Trevize said,"Spectral class G-2." Another pause, then, "Diameter, 1.4 millionkilometers mass, 1.02 times that of Terminus's sun surfacetemperature, 6,000 absolute rotation slow, just under thirtydays no unusual activity or irregularity."Pelorat said, "Isn't all that typical of the kind of star about whichhabitable planets are to be found?""Typical," said Trevize, nodding in the dimness. "And, therefore,what we'd expect Earth's sun to be like. If that is where life developed,the sun of Earth would have set the original standard.""So there is a reasonable chance that there would be a habitableplanet circling it.""We don't have to speculate about that," said Trevize, who soundedpuzzled indeed over the matter. "The Galactic map lists it as possessinga planet with human life but with a question mark."Pelorat's enthusiasm grew. "That's exactly what we would expect,Golan. The life-bearing planet is there, but the attempt to hide thefact obscures data concerning it and leaves the makers of the map thecomputer uses uncertain.""No, that's what bothers me," said Trevize. "That's not what we shouldexpect. We should expect far more than that. Considering the efficiencywith which data concerning Earth has been wiped out, the makers of themap should not have known that life exists in the system, let alonehuman life. They should not even have known Earth's sun exists. TheSpacer worlds aren't on the map. Why should Earth's sun be?""Well, it's there, just the same. What's the use of arguing thefact? What other information about the star is given?""A name.""Ah! What is it?""Alpha."There was a short pause, then Pelorat said eagerly, "That's it,old man. That's the final bit of evidence. Consider the meaning.""Does it have a meaning?" said Trevize. "It's just a name to me,and an odd one. It doesn't sound Galactic.""It isn't Galactic. It's in a prehistoric language ofEarth, the same one that gave us Gaia as the name of Bliss's planet.""What does Alpha mean, then?""Alpha is the first letter of the alphabet of that ancientlanguage. That is one of the most firmly attested scraps of knowledgewe have about it. In ancient times, `alpha' was sometimes used to meanthe first of anything. To call a sun `Alpha,' implies that it's thefirst sun. And wouldn't the first sun be the one around which a planetrevolved that was the first planet to bear human life Earth?""Are you sure of that?""Absolutely," said Pelorat.
"Is there anything in early legends you're the mythologist,after all that gives Earth's sun some very unusual attribute?""No, how can there be? It has to be standard by definition, and thecharacteristics the computer has given us ate as standard as possible,I imagine. Aren't they?""Earth's sun is a single star, I suppose?"Pelorat said, "Well, of course! As far as I know, all inhabited worldsorbit single stars.""So I would have thought myself," said Trevize. "The trouble isthat that star in the center of the viewscreen is not a single star,it is a binary. The brighter of the two stars making up the binary isindeed standard and it is that one for which the computer supplied uswith data. Circling that star with a period of roughly eighty years,however, is another star with a mass four-fifths that of the brighterone. We can't see the two as separate stars with the unaided eye, butif I were to enlarge the view, I'm sure we would.""Are you certain of that, Golan?" said Pelorat, taken aback.
"It's what the computer is telling me. And if we are looking at abinary star, then it's not Earth's sun. It can't be."71.
Trevize broke contact with the computer, and the lightsbrightened.
That was the signal, apparently, for Bliss to return, with Fallomtagging after her. "Well, then, what are the results?" she asked.
Trevize said tonelessly, "Somewhat disappointing. Where I expectedto find Earth's sun, I found a binary star, instead. Earth's sun is asingle star, so the one centered is not it."Pelorat said, "Now what, Golan?"Trevize shrugged. "I didn't really expect to see Earth's suncentered. Even the Spacers wouldn't settle worlds in such a way as toset up an exact sphere. Aurora, the oldest of the Spacer worlds, mighthave sent out settlers of its own and that may have distorted the sphere,too. Then, too, Earth's sun may not have moved at precisely the averagevelocity of the Spacer worlds."Pelorat said, "So the Earth can be anywhere. Is that what you'resaying?""No. Not quite `anywhere.' All these possible sources of error can'tamount to much. Earth's sun must be in the vicinity of theco-ordinates. The star we've spotted almost exactly at the co-ordinatesmust be a neighbor of Earth's sun. It's startling that there should bea neighbor that so closely resembles Earth's sun except for beinga binary but that must be the case.""But we would see Earth's sun on the map, then, wouldn't we? I mean,near Alpha?""No, for I'm certain Earth's sun isn't on the map at all. It was thatwhich shook my confidence when we first spied Alpha. Regardless of howmuch it might resemble Earth's sun, the mere fact that it was on themap made me suspect it was not the real thing.""Well, then," said Bliss. "Why not concentrate on the same co-ordinatesin real space? Then, if there is any bright star close to the center,a star that does not exist in the computer's map, and if it is verymuch like Alpha in its properties, but is single, might it not beEarth's sun?"Trevize sighed. "If all that were so, I'd be willing to wager halfmy fortune, such as it is, that circling that star you speak of wouldbe the planet Earth. Again, I hesitate to try.""Because you might fail?"Trevize nodded. "However," he said, "just give me a moment or two tocatch my breath, and I'll force myself to do so."And while the three adults looked at each other, Fallom approachedthe computer-desk and stared curiously at the handmarks upon it. Shereached out her own hand tentatively toward the markings, and Trevizeblocked the motion with a swift outthrusting of his own arm and a sharp,"Mustn't touch, Fallom."The young Solarian seemed startled, and retreated to the comfort ofBliss's encircling arm.
Pelorat said, "We must face it, Golan. What if you find nothing inreal space?""Then we will be forced to go back to the earlier plan," said Trevize,"and visit each of the forty-seven Spacer worlds in turn.""And if that yields nothing, Golan?"Trevize shook his head in annoyance, as though to prevent that thoughtfrom taking too deep a root. Staring down at his knees, he said abruptly,"Then I will think of something else.""But what if there is no world of forebears at all?"Trevize looked up sharply at the treble voice. "Who said that?" heasked.
It was a useless question. The moment of disbelief faded, and he knewvery well who the questioner was.
"I did," said Fallom.
Trevize looked at her with a slight frown. "Did you understand theconversation?"Fallom said, "You are looking for the world of forebears, but youhaven't found it yet. Maybe there isn't no such world."" Any such world," said Bliss softly.
"No, Fallom," said Trevize seriously. "There has been a very bigeffort to hide it. To try so hard to hide something means there issomething there to hide. Do you understand what I am saying?""Yes," said Fallom. "You do not let me touch the hands on the deck.
Because you do not let me do that means it would be interesting totouch them.""Ah, but not for you, Fallom. Bliss, you are creating a monsterthat will destroy us all. Don't ever let her in here unless I'm at thedesk. And even then, think twice, will you?"The small byplay, however, seemed to have shaken him out of hisirresolution. He said, "Obviously, I had better get to work. If I justsit here, uncertain as to what to do, that little fright will take overthe ship."The lights dimmed, and Bliss said in a low voice, "You promised,Trevize. Do not call her a monster or a fright in her hearing.""Then keep an eye on her, and teach her some manners. Tell her childrenshould be never heard and seldom seen."Bliss frowned. "Your attitude toward children is simply appalling,Trevize.""Maybe, but this is not the time to discuss the matter."Then he said, in tones in which satisfaction and relief were equallyrepresented, "There's Alpha again in real space. And to its left,and slightly upward, is almost as bright a star and one that isn't inthe computer's Galactic map. That is Earth's sun. I'llwager all my fortune on it."72"Well, now," said Bliss, "we won't take any part ofyour fortune if you lose, so why not settle the matter in a forthrightmanner? Let's visit the star as soon as you can make the Jump."Trevize shook his head. "No. This time it's not a matter ofirresolution or fear. It's a matter of being careful. Three times we'vevisited an unknown world and three times we've come up against somethingunexpectedly dangerous. And three times, moreover, we've had to leavethat world in a hurry. This time the matter is ultimately crucial andI will not play my cards in ignorance again; or at least in any moreignorance than I can help. So far, all we have are vague stories aboutradioactivity, and that is not enough. By an odd chance that no one couldhave anticipated, there is a planet with human life about a parsec fromEarth ""Do we really know that Alpha has a planet with human life on it?" putin Pelorat. "You said the computer placed a question mark after that.""Even so," said Trevize, "it's worth trying. Why not take a look atit? If it does indeed have human beings on it, let us find out what theyknow about Earth. For them, after all, Earth is not a distant thing oflegend; it is a neighbor world, bright and prominent in their sky."Bliss said thoughtfully, "It's not a bad idea. It occurs to me thatif Alpha is inhabited and if the inhabitants are not your thoroughlytypical Isolates, they may be friendly, and we might be able to get somedecent food for a change.""And meet some pleasant people," said Trevize. "Don't forget that. Willit be all right with you, Janov?"Pelorat said, "You make the decision, old chap. Wherever you go,I will go, too."Fallom said suddenly, "Will we find Jemby?"Bliss said hastily, before Trevize could answer, "We will look forit, Fallom."And then Trevize said, "It's settled then. On to Alpha."73"Two big stars," said Fallom, pointing to the viewscreen.
"That's right," said Trevize. "Two of them. Bliss, do keep aneye on her. I don't want her fiddling with anything.""She's fascinated by machinery," said Bliss.
"Yes, I know she is," said Trevize, "but I'm not fascinated by herfascination. Though to tell you the truth, I'm as fascinated asshe is at seeing two stars that bright in the viewscreen at the sametime."The two stars were bright enough to seem to be on the point of showinga disc each of them. The screen had automatically increasedfiltration density in order to remove the hard radiation and dim thelight of the bright stars so as to avoid retinal damage. As a result,few other stars were bright enough to be noticeable, and the two thatwere reigned in haughty near-isolation.
"The thing is," said Trevize, "I've never been this close to a binarysystem before.""You haven't?" said Pelorat, open astonishment in his voice. "How isthat possible?"Trevize laughed. "I've been around, Janov, but I'm not the Galacticrover you think I am."Pelorat said, "I was never in space at all till I met you, Golan, butI always thought that anyone who did manage to get into space ""Would go everywhere. I know. That's natural enough. The troublewith planet-bound people is that no matter how much their mind may tellthem otherwise, their imaginations just can't take in the true size ofthe Galaxy. We could travel all our lives and leave most of the Galaxyunpenetrated and untouched. Besides, no one ever goes to binaries.""Why not?" said Bliss, frowning. "We on Gaia know little astronomycompared to the traveling Isolates of the Galaxy, but I'm under theimpression that binaries aren't rare.""They're not," said Trevize. "There are substantially more binariesthan there are single stars. However, the formation of two stars in closeassociation upsets the ordinary processes of planetary formation. Binarieshave less planetary material than single stars do. Such planets as doform about them often have relatively unstable orbits and are very rarelyof a type that is reasonably habitable.
"Early explorers, I imagine, studied many binaries at close range but,after a while, for settlement purposes, they sought out only singles. And,of course, once you have a densely settled Galaxy, virtually all travelinvolves trade and communications and is carried on between inhabitedworlds circling single stars. In periods of military activity, I supposebases were sometimes set up on small, otherwise-uninhabited worldscircling one of the stars of a binary that happened to be strategicallyplaced, but as hyperspatial travel came to be perfected, such bases wereno longer necessary."Pelorat said humbly, "It's amazing how much I don't know."Trevize merely grinned. "Don't let that impress you, Janov. WhenI was in the Navy, we listened to an incredible number of lectures onoutmoded military tactics that no one ever planned, or intended to use,and were just talked about out of inertia. I was just rattling off a bitof one of them. Consider all you know about mythology, folklore,and archaic languages that I don't know, and that only you and a veryfew others do know."Bliss said, "Yes, but those two stars make up a binary system andone of them has an inhabited planet circling it.""We hope it does, Bliss," said Trevize. "Everything has itsexceptions. And with an official question mark in this case, which makesit more puzzling. No, Fallom, those knobs are not toys. Bliss,either keep her in handcuffs, or take her out.""She won't hurt anything," said Bliss defensively, but pulled theSolarian youngster to herself just the same. "If you're so interestedin that habitable planet, why aren't we there already?""For one thing," said Trevize, "I'm just human enough to want tosee this sight of a binary system at close quarters. Then, too, I'mjust human enough to be cautious. As I've already explained, nothinghas happened since we left Gaia that would encourage me to be anythingbut cautious."Pelorat said, "Which one of those stars is Alpha, Golan?""We won't get lost, Janov. The computer knows exactly which one isAlpha, and, for that matter, so do we. It's the hotter and yellower ofthe two because it's the larger. Now the one on the right has a distinctorange tinge to its light, rather like Aurora's sun, if you recall. Doyou notice?""Yes, now that you call it to my attention.""Very well. That's the smaller one. What's the second letterof that ancient language you speak of?"Pelorat thought a moment, and said, "Beta.""Then let's call the orange one Beta and the yellow-white one Alpha,and it's Alpha we're heading for right now."

第六部 阿尓发星 第十六章 外世界中心
　　69
崔维兹瞪了裴洛拉特良久，脸上露出明显的不悦神情。然后他说：“你看到什么我没看到的，却没有告诉我？”
“没有。”裴洛拉特好言好语答道：“你也看到了，正如我刚才说的，我试图向你解释，你却没心情听我说。”
“好，你就再试一次。”
宝绮思说：“别对他凶，崔维兹。”
“我没对他凶，我只是在问问题，你别宠坏他。”
“拜托，”裴洛拉特道：“都听我说，你们两位，不要你一言我一语的——你还记不记得，葛兰，我们讨论过早年寻找人类起源的尝试？那个亚瑞弗计划？你知道，就是试图标出每颗行星创建的年代。这个计划根据的假设，是人类当年以起源世界为中心，同时向四面八方进行殖民。因此，若从较新的行星逐步追溯到较老的行星，就能从各个方向汇聚到起源世界。”
崔维兹不耐烦地点了点头。“我记得这个方法根本行不通，因为每个世界的创建年代都不可靠。”
“没有错，老伙伴。但亚瑞弗研究的世界都是第二波殖民者建立的，当时超空间旅行极为先进，殖民世界一定已分布得相当凌乱，因为跨越星球殖民并非难事，殖民世界不一定呈径向对称向外扩张。这一点，当然增加了创建年代的不确定性。
“可是你再想想，葛兰，想想那些外世界，它们是由第一波殖民者建立的。当时超空间旅行没那么进步，后来居上的情形可能很少，甚至根本没有。虽然在第二波扩张时，几千万个世界的建立也许毫无规律；第一波却只有五十个世界，它们有可能分布得很规则。虽然第二波扩张持续两万年，建立了数千万个世界；第一波的五十个世界，则是几世纪间的成果——相较之下，几乎像是同时建立的。这五十个世界放在一起，应该大略构成球对称，而对称中心就是那个起源世界。
“我们已经有这五十个世界的座标，你拍摄下来了，记得吗，你坐在石像上拍的。不论什么力量或什么人试图毁掉地球的资料，他不是忽略了这些座标，就是没想到它们会提供我们所需的资料。你现在需要做的，葛兰，就是调整那些座标，修正两万年来的恒星运动，然后找出球形的中心，那个中心便会相当接近地球之阳，至少接近它两万年前的位置。”
当裴洛拉特滔滔不绝时，崔维兹的嘴巴不自觉地微微张开，等到长篇大论结束，又过了好一会儿之后，他才终于阖上嘴巴。“可是我为什么没想到呢？”
“我们还在梅尔波美尼亚的时候，我就试图告诉你。”
“我绝对相信你尝试过，而我却拒绝听，我向你道歉，詹诺夫。其实我根本没料到……”他感到很不好意思，没再往下说。
裴洛拉特默默笑了一下。“没料到我会说出什么着要的话。我想通常我的确不会，不过这件事是我的本行，你懂了吧。我自己也承认，一般说来你大可不必听我唠叨。”
“没这回事，”崔维兹说：“不是这样的，詹诺夫。我觉得自己是个笨蛋，而我活该有这种感觉。我再次向你道歉——现在我得去找电脑了。”
于是他们两人一同走进驾驶舱。当崔维兹双手放在桌面上，几乎与电脑合成单一 “人／机”有机体时，裴洛拉特望着他，像往常一样既惊叹又无法置信。
“我必须做些假设，詹诺夫。”由于崔维兹与电脑已融为一体，他的表情有点茫然。“我得假设第一个数字是距离，单位为秒差距：其他两个数字是角度，都是以径为单位，勉强可说第一个角度标示上下，另一个标示左右。我必须假设角度的正负号依据的是银河标准规约，而那三着零值代表梅尔波美尼亚的太阳。”
“听来很有希望。”裴洛拉特说。
“是吗？数字的排列共有六种可能，正负号的组合共有四种可能，距离的单位也许是光年而不是秒差距，角度的单位也许是度而不是径，这就构成九十六种不同的变化。此外，如果距离单位是光年，我不确定用的是哪种年；另一个问题是，我不知道测量角度用的究竟是什么规约——我想，其中之一应是以梅尔波美尼亚的赤道为准，可是本初子午线在哪里？”
裴洛拉特皱起眉头。“听你这么一说，好像又绝望了。”
“没有绝望。奥罗拉和索拉利都在这份名单上，而我知道它们在太空中的位置。我将根据座标试着寻找它们，如果找错地方，我就改用另一种规约，直到座标给出正确位置为止。这样我便能知道，我在座标规约上做的假设有何错误。假设一旦改正了，我就可以开始寻找那个球心。”
“有那么多可能的变化，做出决定会不会很难？”
“什么？”崔维兹越来越全神贯注。裴洛拉特将问题着复一遍之后，他才回答道：“喔，还好，这些座标遵循的很可能是银河标准规约，找出未知的本初子午线并不困难。标定太空位址的各种系统出现得很早，大多数天文学家都相当肯定它们甚至是在星际旅行前建立的。人类在某些方面非常保守，用惯一组数值规约之后，就不会做任何更改。我想，甚至有人会将它们误认为自然法则——其实这样也好，因为若是每个世界都有自己的测量规约，而且每个世纪都做改变，我相信科学发展绝对会因而受阻，甚至永远停滞不前。”
他显然一面说话一面工作，因为他的话始终断断续续。此时他又喃喃道：“现在保持肃静。”
说完这句话，他整个脸皱起来，神情显得极为专注。几分钟之后，他才靠回椅背，深深吸了一口气，以平静的口吻说：“规约的确成立，我已经找到奥罗拉。绝对没问题——看到了吗？”
裴洛拉特凝视着星像场，目光聚焦在接近中央的一颗后星上。“你确定吗？”
崔维兹说：“我自己的意见不着要，着要的是电脑的肯定。毕竟我们造访过奥罗拉，它的特征我们十分清楚——直径、质量、光度、温度、光谱细目等等，更遑论附近恒星的分布模式——电脑说它就是奥罗拉。”
“那么我想，我们必须接受它的话。”
“相信我，我们必须接受。让我调整一下显像屏幕，电脑就能开始工作。五十组座标早巳输入，它会一个一个处理。”
崔维兹一面说，一面开始调整屏幕。虽然电脑通常在四维时空中运作，但将结果呈现给人类时，显像屏幕鲜有超过二维的需要。然而现在，屏幕似乎展成一个漆黑的三维空间，深度与长宽相当。崔维兹将舱内的光线几乎完全熄灭，好让星光的影像更易于观察。
“现在要开始了。”他低声道。
一会儿之后，便出现一颗恒星——接着是另一颗——然后又是一颗。每多出现一颗星，屏幕的影像即变换一次，将所有星光皆纳入屏幕。看起来，仿佛太空在他们眼前逐渐远去，因此得见越来越多的全景。除此之外，还有上下的移动，左右的移动……
最后，五十个光点尽数出现，全部悬挂在三维太空中。
崔维兹说：“我本来希望能看到一个美丽的球状排列，但这看来却像个匆促捏成的雪球，而且是由过硬、砂砾过多的雪捏成的。”
“这样会不会前功尽弃？”
“会增加些困难，我想，但这也是没办法的事。恒星本身的分布并不均匀，可住人行星当然也一样，因此新世界一定不会构成完美的几何图形。电脑会考虑过去两万年最可能的运动模式，将每个光点调整到目前的位置——即使过了那么长的时间，需要的调整其实也不多。然后，再利用它们建构一个‘最佳球面’，换句话说，就是在太空中找出一个球面，使所有光点与它的距离都是最小值。最后我们再求出那个球面的球心，地球就应该在那个球心附近，至少我们希望如此——这不会花太多时间。”
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果然未花太多时间。虽然崔维兹对这台电脑创造的奇迹习以为常，它的速度还是令他惊讶不已。
崔维兹刚才对电脑下过一道指令，要它在定出“最佳球心”后，发出一个柔和而余音袅袅的音调。这样做没有什么特殊理由，只不过为了心理上的满足，因为一旦听到这个声音，也许就代表这次的探索已接近尾声。
电脑几分钟后便发出声音，听来像是轻敲铜锣所激起的柔美响声。音量由小而大，直到他们都能感到微微震动，才慢慢消逝在空气中。
宝绮思几乎立刻出现在舱门口。“什么声音？”她瞪大眼睛问道：“紧急状况吗？”
“不，没事。”崔维兹说。
裴洛拉特热心地补充道：“我们也许找到地球的位置了，宝绮思，那一声就是电脑报告这个好消息的方式。”
她走进驾驶舱。“事先也该告诉我一声。”
崔维兹说：“抱歉，宝绮思，我没想到声音会那么大。”
菲龙跟着宝绮思走了进来，问道：“为什么有那个声音，宝绮思？”
“我看得出来她也很好奇。”崔维兹往椅背一靠，感到十分疲倦。下一步，是在真实银河中验证这个发现——将寻找焦点集中在外世界中心的座标上，看看是否真有G型恒星存在。但他再次变得优柔寡断，不愿进行这个简单的步骤，无法让自己面对真实测验的可能答案。
“没错，”宝绮思说：“她为何不该好奇呢？她和我们一样是人类。”
“她的单亲可不会这么想，”崔维兹心不在焉地说：“这个小孩令我担心，她是个麻烦。”
“何以见得？”宝绮思质问。
崔维兹双手一摊，答道：“只是一种感觉。”
宝绮思白了他一眼，再转身对菲龙说：“我们正在设法寻找地球，菲龙。”
“什么是地球？”
“另一个世界，不过是很特别的一个，我们的祖先都来自那个世界。你从那些读物中，有没有学到‘祖先’是什么意思，菲龙？”
“是不是XX？”最后那个词汇并非银河标准语。
裴洛拉特说：“那是祖先的古字，宝绮思。我们的语言中跟它最接近的是‘先人’。”
“太好了。”宝绮思突然露出灿烂的笑容。“我们的先人都来自地球，菲龙。你的、我的、裴的、崔维兹的先人都是。”
“你的，宝绮思……还有我的也是，”菲龙的口气似乎透着疑惑，“他们都是从地球来的？”
“先人只有一种，”宝绮思说：“你的先人就是我的先人，大家的先人全都一样。”
崔维兹说：“听来这孩子好像十分明白她和我们不同。”
宝绮思对崔维兹低声道：“别那么说，一定要让她认为自己没什么不同，没有根本上的差异。”
“雌雄同体是根本上的差异，我这么想。”
“我指的是心灵。”
“转换叶突也是根本上的差异。”
“喂，崔维兹，别那么难伺候。姑且不论那些细节，她既聪明又有人性。”
她转身面对菲龙，将音量恢复正常大小。“静静想一想，菲龙，想想这对你有什么意义。你的先人和我的先人一样，在每个世界上——很多、很多的世界——每一个人都拥有共同的先人，那些先人原来住在一个叫作地球的世界。这就表示我们都是亲戚，对下对？现在回到我们的舱房，想一想我说的话。”
菲龙若有所思地看了崔维兹一眼，随即转身跑开，宝绮思还在她臀部亲昵地拍了一下。
然后宝绮思转向崔维兹说：“拜托，崔维兹，答应我，以后她在附近的时候，不要再说那些话，免得她认为自己跟我们不同。”
崔维兹说：“我答应你，我并不想妨碍或破坏她的学习过程。可是，你也知道，她的确跟我们不一样。”
“只是某些方面有差异，就像我跟你有所不同，裴跟你也不完全一样。”
“别太天真了，宝绮思，菲龙的差异要大得多。”
“大一点而己。比较之下，她和我们的相似点却着要得多。她和她的同胞有一天会成为盖娅星系的一部分，而且我相信，还是极有用的一部分。”
“好吧，我们别争论了。”他万分不情愿地转身面对电脑，“现在，恐怕我得在真实太空中，查证一下地球是否在那个位置上。”
“恐怕？”
“嗯，”崔维兹耸起双肩，希望做个至少有些像开玩笑的动作，“万一附近没有符合条件的恒星，那该怎么办？”
“没有就没有吧。”宝绮思说。
“我不知道现在查证是否有任何意义，几天之内我们都还无法进行跃迁。”　 “但这几天你却会为了揣测答案而坐立不安。现在就查出来，等待不会改变既有事实。”
崔维兹紧抿着嘴坐在那里，过了一会儿，他才说：“你说得对。好，那么——就开始吧。”
他再度转身面向电脑，双手按在桌面的手掌轮廓上，显像屏幕立刻变得一片漆黑。
宝绮思说：“那么我走了，我留下来会让你神经紧张。”她挥了挥手，离开驾驶舱。
“现在我们要做的，”崔维兹喃喃说道：“首先是检查一下电脑的银河舆图。即使地球之阳真在计算出的位置上，舆图应该也没有收录。不过我们再……”
他的声音在惊讶中逐渐消失；显像屏幕上闪现出了群星背景，星辰的数量极多，在屏幕上分布得很平均，大部分都十分暗淡，偶尔穿插着一颗较明后的恒星。不过在相当接近中央的地方，有颗令众星黯然失色的明后星辰。
“找到了！”裴洛拉特高声欢呼：“我们找到了，老弟，看看它有多后。”
“位于座标中心的恒星看来都很明后。”崔维兹显然试图压抑过早的欢喜，以免将来证明是一场空。“毕竟这个影像的像源，距离座标中心只有一秒差距。但话说回来，中央那颗恒星显然不是红矮星或红巨星，光芒也不是高温的蓝白色。等资料出来再说，电脑正在查寻它的资料库。”
经过几秒钟的沉默后，崔维兹说：“光谱型为G 2。”他又顿了一会儿，才继续说下去。“直径，一百四十万公里——质量，端点星之阳的一点零二倍——表面温度，绝对温标六千度——自转速率缓慢，周期接近三十天——没有异常活动或不规则的变化。”
裴洛拉特说：“这些不都是拥有可住人行星的典型条件吗？”
“很典型，”崔维兹一面说，一面在昏暗中点着头。“因此符合我们对地球之阳的预期。如果生命的确源自地球，地球之阳就树立了最初的典范。”
“所以说，周围有颗可住人行星的机会相当大。”
“我们不必臆测这一点。”崔维兹的声音有些困惑，“根据银河舆图的记载，它有颗拥有人类生命的行星——可是后面加了一个问号。”
裴洛拉特的兴致越来越高。“那正是我们预期的情况，葛兰。那里的确有颗住人行星，可是那神秘的力量企图掩盖这个事实，因此有关资料模糊不清，使电脑舆图制作者无法确定。”
“不，令我不安的就是这点。”崔维兹说：“那并非我们应当预期的结果，我们应当预期的是更极端的情况。想想看，地球的相关资料被清除得多彻底，制图者不该知道那行星系有生命存在，更别提人类生命。他们甚至不该知道地球之阳的存在，外世界全都不在舆图中，地球之阳为何会被收录呢？”
“嗯，无论如何，它就是在那里。这是事实，何必质疑呢？那颗恒星还有没有其他资料？”
“有个名字。”
“啊！叫什么？”
“阿尔发。”
顿了顿之后，裴洛拉特热切地说：“那就对了，老友，那是最后一个小小的佐证——想想它的含意。”
“它有什么含意吗？”崔维兹说：“对我而言，它只是个名字，而且还是个古怪的名字，听来不像是银河标准语。”
“的确不是银河标准语，它是地球的一种史前语言。宝绮思的行星叫作盖娅，也是源自这种语言。”
“那么，阿尔发是什么意思？”
“那个古老的语言，第一个字母叫‘阿尔发’，这是最可靠的史前知识片断之一。在遥远的古代，阿尔发有时用来代表第一件事物，如果某个太阳被命名为阿尔发，就意味着它是第一个太阳。第一个太阳难道不就是人类最初的行星——地球所环绕的恒星吗？”
“你确定？”
“绝对确定。”裴洛拉特说。
“在早期的传说中——毕竟你是神话学家——有没有提到地球之阳有什么很特殊的性质？”
“没有，怎么会呢？根据定义，它应该是最标准的，而电脑告诉我们的那些特征，我猜想再标准不过了。到底是不是？”
“我想地球之阳应该是颗单星？”
裴洛拉特说：“嗯，当然啦！据我所知，所有的住人世界环绕的都是单星。”
“这点我早就该想到。”崔维兹说：“问题是，显像屏幕中央那颗恒星并非单星，而是一对双星。双星之中较后的那颗的确很标准，电脑提供我们的就是有关它的资料。然而，另有一颗恒星环绕着它，其周期大约是八十年，质量是较后那颗的五分之四。我们无法用肉眼看出它们其实是两颗星，伹若将影像放大，我确定我们就看得出来。”
“你肯定这点吗，葛兰？”裴洛拉特着实吃了一惊。
“这是电脑告诉我的。如果我们眼前是一对双星，那它就不是地球之阳，不可能是。”
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崔维兹中断了与电脑的接触，舱内顿时大放光明。
这显然就是请宝绮思回来的讯号，菲龙则紧紧跟在她身后。“好啦，结果怎么样？”宝绮思问。
崔维兹以平板的语调说：“多少有些令人失望。在我原本希望找到地球之阳的地方，却出现一对双星。地球之阳是颗单星，所以中央那颗绝对不是。”
裴洛拉特说：“现在怎么办，葛兰？”
崔维兹耸了耸肩。“我原本就没指望在正中央看到地球之阳。即使是外世界人建立的世界，也不会恰好形成完美的球面。奥罗拉——那个最古老的外世界——也可能产生自己的殖民者，这就可能使球面扭曲。此外，地球之阳在太空中的运动速度，也许和外世界的平均速度不尽相同。”
裴洛拉特说：“所以地球可能在任何地方，你是不是这个意思？”
“不，不能说是‘任何地方’。所有可能的误差加起来也不会太大，地球之阳一定位于球心座标附近。我们找的那颗几乎刚好在座标上的恒星，一定是地球之阳的近邻。地球之阳竟然有个如此相似的邻居——唯有它是双星这点例外，这实在令人惊讶，伹事实一定是如此。”
“不过，这样的话，我们应该能在舆图上看到地球之阳，对不对？我的意思是——在阿尔发的附近？”
“不能，因为我确定地球之阳根本不在舆图上。就是由于这个缘故，我们最初找到阿尔发的时候，我才会感到信心动摇。不论它和地球之阳有多接近，光凭它被收录在舆图中这一点，就让我怀疑它不是真货。”
“好吧，那么，”宝绮思说：“何不将注意力集中到真实太空的这组座标上？然后，如果发现有颗明后的恒星接近中心，可是不在电脑舆图中，又如果这颗恒星的性质和阿尔发非常相近，却是一颗单星，那它不就是地球之阳吗？”
崔维兹叹了一口气。“如果一切如你所说，我愿意拿我的一半财产打赌，赌你所说的恒星就是地球这颗行星的太阳。可是，现在我又有些犹豫，不想验证这个假设。”
“因为你可能失败？”
崔维兹点了点头。“不过，”他说：“给我一点时间喘口气，我会强迫自己去做。”
正当三个大人面面相觑之际，菲龙走近电脑桌面，好奇地瞪着上面的手掌轮廓。她的手向那个轮廓探去，崔维兹赶紧伸出手臂格开，同时厉声道：“不准乱碰，菲龙。”
小索拉利人似乎吓了一跳，立坑阢进宝绮思温暖的臂膀中。
裴洛拉特说：“我们必须面对现实，葛兰。如果你在太空中什么也没找到，那该怎么办？”
“那我们将被迫着拾原先的计划，”崔维兹说：“一一去造访其他四十七个外世界。”
“万一那样也一无所获呢，葛兰？”
崔维兹心烦意乱地摇了摇头，仿佛要阻止那种想法在脑中生根。他低头看了看自己的膝盖，突然冒出一句：“那时我会再想别的办法。”
“可是如果根本没有先人的世界呢？”
听到这个女高音般的声音，崔维兹猛然抬起头，“谁在说话？”
这其实是多此一问，他很快便想到发问者是谁。
“我说的。”菲龙答道。
崔维兹望着她，微微皱起眉头。“你听得懂我们的谈话吗？”
菲龙说：“你们在寻找先人的世界，可是你们还没找到，也许根本没有一个世界。”
“‘那个’世界。”宝绮思轻声纠正她。
“不，菲龙，”崔维兹以严肃的口吻说：“是有人花了很大工夫将它藏起来。如此努力隐藏一样东西，意味着那样东西必须隐藏起来。你了解我的意思吗？”
“我懂。”菲龙说：“就像你不让我碰桌上的手影，这就意味着碰一碰会很有趣。”
“啊，但不是给你碰的，菲龙——宝绮思，你在制造一个怪物，她会把我们全毁了。除非我坐在电脑前面，否则再也别让她进来；即使我在电脑前，也请你凡事先想想好吗？”
这段小插曲似乎驱走了他的优柔寡断。“显然，我最好现在就开始工作。假如我只是坐在这里，无法决定该怎么做，那小丑怪马上就会接管这艘太空船。”
舱内灯光立刻变暗，宝绮思压低声音说：“答应我，崔维兹，她在附近的时候，别称她怪物或丑怪。”
“那就好好盯牢她，教她应有的礼节。告诉她小孩不该跟大人讲话，还要尽量少在大人面前出现。”
宝绮思皱起眉头。“你对小孩子的态度实在太过分了，崔维兹。”
“或许吧，不过现在不是讨论这个问题的时候。”
然后，他以满意与宽心的语调说：“那是真实太空中的阿尔发——在它的左侧，稍微偏上的位置，是一颗几乎同样明后、并未收录在银河舆图中的恒星。我敢拿我所有的财产打赌，那就是地球之阳。”
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“好啦，”宝绮思说：“即使你输了，我们也不会拿走你任何财产，所以何不直截了当找出答案？一旦能进行跃迁，我们就立刻造访那颗恒星。”
崔维兹摇了摇头。“不——这次并非由于犹豫或恐惧，而是为了小心谨慎。我们造访了三个未知的世界，三次都遭到始料未及的危险，而且三次都被迫匆匆离去。这次是最紧要的关键，我不要再盲目行事，至少在能力范围内要尽量避免。直到目前为止，我们知道的只是有关放射性的含混传说，那根本不够。但是绝不会有人料到，在距离地球约一秒差距的地方，竟然有颗拥有人类生命的行星……”
“阿尔发周围，真有一颗拥有人类生命的行星吗？”裴洛拉特问道：“你说电脑在后面打了个问号。”
“即使如此，”崔维兹说：“也值得我们试一试。为什么不去瞧瞧呢？倘若上面果真住有人类，我们就去问问他们对地球了解多少。毕竟，对他们而言，地球不是传说中遥不可及的世界，而是他们的近邻，在他们的天空，地球之阳一定既明后又耀眼。”
宝绮思以深思熟虑的口吻说：“这个主意不坏。我突然想到，如果阿尔发拥有一个住人世界，居民又不是你们这种典型的孤立体，那么他们也许很友善，我们就有可能获得一些美食换换口味。”
“还能结识一些和蔼可亲的人，”崔维兹说：“别忘了这一点。你同意这样做吗，詹诺夫？”
裴洛拉特说：“由你决定，老弟。不论你到哪里，我一定奉陪。”
菲龙突然问道：“我们会不会找到健比？”
宝绮思赶紧抢在崔维兹前面回答：“我们会找找看，菲龙。”
于是崔维兹说：“那就这么决定了，向阿尔发前进。”
73
“两颗大星星。”菲龙指着显像屏幕说。
“没错，”崔维兹说：“有两颗——宝绮思，切记要看好她，我不想让她乱碰任何东西。”
“她对机械装置很着迷。”宝绮思说。
“是啊，我知道，”崔维兹说：“可是我不敢领教——不过老实告诉你，看到显像屏幕上两颗恒星同时闪耀，我倒是跟她一样着迷。”
那两颗恒星的确相当灿烂，几乎呈圆盘状，两者皆如此。屏幕早已自动增强过滤密度，用来消除“硬辐射”并减低星光后度，以避免对视网膜构成伤害。结果，屏幕上只剩下少数几颗后星，那对双星则以高傲而近乎孤立的王者姿态高挂天际。
“事实上，”崔维兹说：“我以前从未如此接近一个双星系。”
“没有？”裴洛拉特声音中透出几许讶异，“怎么可能呢？”
崔维兹哈哈大笑。“虽然我在太空中来来去去，詹诺夫，但我并非你想像中的那种银河游侠。”
裴洛拉特说：“在我遇到你之前，葛兰，我从来没到过太空。但我总是认为，任何人只要上了太空……”
“就什么地方都会去。我了解，那是很自然的想法。足不离地的人最大的问题，就是不论理智如何说服他们，他们仍然无法想像银河的实际大小。即使我们在太空旅行一辈子，银河绝大多数地方还是碰不到。此外，根本没有人去过双星系。”
“为什么？”宝绮思皱着眉头说：“比起遍游银河的孤立体，我们盖娅上的人对天文学知道不多，可是在我的印象中，双星似乎并不罕见。”
“的确如此。”崔维兹说：“其实说起来，双星的数量比单星还多。不过，两颗靠得很近的恒星生成之后，会害得行星无法循一般过程形成。双星拥有的行星物质比单星少，即使双星系中有行星形成，通常轨道也不太稳定，极少出现适于住人的行星。
“早期的星际探险者，我猜想，一定在近距离研究过许多双星。可是一段时日后，为了殖民的目的而探索时，他们的目标便仅限于单星。当然啦，一旦银河到处遍布殖民世界，几乎所有的星际旅行都和贸易或交通有关，而且一律在单星的住人世界间进行。在军事活动频仍时期，我想，假如某对双星刚好具有战略地位，有时会在环绕双星之一的小型、无人居住的世界上设立据点。可是随着超空间旅行渐趋完善，那样的据点也就变得没必要了。”
裴洛拉特虚心地说：“真不敢想像我有多么孤陋寡闻。”
崔维兹只是咧嘴微笑。“别被我唬到了，詹诺夫。我在舰队的时候，听过无数过时军事战术的演讲，根本没有人计划或意图使用那些战术，讨论它们纯粹是一种传统，我只不过随便卖弄了点——话说回来，你懂得那么多神话学、民俗学，以及古代语文，这些我都一窍不通，只有你和少数专家才懂。”
宝绮思说：“没错，但那两颗恒星的确构成一个双星系，其中之一的轨道上却有颗住人行星。”
“我们希望是这样，宝绮思。”崔维兹说：“凡事皆有例外，再加上标了一个正式的问号，就使它更加令人费解——不行，菲龙，那些按钮不是玩具——宝绮思，要不就用手铐把她铐起来，要不就带她出去。”
“她不会弄坏任何东西。”宝绮思虽然在为菲龙辩护，仍将那索拉利小孩拉到自己身边。“如果你对那颗可住人行星这么有兴趣，我们还在这儿等什么？”
“原因之一，”崔维兹说：“这是人之常情，我想乘机在近距离观察一下双星系。此外，谨慎也是人之常情，我自然不例外。正如我已解释过的，自从我们离开盖娅后，没有一件事不让我变得更小心谨慎。”
裴洛拉特说：“这两颗恒星哪颗是阿尔发，葛兰？”
“我们不会迷路的，詹诺夫。电脑清楚究竟哪颗是阿尔发，因此我们也知道。它是温度较高、颜色较黄的那颗，因为它的体积比较大。而右侧的那颗，则发出明显的橙色光芒，有点像奥罗拉的太阳，如果你还记得。你注意到了吗？”
“经你这么一提醒，我就注意到了。”
“很好，它是较小的那颗。你提到的那种古老语言，第二个字母是什么？”
裴洛拉特想了一下，然后说：“贝它。”
“那就让我们称橙色的恒星为贝它，称黄白色的恒星为阿尔发，我们现在的目标正是阿尔发。”

Chapter 15: Moss
66Trevize looked grotesque in his space suit. The onlypart of him that remained outsideeeere his holsters not the onesthat he strapped around his hips ordinarily, but more substantial onesthat eere part of his suit. Carefully, he inserted the blaster in theright-hand holster, the neuronic whip in the left. Again, they had beenrecharged and this time, he thought grimly, nothing wouldtake them away from him.
Bliss smiled. "Are you going to carry weapons even on a world withoutair or Never mind! I won't question your decisions."Trevize said, "Good!" and turned to help Pelorat adjust his helmet,before donning his own.
Pelorat, who had never worn a space suit before, said, ratherplaintively, "Will I really be able to breathe in this thing, Golan?""I promise you," said Trevize.
Bliss watched as the final joints were sealed, her arm about Fallom'sshoulder. The young Solarian stared at the two space-suited figures inobvious alarm. She was trembling, and Bliss's arm squeezed her gentlyand reassuringly.
The airlock door opened, and the two stepped inside, their bloatedarms waving a farewell. It closed. The mainlock door opened and theystepped clumsily onto the soil of a dead world.
It was dawn. The sky was clear, of course, and purplish in color,but the sun had not yet risen. Along the lighter horizon where the sunwould come, there was a slight haze.
Pelorat said, "It's cold.""Do you feel cold?" said Trevize, with surprise. The suits were wellinsulated and if there was a problem, now and then, it was with thegetting rid of body heat.
Pebrat said, "Not at all, but look " His radioed voice soundedTrevize's ear, and his finger pointed.
In the purplish light of dawn, the crumbling stone front of thebuilding they were approaching was sheathed in hoar frost.
Trevize said, "With a thin atmosphere, it would get colder at nightthan you would expect, and warmer in the day. Right now it's the coldestpart of the day and it should take several hours before it gets too hotfor us to remain in the sun."As though the word had been a cabalistic incantation, the rim of thesun appeared above the horizon.
"Don't look at it," said Trevize conversationally. "Your face-plate isreflective and ultraviolet-opaque, but it would still be dangerous."He turned his back to the rising sun and let his long shadow fall onthe building. The sunlight was causing the frost to disappear, even ashe watched. For a few moments, the wall looked dark with dampness andthen that disappeared, too.
Trevize said, "The buildings don't look as good down here as theylooked from the sky. They're cracked and crumbling. That's the resultof the temperature change, I suppose, and of having the water tracesfreeze and melt each night and day for maybe as much as twenty thousandyears."Pelorat said, "There are letters engraved in the stone above theentrance, but crumbling has made them difficult to read.""Can you make it out, Janov?""A financial institution of some sort. At least I make out a wordwhich may be `bank.'""What's that?""A building in which assets were stored, withdrawn, traded, invested,loaned if it's what I think it is.""A whole building devoted to it? No computers?""Without computers taking over altogether."Trevize shrugged. He did not find the details of ancient historyinspiring.
They moved about, with increasing haste, spending less time atsac build ing. The silence, the deadness , was completelydepressing. The slow millennial-long collapse into which they had intrudedmade the place seem like the skeleton of a city, with everything gonebut the bones.
They were well up in the temperate zone, but Trevize imagined hecould feel the heat of the sun on his back.
Pelorat, about a hundred meters to his right, said sharply, "Lookat that."Trevize's ears rang. He said, "Don't shout, Janov. I can hear yourwhispers clearly no matter how far away you are. What is it?"Pelorat, his voice moderating at once, said, "This building is the`Hall of the Worlds.' At least, that's what I think the inscriptionreads."Trevize joined him. Before them was a three-story structure, the lineof its roof irregular and loaded with large fragments of rock, as thoughsome sculptured object that had once stood there had fallen to pieces.
"Are you sure?" said Trevize.
"If we go in, we'll find out."They climbed five low, broad steps, and crossed a space-wastingplaza. In the thin sir, their metal-shod footsteps made a whisperingvibration rather than a sound.
"I see what you mean by `large, useless, and expensive,'" mutteredTrevize.
They entered a wide and high hall, with sunlight shining through tallwindows and illuminating the interior too harshly where it struck andyet leaving things obscure in the shadow. The thin atmosphere scatteredlittle light.
In the center was a larger than life-size human figure in what seemedto be a synthetic stone. One arm had fallen off. The other arm was crackedat the shoulder and Trevize felt that if he tapped it sharply that arm,too, would break off. He stepped back as though getting too near mighttempt him into such unbearable vandalism.
"I wonder who that is?" said Trevize. "No markings anywhere. Isuppose those who set it up felt that his fame was so obvious he neededno identification, but now " He felt himself in danger of growingphilosophical and turned his attention away.
Pelorat was looking up, and Trevize's glance followed the angle ofPelorat's head. There were markings carvings on the wallwhich Trevize could not read.
"Amazing," said Pelorat. "Twenty thousand years old, perhaps, and,in here, protected somewhat from sun and damp, they're still legible.""Not to me," said Trevize.
"It's in old script and ornate even for that. Let's seenow seven one two " His voice died away in amumble, and then he spoke up again. "There are fifty names listed andthere are supposed to have been fifty Spacer worlds and this is `The Hallof the Worlds.' I assume those are the names of the fifty Spacer worlds,probably in the order of establishment. Aurora is first and Solaria islast. If you'll notice, there are seven columns, with seven names inthe first six columns and then eight names in the last. It is as thoughthey had planned a seven-by-seven grid and then added Solaria after thefact. My guess, old chap, is that      list dates back to before Solariawas terraformed and populated.""And which one is this planet we're standing on? Can you tell?"Pelorat said, "You'll notice that   e fifth one down in the thirdcolumn, the nineteenth in order, is inscribed in letters a little largerthan the others. The listers seem to have been self-centered enough togive themselves some pride of place. Besides ""What does the name read?""As near as I can make out, it says Melpomenia. It's a name I'mtotally unfamiliar with.""Could it represent Earth?"Pelorat shook his head vigorously, but      went unseen inside hishelmet. He said, "There are dozens of words used for Earth in the oldlegends. Gaia is one of them, as you know. So is Terra, and Erda, andso on. They're all short. I don't know of any long name used for it,or anything even resembling a short version of Melpomenia.""Then we're standing on Melpomenia, and it's not Earth.""Yes. And besides as I started to say earlier an evenbetter indication than the larger lettering is that   e co-ordinates ofMelpomenia are given as 0,       and you would expect co-ordinates tobe referred to one's own planet.""Co-ordinates?" Trevize sounded dumbfounded. "Th   list gives thecoordinates, too?""They give three figures for each and I presume those areco-ordinates. What else can they be?"Trevize did not answer. He opened a small compartment in the portionof the space suit that covered his right thigh and took out a compactdevice with wire connecting it  o   e compartment. He put it up tohis eyes and carefully focused it on the inscription on the wall, hissheathed fingers making a difficult job out of something      wouldordinarily have been a moment's work.
"Camera?" asked Pelorat unnecessarily.
"It will feed the image directly in o   e ship's computer," saidTrevize.
He took several photographs from different angles; then said,"Wait! I've got to get higher. Help me, Janov."Pelorat clasped his hands together, stirrup-fashion, but Trevize shookhis head. "Th   won't support my weight. Get on your hands and knees."Pelorat did so, laboriously, and, as laboriously, Trevize, havingtucked   e camera in o its compartment again, stepped on Pelorat'sshoulders and from them on to   e pedestal of the statue. He tried torock the statue carefully to judge its firmness, then placed his footon one bent knee and used it as a base for pushing himself upward andcatching   e armless shoulder. Wedging his toes against some unevennessat   e chest, he lifted himself and, finally, after several grunts,managed to sit on the shoulder. To   ose long-dead who had reveredthe statue and what it represented, what Trevize did would have seemedblasphemy, and Trevize was sufficiently influenced by that   ought totry to sit lightly.
"You'll fall and hurt yourself," Pelorat called out anxiously.
"I'm not going  o fall and hurt myself, but you mightdeafen me." Trevize unslung his camera and focused once more. Severalmore photographs were taken and then he replaced   e camera yet again andcarefully lowered himself till his feet touched the pedestal. He jumped tothe ground and the vibration of his contact was apparently the final push,for the still in act arm crumbled, and produced a small heap of rubbleat   e foot of the statue. It made virtually no noise as it fell.
Trevize froze, his first impulse being      of finding a place  o hidebefore the watchman came and caught him. Amazing, he   ought afterward,how quickly one relives   e days of one's childhood in a situationlike th   when you've accidentally broken something      looksimportant. It lasted only a moment, but it cut deeply.
Pelorat's voice was hollow, as befitted one who had witnessed andeven abetted an act of vandalism, but he managed to find words ofcomfort. "It's it's all right, Golan. It was about to come downby itself, anyway."He walked over to the pieces on the pedestal and floor as though hewere going to demonstrate the point, reached out for one of the largerfragments, and then said, "Golan, come here."Trevize approached and Pelorat, pointing at a piece of stone that hadclearly been the portion of the arm that had been joined to the shoulder,said, "What is this?"Trevize stared. There was a patch of fuzz, bright green incolor. Trevize rubbed it gently with his suited finger. It scraped offwithout trouble.
"It looks a lot like moss," he said.
"The life-without-mind that you mentioned?""I'm not completely sure how far without mind. Bliss, I imagine,would insist that this had consciousness, too but she would claimthis stone also had it."Pelorat said, "Do you suppose that moss stuff is what's crumblingthe rock?"Trevize said, "I wouldn't be surprised if it helped. The world hasplenty of sunlight and it has some water. Half what atmosphere it has iswater vapor. The rest is nitrogen and inert gases. Just a trace of carbondioxide, which would lead one to suppose there's no plant life butit could be that the carbon dioxide is low because it is virtually allincorporated into the rocky crust. Now if this rock has some carbonate init, perhaps this moss breaks it down by secreting acid, and then makesuse of the carbon dioxide generated. This may be the dominant remainingform of life on this planet.""Fascinating," said Pelorat.
"Undoubtedly," said Trevize, "but only in a limited way. Theco-ordinates of the Spacer worlds are rather more interesting but whatwe really want are the co-ordinates of Earth . If they'renot here, they may be elsewhere in the building or in anotherbuilding. Come, Janov.""But you know " began Pelorat.
"No, no," said Trevize impatiently. "We'll talk later. We've gotto see what else, if anything, this building can give us. It's gettingwarmer." He looked the small temperature reading on the back of his leftglove. "Come, Janov."They tramped through the rooms, walking as gently as possible, notbecause they were making sounds in the ordinary sense, or because therewas anyone to hear them, but because they were a little shy of doingfurther damage through vibration.
They kicked up some dust, which moved a short way upward and settledquickly through the thin air, and they left footmarks behind them.
Occasionally, in some dim corner, one or the other would silentlypoint out more samples of moss that were growing. There seemed a littlecomfort in the presence of life, however low in the scale, somethingthat lifted the deadly, suffocating feel of walking through a dead world,especially one in which artifacts all about showed that once, long ago,it had been an elaborately living one.
And then, Pelorat said, "I think this must be a library."Trevize looked about curiously. There were shelves and, as helooked more narrowly, what the corner of his eye had dismissed as mereornamentation, seemed as though they might well be book-films. Gingerly,he reached for one. They were thick and clumsy and then he realizedthey were only cases. He fumbled with his thick fingers to open one, andinside he saw several discs. They were thick, too, and seemed brittle,though he did not test that.
He said, "Unbelievably primitive.""Thousands of years old," said Pelorat apologetically, as thoughdefending the old Melpomenians against the accusation of retardedtechnology.
Trevize pointed to the spine of the film where there were dimcurlicues of the ornate lettering that the ancients had used. "Is thatthe title? What does it say?"Pelorat studied it. "I'm not really sure, old man. I think one ofthe words refers to microscopic life. It's a word for `microorganism,'
perhaps. I suspect these are technical microbiological terms which Iwouldn't understand even in Standard Galactic." `"Probably," said Trevize morosely. "And, equally probably, itwouldn't do us any good even if we could read it. We're not interestedin germs. Do me a favor, Janov. Glance through some of these booksand see if there's anything there with an interesting title. While you'redoing that, I'll look over these book-viewers.""Is that what they are?" said Pelorat, wondering. They were squat,cubical structures, topped by a slanted screen and a curved extensionat the top that might serve as an elbow rest or a place on which to putan electro-notepad if they had had such on Melpomenia.
Trevize said, "If this is a library, they must have book-viewers ofone kind or another, and this seems as though it might suit."He brushed the dust off the screen very gingerly and was relievedthat the screen, whatever it might be made of, did not crumble at histouch. He manipulated the controls lightly, one after another. Nothinghappened. He tried another book-viewer, then another, with the samenegative results.
He wasn't surprised. Even if the device were to remain in workingorder for twenty millennia in a thin atmosphere and was resistant towater vapor, there was still the question of the power source. Storedenergy had a way of leaking, no matter what was done to stop it. Thatwas another aspect of the all embracing, irresistible second law ofthermodynamics.
Pelorat was behind him. "Golan?""Yes.""I have a book-film here ""What kind?""I think it's a history of space flight.""Perfect but it won't do us any good if I can't make this viewerwork."His hands clenched in frustration.
"We could take the film back to the ship.""I wouldn't know how to adapt it to our viewer. It wouldn't fit andour scanning system is sure to be incompatible.""But is all that really necessary, Golan? If we ""It is really necessary, Janov. Now don't interrupt me. I'm tryingto decide what to do. I can try adding power to the viewer. Perhaps thatis all it needs.""Where would you get the power?""Well " Trevize drew his weapons, looked at them briefly, thensettled his blaster back into its holster. He cracked open his neuronicwhip, and studied the energy-supply level. It was at maximum.
Trevize threw himself prone upon the floor and reached behind theviewer (he kept assuming that was what it was) and tried to push itforward. It moved a small way and he studied what he found in theprocess.
One of those cables had to carry the power supply and surely itwas the one that came out of the wall. There was no obvious plug orjoining. (How does one deal with an alien and ancient culture where thesimplest taken-for granted matters are made unrecognizable?)He pulled gently at the cable, then harder. He turned it one way,then the other. He pressed the wall in the vicinity of the cable, andthe cable in the vicinity of the wall. He turned his attention, as besthe could, to the half-hidden back of the viewer and nothing he could dothere worked, either.
He pressed one hand against the floor to raise himself and, as hestood up, the cable came with him. What he had done that had loosened it,he hadn't the slightest idea.
It didn't look broken or torn away. The end seemed quite smooth andit had left a smooth spot in the wall where it had been attached.
Pelorat said softly, "Golan, may I "Trevize waved a peremptory arm at the other. "Not now, Janov. Please!"He was suddenly aware of the green material caking the creases on hisleft glove. He must have picked up some of the moss behind the viewerand crushed it. His glove had a faint dampness to it, but it dried ashe watched, and the greenish stain grew brown.
He turned his attention toward the cable, staring at the detached endcarefully. Surely there were two small holes there. Wires could enter.
He sat on the floor again and opened the power unit of his neuronicwhip. Carefully, he depolarized one of the wires and clicked it loose. Hethen, slowly and delicately, inserted it into the hole, pushing it inuntil it stopped. When he tried gently to withdraw it again, it remainedput, as though it had been seized. He suppressed his first impulse toyank it out again by force. He depolarized the other wire and pushedit into the other opening. It was conceivable that      would close thecircuit and supply the viewer with power.
"Janov," he said, "you've played about with book-films of allkinds. See if you can work out a way of inserting that book into theviewer.""Is it really nece ""Please, Janov, you keep trying to ask unnecessary questions. We onlyhave so much time. I don't want  o have to wait far into the night forthe building to cool off to the point where we can return.""It must go in this way," said Janov, "but ""Good," said Trevize. "If it's a history of space flight, then itwill have to begin with Earth, since it was on Earth that space flightwas invented. Let's see if this thing works now."Pelorat, a little fussily, placed the book-film into the obviousreceptacle and then began studying the markings on the various controlsfor any hint as to direction.
Trevize spoke in a low voice, while waiting, partly to ease his owntension. "I suppose there must be robots on this world, too here andthere in reasonable order to all appearances glistening in thenear-vacuum. The trouble is their power supply would long since have beendrained, too, and, even if repowered, what about their brains? Levers andgears might withstand the millennia, but what about whatever microswitchesor subatomic gizmos they had in their brains? They would have to havedeteriorated, and even if they had not, what would they know aboutEarth. W    would they "Pelorat said, "The viewer is working, old chap. See here."In the dim light, the book-viewer screen began to flicker. It was onlyfaint, but Trevize turned up the power slightly on his neuronic whip andit grew brighter. The thin air about them kept the area outside the shaftsof sunlight comparatively dim, so that   e room was faded and shadowy,and the screen seemed the brighter by contrast.
It continued to flicker, with occasional shadows drifting acrossthe screen.
"It needs to be focused," said Trevize.
"I know," said Pelorat, "but this seems the best I can do. The filmitself must have deteriorated."The shadows came and went rapidly now, and periodically there seemedsomething like a faint caricature of print. Then, for a moment, therewas sharpness and it faded again.
"Get that back and hold it, Janov," said Trevize.
Pelorat was already trying. He passed it going backward, then againforward, and then got it and held it.
Eagerly, Trevize tried to read it, then said, in frustration, "Canyou make it out, Janov?""Not entirely," said Pelorat, squinting at the screen. "It's aboutAurora. I can tell that much. I think it's dealing with the firsthyperspatial expedition the `prime outpouring,' it says."He went forward, and it blurred and shadowed again. He said finally,"All the pieces I can get seem to deal with the Spacer worlds,Golan. There's nothing I can find about Earth."Trevize said bitterly, "No, there wouldn't be. It's all been wipedout on this world as it has on Trantor. Turn the thing off.""But it doesn't matter " began Pelorat, turning it off.
"Because we can try other libraries? It will be wiped out there,too. Everywhere. Do you know " He had looked at Pelorat as he spoke,and now he stared at him with a mixture of horror and revulsion. "W   'swrong with your face-plate?" he asked.
67Pelorat automatically lifted his gloved hand to hisface-plate and then took it away and looked at it.
"W    is it?" he said, puzzled. Then, he looked at Trevize and wenton, rather squeakily, "There's something peculiar about your face-plate, Golan."Trevize looked about automatically for a mirror. There was none and hewould need a light if there were. He muttered, "Come into the sunlight,will you?"He half-led, half-pulled Pelorat into the shaft of sunlight fromthe nearest window. He could feel its warmth upon his back despite theinsulating effect of the space suit.
He said, "Look toward the sun, Janov, and close your eyes."It was at once clear what was wrong with the face-plate. There wasmoss growing luxuriantly where the glass of the face-plate met themetallized fabric of the suit itself. The face-plate was rimmed withgreen fuzziness and Trevize knew his own was, too.
He brushed a finger of his glove across the moss on Pelorat'sface-plate. Some of it came off, the crushed green staining theglove. Even as he watched it glisten in the sunlight, however, it seemedto grow stiffer and drier. He tried again, and this time, the mosscrackled off. It was turning brown. He brushed the edges of Pelorat'sface-plate again, rubbing hard.
"Do mine, Janov," he said. Then, later, "Do I look clean? Good,so do you. Let's go. I don't think there's more to do here."The sun was uncomfortably hot in the deserted airless city. The stonebuildings gleamed brightly, almost achingly. Trevize squinted as helooked at them and, as far as possible, walked on the shady side of thethoroughfares. He stopped at a crack in one of the building fronts, onewide enough to stick his little finger into, gloved as it was. He did justthat, looked at it, muttered, "Moss," and deliberately walked to the endof the shadow and held that finger out in the sunlight for a while.
He said, "Carbon dioxide is the bottleneck. Anywhere they canget carbon dioxide decaying rock anywhere it willgrow. We're a good source of carbon dioxide, you know, probably richerthan anything else on this nearly dead planet, and I suppose traces ofthe gas leak out at the boundary of the face-plate.""So the moss grows there.""Yes."It seemed a long walk back to the ship, much longer and, of course,hotter than the one they had taken at dawn. The ship was still in theshade when they got there, however; that much Trevize had calculatedcorrectly, at least.
Pelorat said, "Look!"Trevize saw. The boundaries of the mainlock were outlined in greenmoss.
"More leakage?" said Pelorat.
"Of course. Insignificant amounts, I'm sure, but this moss seems tobe a better indicator of trace amounts of carbon dioxide than anything Iever heard of. Its spores must be everywhere and wherever a few moleculesof carbon dioxide are to be found, they sprout." He adjusted his radiofor ship's wavelength and said, "Bliss, can you hear me?"Bliss's voice sounded in both sets of ears. "Yes. Are you ready tocome in? Any luck?""We're just outside," said Trevize, "but don't openthe lock. We'll open it from out here. Repeat, don't openthe lock.""Why not?""Bliss, just do as I ask, will you? We can have a long discussionafterward."Trevize brought out his blaster and carefully lowered, its intensity tominimum, then gazed at it uncertainly. He had never used it at minimum. Helooked about him. There was nothing suitably fragile to test it on.
In sheer desperation, he turned it on the rocky hillside inwhose shadow the Far Star lay. The target didn't turnred-hot. Automatically, he felt the spot he had hit. Did it feel warm? Hecouldn't tell with any degree of certainty through the insulated fabricof his suit.
He hesitated again, then thought that the hull of the ship would be asresistant, within an order of magnitude at any rate, as the hillside. Heturned the blaster on the rim of the lock and flicked the contact briefly,holding his breath.
Several centimeters of the moss-like growth browned at once. He wavedhis hand in the vicinity of the browning and even the mild breeze set upin the thin air in this way sufficed to set the light skeletal remnantsthat made up the brown material to scattering.
"Does it work?" said Pelorat anxiously.
"Yes, it does," said Trevize. "I turned the blaster into a mildheat ray."He sprayed the heat all around the edge of the lock and the greenvanished at the touch. All of it. He struck the mainlock to create avibration that would knock off what remained and a brown dust fell to theground a dust so fine that it even lingered in the thin atmosphere,buoyed up by wisps of gas.
"I think we can open it now," said Trevize, and, using his wristcontrols, he tapped out the emission of the radio-wave combination thatactivated the opening mechanism from inside. The lock gaped and hadnot opened more than halfway when Trevize said, "Don't dawdle, Janov,get inside. Don't wait for the steps. Climb in."Trevize followed, sprayed the rim of the lock with his toned-downblaster. He sprayed the steps, too, once they had lowered. He thensignaled the close of the lock and kept on spraying till they weretotally enclosed.
Trevize said, "We're in the lock, Bliss. We'll stay here a fewminutes. Continue to do nothing!"Bliss's voice said, "Give me a hint. Are you all right? How isPel?"Pel said, "I'm here, Bliss, and perfectly well. There's nothing toworry about.""If you say so, Pel, but there'll have to be explanations later. Ihope you know that.""It's a promise," said Trevize, and activated the lock light.
The two space-suited figures faced each other.
Trevize said, "We're pumping out all the planetary air we can, solet's just wait till that's done.""What about the ship air? Are we going to let that in?""Not for a while. I'm as anxious to get out of the space suit as youare, Janov. I just want to make sure that we get rid of any spores thathave entered with us or upon us."By the not entirely satisfactory illumination of the lock light,Trevize turned his blaster on the inner meeting of lock and hull,spraying the heat methodically along the floor, up and around, and backto the floor.
"Now you, Janov."Pelorat stirred uneasily, and Trevize said, "You may feel warm. Itshouldn't be any worse than that. If it grows uncomfortable, just sayso."He played the invisible beam over the face-plate, the edgesparticularly, then, little by little, over the rest of the space suit.
He muttered, "Lift your arms, Janov." Then, "Rest your arms on myshoulder, and lift one foot I've got to do the soles nowthe other. Are you getting too warm?"Pelorat said, "I'm not exactly bathed in cool breezes, Golan.""Well, then, give me a taste of my own medicine. Go over me.""I've never held a blaster.""You must hold it. Grip it so, and, with your thumb, pushthat little knob and squeeze the holster tightly. Right. Nowplay it over my face-plate. Move it steadily, Janov, don't let it lingerin one place too long. Over the rest of the helmet, then down the cheekand neck."He kept up the directions, and when he had been heated everywhereand was in an uncomfortable perspiration as a result, he took back theblaster and studied the energy level.
"More than half gone," he said, and sprayed the interior of thelock methodically, back and forth over the wall, till the blaster wasemptied of its charge, having itself heated markedly through its rapidand sustained discharge. He then restored it to its holster.
Only then did he signal for entry into the ship. He welcomed thehiss and feel of air coming into the lock as the inner door opened. Itscoolness and its convective powers would carry off the warmth of the spacesuit far more quickly than radiation alone would do. It might have beenimagination, but he felt the cooling effect at once. Imagination or not,he welcomed that, too.
"Off with your suit, Janov, and leave it out here in the lock,"said Trevize.
"If you don't mind," said Pelorat, "a shower is what I would like tohave before anything else.""Not before anything else. In fact, before that, and before you canempty your bladder, even, I suspect you will have to talk to Bliss."Bliss was waiting for them, of course, and with a look of concern onher face. Behind her, peeping out, was Fallom, with her hands clutchingfirmly at Bliss's left arm.
"What happened?" Bliss asked severely. "What's been going on?""Guarding against infection," said Trevize dryly, "so I'll be turningon the ultraviolet radiation. Break out the dark glasses. Please don'tdelay."With ultraviolet added to the wall illumination, Trevize took offhis moist garments one by one and shook them out, turning them in onedirection and another.
"Just a precaution," he said. "You do it, too, Janov. And,Bliss, I'll have to peel altogether. If that will make you uncomfortable,step into the next room."Bliss said, "It will neither make me uncomfortable, nor embarrass me. Ihave a good notion of what you look like, and it will surely present mewith nothing new. What infection?""Just a little something that, given its own way," said Trevize, witha deliberate air of indifference, "could do great damage to humanity,I think."68It was all done. The ultraviolet light had done itspart. Officially, according to the complex films of information andinstructions that had come with the Far Star when Trevize hadfirst gone aboard back on Terminus, the light was there preciselyfor purposes of disinfection. Trevize suspected, however, that thetemptation was always there, and sometimes yielded to, to use it fordeveloping a fashionable tan for those who were from worlds where tanswere fashionable. The light was, however, disinfecting, however used.
They took the ship up into space and Trevize maneuvered it as closeto Melpomenia's sun as he might without making them all unpleasantlyuncomfortable, turning and twisting the vessel so as to make sure thatits entire surface was drenched in ultraviolet.
Finally, they rescued the two space suits that had been left in thelock and examined them until even Trevize was satisfied.
"All that," said Bliss, at last, "for moss. Isn't that what you saidit was, Trevize? Moss?""I call it moss," said Trevize, "because that's what it reminded meof. I'm not a botanist, however. All I can say is that it's intenselygreen and can probably make do on very little light-energy.""Why very little?""The moss is sensitive to ultraviolet and can't grow, or even survive,in direct illumination. Its spores are everywhere and it grows in hiddencorners, in cracks in statuary, on the bottom surface of structures,feeding on the energy of scattered photons of light wherever there isa source of carbon dioxide."Bliss said, "I take it you think they're dangerous.""They might well be. If some of the spores were clinging to us when weentered, or swirled in with us, they would find illumination in plentywithout the harmful ultraviolet. They would find ample water and anunending supply of carbon dioxide.""Only 0.03 percent of our atmosphere," said Bliss.
"A great deal to them and 4 percent in our exhaled breath. Whatif spores grew in our nostrils, and on our skin? What if they decomposedand destroyed our food? What if they produced toxins that killed us? Evenif we labored to kill them but left some spores alive, they would beenough, when carried to another world by us, to infest it, and from therebe carried to other worlds. Who knows what damage they might do?"Bliss shook her head. "Life is not necessarily dangerous because itis different. You are so ready to kill.""That's Gaia speaking," said Trevize.
"Of course it is, but I hope I make sense, nevertheless. The moss isadapted to the conditions of this world. Just as it makes use of lightin small quantities but is killed by large; it makes use of occasionaltiny whiffs of carbon dioxide and may be killed by large amounts. Itmay not be capable of surviving on any world but Melpomenia.""Would you want me to take a chance on that?" demanded Trevize.
Bliss shrugged. "Very well. Don't be defensive. I see your point. Beingan Isolate, you probably had no choice but to do what you did."Trevize would have answered, but Fallom's clear high-pitched voicebroke in, in her own language.
Trevize said to Pelorat, "What's she saying?"Pelorat began, "What Fallom is saying "Fallom, however, as though remembering a moment too late that herown language was not easily understood, began again. "Was there Jembythere where you were?"The words were pronounced meticulously, and Bliss beamed. "Doesn'tshe speak Galactic well? And in almost no time."Trevize said, in a low voice, "I'll mess it up if I try, but youexplain to her, Bliss, that we found no robots on the planet.""I'll explain it," said Pelorat. "Come, Fallom." He placed a gentlearm about the youngster's shoulders. "Come to our room and I'll get youanother book to read.""A book? About Jemby?""Not exactly " And the door closed behind them.
"You know," said Trevize, looking after them impatiently, "we wasteour time playing nursemaid to that child.""Waste? In what way does it interfere with your search for Earth,Trevize? In no way. Playing nursemaid establishes communication,however, allays fear, supplies love. Are these achievements nothing?""That's Gaia speaking again.""Yes," said Bliss. "Let us be practical, then. We have visited threeof the old Spacer worlds and we have gained nothing."Trevize nodded. "True enough.""In fact, we have found each one dangerous, haven't we? On Aurora,there were feral dogs; on Solaria, strange and dangerous human beings;on Melpomenia, a threatening moss. Apparently, then, when a world isleft to itself, whether it contains human beings or not, it becomesdangerous to the Interstellar community.""You can't consider, that a general rule.""Three out of three certainly seems impressive.""And how does it impress you, Bliss?""I'll tell you. Please listen to me with an open mind. If you havemillions of interacting worlds in the Galaxy, as is, of course, theactual case, and if each is made up entirely of Isolates, as they are,then on each world, human beings are dominant and can force their willon nonhuman life-forms, on the inanimate geological background, andeven on each other. The Galaxy is, then, a very primitive and fumblingand misfunctioning Galaxia. The beginnings of a unit. Do you see whatI mean?""I see what you're trying to say but that doesn't mean I'mgoing to agree with you when you're done saying it.""Just listen to me. Agree or not, as you please, but listen. The onlyway the Galaxy will work is as a proto-Galaxia, and the less proto andthe more Galaxia, the better. The Galactic Empire was an attempt at astrong proto-Galaxia, and when it fell apart, times grew rapidly worse andthere was the constant drive to strengthen the proto-Galaxia concept. TheFoundation Confederation is such an attempt. So was the Mule's Empire. Sois the Empire the Second Foundation is planning. But even if there wereno such Empires or Confederations; even if the entire Galaxy were inturmoil, it would be a connected turmoil, with each world interacting,even if only hostilely, with every other. That would, in itself, be akind of union and it would not yet be the worst case.""What would be the worst, then?""You know the answer to that, Trevize. You've seen it. If ahuman-inhabited world breaks up completely, is truly Isolate,and if it loses all interaction with other human worlds, itdevelops malignantly.""A cancer, then?"" Yes . Isn't Solaria just that? Its hand is against allworlds. And on it, the hand of each individual is against those of allothers. You've seen it. And if human beings disappear altogether, the lasttrace of discipline goes. The each-against-each becomes unreasoning, aswith the dogs, or is merely an elemental force as with the moss. You see,I suppose, that the closer we are to Galaxia, the better the society. Why,then, stop at anything short of Galaxia?"For a while, Trevize stared silently at Bliss. "I'm thinking aboutit. But why this assumption that dosage is a one-way thing; that if alittle is good, a lot is better, and all there is is best of all? Didn'tyou yourself point out that it's possible the moss is adapted to verylittle carbon dioxide so that a plentiful supply might kill it? A humanbeing two meters tall is better off than one who is one meter tall; but isalso better off than one who is three meters tall. A mouse isn't betteroff, if it is expanded to the size of an elephant. He wouldn't live. Norwould an elephant be better off reduced to the size of a mouse.
"There's natural size, a natural complexity, some optimum quality foreverything, whether star or atom, and it's certainly true of living thingsand living societies. I don't say the old Galactic Empire was ideal, andI can certainly see flaws in the Foundation Confederation, but I'm notprepared to say that because total Isolation is bad, total Unificationis good. The extremes may both be equally horrible, and an old-fashionedGalactic Empire, however imperfect, may be the best we can do."Bliss shook her head. "I wonder if you believe yourself, Trevize. Areyou going to argue that a virus and a human being are equallyunsatisfactory, and wish to settle for something in-between likea slime mold?""No. But I might argue that a virus and a superhuman being are equallyunsatisfactory, and wish to settle for something in-between likean ordinary person. There is, however, no point in arguing. Iwill have my solution when I find Earth. On Melpomenia, we found theco-ordinates of forty-seven other Spacer worlds.""And you'll visit them all?""Every one, if I have to.""Risking the dangers on each.""Yes, if that's what it takes to find Earth."Pelorat had emerged from the room within which he had left Fallom,and seemed about to say something when he was caught up in the rapid-fireexchange between Bliss and Trevize. He stared from one to the other asthey spoke in turn.
"How long would it take?" asked Bliss.
"However long it takes," said Trevize, "and we might find what weneed on the next one we visit.""Or on none of them.""That we cannot know till we search."And now, at last, Pelorat managed to insert a word. "But why look,Golan? We have the answer."Trevize waved an impatient hand in the direction of Pelorat, checkedthe motion, turned his head, and said blankly, "What?""I said we have the answer. I tried to tell you this on Melpomenia atleast five times, but you were so wrapped up in what you were doing-""What answer do we have? What are you talking about?"" About Earth. I think we know where Earth is."

第十五章 苔藓
　　66
穿上了太空衣的崔维兹看来奇形怪状，唯一露在外面的只有两个装武器的皮套——不是他通常系在臀部的那两个，而是太空衣本身附的坚固皮套。他小心地将手铣插入右侧皮套，再将神经鞭插在左侧。两件武器都已再度充电，而这一次，崔维兹忿忿地想，任何力量都别想将它们夺走。
宝绮思带着微笑说：“你还是准备携带武器？这只是个没有空气和——算了！我再也不会质疑你的决定。”
“很好！”崔维兹说着，便转过身去帮裴洛拉特调整头盔，他自己的头盔则还没戴上。
裴洛拉特从未穿过太空衣，他可怜兮兮地问道：“我在这里面真能呼吸吗，葛兰？”
“绝对可以。”崔维兹说。
他们将最后的接缝合上的时候，宝绮思站在一旁观看，手臂揽着菲龙的肩膀。小索拉利人惊恐万分地瞪着两件撑起的太空衣，全身不停打颤。宝绮思的手臂温柔地紧搂着她，为她带来一点安全感。
气闸打开之后，两位“太空人”便走进去，同时伸出鼓胀的手臂挥手道别。接着气闸关闭，主闸门随即开启，于是他们拖着沉着的步伐，踏上一块死气沉沉的土地。
现在是黎明时分，不过太阳尚未升起。天空当然绝对晴朗，泛着一种、紫色的光芒。日出方向的地平线色彩较淡，看得出那一带有些薄雾。
裴洛拉特说：“天气很冷。”
“你觉得冷吗？”崔维兹讶异地问。太空衣的绝热效果百分之百，若说温度偶有不适，应该是内部温度过高，需要将体热排放出去。
裴洛拉特说：“一点也没有，可是你看——”他的声音透过无线电波传到崔维兹的耳朵，听来十分清楚。他一面说，一面伸出手指来指了一下。
他们正向一座建筑物走去，在黎明的紫色曙光中，它斑驳的石质正面覆盖着一层白霜。
崔维兹说：“由于大气太稀薄，夜间会变得比你想像的更冷，白天则会非常炎热。现在正是一天之中最冷的时刻，还要再过好几小时，才会热得无法站在太阳底下。”
他的话就像神秘的魔咒一样，才刚说完，太阳的外轮就出现在地平线上。
“别瞪着它看，”崔维兹不急不徐地说：“虽然你的面板会反光，紫外线也无法穿透，但那样做还是有危险。”
他转身背对着冉冉上升的太阳，让细长的身影投射在那座建筑物上。由于阳光的出现，白霜在他眼前迅速消失。一会儿之后，墙壁因潮湿而颜色加深，伹不久便完全晒干。
崔维兹说：“现在看起来，这些建筑物不像从空中看来那么完好，到处都有龟裂和剥离的痕迹。我想这是温度剧变造成的结果，而另一个原因，则是少量的水分夜晚冻结白天又融解，可能已经持续了两万年。”
裴洛拉特说：“入口处上方的石头刻了些字，可是已经斑驳得难以辨识。”
“你能不能认出来，詹诺夫？”
“大概是某种金融机构，至少我认出好像有‘银行’两个宇。”
“那是什么？”
“处理资产的贮存、提取、交易、投资、借贷等等业务的地方——如果我猜得没错的话。”
“整座建筑物都用来做这个？没有电脑？”
“没有完全被电脑取代。”
崔维兹耸了耸肩，他发现古代历史的细节没什么意思。
他们四下走动，脚步越来越快，在每栋建筑物停留的时间也越来越短。此地一片死寂，令人感觉心情沉着到极点。经过数千年缓慢的崩溃过程，他们闯入的这座城市已变成一副残骸，除了枯骨之外什么都没留下。
他们目前的位置是标准的温带，可是在崔维兹的想像中，他的背部能感受到太阳的热量。
站在崔维兹右侧约一百公尺处的裴洛拉特，突然高声叫道：“看那里！”
崔维兹的耳朵嗡嗡作响，他说：“不要吼，詹诺夫。不论你离我多远，我也听得清楚你的耳语。那是什么？”
裴洛拉特立刻降低音量说：“这栋建筑物叫作‘外世界会馆’，至少，我认为那些铭文是这个意思。”
崔维兹走到他身边。他们面前是一栋三层楼的建筑，顶端的线条并不规则，而且堆了许多大块岩石碎片，仿佛那里原来竖着一座雕像，但早已倾塌得支离破碎。
“你确定吗？”崔维兹说。
“如果我们进去，就能知道答案。”
他们爬了五级低矮宽阔的台阶，又穿越一个过大的广场。在稀薄的空气中，他们的金属鞋踏在地上，只引起算不上脚步声的轻微震荡。
“我明白你所谓‘大而无当、豪华奢侈’是什么意思了。”崔维兹喃喃说道。
他们走进一间宽广高耸的大厅，阳光从高处的窗口射进来。室内有阳光直射的部分过于刺眼，阴影部分却又过于昏暗，这是由于空气稀薄，几乎无法散射光线的缘故。
大厅中央有座比真人高大的人像，似乎是用合成石料制成。其中一只手臂已经脱落，另一只臂膀处也出现裂痕。崔维兹觉得如果用力一拍，那只手臂也缓螈刻脱离主体。于是他退了几步，仿佛担心如果过于接近，他会忍不住做出破坏艺术品的恶劣行为。
“不晓得这人是谁？”崔维兹说：“到处都没有标示。我想当初竖立这座石像的那些人，认为他的名气实在太大，因此不需要任何识别文字。可是现在……”他发觉自己有越来越犬儒的危险，赶紧将注意力转移别处。
裴洛拉特正抬着头向上看，崔维兹沿着他的目光望去，看到墙上有些标记——那是铭文，不过崔维兹完全看不懂。
“不可思议，”裴洛拉特说：“也许已经过了两万年，但是在这里，恰巧避开了阳光和湿气，它们仍可辨识。”
“我可看不懂。”崔维兹说。
“那是种古老的字体，而且还是用美术字写的。让我来看看……七……一……二……”他的声音越来越小，突然又高声道：“一共列有五十个名字。据说外世界共有五十个，而这里又是外世界会馆，因此，我推测这些就是五十个外世界的名字。也许是根据创建的先后顺序排列，奥罗拉排第一，索拉利是最后一个。如果你仔细看，会发现它共有七行，前面六行各有七个名字，最后一行则有八个。好像他们原先计划排成七乘七的方阵，后来才将索拉利加上去。根据我的猜测，老弟，这份名单制作之初，索拉利尚未改造，上面还没有任何人居住。”
“我们现在踏在哪个世界上？你看得出来吗？”
裴洛拉特说：“你可以注意到，第三行第五个，也就是排名第十九的世界，它的名字刻得比其他世界大些。名单制作者似乎相当自我中心，特别要突显他们自己的地位。此外……”
“它的名字是什么？”
“根据我所能做的最佳判断，它应该叫作‘梅尔波美尼亚’，这个名字我完全陌生。”
“有没有可能代表地球？”
裴洛拉特使劲摇头，但由于被头盔罩住，所以摇也是白摇。“在古老的传说中，地球有好几十个不同的名称。盖娅是其中之一，这你是知道的，此外泰宁、尔达等等也是，它们一律都很简短。我不知道地球有较长的别名，甚至不知道有任何别名接近梅尔波美尼亚的简称。”
“那么，我们是在梅尔波美尼亚星上，而它并非地球。”
“没错。此外——其实我刚才正要说——除了字体较大，还有一项更好的佐证，就是梅尔波美尼亚的坐标是（O，O，O）。一般说来，这个坐标指的是自己的行星。”
“坐标？”崔维兹愣了一下，“这份名单上也有坐标？”
“每个世界旁边都有三个数字，我想那些就是坐标，否则还能是什么？”
崔维兹没有回答。他打开位于太空衣右股的一个小套袋，掏出一件与套袋有电线相连的精巧装置。他将那装置凑到眼前，对着墙上的铭文仔细调整焦距。通常这只需要几秒钟的时间，可是他的手指包在太空衣内，因此这件工作变得极为吃力。
“照相机吗？”裴洛拉特这是多此一问。
“它能将影像直接输入太空船的电脑。”崔维兹答道。
他从不同角度拍了几张相片，然后说：“等一下！我得站高一点。帮我个忙，詹诺夫。”
裴洛拉特双手紧紧互握，做成马蹬状，崔维兹却摇了摇头。“那样无法支撑我的着量，你得趴下去。”
裴洛拉特吃力地依言照做，崔维兹将照相机塞回套袋，同样吃力地踏上裴洛拉特的肩头，再爬上石像的基座。他谨慎地摇了摇石像，测试它是否牢固，然后踩在石像弯曲的膝部，用它作踏脚石，身子向上一挺，抓到断臂的那个肩膀。他将脚尖嵌进石像胸前凹凸不平处，慢慢向上攀爬，喘了好几回之后，终于坐到石像肩膀上。对那些早已逝去的古人而言，这个石像是他们尊崇的对象，崔维兹的行为似乎可算一种亵渎。他越想越不对劲，因此尽量坐得轻点。
“你会跌下来受伤的。”裴洛拉特忧心忡忡地叫道。
“我不会跌下来受伤，你却可能把我震聋。”说完，崔维兹再度取出照相机。拍了几张相片后，他又将照相机放回原处，小心翼翼地爬下来，直到双脚踏上基座，才纵身跃向地面。这下震动显然造成致命的一击，石像另一只手臂立刻脱落，在它脚旁跌成一小堆碎石。整个过程完全听不到一点声音。
崔维兹僵立在原处。他兴起的第一个冲动，竟是在管理员赶来抓人之前，尽快找个地方躲起来。真是难以想像，他事后回想，在这种情况下——不小心弄坏一件看似珍贵的东西——一个人怎么立刻就回到童年。这种感觉虽然只持续一下子，却触及了他的心灵深处。
裴洛拉特的声音听来有气无力，像是自己目睹甚至教唆了一件破坏艺术品的行为。不过，他还是设法说些安慰的话：“这——这没什么关系，葛兰，反正它已经摇摇欲坠。”
他走近碎石四散的基座与地板，仿佛想要证明这点。他刚伸出手来，准备捡起一块较大的碎片，却突然说：“葛兰，过来这里。”
崔维兹走过去，裴洛拉特指着地上一块碎石，它原来显然是那只完好手臂的一部分。“那是什么？”裴洛拉特问。
崔维兹仔细一看，那是片毛茸茸的东西，颜色是鲜绿色。他用包在太空衣中的手指轻轻一擦，毫下费力地将它刮掉了。
“看起来非常像苔藓。”崔维兹说。
“就是你所谓欠缺心灵的生命？”
“我不完全确定它们欠缺心灵到什么秤谌。我猜想，宝绮思会坚持这东西也有意识——可是她会声称连这块石头也有意识。”
裴洛拉特说：“这块岩石所以会断裂，你认为是不是这些苔藓的缘故？”
崔维兹说：“说它们是帮凶我绝不怀疑。这个世界有充足的阳光，也有些水分，大气的一半都是水蒸气，此外还有氮气和惰性气体。可是二氧化碳却只有一点点，因此会使人误以为没有植物生命——但二氧化碳含量之所以这么低，也可能是因为几乎全并入了岩石表层。假使这块岩石含有一些碳酸盐，也许苔藓便会藉着分泌酸液使它分解，再利用所产生的二氧化碳。在这颗行星残存的生命中，它们可能是最主要的一种。”
“实在有趣。”裴洛拉特说。
“的确如此，”崔维兹说：“可是趣味有限。外世界的坐标其实更有趣，但我们真正想要的是地球坐标。如果地球坐标不在这里，也许藏在这座建筑的其他角落，或是其他建筑物中。来吧，詹诺夫。”
“可是你知道……”裴洛拉特说。
“好了，好了，”崔维兹下耐烦地说：“待会儿再说吧。我们必须找一找，看看这座建筑还能提供什么线索。气温越来越高了——”他看了看附在左手背上的小型温标，“来吧，詹诺夫。”
他们拖着沉着的步伐一间一间寻找，尽可能将脚步放轻。这样做并非担心会发出声响，或是担心让别人听到，而是他们有点不好意思，唯恐引起震动而造成进一步的破坏。
他们踢起一些尘埃，留下许多足迹。在稀薄的空气中，尘埃稍微扬起一点，便又迅速落回地面。
偶尔经过某些阴暗的角落时，其中一人会默默指出更多正在蔓生的苔藓。发现此地有生命存在，不论层次多么低，似乎仍然令人感到一丝安慰。连带地，走在一个死寂世界所引发的可怕而令人窒息的感觉，也因此稍显舒缓。尤其像这样一个世界，四周到处是人类的遗迹，在在显示很久以前，此地曾经有过一段精致的文明。
然后，裴洛拉特说：“我想这里一定是个图书馆。”
崔维兹好奇地四下张望，先是看到一些书架，细看之下，旁边原来以为只是装饰品的东西，奸像应该是书。他小心翼翼地想拿起一个，却发现它们又厚又着，才明白原来那些只是盒子。他笨手笨脚地打开一盒，看到里面有几片圆盘。那些圆盘也都很厚，他没伸手去摸，但它们似乎非常脆弱。
“原始得难以置信。”他说。
“数千年前的东西嘛。”裴洛拉特以歉然的口气说，仿佛在帮古老的梅尔波美尼亚人辩护，驳斥对他们科技落后的指控。
崔维兹指着一支胶卷书的侧背，那里有些模糊不清的古代花体字。“这是书名吗？它叫什么？”
裴洛拉特研究了一下。“我不很确定，老友。但我想其中有个字指的是微观生命，也许就是‘微生物’的意思。我猜这些是微生物学的专用术语，即使译成银河标准语我也不懂。”
“有可能。”崔维兹懊丧地说：“即使我们读得懂，同样可能对我们没任何帮助，我们对细菌可没有兴趣——帮我个忙，詹诺夫，浏览一下这些书籍，看看是否有任何有趣的书名。你做这事的时候，我正好可以检查一下阅读机。”
“这些就是阅读机吗？”裴洛拉特以怀疑的口吻说。他指的是一些矮胖的立方体，上面部有倾斜的屏幕，还有个弧形的突出部分，也许可以用来支撑手肘，或是放置电子笔记板——假如梅尔波美尼亚也有这种装置。
崔维兹说：“假如这里是图书馆，就一定有某种阅读机，而这台机器看来似乎很像。”
他万分谨慎地将屏幕上的灰尘擦掉，立刻感到松了一口气，不论这个屏幕是什么材料做的，至少没有一碰之下便化成粉末。他轻轻拨弄着控制钮，一个接一个，结果什么反应都没有。他又改试其他的阅读机，换了一台又一台，却始终得不到任何结果。
他并不惊讶，即使空气稀薄，这些装置又不受水蒸气的影响，以致两万年后还能维持正常功能，然而电力来源仍是一大问题。贮存起来的能量总有办法散逸，不论如何防止都没用。这个事实源自无所不在又无可抗拒的热力学第二定律。
裴洛拉特来到他身后，唤道：“葛兰。”
“啊？”
“我找到一支胶卷书……”
“哪一类的？”
“我想是有关太空飞行的历史。”
“好极了——但我若是无法启动这台阅读机，它对我们就没有任何用处。”他双手紧捏成拳，显得十分沮丧。
“我们可以把胶卷带回太空船去。”
“我不知道怎样用我们的阅读机读它，根本装不进去，我们的扫描系统也一定不相容。”
“但真有必要这么费事吗，葛兰？如果我们……”
“的确有必要，詹诺夫。现在别打扰我，我正想要决定该怎么做。我可以试着给阅读机充点电，也许那是它唯一欠缺的。”
“你要从哪里取得电力？”
“嗯——”崔维兹掏出那两件随身武器，看了几眼，又将手铣塞回皮套。然后他“啪”一声打开神经鞭的外壳，检查了一下能量供应指标，发现处于满载状态。
崔维兹趴到地板上，将手伸到阅读机背面（他一直假设那就是阅读机），试图将它往前推。那台机器向前移动了一点，他便开始研究他的新发现。
其中一条电缆必定用来供应电源，当然就是连接到墙壁的那条，可是他找不到明显的插头或接头。（连最理所当然的事物都令人摸不着头脑，他该如何面对这个外星古文化？）
他轻拉一下那条电缆，又稍微用力试了试，再将电缆转向一侧，接着又向另一侧转。他按了按电缆附近的墙壁，又压了压墙壁旁边的电缆。然后，他转移注意，开始努力研究阅读机的半隐藏式背面，结果一样徒劳无功。
于是他单手按着地板准备起身，结果在身子站直的一瞬间，电缆被他拉了起来。究竟是哪个动作将它扯掉的，他自己也不知道。
电缆看来没有断开或被扯裂，末端似乎相当平整，它原来与墙壁连接的地方出现一个光滑的小圆洞。
裴洛拉特轻声说：“葛兰，我可不可……”
崔维兹朝他断然挥了挥手。“现在别说话，詹诺夫，拜托！”
他突然发觉左手手套的皱褶黏着些绿色的东西，这一定是刚才从阅读机背面沾到的苔藓，而且被压碎了。那只手套因此有点潮湿，伹在他眼前又很快干掉，绿色的斑点渐渐变成褐色。
他将注意力转到电缆上，仔细观察被扯掉的那端。那里果然有两个小孔，可以容纳两条电线。
他又坐到地板上，打开神经鞭的电源匣，小心翼翼拆除一条电线，再“咔答”一声将它扯开。然后他慢慢地、轻巧地将那根电线插进小孔，一直推到再也推不动为止。当他试着轻轻拉它出来的时候，竟然发现拉不动了，好像被什么东西抓住一样。他第一个反应是想用力拉它出来，不过总算按捺住这个冲动。他又拆下另一条电线，推进另一个开口。这样想必就能构成一个回路，可以将电力输到阅读机中。
“詹诺夫，”他说：“你看过各式各样的胶卷书，试试看有没有办法把那本书插进去。”
“真有必……”
“拜托，詹诺夫，你总是问些无关紧要的问题。我们只有这么一点时间，我可不要弄到三更半夜，温度低得受不了才能回去。”
“它一定是这么放，”裴洛拉特说：“可是……”
“好，”崔维兹说：“如果这是本太空飞行史，就一定会从地球谈起，因为太空飞行最早是在地球发明的——我们看看这玩意现在能否启动。”
裴洛拉特将胶卷书放进显然是插口的地方，动作有点夸张。然后他开始研究各种控制键钮旁的标示，想找找有没有任何操作说明。
在一旁等候的崔维兹低声道（部分原因是为了舒缓自己紧张的情绪）：“我想这个世界上一定也有机器人——到处都有；显然处于良好状况：在近乎真空的环境中闪闪发光。问题是它们的电力同样早已枯竭，即使着新充电，它们的脑部是否完好？杠杆和齿轮也许能维持好几千年，可是它们脑部的微型开关和次原子机簧呢？它们的脑子一定坏掉了，就算仍完好如初，它们对地球又知道多少？它们又……”
裴洛拉特说：“阅读机开始工作了，老弟，看这里。”
在昏暗的光线下，阅读机屏幕开始闪烁，不过光度相当微弱。崔维兹将神经鞭供应的电力稍微加强，屏幕随即转趋明后。由于空气稀薄的缘故，太阳直射下到的地方都暗淡无光，因此室内一片蒙胧幽暗，屏幕在对比之下显得更为明后。
屏幕继续一闪一灭，偶尔还掠过一些阴影。
“需要调整一下焦距。”崔维兹说。
“我知道，”裴洛拉特说：“伹这似乎是我能得到的最好结果，胶卷本身一定损坏了。”
现在阴影来去的速度变得很快，而且每隔一会儿，似乎就会出现一个类似漫画的模糊画面。后来画面一度转为清晰，随即再度暗淡下来。
“倒转回去，褂讪在那个画面上，詹诺夫。”崔维兹说。
裴洛拉特已在试着那样做，但他倒回去太多，只好又向前播放，最后终于找到那个画面，将它褂讪在屏幕上。
崔维兹急着想看看内容是什么，但随即以充满挫折的口吻说：“你读得懂吗，詹诺夫？”
“不完全懂。”裴洛拉特一面说，一面眯着眼睛盯着屏幕。“是关于奥罗拉，这点我看得出来。我想它在讲述第一波的超空间远征——‘首度蜂拥’，上面这么写着。”
他继续往下看，可是画面又变得模糊暗淡。最后他终于说：“我所看得懂的片断，似乎全是有关外世界的事迹，我找不到任何有关地球的记载。”
崔维兹苦涩地说：“没有，不会有的。就像川陀一样，这个世界上的地球资料已清除殆尽——把这东西关掉吧。”
“可是没有关系……”裴洛拉特一面说，一面关掉阅读机。
“因为我们可以去别的图书馆碰碰运气？别的地方也被清干净了，每个地方都一样。你可知道——”崔维兹说话时一直望着裴洛拉特，现在却突然瞪大眼睛，脸上露出惊恶交集的表情。“你的面板是怎么回事？”他问道。
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裴洛拉特自然而然举起戴着手套的手，摸了摸自己的面板，又将那只手伸到眼前。
“这是什么东西？”他的声音充满困惑。然后，他望着崔维兹，大惊小敝地叫道：“你的面板上也有些奇怪的东西，葛兰。”
崔维兹第一个反应就是想找面镜子照一照，可是附近根本找不到，即使真的有，也还需要一盏灯光。他喃喃说道：“到有阳光的地方去，好吗？”
崔维兹半推半拉着裴洛拉特，来到最近的一扇窗户旁，两人置身在一束阳光下。虽然太空衣有良好的绝热效果，他的背部仍能感到阳光的热度。
他说：“面对着太阳，詹诺夫，把眼睛闭上。”
他立刻看出裴洛拉特的面板出了什么问题。在玻璃面板与金属化太空衣的接合处，正繁殖着茂密的苔藓，以致面板周围多了一圈绿色的绒毛。崔维兹明白，自己的情形也完全一样。
他用带着手套的一根手指头，在裴洛拉特的面板四周刮了一下，苔藓随即掉落一些，绿色的碎层都沾在他的手套上。崔维兹将它们摊在阳光下，看得出它们虽然闪闪发后，却似乎很快就变硬变干。他又试了一次，这回苔藓变得又干又脆，一碰就掉，而且渐渐转为褐色。于是，他开始用力擦拭裴洛拉特的面板周围。
“也帮我这样做，詹诺夫。”一会儿之后，他又问道：“我看来干净了吗？很好，你也一样。我们走吧，我认为这里没有再待下去的必要。”
在这个没有空气的废城里，太阳的热度已经使人难以忍受。石造建筑物映着后闪闪的光芒，几乎会刺痛人的眼睛。崔维兹眯起眼来才敢逼视那些建筑，而且尽可能走在街道有阴影的一侧。他在某个建筑物正面的一道裂缝前停下脚步，那道裂缝相当宽，足以让他带着手套的小指伸进去。他把手指伸进去，再抽回来一看，喃喃说道：“苔藓。”
然后，他刻意走到阴影的尽头，将沾着苔藓的小指伸出来，在阳光下曝晒了一会儿。
他说：“二氧化碳是个关键，能得到二氧化碳的地方——腐朽的岩石也好，任何地方都好——它们都有办法生长。我们会产生大量的二氧化碳，你知道，也许还是这颗垂死行星上最丰富的二氧化碳源。我想，这种气体有少部分从面板边缘漏了出去。”
“所以苔藓会在那里生长。”
“对。”
返回太空艇的路途似乎很长，比黎明时分所走的那段路长得多，当然也炎热许多。不过当他们到达太空艇后，发现它仍处于阴影之下，这一点，崔维兹的计算至少是正确的。
裴洛拉特说：“你看！”
崔维兹看到了，主闸门边缘围着一圈绿色的苔藓。
“那里也在漏？”袭洛拉特问。
“当然啦。我确定只有一点点，不过这种苔藓似乎是微量二氧化碳的最佳指标，我从未听过有什么仪器比它们更灵敏。它们的孢子一定无所不在，哪怕只有几个二氧化碳分子的地方，那些孢子也会萌芽。”他将无线电调整到太空艇用的波长，又说：“宝绮思，你能听到吗？”
宝绮思的声音在他们两人耳中响起。“可以，你们准备进来了吗？有什么收获吗？”
“我们就在外面。”崔维兹说：“可是千万别打开气闸，我们会由外面开启。着复一遍，千万别打开气闸。”
“为什么？”
“宝绮思，你先照我的话做，好不好？等一下我们可以好好讨论。”
崔维兹拔出手铣，仔细地将强度调到最低，然后瞪着这柄武器，显得犹豫不决，因为他从未用过最低强度。他环顾四周，却找不到较脆弱的物体当试验品。
在无可奈何的情况下，他将手铣瞄准旁边的岩质山丘，远星号便是栖息在那山丘的阴影下——结果目标并未变得红热。他很自然地摸了摸射中的部位——有温热的感觉吗？由于穿着绝热质料的太空衣，他一点也无法确定。
他又迟疑了一下，然后想到，太空艇外壳的抗热能力，无论如何应与山丘处于同一数量级。于是他将手铣对准闸门外缘，很快按了一下扳机，同时屏住了气息。
几公分范围内的苔藓类植物，立坑诩变成黄褐色。他抬手在变色的苔藓附近挥了一下，稀薄的空气中便产生一丝微风，但即使是一丝微风，也足以将这些焦黄的残渣吹得四散纷飞。
“有效吗？”裴洛拉特焦切地问道。
“的确有效，”崔维兹说：“我将手铣调成低能量的热线。”
他开始沿着气闸周围喷洒热线，那些鲜绿的附着物随即变色，再也不见一丝绿意。然后他敲了敲主闸门，将残留的附着物震下，一团褐色的灰尘便飘落地面——由于这团灰尘实在太细，被微量的气体一托，还在稀薄的空气中飘荡许久。
“我想现在可以打开闸门了。”崔维兹说完，便用手腕上的控制器拍出一组无线电波密码，从太空艇内部启动开启机制，闸门随即出现一道隙缝。等到闸门打开一半时，崔维兹说：“不要浪费时间，詹诺夫，赶快进去——别等踏板了，爬进去吧。”
崔维兹自己紧跟在后，还一直用调低强度的手铣喷着闸门边缘，随后放下的踏板也依样消毒一遍。然后他才发出关闭闸门的讯号，同时继续喷洒热线，直到闸门完全关闭为止。
崔维兹说：“我们已经进了气闸，宝绮思。我们会在这里待几分钟，你还是什么都别做！”
宝绮思的声音传了过来。“给我一点提示，你们都还好吗？裴怎么样？”
裴洛拉特说：“我在这里，宝绮思，而且好得很，没什么好担心的。”
“你这么说就好，裴，可是待会儿一定要有个解释，我希望你了解这一点。”
“一言为定。”崔维兹说着打开气闸中的灯光。
两个穿着太空衣的人面对面站着。
崔维兹说道：“我们要将这个行星的空气尽量抽出去，所以我们得耐心等一会儿。”
“太空船的空气呢？要不要放进来？”
“暂时不要。我跟你一样急着挣脱这套太空衣，詹诺夫。但我先要确定我们完全排除了跟我们一块进来，或是黏在我们身上的孢子。”
藉着气闸灯光差强人意的照明作用，崔维兹将手铣对准闸门与艇体的内侧接缝，很有规律地先沿着地板喷洒热线，然后向上走，绕了一圈后又回到地板。
“现在轮到你了，詹诺夫。”
裴洛拉特不安地扭动了一下，崔维兹又说：“你大概会感到有点热，但应该不会有更糟的感觉。如果你开始觉得不舒服，说一声就行了。”
他将不可见的光束对准裴洛拉特的面板喷洒，尤其是边缘部分，然后一步步扩及太空衣其他部分。
“抬起两只手臂，詹诺夫。”他喃喃地发号施令，接着又说：“把双臂放到我的肩膀上广抬起一条腿来，我必须清理你的鞋底。现在换另一只脚——你觉得太热吗？”
裴洛拉特说：“不怎么像沐浴在凉风中，葛兰。”
“好啦，现在让我尝尝自己的处方是什么滋味，帮我全身也喷一喷。”
“我从来没拿过手铣。”
“你一定要拿住，像这样抓紧，用你的拇指按这个小按钮——同时用力压紧皮套，对，就是这样。现在对着我的面板喷，不停地慢慢移动，詹诺夫，别在一处停留太久。再对着头盔其他部分喷，然后往下走，对准面颊和颈部。”
崔维兹不断下着命令，当他全身都被喷得热呼呼，出了一身又黏又腻的汗水之后，他才将手铣收回来，检查了一下能量指标。
“已经用掉一大半。”说完，他开始很有系统地喷洒气闸内部，每面舱壁都来回喷了好几遍。直到手铣电力用罄，而且由于迅速持久的放电变得烫手，他才将手铣收回皮套中。
此时，他才发出进入太空艇的讯号。内门打开时，立刻传来一阵嘶嘶声，空气随即涌入气闸，令他精神为之一振。空气的清凉以及对流的作用，能将太空衣的热量急速带走，效率比单纯的辐射高出许多倍。他的确马上感到冷却效果，也许那只是一种想像，然而不论想像与否，他都十分欢迎这种感觉。
“脱掉你的太空衣，詹诺夫，把它留在气闸里面。”崔维兹说。
“如果你不介意的话，”裴洛拉特说：“我想做的第一件事，就是好好冲一个澡。”
“那不是第一优先。事实上，在此之前，甚至在你抒解膀胱压力之前，恐怕你得先跟宝绮思谈一谈。”
宝绮思当然在等待他们，脸上流露出关切的神情。菲龙则躲在她后面探头探脑，双手紧紧抓住宝绮思的左臂。
“发生了什么事？”宝绮思以严厉的口吻问道：“你们到底在做什么？”
“为了预防传染病，”崔维兹以讽刺的口吻答道。“所以我要打开紫外辐射灯。取出墨镜戴上，请勿耽搁时间。”
等到紫外线加入壁光之后，崔维兹将湿透的衣服一件件脱下来，每件都用力甩了甩，还拿在手中翻来覆去转了半天。
“只是为了预防万一，”他说：“你也这样做，詹诺夫——还有，宝绮思，我全身都得剥个精光，如果那会让你不自在，请到隔壁舱房去。”
宝绮思说：“我既不会不自在，也绝不会尴尬。你的模样我心里完全有数，我当然不会看到什么新鲜东西——是什么样的传染病？”
“只是些小东西，但如果任其自由发展的话，”崔维兹故意用轻描淡写的语气说：“会给人类带来极大的灾害，我这么想。”
68
一切终于告一段落，紫外辐射灯也已功成身退。当初在端点星，崔维兹首度踏上远星号的时候，太空艇中就备有许多操作说明与指导手册，根据这些录成胶卷的复杂说明，紫外辐射灯的用途正是消毒杀菌。不过崔维兹想到，如果乘客来自流行日光浴的世界，这种装置会构成一种诱惑，让人想用它将皮肤晒成时髦的古铜色，而且想必有人会这么做。不过无论如何使用，这种光线总是具有消毒杀菌的效果。
此时太空艇已进入太空，崔维兹尽量朝梅尔波美尼亚的太阳接近，在不使大家感到难过的前提下，让太空艇在半空翻腾扭转，以确定外壳全部受到紫外线的充分照射。
最后，他们才将弃置在气闸中的两套太空衣救回来，并且做了详细检查，直到连崔维兹都满意为止。　　．“如此大费周章，”宝绮思终于忍不住说道：“只是为了苔藓。你是不是这么说的，崔维兹？苔藓？”
“我管它们叫苔藓，”崔维兹说：“是因为它们使我联想到那种植物。然而，我并不是植物学家。我所能做的描述，只是它们的绿色鲜艳异常，也许能藉着非常少的光能生存。”
“为什么是非常少的光能？”
“那些苔藓对紫外线极敏感，不能在阳光直射的场所生长，甚至无法存活。它们的孢子散布各处，而在阴暗的角落、雕像的裂缝中、建筑物的基部表面，只要是有二氧化碳的地方，它们都能生长繁殖，靠着散射光子携带的能量维生。”
宝绮思说：“我觉得你认为它们有危险。”
“很有可能。假如我们进来的时候，有些孢子附着在我们身上，或者被我们卷进来，它们会发现这里的光线充足，又不含有害的紫外线，此外还有大量水分，以及源源不绝的二氧化碳。”
“我们空气中的二氧化碳含量，只有百分之零点零三。”宝绮思说。
“对它们而言太丰富了——我们呼出的空气则含有百分之四。万一孢子在我们鼻孔或皮肤生长呢？万一它们分解破坏我们的食物呢？万一它们制造出致命的毒素呢？即使我们千辛万苦将它们消灭，只要还有少数孢子存活，被我们带到另一颗行星后，它们也足以长满那个世界，再从那里转移到其他世界。谁知道它们会造成多大灾害？”
宝绮思摇了摇头。“一种不同形式的生命，不一定就代表有危险，你太轻易杀生了。”
“这是盖娅说的话。”崔维兹说。
“当然是，但我希望你认为我说得有理。那些苔藓刚好适应这个世界的环境，正因为少量的光线对它们有利，大量的光线却会杀死它们：同理，它们能利用偶尔飘来的几丝二氧化碳，但太多也许就缓箢它们死亡。所以说，可能除了梅尔波美尼亚之外，它们无法在其他世界生存。”
“你要我在这件事上赌运气吗？”崔维兹追问。
宝绮思耸了耸肩。“好啦，别生气，你的立场我明白。身为孤立体，你除了那样做，也许根本没有其他选择。”
崔维兹正想回嘴，可是菲龙清脆、高亢的声音突然插进来，说的竟是她自己的语言。
崔维兹问裴洛拉特：“她在说些什么？”
裴洛拉特答道：“菲龙说的是……”
然而，菲龙仿佛这才想起她的母语不容易懂，遂改口说：“你们在那里有没有看到健比在那里？”
她的发音咬字十分仔细，宝绮思高兴得露出微笑。“她的银河标准语是不是说得很好？几乎没花什么时间学。”
崔维兹低声道：“要是由我讲会越讲越糊涂，还是你跟她解释吧，宝绮思，说我们没在那颗行星上发现机器人。”
“我来解释，”裴洛拉特说：“来吧，菲龙。”他用一只手臂温柔地搂住那孩子的肩头，“到我们的舱房来，我拿另一本书给你看。”
“书？关于健比的吗？”
“不能算是……”舱门便在他们身后关上了。
“你可知道，”崔维兹一面不耐烦地目送他们的背影，一面说：“我们扮演这孩子的保姆，简直是在浪费时间。”
“浪费时间？这样做哪里妨碍到你寻找地球了，崔维兹？完全没有。反之，扮演保母可以建立沟通管道，减轻她的恐惧，带给她关爱，这些成就难道一点都不值得吗？”
“这又是盖娅说的话。”
“没错。”宝绮思说：“那么让我们谈点实际的。我们造访了三个古老的外世界，结果一无所获。”
崔维兹点了点头。“十分正确。”
“事实上，我们发现每个世界都相当凶险，对不对？在奥罗拉上有凶猛的野狗；在索拉利上有怪异危险的人类：而在梅尔波美尼亚上，则存在着具有潜在威胁的苔藓。这显然代表说，一个世界一旦孤立起来，不论上面有没有人类，都会对星际社会构成威胁。”
“你不能将这点视为通则。”
“三次全都应验，由不得你不信。”
“你相信的又是什么呢，宝绮思？”
“我会告诉你，但请敞开胸怀听我说。如果银河中有数千万个互动的世界，当然这也是实际情形；每一个都由孤立体组成，事实上也正是如此，那么在每个世界上，人类都居于主宰的地位，能将他们的意志加在非人生命型态上、加在无生命的地理环境上，甚至加诸彼此身上。所以说，这种银河其实就是个非常原始、笨拙，而且功能不当的盖娅星系，是个联合体的雏型。你明白我的意思吗？”
“我的白你想要说什么。但这不表示当你说完之后，我会同意你说的话。”
“只要你愿意听就奸，同下同意随你高兴，但是请注意听。原始盖哑星系是唯一能运作的银河，银河越是远离原始型态、越是接近盖娅星系就越好。银河帝国是个强势原始盖娅星系的尝试，在它分崩离析后，时局便开始迅速恶化。后来，又不断有人企图强化原始盖娅星系，基地联邦就是一个例子。此外骡的帝国也是，第二基地计划中的帝国也是。但纵使没有这些帝国或联邦，纵使整个银河陷入动乱，那也是连成一气的动乱；每个世界都和其他世界保持互动，即使只是满怀敌意的互动。这样子的银河，本身还是个联合体，因此不是最坏的情况。”
“那么，什么才是最坏的情况？”
“你自己知道答案是什么，崔维兹，你已经亲眼目睹。如果一个住人世界完全解体，居民成了真正的孤立体，又如果它和其他人类世界失去一切互动，它就会朝向——恶性发展。”
“像癌一样？”
“没错，索拉利不就是现成的例子吗？它和所有的世界对立。而在那个世界上，所有的人也都处于对立状态，你全都看到了。假如人类完全消失，最后一点纪律也会荡然无存，互相对立的情势将变得毫无章法，就像那些野狗；或者只剩下天然的力量，就像那些苔藓。我想你懂了吧，我们越接近盖娅星系，社会就越美好。所以，为何要在尚未达到盖娅星系的时候，就半途而废呢？”
崔维兹默默瞪着宝绮思，好一会儿才说：“这的确是个好问题。可是，你为什么假设药量和药效永远成正比；如果用一点有好处，多量便会更好，全部服下则最好？你自己不也指出，那些苔藓或许只能适应微量的二氧化碳，过多的话就会致死吗？一个身高两公尺的人比一公尺高的人有利，可是同样比三公尺高的人要好。如果一只老鼠膨胀成像只大象，对它一点益处都没有，那样它根本活下下去；同理，大象缩成老鼠的大小也一样糟糕。”
“每样东西，大至恒星小至原子，都有一个自然的尺度、自然的复杂度，以及某种最佳的特质，而生物与活生生的社会也必定如此。我不是说旧银河帝国合乎理想，我当然也看得出基地联邦的缺陷，可是我不会因此就说：由于完全孤立不好，完全统一便是好的。这两种极端也许同样可怕，而旧式银河帝国不论多么不完美，却可能是我们能力的极限。”
宝绮思摇了摇头。“我怀疑你自己都不相信自己的话，崔维兹。你是不是想要辩称，既然病毒和人类同样无法令人满意，你就希望锁定某种介于其间的生物——例如黏菌？”　　，“不，但我或许可以辩称，既然病毒和超人同样无法令人满意，我就希望锁定某种介于其间的生物——例如凡夫俗子。不过我们根本没有争论的必要，等我找到地球之后，我就能得到解答。在梅尔波美尼亚，我们发现了其他四十七个外世界的坐标。”
“你全部会去造访？”
“每个都要去，如果非这样不可。”
“到每个世界去冒险？”
“是的，如果只有那样才能找到地球。”
裴洛拉特早已回来，将菲龙一个人留在他的舱房。他似乎有话要说，却夹在宝绮思与崔维兹的快速舌战中无法开口。当双方你来我往的时候，他只好轮流对着两人干瞪眼。
“那得花多少时间？”宝绮思问。
“不论得花多少时间。”崔维兹说：“但我们也许在下一站就能找到所需的线索。”
“或者全都徒劳无功。”
“那要等全部找完才知道。”
此时，裴洛拉特终于逮到机会插一句嘴。“何必找呢，葛兰？我们已经有答案了。”
崔维兹原本朝裴洛拉特不耐烦地挥了挥手，挥到一半突然打住，转过头来茫然问道：“什么？”
“我说我们已经有答案了。在梅尔波美尼亚上我就一直想告诉你，我至少试了五次，你却过于专注手头的工作……”
“我们有了什么答案？你到底在说些什么？”
“地球啊，我想我们已经知道地球在哪里了。”

Chapter 14: Dead Planet
60Trevize felt depressed. What few victories he had hadsince the search began had never been definitive; they had merely beenthe temporary staving off of defeat.
Now he had delayed the Jump to the third of the Spacer worlds tillhe had spread his unease to the others. When he finally decided that hesimply must tell the computer to move the ship through hyperspace, Peloratwas standing solemnly in the doorway to the pilot-room, and Bliss wasjust behind him and to one side. Even Fallom was standing there, gazingat Trevize owlishly, while one hand gripped Bliss's hand tightly.
Trevize had looked up from the computer and had said, ratherchurlishly, "Quite the family group!" but that was only his own discomfortspeaking.
He instructed the computer to Jump in such a way as to reenter spaceat a further distance from the star in question than was absolutelynecessary. He told himself that that was because he was learningcaution as a result of events on the first two Spacer worlds, but hedidn't believe that. Well underneath, he knew, he was hoping that hewould arrive in space at a great enough distance from the star to beuncertain as to whether it did or did not have a habitable planet. Thatwould give him a few more days of in-space travel before he could findout, and (perhaps) have to stare bitter defeat in the face.
So now, with the "family group" watching, he drew a deep breath,held it, then expelled it in a between-the-lips whistle as he gave thecomputer its final instruction.
The star-pattern shifted in a silent discontinuity and the viewscreenbecame barer, for he had been taken into a region in which the starswere somewhat sparser. And there, nearly in the center, was a brightlygleaming star.
Trevize grinned broadly, for this was a victory of sorts. After all,the third set of co-ordinates might have been wrong and there might havebeen no appropriate G-type star in sight. He glanced toward the otherthree, and said, "That's it. Star number three.""Are you sure?" asked Bliss softly.
"Watch!" said Trevize. "I will switch to the equi-centered view inthe computer's Galactic map, and if that bright star disappears, it'snot recorded on the map, and it's the one we want."The computer responded to his command, and the star blinked outwithout any prior dimming. It was as though it had never been, but therest of the starfield remained as it was, in sublime indifference.
"We've got it," said Trevize.
And yet he sent the Far Star forward at little more than halfthe speed he might easily have maintained. There was still the questionof the presence or absence of a habitable planet, and he was in no hurryto find out. Even after three days of approach, there was still nothingto be said about that, either way.
Or, perhaps, not quite nothing. Circling the star was a large gasgiant. It was very far from its star and it gleamed a very pale yellowon its daylight side, which they could see, from their position, as athick crescent.
Trevize did not like its looks, but he tried not to show it and spokeas matter-of-factly as a guidebook. "There's a big gas giant out there,"he said. "It's rather spectacular. It has a thin pair of rings and twosizable satellites that can be made out at the moment."Bliss said, "Most systems include gas giants, don't they?""Yes, but this is a rather large one. Judging from the distance ofits satellites, and their periods of revolution, that gas giant is almosttwo thousand times as massive as a habitable planet would be.""What's the difference?" said Bliss. "Gas giants are gas giants andit doesn't matter what size they are, does it? They're always present atgreat distances from the star they circle, and none of them are habitable,thanks to their size and distance. We just have to look closer to thestar for a habitable planet."Trevize hesitated, then decided to place the facts on the table. "Thething is," he said, "that gas giants tend to sweep a volume of planetaryspace clean. What material they don't absorb into their own structureswill coalesce into fairly large bodies that come to make up theirsatellite system. They prevent other coalescences at even a considerabledistance from themselves, so that the larger the gas giant, the morelikely it is to be the only sizable planet of a particular star. There'lljust be the gas giant and asteroids.""You mean there is no habitable planet here?""The larger the gas giant, the smaller the chance of a habitableplanet and that gas giant is so massive it is virtually a dwarf star."Pelorat said, "May we see it?"All three now stared at the screen (Fallom was in Bliss's room withthe books).
The view was magnified till the crescent filled the screen. Crossingthat crescent a distance above center was a thin dark line, the shadowof the ring system which could itself be seen a small distance beyondthe planetary surface as a gleaming curve that stretched into the darkside a short distance before it entered the shadow itself.
Trevize said, "The planet's axis of rotation is inclined aboutthirty-five degrees to its plane of revolution, and its ring is in theplanetary equatorial plane, of course, so that the star's light comesin from below, at this point in its orbit, and casts the ring's shadowwell above the equator."Pelorat watched raptly. "Those are thin rings.""Rather above average size, actually," said Trevize.
"According to legend, the rings that circle a gas giant in Earth'splanetary system are much wider, brighter, and more elaborate than thisone. The rings actually dwarf the gas giant by comparison.""I'm not surprised," said Trevize. "When a story is handed on fromperson to person for thousands of years, do you suppose it shrinks inthe telling?"Bliss said, "It's beautiful. If you watch the crescent, it seems towrithe and wriggle before your eyes.""Atmospheric storms," said Trevize. "You can generally see that moreclearly if you choose an appropriate wavelength of light. Here, let metry." He placed his hands on the desk and ordered the computer to workits way through the spectrum and stop at the appropriate wavelength.
The mildly lit crescent went into a wilderness of color that shiftedso rapidly it almost dazed the eyes that tried to follow. Finally,it settled into a red-orange, and, within the crescent, clear spiralsdrifted, coiling and uncoiling as they moved.
"Unbelievable," muttered Pelorat.
"Delightful," said Bliss.
Quite believable, thought Trevize bitterly, and anything butdelightful. Neither Pelorat nor Bliss, lost in the beauty, bothered tothink that the planet they admired lowered the chances of solving themystery Trevize was trying to unravel. But, then, why should they? Bothwere satisfied that Trevize's decision had been correct, and theyaccompanied him in his search for certainty without an emotional bondto it. It was useless to blame them for that.
He said, "The dark side seems dark, but if our eyes were sensitive tothe range just a little beyond the usual long-wave limit, we would seeit as a dull, deep, angry red. The planet is pouring infrared radiationout into space in great quantities because it is massive enough to bealmost red-hot. It's more than a gas giant; it's a sub-star."He waited a little longer and then said, "And now let's put that objectout of our mind and look for the habitable planet that may exist.""Perhaps it does," said Pelorat, smiling. "Don't give up, oldfellow.""I haven't given up," said Trevize, without true conviction. "Theformation of planets is too complicated a matter for rules to be hardand fast. We speak only of probabilities. With that monster out in space,the probabilities decrease, but not to zero."Bliss said, "Why don't you think of it this way? Since the first twosets of co-ordinates each gave you a habitable planet of the Spacers, thenthis third set, which has already given you an appropriate star, shouldgive you a habitable planet as well. Why speak of probabilities?""I certainly hope you're right," said Trevize, who did not feel atall consoled. "Now we will shoot out of the planetary plane and in towardthe star."The computer took care of that almost as soon as he had spoken hisintention. He sat back in his pilot's chair and decided, once again,that the one evil of piloting a gravitic ship with a computer so advancedwas that one could never never  pilot any othertype of ship again.
Could he ever again bear to do the calculations himself? Could he bearto have to take acceleration into account, and limit it to a reasonablelevel? In all likelihood, he would forget and pour on the energytill he and everyone on board were smashed against one interior wallor another.
Well, then, he would continue to pilot this one ship oranother exactly like it, if he could even bear to make so much of achange always.
And because he wanted to keep his mind off the question of thehabitable planet, yes or no, he mused on the fact that he had directedthe ship to move above the plane, rather than below. Barring anydefinite reason to go below a plane, pilots almost always chose to goabove. Why?
For that matter, why be so intent on considering one directionabove and the other below? In the symmetry of space that was pureconvention.
Just the same, he was always aware of the direction in which anyplanet under observation rotated about its axis and revolved about itsstar. When both were counterclockwise, then the direction of one's raisedarm was north, and the direction of one's feet was south. And throughoutthe Galaxy, north was pictured as above and south as below.
It was pure convention, dating back into the primeval mists, and itwas followed slavishly. If one looked at a familiar map with south above,one didn't recognize it. It had to be turned about to make sense. Andall things being equal, one turned north and "above."Trevize thought of a battle fought by Bel Riose, the Imperialgeneral of three centuries before, who had veered his squadron below theplanetary plane at a crucial moment, and caught a squadron of vessels,waiting and unprepared. There were complaints that it had been an unfairmaneuver by the losers, of course.
A convention, so powerful and so primordially old, must have startedon Earth and that brought Trevize's mind, with a jerk, back tothe question of the habitable planet.
Pelorat and Bliss continued to watch the gas giant as it slowlyturned on the viewscreen in a slow, slow back-somersault. The sunlitportion spread and, as Trevize kept its spectrum fixed in the orange-redwavelengths, the storm-writhing of its surface became ever madder andmore hypnotic.
Then Fallom came wandering in and Bliss decided it must take a napand that so must she.
Trevize said to Pelorat, who remained, "I have to let go of the gasgiant, Janov. I want to have the computer concentrate on the search fora gravitational blip of the right size.""Of course, old fellow," said Pelorat.
But it was more complicated than that. It was not just a blip of theright size that the computer had to search for, it was one of the rightsize and at the right distance. It would still be several days beforehe could be sure.
61Trevize walked into his room, grave, solemn indeedsomber and started perceptibly.
Bliss was waiting for him and immediately next to her was Fallom,with its loincloth and robe bearing the unmistakable fresh odor ofsteaming and vacupressing. The youngster looked better in that than inone of Bliss's foreshortened nightgowns.
Bliss said, "I didn't want to disturb you at the computer, but nowlisten. Go on, Fallom."Fallom said, in its high-pitched musical voice, "I greetyou, Protector Trevize. It is with great pleasure that I amap ad accompanying you on this ship through space. I am happy,too, for the kindness of my friends, Bliss and Pel."Fallom finished and smiled prettily, and once again Trevize thoughtto himself: Do I think of it as a boy or as a girl or as both or asneither?
He nodded his head. "Very well memorized. Almost perfectlypronounced.""Not at all memorized," said Bliss warmly. "Fallom composed thisitself and asked if it would be possible to recite it to you. I didn'teven know what Fallom would say till I heard it said."Trevize forced a smile, "In that case, very good indeed." He noticedBliss avoided pronouns when she could.
Bliss turned to Fallom and said, "I told you Trevize would likeit. Now go to Pel and you can have some more reading if youwish."Fallom ran off, and Bliss said, "It's really astonishing how quicklyFallom is picking up Galactic. The Solarians must have a special aptitudefor languages. Think how Bander spoke Galactic merely from hearing iton hyperspatial communications. Those brains may be remarkable in waysother than energy transduction."Trevize grunted.
Bliss said, "Don't tell me you still don't like Fallom.""I neither like nor dislike. The creature simply makes me uneasy. Forone thing, it's a grisly feeling to be dealing with a hermaphrodite."Bliss said, "Come, Trevize, that's ridiculous. Fallom is a perfectlyacceptable living creature. To a society of hermaphrodites, think howdisgusting you and I must seem males and females generally. Eachis half of a whole and, in order to reproduce, there must be a temporaryand clumsy union.""Do you object to that, Bliss?""Don't pretend to misunderstand. I am trying to view us from thehermaphroditic standpoint. To them, it must seem repellent in the extreme;to us, it seems natural. So Fallom seems repellent to you, but that'sjust a shortsighted parochial reaction.""Frankly," said Trevize, "it's annoying not to know the pronoun touse in connection with the creature. It impedes thought and conversationto hesitate forever at the pronoun.""But that's the fault of our language," said Bliss, "and notof Fallom. No human language has been devised with hermaphroditismin mind. And I'm glad you brought it up, because I've been thinkingabout it myself. Saying `it,' as Bander itself insisted on doing,is no solution. That is a pronoun intended for objects to which sex isirrelevant, and there is no pronoun at all for objects that are sexuallyactive in both senses. Why not just pick one of the pronouns arbitrarily,then? I think of Fallom as a girl. She has the high voice of one, forone thing, and she has the capacity of producing young, which is thevital definition of femininity. Pelorat has agreed; why don't you do so,too? Let it be `she' and `her.'"Trevize shrugged. "Very well. It will sound peculiar to point outthat she has testicles, but very well."Bliss sighed. "You do have this annoying habit of trying to turneverything into a joke, but I know you are under tension and I'll makeallowance for that. Just use the feminine pronoun for Fallom, please.""I will." Trevize hesitated, then, unable to resist, said, "Fallomseems more your surrogate-child every time I see you together. Is itthat you want a child and don't think Janov can give you one?"Bliss's eyes opened wide. "He's not there for children! Do you thinkI use him as a handy device to help me have a child? It is not time forme to have a child, in any case. And when it is time, it will have tobe a Gaian child, something for which Pel doesn't qualify.""You mean Janov will have to be discarded?""Not at all. A temporary diversion, only. It might even be broughtabout by artificial insemination.""I presume you can only have a child when Gaia's decision is thatone is necessary; when there is a gap produced by the death of analready-existing Gaian human fragment.""That is an unfeeling way of putting it, but it is true enough. Gaiamust be well proportioned in all its parts and relationships.""As in the case of the Solarians."Bliss's lips pressed together and her face grew a little white. "Notat all. The Solarians produce more than they need and destroy theexcess. We produce just what we need and there is never a necessity ofdestroying as you replace the dying outer layers of your skin byjust enough new growth for renewal and by not one cell more.""I see what you mean," said Trevize. "I hope, by the way, that youare considering Janov's feelings.""In connection with a possible child for me? That has never come upfor discussion; nor will it.""No, I don't mean that. It strikes me you are becoming moreand more interested in Fallom. Janov may feel neglected.""He's not neglected, and he is as interested in Fallom as I am. Sheis another point of mutual involvement that draws us even closertogether. Can it be that you are the one who feelsneglected?"" I ?" He was genuinely surprised.
"Yes, you. I don't understand Isolates any more than you understandGaia, but I have a feeling that you enjoy being the central point ofattention on this ship, and you may feel cut out by Fallom.""That's foolish.""No more foolish than your suggestion that I am neglecting Pel.""Then let's declare a truce and stop. I'll try to view Fallom as agirl, and I shall not worry excessively about you being inconsiderateof Janov's feelings."Bliss smiled. "Thank you. All is well, then."Trevize turned away, and Bliss then said, "Wait!"Trevize turned back and said, just a bit wearily, "Yes?""It's quite clear to me, Trevize, that you're sad and depressed. I amnot going to probe your mind, but you might be willing to tell me what'swrong. Yesterday, you said there was an appropriate planet in this systemand you seemed quite pleased. It's still there, I hope. The findinghasn't turned out to be mistaken, has it?""There's an appropriate planet in the system, and it's still there,"said Trevize.
"Is it the right size?"Trevize nodded. "Since it's appropriate, it's of the right size. Andit's at the right distance from the star as well.""Well, then, what's wrong?""We're close enough now to analyze the atmosphere. It turns out thatit has none to speak of.""No atmosphere?""None to speak of. It's a nonhabitable planet, and there is no othercircling the sun that has even the remotest capacity for habitability. Wehave come up with zero on this third attempt."62Pelorat, looking grave, was clearly unwilling to intrudeon Trevize's unhappy silence. He watched from the door of the pilot-room,apparently hoping that Trevize would initiate a conversation.
Trevize did not. If ever a silence seemed stubborn, his did.
And finally, Pelorat could stand it no longer, and said, in a rathertimid way, "What are we doing?"Trevize looked up, stared at Pelorat for a moment, turned away,and then said, "We're zeroing in on the planet.""But since there's no atmosphere ""The computer says there's no atmosphere. Till now,it's always told me what I've wanted to hear and I've accepted it. Nowit has told me something I don't want to hear, and I'mgoing to check it. If the computer is ever going to be wrong, this isthe time I want it to be wrong.""Do you think it's wrong?""No; I don't.""Can you think of any reason that might make it wrong?""No, I can't.""Then why are you bothering, Golan?"And Trevize finally wheeled in his seat to face Pelorat, his facetwisted in near-despair, and said, "Don't you see, Janov, that I can'tthink of anything else to do? We drew blanks on the first two worlds asfar as Earth's location is concerned, and now this world is a blank. Whatdo I do now? Wander from world to world, and peer about and say, `Pardonme. Where's Earth?' Earth has covered its tracks too well. Nowhere hasit left any hint. I'm beginning to think that it will see to it thatwe're incapable of picking up a hint even if one exists."Pelorat nodded, and said, "I've been thinking along those linesmyself. Do you mind if we discuss it? I know you're unhappy, old chap,and don't want to talk, so if you want me to leave you alone, I will.""Go ahead, discuss it," said Trevize, with something that wasremarkably like a groan. "What have I got better to do than listen?"Pelorat said, "That doesn't sound as though you really want me to talk,but perhaps it will do us good. Please stop me at any time if you decideyou can stand it no longer. It seems to me, Golan, that Earth neednot take only passive and negative measures to hide itself. It need notmerely wipe out references to itself. Might it not plant false evidenceand work actively for obscurity in that fashion?""How do you mean?""Well, we've heard of Earth's radioactivity in several places,and that sort of thing would be designed to make anyone break off anyattempt to locate it. If it were truly radioactive, it would be totallyunapproachable. In all likelihood, we would not even be able to setfoot on it. Even robot explorers, if we had any, might not survivethe radiation. So why look? And if it is not radioactive, it remainsinviolate, except for accidental approach, and even then it might haveother means of masking itself."Trevize managed a smile. "Oddly enough, Janov, that thought hasoccurred to me. It has even occurred to me that that improbable giantsatellite has been invented and planted in the world's legends. As forthe gas giant with the monstrous ring system, that is equally improbableand may be equally planted. It is all designed, perhaps, to have uslook for something that doesn't exist, so that we go right through thecorrect planetary system, staring at Earth and dismissing it because,in actual fact, it lacks a large satellite or a triple-ringed cousin ora radioactive crust. We don't recognize it, therefore, and don't dreamwe are looking at it. I imagine worse, too."Pelorat looked downcast. "How can there be worse?""Easily when your mind gets sick in the middle of the night andbegins searching the vast realm of fantasy for anything that can deependespair. What if Earth's ability to hide is ultimate? What if our mindscan be clouded? What if we can move right past Earth, with its giantsatellite and with its distant ringed gas giant, and never see any ofit? What if we have already done so?""But if you believe that, why are we ?""I don't say I believe that. I'm talking about mad fancies. We'llkeep on looking."Pelorat hesitated, then said, "For how long, Trevize? At some point,surely, we'll have to give up.""Never," said Trevize fiercely. "If I have to spend the rest of mylife going from planet to planet and peering about and saying, `Please,sir, where's Earth?' then that's what I'll do. At any time, I can takeyou and Bliss and even Fallom, if you wish, back to Gaia and then takeof on my own.""Oh no. You know I won't leave you, Golan, and neither willBliss. We'll go planet-hopping with you, if we must. But why?""Because I must find Earth, and because I will. I don'tknow how, but I will. Now, look, I'm trying to reach a positionwhere I can study the sunlit aide of the planet Without its suit beingtoo close, so just let me be for a while."Pelorat fell silent, but did not leave. He continued to watch whileTrevize studied the planetary image, more than half in daylight, on thescreen. To Pelorat, it seemed featureless, but he knew that Trevize,bound to the computer, saw it under enhanced circumstances.
Trevize whispered, "There's a haze.""Then there must be an atmosphere," blurted out Pelorat.
"Not necessarily much of one. Not enough to support life, butenough to support a thin wind that will raise dust. It's a well-knowncharacteristic of planets with thin atmospheres. There may even besmall polar ice caps. A little water-ice condensed at the poles, youknow. This world is too warm for solid carbon dioxide. I'll haveto switch to radar-mapping. And if I do that I can work more easily onthe nightside.""Really?""Yes. I should have tried it first, but with a virtually airlessand, therefore, cloudless planet, the attempt with visible light seemsso natural."Trevize was silent for a long time, while the viewscreen grew fuzzywith radar-reflections that produced almost the abstraction of a planet,something that an artist of the Cleonian period might have produced. Thenhe said, "Well " emphatically, holding the sound for a while,and was silent again.
Pelorat said, at last, "What's the `well' about?"Trevize looked at him briefly. "No craters that I can see.""No craters? Is that good?""Totally unexpected," said Trevize. His face broke into a grin,"And very good. In fact, possibly magnificent."63Fallom remained with her nose pressed against theship's porthole, where a small segment of the Universe was visible inthe precise form in which the eye saw it, without computer enlargementor enhancement.
Bliss, who had been trying to explain it all, sighed and said in a lowvoice to Pelorat, "I don't know how much she understands, Pel dear. Toher, her father's mansion and a small section of the estate it stoodupon was all the Universe. I don't think she was ever out at night,or ever saw the stars.""Do you really think so?""I really do. I didn't dare show her any part of it until she hadenough vocabulary to understand me just a little and how fortunateit was that you could speak with her in her own language.""The trouble is I'm not very good at it," said Peloratapologetically. "And the Universe is rather hard to grasp if you come atit suddenly. She said to me that if those little lights are giant worlds,each one just like Solaria they're much larger than Solaria, ofcourse that they couldn't hang in nothing. They ought to fall,she says.""And she's right, judging by what she knows. She asks sensiblequestions, and little by little, she'll understand. At least she'scurious and she's not frightened.""The thing is, Bliss, I'm curious, too. Look how Golan changed assoon as he found out there were no craters on the world we're headingfor. I haven't the slightest idea what difference that makes. Do you?""Not a bit. Still he knows much more planetology than we do. We canonly assume he knows what he's doing.""I wish I knew.""Well, ask him."Pelorat grimaced. "I'm always afraid I'll annoy him. I'm sure hethinks I ought to know these things without being told."Bliss said, "That's silly, Pel. He has no hesitation in asking youabout any aspect of the Galaxy's legends and myths which he thinks mightbe useful. You're always willing to answer and explain, so why shouldn'the be? You go ask him. If it annoys him, then he'll have a chance topractice sociability, and that will be good for him.""Will you come with me?""No, of course not. I want to stay with Fallom and continue to tryto get the concept of the Universe into her head. You can always explainit to me afterward once he explains it to you."64Pelorat entered the pilot-room diffidently. He wasdelighted to note that Trevize was whistling to himself and was clearlyin a good mood.
"Golan," he said, as brightly as he could.
Trevize looked up. "Janov! You're always tiptoeing in as thoughyou think it's against the law to disturb me. Close the door and sitdown. Sit down! Look at that thing."He pointed to the planet on the viewscreen, and said, "I haven'tfound more than two or three craters, each quite small.""Does that make a difference, Golan? Really?""A difference? Certainly. How can you ask?"Pelorat gestured helplessly. "It's all a mystery to me. I was ahistory major at college. I took sociology and psychology in addition tohistory, also languages and literature, mostly ancient, and specializedin mythology in graduate school. I never came near planetology, or anyof the physical sciences.""That's no crime, Janov. I'd rather you know what you know. Yourfacility in ancient languages and in mythology has been of enormous useto us. You know that. And when it comes to a matter of planetology,I'll take care of that."He went on, "You see, Janov, planets form through the smashingtogether of smaller objects. The last few objects to collide leave cratermarks. Potentially, that is. If the planet is large enough to be a gasgiant, it is essentially liquid under a gaseous atmosphere and the finalcollisions are just splashes and leave no marks.
"Smaller planets which are solid, whether icy or rocky, do showcrater marks, and these remain indefinitely unless an agency for removalexists. There are three types of removals.
"First, a world may have an icy surface overlying a liquid ocean. Inthat case, any colliding object breaks through the ice and splasheswater. Behind it the ice refreezes and heals the puncture, so tospeak. Such a planet, or satellite, would have to be cold, and wouldnot be what we would consider a habitable world.
"Second, if a planet is intensely active, volcanically, then aperpetual lava flow or ash fallout is forever filling in and obscuringany craters that form. However, such a planet or satellite is not likelyto be habitable either.
"That brings us to habitable worlds as a third case. Such worlds mayhave polar ice caps, but most of the ocean must be freely liquid. They mayhave active volcanoes, but these must be sparsely distributed. Such worldscan neither heal craters, nor fill them in. There are, however, erosioneffects. Wind and flowing water will erode craters, and if there is life,the actions of living things are strongly erosive as well. See?"Pelorat considered that, then said, "But, Golan, I don't understandyou at all. This planet we're approaching ""We'll be landing tomorrow," said Trevize cheerfully.
"This planet we're approaching doesn't have an ocean.""Only some thin polar ice caps.""Or much of an atmosphere.""Only a hundredth the density of the atmosphere on Terminus.""Or life.""Nothing I can detect.""Then what could have eroded away the craters?""An ocean, an atmosphere, and life," said Trevize. "Look, if thisplanet had been airless and waterless from the start, any craters that hadbeen formed would still exist and the whole surface would be cratered. Theabsence of craters proves it can't have been airless and waterless fromthe start, and may even have had a sizable atmosphere and ocean in thenear past. Besides, there are huge basins, visible on this world, thatmust have held seas, and oceans once, to say nothing of the marks ofrivers that are now dry. So you see there was erosion andthat erosion has ceased so short a time ago, that new cratering has notyet had time to accumulate."Pelorat looked doubtful. "I may not be a planetologist, but it seems tome that if a planet is large enough to hang on to a dense atmosphere forperhaps billions of years, it isn't going to suddenly lose it, is it?""I shouldn't think so," said Trevize. "But this world undoubtedlyheld life before its atmosphere vanished, probably human life. My guessis that it was a terraformed world as almost all the human-inhabitedworlds of the Galaxy are. The trouble is that we don't really know whatits condition was before human life arrived, or what was done to it inorder to make it comfortable for human beings, or under what conditions,actually, life vanished. There may have been a catastrophe that suckedoff the atmosphere and that brought about the end of human life. Or theremay have been some strange imbalance on this planet that human beingscontrolled as long as they were here and that went into a vicious cycleof atmospheric reduction once they were gone. Maybe we'll find the answerwhen we land, or maybe we won't. It doesn't matter.""But surely neither does it matter if there was life here once,if there isn't now. What's the difference if a planet has always beenuninhabitable, or is only uninhabitable now?""If it is only uninhabitable now, there will be ruins of the one-timeinhabitants.""There were ruins on Aurora ""Exactly, but on Aurora there had been twenty thousand years of rainand snow, freezing and thawing, wind and temperature change. And therewas also life don't forget life: There may not have been humanbeings there, but there was plenty of life. Ruins can be eroded justas craters can. Faster. And in twenty thousand years, not enough wasleft to do us any good. Here on this planet, however, there hasbeen a passage of time, perhaps twenty thousand years, perhaps less,without wind, or storm, or life. There has been temperature change,I admit, but that's all. The ruins will be in good shape.""Unless," murmured Pelorat doubtfully, "there are no ruins. Is itpossible that there was never any life on the planet, or never any humanlife at any rate, and that the loss of the atmosphere was due to someevent that human beings had nothing to do with?""No, no," said Trevize. "You can't turn pessimist on me, because itwon't work. Even from here, I've spotted the remains of what I'm surewas a city. So we land tomorrow."65Bliss said, in a worried tone, "Fallom is convincedwe're going to take her back to Jemby, her robot.""Umm," said Trevize, studying the surface of the world as it slidback under the drifting ship. Then he looked up as though he had heardthe remark only after a delay. "Well, it was the only parent she knew,wasn't it?""Yes, of course, but she thinks we've come back to Solaria.""Does it look like Solaria?""How would she know?""Tell her it's not Solaria. Look, I'll give you one or two referencebookfilms with graphic illustrations. Show her close-ups of a numberof different inhabited worlds and explain that there are millions ofthem. You'll have time for it. I don't know how long Janov and I willhave to wander around, once we pick a likely target and land.""You and Janov?""Yes. Fallom can't come with us, even if I wanted her to, which Iwould only want if I were a madman. This world requires space suits,Bliss. There's no breathable air. And we don't have a space suit thatwould fit Fallom. So she and you stay on the ship.""Why I?"Trevize's lips stretched into a humorless smile. "I admit," he said,"I would feel safer if you were along, but we can't leave Fallom onthis ship alone. She can do damage even if she doesn't mean to. I musthave Janov with me because he might be able to make out whatever archaicwriting they have here. That means you will have to stay with Fallom. Ishould think you would want to."Bliss looked uncertain.
Trevize said, "Look. You wanted Fallom along, when I didn't. I'mconvinced she'll be nothing but trouble. So her presence introducesconstraints, and you'll have to adjust yourself to that. She's here,so you'll have to be here, too. That's the way it is."Bliss sighed. "I suppose so.""Good. Where's Janov?""He's with Fallom.""Very well. Go and take over. I want to talk to him."Trevize was still studying the planetary surface when Pelorat walkedin, clearing his throat to announce his presence. He said, "Is anythingwrong, Golan?""Not exactly wrong, Janov. I'm just uncertain. This is a peculiar worldand I don't know what happened to it. The seas must have been extensive,judging from the basins left behind, but they were shallow. As nearly as Ican tell from the traces left behind, this was a world of desalinizationand canals or perhaps the seas weren't very salty. If they weren'tvery salty, that would account for the absence of extensive salt flatsin the basins. Or else, when the ocean was lost, the salt content waslost with it which certainly makes it look like a human deed."Pelorat said hesitantly, "Excuse my ignorance about such things,Golan, but does any of this matter as far as what we are looking foris concerned?""I suppose not, but I can't help being curious. If I knew just howthis planet was terraformed into human habitability and what it was likebefore terraforming, then perhaps I would understand what has happenedto it after it was abandoned or just before, perhaps. And if wedid know what happened to it, we might be forewarned against unpleasantsurprises.""What kind of surprises? It's a dead world, isn't it?""Dead enough. Very little water; thin, unbreathable atmosphere;and Bliss detects no signs of mental activity.""That should settle it, I should think.""Absence of mental activity doesn't necessarily imply lack oflife.""It must surely imply lack of dangerous life.""I don't know. But that's not what I want to consult youabout. There are two cities that might do for our first inspection. Theyseem to be in excellent shape; all the cities do. Whatever destroyed theair and oceans did not seem to touch the cities. Anyway, those two citiesare particularly large. The larger, however, seems to be short on emptyspace. There are spaceports far in the outskirts but nothing in the cityitself. The one not so large does have empty space, so it will be easierto come down in its midst, though not in formal spaceports but then,who would care about that?"Pelorat grimaced. "Do you want me to make the decision,Golan?""No, I'll make the decision. I just want your thoughts.""For what they're worth, a large sprawling city is likely to be acommercial or manufacturing center. A smaller city with open space islikely to be an administrative center. It's the administrative centerwe'd want. Does it have monumental buildings?""What do you mean by a monumental building?"Pelorat smiled his tight little stretching of the lips. "Iscarcely know. Fashions change from world to world and from time totime. I suspect, though, that they always look large, useless, andexpensive. Like the place where weeeere on Comporellon."Trevize smiled in his turn. "It's hard to tell looking straightdown, and when I get a sideways glance as weeapproach or leave, it'stoo confusing. Why do you prefer the administrative center?""That's where we're likely to find the planetary museum, library,archives, university, and so on.""Good. That's where we'll go, then; the smaller city. And maybewe'll find something. We've had two misses, but maybe we'll find somethingthis time.""Perhaps it will be three times lucky."Trevize raised his eyebrows. "Where did you get that phrase?""It's an old one," said Pelorat. "I found it in an ancient legend. Itmeans success on the third try, I should think.""That sounds right," said Trevize. "Very well, then three timeslucky, Janov."

第十四章 死星
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崔维兹觉得很沮丧。这趟寻找从开始到现在，他的几个小胜利都没什么着要性，只能算暂时侥幸让失败擦身而过。
现在，他将跃迁到第三个外世界的时间延后，却使其他人也感染到下安的情绪。当他终于下定决心，让电脑将太空艇驶入超空间时，裴洛拉特站在驾驶舱门口，一脸严肃的表情，宝绮思则在他的后侧。就连菲龙也站在那里，一只手紧紧抓住宝绮思的手，像个老学究似地盯着崔维兹。
崔维兹抬起头，目光从电脑栘开，带着几分火气说：“好一个全家福！”他会这么说，纯粹是由于心神不宁。
他开始指示电脑进行跃迁，故意安排在着返普通空间时，让太空艇与目标恒星的距离超过实际需要。他告诉自己，那是因为在前两个外世界上发生的事，让他学到了谨慎的着要，但他其实并不相信这种解释。他知道，在自己内心深处，希望能在着返太空时，与那颗恒星保持相当的距离，以便无法确定它究竟有没有可住人行星。这能让他多做几天太空旅行，然后才揭晓谜底，同时（也许）不得不面对失败的苦果。
因此现在，在“全家福”的观礼下，他深深吸一口气，憋了一会儿，再像吹口哨似地吐出来。与此同时，他对电脑下达最后一道指令。
群星的图样默默进行着不连续的变化。最后，显像屏幕变得较空洞，他们已来到一处恒星较疏的区域。在靠近中央的位置，可以见到一颗闪闪发后的星辰。
崔维兹咧嘴笑了一下，因为这也算一项胜利。毕竟，第三组座标有可能是错的，可能根本看不到符合条件的G型恒星。他看了其他人一眼，然后说：“就是它，第三号恒星。”
“你确定吗？”宝绮思轻声问。
“注意看！”崔维兹说：“我要把屏幕转成电脑银河舆图的同心画面，如果那颗明后的恒星消失，就代表舆图没有收录，那它就是我们要找的那颗。”
电脑立即回应他的指令，那颗行星在瞬间消失，连一点余光都没有，彷佛从来不曾存在。其他的星像却丝毫未受影响，看来仍是那般庄严壮丽。
“我们找到了。”崔维兹说。
即使如此，他还是让远星号慢速前进，速度仅维持在普通速度的一半。还有一个谜底尚未揭晓，那就是可住人行星是否存在，但他并不急于找出答案。甚至飞行了三天后，这个问题仍然没有任何进展。
不过，也许不能说毫无进展。有颗距离恒星非常遥远的气态巨行星，环绕着这颗恒星运动，它的白昼区映出暗淡的黄色光芒。从他们目前的位置看来，它就像一弯肥厚的新月。
崔维兹并不喜欢它的模样，但尽量不表现出来。他像个有声旅行指南一样，以平板的语调说：“那里有颗很大的气态巨行星，看起来相当壮观。现在我们可以看到，它有一对细薄的行星环，还有两颗硕大的卫星。”
宝绮思说：“大多数行星系都具有气态巨行星，对不对？”
“没错，不过这颗体积相当大。根据两颗卫星和它的距离，以及卫星的公转周期判断，这颗巨行星的质量约为可住人行星的两千倍。”
“那有什么差别？”宝绮思说：“气态巨行星就是气态巨行星，不论体积是大是小，对不对？它们距离所环绕的恒星总是非常遥远，由于体积过大、距离过远，所以一律不适于住人。想要发现可住人行星，我们必须到那颗恒星附近去找。”
崔维兹迟疑了一下，便决定公布实情。“问题是，”他说：“气态巨行星会扫净行星系的大片太空；没被它们吸收到自身结构中的物质，会聚结成相当大的天体，形成它们的卫星系。它们阻止了其他的聚结现象，影响力甚至达到很远的距离。所以气态巨行星越大，就越有可能是唯一的大型行星，除了那颗巨行星，行星系中会只有些小行星。”
“你的意思是，这里没有可住人的行星？”
“气态巨行星体积越大，可住人行星存在的机会就越小。这颗气态巨行星如此庞大，简直就是一颗矮星。”
裴洛拉特说：“我们可以看看吗？”
于是三人一起盯着屏幕。（菲龙正在宝绮思的舱房看书。）
杯面不断放大，直到那个新月形占满整个屏幕。一条细长的黑线跨越新月的上半部，那是行星环造成的阴影。行星环本身是一道珊罅的曲线，与行星表面有一小段距离，在它被阴影遮蔽前，有小部分延伸到了行星的暗面。
崔维兹说：“这颗行星的自转轴对公转平面的倾角约为三十五度，而它的行星环当然位于赤道面，所以在目前的轨道位置上，恒星的光线由下方射来，将行星环投影在赤道上方相当远处。”
裴洛拉特看得出神。“那些都是细小的行星环。”
“事实上，已经在平均大小之上。”崔维兹答道。
“根据传说，在地球所属的行星系中，那颗具有行星环的气态巨行星，它的行星环比这个要更宽、更后、更精致得多，甚至让那颗气态巨行星相形见绌。”
“我一点也不惊讶，”崔维兹说：“一个故事口耳相传好几千年，你认为它会被越说越缩吗？”
宝绮思说：“它实在美丽，如果你仔细望着那个新月形，它似乎会在你眼前翻滚腾挪。”
“那是大气风暴，”崔维兹说：“如果你选取适当波长的光波，一般说来可看得更清楚些。来，让我试试看。”他将双手放到桌面，命令电脑将光谱逐一过滤，然后褂讪在一个适当的波长。
原本显得微微发后的新月形，突然变成一团变幻不定的色彩，由于变幻速率实在太快，看得人眼花撩乱。最后，它褂讪成橘红色，而在新月的内部，有许多正在漂移的明显螺旋状物体，它们一面运动，一面不断收紧或松弛。
“真是难以置信。”裴洛拉特喃喃说道。
“太可爱了。”宝绮思说。
没什么难以置信，也一点都不可爱，崔维兹难过地想。裴洛拉特与宝绮思都被眼前的美景迷住，根本没想到他们所赞美的这颗行星的存在，大大减低了崔维兹解开谜团的机会。可是话说回来，他们为何要想到这些呢？他们两人深信崔维兹的选择正确，他们只是陪伴他进行求证的探索，本身没有感情的负担，自己根本就不应该责怪他们。
他说：“暗面看来虽然很黑，但我们眼睛若能看到比可见光波长稍长一点的光线，就能看出它其实是阴暗浓着的火红色。这颗行星向太空放出大量的红外辐射，因为它大到几乎红热的秤谌。它已经超越气态巨行星，简直是一颗‘次恒星’。”
他停了丰晌，又继续说：“现在，我们暂时把它抛在脑后，开始寻找可能存在的可住人行星。”
“也许真的存在，”裴洛拉特带着微笑说：“别放弃，老伙伴。”
“我尚未放弃，”崔维兹虽然这样说，自己却不怎么有信心。“行星形成的过程太复杂，无法建立一套严格规律，我们只能以机率讨论。有那么一个庞然大物在太空中，机率便会降低许多，可是并不等于零。”
宝绮思说：“你为什么不这样想——前面两组座标，分别提供了一个外世界人居住的行星，那么这第三组座标，既然已经提供一颗符合条件的恒星，就应该也能让你找到一颗可住人行星。为什么还要谈机率？”
“我当然希望你说得对，”崔维兹说，却一点没有感到安慰。“现在我们要飞出行星轨道面，向中心的恒星前进。”
他说完他的意图之后，电脑几乎立刻开始行动。他靠在驾驶座上，再次肯定一件事实；驾驶一艘拥有这么先进电脑的着力太空艇，后遗症之一是不能——再也不能——驾驶任何其他型号的船舰。
他还能忍受亲自进行那些计算吗？能忍受必须考虑加速效应，将它限定在合理范围内吗？最可能出现的状况，是他会忘掉那些问题，而让船舰全速前进，直到他与其他乘客都被抛向舱壁，撞得粉身碎骨为止。
嗯，那么，他将继续驾驶远星号——或是其他一模一样的太空艇，假如他街能忍受那么一点点的改变——直到永远。
由于他想暂时忘掉有没有可住人行星的问题，他开始沉思另一件事——他刚才命令太空艇离开轨道面，是飞到轨道面的上方。若不是有什么特殊原因，必须飞到轨道面之下，驾驶员几乎总选择向上飞，这是为什么呢？
其实严格说来，何必非得将某个方向想成上方，而将另一侧想成下方呢？将太空视为对称空间的概念，纯粹只是一种约定俗成的规约。
然而，在观察一颗行星时，他总会注意到它的自转与公转方向。如果两者都是反时针，那么举起手臂指的方向就是北方，两脚的方向则是南方。而在银河每个角落，北方总是被想像成上方，南方则是下方。
这纯粹是一种规约，可远溯到迷雾般的太古时代，人类一直盲目沿用至今。一张原本熟悉的舆图，如果南面朝上来看就一定看不懂，必须转过来才显得有意义。在一般状况下，任何人都会习惯向北走，也就是“向上”。
崔维兹想到三世纪前的一位帝国大将——贝尔·里欧思领导的一场战役。在某个关键时刻，他命令分遗舰队转向轨道面下方，而敌军一个中队在毫无警戒的情况下，被里欧思的战舰逮个正着。后来有人抱怨，说这是一种投机行动——当然是出自输家之口。
如此影响深远且与人类同样古老的规约，一定是源自地球。想到这里，崔维兹的心思又被拉回可住人行星的问题上。
裴洛拉特与宝绮思仍然盯着那颗气态巨行星，看它以非常、非常缓慢的动作，在屏幕上慢速倒翻着筋斗。现在日照部分渐渐扩大，崔维兹将光谱褂讪在橘红色波长上，它表面翻腾的风暴变得更狂乱，更有一种催眠力量。
这时菲龙晃进了驾驶舱，宝绮思认为它应该小睡一会儿，她自己也一样有这个需要。
裴洛拉特单独留下。崔维兹对他说：“我必须撤掉气态巨行星的画面，詹诺夫。我要让电脑集中全力，开始寻找大小恰当的着力讯标。”
“当然好，老伙伴。”裴洛拉特说。
不过实际情形要复杂得多。电脑所要寻找的，不只是一个大小恰当的讯标而已，这个讯标还必须发自体积与距离都符合条件的行星才行。还得等上好几天，他才能得到确定的答案。
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崔维兹走进自己的舱房，表情凝着而严肃——其实应该说是阴郁。然后，他着实吃了一惊。
宝绮思正在那里等他，菲龙紧靠在她身边，它身上的袍子与束腰散发出一股清新气味，一闻就知道经过蒸气洗涤与真空熨烫。这孩子穿上自己的衣裳，要比穿着宝绮思大了几号的睡袍好看得多。
宝绮思说：“你刚才在电脑旁边，我不想打扰你，不过现在请听——开始吧，菲龙。”
菲龙便以高亢而带有音乐性的语调说：“我问候您，保护者崔维兹。我感到万分荣幸，干……更……跟随您乘太空船遨游太空。我也很快乐，因为我有两个亲切的朋友，宝绮思和裴。”
菲龙说完后，露出一个可爱的笑容。崔维兹再度暗忖：我到底将它当成男孩还是女孩，或者都是，或者都不是？
他点了点头。“记得非常熟，发音几乎完全正确。”
“完全不是死记的，”宝绮思热切地说：“菲龙自己拟好稿子，然后问我可不可以背诵给你听，我事先甚至不知道菲龙会说什么。”
崔维兹勉强挤出一丝微笑。“这样的话，的确很不简单。”他注意到宝绮思提到菲龙时，尽量避免使用代名词。
宝绮思转头对菲龙说：“我告诉你崔维兹会喜欢的——现在去找裴，如果你有兴趣，可以再向他要些读物。”
菲龙跑开之后，宝绮思说：“菲龙学习银河标准语的速度真是惊人，索拉利人对语言一定有特殊天分。想想看，班德仅藉着收听超波通讯，就能说得一口不错的银河标准语。除了能量转换，它们的大脑也许还有其他异于常人之处。”
崔维兹只是哼了一声。
宝绮思说：“别告诉我说你仍不喜欢菲龙。”
“我无所谓喜欢不喜欢，那小东西就是让我感到下自在。比方说吧，想到跟一个雌雄同体打交道，就令人觉得浑身不舒服。”
宝绮思说：“得了吧，崔维兹，这样说实在可笑，菲龙可算完全正常的生物。对一个雌雄同体的社会而言，想想看你我有多么恶心——不是男性，就是女性。每种性别只能算一半，为了生育下一代，必须以丑怪的方式暂时结合。”
“你反对这点吗，宝绮思？”
“别装作误解我的意思，我是试图以雌雄同体的立场审视我们。对他们而言，那种事一定显得极其可厌，伹对我们而言则相当自然。所以菲龙才会引起你的反感，但那只是短视而褊狭的反应。”
“坦白说，”崔维兹道：“不知该用什么代名词称呼这小东西，实在是一件很烦人的事。为了烦恼代名词的问题，思路和谈话会一直被打断。”
“但这是我们语言的缺失，”宝绮思说：“不是菲龙的问题。人类的语言在发展过程中，从未将雌雄同体考虑在内。我很高兴你提出这个问题，因为我自己也一直在想。如果使用‘它’，像班德自己坚持的那样，并不是个解决之道，因为那个代名词是用来指称与性别无关的事物。在我们的语言中，根本没有代名词同时适合两种性别。那么，何不随便选一个呢？我把菲龙当成女孩，原因之一是她拥有女性的尖锐声调，此外她也能生育下一代，这是女性最着要的特征之一。裴洛拉特已经同意了，你何不一样接受呢？我们就用‘她’称呼菲龙吧。”
崔维兹耸了耸肩。“很好，指出‘她’有睾丸听来会很奇怪，即使如此，还是很好。”
宝绮思叹了口气。“你的确有个惹人厌的习惯，喜欢把每件事都拿来开玩笑。不过我知道你有很大的压力，所以这点我缓舐解。就用阴性代名词称呼菲龙吧，拜托。”
“我会的。”崔维兹犹豫了一下，终于忍不住说道：“我每次看到你们在一起，就越来越觉得你把菲龙当成子女的代替品。是不是因为你想要个孩子，却认为詹诺夫无法做到？”
宝绮思睁大了眼睛。“我跟他在一起可不是为了孩子！难道你认为，我把他当成帮我生孩子的方便工具？更何况，我还没到该生儿育女的时候，将来时候到了，我得生育一个盖娅之子，这件事裴根本无能为力。”
“你的意思是詹诺夫必须被抛弃？”
“当然不会，只是暂时分开，甚至可能会用人工授精的方式。”
“我想，必须等盖娅决定有此需要、等到某个原本存在的盖娅人类成员死去，产生一个空缺的时候，你才能生育一个孩子。”
“这是种冷酷无情的说法，不过也算得上实情。盖娅的每个部分及其相互间的每一种关系，都必须维持完美的均衡。”
“就像索拉利人的情形一样。”
宝绮思紧抿着嘴唇，脸色变得有些苍白。“完全下同。索拉利人生产的数量超过需要，就将过剩的人口销毁；我们生产的子女则刚好符合需要，从来不必杀害任何生命。就像你的皮肤表层坏死之后，便会长出恰到好处的新皮肤，不会多长出一个细胞来。”
“我了解你的意思。”崔维兹说：“顺便提一下，我希望你考虑到詹诺夫的感受。”
“有关我可能生个小孩的事？这个问题从未讨论过，将来也绝对不会。”
“不，我不是指那个——我在想，你对菲龙越来越感兴趣，詹诺夫也许会觉得被冷落了。”
“他没有受到冷落，他跟我一样对菲龙很有兴趣。她是我们另一个共同的喜好，甚至将我们两人拉得更接近。感觉受冷落的会不会是你？”
“我？”崔维兹大吃一惊。
“对，就是你。我不了解孤立体，就像你不了解盖娅一样，可是我有种感觉，你喜欢成为这艘太空船中注意力的焦点，你也许感到这个地位被菲龙取代了。”
“真是荒谬。”
“而你竟然认为我冷落裴，那是同样荒谬的想法。”
“那么让我们宣布停战吧。我会试着把菲龙当成女孩，也不会再过度担心你不顾詹诺夫的感受。”
宝绮思微微一笑。“谢谢你，那么一切都没问题了。”
崔维兹转过身去，宝绮思突然说：“等一等！”
崔维兹又转回来，带着点厌烦的口气说：“什么事？”
“我很清楚地感觉到，崔维兹，你现在既悲伤又沮丧。我不会刺探你的心灵，但你也许愿意告诉我有什么不对劲。昨天，你说这个行星系中有颗条件符合的行星，还似乎相当高兴——我希望它仍在那里，那个发现该不是个错误吧？”
“在这个行星系中，的确有颗条件符合的行星，而它仍在那里。”崔维兹说。
“大小罢好吗？”
崔维兹点了点头。“既然说它条件符合，大小当然刚好，而且它和恒星的距离也相符。”
“嗯，那么，到底有什么问题？”
“我们现在足够接近它，已经能分析它的大气成分，结果显示它谈不上有大气层。”
“没有大气层？”
“谈不上有大气层，它是颗不可住人的行星。而环绕这个太阳的其他行星，都没有半点可住人的条件。这第三次的尝试，我们的结果是一无所获。”
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裴洛拉特看来面色凝着，他显然不愿搅扰崔维兹抑郁不乐的沉默。他站在驾驶舱门口观望，意思很明显，希望崔维兹能主动开口说话。
崔维兹却一直没开口，沉默的状态就像是生了根似的。
最后裴洛拉特实在忍不住了，他带着几分怯意说：“我们现在在做什么？”
崔维兹抬起头，瞪了裴洛拉特一会儿，又将头转过去，然后说：“我们正对准那颗行星飞去。”
“可是，既然它没有大气层……”
“是电脑说它没有大气层。长久以来，它告诉我的都是我想听的，而我一直照单全收；如今它告诉我一些我不想听的，所以我准备查验一下。假如这台电脑也会犯错，现在就是我希望它犯错的时候。l“你认为它出了错吗？”
“不，我不这么想。”
“你想得到可能令它犯错的原因吗？”
“不，我想不出来。”
“那你为何还要麻烦呢，葛兰？”
崔维兹终于转身面对裴洛拉特，脸孔扭曲，表情近乎绝望。“詹诺夫，难道你看不出来，我已经走投无路了吗？在前两个世界上，我们寻找地球下落的结果是一场空，这个世界又是一片空白。现在我该怎么办？从一个世界游荡到另一个世界，睁大眼睛四处张望，逢人便问：‘对不起，请问地球在哪里？’地球将它的踪迹隐藏得太好了，哪里都没留下任何线索。我甚至开始怀疑，即使有什么线索存在，它也绝对下会让我们找到。”
裴洛拉特点了点头，然后说：“我自己也在顺着这个方向思索，你介不介意我们讨论一下？我知道你很不高兴，也不想说话，老弟，所以如果你要我离开，我马上就走。”
“开始讨论吧，”崔维兹的声音简直像呻吟，“除了洗耳恭听，我还有什么好做的？”
于是裴洛拉特说：“听你这种口气，好像并非真想让我开口，不过谈谈也许对我们都有好处。你受不了的时候，请随时叫我闭嘴——我有个感觉，葛兰，地球不一定仅采取被动、消极的方法，将自己隐藏起来，也不一定只是清除有关它的参考资料，难道它不会安排一些假线索，用这种主动的方法制造烟幕？”
“怎么说？”
“嗯，我们在好几处地方，都听说过地球具有放射性，这种说法可能是故意捏造的，好让大家都打消寻找它的念头。假如它真有放射性，它就万万接近不得，最可能的情况是，我们根本无法踏上地球。就算我们有机器人，它们也可能无法抵御放射线的伤害。所以何必还要找呢？反之，假如它没有放射性，却能因此不受侵犯，除非有人在无意间接近，而即使如此，它或许也有其他的隐蔽方法。”
崔维兹勉强挤出一丝微笑。“真奇怪，詹诺夫，我刚好也想到这点。我甚至想到，那颗未必存在的巨大卫星是虚构的，被故意放进这个世界的传说中。至于具有过大行星环的气态巨行星也一样未必存在，很可能也是捏造出来的。这些或许都是刻意的安排，好让我们寻找一些根本不存在的东西，让我们来到正确的行星系，双眼瞪着地球的时候，反而对它视而不见。因为事实上它没有一颗巨大的卫星，没有具放射性的地壳，它的近邻也没有什么三着行星环。因此，我们无法认出它来，作梦也想不到它就在我们眼前——我还想像到更糟的情况。”
裴洛拉特显得垂头丧气。“怎么可能还有更糟的情况？”
“很简单。在半夜里，当你沮丧到极点时，就会开始在无际的幻想天地间遨游，寻找任何能令你更绝望的东西。若是地球自我隐藏的法力无边呢？若是它能蒙蔽我们的心灵呢？若是我们经过地球附近时，虽然它的确有巨大的卫星，它的邻居也有巨大的行星环，我们却根本视若无睹呢？若是我们早就错过了呢？”
“可是如果你相信这些，我们为何还……”
“我没说我相信，我说的只是些疯狂的幻想，我们还是会继续寻找。”
裴洛拉特迟疑了一下，然后说：“要持续多久呢，崔维兹？到了某一地步，我们当然就得放弃。”
“绝不，”崔维兹厉声道：“即使我必须花一辈子的时间，从一颗行星飞到另一颗行星，睁大眼睛四处张望，逢人便问：‘先生请问，地球在哪里？’我也一定会这么做。我随时可以带你和宝绮思回盖娅，甚至送菲龙一起去，如果你们希望的话，然后我再自己上路。”
“喔，不，你知道我不会离开你，葛兰，宝绮思也不会。如果有必要，我们会跟你一起踏遍每颗行星。可是这又是为什么呢？”
“因为我必须找到地球，因为我一定会找到。我不知道是在什么情况下，但我一定会找到它——现在，听着，我要设法前往一个适当位置，以便研究这颗行星的日照面，又不至于和它的太阳过于接近，所以暂时别打扰我。”
裴洛拉特不再说话，伹也没有离开。他留在原处继续旁观，看着崔维兹研究屏幕上的行星影像。行星有一半以上处于白昼。对裴洛拉特而言，它似乎毫无特色，不过他也知道，崔维兹现在与电脑联系在一起，各种感知能力已大为增强。
崔维兹悄声道：“那里有一团薄雾。”
“那一定就有大气层。”裴洛拉特脱口而出。
“没有多少，不足以维持生命，但足以产生能掀起灰尘的微风。对一个拥有稀薄大气的行星而言，这是一种很普遍的特征，它甚至还可能有小型极地冰冠——凝结在极地的少数‘水冰’，你知道吧。这个世界的温度过高，不可能有固态二氧化碳。我必须切换到雷达映像，这样一来，我就能在夜面顺利工作。”
“真的吗？”、　　“是的。我应该一开始就试着那样做，可是这颗行星根本没空气，因此也没有云层，尝试用可见光观察似乎很自然。”
崔维兹维持了长久的沉默，在这段期间，显像屏幕中的雷达反射模糊不清，仿佛是一颗行星的抽象画，有点像某位克里昂时期艺术家的画风。然后他使劲地说了声：“好——”这个声音维持了一阵子，之后他再度陷入沉默。
裴洛拉特终于忍不住问道：“什么东西‘好’？”
崔维兹很快瞥了他一眼。“我看不到任何陨石坑。”
“没有陨石坑？这是好现象吗？”
“完全出乎意料之外。”他咧嘴笑了笑，又说：“非常好的现象。事实上，可能是好极了。”
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菲龙的鼻子一直贴着太空艇的舷窗，透过这个窗口，能直接以肉眼观察宇宙的一小部分。这可说是最自然的景观，完全未经电脑的放大或增强。
宝绮思刚才试着为菲龙解释宇宙的奥秘，现在她叹了一口气，低声对裴洛拉特说：“我不知道她了解多少，亲爱的裴。她单亲的那座宅邸，以及宅邸敖近一小部分的属地，对她而言就是整个宇宙。我想她未曾在夜晚到过户外，也从来没见过星星。”
“你真这么想吗？”
“我真这么想。我本来不敢让她看到任何太空景观，直到她懂得够多的字汇，可以稍微了解我的话——你多么幸运啊，能用她的语言跟她交谈。”
“问题是我不算很懂。”裴洛拉特歉然道：“如果事先毫无准备，宇宙是个相当不易掌握的概念。她曾对我说，假如那些小扁点都是巨大的世界，每个都像素拉利一样——当然啦，它们都比索拉利大得多——那它们就不能凭空挂在那里，它们应该掉下来，她这么说。”
“根据她既有的知识来判断，她说得没错。她问的都是合理的问题，一点一滴慢慢累积，最后她终缓笏解。至少她有好奇心，而且她不害怕。”
“其实，宝绮思，我自己也好奇。葛兰发现前面那个世界没陨石坑之后，你看他立刻有多大转变。这究竟有什么差别，我完全没概念，你呢？”
“一点也没有。然而他的行星学知识比我们丰富得多，我们只能假设他知道自己在做什么。”
“真希望我也知道。”
“那么，去问问他。”
裴洛拉特现出为难的表情。“我一直担心会惹他心烦，我可以肯定，他认为我该知道这些事，根本用不着他来告诉我。”
宝绮思说：“这是傻话，裴。有关银河中的神话传说，他认为可能有用的，随时会毫不犹豫地向你请教，你也总是乐意回答和解释，他又为何不该如此？你现在就去问他，如果这样做惹他心烦，他就得到一个练习做人处事的机会，这样对他也有好处。”
“你要跟我一起去吗？”
“不，当然不去。我要跟菲龙在一起，继续试着将宇宙的概念装进她脑子里。以后你随时可以解释给我听——只要他对你解释过。”
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裴洛拉特怯生生地走进驾驶舱。他很高兴发现崔维兹正在吹口哨，显然心情相当好。
“葛兰。”他尽可能以快活的语气说。
崔维兹抬起头来。“詹诺夫！你每次进来总是蹑手蹑脚，好像认为打扰我会犯法似地。把门关上，坐下，坐下！你看看这个。”
他指着映在显像屏幕上的行星，然后说：“我只找到两三个陨石坑，而且都相当小。”
“那有什么差别吗，葛兰？真有吗？”
“差别？当然有。你怎么会这样问？”
裴洛拉特做了个无奈的手势。“这些对我而言都神秘无比。大学时我主修历史，除此之外我还修过社会学和心理学，也修了一些语言和文学课程，大多数是古代语文；在研究所的时候，我则专攻神话学。我从来没有接触过行星学，或是其他自然科学。”
“那也没错啊，詹诺夫，我宁愿你只精通这些知识。你对古代语言和神话学的素养，对我们一直有莫大助益，这点你自己也知道——遇到有关行星学的问题，我会负责解决的。”
他继续说：“你可知道，詹诺夫，行星是由较小天体碰撞聚合所形成的。最后撞上来的那些天体，就会造成陨石坑的痕迹，我的意思是有这种可能。假如一颗行星大到气态巨行星的秤谌，大气层下其实全是液态结构，最后那批撞击就只会溅起若干液体，不缓篝下任何痕迹。
“较小的固态行星，不论是冰或岩石构成的，都一定会有陨石坑的痕迹。除非存在某种消除作用，否则它们永远不会消失。而消除作用会在三种情况下产生：
“第一种情况，这个世界的液态海洋上胶笏一层冰。这样一来，任何撞击都会将冰击碎，并且令水花四溅。不久冰层会着新冻结，打个比方，就是使撞破的伤口愈合。这样的行星或卫星温度一定很低，不可能是我们所谓的可住人世界。”
“第二种情况，如果这个世界的火山活动剧烈，那么一旦有陨石坑形成，熔岩流或火山灰落尘便会源源不断灌进来，将陨石坑渐渐湮没。然而，这样的行星或卫星也不可能适合人类居住。”
“可住人世界则构成第三种情况。这种世界也许有极地冰冠，但大部分海洋一定都是自由流体。它们也可能有活火山，可是一定分布得很稀疏。这种世界如果出现了陨石坑，它既无法自行愈合，也没有东西可供填补。不过它上面有侵蚀作用，风或流动的水都会不断侵蚀陨石坑，如果还有生命，生物活动也具有强力的侵蚀作用。懂了吧？”
裴洛拉特思索了一下，然后说：“可是，葛兰，我一点也下了解你的意思。我们要去的这颗行星……”
“我们明天就要登陆。”崔维兹兴高采烈地说。
“我们要去的这颗行星并没有海洋。”
“只有很薄的极地冰冠。”
“也没有多少大气。”
“只有端点星大气密度的百分之一。”
“也没有生命。”
“我没侦测到生命现象。”
“那么，有什么东西能侵蚀掉陨石坑呢？”
“海洋、大气和生物。”崔维兹答道。“听着，假如这颗行星一开始就没有空气和水分，陨石坑形成后就不会消失，它的表面会到处都坑坑洞洞。这颗行星上几乎没有陨石坑，证明它原本一定含有空气和水分，而且不久之前，也许还有相当丰沛的大气和海洋。此外，看得出这个世界有些巨大的海盆，那里过去一定曾是汪洋一片，而干涸河床的痕迹更不在话下。所以你看，侵蚀作用过去的确存在，是不久之前才停止的，而新的陨石坑还来不及累积。”
裴洛拉特看来一脸疑惑。“我也许不是行星学家，可是我也知道，这么大的一颗行星，足以维持浓厚的大气数十亿年之久，不可能突然让大气流失，对不对？”
“我也认为不可能。”崔维兹说：“但这个世界在大气流失前，上面无疑有生命存在，也许还是人类生命。根据我的猜测，它是个经过改造的世界，就像银河中几乎每个住人世界一样。问题是人类抵达之前，它的自然条件如何；人类为了使它适于住人，又对它进行过何种改造；还有，生命究竟是在什么情况下消失的，这些问题的答案我们都不知道。有可能曾经发生一场‘激变’，将大气层一扫而光，一举结束了人类生命。也可能人类在这颗行星居住时，维持着一种奇异的非平衡状态，而人类消失之后，它就陷入恶性循环，导致大气变得越来越稀薄。或许我们登陆之后就能找到答案，也可能根本找不到，不过这点无关紧要。”
“如果那上面现在没有生命，过去是否有生命存在，同样是无关紧要的一件事。一个世界始终不可住人，和一度曾可住人，两者又有什么差别呢？”
“假如只有现在不可住人，当年的居民应该缓篝下些遗迹。”
“奥罗拉也有许多遗迹……”
“一点也没错，但奥罗拉经历了两万年的雨雪风霜，以及起伏剧烈的温度变化。此外那里还有生命——别忘了那些生命；那里也许不再有人类的踪迹，可是仍有众多生命。遗迹也像陨石坑一样会遭到侵蚀，甚至更快。经过了两万年，不缓篝下什么对我们有用的东西。然而这颗行星曾经有过一段时期，也许长达两万年，也许少一点，上面没有任何风雨或生命。我承认，温度变化还是有的，不过那是唯一的不利因素，那些遗迹应该保存得相当好。”
“除非，”裴洛拉特以怀疑的口吻喃喃说道：“上面根本没有任何遗迹。有没有可能这颗行星上从未出现生命，或是根本没有人类居住饼，而造成大气流失的事件其实也和人类无关？”
“不，不可能，”崔维兹说：“你无法使我变得悲观，我绝不会放弃希望。即使在这里，我也已经侦察到一些遗迹，我可以确定那是座城市——所以我们明天就要登陆。”
65
宝绮思以忧虑的口吻说：“菲龙深信我们是要带她回到健比——她的机器人身边。”
“喔——”崔维兹一面说，一面研究着太空艇下方急速掠过的地表。然后他抬起头，仿佛现在才听见那句话。“嗯，那是她唯一认识的亲人，对不对？”
“没错，当然没错，伹她以为我们回到了索拉利。”
“它看来像素拉利吗？”
“她怎么会知道？”
“告诉她那不是索拉利。听好，我会给你一两套附有图解的胶卷参考书，让她看看各种住人世界的特写，再向她解释一下，这样的世界总共有好几千万。你会有时间做这件事：一旦我们选定目标着陆之后，我不知道詹诺夫和我会在外面徘徊多久。”
“你和詹诺夫？”
“对，菲龙不能跟我们一块去，即使我想要她去也办不到——但除非我是疯子，否则我不会有那种念头。这个世界需要太空衣，宝绮思，上面没有可供呼吸的空气。我们没有适合菲龙穿的太空衣，所以她得跟你留在太空船内。”
“为什么跟我？”
崔维兹的嘴角扯出一个假笑。“我承认，”他说：“如果你跟我们一起行动，我会比较有安全感，可是我们不能把菲龙单独留在太空船上。她有可能造成破坏，即使只是无心之失。我必须让詹诺夫跟着我，因为他也许看得懂此地的古代文书。这就表示你得和菲龙留在这里，我认为你应该愿意。”
宝绮思显得犹豫不决。
崔维兹说：“你看，当初是你要带菲龙同行，我根本就反对，我确信她只会是个麻烦。因此——她的出现带来一些束缚，你就必须做些自我调适。她待在这里，所以你也得待在这里，没有别的办法。”
宝绮思叹了一口气。“我想是吧。”
“好，詹诺夫呢？”
“他和菲龙待在一起。”
“很好，你去换班，我有话跟他说。”
裴洛拉特走进来的时候，崔维兹还在研究行星地表。他先清了清喉咙，表示他已经到了。“有什么问题吗，葛兰？”
“不能算真正有问题，詹诺夫，我只是不太确定。这是个很特殊的世界，我不知道它发生过什么变故。当初海洋一定极辽阔，这点可以从海盆看出来，不过它们都很浅。从这些地理遗迹中，我所能做出的最佳判断，是这个世界原本有许多河渠，海洋曾经进行淡化的手续，也可能海水本来就没什么盐分。如果当初海洋中的盐分不多，就能解释海盆中为何没有大片盐田。或者也有可能，在海水流失的过程中，盐分跟着一起流失——这就会使它看来像人为的结果。”
裴洛拉特迟疑地说：“很抱歉，我对这些事一窍不通，葛兰，但这些有任何一样跟我们寻找的目标有关吗？”
“我想应该没有，可是我忍不住靶到好奇。这颗行星如何被改造成适于人类居住，它在改造之前又是什么面貌，我若知道这些答案，或许就能了解它在遭到遗弃之后——或者也许是之前，曾经发生什么变故。要是我们知道发生了什么事，也许就能提早防范，避免发生不愉快的意外。”
“什么样的意外？它是个死去的世界，不是吗？”
“的确死透了。水分非常少，大气稀薄而不能呼吸，宝绮思也侦测不到精神活动的迹象。”
“我认为这就够确定了。”
“不存在精神活动，不一定代表没有生物。”
“至少表示一定没有危险的生物。”
“我不知道——不过我想请教你的不是这个。我找到两座城市，可当作我们探查的第一站，它们的状况似乎极佳，其他的城市也都一样。不管空气和海洋是被什么力量毁掉的，城市似乎完全未被波及。言归正传，那两个城市特别大，但较大的那个似乎缺少空地，它的外缘远方有些太空航站，市内却没有这类场所。另外那个稍微小一点的，市内则有些开阔的空间，所以比较容易降落在市中心，不过那里并不是正式的太空航站——可是话说回来，谁又会计较呢？”
裴洛拉特显得愁眉苦脸。“你是要我做决定吗，葛兰？”
“不，我自己会做决定，我只是想知道你的看法。”
“如果你不嫌弃的话——向四方延伸的大城比较像商业或制造业中心，具有开放空间的较小城市则较像行政中心。我们的目标应该是行政中心，那里有纪念性建筑物吗？”
“你所谓的纪念性建筑物是什么意思？”
裴洛拉特微微一笑，拉长了他紧绷的嘴唇。“我也不清楚，各个世界的建筑风格都不相同，也会随着时间改变。不过，我猜它们总是看来大而无当，而且豪华奢侈，就像我们在康普隆时置身的那个建筑。”
这回轮到崔维兹露出微笑。“垂直看下去很难分辨，而我们在着陆或起飞时，虽然可以从侧面观察，看出去也会是一团混乱。你为什么比较中意行政中心？”
“那里较有可能找到行星博物馆、图书馆、档案中心、大学院校等等机构。”
“好，我们就去那里，去那个较小的城市，也许我们能有所发现。我们已经失败两次，这次也许能有什么发现。”
“说不定这是‘幸运的三度梅’。”
崔维兹扬起眉毛。“你从哪里听来这句成语？”
“这是个古老的成语，”裴洛拉特说：“我是在一则古代传说中发现的。它的意思是第三次的尝试终于带来成功，我这么想。”
“听来很有道理。”崔维兹说：“很好——幸运的三度梅，詹诺夫。”

Part Five - Melpomenia Chapter 13: Away from Solaria
56The leaving was a blur. Trevize had gathered up hisfutile weapons, had opened the airlock, and they had tumbled in. Trevizedidn't notice until they were off the surface that Fallom had beenbrought in as well.
They probably would not have made it in time if the Solarian useof airflight had not been so comparatively unsophisticated. It tookthe approaching Solarian vessel an unconscionable time to descend andland. On the other hand, it took virtually no time for the computer ofthe Far Star to take the gravitic ship vertically upward.
And although the cut-off of the gravitational interaction and,therefore, of inertia wiped out the otherwise unbearable effects ofacceleration that would have accompanied so speedy a takeoff, it didnot wipe out the effects of air resistance. The outer hull temperaturerose at a distinctly more rapid rate than navy regulations (or shipspecifications, for that matter) would have considered suitable.
As they rose, they could see the second Solarian ship land andseveral more approaching. Trevize wondered how many robots Bliss couldhave handled, and decided they would have been overwhelmed if they hadremained on the surface fifteen minutes longer.
Once out in space (or space enough, with only tenuous wisps of theplanetary exosphere around them), Trevize made for the nightside of theplanet. It was a hop away, since they had left the surface as sunsetwas approaching. In the dark, the Far Star would have a chanceto cool more rapidly, and there the ship could continue to recede fromthe surface in a slow spiral.
Pelorat came out of the room he shared with Bliss. He said, "Thechild is sleeping normally now. We've showed it how to use the toiletand it had no trouble understanding.""That's not surprising. It must have had similar facilities in themansion.""I didn't see any there and I was looking," said Pelorat feelingly. "Wedidn't get back on the ship a moment too soon for me.""Or any of us. But why did we bring that child on board?"Pelorat shrugged apologetically. "Bliss wouldn't let go. It was likesaving a life in return for the one she took. She can't bear ""I know," said Trevize.
Pelorat said, "It's a very oddly shaped child.""Being hermaphroditic, it would have to be," said Trevize.
"It has testicles, you know.""It could scarcely do without them.""And what I can only describe as a very small vagina."Trevize made a face. "Disgusting.""Not really, Golan," said Pelorat, protesting. "It's adapted to itsneeds. It only delivers a fertilized egg-cell, or a very tiny embryo,which is then developed under laboratory conditions, tended, I dare say,by robots.""And what happens if their robot-system breaks down? If that happens,they would no longer be able to produce viable young.""Any world would be in serious trouble if its social structure brokedown completely.""Not that I would weep uncontrollably over the Solarians.""Well," said Pelorat, "I admit it doesn't seem a very attractiveworld to us, I mean. But that's only the people and the socialstructure, which are not our type at all, dear chap. But subtract thepeople and the robots, and you have a world which otherwise ""Might fall apart as Aurora is beginning to do," said Trevize. "How'sBliss, Janov?""Worn out, I'm afraid. She's sleeping now. She had a very bad time, Golan.""I didn't exactly enjoy myself either."Trevize closed his eyes, and decided he could use some sleep himselfand would indulge in that relief as soon as he was reasonably certainthe Solarians had no space capability and so far the computer hadreported nothing of artifactitious nature in space.
He thought bitterly of the two Spacer planets they hadvisited hostile wild dogs on one hostile hermaphroditicloners on the other and in neither place the tiniest hint as tothe location of Earth. All they had to show for the double visit wasFallom.
He opened his eyes. Pelorat was still sitting in place at the otherside of the computer, watching him solemnly.
Trevize said, with sudden conviction, "We should have left thatSolarian child behind."Pelorat said, "The poor thing. They would have killed it.""Even so," said Trevize, "it belonged there. It's part of thatsociety. Being put to death because of being superfluous is the sort ofthing it's born to.""Oh, my dear fellow, that's a hardhearted way to look at it.""It's a rational way. We don't know how to care for it,and it may suffer more lingeringly with us and die anyway. What doesit eat?""Whatever we do, I suppose, old man. Actually, the problem is whatdo we eat? How much do we have in the way of supplies?""Plenty. Plenty. Even allowing for our new passenger."Pelorat didn't look overwhelmed with happiness at this remark. He said,"It's become a pretty monotonous diet. We should have taken some itemson board on Comporellon not that their cooking was excellent.""We couldn't. We left, if you remember, rather hurriedly, as we leftAurora, and as we left, in particular, Solaria. But what's a littlemonotony? It spoils one's pleasure, but it keeps one alive.""Would it be possible to pick up fresh supplies if we need to?""Anytime, Janov. With a gravitic ship and hyperspatial engines, theGalaxy is a small place. In days, we can be anywhere. It's just thathalf the worlds in the Galaxy are alerted to watch for our ship and Iwould rather stay out of the way for a time.""I suppose that's so. Bander didn't seem interested in theship.""It probably wasn't even consciously aware of it. I suspect thatthe Solarians long ago gave up space flight. Their prime desire is tobe left completely alone and they can scarcely enjoy the security ofisolation if they are forever moving about in space and advertisingtheir presence.""What are we going to do next, Golan?"Trevize said, "We have a third world to visit."Pelorat shook his head. "Judging from the first two, I don't expectmuch from that .""Nor do I at the moment, but just as soon as I get a little sleep,I'm going to get the computer to plot our course to that third world."57Trevize slept considerably longer than he had expectedto, but that scarcely mattered. There was neither day nor night, inany natural sense, on board ship, and the circadian rhythm neverworked absolutely perfectly. The hours were what they were made to be,and it wasn't uncommon for Trevize and Pelorat (and particularly Bliss)to be somewhat out-of-sync as far as the natural rhythms of eating andsleeping were concerned.
Trevize even speculated, in the course of his scrapedown (theimportance of conserving water made it advisable to scrape off the sudsrather than rinse them off), about sleeping another hour or two, whenhe turned and found himself staring at Fallom, who was as undressed ashe was.
He could not help jumping back, which, in the restricted area of thePersonal, was bound to bring part of his body against something hard. Hegrunted Fallom was staring curiously at him and was pointing at Trevize'spenis. What it said was incomprehensible but the whole bearing of thechild seemed to bespeak a sense of disbelief. For his own peace of mind,Trevize had no choice but to put his hands over his penis.
Then Fallom said, in its high-pitched voice, "Greetings."Trevize started slightly at the child's unexpected use of Galactic,but the word had the sound of having been memorized.
Fallom continued, a painstaking word at a time,"Bliss say you wash me.
"Yes?" said Trevize. He put his hands on Fallom'sshoulders. "You stay here."He pointed downward at the floor and Fallom, of course, lookedinstantly at the place to which the finger pointed. It showed nocomprehension of the phrase at all.
"Don't move," said Trevize, holding the child tightly by both arms,pressing them toward the body as though to symbolize immobility. Hehastily dried himself and put on his shorts, and over them histrousers.
He stepped out and roared, "Bliss!"It was difficult for anyone to be more than four meters from any oneelse on the ship and Bliss came to the door of her room at once. Shesaid, smiling, "Are you calling me, Trevize; or was that the soft breezesighing through the waving grass?""Let's not be funny, Bliss. What is that?" He jerked his thumb overhis shoulder.
Bliss looked past him and said, "Well, it looks like the young Solarianwe brought on board yesterday."" You brought on board. Why do you want me to wash it?""I should think you'd want to. It's a very bright creature. It'spicking up Galactic words quickly. It never forgets once I explainsomething. Of course, I'm helping it do so.""Naturally.""Yes. I keep it calm. I kept it in a daze during most of the disturbingevents on the planet. I saw to it that it slept on board ship and I'mtrying to divert its mind just a little bit from its lost robot, Jemby,that, apparently, it loved very much.""So that it ends up liking it here, I suppose.""I hope so. It's adaptable because it's young, and I encourage thatby as much as I dare influence its mind. I'm going to teach it to speakGalactic.""Then you wash it. Understood?"Bliss shrugged. "I will, if you insist, but I would want it to feelfriendly with each of us. It would be useful to have each of us performfunctions. Surely you can co-operate in that.""Not to this extent. And when you finish washing it, get rid of it. Iwant to talk to you."Bliss said, with a sudden edge of hostility, "How do you mean, getrid of it?""I don't mean dump it through the airlock. I mean, put it in yourroom. Sit it down in a corner. I want to talk at you.""I'll be at your service," she said coldly.
He stared after her, nursing his wrath for the moment, then movedinto the pilot-room, and activated the viewscreen.
Solaria was a dark circle with a curving crescent of light at theleft. Trevize placed his hands on the desk to make contact with thecomputer and found his anger cooling at once. One had to be calm to linkmind and computer effectively and, eventually, conditioned reflex linkedhandhold and serenity.
There were no artifactitious objects about the ship in any direction,out as far as the planet itself. The Solarians (or their robots, mostlikely) could not, or would not, follow.
Good enough. He might as well get out of the night-shadow, then. Ifhe continued to recede, it would, in any case, vanish as Solaria's discgrew smaller than that of the more distant, but much larger, sun thatit circled.
He set the computer to move the ship out of the planetary planeas well, since that would make it possible to accelerate with greatersafety. They would then more quickly reach a region where space curvaturewould be low enough to make the Jump secure.
And, as often on such occasions, he fell to studying the stars. Theywere almost hypnotic in their quiet changelessness. All their turbulenceand instability were wiped out by the distance that left them only dotsof light.
One of those dots might well be the sun about which Earthrevolved the original sun, under whose radiation life began,and under whose beneficence humanity evolved.
Surely, if the Spacer worlds circled stars that were bright andprominent members of the stellar family, and that were neverthelessunlisted in the computer's Galactic map, the same might be true ofthe sun.
Or was it only the suns of the Spacer worlds that were omitted becauseof some primeval treaty agreement that left them to themselves? WouldEarth's sun be included in the Galactic map, but not marked off fromthe myriads of stars that were sun-like, yet had no habitable planet inorbit about itself?
There were after all, some thirty billion sun-like stars in the Galaxy,and only about one in a thousand had habitable planets in orbits aboutthem. There might be a thousand such habitable planets within a fewhundred parsecs of his present position. Should he sift through thesun-like stars one by one, searching for them?
Or was the original sun not even in this region of the Galaxy? Howmany other regions were convinced the sun was one of their neighbors,that they were primeval Settlers ?
He needed information, and so far he had none.
He doubted strongly whether even the closest examination of themillennial ruins on Aurora would give information concerning Earth'slocation. He doubted even more strongly that the Solarians could be madeto yield information.
Then, too, if all information about Earth had vanished out of thegreat Library at Trantor; if no information about Earth remained in thegreat Collective Memory of Gaia; there seemed little chance that anyinformation that might have existed on the lost worlds of the Spacerswould have been overlooked.
And if he found Earth's sun and, then, Earth itself, by the sheerestgood fortune would something force him to be unaware of thefact? Was Earth's defense absolute? Was its determination to remain inhiding unbreakable?
What was he looking for anyway?
Was it Earth? Or was it the flaw in Seldon's Plan that he thought(for no clear reason) he might find on Earth?
Seldon's Plan had been working for five centuries now, and wouldbring the human species (so it was said) to safe harbor at last inthe womb of a Second Galactic Empire, greater than the First, a noblerand a freer one and yet he, Trevize, had voted against it, andfor Galaxia.
Galaxia would be one large organism, while the Second GalacticEmpire would, however great in size and variety, be a mere union ofindividual organisms of microscopic size in comparison with itself. TheSecond Galactic Empire would be another example of the kind of union ofindividuals that humanity had set up ever since it became humanity. TheSecond Galactic Empire might be the largest and best of the species,but it would still be but one more member of that species.
For Galaxia, a member of an entirely different species of organization,to be better than the Second Galactic Empire, there must be a flaw inthe Plan, something the great Hari Seldon had himself overlooked.
But if it were something Seldon had overlooked, how could Trevizecorrect the matter? He was not a mathematician; knew nothing, absolutelynothing, about the details of the Plan; would understand nothing,furthermore, even if it were explained to him.
All he knew were the assumptions that a great number ofhuman beings be involved and that they not be aware of the conclusionsreached. The first assumption was self-evidently true, considering thevast population of the Galaxy, and the second had to be true since onlythe Second Foundationers knew the details of the Plan, and they kept itto themselves securely enough.
That left an added unacknowledged assumption, a taken-for-grantedassumption, one so taken for granted it was never mentioned nor thoughtof and yet one that might be false. An assumption that, if itwere false, would alter the grand conclusion of the Planand make Galaxia preferable to Empire.
But if the assumption was so obvious and so taken for granted thatit was never even expressed, how could it be false? And if no one evermentioned it, or thought of it, how could Trevize know it was there,or have any idea of its nature even if he guessed its existence?
Was he truly Trevize, the man with the flawless intuition asGaia insisted? Did he know the right thing to do even when he didn'tknow why he was doing it?
Now he was visiting every Spacer world he knew about. Was thatthe right thing to do? Did the Spacer worlds hold the answer? Or atleast the beginning of the answer?
What was there on Aurora but ruins and wild dogs? (And, presumably,other feral creatures. Raging bulls? Overgrown rats? Stalking green-eyedcats?) Solaria was alive, but what was there on it but robots andenergy-transducing human beings? What had either world to do with Seldon'sPlan unless they contained the secret of the location of the Earth?
And if they did, what had Earth to do with Seldon'sPlan? Was this all madness? Had he listened too long and too seriouslyto the fantasy of his own infallibility?
An overwhelming weight of shame came over him and seemed to pressupon him to the point where he could barely breathe. He looked at thestars remote, uncaring and thought: I must be the Great Foolof the Galaxy.
58Bliss's voice broke in on him. "Well, Trevize, why doyou want to see Is anything wrong?" Her voice had twisted intosudden concern.
Trevize looked up and, for a moment, found it momentarily difficultto brush away his mood. He stared at her, then said, "No, no. Nothing'swrong. I I was merely lost in thought. Every once in a while,after all, I find myself thinking."He was uneasily aware that Bliss could read his emotions. He hadonly her word that she was voluntarily abstaining from any oversight ofhis mind.
She seemed to accept his statement, however. She said, "Pelorat is withFallom, teaching it Galactic phrases. The child seems to eat what we dowithout undue objection. But what do you want to see me about?""Well, not here,", said Trevize. "The computer doesn't need me atthe moment. If you want to come into my room, the bed's made and youcan sit on it while I sit on the chair. Or vice versa, if you prefer.""It doesn't matter." They walked the short distance to Trevize'sroom. She eyed him narrowly. "You don't seem furious anymore.""Checking my mind?""Not at all. Checking your face.""I'm not furious. I may lose my temper momentarily, now and then,but that's not the same as furious. If you don't mind, though, thereare questions I must ask you."Bliss sat down on Trevize's bed, holding herself erect, and witha solemn expression on her wide-cheeked face and in her dark browneyes. Her shoulder-length black hair was neatly arranged and her slimhands were clasped loosely in her lap. There was a faint trace of perfumeabout her.
Trevize smiled. "You've dolled yourself up. I suspect you think Iwon't yell quite so hard at a young and pretty girl.""You can yell and scream all you wish if it will make you feelbetter. I just don't want you yelling and screaming at Fallom.""I don't intend to. In fact, I don't intend to yell and scream atyou. Haven't we decided to be friends?""Gaia has never had anything but feelings of friendship toward you,Trevize.""I'm not talking about Gaia. I know you're part of Gaia and that youare Gaia. Still there's part of you that's an individual, at least aftera fashion. I'm talking to the individual. I'm talking to someone namedBliss without regard or with as little regard as possible toGaia. Haven't we decided to be friends, Bliss?""Yes, Trevize.""Then how is it you delayed dealing with the robots on Solaria afterwe had left the mansion and reached the ship? I was humiliated andphysically hurt, yet you did nothing. Even though every moment mightbring additional robots to the scene and the number might overwhelm us,you did nothing."Bliss looked at him seriously, and spoke as though she were intenton explaining her actions rather than defending them. "I was not doingnothing, Trevize. I was studying the Guardian Robots' minds, and tryingto learn how to handle them.""I know that's what you were doing. At least you said you were at thetime. I just don't see the sense of it. Why handle the minds when youwere perfectly capable of destroying them as you finally did?""Do you think it so easy to destroy an intelligent being?"Trevize's lips twisted into an expression of distaste. "Come, Bliss. Anintelligent being ? It was just a robot.""Just a robot?" A little passion entered her voice. "That's theargument always. Just. Just! Why should the Solarian, Bander, havehesitated to kill us? We were just human beings without transducers. Whyshould there be any hesitation about leaving Fallom to its fate? Itwas just a Solarian, and an immature specimen at that. If you startdismissing anyone or anything you want to do away with as just a thisor just a that, you can destroy anything you wish. There are alwayscategories you can find for them."Trevize said, "Don't carry a perfectly legitimate remark to extremesjust to make it seem ridiculous. The robot was just a robot. You can'tdeny that. It was not human. It was not intelligent in our sense. Itwas a machine mimicking an appearance of intelligence."Bliss said, "How easily you can talk when you know nothing about it. Iam Gaia. Yes, I am Bliss, too, but I am Gaia. I am a world that findsevery atom of itself precious and meaningful, and every organization ofatoms even more precious and meaningful. I/we/Gaia would not lightly breakdown an organization, though we would gladly build it into something stillmore complex, provided always that that would not harm the whole.
"The highest form of organization we know produces intelligence, and tobe willing to destroy intelligence requires the sorest need. Whether itis machine intelligence or biochemical intelligence scarcely matters. Infact, the Guardian Robot represented a kind of intelligence I/we/Gaiahad never encountered. To study it was wonderful. To destroy it,unthinkable except in a moment of crowning emergency."Trevize said dryly, "There were three greater intelligences at stake:
your own, that of Pelorat, the human being you love, and, if you don'tmind my mentioning it, mine.""Four! You still keep forgetting to include Fallom. They werenot yet at stake. So I judged. See here Suppose you were facedwith a painting, a great artistic masterpiece, the existence of whichmeant death to you. All you had to do was to bring a wide brush of paintslam-bang, and at random, across the face of that painting and it wouldbe destroyed forever, and you would be safe. But suppose, instead, thatif you studied the painting carefully, and added just a touch of painthere, a speck there, scraped off a minute portion in a third place, andso on, you would alter the painting enough to avoid death, and yet leaveit a masterpiece. Naturally, the revision couldn't be done except withthe most painstaking care. It would take time, but surely, if that timeexisted, you would try to save the painting as well as your life."Trevize said, "Perhaps. But in the end you destroyed the painting pastredemption. The wide paintbrush came down and wiped out all thewonderful little touches of color and subtleties of form and shape. Andyou did that instantly when a little hermaphrodite was at risk, whereour danger and your own had not moved you.""We Outworlders were still not at immediate risk,while Fallom, it seemed to me, suddenly was. I had to choose betweenthe Guardian Robots and Fallom, and, with no time to lose, I had tochoose Fallom.""Is that what it was, Bliss? A quick calculation weighing one mindagainst another, a quick judging of the greater complexity and thegreater worth?""Yes."Trevize said, "Suppose I tell you, it was just a child that wasstanding before you, a child threatened with death. An instinctivematernalism gripped you then, and you saved it where earlier you wereall calculation when only three adult lives were at stake."Bliss reddened slightly. "There might have been something like thatin it; but it was not after the fashion of the mocking way in which yousay it. It had rational thought behind it, too.""I wonder. If there had been rational thought behind it, you mighthave considered that the child was meeting the common fate inevitablein its own society. Who knows how many thousands of children had beencut down to maintain the low number these Solarians think suitable totheir world?""There's more to it than that, Trevize. The child would be killedbecause it was too young to be a Successor, and that was because it hada parent who had died prematurely, and that was because Ihad killed that parent.""At a time when it was kill or be killed.""Not important. I killed the parent. I could not stand by and allowthe child to be killed for my deed. Besides, it offers for studya brain of a kind that has never been studied by Gaia.""A child's brain.""It will not remain a child's brain. It will further develop thetwo transducer-lobes on either side of the brain. Those lobes give aSolarian abilities that all of Gaia cannot match. Simply to keep a fewlights lit, just to activate a device to open a door, wore me out. Bandercould have kept all the power going over an estate as great in complexityand greater in size than that city we saw on Comporellon and doit even while sleeping."Trevize said, "Then you see the child as an important bit offundamental brain research.""In a way, yes.""That's not the way I feel. To me, it seems we have taken dangeraboard. Great danger.""Danger in what way? It will adapt perfectly with my help. Itis highly intelligent, and already shows signs of feeling affection forus. It will eat what we eat, go where we go, and I/we/Gaia will gaininvaluable knowledge concerning its brain.""What if it produces young? It doesn't need a mate. It is its ownmate.""It won't be of child-bearing age for many years. The Spacerslived for centuries and the Solarians had no desire to increase theirnumbers. Delayed reproduction is probably bred into the population. Fallomwill have no children for a long time.""How do you know this?""I don't know it. I'm merely being logical.""And I tell you Fallom will prove dangerous.""You don't know that. And you're not being logical, either.""I feel it Bliss, without reason. At the moment. And it is you,not I, who insists my intuition is infallible."And Bliss frowned and looked uneasy.
59Pelorat paused at the door to the pilot-room and lookedinside in a rather ill-at-ease manner. It was as though he were tryingto decide whether Trevize was hard at work or not.
Trevize had his hands on the table, as he always did when he madehimself part of the computer, and his eyes were on the viewscreen. Peloratjudged, therefore, he was at work, and he waited patiently, trying notto move or, in any way, disturb the other.
Eventually, Trevize looked up at Pelorat. It was not a matter oftotal awareness. Trevize's eyes always seemed a bit glazed and unfocusedwhen he was in computer-communion, as though he were looking, thinking,living in some other way than a person usually did.
But he nodded slowly at Pelorat, as though the sight, penetratingwith difficulty, did, at last, sluggishly impress itself on the opticlobes. Then, after a while, he lifted his hands and smiled and washimself again.
Pelorat said apologetically, "I'm afraid I'm getting in your way,Golan.""Not seriously, Janov. I was just testing to see if we were ready forthe Jump. We are, just about, but I think I'll give it a few more hours,just for luck.""Does luck or random factors have anything to do withit?""An expression only," said Trevize, smiling, "but random factors dohave something to do with it, in theory. What's on your mind?""May I sit down?""Surely, but let's go into my room. How's Bliss?""Very well." He cleared his throat. "She's sleeping again. She musthave her sleep, you understand.""I understand perfectly. It's the hyperspatial separation.""Exactly, old chap.""And Fallom?" Trevize reclined on the bed, leaving Pelorat thechair.
"Those books out of my library that you had your computerprint up for me? The folk tales? It's reading them. Of course, itunderstands very little Galactic, but it seems to enjoy sounding outthe words. He's I keep wanting to use the masculine pronoun forit. Why do you suppose that is, old fellow?"Trevize shrugged. "Perhaps because you're masculine yourself.""Perhaps. It's fearfully intelligent, you know.""I'm sure."Pelorat hesitated. "I gather you're not very fond of Fallom.""Nothing against it personally, Janov. I've never had children andI've never been particularly fond of them generally. You've had children,I seem to remember.""One son. It was a pleasure, I recall, having my son when he wasa little boy. Maybe that's why I want to use the masculinepronoun for Fallom. It takes me back a quarter of a century or so.""I've no objection to your liking it, Janov.""You'd like him, too, if you gave yourself a chance.""I'm sure I would, Janov, and maybe someday I will give myself achance to do so."Pelorat hesitated again. "I also know that you must get tired ofarguing with Bliss.""Actually, I don't think we'll be arguing much, Janov. She and I areactually getting along quite well. We even had a reasonable discussionjust the other day no shouting, no recrimination abouther delay in inactivating the Guardian Robots. She keeps saving ourlives, after all, so I can't very well offer her less than friendship,can I?""Yes, I see that, but I don't mean arguing, in the sense ofquarreling. I mean this constant wrangle about Galaxia as opposed toindividuality.""Oh, that! I suppose that will continue politely.""Would you mind, Golan, if I took up the argument on her behalf?""Perfectly all right. Do you accept the idea of Galaxia on your own,or is it that you simply feel happier when you agree with Bliss?""Honestly, on my own. I think that Galaxia is what should beforthcoming. You yourself chose that course of action and I am constantlybecoming more convinced that that is correct.""Because I chose it? That's no argument. Whatever Gaia says, I maybe wrong, you know. So don't let Bliss persuade you into Galaxia onthat basis.""I don't think you are wrong. Solaria showed me that, not Bliss.""How?""Well, to begin with, we are Isolates, you and I."" Her term, Janov. I prefer to think of us asindividuals.""A matter of semantics, old chap. Call it what you will, we areenclosed in our private skins surrounding our private thoughts, and wethink first and foremost of ourselves. Self-defense is our first law ofnature, even if that means harming everyone else in existence.""People have been known to give their lives for others.""A rare phenomenon. Many more people have been known to sacrificethe dearest needs of others to some foolish whim of their own.""And what has that to do with Solaria?""Why, on Solaria, we see what Isolates or individuals, if youprefer can become. The Solarians can hardly bear to divide a wholeworld among themselves. They consider living a life of complete isolationto be perfect liberty. They have no yearning for even their own offspring,but kill them if there are too many. They surround themselves with robotslaves to which they supply the power, so that if they die, their wholehuge estate symbolically dies as well. Is this admirable, Golan? Can youcompare it in decency, kindness, and mutual concern with Gaia? Blisshas not discussed this with me at all. It is my own feeling."Trevize said, "And it is like you to have that feeling, Janov. Ishare it. I think Solarian society is horrible, but it wasn't alwayslike that. They are descended from Earthmen, and, more immediately, fromSpacers who lived a much more normal life. The Solarians chose a path,for one reason or another, which led to an extreme, but you can't judgeby extremes. In all the Galaxy, with its millions of inhabited worlds,is there one you know that now, or in the past, has had a society likethat of Solaria, or even remotely like that of Solaria? And would evenSolaria have such a society if it were not riddled with robots? Is itconceivable that a society of individuals could evolve to such a pitchof Solarian horror without robots?"Pelorat's face twitched a little. "You punch holes in everything,Golan or at least I mean you don't ever seem to be at a loss in defendingthe type of Galaxy you voted against.""I won't knock down everything. There is a rationale for Galaxiaand when I find it, I'll know it, and I'll give in. Or perhaps, moreaccurately, if I find it.""Do you think you might not?"Trevize shrugged. "How can I say? Do you know why I'm waitinga few hours to make the Jump, and why I'm in danger of talking myselfinto waiting a few days?""You said it would be safer if we waited.""Yes, that's what I said, but we'd be safe enough now. What I reallyfear is that those Spacer worlds for which we have the co-ordinateswill fail us altogether. We have only three, and we've already used uptwo, narrowly escaping death each time. In doing so, we have still notgained any hint as to Earth's location, or even, in actual fact, Earth'sexistence. Now I face the third and last chance, and what if it, too,fails us?"Pelorat sighed. "You know there are old folk tales one, in fact,exists among those I gave Fallom to practice upon in which someoneis allowed three wishes, but only three. Three seems to be a significantnumber in these things, perhaps because it is the first odd number sothat it is the smallest decisive number. You know, two out of threewins. The point is that in these stories, the wishes are of nouse. No one ever wishes correctly, which, I have always supposed, isancient wisdom to the effect that the satisfaction of your wants mustbe earned, and not "He fell suddenly silent and abashed. "I'm sorry, old man, but I'mwasting your time. I do tend to rattle on when I get started on myhobby.""I find you always interesting, Janov. I am willing to see theanalogy. We have been given three wishes, and we have had two and theyhave done us no good. Now only one is left. Somehow, I am sure of failureagain and so I wish to postpone it. That is why I am putting off theJump as long as possible.""What will you do if you do fail again? Go back to Gaia? ToTerminus?""Oh no," said Trevize in a whisper, shaking his head. "The searchmust continue if I only knew how."

第五部 梅尔波美尼亚星 第十三章 远离索拉利
56
离去的过程可谓一团混乱。崔维兹捡起那两件已失效的武器，打开气闸，一伙人跌跌撞撞进了太空艇。直到他们飞离地表，崔维兹才注意到菲龙也被带上来。
若非索拉利人的飞航技术并不高明，他们也许无法及时逃脱。那艘索拉利航空器花在降落与着地的时间，简直长得不可思议。反之，远星号的电脑几乎在一刹那间就让这艘着力太空艇垂直升空。
以如此的高速升空，原本会产生难以承受的加速效应，但由于远星号隔绝了着力作用，惯性也因而消失，所以能将加速效应完全除去。纵然如此，它仍无法消除空气阻力的效应，是以外壳温度急遽上升，增温速率远远超过舰队规定（或太空艇规范）的合理上限。
在升空时，他们看到第二艘索拉利航空器已经降落，此外还有几艘正在接近。崔维兹不知道宝绮思能对付多少机器人，伹根据他的判断，他们若在地面多耽搁十五分钟，就一定会被大群机器人吞没。
一旦进入太空（或几乎到达太空，周围只剩行星“外气层”的稀薄分子），崔维兹立刻朝行星的夜面飞去。那只是段很短的航程，因为他们离开地表时正是夕阳西下时分。在黑暗中，远星号可以，较快冷却，并能继续循螺线缓缓飞离这颗行星。
此时，裴洛拉特从他与宝绮思共用的舱房走出来说：“那孩子现在安稳地睡着了。我们教它如何使用盥洗室，它学来毫不费力。”
“这没什么好惊讶，那座宅邸中一定有类似的设备。”
“我在那里一间也没看到，其实我一直在找。”裴洛拉特若有所感地说：“要是我们再迟一刻回太空船，我就憋不住了。”
“我们都一样。但为什么要把那孩子带上来？”
裴洛拉特歉然地耸了耸肩。“宝绮思不愿丢下它，像是想挽救一条命，来弥补她害死的另一条命。她受不了……”
“我懂。”崔维兹说。
裴洛拉特说：“这孩子的形体非常奇怪。”
“既然是雌雄同体，就在所难免。”崔维兹说。
“它有两颗睾丸，你知道吧。”
“几乎不可能没有。”
“还有个我只能形容为非常小的阴道。”
崔维兹扮了个鬼脸。“恶心。”
“并不尽然，葛兰，”裴洛拉特抗议道：“这刚好符合它的需要。它只要产出一个受精卵细胞，或是一个很小的胚胎，受精卵或胚胎就能在实验室中发育，而且我敢说，是由机器人负责照顾。”
“假使他们的机器人系统发生故障，那又会如何？如果发生那种情形，它们就无法产生能存活的下一代。”
“任何一个世界，若是社会结构完全故障，都会陷入严着的危机。”
“不会像索拉利人那么严着，让我忍不住为它们掉泪。”
“嗯，一裴洛拉特说：“我承认它似乎不是非常迷人的世界——我的意思是对我们而言。但问题出在索拉利人和社会结构上，这两者跟我们完全不同，我亲爱的兄弟。但去掉了索拉利人和机器人，你会发现那个世界……”
“可能会开始崩溃，像奥罗拉现在那样。”崔维兹说：“宝绮思怎么样，詹诺夫？”
“只怕她累垮了，她正在睡觉。她有段很不好过的经历，葛兰。”
“我也没感到多么好过。”
崔维兹闭上眼睛。他已经决定，只要一确定索拉利人没有太空航行能力，他立刻要睡上一觉，好好放松一下。而直到目前为止，根据电脑的报告，太空中未发现任何人工天体。
想到他们造访过的两个外世界，他心中充满苦涩——一个上面有满怀敌意的野狗，另一个则有满怀敌意的雌雄同体独居者，两处都找不到一丝有关地球下落的线索。他们到过那两个世界的唯一证明，只有菲龙那个孩子。
他张开眼睛，裴洛拉特仍坐在电脑另一侧，以严肃的神情望着他。
崔维兹突然以坚定的语气说：“我们应该把那个索拉利小孩留在原地。”
裴洛拉特说：“可怜的小家伙，他们会杀了它。”
“即使这样，”崔维兹说：“它终究属于那里，是那个社会的一部分。被视为多余而遭处死，是它生来命该如此。”
“喔，我亲爱的伙伴，这实在是铁石心肠的看法。”
“这是合理的看法。我们不知道如何照顾它，它跟我们在一起，也许会多吃不少苦头，到头来却仍难免一死。它吃些什么东西？”
“我想我们吃什么它就吃什么，老友。事实上，问题是我们要吃什么呢？我们的存粮究竟还剩多少？”
“很多，很多，即使多一位乘客也不用愁。”
听到这个答案，裴洛拉特并未显得多么高兴。他说：“那些食物已变得十分单调，我们应该在康普隆补充些——虽然他们的烹饪术不怎么高明。”
“我们没办法。你应该还没忘记，我们走得相当匆忙，离开奥罗拉时也一样，而离开索拉利时尤其如此——单调一点有什么关系？虽然破坏了用餐情趣，却能让我们活命。”
“如果我们有需要，有没有可能找些新鲜食物？”
“随时都行，詹诺夫。拥有一艘着力太空船，上面又有几具超空间发动机，那么银河就只算个小地方。几天之内，我们便可到达任何一处。只不过银河中半数的世界都在留意我们的太空船，因此我宁愿暂时避避风头。”
“我想那也对——班德似乎对这艘太空船没兴趣。”
“它可能根本没意识到它的存在，我想索拉利人早就放弃太空航行。它们最大的心愿是完全遗世独立，如果它们在太空中不停活动，到处宣传自身的存在，就几乎不可能享有与世无争的日子。”
“我们下一步该怎么办，葛兰？”
崔维兹说：“我们还有第三个世界有待造访。”
裴洛拉特摇了摇头。“根据前面两个来判断，我对另一个不抱太大希望。”
“目前我也不抱什么希望。不过等我小睡片刻后，就要让电脑绘出飞往第三个世界的航线。”
57
崔维兹的睡眠时间比预期长了许多，不过这没什么关系。太空艇上并没有自然的日夜，也从未绝对遵循“近似昼夜节律”。一天有几小时是人为的规定，诸如饮食、睡眠的自然作息规律，崔维兹与裴洛拉特就常常无法与时钟同步（宝绮思尤其如此）。
当崔维兹在浴室擦拭身体时（由于务必节约用水，肥皂泡最好别用水冲，只要擦掉就妤），脑子里正想着要不要再睡一两个钟头，他转过身来，竟发现菲龙站在面前，跟自己一样全身赤裸。
他不由自主往后一跳。这种单人盥洗间相当狭窄，身体某部分不可避免地一定会撞到什么坚硬的物体，他马上发出“哼”的一声。
菲龙好奇地盯着他，同时伸手指着他的阴茎。崔维兹听不懂它说什么，但从这孩子的神情看得出来，它似乎感到不可置信。为了让自己心安，崔维兹只好用双手遮住阴茎。
然后菲龙以一贯的高亢声调说：“你好。”
这孩子竟然会说银河标准语，崔维兹感到有些吃惊，不过听它的口气，好像是硬生生背下来的。
菲龙继续一个字一个字吃力地说：“宝——绮——思——说——你——洗——我。”
“是吗？”崔维兹双手按在菲龙肩膀上，“你——待——在——这——里。”
他指了指地板，菲龙当然立刻朝他所指的方向望去，看来它完全不懂那句话的意思。
“不要动。”崔维兹一面说，一面抓住孩子的双臂，紧紧按在它身体两侧，表示叫它静止别动。然后他赶紧擦干身体，穿上内衣裤，再套上一条长裤。
他走出去大叫：“宝绮思！”
在太空艇中，任何两个人的距离都很难超过四公尺。宝绮思随即来到她的舱房门口，带着微笑说：“是你在叫我吗，崔维兹？还是微风吹过摇曳的草地发出的声音？”
“别说笑了，宝绮思。那是什么？”他伸出拇指，猛力朝肩膀后面一甩。
宝绮思向他身后望了望，然后说：“嗯，看来像是我们昨天带上来的小索拉利人。”
“是你带上来的，你为什么要我替它洗澡？”
“我以为你会乐意帮忙。它是个很聪明的小家伙，银河标准语学得很快，我解释过的事它绝不会忘记。当然啦，我一直从旁帮助它。”
“自然如此。”
“没错，我让它保持冷静。在那颗行星上经历混乱场面时，我让它大多数时间都处于茫然状态，后来，又设法让它在太空船上睡一觉。现在我试图稍微转移它的心思，让它不再那么想念失去的机器人，它显然非常喜爱那个健比。”
“结果它就喜欢待在这里了，我想。”
“我希望如此。它的适应力很强，因为它还小，而在不过度影响它心灵的原则下，我尽量鼓励这一点。我还准备敦它说银河标准语。”
“那么你去帮它洗澡，懂不懂？”
宝绮思耸了耸肩。“我会的，假如你坚持的话，伹我希望让它觉得我们大家都很友善。如果我们每个人都分担些保母的工作，那会很有帮助，这方面你当然能合作。”
“不是合作到这种秤谌。还有你帮它洗完澡后，就把它给弄走，我要跟你谈一谈。”
宝绮思说：“你说把它弄走是什么意思？”她的语气突然透出敌意。
“我不是说把它从气闸抛出去，我的意思是把它弄到你的房间，叫它乖乖坐在角落——我要跟你谈谈。”
“任凭你吩咐。”她冷冷地说。
崔维兹一面瞪着她的背影，一面抚平自己的怒气。然后他走到驾驶舱，开启了显像屏幕。
索拉利星现在是个黑色圆盘，左侧有一道弯成新月形的光芒。崔维兹将双手放到桌面上，开始与电脑进行接触，竟发现他的火气立即平息。想要使心灵与电脑有效联结，就必须保持心平气和，久而久之，制约反射便将两者联系在一起。
以远星号为中心，他们目前与那颗行星的距离为半径，这个范围内没有任何人工天体。由此可以判断，索拉利人（或它们的机器人）不能也不会再跟踪他们。
惫不错，这样的话，现在他最好驶离夜面阴影。事实上，只要他继续远离索拉利，这颗行星呈现的圆盘便会越来越小；当它变得比远方体积大许多倍的太阳更小时，阴影无论如何都会消失。
同时，他指示电脑将太空艇驶离行星轨道面，这样可使加速过程安全许多。如此一来，他们便能更快到达一个空间曲率够小的区域，进行安全无虞的跃迁。
与往常一样，他又开始凝视远方的恒星。静寂而亘古不变的星体几乎带来一种催眠效应；它们本身的动荡与不定都已被长距离遮掩，呈现眼前的只有众多闪烁的光点。
其中一个光点，当然就是地球环绕的太阳——第一个太阳。生命在它的热辐射下诞生，人类也在它的庇荫下演化出来。
当然，如果外世界环绕的那些明后而显眼的恒星，全未收录在银河舆图中，那么，同样的情形也可能发生在“这个太阳”上。
彬者，是否只有外世界的太阳被故意遗漏，因为早年曾有过什么条约协定，让他们得以遗世独立？会不会地球的太阳虽收录于银河舆图中，却跟那些类似的、不含可住人行星的无数恒星混在一起了？
毕竟，银河中这类恒星总共三百亿左右，却只有约千分之一的轨道上有可住人行星。以他目前所在的位置为中心，周围几百秒差距之内，也许就有上千颗如此的可住人行星。他是否应将那些恒星逐一筛选，将所有的可住人行星都找一遍？
彬者，第一个太阳甚至不在银河这一区域？还有多少星域的居民，深信那个太阳是他们的近邻，而自己是最早一批殖民者的后裔？
他需要更多的资料，目前为止他什么也没有。
即使当初在奥罗拉的万年废墟中进行最仔细的搜寻，他也十分怀疑能否找到地球的下落。至于索拉利人，他更怀疑它们会提供任何相关资料。
而且，如果有关地球的所有资料，都从川陀那座伟大的图书馆消失无踪：又如果盖娅伟大的集体记忆，对地球也完全一片空白，那么在那些失落的外世界上，也几乎不可能有任何资料得以幸免。
假如他纯粹出于运气，竟然找到地球之阳，进而找到地球本身——会不会有什么外力使他无法察觉自己已经找到了？地球的防卫果真滴水不漏？它保持隐匿的决心果真如此坚决？
他究竟在寻找什么？
是地球吗？或是他认为（并无明确理由）可以在地球上找到谢顿计划的漏洞？
如今，谢顿计划已运作了五个世纪，（据说）最终将带领人类抵达一个安全的港湾——第二银河帝国的怀抱，它将比第一帝国更伟大、更崇高、更自由。然而他，崔维兹，却否定了第二帝国，转而支持盖娅星系。
扒娅星系将是个巨大的有机体；而第二银河帝国不论如何庞大，如何多样化，也只是众多独立有机体的联合组织，与它柑较之下，每个有机体仅只具有微观的尺度。自人类发迹以来，不知已建构出多少的个体集合，第二银河帝国只不过是另一个例子。虽然它有可能是最大、最好的一个，却仍无法脱离既有的框架。
扒娅星系则是个完全不同的组织，比第二银河帝国更理想。因此谢顿计划必定存有瑕疵，连伟大的哈里·谢顿自己都忽略了。
伹若是连谢顿都忽略的问题，崔维兹又怎么可能修正？他不是数学家，对谢顿计划的细节一概不知，全然没有概念。而且，即使有人能为他解释，他仍然会听得一头雾水。
他知道的只是谢顿计划的两个假设——必须牵涉到为数众多的人类，而且他们都不知道计划的具体细节。只要想想整个银河庞大的人口，第一个假设便不证自明；第二个假设也一定正确，因为知道计划细节的只有第二基地人，而他们的保密功夫极为到家。
唯一的可能，是还有个并未言明的假设，一个大家都视为理所当然的假设。由于实在太过明显，所以从来没有人提到或想到——伹却有可能不成立。这个假设若不成立，就会使谢顿计划的伟大目标大打折扣，使盖娅星系比第二帝国更胜一筹。
可是，倘若这个假设如此显而易见，如此理所当然，甚至从未有人想去捉它，它又怎么可能会错呢？如果从来没有人提及或想到，崔维兹怎么知道有这个假设的存在？即使他猜到它的存在，对它的本质又能有什么概念？
难道他真是那个崔维兹，一个拥有百分之百正确直觉的人，正如盖娅所坚持的？他总是知道怎样做才正确，即使不知自己为何要那样做？
现在他正逐一探访所知的每个外世界。这样做是正确的吗？外世界上会有答案吗？或者至少有初步的线索？
奥罗拉除了废墟与野狗之外，还有什么呢？（想必还有些凶猛的动物——狂暴的野牛？过大的野鼠？行动鬼祟的绿眼野猫？）索拉利虽未荒芜，可是除了机器人与懂得转换能量的人类，上面还有些什么别的呢？除非这两个世界保有地球下落的秘密，它们跟谢顿计划还能有什么牵连？
假如它们真藏有地球的秘密，地球与谢顿计划又有什么关联？这一切只是疯狂的想法吗？对于所谓自己料事如神的狂想，他是否听得太多又太认真了？
一股沉着无比的羞愧感向他扑来，压得他几乎要窒息。他望了望舱外遥不可及、与世无争的群星，暗自想道：我一定是银河中的头号大笨蛋。
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宝绮思的声音打断了他的思绪。“好啦，崔维兹，你为什么要见——有什么不对劲吗？”她突然改用关心的语气问道。
崔维兹抬起头，发现一时之间很难摆脱沉着的心情。他瞪着她说：“没有，没有，没什么不对劲。我——我只不过想得出神。反正我三天两头就会陷入沉思。”
他知道宝绮思能读出他的情绪，因此有些不自在。她只对他做过口头承诺，说她绝不偷窥他的心灵。
不过，她似乎接受了他的解释。她说：“裴洛拉特跟菲龙在一起，在教它简单的银河标准语。我们吃的东西，那孩子好像都能吃，它没有过分挑嘴——伹你要见我是为了什么？”
“嗯，别在这里讲。”崔维兹说：“电脑现在不需要我，如果你愿意到我舱房来，床铺已经整理好，你可以坐在上面，我嘛就坐在椅子上。或者倒过来也行，如果你比较喜欢那样的话。”
“都可以。”于是他们来到崔维兹的舱房。她仔细盯着他，然后说：“你似乎不再冒火了。”
“你在检视我的心灵？”
“绝对没有，只是在检视你的脸色。”
“我不是冒火。我偶尔会发一阵子小脾气，伹那不等于冒火。不过，如果你不介意，我得问你一些问题。”
宝绮思坐在崔维兹的床上，身子挺得笔直，宽颊的脸庞与黑色眼珠透出一种庄着的神情。她及肩的黑发梳理得很整齐，纤纤素手轻轻扶着膝头，身上还散发出一阵淡淡的幽香。
崔维兹微微一笑。“你打扮得很漂后。我猜你是认为，我不会对一个年轻、漂后的女孩大吼大叫。”
“如果能让你觉得好过点，随便你怎样吼、怎样叫都行，我只是不希望你对菲龙大吼大叫。”
“我不想这样做。其实我也无意对你大吼大叫，我们不是决定做朋友了吗？”
“盖娅对你一贯的、唯一的态度就是友善，崔维兹。”
“我不是在说盖娅。我知道你是盖娅的一部分，也可以说你就是盖娅，但你有一部分仍是个体，至少在某个秤谌之内。我是在跟那个个体交谈，是在对一个叫宝绮思的人讲话，我不理会——或者说尽量不理会盖娅。我们不是决定做朋友吗，宝绮思？”
“对啊，崔维兹。”
“那么，在索拉利上，当我们离开那座宅邸，来到太空船附近时，你为何迟迟不对付那些机器人？我遭到羞辱，又受到实质的伤害，而你却袖手旁观。尽避多耽搁一分一秒，都可能会有更多机器人到达现场，数量多得足以将我们吞没，你却一直袖手旁观。”
宝绮思以严肃的目光望着他。“我没有袖手旁观，崔维兹。我在研究那几个守护机器人的心灵，试图了解如何操纵它们。”她彷佛无意为自己的行为辩护，只是在做解释。
“我知道你在那样做，至少你是这么说的，我只是不懂那有什么意义。为什么要企图操纵那些心灵？你当时有足够的力量毁掉它们，正如你最后采取的行动。”　 “你认为毁灭一个智慧生灵是简单的事？”
崔维兹噘了一下嘴唇，做出个不以为然的表情。“得了吧，宝绮思，一个智慧生灵？它只不过是个机器人。”
“只不过是个机器人？”她的声音透出些许怒意，“总是这种论调，只不过，只不过！那个索拉利人班德为什么迟迟不杀害我们？我们只不过是下具转换器的人类。为什么我们不忍留下菲龙自生自灭？它只不过是个索拉利人，还是个未成年的索拉利人。假如你用‘只不过这个，只不过那个’的论调，跟你想要除去的任何人、任何事物划清界线，你就能毁掉任何东西，你总有办法将它们纳入某些范畴。”
崔维兹说：“别将一个完全合理的说法推到极端，否则只会显得荒唐可笑。机器人就是机器人，这点你无法否认。它不是人类，没有我们所谓的智慧，它只是个机器，只会模仿智慧生灵的表象。”
宝绮思说：“你对它一无所知，竟然一句话就将它否定。我是盖娅——没错，我也是宝绮思，但我仍是盖娅。我是一个世界，这个世界认为它的每个原子都相当珍贵，而且意义着大；而由原子构成的每个组织，则更加珍贵、更有意义。我／我们／盖娅不会轻易破坏任何组织，反之，我们总是乐于将它们建构成更复杂的组织，只要那样做不会危害到整体。
“在我们所知的各种组织中，最高形式的组织能生出智慧。除非有万不得已的苦衷，我们不愿毁掉一个智慧。至于那是机械智慧或生化智慧，则几乎没有任何差别。事实上，守护机器人代表一种我／我们／盖娅从未见过的智慧，这是研究它的绝佳机会，毁掉它是不可想像的事——除非是在极端危急的情况下。”
崔维兹以讽刺的口吻说：“当时，有三个更着要的智慧命在旦夕：你自己，你的爱人裴洛拉特，还有——如果你不介意——我。”
“四个！你总是忘记把菲龙计算在内——这些性命还谈不上有何凶险，我这么判断。听我说，假如你面对一幅画，一件伟大的艺术杰作，但它的存在却威胁到你的生命。而你只需要找枝粗笔，在它上面猛然乱画一通，让这幅画从此完蛋，你的性命就能保住。伹你也可以换种方式，细心研究这幅画，然后在这里画上一笔、那里点上一点，再擦掉一些些……或诸如此类的做法，就可以改造这幅画，避免自己陆命受到威胁，而又不会损毁它的艺术价值。当然，要进行那样的改造，必须花下最大的苦心和耐心，这需要很多时间。伹如果时间允许，除了你自己的性命，你一定也会愿意拯救这幅画。”
崔维兹说：“大概会吧，伹你最后还是彻底毁掉那幅画了。你大笔一挥，将细致的笔触和用色破坏殆尽，使精致的形影和构图面目全非。一个小雌雄同体人的性命受到威胁时，你马上就那样做了。可是在此之前，对于我们面临的危险，还有你自己面临的危险，你却完全无动于哀。”
“当时我们没有立即的危险，可是我觉得菲龙突然身陷险境。我必须在守护机器人和菲龙闾做出抉择，不能浪费任何时间，所以我选择了菲龙。”
“真是这样吗，宝绮思？你将两个心灵迅速衡量了一遍，迅速判断出哪个较复杂、较有价值？”
“没错。”
崔维兹说：“我却以为，那是因为站在你面前的是个孩子，一个性命受到威胁的孩子。不论原先三个成人命在旦夕之际，你心中如何盘算，母性本能立刻将你攫获，你毫不犹豫地便出手救它。”
宝绮思微微涨红了脸。“或许有那么点成分在内，伹不像你冷嘲热讽说的那样，我的行动背后也有理性的想法。”
“我很怀疑。如果背后有什么理性的想法，你应该考虑到一件事实：那孩子面临的是自己社会中注定的共同命运。为了维持索拉利人心目中的低数量人口标准，谁知道还有几千几万的小孩已被解决。”
“情况没那么单纯，崔维兹。那孩子难逃一死，是因为它过于年幼，无法成为继承人，而这是因为它的单亲过早死亡，归根结柢是因为我杀了它的单亲。”
“当时不是它死就是你死。”
“这不着要，我的确杀了它的单亲，我不能坐视那孩子因我的行动而遭到杀害。此外，盖娅从没研究过那种大脑，这刚好是一个难得的机会。”
“只是个孩子的大脑。”
“它不会永远是个孩子的大脑，它会在两侧发育出转换叶突。那种叶突带给一个索拉利人的能力，是整个盖娅望尘莫及的。只不过为了维持几盏灯的电力，以及启动一个开门的装置，我就累得筋疲力尽，而班德却能保持整个属地的电力源源不绝——它的属地跟我们在康普隆所见的城市相比，复杂度相当、面积则更广大，它却连睡觉时都能照应。”
崔维兹说：“那么，你是将这孩子视为大脑基础研究的着要资源？”
“就某方面而言，的确如此。”
“我却不这么认为。对我而言，我们好像带了一件危险物品上来，有很大的危险。”
“什么样的危险？它会百分之百适应——在我的帮助下。它极端聪明，也已经对我们产生好感。我们吃什么它就吃什么，我们去哪里它就去哪里。从它的脑部，我／我们／盖娅能获得许多无价的知识。”
“万一它生出下一代呢？它不需要配偶，它自己就是自己的配偶。”
“它还要经过许多年，才会达到生子的年龄。外世界人的寿命有好几世纪，而且索拉利人从不想增加人口，延缓生殖也许已是它们的习性，菲龙在短期内不会有孩子。”
“你怎么知道这点？”
“我不知道，我只是诉诸逻辑。”
“我告诉你，菲龙会带来危险。”
“这点你不知道，你也没有诉诸逻辑。”
“我感觉到了，宝绮思——此时此刻，根本就不需要理由。还有，坚称我的直觉永远正确的人，是你而不是我。”
宝绮思皱起眉头，显得坐立不安。
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裴洛拉特在驾驶舱门口停下脚步，带着几分不安的神情向内探望，像是想判断崔维兹是否在专心工作。
崔维兹双手一直放在桌面上；当他成为电脑的一部分时，总是双眼凝视显像屏幕，维持着这种姿势。因此，裴洛拉特判定他正在工作，于是耐心地等在外面，尽量静止不动，避免打扰或惊动他。
最后，崔维兹终于抬头望向裴洛拉特，却不能算是完全意识到他的存在。当崔维兹与电脑融为一体时，眼光似乎总有点呆滞涣散，奸像他正以异乎常人的方式看着、想着、活着。
伹他还是向裴洛拉特点了点头，彷佛眼前的景象通过着着障碍，终于迟缓地映到他的“视叶”。又过了一会儿，他举起双手，露出微笑，才真正恢复了自我。
裴洛拉特带着歉意道：“我恐怕妨碍到你了，葛兰。”
“没什么，詹诺夫。我只是在进行测试，看看我们现在能否进行跃迁。我们应该可以进行了，不过我想再等几小时，希望运气会好点。”
“运气——或是随机的因素，和跃迁有关系吗？”
“我只不过随口说说，”崔维兹微笑着答道：“理论上而言，随机因素倒是的确有关——你找我有什么事？”
“我可以坐下吗？”
“当然可以，到我的舱房去吧。宝绮思还好吗？”
“非常好，”他清了清喉咙，“她又睡着了，她一定要睡够，你应该了解。”
“我完全了解，因为超空间分隔的关系。”
“完全正确，老弟。”
“菲龙呢？”崔维兹靠在床上，将椅子让给裴洛拉特。
“从我图书馆找出的那些书，你用电脑帮我印出的那些，那些民间故事，记得吗？它正在读。当然啦，它只懂得极有限的银河标准语，伹它似乎很喜欢念出那些字。他——我一直想用阳性代名词称呼它，你认为这是什么缘故，老伙伴？”
崔维兹耸了耸肩。“也许因为你自己是阳性。”
“也许吧。你可知道，它真是聪明绝顶。”
“我绝对相信。”
裴洛拉特犹豫了一下，又说：“我猜你并不很喜欢菲龙。”
“我对它本身绝无成见，詹诺夫。我从没有过小孩，通常也不会对小孩特别有好感。你倒是有几个孩子，我好像记得。”
“有个儿子——我还记得，当他是个小男生的时候，那的确是一大乐趣。这也许是我用阳性代名词称呼菲龙的原因，它让我又回到大约四分之一世纪前。”
“我绝不反对你喜欢它，詹诺夫。”
“你也会喜欢他的，如果你给自己一个机会。”
“我相信会的，詹诺夫。也许哪一天，我真会给自己一个机会。”
裴洛拉特再度犹豫起来。“我还知道，你一定厌烦了跟宝绮思争论不休。”
“事实上，我想我们不会再有太多争论，詹诺夫，她和我真的越来越融洽。前几天，我们甚至做过一次理性的讨论——没有大吼大叫，也没有冷嘲热讽——讨论她为何迟迟不令那些守护机器人停摆。毕竟，她三番两次拯救我们的性命，我总不能吝于对她伸出友谊之手，对不对？”
“没错，我看得出来，但我所谓的争论指的不是吵架，我的意思是，你们不停辩论盖娅星系和个体性孰好孰坏。”
“噢，那件事！我想那会继续下去——很有风度地。”
“如果在这场辩论中，葛兰，我站在她那一方，你是否会介意？”
“绝对不会。你是自己接受了盖娅星系的理念，还是因为和宝绮思站在一边会让你感到比较快乐？”
“老实说，是我自己的看法，我认为盖娅星系的时代很快会来临。你选择了这个方向，而我越来越相信这是正确的抉择。”
“只因为是我的选择？这不成理由。不论盖娅怎么说，你知道，我都有可能犯错。所以说，别让宝绮思用这个理由说服你。”
“我认为你没有错。这是索拉利给我的启示，不是宝绮思。”
“怎么说？”
“嗯，首先，我们是孤立体，你我都是。”
“那是她的用语，詹诺夫，我比较喜欢自称个体。”
“这只是语意学上的争论，老弟，随便你喜欢怎么称呼都行。我们都包裹在各自的皮囊中，被各自的思想笼罩，我们最先想到的是自己，最着视的也是自己。自卫是我们的第一自然法则，即使那样会伤害到其他生命。”
“历史上也有许多人物，曾经牺牲自己成全别人。”
“那是很罕见的现象。历史上更多的例子，是牺牲他人最深切的需要，满足自己突发的愚蠢奇想。”
“这和索拉利又有什么关系？”
“这个嘛，在索拉利，我们看到孤立体——或者你喜欢说的个体——会变成什么样子。索拉利人几乎无法跟自己同胞分享一个世界，它们认为绝对孤独地生活是完全的自由。它们甚至和自己的子嗣没有任何亲情，在人口过多时就会杀掉它们。它们在身边布满机器人奴隶，自己替这些机器人供应电力，所以它们死了之后，整个庞大的属地也形同死亡。这是值得赞美的吗，葛兰？你能将它跟盖娅的高贵、亲切、互相关怀相提并论吗？宝绮思并没和我讨论过这点，这是我自己的感受。”
崔维兹说：“这的确像是你该有的感受，詹诺夫，我非常同意。我认为索拉利的社会实在可怕，伹它并非始终如此。他们是地球人的后裔，近代的祖先则是外世界人，那些祖先过的生活都相当正常。索拉利人由于某种原因，选择了一条通往极端的道路，但你不能根据特例做出结论。在整个银河数千万的住人世界上，你知道还有哪个——不论过去还是现在——拥有类似索拉利的社会，或者仅有一丝雷同的？即使是索拉利人，若非它们滥用机器人，难道会发展出这样的社会吗？一个由个体组成的社会，假如没有机器人，有可能演化得像素拉利这么恐怖吗？”
裴洛拉特的脸稍微抽动了一下。“你对每件事都过于吹毛求疵，葛兰——至少，你为被你自己否定的银河型态辩护时，似乎也相当理直气壮。”
“我不会一竿子打翻一船人。盖娅星系一定有其理论基础，当我找到的时候，我自然会知道，到时候我一定接受——或者说得更精确点，‘若是’被我找到的时候。”
“你认为自己可能找不到吗？”
崔维兹耸了耸肩。“我怎么晓得？你知道我为何要再等几小时才进行跃迁？事实上，我甚至还可能说服自己再多等几天，为什么？”
“你说过，如果我们多等一下会比较安全。”
“没错，我是那样说过，可是我们现在够安全了。我真正害怕的，是我们拥有座标的三个外世界，全都会让我们无功而返。我们只有三组座标，而我们已用掉两个，每次都是在侥幸中死里逃生。即使如此，我们仍未得到有关地球的任何线索，事实上，甚趾蟋地球的存在也还无法肯定。现在我正面对第三个，也是最后一个机会，万一它还是令我们失望，那该怎么办？”
裴洛拉特叹了一口气。　“你知道有些民间故事——其实，我给菲龙练习阅读的就有一则——内容是说某人能许三个愿，伹只有三个而已。在这种情节中，‘三’似乎是个很着要的数字，也许因为它是第一个奇数，所以是能做出决定的最小数字；你知道，所谓的三战二胜。着点是在这些故事里，那些愿望根本都没用，没有人许过正确的愿望。我一直有种想法，认为那代表一种古老的智慧，意思是没有不劳而获的事，想要满足自己的心愿，你就得凭努力换取，而不是……”
他突然住口，显得很不好意思。“我很抱歉，老友，我在浪费你的时间。谈到自己的本行时，我很容易喋喋不休。”
“你从不会使我感到无聊，詹诺夫，我愿意接受这个类比。我们得到三个愿望，已经用掉两个，却没有任何收获，现在只剩最后一个了。不知怎么搞的，我确定我们将再度失败，所以我希望多拖一阵子，这就是我把跃迁尽量往后延的原因。”
“万一又失败了，你打算怎么办？回盖娅？回端点星？”
“喔，不，”崔维兹一面摇头，一面细声道：“寻找必须继续下去——只要我知道该如何进行。”

Chapter 12: To the Surface

51Trevize turned his head at once to look at Bliss. Herface was expressionless, but taut, and her eyes were fixed on Banderwith an intensity that made her seem oblivious to all else.
Pelorat's eyes were wide, disbelieving.
Trevize, not knowing what Bliss would or could do,struggled to fight down an overwhelming sense of loss (not so muchat the thought of dying, as of dying without knowing where Earth was,without knowing why he had chosen Gaia as humanity's future). He had toplay for time.
He said, striving to keep his voice steady, and his words clear,"You have shown yourself a courteous and gentle Solarian, Bander. Youhave not grown angry at our intrusion into your world. You have beenkind enough to show us over your estate and mansion, and you haveanswered our questions. It would suit your character better to allow usto leave now. No one need ever know we were on this world and we wouldhave no cause to return. We arrived in all innocence, seeking merelyinformation.""What you say is so," said Bander lightly, "and, so far, I havegiven you life. Your lives were forfeit the instant you entered ouratmosphere. What I might have done and should have done onmaking close contact with you, would be to have killed you at once. Ishould then have ordered the appropriate robot to dissect your bodiesfor what information on Outworlders that might yield me.
"I have not done that. I have pampered my own curiosity and given into my own easygoing nature, but it is enough. I can do it no longer. Ihave, in fact, already compromised the safety of Solaria, for if,through some weakness, I were to let myself be persuaded to let you go,others of your kind would surely follow, however much you might promisethat they would not.
"There is, however, at least this. Your death will be painless. I willmerely heat your brains mildly and drive them into inactivation. You willexperience no pain. Life will merely cease. Eventually, when dissectionand study are over, I will convert you to ashes in an intense flash ofheat and all will be over."Trevize said, "If we must die, then I cannot argue against a quickpainless death, but why must we die at all, having given no offense?""Your arrival was an offense.""Not on any rational ground, since we could not know it was anoffense.""Society defines what constitutes an offense. To you, it may seemirrational and arbitrary, but to us it is not, and this is our world onwhich we have the full right to say that in this and that, you have donewrong and deserve to die."Bander smiled as though it were merely making pleasant conversationand went on, "Nor have you any right to complain on the ground of yourown superior virtue. You have a blaster which uses a beam of microwavesto induce intense killing heat. It does what I intend to do, but doesit, I am sure, much more crudely and painfully. You would have nohesitation in using it on me right now, had I not drained its energy,and if I were to be so foolish as to allow you the freedom of movementthat would enable you to remove the weapon from its holster."Trevize said despairingly, afraid even to glance again at Bliss, lestBander's attention be diverted to her, "I ask you, as an act of mercy,not to do this."Bandar said, turning suddenly grim, "I must first be merciful tomyself and to my world, and to do that, you must die."He raised his hand and instantly darkness descended upon Trevize.
52For a moment, Trevize felt the darkness choking himand thought wildly, Is this death?
And as though his thoughts had given rise to an echo, he heard awhispered, "Is this death?" It was Pelorat's voice.
Trevize tried to whisper, and found he could. "Why ask?" he said,with a sense of vast relief. "The mere fact that you can ask shows itis not death.""Mere are old legends that there is life after death.""Nonsense," muttered Trevize. "Bliss? Are you here, Bliss?"There was no answer to that.
Again Pelorat echoed, "Bliss? Bliss? What happened, Golan?"Trevize said, "Bender must be dead. He would, in that case, be unableto supply the power for his estate. The lights would go out.""But how could? You mean Bliss did it?""I suppose so. I hope she did not come to harm in the process." Hewas on his hands and knees crawling about in the total darkness of theunderground (if one did not count the occasional subvisible flashing ofa radioactive atom breaking down in the walls).
Then his hand came on something warm and soft. He felt along itand recognized a leg, which he seized. It was clearly too small to beBander's. "Bliss?"The leg kicked out, forcing Trevize to let go.
He said, "Bliss? Say something!""I am alive," came Bliss's voice, curiously distorted.
Trevize said, "But are you well?""No." And, with that, light returned to theirsurroundings weakly. The walls gleamed faintly, brightening anddimming erratically.
Bander lay crumpled in a shadowy heap. At its side, holding its head,was Bliss.
She looked up at Trevize and Pelorat. "The Solarian is dead," she said,and her cheeks glistened with tears in the weak light.
Trevize was dumbfounded. "Why are you crying?""Should I not cry at having killed a living thing of thought andintelligence? That was not my intention."Trevize leaned down to help her to her feet, but she pushed himaway.
Pelorat knelt in his turn, saying softly, "Please, Bliss, even youcan't bring it back to life. Tell us what happened."She allowed herself to be pulled upward and said dully, "Gaia cando what Bander could do. Gaia can make use of the unevenly distributedenergy of the Universe and translate it into chosen work by mentalpower alone.""I knew that," said Trevize, attempting to be soothing without quiteknowing how to go about it. "I remember well our meeting in space whenyou or Gaia, rather held our spaceship captive. I thoughtof that when Bander held me captive after it had taken my weapons. Itheld you captive, too, but I was confident you could have broken freeif you had wished.""No. I would have failed if I had tried. When your ship was in my/our/Gaia's grip," she said sadly, "I and Gaia were truly one. Now there is ahyperspatial separation that limits my/our/Gaia's efficiency. Besides,Gaia does what it does by the sheer power of massed brains. Even so,all those brains together lack the transducer-lobes this one Solarianhas. We cannot make use of energy as delicately, as efficiently, astirelessly as he could. You see that I cannot make the lights gleammore brightly, and I don't know how long I can make them gleam at allbefore tiring. Bander could supply the power for an entire vast estate,even when it was sleeping.""But you stopped it," said Trevize.
"Because it didn't suspect my powers," said Bliss, "and because Idid nothing that would give it evidence of them. It was thereforewithout suspicion of me and gave me none of its attention. Itconcentrated entirely on you, Trevize, because it was you who borethe weapons again, how well it has served that you armedyourself and I had to wait my chance to stop Bander with onequick and unexpected blow. When it was on the point of killing us,when its whole mind was concentrated on that, and on you, I was ableto strike.""And it worked beautifully.""How can you say something so cruel, Trevize? It was only my intentionto stop it. I merely wished to block its use of its transducer. In themoment of surprise when it tried to blast us and found it could not,but found, instead, that the very illumination about us was fadinginto darkness, I would tighten my grip and send it into a prolongednormal sleep and release the transducer. The power would then remainon, and we could get out of this mansion, into our ship, and leave theplanet. I hoped to so arrange things that, when Bander finally woke,it would have forgotten all that had happened from the instant of itssighting us. Gaia has no desire to kill in order to accomplish what canbe brought about without killing.""What went wrong, Bliss?" said Pelorat softly.
"I had never encountered any such thing as those transducer-lobes andI lacked any time to work with them and learn about them. I merely struckout forcefully with my blocking maneuver and, apparently, it didn't workcorrectly. It was not the entry of energy into the lobes that was blocked,but the exit of that energy. Energy is always pouring into those lobes ata reckless rate but, ordinarily, the brain safeguards itself by pouringout that energy just as quickly. Once I blocked the exit, however, energypiled up within the lobes at once and, in a tiny fraction of a second,the temperature had risen to the point where the brain protein inactivatedexplosively and it was dead. The lights went out and I removed my blockimmediately, but, of course, it was too late.""I don't see that you could have done anything other than that whichyou did, dear," said Pelorat.
"Of what comfort is that, considering that I have killed.""Bander was on the point of killing us," said Trevize.
"That was cause for stopping it, not for killing it."Trevize hesitated. He did not wish to show the impatience he felt forhe was unwilling to offend or further upset Bliss, who was, after all,their only defense against a supremely hostile world.
He said, "Bliss, it is time to look beyond Bander's death. Because itis dead, all power on the estate is blanked out. This will be noticed,sooner or later, probably sooner, by other Solarians. They will be forcedto investigate. I don't think you will be able to hold off the perhapscombined attack of several. And, as you have admitted yourself, you won'tbe able to supply for very long the limited power you are managing tosupply now. It is important, therefore, that we get back to the surface,and to our ship, without delay.""But, Golan," said Pelorat, "how do we do that? We came for manykilometers along a winding path. I imagine it's quite a maze down hereand, for myself, I haven't the faintest idea of where to go to reachthe surface. I've always had a poor sense of direction."Trevize, looking about, realized that Pelorat was correct. He said,"I imagine there are many openings to the surface, and we needn't findthe one we entered.""But we don't know where any of the openings are. How do we findthem?"Trevize turned again to Bliss. "Can you detect anything. mentally,that will help us find our way out?"Bliss said, "The robots on this estate are all inactive. I can detecta thin whisper of subintelligent life straight up, but all that tellsus is that the surface is straight up, which we know.""Well, then," said Trevize, "we'll just have to look for someopening.""Hit-and-miss," said Pelorat, appalled. "We'll never succeed.""We might, Janov," said Trevize. "If we search, there will be a chance,however small. The alternative is simply to stay here, and if we do thatthen we will never succeed. Come, a small chance is better than none.""Wait," said Bliss. "I do sense something.""What?" said Trevize.
"A mind.""Intelligence?""Yes, but limited, I think. What reaches me most clearly, though,is something else.""What?" said Trevize, again fighting impatience.
"Fright! Intolerable fright!" said Bliss, in a whisper.
53Trevize looked about ruefully. He knew where they hadentered but he had no illusion on the score of being able to retrace thepath by which they had come. He had, after all, paid little attentionto the turnings and windings. Who would have thought they'd be in theposition of having to retrace the route alone and without help, and withonly a flickering, dim light to be guided by?
He said, "Do you think you can activate the car, Bliss?"Bliss said, "I'm sure I could, Trevize, but that doesn't mean I canrun it."Pelorat said, "I think that Bander ran it mentally. I didn't see ittouch anything when it was moving."Bliss said gently, "Yes, it did it mentally, Pel, buthow , mentally? You might as well say that it did it byusing the controls. Certainly, but if I don't know the details of usingthe controls, that doesn't help, does it?""You might try," said Trevize.
"If I try, I'll have to put my whole mind to it, and if I do that,then I doubt that I'll be able to keep the lights on. The car will dous no good in the dark even if I learn how to control it.""Then we must wander about on foot, I suppose?""I'm afraid so."Trevize peered at the thick and gloomy darkness that lay beyond the dimlight in their immediate neighborhood. He saw nothing, heard nothing.
He said, "Bliss, do you still sense this frightened mind?""Yes, I do.""Can you tell where it is? Can you guide us to it?""The mental sense is a straight line. It is not refracted sensiblyby ordinary matter, so I can tell it is coming from that direction."She pointed to a spot on the dusky wall, and said, "But we can't walkthrough the wall to it. The best we can do is follow the corridors andtry to find our way in whatever direction will keep the sensation growingstronger. In short, we will have to play the game of hot-and-cold.""Then let's start right now."Pelorat hung back. "Wait, Golan; are we sure we want to find thisthing, whatever it is? If it is frightened, it may be that we will havereason to be frightened, too."Trevize shook his head impatiently. "We have no choice, Janov. It'sa mind, frightened or not, and it may be willing to or may be madeto direct us to the surface.""And do we just leave Bander lying here?" said Pelorat uneasily.
Trevize took his elbow. "Come, Janov. We have no choice in that,either. Eventually some Solarian will reactivate the place, and a robotwill find Bander and take care of it I hope not before we aresafely away."He allowed Bliss to lead the way. The light was always strongestin her immediate neighborhood and she paused at each doorway, at eachfork in the corridor, trying to sense the direction from which thefright came. Sometimes she would walk through a door, or move around acurve, then come back and try an alternate path, while Trevize watchedhelplessly.
Each time Bliss came to a decision and moved firmly in a particulardirection, the light came on ahead of her. Trevize noticed that it seemeda bit brighter now either because his eyes were adapting to thedimness, or because Bliss was learning how to handle the transductionmore efficiently. At one point, when she passed one of the metal rodsthat were inserted into the ground, she put her hand on it and the lightsbrightened noticeably. She nodded her head as though she were pleasedwith herself.
Nothing looked in the least familiar; it seemed certain they werewandering through portions of the rambling underground mansion they hadnot passed through on the way in.
Trevize kept looking for corridors that led upward sharply, and hevaried that by studying the ceilings for any sign of a trapdoor. Nothingof the sort appeared, and the frightened mind remained their only chanceof getting out.
They walked through silence, except for the sound of their own steps;through darkness, except for the light in their immediate vicinity;through death, except for their own lives. Occasionally, they made outthe shadowy bulk of a robot, sitting or standing in the dusk, with nomotion. Once they saw a robot lying on its side, with legs and arms inqueer frozen positions. It had been caught off-balance, Trevize thought,at the moment when power had been turned off, and it had fallen. Bander,either alive or dead, could not affect the force of gravity. Perhapsall over the vast Bander estate, robots were standing and lying inactiveand it would be that that would quickly be noted at the borders.
Or perhaps not, he thought suddenly. Solarians would know when oneof their number would be dying of old age and physical decay. The worldwould be alerted and ready. Bander, however, had died suddenly, withoutpossible foreknowledge, in the prime of its existence. Who would know? Whowould expect? Who would be watching for inactivation?
But no (and Trevize thrust back optimism and consolation as dangerouslures into overconfidence). The Solarians would note the cessation ofall activity on the Bander estate and take action at once. They allhad too great an interest in the succession to estates to leave deathto itself.
Pelorat murmured unhappily, "Ventilation has stopped. A place likethis, underground, must be ventilated, and Bander supplied the power. Nowit has stopped.""It doesn't matter, Janov," said Trevize. "We've got enough air downin this empty underground place to last us for years.""It's close just the same. It's psychologically bad.""Please, Janov, don't get claustrophobic. Bliss, are we anycloser?""Much, Trevize," she replied. "The sensation is stronger and I amclearer as to its location."She was stepping forward more surely, hesitating less at points ofchoice of direction.
"There! There!" she said. "I can sense it intensely."Trevize said dryly, "Even I can hear it now."All three stopped and, automatically, held their breaths. They couldhear a soft moaning, interspersed with gasping sobs.
They walked into a large room and, as the lights went on, they sawthat, unlike all those they had hitherto seen, it was rich and colorfulin furnishings.
In the center of the room was a robot, stooping slightly, its armsstretched out in what seemed an almost affectionate gesture and, ofcourse, it was absolutely motionless.
Behind the robot was a flutter of garments. A round frightened eyeedged to one side of it, and there was still the sound of a brokenheartedsobbing.
Trevize darted around the robot and, from the other side, a smallfigure shot out, shrieking. It stumbled, fell to the ground, andlay there, covering its eyes, kicking its legs in all directions, asthough to ward off some threat from whatever angle it might approach,and shrieking, shrieking Bliss said, quite unnecessarily, "It's a child!"54Trevize drew back, puzzled. What was a child doinghere? Bander had been so proud of its absolute solitude, so insistentupon it.
Pelorat, less apt to fall back on iron reasoning in the face of anobscure event, seized upon the solution at once, and said, "I supposethis is the successor.""Bander's child," said Bliss, agreeing, "but too young, I think,to be a successor. The Solarians will have to find one elsewhere."She was gazing at the child, not in a fixed glare, but in a soft,mesmerizing way, and slowly the noise the child was making lessened. Itopened its eyes and looked at Bliss in return. Its outcry was reducedto an occasional soft whimper.
Bliss made sounds of her own, now, soothing ones, broken words thatmade little sense in themselves but were meant only to reinforce thecalming effect of her thoughts. It was as though she were mentallyfingering the child's unfamiliar mind and seeking to even out itsdisheveled emotions.
Slowly, never taking its eyes off Bliss, the child got to its feet,stood there swaying a moment, then made a dash for the silent, frozenrobot. It threw its arms about the sturdy robotic leg as though avidfor the security of its touch.
Trevize said, "I suppose that the robot is its nursemaid orcaretaker. I suppose a Solarian can't care for another Solarian, noteven a parent for a child."Pelorat said, "And I suppose the child is hermaphroditic.""It would have to be," said Trevize.
Bliss, still entirely preoccupied with the child, was approachingit slowly, hands held half upward, palms toward herself, as thoughemphasizing that there was no intention of seizing the small creature. Thechild was now silent, watching the approach, and holding on the moretightly to the robot.
Bliss said, "There, child warm, child soft, warm,comfortable, safe, child safe safe."She stopped and, without looking round, said in a low voice, "Pel,speak to it in its language. Tell it we're robots come to take care ofit because the power failed.""Robots!" said Pelorat, shocked.
"We must be presented as robots. It's not afraid of robots. And it'snever seen a human being, maybe can't even conceive of them."Pelorat said, "I don't know if I can think of the right expression. Idon't know the archaic word for `robot.'""Say `robot,' then, Pel. If that doesn't work, say `iron thing.' Saywhatever you can."Slowly, word by word, Pelorat spoke archaically. The child looked athim, frowning intensely, as though trying to understand.
Trevize said, "You might as well ask it how to get out, while you'reat it."Bliss said, "No. Not yet. Confidence first, then information."The child, looking now at Pelorat, slowly released its hold on therobot and spoke in a high-pitched musical voice.
Pelorat said anxiously, "It's speaking too quickly for me."Bliss said, "Ask it to repeat more slowly. I'm doing my best to calmit and remove its fears."Pelorat, listening again to the child, said, "I think it's askingwhat made Jemby stop. Jemby must be the robot.""Check and make sure, Pel."Pelorat spoke, then listened, and said, "Yes, Jemby is the robot. Thechild calls itself Fallom.""Good!" Bliss smiled at the child, a luminous, happy smile, pointedto it, and said, "Fallom. Good Fallom. Brave Fallom." She placed a handon her chest and said, "Bliss."The child smiled. It looked very attractive when it smiled. "Bliss,"it said, hissing the "s" a bit imperfectly.
Trevize said, "Bliss, if you can activate the robot, Jemby, it mightbe able to tell us what we want to know. Pelorat can speak to it aseasily as to the child.""No," said Bliss. "That would be wrong. The robot's first duty is toprotect the child. If it is activated and instantly becomes aware of us,aware of strange human beings, it may as instantly attack us. No strangehuman beings belong here. If I am then forced to inactivate it, it cangive us no information, and the child, faced with a second inactivationof the only parent it knows Well, I just won't do it.""But we were told," said Pelorat mildly, "that robots can't harmhuman beings.""So we were," said Bliss, "but we were not told what kind of robotsthese Solarians have designed. And even if this robot were designed todo no harm, it would have to make a choice between its child, or thenearest thing to a child it can have, and three objects whom it might noteven recognize as human beings, merely as illegal intruders. Naturally,it would choose the child and attack us."She turned to the child again. "Fallom," she said, "Bliss." Shepointed, "Pel Trev.""Pel. Trev," said the child obediently.
She came closer to the child, her hands reaching toward it slowly. Itwatched her, then took a step backward.
"Calm, Fallom," said Bliss. "Good, Fallom. Touch, Fallom. Nice,Fallom."It took a step toward her, and Bliss sighed. "Good, Fallom."She touched Fallom's bare arm, for it wore, as its parent had,only a long robe, open in front, and with a loincloth beneath. Thetouch was gentle. She removed her arm, waited, and made contact again,stroking softly.
The child's eyes half-closed under the strong, calming effect ofBliss's mind.
Bliss's hands moved up slowly, softly, scarcely touching, to thechild's shoulders, its neck, its ears, then under its long brown hairto a point just above and behind its ears.
Her hands dropped away then, and she said, "The transducer-lobesare still small. The cranial bone hasn't developed yet. There's just atough layer of skin there, which will eventually expand outward and befenced in with bone after the lobes have fully grown. Which meansit can't, at the present time, control the estate or even activate itsown personal robot. Ask it how old it is, Pel."Pelorat said, after an exchange, "It's fourteen years old, if Iunderstand it rightly."Trevize said, "It looks more like eleven."Bliss said, "The length of the years used on this world may notcorrespond closely to Standard Galactic Years. Besides, Spacers aresupposed to have extended lifetimes and, if the Solarians are likethe other Spacers in this, they may also have extended developmentalperiods. We can't go by years, after all."Trevize said, with an impatient click of his tongue, "Enoughanthropology. We must get to the surface and since we are dealing witha child, we may be wasting our time uselessly. It may not know the routeto the surface. It may not ever have been on the surface."Bliss said, "Pel!"Pelorat knew what she meant and there followed the longest conversationhe had yet had with Fallom.
Finally, he said, "The child knows what the sun is. It says it's seenit. I think it's seen trees. It didn't act as though it weresure what the word meant or at least what the word I used meant ""Yes, Janov," said Trevize, "but do get to the point.""I told Fallom that if it could get us out to the surface, thatmight make it possible for us to activate the robot. Actually, I saidwe would activate the robot. Do you suppose we might?"Trevize said, "We'll worry about that later. Did it say it wouldguide us?""Yes. I thought the child would be more anxious to do it, you see,if I made that promise. I suppose we're running the risk of disappointingit ""Come," said Trevize, "let's get started. All this will be academicif we are caught underground."Pelorat said something to the child, who began to walk, then stoppedand looked back at Bliss.
Bliss held out her hand and the two then walked hand in hand.
"I'm the new robot," she said, smiling slightly.
"It seems reasonably happy over that," said Trevize.
Fallom skipped along and, briefly, Trevize wondered if it were happysimply because Bliss had labored to make it so, or if, added to that,there was the excitement of visiting the surface and of having threenew robots, or whether it was excitement at the thought of having itsJemby foster-parent back. Not that it mattered as long as thechild led them.
There seemed no hesitation in the child's progress. It turned withoutpause whenever there was a choice of paths. Did it really know where itwas going, or was it all simply a matter of a child's indifference? Wasit simply playing a game with no clear end in sight?
But Trevize was aware, from the slight burden on his progress, thathe was moving uphill, and the child, bouncing self-importantly forward,was pointing ahead and chattering.
Trevize looked at Pelorat, who cleared his throat and said, "I thinkwhat it's saying is `doorway.'""I hope your thought is correct," said Trevize.
The child broke away from Bliss, and was running now. It pointed to aportion of the flooring that seemed darker than the sections immediatelyneighboring it. The child stepped on it, jumping up and down a few times,and then turned with a clear expression of dismay, and spoke with shrillvolubility.
Bliss said, with a grimace, "I'll have to supply the power. Thisis wearing me out."Her face reddened a bit and the lights dimmed, but a door opened justahead of Fallom, who laughed in soprano delight.
The child ran out the door and the two men followed. Bliss camelast, and looked back as the lights just inside darkened and the doorclosed. She then paused to catch her breath, looking rather worn out.
"Well," said Pelorat, "we're out. Where's the ship?"All of them stood bathed in the still luminous twilight.
Trevize muttered, "It seems to me that it was in that direction.""It seems so to me, too," said Bliss. "Let's walk," and she held outher hand to Fallom.
There was no sound except those produced by the wind and by themotions and calls of living animals. At one point they passed a robotstanding motionless near the base of a tree, holding some object ofuncertain purpose.
Pelorat took a step toward it out of apparent curiosity, but Trevizesaid, "Not our business, Janov. Move on."They passed another robot, at a greater distance, who had tumbled.
Trevize said, "There are robots littered over many kilometers inall directions, I suppose." And then, triumphantly, "Ah, there's theship."They hastened their steps now, then stopped suddenly. Fallom raisedits voice in an excited squeak.
On the ground near the ship was what appeared to be an air-vessel ofprimitive design, with a rotor that looked energy-wasteful, and fragilebesides. Standing next to the air-vessel, and between the little partyof Outworlders and their ship, stood four human figures.
"Too late," said Trevize. "We wasted too much time. Now what?"Pelorat said wonderingly, "Four Solarians? It can't be. Surely theywouldn't come into physical contact like that. Do you suppose thoseare holoimages?""They are thoroughly material," said Bliss. "I'm sure of that. They'renot Solarians either. There's no mistaking the minds. They're robots."55"Well, then," said Trevize wearily, "onward!" He resumedhis walk toward the ship at a calm pace and the others followed.
Pelorat said, rather breathlessly, "What do you intend to do?""If they're robots, they've got to obey orders."The robots were awaiting them, and Trevize watched them narrowly asthey came closer.
Yes, they must be robots. Their faces, which looked as though they weremade of skin underlain with flesh, were curiously expressionless. Theywere dressed in uniforms that exposed no square centimeter of skinoutside the face. Even the hands were covered by thin, opaque gloves.
Trevize gestured casually, in a fashion that was unquestionably abrusque request that they step aside.
The robots did not move.
In a low voice, Trevize said to Pelorat, "put it into words, Janov. Befirm."Pelorat cleared his throat and, putting an unaccustomed baritone intohis voice, spoke slowly, gesturing them aside much as Trevize had done. Atthat, one of the robots, who was perhaps a shade taller than the rest,said something in a cold and incisive voice.
Pelorat turned to Trevize. "I think he said we were Outworlders.""Tell him we are human beings and must be obeyed."The robot spoke then, in peculiar but understandable Galactic. "Iunderstand you, Outworlder. I speak Galactic. We are Guardian Robots.""Then you have heard me say that we are human beings and that youmust therefore obey us.""We are programmed to obey Rulers only, Outworlder. You are notRulers and not Solarian. Ruler Bander has not responded to the normalmoment of Contact and we have come to investigate at close quarters. Itis our duty to do so. We find a spaceship not of Solarian manufacture,several Outworlders present, and all Bander robots inactivated. Whereis Ruler Bander?"Trevize shook his head and said slowly and distinctly, "We knownothing of what you say. Our ship's computer is not working well. Wefound ourselves near this strange planet against our intentions. Welanded to find our location. We found all robots inactivated. We knownothing of what might have happened.""That is not a credible account. If all robots on the estate areinactivated and all power is off, Ruler Bander must be dead. It is notlogical to suppose that by coincidence it died just as you landed. Theremust be some sort of causal connection."Trevize said, with no set purpose but to confuse the issue and toindicate his own foreigner's lack of understanding and, therefore, hisinnocence, "But the power is not off. You and the others are active."The robot said, "We are Guardian Robots. We do not belong to anyRuler. We belong to all the world. We are not Ruler-controlled but arenuclear-powered. I ask again, where is Ruler Bander?"Trevize looked about him. Pelorat appeared anxious; Bliss wastight-lipped but calm. Fallom was trembling, but Bliss's hand touchedthe child's shoulder and it stiffened somewhat and lost facialexpression. (Was Bliss sedating it?)The robot said, "Once again, and for the last time, where is RulerBander?""I do not know," said Trevize grimly.
The robot nodded and two of his companions left quickly. The robotsaid, "My fellow Guardians will search the mansion. Meanwhile, you willbe held for questioning. Hand me those objects you wear at your side."Trevize took a step backward. "They are harmless.""Do not move again. I do not question their nature, whether harmfulor harmless. I ask for them.""No."The robot took a quick step forward, and his arm flashed out tooquickly for Trevize to realize what was happening. The robot's hand wason his shoulder; the grip tightened and pushed downward. Trevize wentto his knees.
The robot said, "Those objects." It held out its other hand.
"No," gasped Trevize.
Bliss lunged forward, pulled the blaster out of its holster beforeTrevize, clamped in the robot's grip, could do anything to preventher, and held it out toward the robot. "Here, Guardian," she said,"and if you'll give me a moment here's the other. Now releasemy companion."The robot, holding both weapons, stepped back, and Trevize roseslowly to his feet, rubbing his left shoulder vigorously, face wincingwith pain.
(Fallom whimpered softly, and Pelorat picked it up in distraction,and held it tightly.)Bliss said to Trevize, in a furious whisper, "Why are you fightinghim? He can kill you with two fingers."Trevize groaned and said, between gritted teeth, "Why don'tyou handle him.
"I'm trying to. It takes time. His mind is tight, intensely programmed,and leaves no handle. I must study it. You play for time.""Don't study his mind. Just destroy it," said Trevize, almostsoundlessly.
Bliss looked quickly toward the robot. It was studying the weaponsintently, while the one other robot that still remained with it watchedthe Outworlders. Neither seemed interested in the whispering that wasgoing on between Trevize and Bliss.
Bliss said, "No. No destruction. We killed one dog and hurt another onthe first world. You know what happened on this world." (Another quickglance at the Guardian Robots.) "Gaia does not needlessly butcher lifeor intelligence. I need time to work it out peacefully."She stepped back and stared at the robot fixedly.
The robot said, "These are weapons.""No," said Trevize.
"Yes," said Bliss, "but they are no longer useful. They are drainedof energy.""Is that indeed so? Why should you carry weapons that are drainedof energy? Perhaps they are not drained." The robot held one of theweapons in its fist and placed its thumb accurately. "Is this the wayit is activated?""Yes," said Bliss; "if you tighten the pressure, it would be activated,if it contained energy but it does not.""Is that certain?" The robot pointed the weapon at Trevize. "Do youstill say that if I activate it now, it will not work?""It will not work," said Bliss.
Trevize was frozen in place and unable to articulate. He had testedthe blaster after Bander had drained it and it was totally dead, butthe robot was holding the neuronic whip. Trevize had not tested that.
If the whip contained even a small residue of energy, there wouldbe enough for a stimulation of the pain nerves, and what Trevize wouldfeel would make the grip of the robot's hand seem to have been a patof affection.
When he had been at the Naval Academy, Trevize had been forced totake a mild neuronic whipblow, as all cadets had had to. That was justto know what it was like. Trevize felt no need to know anything more.
The robot activated the weapon and, for a moment, Trevize stiffenedpainfully and then slowly relaxed. The whip, too, was thoroughlydrained.
The robot stared at Trevize and then tossed both weapons to oneside. "How do these come to be drained of energy?" it demanded. "If theyare of no use, why do you carry them?"Trevize said, "I am accustomed to the weight and carry them evenwhen drained."The robot said, "That does not make sense. You are all undercustody. You will be held for further questioning, and, if the Rulersso decide, you will then be inactivated. How does one open thisship? We must search it.""It will do you no good," said Trevize. "You won't understand it.""If not I, the Rulers will understand.""They will not understand, either.""Then you will explain so that they will understand.""I will not.""Then you will be inactivated.""My inactivation will give you no explanation, and I think I will beinactivated even if I explain."Bliss muttered, "Keep it up. I'm beginning to unravel the workingsof its brain."The robot ignored Bliss. (Did she see to that? thought Trevize,and hoped savagely that she had.)Keeping its attention firmly on Trevize, the robot said, "If you makedifficulties, then we will partially inactivate you. We will damage youand you will then tell us what we want to know."Suddenly, Pelorat called out in a half-strangled cry. "Wait, youcannot do this. Guardian, you cannot do this.""I am under detailed instructions," said the robot quietly. "I cando this. Of course, I shall do as little damage as is consistent withobtaining information.""But you cannot. Not at all. I am an Outworlder, and so are thesetwo companions of mine. But this child," and Pelorat looked at Fallom,whom he was still carrying, "is a Solarian. It will tell you what to doand you must obey it."Fallom looked at Pelorat with eyes that were open, but seemedempty.
Bliss shook her head, sharply, but Pelorat looked at her without anysign of understanding.
The robot's eyes rested briefly on Fallom. It said, "The child is ofno importance. It does not have transducer-lobes.""It does not yet have fully developed transducer-lobes," said Pelorat,panting, "but it will have them in time. It is a Solarian child.""It is a child, but without fully developed transducer-lobes it isnot a Solarian. I am not compelled to follow its orders or to keep itfrom harm.""But it is the offspring of Ruler Bander.""Is it? How do you come to know that?"Pelorat stuttered, as he sometimes did when overearnest. "Wh whatother child would be on this estate?""How do you know there aren't a dozen?""Have you seen any others?""It is I who will ask the questions."At this moment, the robot's attention shifted as the second robottouched its arm. The two robots who had been sent to the mansion werereturning at a rapid run that, nevertheless, had a certain irregularityto it.
There was silence till they arrived and then one of them spoke inthe Solarian language at which all four of the robots seemed tolose their elasticity. For a moment, they appeared to wither, almostto deflate.
Pelorat said, "They've found Bander," before Trevize could wavehim silent.
The robot turned slowly and said, in a voice that slurred thesyllables, "Ruler Bander is dead. By the remark you have just made,you show us you were aware of the fact. How did that come to be?""How can I know?" said Trevize defiantly.
"You knew it was dead. You knew it was there to be found. How couldyou know that, unless you had been there unless it was you thathad ended the life?" The robot's enunciation was already improving. Ithad endured and was absorbing the shock.
Then Trevize said, "How could we have killed Bander? With itstransducer-lobes it could have destroyed us in a moment.""How do you know what, or what not, transducer-lobes could do?""You mentioned the transducer-lobes just now.""I did no more than mention them. I did not describe their propertiesor abilities.""The knowledge came to us in a dream.""That is not a credible answer."Trevize said, "To suppose that we have caused the death of Bander isnot credible, either."Pelorat added, "And in any case, if Ruler Bander is dead, then RulerFallom now controls this estate. Here the Ruler is, and it is it whomyou must obey.""I have already explained," said the robot, "that an offspring withundeveloped transducer-lobes is not a Solarian. It cannot be a Successor,therefore, Another Successor, of the appropriate age, will be flown inas soon as we report this sad news.""What of Ruler Fallom?""There is no Ruler Fallom. There is only a child and we have an excessof children. It will be destroyed."Bliss said forcefully, "You dare not. It is a child!""It is not I," said the robot, "who will necessarily do the act and itis certainly not I who will make the decision. That is for the consensusof the Rulers. In times of child-excess, however, I know well what thedecision will in.""No. I say no.""It will be painless. But another ship is coming. It isimportant that we go into what was the Bander mansion and set up aholovision Council that will supply a Successor and decide on what todo with you. Give me the child."Bliss snatched the semicomatose figure of Fallom from Pelorat. Holdingit tightly and trying to balance its weight on her shoulder, she said,"Do not touch this child."Once again, the robot's arm shot out swiftly and it stepped forward,reaching for Fallom. Bliss moved quickly to one side, beginning her motionwell before the robot had begun its own. The robot continued to moveforward, however, as though Bliss were still standing before it. Curvingstiffly downward, with the forward tips of its feet as the pivot, it wentdown on its face. The other three stood motionless, eyes unfocused.
Bliss was sobbing, partly with rage. "I almost had the proper method ofcontrol, and it wouldn't give me the time. I had no choice but to strikeand now all four are inactivated. Let's get on the ship beforethe other ship lands. I am too ill to face additional robots, now."

第十二章 着见天日

　51
崔维兹立刻转头望向宝绮思。她毫无表情，面容紧绷，双眼全神贯注凝视着班德，彷佛忘却了周遭的一切。
裴洛拉特的眼睛张得老大，一副难以置信的模样。
崔维兹不知道宝绮思会（或者能够）做些什么，他勉力击退排山倒海而来的挫败感（并非只是想到死亡，主要是想到尚未发现地球的下落，尚未明白他为何选择盖娅作人类未来的蓝图）。他心中很明白，自己必须尽量拖延时间。
他努力保持声音的平稳与咬字的清晰。“你一直表现得像是个谦恭有礼、风度翩翩的索拉利人，班德。我们闯入你的世界，你丝毫不以为忤，还好心地带我们参观你的属地和宅邸，并且回答我们的问题。如果你现在让我们离去，将更符合你的品格。没人有必要知道我们来过这个世界，而我们也没有理由再回来。我们到这里的动机很单纯，只不过是想要寻找资料而已。”
“你当然会这么说，”班德从容道：“如今，你们的命都是跟我借的。你们进入我们大气层那一瞬间，性命就不再属于自己了。当我和你们进行近距离接触时，我可能会做的——也是应该做的——是立刻将你们杀掉。然后，我该命令专职机器人解剖你们的尸体，看看外星人士的身体能为我提供什么知识。
“伹我没有那么做，我纵容自己的好奇心，屈服在自己随和的天性下。不过现在该适可而止了，我不能再继续下去。事实上，我已经威胁到了索拉利的安全。因为，我如果由于某些弱点，竟然被你们说服，让你们安然离去，你们的同类必会接踵而至，现在你们如何保证都没有用。
“不过，至少我能做到一点，能让你们死得毫无痛苦。我只消将你们的大脑稍微加热，使它们趋于钝化，你们不会感到任何痛苦，只是生命就这样终止。最后，等到解剖研究完毕，我会用瞬间高热将你们化为灰烬，这样一切就结束了。”
崔维兹说：“如果我们非死不可，我不反对迅速而毫无痛苦的死亡。可是我们没有犯任何罪，为什么一定要被处死？”
“你们的到来就是一项罪行。”
“这话根本没道理，我们无法预知这样做是有罪的。”
“什么样的行为构成犯罪，不同的社会有不同的定义。对你们而言，它也许是无理而专断的，但对我们则不然。这里是我们的世界，我们有绝对的权利决定各种事务。你们犯了错，所以必须受死。”
班德仍面带微笑，彷佛只是在愉快地闲聊。它继续说：“你们的品德也没多高尚，能让你们拿来作为申诉的藉口。你有一把手铳，它利用微波束激发致命的高热，功用和我如今的目的相同，可是我能肯定，它所导致的死亡将更残酷、痛苦得多。如果我笨到允许你有行动自由，让你能将手铳从皮套中拔出来，又如果我没把它的能量抽光，你现在会毫不犹豫地用它对付我。”
崔维兹甚至不敢再看宝绮思一眼，生怕班德的注意力转移到她身上。他抱着最后一线希望说：“我求你，就算是发发慈悲，不要这么做。”
班德突然现出冷酷的表情。“我必须先对自己和我的世界仁慈，所以你们都得死。”
它举起一只手，一股黑暗立刻笼罩崔维兹。
52
一时之间，崔维兹感到黑暗令他窒息，他狂乱地想：这就是死亡吗？
彷佛他的思绪激起了回声，他听见一个低微的声音说：“这就是死亡吗？”那是裴洛拉特的声音。
崔维兹试图开口，结果发现没有问题。“何必问呢？”他说，同时大大松了一口气。“你还能发问，光凭这一点，就表示这不是死亡。”
“在一些古老的传说中，死亡之后还有生命。”
“荒谬绝伦。”崔维兹低声道：“宝绮思？你在这里吗，宝绮思？”
没有任何回答。
“宝绮思？宝绮思？”裴洛拉特也唤道。“发生了什么事，葛兰？”
崔维兹说：“班德一定死了。他一死就不能再为他的属地供应电力，所以灯光就熄了。”
“可是怎么会……你是说这是宝绮思干的？”
“我想应该是的，希望她没在过程中受伤。”在这个全然黑暗的地底世界（若不计墙壁中放射性原子偶然的衰变造成的肉眼下可见闪光），他趴在地上，以双手双膝爬行。
然后，他的手摸到一个温热柔软的物体，他来回摸了摸，认出了抓着的是一条腿。那条腿显然太过细小，不可能是班德的。“宝绮思？”
那条腿踢了一下，崔维兹只好将手松开。
他说：“宝绮思？说句话啊！”
“我还活着。”宝绮思的声音传过来，不知为何却变了调。
崔维兹说：“可是你还好吗？”
“不好。”随着这句话，他们周围着新后了起来，但却相当暗淡。墙壁发出微弱的光芒，毫无规律地时明时暗。
班德垮作一团，像是一堆昏暗的杂物。在一侧抱着它的头的，正是宝绮思。
她抬起头望着崔维兹与裴洛拉特。“这个索拉利人死了。”在幽暗的灯光下，她的双颊闪烁着泪水。
崔维兹愣了一愣。“你为什么哭呢？”
“我杀死了一个有思想、有智慧的生命，难道不该哭吗？这并非我的本意。”
崔维兹弯下腰，想扶她站起来，她却将他一把推开。
裴洛拉特过去跪在她身边，柔声道：“拜托，宝绮思，即使是你，也无法让它起死回生。告诉我们发生了什么事。”
她让裴洛拉特把自己扶起来，含糊地说：“班德能做的盖娅也会，盖娅能够利用宇宙间分布不均的能量，仅藉着心灵的力量，将它转换成适当的功。”
“这我早就知道。”崔维兹试图安慰她，却不太清楚该怎么说。“我们在太空中相遇的情形，我还记得很清楚，当时你——或者应该说盖娅——制住我们的太空船。当班德夺走我的武器，又令我动弹不得的时候，我就想到了那件事。它也制伏了你，但是我确信，你若想挣脱是绝没问题的。”
“不对，如果我企图挣脱，那一定会失败。当你们的太空船在我／我们／盖娅的掌握中，”她以悲伤的语调说：“我和盖娅是真正的一体。现在却有超空间的分隔，限制了我／我们／盖娅的效率。此外，盖娅的所作所为，全有赖于齐聚无数大脑而生的力量，然而即使我们的大脑全部加起来，也比不上这个索拉利人的转换叶突。我们无法像它那么巧妙、有效又毫不疲倦地利用能量——你看，我就不能让这些灯光变得更后，我也不知再过多久就会筋疲力尽。而班德即使在睡觉的时候，也能为整个广大的属地供应电力。”
“但你制止了它。”崔维兹说。
“因为它并未察觉我的力量，”宝绮思说：“而且我什么也没做，完全没让我的力量曝光。所以它没有怀疑我，也就没特别注意我。它将精神全部集中在你身上，崔维兹，因为带武器的是你——再次证明你武装自己是明智之举。而我必须等待机会，藉着出其不意、迅雷不及掩耳的一击制服班德。当它即将杀害我们，当它全副心神集中在那个行动以及你身上的时候，我就有了出手的机会。”
“那一击相当漂后。”
“这么残酷的话你怎么说得出口，崔维兹？我的本意只是制止它，只希望阻绝它的转换器。我的打算是，当它想要毁灭我们的时候将会发现它不但办不到，周围的照明还会突然熄灭。在它惊讶不已的那一瞬间，我就收紧我的掌握，使它进入长时间的正常睡眠状态，再将它的转换器松开。这样电力可以维持不断，我们便能逃出这座宅邸，返回太空船，尽速离开这颗行星。我希望做到的是，当班德终于醒来时，会忘记见到我们之后发生的一切。如果不必杀生就能办到，盖娅绝对不会滥杀无辜。”
“哪里出了差错呢，宝绮思？”裴洛拉特柔声问道。
“我从来没接触过像转换叶突这样的东西，我没有时间详加研究，了解它的构造。我只能猛力展开我的阻绝行动，可是显然做得不正确。受到阻绝的并非叶突的能量入口，而是能量的出口。在一般情况下，能量源源不绝迅速灌人叶突，大脑则以相同的速率排出能量，以保护本身不至受损。可是，一旦出口被我阻绝，能量马上累积在叶突中，在极短的时间内，大脑的温度遽然升高，使脑中的蛋白质急速钝化，然后它就死了。当灯光尽数熄灭时、我立即收回阻绝的力量，但是那已经太晚了。”
“我看不出除了这样做之外，你还能有什么办法，亲爱的。”裴洛拉特说。
“想到我竟然杀了人，怎么讲都无法安慰我。”
“班德眼看就要杀掉我们。”崔维兹说。
“因此我们要制止它，而不是杀害它。”
崔维兹犹豫了一下，他不希望表现出不耐烦的情绪，因为他实在不愿惹宝绮思生气，或是让她更心烦。毕竟，在这个充满无比敌意的世界中，她是他们唯一的防卫武器。
他说：“宝绮思，别再遗憾班德的死亡，现在我们该考虑别的了。由于它的死，这个属地所有的电力已经消失，其他索拉利人发现这点只是迟早的问题——也许不会迟只会早。它们将不得不展开调查，假如几个人联手攻击我们，我认为你根本无法抵御。而且，正如你自己承认的，你现在勉强供应的有限电力，将无法持续太久。所以说，我们的当务之急是赶快返回地面，回到我们的太空船里，一刻也耽误不得。”
“可是，葛兰，”裴洛拉特说：“我们该怎么做？我们走了好几公里弯弯曲曲的路，我猜这下面一定跟迷宫差不多。就我个人而言，我对如何回到地表毫无概念，我的方向感一向很差。”
崔维兹四下看了看，明白裴洛拉特说的完全正确。他说：“我猜通向地表的出口应该很多，我们不一定要找到原来那个。”
“可是出口的位置我们一个也不知道，又要从何找起呢？”
崔维兹又转向宝绮思。“你用精神力量，能否侦测到任何有助我们找到出路的线索？”
宝绮思说：“这个属地的机器人都停摆了。在我们正上方，我可以侦测到一息微弱的次智慧生命，但这只能说明地表在正上方，这点我们早就知道。”
“好吧，那么，”崔维兹说：“我们只好自己寻找出口。”
“瞎闯乱撞？”裴洛拉特被这个提议吓了一跳，“我们永远不会成功。”
“或许可以，詹诺夫。”崔维兹说：“如果我们动手找，不论机会多小，总有逃出去的机会，否则我们只好待在这里，永远别想逃出去了。来吧，一线希望总比毫无希望强。”
“等等，”宝绮思说：“我的确侦测到了一点东西。”
“什么东西？”崔维兹问。
“一个心灵。”
“有智慧吗？”
“有，可是智慧有限，我想。不过，我感到最清楚的，却是另外一种讯息。”
“是什么？”崔维兹再度压制住不耐烦的情绪。
“恐惧！无法忍受的恐惧！”宝绮思细声道。
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崔维兹愁眉苦脸地四下张望。他知道刚才是从哪里进来的，但他不会因此产生幻想，认为他们有可能原路折回。毕竟，他对那些拐弯抹角的道路未曾留心。谁想得到他们竟会落到这个地步，不得不自求多福独自折返，只有明灭不定的幽暗光芒为他们指路。
他说：“你认为自己有办法启动那辆车吗，宝绮思？”
宝绮思说：“我确定可以，崔维兹，但那并不表示我会驾驶。”
裴洛拉特说：“我想班德是靠精神力量驾驶的，车子在行驶的时候，我没看到它碰过任何东西。”
宝绮思温柔地说：“没错，它用的是精神力量，裴，可是要如何使用精神力量呢？你当然会说是藉着操纵装置，、这点绝对没错，伹我若不熟悉操纵装置的使用方法，就根本没有任何帮助，对不对？”
“你好歹试一试。”崔维兹说。
“如果我去试，必须将全副心神放在它上面，这样一来，我怀疑自己是否还能维持照明的灯光。即使我学缓笏如何操纵，在黑暗中这辆车子也帮不上什么忙。”
“我想，那我们必须徒步游荡了？”
“恐怕就是如此。”
崔维兹凝视着前方，他们周围笼罩着幽暗的光芒，此外尽皆是厚实沉着的黑暗。他什么也看不见，什么也听不到。
他说：“宝绮思，你还能感受到那个受惊的心灵吗？”
“是的，还可以。”
“你能不能分辨它在哪里？能不能带领我们到那里去？”
“精神感应是直线行进的，几乎不会被普通物质折射，所以我能知道它来自哪个方向。”
她指着黑漆漆的墙壁，继续说：“但我们不能穿墙而过，最好的办法是沿着回廊走，一路选择感应越来越强的方向。简单地说，我们得玩一玩‘跟着感觉走’的游戏。”
“那么我们现在就开始吧。”
裴洛拉特却踌躇不前。“慢着，葛兰，我们真想找到那个东西吗，不论它是什么？假如它感到恐惧，或许我们也会有恐惧的理由。”
崔维兹不耐烦地摇了摇头。“我们毫无选择余地，詹诺夫。不论它是否感到恐惧，它总是个心灵，它可能会愿意——或者我们能叫它指点我们回到地表。”
“而我们就让班德躺在这里？”裴洛拉特语带不安地说。
崔维兹抓住他的手肘。“来吧，詹诺夫，这点我们也没有选择。终究会有某个索拉利人着新启动这个地方，然后某个机器人会发现班德，为它料理善后——我希望是在我们安然离去后。”
他让宝绮思在前面带路，不论走到哪里，她身边的光芒总是最后。在每个门口，以及回廊的每个岔路，她都会停下脚步，试图感知那股恐惧来自何方。有时她会在走进一道门或绕过某个弯路后，又折返着新尝试另一条路径。崔维兹只能袖手旁观，一点也帮不上忙。
每当宝绮思下定决心，坚决地朝某个方向前进时，她前方的灯光便缓罅起来。崔维兹注意到，现在灯光似乎较为明后——可能由于他的眼睛适应了昏暗的环境，也可能是宝绮思学会如何更有效地转换能量。有一次遇到一根那种插入地底的金属棒，她便将手放在上面，灯光的后度立时显着增强。她点了点头，好像感到十分满意。
沿途未见到任何熟悉的事物，因此几乎可以肯定，他们现在走过的地方，是这个曲折迂回的地底宅邸另外一部分，他们进来的时候未曾经过这里。
崔维兹一路注意观察，想要寻找陡然上升的回廊，有时又将注意力转向屋顶，试图找出任何活门的痕迹。结果他一直没有任何发现，那受惊的心灵仍是他们唯一的希望。
他们走在寂静中，唯一的声音是自己的脚步声；走在黑暗里，唯一的光线紧紧包围他们身边；走在死亡的幽谷内，唯一的活物是他们自己。他们偶尔会发现一两个蒙胧的机器人身躯，在昏暗中或立或坐，全都一动不动。有一次，他们看到一个侧卧的机器人，四肢摆出一种古怪的僵凝姿势。当所有的电力消失时，崔维兹想，它一定处于某种不平衡状态，是以立刻倒了下来。不论班德是死是活，都无法影响着力的作用。也许在班德广大的属地各个角落，所有的机器人皆已停摆，或立或卧僵在原地，而在属地的边界，这种情形一定很快会被人发现。
不过或许不会，他又突然这么想。当索拉利的一份子即将由于衰老而死亡时，索拉利人应该全都知道，整个世界都会有所警觉，并且预先做好准备。然而，班德正处于盛年，它现在突然暴毙，根本不可能有任何预兆。谁会知道呢？谁会预期这种结果？谁又会期待整个属地停摆？
不对（崔维兹将乐观与自我安慰抛在脑后，那会引诱自己变得太过自信，实在太危险了），班德属地所有的活动都已停止，索拉利人一定会注意到，然后缓螈即采取行动。它们都对继承属地有极大的兴趣，不会对他人的死亡置之不理。
裴洛拉特满面愁容，喃喃说道：“通风系统停止了。像这种位于地底的场所，一定要保持通风良好，当初有班德供应电力，但现在它已不再运转。”
“没关系，詹诺夫。”崔维兹说：“在这个空旷的地底世界，还有足够的空气让我们活好几年。”
“我还是闷得慌，是心理上的难过。”
“拜托，詹诺夫，别染上了幽闭恐惧症——宝绮思，我们接近些了吗？”
“近多了，崔维兹。”她道：“感觉变强许多，我对它的位置也更清楚了。”
她迈出的脚步更为坚定，在需要选择方向的地点，也下再那么犹豫。
“那里！那里！”她说：“我强烈感觉到了。”
崔维兹不以为然地说：“现在就连我也听得到了。”
三个人停下脚步，自然而然屏住了气息。他们听到了一阵低低的悲鸣声，还夹杂着气喘吁吁的啜泣。
他们循声走进一个大房间，当灯光后起后，他们看到里面满是色彩缤纷的陈设，跟原先所见的各个房间完全不同。
位于房间中央的是个机器人，它微弯着腰，伸出双臂，像是正准备做个亲昵的动作。不过，当然，它僵在那里一动不动。
柄器人身后传来一阵衣裳拍动的声音。一只充满恐惧、睁得圆圆的眼睛从一侧探出来，那种令人心碎的啜泣声一直不断。
崔维兹冲到机器人后面。只听得一声尖叫，一个小身形从另一侧冒出来，猛然摔倒，躺在地上用手蒙住眼睛，两腿向四面八方猛踢，彷佛要逐退来自各方的威胁，同时继续不停地尖叫，尖叫——
“是个孩子！”宝绮思说。这点显然毋庸质疑。
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崔维兹向后退了几步，感到十分不解。一个孩子在这里做什么？班德对自己绝对的孤独多么自傲，而且还极力强调这点。
面对令人不解的事，裴洛拉特比较不会诉诸理性分析。他立刻想到答案、脱口便说：“我想这就是继承人。”
“是班德的孩子，”宝绮思表示同意，“可是太小了。我想它无法成为继承人，索拉利人得另外找人继承。”
她凝视着这个孩子，但并非目不转晴地瞪着它，而是用一种轻柔的、带有催眠作用的目光。那孩于果然渐渐静下来，睁开双眼，回望着宝绮思，原本的叫喊已经收敛，变作偶尔一下轻声的抽噎。
宝绮思发出一些具有安抚作用的声音，虽然断断续续没有什么意义，不过她的目的只是要加强镇定效果。她仿佛在用精神指尖，轻抚那孩子陌生的心灵，设法抚平其中紊乱不堪的情绪。
那孩子慢慢爬起来，目光一直没离开宝绮思。它摇摇蔽晃地站了一会儿，突然冲向那个既无动作又没声音的机器人。它紧抱着机器人粗壮的大腿，仿佛渴望得到一点安全感。
崔维兹说：“我猜那个机器人是它的——保母，或者是管理员。我猜索拉利人无法照顾另一个索拉利人，甚至无法照顾自己亲生的孩子。”
裴洛拉特说：“而我猜这孩子也是雌雄同体。”
“一定是。”崔维兹说。
宝绮思的心思仍全放在那孩子身上。她慢慢向它走去，双手平举，手掌朝向自己，仿佛强调她没有抓住它的意图。那孩子现在不哭了，看到宝绮思走过来，它把机器人抱得更紧。
宝绮思说：“来，孩子——温暖，孩子——柔软，温暖，舒适，安全，来，孩子——安全——安全。”
她停了下来，压低声音，头也不回地说：“裴，用它的语言跟它讲。告诉它我们都是机器人，因为这里停电，所以我们来照顾它。”
“机器人！”裴洛拉特吓了一跳。
“我们必须这样自我介绍，它不怕机器人，但它从没见过人类，也许甚至无法想像人类是什么。”
裴洛拉特说：“我不知道能否想出正确的说法，也不知道‘机器人’的古语是什么。”
“那就说‘机器人’吧，裴。如果不管用，就改说‘铁做的东西’，反正尽量说就对了。”
裴洛拉特开始慢慢地、一字一顿地说着古银河语。那孩子望着他，紧紧皱着眉头，像是试图了解他在说些什么。
崔维兹说：“你在跟它沟通的时候，最好顺便问它如何才能出去。”
宝绮思说：“不，暂时不要，先建立信心，再问问题。”
那孩子一面望着裴洛拉特，一面慢慢松开机器人。它说了几句话，声音高亢而带有音乐性。
裴洛拉特慌忙道：“它讲得太快，我听不懂。”
宝绮思说：“请它再慢慢讲一遍，我尽全力消除它的恐惧，让它保持镇静。”
裴洛拉特又听了一遍那孩子说的话，然后说：“我想它在问健比为什么不动了，健比一定就是这个机器人。”
“再问一遍确定一下，裴。”
裴洛拉特再跟那孩子谈了几句，又说：“没错，健比就是这个机器人，这孩子管自己叫菲龙。”
“太好了！”宝绮思对那孩子微微一笑，那是个灿烂开心的笑容。她伸手指指它，然后说：“菲龙，乖菲龙，勇敢的菲龙。”又将一只手放在自己胸前，“宝绮思。”
那孩子也露出微笑，它展现笑容时，看起来非常讨人喜欢。“宝绮思——”它那个“思”的发音有点不正确。
崔维兹说：“宝绮思，如果你能启动这个机器人健比，它也许能告诉我们一些我们想知道的事。裴洛拉特可以跟它沟通，不会比跟这孩子沟通更困难。”
“不行，”宝绮思说：“那样做有问题。这个机器人的首要任务是保护这孩子　，如果它被启动后，发觉我们这几个陌生的人类，它或许缓螈即攻击我们，因为这里不该有任何陌生人。到时我若被迫再使它停摆，它就无法提供我们任何讯息，而这个孩子，看到它心目中唯一的亲人再度停摆——唉，我就是不要那么做。”
“可是我们都听说过，”裴洛拉特柔声道：“机器人一律不能伤害人类。”
“我们的确听说过，”宝绮思说：“可是没有人告诉我们，这些索拉利人设计是什么样的机器人。即使这个机器人被设计得不能伤害人类，它也必须做出抉择——一边是它的孩子，或者说几乎是它的孩子；另一边却是三个陌生物件，它也许根本认不出我们是人类，只会把我们当成非法闯人者。它自然会选择保护孩子，而对我们发动攻击。”
她再度转身面对那孩子。“菲龙，”她说：“宝绮思，”她指指自己，接着又指向其他两人，“裴——崔——”
“裴，崔。”孩子乖顺地跟着说。
她向那孩子走近些，双手慢慢向它接近。它一面望着她，一面向后退了一步。
“冷静，菲龙：”宝绮思说：“乖乖，菲龙；摸摸，菲龙；好乖，菲龙。”
它向她走近一步，宝绮思松了一口气。　“乖，菲龙。”
她摸了摸菲龙裸露在外的臂膀，它跟它的单亲一样，只穿了一件长袍，前胸敞开，下面系着一条束腰。她只轻轻摸了一下，手就赶紧移开，等了一会儿，才又将手放回它的手臂上，轻柔地抚摸着。
在宝绮思心灵的强力镇静作用下，那孩子的眼睛微微闭上。
宝绮思的双手慢慢往上移，动作非常轻，几乎没有触摸到它的肌肤。她两只手一路摸到孩子的肩膀、颈部、耳朵，最后伸进它棕色的长发中，来到它双耳后方偏上的部位。
她随即将双手放下，说道：“转换叶突还小，头盖骨尚未发育完全。那里有一层硬质皮肤，等到叶突长成后，它就会向外鼓胀，被头盖骨围起来。这就代表说，如今它还无法控制这个属地，甚至无法启动属于它的机器人——问问它有几岁了，裴。”
经过一番交谈后，裴洛拉特说：“它今年十四岁，如果我没弄错的话。”
崔维兹说：“它看起来更像十一岁。”
宝绮思说：“这个世界采用的年，长度也许和银河标准年不尽相同。此外，据说外世界人曾将寿命延长，这点如果索拉利人跟其他外世界人一样，他们或许也延长了发育期，总之我们不能以年龄为变准。”
崔维兹不耐烦地咂咂舌头。“别再讨论人类学了，我们必须赶快到达地表。我们沟通的对象是个孩子，我们可能只是在浪费时间。它也许不知道通往地表的路径，也可能从来没有到过地表。”
宝绮思说：“裴！”
裴洛拉特明白她的意思，马上又跟菲龙讨论起来，这次花的时间比前几次都要长。
最后他终于说：“这孩子知道什么是太阳，它说自己曾看到过。我想它也见过树木，它的反应好像不确定那个宇的意义，至少不确定我用的那个字眼……”
“好了，詹诺夫，”崔维兹说：“拜托言归正传吧。”
“我告诉菲龙说，如果它能带我们到达地面，我们也许就有办法启动那个机器人。事实上，我说我们‘就会’启动那个机器人。你认为我们可能做到吗？”
崔维兹说：“这件事我们待会儿再操心，它有没有说愿意为我们带路？”
“有。我刚才是这么想的，如果我做出承诺，你也知道，这孩子会更热心。我认为，我们在冒着让它失望的危险……”
“走吧，”崔维兹说：“我们立刻出发。如果我们困在地底，所有的事情都是纸上谈兵。”
裴洛拉特又对那孩子说了几句话，它便开始向前走，不久它又停下脚步，回头望着宝绮思。
宝绮思伸出一只手，于是两人手牵着手一起走了。
“我是个新的机器人。”她露出淡淡的微笑。
“它好像相当满意。”崔维兹说。
菲龙一路蹦蹦跳跳，崔维兹心中突然闪过一些疑问，它现在这么开心，只是宝绮思费尽心血的结果吗？或是除此之外，又加上它有机会再度去地表玩耍，还得到三个新的机器人，所以才会这样兴奋？或者，它变得如此兴高采烈，是因为想到保母健比会回到它身边？这都没什么关系，只要这孩子肯带路就行。
孩子的步伐似乎没有任何迟疑，每当遇到岔路，它毫不犹豫就做出选择。它真知道自己向哪里走吗？或者这只是小孩子无意义的行动？它只是在玩一个游戏，根本没有明确的目的地？
可是，从变得稍微沉着的脚步中，崔维兹意识到自己正在上坡。而那个孩子，则一面信心十足地蹦蹦跳跳，一面指着前方，叽哩呱啦说个不停。
崔维兹望向裴洛拉特，袭洛拉特清了清喉咙说：“我想它说的是‘门’。”
“我希望你所想的正确无误。”崔维兹说。
此时，孩子挣脱了宝绮思的手，飞快向前奔去，同时伸手指着某处的地板，那里的颜色似乎比周围深。它踏上那块地板，在原地跳了几下，然后转过头来，露出明显的沮丧表情，又用尖锐的声音说了一大串。
宝绮思苦笑了一下。“我得负责供应电力，这会让我筋疲力尽。”
她的脸微微转红，灯光变暗了点，但菲龙面前的一扇门却打了开，它立刻发出女高音般的欢呼。
那孩子冲出门外，两位男士紧跟在后。宝绮思是最后一个出来的，当那扇门快要关上的时候，她回头望了望，里面已经一片漆黑。然后她停下脚步，稍微喘了一口气，看来相当疲倦。
“好啦，”裴洛拉特说：“我们出来了，太空船在哪里？”
现在他们都已来到户外，沐浴在仍算明后的夕阳下。
崔维兹喃喃说道：“我觉得它好像在那个方向。”
“我也这么觉得，”宝绮思说：“我们走吧。”说完就伸手去牵菲龙。
除了风声，以及一些动物的叫声与走动声外，四周围可谓一片静寂。他们在途中遇到一个机器人，一动不动地站在树基附近，手中抱着一个功用不明的物体。
裴洛拉特显然是出于好奇，朝那个方向迈出一步，崔维兹却赶紧说：“不关我们的事，詹诺夫，继续走吧。”
不久，他们又远远看到另一个机器人瘫在地上。
崔维兹说：“我想方圆百公里内，一定到处都是放倒的机器人。”
然后他又得意洋洋地说：“啊，太空船在那里。”
他们马上加快脚步，突然间又停了下来。菲龙扯着喉咙发出兴奋的尖叫。
在太空艇附近，停着一艘显得相当原始的航空器，它的转子看来非常浪费能量，而且十分脆弱。在那具航空器旁边，介于他们四人与太空艇之间，站着四个貌似人类的身形。
“太迟了，”崔维兹说：“我们浪费了太多时间。现在怎么办？”
裴洛拉特以困惑的口吻说：“四个索拉利人？这不可能。它们当然不会做这样的实质接触，你想它们是全讯影像吗？”
“它们是百分之百的实体，”宝绮思说：“这点我能肯定。不过它们也不是索拉利人，这些心灵我绝不会弄错，它们是机器人。”
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“好吧，那么，”崔维兹带着倦意说：“刚进！”他继续以沉着的步伐向太空艇走去，其他人跟在他后面。
裴洛拉特有点上气不接下气地说：“你打算怎么办？”
“假如它们是机器人，它们就必须服从命令。”
那几个机器人正在等候他们。走近之后，崔维兹开始仔细打量它们。
没错，它们一定是机器人。它们的脸部看来好像有皮有肉，但是毫无表情，显得相当诡异。它们都穿着制服，除了面部之外，没有暴露任何平方公分的肌肤，就连双手都戴着不透明的薄手套。
崔维兹随便做了个手势，那是个明确而直接的身体语言，意思是要它们让开。
那些机器人并没有动。
崔维兹低声对裴洛拉特说：“用说的，詹诺夫，语气要坚决。”
裴洛拉特清了清喉咙，以很不自然的男中音慢慢说，同时也像崔维兹那样，挥手表示要它们让开。然后，其中一个似乎高一点的机器人，以冰冷而犀利的声音答了几句。
裴洛拉特转头对崔维兹说：“我想它说我们是外星人士。”
“告诉它我们是人类，它必须服从我们。”
此时那机器人再度开口，说的是口音奇特伹仍可解的银河标准语。“我了解你的话，外星人士。我会说银河标准语，我们是守护机器人。”
“那么，你听到我刚才说的话了，我们是人类，你们必须服从我们。”
“我们的程式设计，外星人士，只让我们服从地主的命令，而你既不是地主又不是索拉利人。班德地主对常规接触未做回应，因此我们前来进行实地调查，这是我们的职责。我们发现了一艘并非索拉利出品的太空船，还有几个外星人士，而班德的机器人全部停摆。班德地王在哪里？”
崔维兹摇了摇头，以缓慢而清晰的声音说：“你的话我们完全不明白，我们太空船的电脑出了点问题，将我们带到这个陌生行星附近，这并非我们的本意。我们登陆此地，是想要找出目前的位置，却发现所有的机器人都已停摆，我们根本不知道发生了什么事。”
“这个解释不可信。如果这个属地上所有的机器人都停摆，所有的电力全部消失，那么班德地主一定死了。它刚好在你们着陆之际死亡，如果说只是巧合，那是不合逻辑的假设，其中一定有某种因果关联。”
崔维兹又说：“可是电力没有消失啊，你和其他几个机器人还能活动。”他这样说只是为了混淆视听，以显示他是个局外人，对这里的状况毫不知情，藉此洗脱自己的嫌疑。
那机器人说：“我们是守护机器人，我们不属于任何地主，而是属于整个世界。我们不受地主控制，以核能为动力来源。我再问一遍，班德地主在哪里？”
崔维兹四下看了看，裴洛拉特显得忧心仲忡，宝绮思紧抿嘴唇，但表情还算冷静，菲龙则全身发抖：宝绮思赶紧伸手搭着它的肩膀，它才变得坚强一点，脸上的恐惧神情也消失了。（宝绮思在令它镇静吗？）
那机器人说：“再问一次，这是最后一次，班德地主在哪里？”
“我不知道。”崔维兹绷着脸说。
柄器人点了点头，它的两个同伴便迅速离去。然后它说：“我的守护者同僚将搜索这所宅邸，在此期间，你将被留置此地接受盘问。把你佩挂在腰际两侧的东西交给我。”
崔维兹退了一步。“这些不会伤人。”
“别再乱动，我没问它们会不会伤人，我要你把它们交出来。”
“不行。”
那机器人迅速向前迈出一步，手臂猛然掠出，崔维兹还不知道发生了什么事，机器人一只手已搭上他的肩头。那只手用力收紧，同时向下猛压，崔维兹便跪了下来。
柄器人又说：“交出来。”它伸出另一只手。
“不。”崔维兹喘着气说。
此时宝绮思冲过去，将手铣从皮套中掏出来。崔维兹被机器人紧紧箝制，根本无法阻止她的行动。
她将手铳递给那机器人。“给你，守护者，”她说：“请你稍等一下——这是另外一件，现在放开我的同伴。”
柄器人握着两件武器向后退去，崔维兹慢慢站起来，搓揉着左肩，脸孔因痛苦而扭曲。
（菲龙在轻声抽噎，心慌意乱的裴洛拉特连忙将它抱起来，紧紧搂着它。）
宝绮思以极愤怒的语气，对崔维兹悄声道：“你为什么要跟它斗？它用两根指头就能把你捏死。”
崔维兹哼了一声，咬牙切齿地说：“你为什么不对付它？”
“我在试啊，伹这需要时间。它的心灵没有空隙，程式设计得精密无比，我根本找不到漏洞可钻。我必须好好研究一下，你得设法拖延时间。”
“别研究它的心灵，把它摧毁就行了。”崔维兹这句话几乎没有发出声音。
宝绮思迅速向那个机器人瞥了一眼，看到它正专注地研究那两件武器，而留在它身边的另一个机器人，则负责看守他们这些外星人士。它们两个似乎对崔维兹与宝绮思之间的耳语毫无兴趣。
宝绮思说：“不行，不能摧毁它。在先前那个世界，我们杀害过一只狗，又伤了另一只；而在这个世界，你也知道发生了什么事。”（她又很快瞥了一下两个守护机器人）“盖娅从不无故屠杀生灵，我需要时间设法和平解决。”
她后退了几步，眼睛紧盯着那个机器人。
柄器人说：“这两件是武器。”
“不是。”崔维兹说。
“是的，”宝绮思说：“不过它们现在没有用了，它们的能量已被抽光。”
“真是这样吗？你为什么携带能量被抽光的武器？也许它们还有些能量。”机器人抓起其中一件武器，将拇指放在正确的位置上。“它是这样启动的吗？”
“没错。”宝绮思说：“假如它还存有能量，你用力一压，它就会被启动——但是它没有。”
“确定吗？”机器人将武器对准崔维兹，“你还敢说如果我现在启动它，它不会生效？”
“它不会生效。”宝绮思说。
崔维兹僵在那里，几乎话都讲不清楚。班德将手铳中的能量抽光后，他曾经试过一次，证实它已经完全失效。然而那机器人拿的是神经鞭，崔维兹并未测试过。
即使神经鞭仅仅残存一点能量，也足以刺激痛觉神经。而崔维兹将产生的感觉，会使得刚才那一抓相较之下像是亲昵的爱抚。
在“舰队学院”受训时，崔维兹跟每个学员一样，曾被迫接受神经鞭轻微的一击。那样做的目的，只是要让他们尝尝那种滋味，崔维兹觉得一次就绰绰有余。
那机器人启动了武器，一时之间，崔维兹吃力地咬紧牙关——然后，又慢慢放松。
神经鞭的能量也全被抽光。
柄器人瞪了崔维兹一眼，再将两件武器丢到一旁。“这些武器怎么会被抽光能量？”它质问道：“如果它们没有用了，你为什么还要带在身上？”
崔维兹说：“我习惯了这个着量，即使能量没了，我仍然会随身携带。”
柄器人说：“这样讲根本没有道理，你们都被捕了。你们将接受进一步的盘问，而如果地主们做出决定，你们就会被停摆——怎样打开那艘太空船？我们必须进去搜查。”
“那样做没什么用，”崔维兹说：“你不了解它的构造。”
“即使我不懂，地主们也会懂得。”
“他们也不缓笏解。”
“那么你就得解释清楚，让他们能够了解。”
“我不会那样做。”
“那么你会被停摆。”
“我要是停摆了，你就得不到任何解释。不过我想，即使我做出解释，我一样会被停摆。”
宝绮思喃喃地说：“继续下去，我逐渐解开它脑部的运作奥秘了。”
那机器人未理会宝绮思。（是她造成的结果吗？崔维兹想，而且极度希望真是这样。）
柄器人的注意力紧盯在崔维兹身上。“如果你制造麻烦，那我们将令你部分停摆。我们会损坏你，然后你就会把我们想知道的告诉我们。”
裴洛拉特突然喊道：“慢着，你不能这么做——守护者，你不能这么做。”声音听来就像他被人扼住了脖于。
“我接受了详尽的指令，”机器人以平静的语气说：“我可以这样做。我会尽量减小损坏的秤谌，只要能问出所需的答案就好。”
“可是你不能那么做，绝对不能。我是个外星人士，我的两个同伴也一样。但这个孩子，”裴洛拉特看了看仍抱在手中的菲龙，“是个索拉利人。它会告诉你应该做什么，你必须服从它。”
菲龙张开眼睛望着裴洛拉特，不过它的眼神似乎很空洞。
宝绮思拼命摇头，可是裴洛拉特望着她，现出一副百思不解的神情。
那机器人的目光在菲龙身上停了一下，然后它说：“这个儿童一点都不着要，它没有转换叶突。”
“它只是没有发育完成的转换叶突，”裴洛拉特喘着气说：“但它将来总会有的，它是个索拉利儿童。”
“它是个儿童，但它没有发育完成的转换叶突，所以不能算是索拉利人。我没必要听从它的命令，也没必要保护它。”
“但它是班德地主的子嗣。”
“是吗？你怎么知道这件事？”
“怎……怎么会有其他小孩在这个属地上？”就像他过度兴奋的时候一样，裴洛拉特又结巴了。
“你怎么知道不会有十几个？”
“你看到其他小孩了吗？”
“现在是我在发问。”
此时，另一个机器人拍拍那机器人的手臂，转移了它的注意力。刚才被派去搜索宅邸的两个机器人，现在正快步跑回来，不过脚步有些踉舱。
突然间一片鸦雀无声，直到它们来到近前，其中一个才以索拉利语开始说话。它一番话讲完之后，四个机器人似乎都失去了弹性。一时之间，它们显得萎靡不振，像是泄了气一样。
裴洛拉特说：“它们找到班德了。”崔维兹根本来不及挥手阻止他。
那机器人慢慢转过身来，以含糊不清的声音说：“班德地主死了。可是你们刚才那句话告诉我们，你们已经知晓这件事实。怎么会这样呢？”
“我怎么知道？”崔维兹凶巴巴地说。
“你们知道它死了，你们知道在里面能找到它的尸体。除非你们曾经到过那里，除非就是你们结束了它的生命，否则你们怎么能知道？”那机器人的发音咬字渐渐恢复正常，表示它已经消化这个震撼，变得比较可以承受了。
此时崔维兹说：“我们如何能杀死班德？它拥有转换叶突，可以在瞬间将我们摧毁。”
“你怎知道转换叶突能做些什么、不能做些什么？”
“你刚才提到了转换叶突。”
“我只不过提到而已，没有描述它们的特性或功能。”
“我们从一场梦中得知的。”
“这是个不可信的答案。”
崔维兹说：“你怀疑我们导致班德的死亡，这个假设也不可信。”
裴洛拉特补充道：“而且无论如何，班德地主若是死了，这个属地现在就由菲龙地主控制。地主在这里，你们必须服从的就是它。”
“我解释过了，”那机器人说：“转换叶突尚未发育完成的儿童，不能算是索拉利人，因此它不能成为继承人。我们报告了这个坏消息后，另一个年龄适当的继承人会尽快飞来。”
“菲龙地主又怎么办？”
“根本没有所谓的菲龙地主，它只是个儿童，而我们的儿童人口过剩，它会被销毁。”
宝绮思激动地说：“你不敢。它是个孩子！”
“不一定由我执行这个行动，”机器人说：“也绝非由我做决定，这要由所有地主达成共识。然而，在儿童过剩时期，我很清楚它们的决定会是什么。”
“下行，我说不行。”
“不会有任何痛苦——但另一艘航具就快到了，我们的当务之急是进入原先的班德宅邸，召开一次全讯审议会，以便产生一个继承人，并决定怎样处置你们——把那个儿童交给我。”
宝绮思从裴洛拉特怀中，将陷入半昏迷的菲龙一把抢过来。她紧紧抱着它，试图用肩膀支撑它的着量，并且说：“不准碰这个孩子。”
那机器人再度猛然伸出手臂，同时迈出脚步，想要将菲龙抓走。但在它展开行动前，宝绮思早巳迅速闪到一侧，机器人却继续前进，好像宝绮思仍站在原地。接着，它全身僵硬地向前栽倒，双脚脚尖顶地，直挺挺地扑向地面。其他三个机器人站在原处静止不动，眼神全都涣散无光。
宝绮思开始哭泣，同时带着几分愤怒。“我几乎找到了适当的控制法，它却不给我时间。我没有选择余地，只好先下手为强，现在这四个都停摆了。趁援军尚未降落，我们赶紧上太空船吧：我现在身心俱疲，再也无法对付其他的机器人了。”

Chapter 11: Underground
47Trevize felt frozen. Trying to breathe normally, heturned to look at Bliss. She was standing with her arm protectivelyabout Pelorat's waist, and, to all appearances, was quite calm. Shesmiled slightly and, even more slightly, nodded her head.
Trevize turned back to Bander. Having interpreted Bliss's actions assignifying confidence, and hoping with dreadful earnestness that he wascorrect, he said grimly, "How did you do that, Bander?"Bander smiled, obviously in high good humor. "Tell me, littleOutworlders, do you believe in sorcery? In magic?""No, we do not, little Solarian," snapped Trevize.
Bliss tugged at Trevize's sleeve and whispered, "Don't irritatehim. He's dangerous.""I can see he is," said Trevize, keeping his voice low withdifficulty. "You do something, then."Her voice barely heard, Bliss said, "Not yet. He will be less dangerousif he feels secure."Bander paid no attention to the brief whispering among theOutworlders. It moved away from them uncaringly, the robots separatingto let it pass.
Then it looked back and crooked a finger languidly. "Come. Followme. All three of you. I will tell you a story that may not interest you,but that interests me." It continued to walk forward leisurely.
Trevize remained in place for a while, uncertain as to the best courseof action. Bliss walked forward, however, and the pressure of her armled Pelorat forward as well. Eventually, Trevize moved; the alternativewas to be left standing alone with the robots.
Bliss said lightly, "If Bander will be so kind as to tell the storythat may not interest us "Bander turned and looked intently at Bliss as though he were trulyaware of her for the first time. "You are the feminine half-human,"he said, "aren't you? The lesser half?""The smaller half, Bander. Yes.""These other two are masculine half-humans, then?""So they are.""Have you had your child yet, feminine?""My name, Bander, is Bliss. I have not yet had a child. This isTrevize. This is Pel.""And which of these two masculines is to assist you when it is yourtime? Or will it be both? Or neither?""Pel will assist me, Bander."Bander turned his attention to Pelorat. "You have white hair,I see."Pelorat said, "I have.""Was it always that color?""No, Bander, it became so with age.""And how old are you?""I am fifty-two years old, Bander," Pelorat said, then added hastily,"That's Galactic Standard Years."Bander continued to walk (toward the distant mansion, Trevize assumed),but more slowly. It said, "I don't know how long a Galactic StandardYear is, but it can't be very different from our year. And how old willyou be when you die, Pel?""I can't say. I may live thirty more years.""Eighty-two years, then. Short-lived, and divided inhalves. Unbelievable, and yet my distant ancestors were like you andlived on Earth. But some of them left Earth to establish new worldsaround other stars, wonderful worlds, well organized, and many."Trevize said loudly, "Not many. Fifty."Bander turned a lofty eye on Trevize. There seemed less humor in itnow. "Trevize. That's your name.""Golan Trevize in full. I say there were fifty Spacerworlds. Our worlds number in the millions.""Do you know, then, the story that I wish to tell you?" said Bandersoftly.
"If the story is that there were once fifty Spacer worlds, we knowit.""We count not in numbers only, little half-human," said Bander. "Wecount the quality, too. There were fifty, but such a fifty that not allyour millions could make up one of them. And Solaria was the fiftieth and,therefore, the best. Solaria was as far beyond the other Spacer worlds,as they were beyond Earth.
"We of Solaria alone learned how life was to be lived. We did notherd and flock like animals, as they did on Earth, as they did on otherworlds, as they did even on the other Spacer worlds. We lived each alone,with robots to help us, viewing each other electronically as often as wewished, but coming within natural sight of one another only rarely. It ismany years since I have gazed at human beings as I now gaze at you but,then, you are only half-humans and your presence, therefore, does notlimit my freedom any more than a cow would limit it, or a robot.
"Yet we were once half-human, too. No matter how we perfected ourfreedom; no matter how we developed as solitary masters over countlessrobots; the freedom was never absolute. In order to produce young therehad to be two individuals in co-operation. It was possible, of course,to contribute sperm cells and egg cells, to have the fertilization processand the consequent embryonic growth take place artificially in automatedfashion. It was possible for the infant to live adequately under roboticcare. It could all be done, but the half-humans would not give up thepleasure that went with biological impregnation. Perverse emotionalattachments would develop in consequence and freedom vanished. Do yousee that that had to be changed?"Trevize said, "No, Bander, because we do not measure freedom by yourstandards.""That is because you do not know what freedom is. You have never livedbut in swarms, and you know no way of life but to be constantly forced,in even the smallest things, to bend your wills to those of others or,which is equally vile, to spend your days struggling to force others tobend their wills to yours. Where is any possible freedom there? Freedomis nothing if it is not to live as you wish! Exactly as you wish!
"Then came the time when the Earthpeople began to swarm outwardonce more, when their clinging crowds again swirled through space. Theother Spacers, who did not flock as the Earthpeople did, but who flockednevertheless, if to a lesser degree, tried to compete.
"We Solarians did not. We foresaw inevitable failure in swarming. Wemoved underground and broke off all contact with the rest of theGalaxy. We were determined to remain ourselves at all costs. We developedsuitable robots and weapons to protect our apparently empty surface,and they did the job admirably. Ships came and were destroyed, andstopped coming. The planet was considered deserted, and was forgotten,as we hoped it would be.
"And meanwhile, underground, we worked to solve our problems. Weadjusted our genes gingerly, delicately. We had failures, but somesuccesses, and we capitalized on the successes. It took us many centuries,but we finally became whole human beings, incorporating both the masculineand feminine principles in one body, supplying our own complete pleasureat will, and producing, when we wished, fertilized eggs for developmentunder skilled robotic care.""Hermaphrodites," said Pelorat.
"Is that what it is called in your language?" asked Banderindifferently. "I have never heard the word.""Hermaphroditism stops evolution dead in its tracks," saidTrevize. "Each child is the genetic duplicate of its hermaphroditicparent.""Come," said Bander, "you treat evolution as a hit-and-miss affair. Wecan design our children if we wish. We can change and adjust the genesand, on occasion, we do. But we are almost at my dwelling. Letus enter. It grows late in the day. The sun already fails to give itswarmth adequately and we will be more comfortable indoors."They passed through a door that had no locks of any kind butthat opened as they approached and closed behind them as they passedthrough. There were no windows, but as they entered a cavernous room,the walls glowed to luminous life and brightened. The floor seemed bare,but was soft and springy to the touch. In each of the four corners ofthe room, a robot stood motionless.
"That wall," said Bander, pointing to the wall opposite thedoor a wall that seemed no different in any way from the otherthree is my visionscreen. The world opens before me through thatscreen but it in no way limits my freedom for I cannot be compelled touse it."Trevize said, "Nor can you compel another to use his if you wish tosee him through that screen and he does not.""Compel?" said Bander haughtily. "Let another do as it pleases, ifit is but content that I do as I please. Please note that we do not usegendered pronouns in referring to each other."There was one chair in the room, facing the vision-screen, and Bandersat down in it.
Trevize looked about, as though expecting additional chairs to springfrom the floor. "May we sit, too?" he said.
"If you wish," said Bander.
Bliss, smiling, sat down on the floor. Pelorat sat down besideher. Trevize stubbornly continued to stand.
Bliss said, "Tell me, Bander, how many human beings live on thisplanet?""Say Solarians, half-human Bliss. The phrase `human being' iscontaminated by the fact that half-humans call themselves that. Wemight call ourselves whole-humans, but that is clumsy. Solarian is theproper term.""How many Solarians, then, live on this planet?""I am not certain. We do not count ourselves. Perhaps twelvehundred.""Only twelve hundred on the entire world?""Fully twelve hundred. You count in numbers again, while we countin quality. Nor do you understand freedom. If one other Solarianexists to dispute my absolute mastery over any part of my land, overany robot or living thing or object, my freedom is limited. Since otherSolarians exist, the limitation on freedom must be removed as far aspossible by separating them all to the point where contact is virtuallynonexistent. Solaria will hold twelve hundred Solarians under conditionsapproaching the ideal. Add more, and liberty will be palpably limitedso that the result will be unendurable.""That means each child must be counted and must balance deaths,"said Pelorat suddenly.
"Certainly. That must be true of any world with a stablepopulation even yours, perhaps.""And since there are probably few deaths, there must therefore befew children.""Indeed."Pelorat nodded his head and was silent.
Trevize said, "What I want to know is how you made my weapons flythrough the air. You haven't explained that.""I offered you sorcery or magic as an explanation. Do you refuse toaccept that?""Of course I refuse. What do you take me for?""Will you, then, believe in the conservation of energy, and in thenecessary increase of entropy?""That I do. Nor can I believe that even in twenty thousand years youhave changed these laws, or modified them a micrometer.""Nor have we, half-person. But now consider. Outdoors, there issunlight." There was its oddly graceful gesture, as though marking outsunlight all about. "And there is shade. It is warmer in the sunlightthan in the shade, and heat flows spontaneously from the sunlit areainto the shaded area.""You tell me what I know," said Trevize.
"But perhaps you know it so well that you no longer think aboutit. And at night, Solaria's surface is warmer than the objects beyondits atmosphere, so that heat flows spontaneously from the planetarysurface into outer space.""I know that, too.""And day or night, the planetary interior is warmer than the planetarysurface. Heat therefore flows spontaneously from the interior to thesurface. I imagine you know that, too.""And what of all that, Bander?""The flow of heat from hotter to colder, which must take place bythe second law of thermodynamics, can be used to do work.""In theory, yes, but sunlight is dilute, the heat of the planetarysurface is even more dilute, and the rate at which heat escapes from theinterior makes that the most dilute of all. The amount of heat-flow thatcan be harnessed would probably not be enough to lift a pebble.""It depends on the device you use for the purpose," said Bander. "Ourown tool was developed over a period of thousands of years and it isnothing less than a portion of our brain."Bander lifted the hair on either side of its head, exposing thatportion of its skull behind its ears. It turned its head this way andthat, and behind each ear was a bulge the size and shape of the bluntend of a hen's egg.
"That portion of my brain, and its absence in you, is what makes thedifference between a Solarian and you."48Trevize glanced now and then at Bliss's face, whichseemed entirely concentrated on Bander. Trevize had grown quite certainhe knew what was going on.
Bander, despite its paean to freedom, found this unique opportunityirresistible. There was no way it could speak to robots on a basis ofintellectual equality, and certainly not to animals. To speak to itsfellow-Solarians would be, to it, unpleasant, and what communicationthere must be would be forced, and never spontaneous.
As for Trevize, Bliss, and Pelorat, they might be half-human to Bander,and it might regard them as no more an infringement on its liberty thana robot or a goat would be but they were its intellectual equals(or near equals) and the chance to speak to them was a unique luxury ithad never experienced before.
No wonder, Trevize thought, it was indulging itself in this way. AndBliss (Trevize was doubly sure) was encouraging this, just pushingBander's mind ever so gently in order to urge it to do what it very muchwanted to do in any case.
Bliss, presumably, was working on the supposition that if Bander spokeenough, it might tell them something useful concerning Earth. That madesense to Trevize, so that even if he had not been truly curious aboutthe subject under discussion, he would nevertheless have endeavored tocontinue the conversation.
"What do those brain-lobes do?" Trevize asked.
Bander said, "They are transducers. They are activated by the flowof heat and they convert the heat-flow into mechanical energy.""I cannot believe that. The flow of heat is insufficient.""Little half-human, you do not think. If there were many Solarianscrowded together, each trying to make use of the flow of heat, then, yes,the supply would be insufficient. I, however, have over forty thousandsquare kilometers that are mine, mine alone. I can collect heat-flowfrom any quantity of those square kilometers with no one to dispute me,so the quantity is sufficient. Do you see?""Is it that simple to collect heat-flow over a wide area? The mereact of concentration takes a great deal of energy.""Perhaps, but I am not aware of it. My transducer-lobes are constantlyconcentrating heat-flow so that as work is needed, work is done. WhenI drew your weapons into the air, a particular volume of the sunlitatmosphere lost some of its excess heat to a volume of the shaded area,so that I was using solar energy for the purpose. Instead of usingmechanical or electronic devices to bring that about, however, I useda neuronic device." It touched one of the transducer-lobes gently. "Itdoes it quickly, efficiently, constantly and effortlessly.""Unbelievable," muttered Pelorat.
"Not at all unbelievable," said Bander. "Consider the delicacy of theeye and ear, and how they can turn small quantities of photons and airvibrations into information. That would seem unbelievable if you had nevercome across it before. The transducer-lobes are no more unbelievable,and would not be so to you, were they not unfamiliar."Trevize said, "What do you do with these constantly operatingtransducerlobes?""We run our world," said Bander. "Every robot on this vast estateobtains its energy from me; or, rather, from natural heat-flow. Whethera robot is adjusting a contact, or felling a tree, the energy is derivedfrom mental transduction my mental transduction.""And if you are asleep?""The process of transduction continues waking or sleeping, littlehalf-human," said Bander. "Do you cease breathing when you sleep? Doesyour heart stop beating? At night, my robots continue working at the costof cooling Solaria's interior a bit. The change is immeasurably smallon a global scale and there are only twelve hundred of us, so that allthe energy we use does not appreciably shorten our sun's life or drainthe world's internal heat.""Has it occurred to you that you might use it as a weapon?"Bander stared at Trevize as though he were something peculiarlyincomprehensible. "I suppose by that," he said, "you mean that Solariamight confront other worlds with energy weapons based on transduction? Whyshould we? Even if we could beat their energy weapons based on otherprinciples which is anything but certain what would wegain? The control of other worlds? What do we want with other worlds whenwe have an ideal world of our own? Do we want to establish our dominationover half-humans and use them in forced labor? We have our robots thatare far better than half-humans for the purpose. We have everything.
We want nothing except to be left to ourselves. See here I'lltell you another story.""Go ahead," said Trevize.
"Twenty thousand years ago when the half-creatures of Earth began toswarm into space and we ourselves withdrew underground, the other Spacerworlds were determined to oppose the new Earth-settlers. So they struckat Earth.""At Earth," said Trevize, trying to hide his satisfaction over thefact that the subject had come up at last.
"Yes, at the center. A sensible move, in a way. If you wish to killa person, you strike not at a finger or a heel, but at the heart. Andour fellow-Spacers, not too far removed from human beings themselves inpassions, managed to set Earth's surface radioactively aflame, so thatthe world became largely uninhabitable.""Ah, that's what happened," said Pelorat, clenching a fist and movingit rapidly, as though nailing down a thesis. "I knew it could not be anatural phenomenon. How was it done?""I don't know how it was done," said Bander indifferently, "and inany case it did the Spacers no good. That is the point of the story. TheSettlers continued to swarm and the Spacers-died out. They had triedto compete, and vanished. We Solarians retired and refused to compete,and so we are still here.""And so are the Settlers," said Trevize grimly.
"Yes, but not forever. Swarmers must fight, must compete, andeventually must die. That may take tens of thousands of years, but wecan wait. And when it happens, we Solarians, whole, solitary, liberated,will have the Galaxy to ourselves. We can then use, or not use, anyworld we wish to in addition to our own.""But this matter of Earth," said Pelorat, snapping his fingersimpatiently. "Is what you tell us legend or history?""How does one tell the difference, half-Pelorat?" said Bander. "Allhistory is legend, more or less.""But what do your records say? May I see the records on the subject,Bander? Please understand that this matter of myths, legends, andprimeval history is my field. I am a scholar dealing with such mattersand particularly with those matters as related to Earth.""I merely repeat what I have heard," said Bander. "There are no recordson the subject. Our records deal entirely with Solarian affairs and otherworlds are mentioned in them only insofar as they impinge upon us.""Surely, Earth has impinged on you," said Pelorat.
"That may be, but, if so, it was long, long ago, and Earth, of allworlds, was most repulsive to us. If we had any records of Earth, I amsure they were destroyed out of sheer revulsion."Trevize gritted his teeth in chagrin. "By yourselves?" he asked.
Bander turned its attention to Trevize. "There is no one else todestroy them."Pelorat would not let go of the matter. "What else have you heardconcerning Earth?"Bander thought. It said, "When I was young, I heard a tale from arobot about an Earthman who once visited Solaria; about a Solarian womanwho left with him and became an important figure in the Galaxy. That,however, was, in my opinion, an invented tale."Pelorat bit at his lip. "Are you sure?""How can I be sure of anything in such matters?" said Bander. "Still,it passes the bounds of belief that an Earthman would dare come toSolaria, or that Solaria would allow the intrusion. It is even lesslikely that a Solarian woman we were half-humans then, but evenso should voluntarily leave this world. But come, let meshow you my home.""Your home?" said Bliss, looking about. "Are we not in your home?""Not at all," said Bander. "This is an anteroom. It is a viewingroom. In it I see my fellow-Solarians when I must. Their images appearon that wall, or three-dimensionally in the space before the wall. Thisroom is a public assembly, therefore, and not part of my home. Comewith me."It walked on ahead, without turning to see if it were followed, butthe four robots left their corners, and Trevize knew that if he and hiscompanions did not follow spontaneously, the robots would gently coercethem into doing so.
The other two got to their feet and Trevize whispered lightly to Bliss,"Have you been keeping it talking?"Bliss pressed his hand, and nodded. "Just the same, I wish I knewwhat its intentions were," she added, with a note of uneasiness inher voice.
49They followed Bander. The robots remained at a politedistance, but their presence was a constantly felt threat.
They were moving through a corridor, and Trevize mumbledlow-spiritedly, "There's nothing helpful about Earth on this planet. I'msure of it. Just another variation on the radioactivity theme." Heshrugged. "We'll have to go on to the third set of co-ordinates."A door opened before them, revealing a small room. Bander said,"Come, half-humans, I want to show you how we live."Trevize whispered, "It gets infantile pleasure out of display. I'dlove to knock it down.""Don't try to compete in childishness," said Bliss.
Bander ushered all three into the room. One of the robots followedas well. Bander gestured the other robots away and entered itself. Thedoor closed behind it.
"It's an elevator," said Pelorat, with a pleased air of discovery.
"So it is," said Bander. "Once weeeent underground, we nevertruly emerged. Nor would weeeant to, though I find it pleasant tofeel the sunlight on occasion. I dislike clouds or night in the open,however. That gives one the sensation of being underground without trulybeing underground, if you know what I mean. That is cognitive dissonance,after a fashion, and I find it very unpleasant.""Earth built underground," said Pelorat. "The Caves of Steel, theycalled their cities. And Trantor built underground, too, even moreextensively, in the old Imperial days. And Comporellon builds undergroundright now. It is a common tendency, when you come to think of it.""Half-humans swarming underground and weeliving underground in isolatedsplendor are two widely different things," said Bander.
Trevize said, "On Terminus, dwelling places are on the surface.""And exposed to the weather," said Bander. "Very primitive."The elevator, after the initial feeling of lower gravity thathad given away its nature to Pelorat, gave no sensation of motionwhatsoever. Trevize was wondering how far down it would penetrate,when there was a brief feeling of higher gravity and the door opened.
Before them was a large and elaborately furnished room. It was dimlylit, though the source of the light was not apparent. It almost seemedas though the air itself were faintly luminous.
Bander pointed its finger and where it pointed the light grew a bitmore intense. It pointed it elsewhere and the same thing happened. Itplaced its left hand on a stubby rod to one side of the doorway and, withits right hand, made an expansive circular gesture so that the whole roomlit up as though it were in sunlight, but with no sensation of heat.
Trevize grimaced and said, half-aloud, "The man's a charlatan."Bander said sharply. "Not `the man,' but `the Solarian.' I'm notsure what the word `charlatan' means, but if I catch the tone of voice,it is opprobrious."Trevize said, "It means one who is not genuine, who arranges effectsto make what is done seem more impressive than it really is."Bander said, "I admit that I love the dramatic, but what I have shownyou is not an effect. It is real."It tapped the rod on which its left hand was resting. "Thisheat-conducting rod extends several kilometers downward, and there aresimilar rods in many convenient places throughout my estate. I knowthere are similar rods on other estates. These rods increase the rate atwhich heat leaves Solaria's lower regions for the surface and eases itsconversion into work. I do not need the gestures of the hand to producethe light, but it does lend an air of drama or, perhaps, as you point out,a slight touch of the not-genuine, I enjoy that sort of thing."Bliss said, "Do you have much opportunity to experience the pleasureof such little dramatic touches?""No," said Bander, shaking its head. "My robots are not impressedwith such things. Nor would my fellow-Solarians be. This unusual chanceof meeting half-humans and displaying for them is most amusing."Pelorat said, "The light in this room shone dimly when we entered. Doesit shine dimly at all times?""Yes, a small drain of power like keeping the robots working. Myentire estate is always running, and those parts of it not engaged inactive labor are idling.""And you supply the power constantly for all this vast estate?""The sun and the planet's core supply the power. I am merely theconduit. Nor is all the estate productive. I keep most of it as wildernessand well stocked with a variety of animal life; first, because thatprotects my boundaries, and second, because I find esthetic value init. In fact, my fields and factories are small. They need only supply myown needs, plus some specialties to exchange for those of others. I haverobots, for instance, that can manufacture and install the heat-conductingrods at need. Many Solarians depend upon me for that.""And your home?" asked Trevize. "How large is that?"It must have been the right question to ask, for Bander beamed. "Verylarge. One of the largest on the planet, I believe. It goes on forkilometers in every direction. I have as many robots caring for myhome underground, as I have in all the thousands of square kilometersof surface.""You don't live in all of it, surely," said Pelorat.
"It might conceivably be that there are chambers I have never entered,but what of that?" said Bander. "The robots keep every room clean,well ventilated, and in order. But come, step out here."They emerged through a door that was not the one through which theyhad entered and found themselves in another corridor. Before them wasa little topless ground-car that ran on tracks.
Bander motioned them into it, and one by one they clamberedaboard. There was not quite room for all four, plus the robot, but Peloratand Bliss squeezed together tightly to allow room for Trevize. Bandersat in the front with an air of easy comfort, the robot at its side,and the car moved along with no sign of overt manipulation of controlsother than Bander's smooth hand motions now and then.
"This is a car-shaped robot, actually," said Bander, with an air ofnegligent indifference.
They progressed at a stately pace, very smoothly past doors thatopened as they approached, and closed as they receded. The decorationsin each were of widely different kinds as though robots had been orderedto devise combinations at random.
Ahead of them the corridor was gloomy, and behind them as well. Atwhatever point they actually found themselves, however, they were in theequivalent of cool sunlight. The rooms, too, would light as the doorsopened. And each time, Bander moved its hand slowly and gracefully.
There seemed no end to the journey. Now and then they found themselvescurving in a way that made it plain that the underground mansion spreadout in two dimensions. (No, three, thought Trevize, at one point, asthey moved steadily down a shallow declivity.)Wherever they went, there were robots, by thedozens scores hundreds engaged in unhurried work whosenature Trevize could not easily divine. They passed the open door ofone large room in which rows of robots were bent quietly over desks.
Pelorat asked, "What are they doing, Bander?""Bookkeeping," said Bander. "Keeping statistical records, financialaccounts, and all sorts of things that, I am very glad to say, I don'thave to bother with. This isn't just an idle estate. About a quarter ofits growing area is given over to orchards. An additional tenth are grainfields, but it's the orchards that are really my pride. We grow the bestfruit in the world and grow them in the largest number of varieties,too. A Bander peach is the peach on Solaria. Hardly anyone else evenbothers to grow peaches. We have twenty-seven varieties of applesand and so on. The robots could give you full information.""What do you do with all the fruit?" asked Trevize. "You can't eatit all yourself.""I wouldn't dream of it. I'm only moderately fond of fruit. It'straded to the other estates.""Traded for what?""Mineral material mostly. I have no mines worth mentioning on myestates. Then, too, I trade for whatever is required to maintain ahealthy ecological balance. I have a very large variety of plant andanimal life on the estate.""The robots take care of all that, I suppose," said Trevize.
"They do. And very well, too.""All for one Solarian.""All for the estate and its ecological standards. I happen to be theonly Solarian who visits the various parts of the estate when Ichoose but that is part of my absolute freedom."Pelorat said, "I suppose the others the otherSolarians also maintain a local ecological balance and havemarshlands, perhaps, or mountainous areas or seafront estates."Bander said, "I suppose so. Such things occupy us in the conferencesthat world affairs sometimes make necessary.""How often do you have to get together?" asked Trevize. (They weregoing through a rather narrow passageway, quite long, and with no roomson either side. Trevize guessed that it might have been built throughan area that did not easily allow anything wider to be constructed, sothat it served as a connecting link between two wings that could eachspread out more widely.
"Too often. It's a rare month when I don't have to pass some time inconference with one of the committees I am a member of. Still, althoughI may not have mountains or marshlands on my estate, my orchards, myfishponds, and my botanical gardens are the best in the world."Pelorat said, "But, my dear fellow I mean, Bander Iwould assume you have never left your estate and visited those ofothers ""Certainly not ," said Bander, with an air of outrage.
"I said I assumed that," said Pelorat mildly. "But in that case,how can you be certain that yours are best, never having investigated,or even seen the others?""Because," said Bander, "I can tell from the demand for my productsin interestate trade."Trevize said, "What about manufacturing?"Bander said, "There are estates where they manufacture tools andmachinery. As I said, on my estate we make the heat-conducting rods,but those are rather simple.""And robots?""Robots are manufactured here and there. Throughout history,Solaria has led all the Galaxy in the cleverness and subtlety of robotdesign.""Today also, I imagine," said Trevize, carefully having the intonationmake the remark a statement and not a question.
Bander said, "Today? With whom is there to compete today? Only Solariamakes robots nowadays. Your worlds do not, if I interpret what I hearon the hyperwave correctly.""But the other Spacer worlds?""I told you. They no longer exist.""At all?""I don't think there is a Spacer alive anywhere but on Solaria.""Then is there no one who knows the location of Earth?""Why would anyone want to know the location of Earth?"Pelorat broke in, "I want to know. It's my field of study.""Then," said Bander, "you will have to study something else. I knownothing about the location of Earth, nor have I heard of anyone who everdid, nor do I care a sliver of robot-metal about the matter."The car came to a halt, and, for a moment, Trevize thought thatBander was offended. The halt was a smooth one, however, and Bander,getting out of the car, looked its usual amused self as it motioned theothers to get out also.
The lighting in the room they entered was subdued, even after Banderhad brightened it with a gesture. It opened into a side corridor, on bothsides of which were smaller rooms. In each one of the smaller rooms wasone or two ornate vases, sometimes flanked by objects that might havebeen film projectors.
"What is all this, Bander?" asked Trevize.
Bander said, "The ancestral death chambers, Trevize."50Pelorat looked about with interest. "I suppose you havethe ashes of your ancestors interred here?""If you mean by `interred,'" said Bander, "buried in the ground,you are not quite right. We may be underground, but this is my mansion,and the ashes are in it, as we are right now. In our own language wesay that the ashes are `inhoused.'" It hesitated, then said, "`House'
is an archaic word for `mansion.'"Trevize looked about him perfunctorily. "And these are all yourancestors? How many?""Nearly a hundred," said Bander, making no effort to hide the pridein its voice. "Ninety-four, to be exact. Of course, the earliest arenot true Solarians not in the present sense of the word. They werehalf-people, masculine and feminine. Such half-ancestors were placed inadjoining urns by their immediate descendants. I don't go into thoserooms, of course. It's rather `shamiferous.' At least, that's theSolarian word for it; but I don't know your Galactic equivalent. Youmay not have one.""And the films?" asked Bliss. "I take it those are filmprojectors?""Diaries," said Bander, "the history of their lives. Scenes ofthemselves in their favorite parts of the estate. It means they do notdie in every sense. Part of them remains, and it is part of my freedomthat I can join them whenever I choose; I can watch this bit of film orthat, as I please.""But not into the shamiferous ones."Bander's eyes slithered away. "No," it admitted, "but then we allhave that as part of the ancestry. It is a common wretchedness.""Common? Then other Solarians also have these death chambers?" askedTrevize.
"Oh yes, we all do, but mine is the best, the most elaborate, themost perfectly preserved."Trevize said, "Do you have your own death chamber alreadyprepared?""Certainly. It is completely constructed and appointed. That wasdone as my first duty when I inherited the estate. And when I am laid toash to be poetic my successor will go about the constructionof its own as its first duty.""And do you have a successor?""I will have when the time comes. There is as yet ample scope forlife. When I must leave, there will be an adult successor, ripe enoughto enjoy the estate, and well lobed for power-transduction.""It will be your offspring, I imagine.""Oh yes.""But what if," said Trevize, "something untoward takes place? I presumeaccidents and misfortunes take place even on Solaria. What happens if aSolarian is laid to ash prematurely and it has no successor to take itsplace, or at least not one who is ripe enough to enjoy the estate?""That rarely happens. In my line of ancestors, that happened onlyonce. When it does, however, one need only remember that there are othersuccessors waiting for other estates. Some of those are old enough toinherit, and yet have parents who are young enough to produce a seconddescendant and to live on till that second descendant is ripe enough forthe succession. One of these old/young successors, as they are called,would be assigned to the succession of my estate.""Who does the assigning?""We have a ruling board that has this as one of its fewfunctions the assignment of a successor in case of prematureashing. It is all done by holovision, of course."Pelorat said, "But see here, if Solarians never see each other, howwould anyone know that some Solarian somewhere has unexpectedly orexpectedly, for that matter been laid to ash."Bander said, "When one of us is laid to ash, all power at the estateceases. If no successor takes over at once, the abnormal situation iseventually noticed and corrective measures are taken. I assure you thatour social system works smoothly."Trevize said, "Would it be possible to view some of these films youhave here?"Bander froze. Then it said, "It is only your ignorance that excusesyou. What you have said is crude and obscene.""I apologize for that," said Trevize. "I do not wish to intrudeon you, but we've already explained that we are very interested inobtaining information on Earth. It occurs to me that the earliest filmsyou have would date back to a time before Earth was radioactive. Earthmight therefore be mentioned. There might be details given about it. Wecertainly do not wish to intrude on your privacy, but would there be anyway in which you yourself could explore those films, or have a robot doso, perhaps, and then allow any relevant information to be passed on tous? Of course, if you can respect our motives and understand that wewill try our best to respect your feelings in return, you might allowus to do the viewing ourselves."Bander said frigidly, "I imagine you have no way of knowing that youare becoming more and more offensive. However, we can end all this atonce, for I can tell you that there are no films accompanying my earlyhalf-human ancestors.""None?" Trevize's disappointment was heart-felt.
"They existed once. But even you can imagine what might have been onthem. Two half-humans showing interest in each other or, even," Bandercleared its throat, and said, with an effort, "interacting. Naturally,all half-human films were destroyed many generations ago.""What about the records of other Solarians?""All destroyed.""Can you be sure?""It would be mad not to destroy them.""It might be that some Solarians were mad, or sentimental,or forgetful. We presume you will not object to directing us toneighboring estates."Bander looked at Trevize in surprise. "Do you suppose others will beas tolerant of you as I have been?""Why not, Bander?""You'll find they won't be.""It's a chance we'll have to take.""No, Trevize. No, any of you. Listen to me."There were robots in the background, and Bander was frowning.
"What is it, Bander?" said Trevize, suddenly uneasy.
Bander said, "I have enjoyed speaking to all of you, and observingyou in all your strangeness. It was a unique experience, whichI have been delighted with, but I cannot record it in my diary, normemorialize it in film.""Why not?""My speaking to you; my listening to you; my bringing you into mymansion; my bringing you here into the ancestral death chambers; areshameful acts.""We are not Solarians. We matter to you as little as these robots do,do we not?""I excuse the matter to myself in that way. It may not serve as anexcuse to others.""What do you care? You have absolute liberty to do as you choose,don't you?""Even as we are, freedom is not truly absolute. If I were theonly Solarian on the planet, I could do even shameful thingsin absolute freedom. But there are other Solarians on the planet, and,because of that, ideal freedom, though approached, is not actuallyreached. There are twelve hundred Solarians on the planet who woulddespise me if they knew what I had done.""There is no reason they need know about it.""That is true. I have been aware of that since you've arrived. I'vebeen aware of it all this time that I've been amusing myself with you. Theothers must not find out."Pelorat said, "If that means you fear complications as a result ofour visits to other estates in search of information about Earth, why,naturally, we will mention nothing of having visited you first. That isclearly understood."Bander shook its head. "I have taken enough chances. I will not speakof this, of course. My robots will not speak of this, and will even beinstructed not to remember it. Your ship will be taken underground andexplores for what information it can give us ""Wait," said Trevize, "how long do you suppose we can wait here whileyou inspect our ship? That is impossible.""Not at all impossible, for you will have nothing to say about it. Iam sorry. I would like to speak to you longer and to discuss many otherthings with you, but you see the matter grows more dangerous.""No, it does not," said Trevize emphatically.
"Yes, it does, little half-human. I'm afraid the time has come whenI must do what my ancestors would have done at once. I must kill you,all three."