PAINGOD

AND OTHER DELUSIONS

HARLAN ELLISON

The first edition of this book was dedicated to a friend of fourteen years brotherhood. He is now a friend of twentynine years shared joys and agonies. If anything, this rededication is even more appropriate, tagged as it is for R !"RT #I$%"R!"R&

Contents 'ew Introduction( )our !asic *rown of Thorns Introduction to +irst "dition( SPERO MELIORA: From the Vicinity of Alienation ,aingod -Repent, Har.e/uin01 #aid the Ticktockman The *rackpots #.eeping 2ogs !right "yes The 2iscarded 3anted in #urgery 2eeper Than the 2arkness

New Introduction: Your Basic Crown of Thorns

'" 'I&HT, # 4" )"5R# 5& , maybe five or si6, I woke up in the darkness and saw words burning bright-red on the cei.ing of my bedroom. 5R" ) 7 535R" + H 3 47*H ,5I' TH"R" I# I' TH" 3 R$28 I craw.ed out of the rack and fe.t my way through the house to my office, sat down at the typewriter, put on the .ight and-sti.. as.eep-typed the words on paper. I went back to bed and forgot a.. about it. That night I had programmed my dreams for a #ergio $eone spaghetti western with score by 4orricone. 'o cartoon, no short subjects. The ne6t morning, coffee cup in hand, I went to my typewriter and found the /uestion waiting for me, a.. a.one on a sheet of ye..ow foo.scap. Rhetorica.. f course I knew how much pain there was in the wor.d.. .is in the wor.d. !ut I cou.dnt /uite bring myse.f to ripping the sheet off the ro..er and getting on with what I shou.d have been working at. I sat and stared at it for the .ongest time. 7nderstand something( I am not a humanitarian. I distrust se.f.ess phi.anthropists and doers of good deeds. 3hen you discover that the b.ack natives of $amborene hated #chweit9er, you begin to suspect nob.e individua.s have some secret need in them to be .oved, to .ook good in others eyes, to succor themse.ves or dissipate their gui.ts with benevo.ent gestures. Rather than the sanctimonious bu..shit of po.iticians about -the good peop.e of this fair state1 I wou.d joyous.y vote for any candidate who had the courage to stand 7p and say, -$ook, Im going to stea. from you. Im going to .ine my pockets and those of my friends, but Im not going to stea. too much. !ut in the dea. I.. give you better roads, safer schoo.s, better education and a happier condition of .ife. Im not going to do it out of compassion or dedication to the good peop.e of this fair state: Im going to do it because if I do these things, you.. e.ect me again and I can stea. a .itt.e bit more.1 That joker has my vote, no arguments. ;Ru.e of thumb( whenever you hear a po.itician ca.. it -the 7nited #tates of 5merica1< instead of simp.y..the 7.#.1-you know hes bu..shitting you. Its .ike the convo.uted synta6 of co..ege te6tbooks. 3hen they start writing in a pro.i6 manner that makes you read a paragraph seven times to get the message See Dic and !ane run" oh oh oh# you know someone is trying to f.ummo6 you. #ame for po.iticians: if they start running a fast ramadoo.ah past you, instead of speaking simp.y and direct.y, theyre trying to wease.. This .esson in good government comes to you through the courtesy of a man who was snookered by "ugene 4c*arthy and &eorge 4c&overn.= #o what Im trying to te.. you is that Im .ast in the .ine of nob.e, unse.fish, go.den humanitarians. 3hat I do for the commonwea. I do for myself I am a se.fish sonofabitch who contributes to -good causes1 because I fee. shitty if I dont. !ut if the truth be to.d, Im the same as you( the deaths of a hundred thousand f.ood victims in some banana repub.ic doesnt touch me one one-mi..ionth as much as the death of my dog did. If you get wiped out on a freeway somewhere and I dont know you persona..y, I may go tsk-tsk, but the fact that I havent had a good bowe. movement in two days is more painfu. to me. #o those words burning on my cei.ing rea..y threw me. They rea..y got to me. I had them printed on big ye..ow cards so theyd pop, and I started giving them to friends. I had one framed for my office. Its up on the wa.. to the right of my typewriter as I sit here te..ing you about it. !ut if Im not this terrific concerned human being, whats it a.. in aid on 3e.., its in aid of my coming to terms with my own morta.ity, something that.. happen to a.. of you if it hasnt a.ready. 5nd it speaks to what this co..ection of stories is a.. about, in a way. #o we.. ta.k about pain. Here are a few different kinds of pain I think are worthy of our attention. The other night I had dinner with a good friend, a woman writer whom Ive known for about ten years. Though weve never had a romantic re.ationship, I .ove her dear.y and care about her( shes a $ood person, and a ta.ented writer, and those two /ua.ities put her ever.asting.y on my .ist of 3hen )ou 'eed He.p, "ven In The 2ead f 'ight, Im n *a... ver dinner, we ta.ked about an anguish she has been e6periencing for a number of years. #hes afraid of dying a.one and un.oved.

#ome of you are nodding in understanding. 5 few of you are smi.ing. The former understand pain, the .atter are assho.es. r very .ucky. 3eve all dreaded that moment when we pack it in, get a fast ro..back of days and nights, and rea.i9e were about to go down the ho.e never having be.onged to anyone. If youve never fe.t it, youre either an a.ien from far 5rcturus or so insensitive your demise wont matter. r very .ucky. Her prob.em is best summed up by something Theodore #turgeon once said( -Theres no absence of .ove in the wor.d, on.y worthy p.aces to put it.1 4y friend gets invo.ved with guys who do her in. 'ot a.. her fau.t. #ome of it is-were never who..y victims, we he.p construct the tiger traps fi..ed with spikes-but not a.. of it. #hes vu.nerab.e. 3hi.e not naive, she is innocent. 5nd thats a dangerous, but .audab.e capacity( to wander through a wor.d that can be very uncaring and amora..y crue., and sti.. be astonished at the way the sun.ight catches the edge of a co.eus .eaf. 5nybody puts her down for that has to go through me first. #o she keeps trying, and the ones with .ong teeth sense her vu.nerabi.ity and they move in for the s.ow ki... ;Thats evi.( on.y the human predator destroys s.ow.y, any decent hunting anima. rips out the throat and feeds, and thats that. The more I see of peop.e, the better I .ike anima.s.= #he is a woman who needs a man. There are men who need a good woman. Theres nothing se6ist in saying that, its a condition of the anima.. ;5nd just so I dont get picketed by &ay $ib, there are men who need a good man and women who need a good woman. There are a.so men who need a good chicken and women who need a big dog, and thats nobodys business but their own, you get my meaning, so .ets cut the crap and move on.= "verybody needs to be.ong to somebody. #ometime. +or an hour, a day, a year, forever...its a.. the same. 5nd when youve paid dues on a bunch of decades without having made the proper .inkup, you come to .ive with a pain that is a du.. ache, un.oca.i9ed, suffusing every inch of your skin and throbbing .ike a bruise down on the bone. 3hat to te.. her, what to say8 Theres nothing. I.. try to find her someone who cares, but its a pain she.. have to either overcome by guerri..a attacks on the sing.es bars and young-marrieds parties, or .earn to .ove herse.f sufficient.y we.. that she becomes more accessib.e to the men shes turning off by unspoken words and invisib.e vibes. ,eop.e sense the pain, and they shy away from it, because theyve fe.t it themse.ves, and they dont want to get contaminated. 3hen you need a job and hunger for one open.y, you never get hired because they sme.. desperation on you .ike panther sweat. !ut its a pain you cant ignore. I cant ignore. Heres another one. 3hat fo..ows is one of hundreds of .etters I get from readers. I hate getting mai., because I dont have the time to answer it, and I get a .ot of it-probab.y due to writing introductions .ike this where I e6pose my viscera-but more of that and what 5vram 2avidson says about it .ater on-and most of the time I send out a form .etter, otherwise I wou.dnt have time to write stories. !ut occasiona..y I get a .etter that simp.y cannot be ignored( This is one of them. I wont use the young womans name for reasons of .ibe. that wi.. become c.ear as you read the .etter. The story to which she makes reference is tit.ed -$one.yache1 and it appears in my co..ection I H5%" ' 4 7TH 5'2 I 47#T #*R"54 >,yramid !ooks, ?@ABC. It is about a man who comes to unhappy terms with his own overpowering gui.t about being a .ove.ess individua.. The -2iscon1 reference is to the 3or.d #+ *onvention he.d on $abor 2ay ?@AB in 3ashington 2.*. Dear %arlan: &e s'o e (riefly at Discon concernin$ readin$ sf to the mentally ill)your sf amon$ others*. Somethin$ ha''ened the other day that I thou$ht mi$ht interest you. I am 'resently +or in$ in the one medical)sur$ical (uildin$ that ) ) has. Since most of my 'atients are in here for only ,ery short stays" there has not (een much o''ortunity for me to continue the readin$-thera'y that I had (een doin$ in another" .uieter (uildin$. /Also" ha,in$ IV (ottles and (ouncin$ E 01*s to (a(y)sit lea,es little time for other 'astimes" ho+e,er thera'eutic2. /And furthermore" I*m +or in$ midni$ht shift no+)+hich cuts do+n some+hat on 'eo'le interested in (ein$ read to2. Any+ay. In this madhouse of a (uildin$ +e ha,e" amon$ +ards intended to hold u' to t+enty)fi,e" one +hich cannot house more than se,en3 &ard 4A3 other+ise no+n as &ounded 0nee /from a time +hen +e had fi,e fractured 'atellas u' here at once2. A fracture +ard" as it +ere" +hich also houses dia(etics (ein$ ne+ly)re$ulated" and sta'h infections" and ne+ heart attac s +ho*re healin$. Rather a .uiet 'lace as contrasted to most of this madhouse /'ardon unintentional 'un2" and since I came (ac from Discon" my ,ery o+n +ard /on ni$hts2. &e ha,e u' here at 'resent a 'atient +ho has 'ut more em'loyees of ,arious sorts out on com'ensation for ,arious in5uries of ,arious sorts than any other 'atient in the hos'ital. 6he reason for this is hardly any fault of hers3 the fault lies +ith the aforementioned em'loyees" +ho

+or ed constantly /may(e un+ittin$ly" (ut that doesn*t e7cuse them2 to dri,e her a $ood deal more insane than she e,er +as to (e$in +ith. 6he syndrome is easily descri(ed: A2 Some facet of our enli$htened state hos'ital system /the Earth should only s+allo+ it2 enra$es-tortures an already hurtin$ mind to the 'oint +here it can no lon$er control itself and the 'erson attac s the first thin$ that comes to hand. E,entually" an em'loyee ste's in to halt the mayhem" and $ets mayhemmed himself 82 6he +ord $oes around from staff to staff" from staff to 'atients" e,entually is ,oiced ri$ht in front of the sic 'erson in,ol,ed: 96hat one is nuts" +ill ill you if you turn your (ac " $oes (ananas at the dro' of a hat" etc. ad nauseam...: ;2 6he 'erson thin s" 9I ha,en*t (een too +ell lately" these are attendants and nurses and such" they say I*m cra<y3 +ho am I to 'ro,e them +ron$= So I*ll (e cra<y" I*ll attac e,erythin$ in si$ht...: and so it $oes" and the u$ly circle turns on itself. Follo+s thereu'on much 6hora<ine" many camisoles" lon$ hours in seclusion +hich do no one any $ood. 6hin$s $et +orse. As it +as on the ni$ht of this 'ast !uly >th. 6he lady +ho is no+ one of 9M? PEOPLE: +as in seclusion)as usual)on a third)floor +ard. It +as hot. @o one +ould (rin$ her a drin of +ater. Also" her room stan )as mi$ht ha,e (een e7'ected: no one +ould ta e her out to the 5ohn" she had lon$ since sto''ed as in$" and had used the floor. 6he stench" and the heat" and her thirst all com(ined" and she rose u' and determined to $o 7T. @aturally" as she later e7'lained it to me" they +ould not let her out. So she reached out" hea,ed at the screenin$ that she had (een yan in$ on for the 'ast fi,e years" mana$ed to detach it" and +ent 7T. 6hree floors do+n. @aturally" she had fractures. 6he ri$ht humerus" the ri$ht ti(ia and fi(ula" a re)fracture of the left ti(ia and a ne+ one of the left an le. /Ama<in$ly" that +as all)no 'el,ic or s'inal in,ol,ement.2 She +as sent u' to my +ard. It +as ,ery interestin$ u' here for a +hile: she insisted that she +as fine" that her le$s hurt a little (ut she +anted to ta e a +al " that +as +hat she had come out for" any+ay....&hat do you say to somethin$ li e that= I cried a lot" and held her do+n. 6he ne7t day I +as transferred to another (uildin$" +here they needed a nurse" so they said. After much screamin$ and yellin$ at the chief of @ursin$ Ser,ices" I mana$ed to $et out of the nothin$ (uildin$ +here they sent me)a (uildin$ in no need +hatsoe,er of another nurse" +here the only really +orth+hile thin$ to do +as to read to the 'atients)and came (ac to the Med)Sur$ (uildin$. It too me a month. &hen I $ot (ac " I found matters some+hat im'ro,ed. 6he day nurse on this +ard is a $ood friend of mine" a ,ery hi$hly s illed lady +ho $ot somethin$ li e a AA in her 'sychiatric nursin$ course" and deser,ed more. She +as not afraid of this 'atient" and had (een doin$ constant thera'y on her. It +as +or in$. 6he 'atient +as calmer than she had (een" +as (ein$ +eaned off the >BBB m$-day of 6hora<ine that her (uildin$ had her on /CBB m$ - day is enou$h to .uiet 5ust a(out anyone" (ut a tolerance had (uilt u'2" she +as (e$innin$ to loo around and see thin$s" to form relationshi's" +ith 'eo'le /she +as schi<o'hrenic" and +as actually reachin$ out...incredi(le2. She still had rela'ses" incidents of $oin$ for 'eo'le" of thro+in$ thin$s" (ut they +ere a(orti,e. She +as $ettin$ (etter. Some time 'assed...she continued to im'ro,e. I $ot ta en off my 5o( for a+hile to $o throu$h the hos'ital*s orientation 'ro$ram" came (ac a$ain for a little +hile" found her doin$ +ell" too a fe+ days* lea,e for Discon" came (ac " found her still $ettin$ (etter)and then e,erythin$ fell in on me)on her)rather suddenly. 6his re.uires a small di$ression. &e ha,e on this +ard" on the e,enin$ shift" an idiot. It has the letters R@ after its name" (ut don*t let it fool you: a nurse it ain*t. 6his 'erson deli$hts in tormentin$ the 'atients ,er(ally" and not $ettin$ cau$ht at it. 1od no+s I*,e tried" (ut I must +al too hea,y or somethin$. On this 'articular ni$ht she told the 'atient that the day nurse /+hom the 'atient lo,ed dearly" and +ho +as ha,in$ her turn in orientation2 +as ne,er" ne,er comin$ (ac a$ain. Are there +ords foul enou$h for such a 'erson= &ell... I came on at DE" chec ed my +ard" found thin$s .uiet: the 'atient in .uestion restin$ in (ed" a+a e. I +ent to her" chec ed her casts /arm and (oth le$s2" s'o e to her: she didn*t ans+er. 6his +as 'ar for the course" so I +ished her $ood ni$ht and +ent a+ay. A(out D:FB I heard somethin$ $o crac # and then heard $lass shatter on the floor. 8y the time I +as standin$ u'" somethin$ +ent thud# and (y the time I reached the door of the office" so had my 'atient. She +as out of her (ed" teeterin$ on her casts" +ith a (i$ shar' 'iece of $lass in her uncasted left hand. 6he hand +as (leedin$ a little" (ut that +as not +hat concerned me. 6his lady +as no amateur" no +ristslasher3 she +ould (end her head (ac to cut her throat. She +as faster than I +as: also some+hat lar$er. /Picture it if you +ill" %arlan: D4B l(s. of her" a(out si7 feet tall: DB> l(s. of me" C*4:: and she has the $lass. &ho +ins the +restlin$ match= ?ou can*t use ai ido holds on someone +ith three casted e7tremities. I can*t any+ay.2 /@ot +hen the fourth is flailin$ $lass)and it*s my 'atient.2 So +e stood there" and I loo ed u' /a mile or so" it seemed2 and said" 9&hat*s the matter=: and she said" 9Pat*s not comin$ (ac " /the R@2 said so" and I don*t +ant to (elie,e her: (ut if it*s true" then I +ant to (e dead. And if it*s not true" loo at me" loo ho+ easily someone made me $o cra<y# I ou$ht to (e dead.: E,erythin$ useful or thera'eutic I had e,er learned" heard or read +ent shoosh# out of my head" lea,in$ me

ta(ula rosa" as the sayin$ $oes" and feelin$ ho'eless. And I o'ened my mouth" no+in$ full +ell that nothin$ +orth+hile +ould come out" and the tail of my eye cau$ht si$ht of an idea" sittin$ on to' of a 'ile of (oo s on calli$ra'hy that I had (rou$ht +ith me: a co'y of I %AVE @O MOG6% A@D I MGS6 S;REAM. I said" 9;ome on in" sit do+n" let*s tal a(out it. I ha,e somethin$ here that may interest you.: And +e sat do+n" and I too my life in my hands and read her 9Lonelyache.: ?ou 'roclaimed the story to (e thera'y in the introduction" of course. I ha,e often +ondered after readin$ it 5ust ho+ far your +on e7'erience 'aralleled it. Merely clinical interest)all the +onderin$ +ent out of me that ni$ht. I +as +atchin$ my lady. A(out half+ay throu$h she 'ut the $lass aside and shut her eyes and .istened. I shoo and e't readin$. &hen it +as nearly finished" I 'anic ed: the endin$ +as too do+n ey: the 'rota$onist commits suicide# I didn*t no+ if I could turn her mood u'+ard a$ain. I finished it" and she loo ed at me hard for a fe+ seconds" and I said" 9&ell" +hat does it do for you=: She +as .uiet for a moment and then said" 9%e +anted to (e (ra,e on the +ay out" didn*t he=: 9I thin so": I said. She thou$ht some more. 98ut he did $o out.: I nodded. It +as all that +as left in me: I +as $ettin$ the (e$innin$s of h-&od-I-2id-The-3rong-Thing0 and I +as holdin$ hard to ee' it from sho+in$. 9Is that the only +ay to $o" then=: she as ed" and oh# 6he des'air. I +anted to cry and couldn*t. I said" 9(ut consider first: why did he $o=: 98ecause he +as all alone.: And she loo ed at me" and fed me the strai$ht line I had (een 'rayin$ for: 9I*m all alone too" thou$h)aren*t I=: 9Do you thin you*re all alone=: She loo ed at me" and at the $lass" and at me a$ain" and stood u' roc in$ on her casts a$ain. She tossed the ans+er off so casually: 9@o" I $uess not.: She clum'ed (ac to her room" $ot (ac in (ed" and rolled herself u' in the co,ers and +ent to slee'. So casually. So e,en if you +eren*t here in the (ody" %arlan" you hel'ed. @o tellin$ +hether this +ill ha''en a$ain" or ho+ many times" or +hat mi$ht tri$$er it" (ut this time you hel'ed. I than you for ha,in$ the $uts to 'ut your o+n fear and loneliness do+n on 'a'er and then allo+in$ it to (e 'u(lished: it ta es coura$e. And has done someone some $ood. 6hou$ht you mi$ht li e to no+. Thats another kind of pain, and its rea., and if that .etter didnt hurt you where you hurt best, then nothin$ in this book wi.. touch you, and maybe you ought to be vo.unteering for something .ike the &enocide *orps in !ra9i.. Heres another pain that crushes. I went to 2river #urviva. #choo. .ast #aturday. Id gotten a ticket I didnt deserve ;are there any other kinds8= and the judge at my tria. suggested if I wanted to take a days worth of traffic schoo. the ticket wou.d be dismissed. #o I did the deed. Traffic #urviva. #choo., what a ripoff, I thought. *ynica. and smartass .ike the other fifty peop.e booked for that day. #even and a ha.f hours of bu..shit from some redneck cop. #ure. !ut something happened. #omething that turned me around. )ouve got to know, I dont .ike cops. Its a gut reaction Ive had since I was a tiny tot. 4y first encounter with the 4an is recorded in a story ca..ed -+ree 3ith This !o61 and you.. be ab.e to read it in a few months when ,yramid reissues &"'T$"45' D7'EI". The story was written a .ong time ago, and the event happened even .onger ago, but the reaction is as fresh in me as if it had happened yesterday. #o I went with a snar. on my .ips and a .oathing for the $aws that !onnie and *.yde wou.d have envied. !ut the two *a.ifornia Highway ,atro. officers who .ectured the c.ass were sharp and open and knew they had a captive audience, and course-corrected for it. !ut sti.. everyone in the room was cynica., taking it a.. as a .ark, dragged by the waste of having to spend a dynamite #aturday in a sma.. room in the #portsmens $odge, sitting on a hard chair and .earning the whysFwherefores of the new *a.ifornia 7-turn .aw. 7nti. they showed the ob.igatory highway safety horror fi.m. Ive seen them before, so have you. "nd.ess scenes of maimed and crushed men and women being crowbarred out of burning wrecks: women with their beads sp.it open .ike pomegranates, their brains on the tarmac: guys whod been hit by trains at crossings, .egs over here, arms over there: shots of cars that demonstrate the simp.e truth that the human body is on.y a !aggie fi..ed with f.uid-the tuckFro.. interiors even.y coated with b.ood and meat. 5nd it sickens you, and you turn your head away, and sensitive stomachs heave, and no one makes c.ever remarks, and you want to puke. !ut it somehow has no more

effect in tota.ity than the A(GG 'ews with fi.m of burned %ietnamese babies. )ou never think it.. happen to you. 7nti. they came to the fina. scene of the fi.m, and it was so hairy even the *a. Highway officers grew weak( a si6-year-o.d b.ack kid had been hit by a car. !.ack ghetto neighborhood. Hundreds of peoop.e .ining the street rubbernecking. #ma.. shape covered by a b.anket in the midd.e of the street. *ops a.. over the p.ace. 5ccording to the fi.m it wasnt the drivers fau.t, kid had run ut from between parked cars, driver hadnt had time to stop, centerpunched the kid doing HI. #hot of the car. 5 tiny dent. 'ot enough to even "ar. #cheib it. #ma.. shape under a b.anket. Then they brought the mother out to identify the kid. Two men supporting her between them. They staggered forward with her and a cop .ifted the edge of the b.anket. They must have had someone there with a directiona. mike. I got every breath, every moan, every whisper of air. h my &od. The sound of that womans scream. The pain. +rom out of the center of the earth. 'o human throat was ever meant to produce such a terrib.e sound. #he co..apsed, just sank away .ike .imp meat between the supporting men. 5nd the fi.m ended. 5nd I sti.. heard that scream. Its five days .ater as I write this. I cannot b.ock that scream from my mind. I never wi... I now drive more s.ow.y, I now fasten my safety be.t, I now take no chances. I have a.ways been a fast driver, some say a cra9y driver: though Ive never had an accident and used to race sports cars, I a.ways thought I was a fucking !arney .dfie.d. 'o more. *huck.e if you wi.., friends, but Im on the wagon. 5nd that wagon gonna move ,ery carefu..y. I dont e,er want to hear that scream outside my head. 5re you aware of how much pain there is in the wor.d8 )eah, Im aware. 'ow. !ecause Ive been writing for eighteen years and I keep getting these .etters, and I keep .istening to peop.e, and at times its too much to hand.e. If you dont know what Im ta.king about, go read 'athanae. 3ests 4I## $ '"$)H"5RT#. 5nd so I write these introductions, what my friend and the bri..iant writer 5vram 2avidson ca..s -going naked in the wor.d.1 5vram wrote me recent.y and, in the course of taking me to task for something he be.ieved I had done wrong, he more-than-mi.d.y castigated me for dumping it a.. on paper. 3e.., hes not the first, and from time to time Ive considered never writing another of these se.f-e6aminations. !ut Irwin #haw said, -5 man does not write one nove. at a time or one p.ay at a time or even one /uatrain at a time. He is engaged in the .ong process of putting his who.e .ife on paper. He is on a journey and he is reporting in( <This is where I think I am and this is what this p.ace .ooks .ike today. This report, then, is about pain. The subject is very much with me. 4y mother had another heart attack, and the genera. topic of morta.ity obsesses me these days. 3e wi.. a.. die, no reprieve. 5 beautifu. young .ady of my ac/uaintance, who happens to be an accomp.ished astro.oger, to.d me ;though she knows I dont be.ieve in astro.ogy= that my chart says Im going to die by being beheaded. Terrific remark. #he to.d it to me one night when we were out on a date, and she was surprised that I turned out to be no goddam good in bed that night. 3e.., she neednt have been so surprised: I know Im going to buy the farm one day, sooner or .ater depending on how much I run my mouth in dangerous situations. !ut it isnt death that bothers me, its dying a.one. #o I think about pain, and I present you with this group of stories that say a .itt.e something about what Ive .earned on the subject. They may not be terrib.y deep or i..uminating, just some random thoughts Ive had through the years. 5 few of them seem funny, and they were intended so because I think the on.y things that get us through the pain are .aughter and the promise of .ove to come. 5t .east he possibi.ity of it. !ut each one of them has some specia. pain in it, and I urge you to seek it out, through the chuck.es and the bug-eyed a.iens and the what-if furniture that makes these stories not sermons. !ecause theres on.y one thing that .inks us as human beings( the universa.ity of our pain and the commona.ity of our need to go out brave.y. Har.an "..ison A @o,em(er H>

Introduction to First Edition: SPERO MELIORA: From the Vicinity of Alienation

THI# I# 4) "$"%"'TH ! E. ;It shou.d have been thirteen, counting the one I did under a pseudonym for a schloc pub.isher because I needed the money some years ago, but number twe.ve was a fa.se start 5vram 2avidson and myse.f wish had never happened and fortunate.y never got into print, and thirteen is a book of short stories no one seems constitutiona..y capab.e of pub.ishing, and which seems we.. on its way to becoming an -underground c.assic1 for those who have read it in manuscript form.= That doesnt seem too bad, for thirty years: twenty of which were spent in .earning on which end of this particu.ar body the head was attached. %ery near.y a.. of the past ten books have had some sort of introduction or pro.ogue by myse.f. I have the fee.ing it is necessary to know what a writer stands for, in what he be.ieves, what it takes to make him b.eed, before a reader shou.d be asked to care about what the writer has written. This is patent.y foo.ish. !. Traven writes e.o/uent.y, fee.ing.y, bri..iant.y, yet he is an unknown /uantity. 3i.des .ife contradicts most of what he wrote. #haw and 2ickens and #tendah. were virtua..y anonymous in their semina., important years, yet what they wrote remains keen and true and va.id. &ranted, the phi.osophy of -.ove me, .ove my writing1 is my prob.em. #ti.., it is the one to which I pander, and so each of my books has had some viscera-revea.ing treatise at the opening, from which the usua. reader reaction has been tota. revu.sion and a mind-bogg.ing ree.ing-back in disbe.ief. I have the unseem.y habit of going naked into the wor.d. It comes from a seamy desire on my part not on.y to be a &reat 3riter, but to !e 5dored as we... There is no introduction this time. Im tired. This is my first hook in over two years. ;In ear.y ?@JK I came out to Ho..ywood, as part of a package dea. that invo.ved dismembering a marriage and fracturing a sma.. but intense group of .ives. Ive been here over three years, as this is written, and Ive been busy making a decent .iving in te.evision and feature fi.ms to do much book work. 5nd I cry a .ot.= I hit thirty-one .ast 4ay: I turned around, and Id grown up. I knew #anta *.aus was a winehead who spent the other e.even months sopping up watery chicken soup with brown bread in a #a.vation 5rmy kitchen: the "aster !unny was on.y 3e.sh Rarebit mispronounced: -good women1 e6ist in their idy..ic state most.y in weak nove.s by Irving 3a..ace, Dohn Hara, +annie Hurst and $eon 7rine ;my misspe.., not the typesetters=: 4ari.yn 4onroe, *amus and D+E got cut off in their prime, and the eggsucking monsters who buried those three *ivi. Rights workers twenty-one feet down are running .oose: and the sense of wonder has been re.egated to buying o.d comic books and catching The #hadow on #unday radio, trying to find out where that innocence of chi.dhood or nature went. #o there is no introduction. It has made this book incredib.y be.ated in appearing a.ready. #even times I tried to start an introduction to it, whi.e 2on !ensen ;an incredib.y patient, .ongsuffering, e6treme.y fine editor= was stunned by the hammers of dead.ines, pub.ishers, schedu.es and irresponsib.e authors. 5nd seven times I came to ass-grinding ha.ts. The first few times it was a compendium of bitter, cynica. comment on writing for the science fiction fie.d. Then there was a .ighthearted ro..icking essay on $ife In ur Times, but by the time I had hit the thirty-si6 ba..-.ess wonders who watched *atherine &enovese get knifed to death in 'ew )ork, my ro..ick was a bit strained. #o I attempted a more serious assaying of the contemporary scene. It touched on such matters as the afternoon I was ca..ed a *ommunist by the bag-boy in the Thriftimart because I objected to the &o.dwater pamph.ets at point-ofsa.e: the impertinence and nosiness of credit checks for job app.ications or credit cards: the shocking bastardi9ation of news media and .ack of responsibi.ity thereof: the fetish for sty.e and .u6ury, not safety, in new cars.... h, I went the route. 5nd when I was done, it took three c.ose friends to keep me from dashing into the bathroom and opening an important vein with the new beep-beep Erona edge. #o I tried a si6th attempt. 5 persona. statement about how crummy it was writing for te.evision, and seeing your best work masticated and grab-assed and garbaged-out by no-ta.ents afraid of their shadows. !ut that was on.y a repeat of a speech I made at the 3or.d #+ *onvention .ast $abor 2ay, and my attorney warned me if I put it into print ;instead of p.aying it via tape at parties=, Id (e sued for rough.y e.even mi..ion beans. #o there was a seventh attempt, in which I commented sage.y on the stories in this book. !ut .ets face it, friends, this book simp.y aint gonna change the course of 3estern *ivi.i9ation, and rvi..e ,rescott is too busy simpering over 7pdike to find time for a paperback nove.ist, so what the he... #o there is no introduction to this book. There are some pretty fair science fiction and fantasy stories here, and one or two I particu.ar.y .ike because they say something more than The 4utants Is *oming: if !ensen can

wang.e the space away from ,yramids advertising department to cut the .atest notification of a Tay.or *a.dwe.. or $ouis 'i9er offering, there may or may not be a photo of me on the back of the book ;shou.d you happen to be the sort of good-.ooking broad who digs writing to weary authors, but need to know they arent hunchbacked .epers before committing yourse.f=: there is a nice cover: and a fair-traded price. 4ore than that you cant e6pect. 5fter a.., &o.ding doesnt introduce his books. !e..ow doesnt introduce his books. Ike 5simov has proved his viri.ity enough for all us science fiction writers. 5nd 5yn Rand is better at karate than all of us. #o forgive the omission this time. I.. catch you ne6t time around. )ou wou.dnt have .iked an introduction, anyway. I tend to pomposity in them. Har.an "..ison %olly+ood" DA4C

Late in March of DA4C" I +as com'elled to 5oin t+enty)fi,e thousand others" from all corners of the Gnited States" +ho marched on the then)(astion of (i$otry" the then)ca'itol of corru'tion" Mont$omery" Ala(ama /thou$h South 8oston no+ holds undis'uted title to the desi$nation" Mont$omery is still no flo+er(ed of racial sanity2 /(ut the myth of the 9li(eral: @orth sure $ot the hell shot out of it (y the Southies from Irish)rednec 8oston2. I +as 'art of the human floodtide they called a 9freedom march: that +as tryin$ to tell 1o,ernor 1eor$e &allace that Ala(ama +as not an island" that it +as 'art of the ci,ili<ed uni,erse" that thou$h +e came from @e+ ?or and ;alifornia and Illinois and South Da ota +e +ere not 9outside a$itators": +e +ere fello+ human (ein$s +ho shared the same $ranfalloon called 9Americans": and +e +ere see in$ di$nity and ci,il ri$hts for a 'eo'le shamefully (lud$eoned and mistreated for o,er t+o centuries. It +as a +al throu$h the country of the (lind. I*,e +ritten a(out it at len$th else+here. 8ut no+ it*s ten years later and yesterday a friend of mine*s si7ty)fi,e)year)old mother $ot mu$$ed and ro((ed in (road dayli$ht (y t+o (lac $irls. It*s ten years later and a $irl I once lo,ed ,ery dee'ly $ot ra'ed re'eatedly" at nife)'oint" in the (ac seat of her o+n car in an em'ty lot (ehind a (o+lin$ alley in the San Fernando Valley (y a (lac dude +ho e't at her for se,en hours. It*s ten years later and Martin Luther 0in$ is dead and Su'er Fly is ali,e" and +hat am I to say to Doris Pit in 8uc " +ho lost her dear and ma$ical Richard on the streets of &ashin$ton" D.;. to a 'ac of (lac illers +ho chose to stom' to death a man in his ei$hties for ho+e,er much stash)money he mi$ht ha,e (een carryin$= Do I say to that friend of mine: +hen they +ent to dra$ the Mississi''i s+am's for the (odies of the ci,il ri$hts +or ers ;haney" Sch+erner and 1oodman they dred$ed u' the (odies of si7teen (lac men +ho had (een ca,alierly murdered and dum'ed in the muc " and no one e,en $a,e a damn" the ne+s'a'ers didn*t e,en ma e much of a note of it" that +as the acce'ted +ay to handle an 9u''ity ni$$er: in the South= Do I say that and ho'e I*,e said somethin$ rational= Do I say to that $irl I lo,ed: e,ery time you see a mocha)colored Maid or +aitress it means her $reat) $reat)$randmother +as a se7ual 'in)cushion for some 'lantation Massa*" that ra'e and indentured (ed ser,ice +as ta en for $ranted for t+o hundred years and if it +as refused there +as al+ays a stout len$th of cord+ood to chan$e the $irl*s thin in$= Do I say that and ho'e I*,e dra+n a reasona(le 'arallel= Do I tell (ra,e and talented Doris 8uc " +ho ne,er hurt anyone in her life" that +e*re 'ayin$ dues for +hat our ancestors did" that +e*re rea'in$ the terri(le cro' of 'ain and e,il and murder committed in the name of &hite Su'remacy" that +hite men ro( and ra'e and steal and ill as +ell as (lac " (ut that (lac s are 'oorer" more des'erate" more frustrated" an$rier= Do I say that and ho'e to sto' her tears +ith lo$ic= &hy the hell do +e e7'ect a no(ility of (lac s that +hites ne,er 'ossessed= Of course I don*t say that 'ac of sim'le)minded 'latitudes. Personal 'ain is inca'a(le of s'ontaneous remission in the 'resence of loss. I say nothin$. 8ut my days of &hite Li(eral 1uilt are $one. My days of cham'ionin$ +hole classes and se7es and 'i$mentations of 'eo'le is $one. 6he Si7ties are $one" and +e li,e in the terri(le 'resent" +here death and $uilt don*t mi7. @o+ I come" after all these years" to the only 'osition that +or s: each one on his or her o+n merits" (lac -+hite-yello+-(ro+n. @ot all !e+s are money)$ou$in$ i es" (ut some are. @ot all (lac s are sla,erin$ ra'ists" (ut some are. And +e come to the .uestion a$ain and a$ain" +hat ind of a $od is it that 'ermits such miseryIare +e truly cast in his ima$e" such an ima$e of cruelty and ra'aciousnessI+ere +e 'ut here rea..y to suffer such torment= Let the ;hildren of 1od ans+er that one +ith somethin$ other than no)(rain 5in$oism. Mar 6+ain said" 9If one truly (elie,es there is an all)'o+erful Deity" and one loo s around at the condition of the uni,erse" one is led inesca'a(ly to the conclusion that 1od is a mali$n thu$.: 6hat*s the .uote that caused me to +rite 96he Death(ird.: It*s a 'u<<le I cannot reason out. I dou(t. I ha,e al+ays dou(ted since the day I read in the Old 6estament)the +ord of 1od" remem(er)that there +as only Adam and E,e and ;ain and A(el" and then ;ain $ot married. 6o +hom= 6o E,e= 6hen don*t tell me +hat a no)no incest is. Isaac Asimo, assures me it*s a rational uni,erse" 'redicated on sanity and order. ?eah= &ell" tell me a(out 1od. 6ell me +ho %e is" +hy %e allo+s the foulest hyenas of our society to run amuc +hile decent men and +omen co+er in terror (ehind Fo7 loc s and Dicto$ra'h systems. 6ell me a(out %im. E.uate theolo$y +ith the +orld in +hich +e li,e" +ith &illiam ;alley and 0itty 1eno,ese and the 'eo'le +ho ee' their ids out of school (ecause the ne+ te7t(oo s dare to say %umans are cle,er descendants of the A'e. @o= %a,in$ some trou(le= 1ettin$ ready to +rite me a letter denouncin$ me as the Anti;hrist= 91od in his infinite +isdom: you say= Faith" you ur$e me= I ha,e faithIin 'eo'le" not 1ods. 8ut 'erha's (elie,e is not enou$h. Perha's dou(t ser,es the cause more honestly" more (oldly. If so" I offer (y +ay of faith

Paingod
Tears were impossib.e, yet tears were his heritage. #orrow was beyond him, yet sorrow was his birthright. 5nguish was denied him: even so, anguish was his stock in trade. +or Trente, there was no unhappiness: nor was there joy, concern, discomfort, age, time, fee.ing. 5nd this was as the "thos had p.anned it. +or Trente had been appointed by the "thos-the race of somewhereLsomewhen beings who mora..y and ethica..y ru.ed the universes-as their ,aingod. To Trente, who knew neither the tug of time nor the cripp.ing demands of the emotions, fe.. the forever task of dispensing pain and sorrow to the myriad mu.titudes of creatures that inhabited the universe. 3hether sentient or bare.y capab.e of the feeb.est unice..u.ar reaction-formation, Trente passed a.ong from his faceted cubic.e invisib.e against the backdrop of the changing stars, unhappiness and misery in proportions too comp.e6.y arrived at to be verba.i9ed. He was ,aingod for the universes, the one who dea.t out the tears and the anguish and the sou.-wrenching terrors that b.ighted .ife from its first moment to its .ast. !eyond age, beyond death, beyond fee.ing-.one.y and a.one in his cubic.e-Trente went about his business without concern or pause. Trente was not the first ,aingod: there had been others. They had come before, not too many of them, but a few, and why they no .onger he.d their post was a /uestion Trente had never asked. He was the chosen one from a race that .ived a.most indefinite.y, and his job was to pass a.ong the ca.ibrated and measured do..ops of me.ancho.y as prescribed by the "thos. It invo.ved no fee.ing and no concern, on.y attention to duty. It was his position, and it was his ob.igation. How pecu.iar it was that he fe.t concern, after a.. this time. It had begun so .ong before-and of time he had no conception-that the on.y marking date with va.idity was that in the great ocean soon to become the &obi 2esert, paramecia had become more preva.ent than amoebae. It had grown in him through the centimetered centuries as .ayers and .ayers of forever sett.ed down .ike mist to form the strata of the past. 'ow, it was now. 2espite the strange ache in his nerve-g.and, his central nerve-g.and: despite the progressive du..ing of his eye g.obes: despite the mad thoughts that spat and stuttered through his trip.e-domed cerebrum, thoughts of which he knew he was incapab.e, Trente performed his now functions as he was re/uired( He dispensed unbearab.e anguish to the residents of a thirdpower p.anet in the #nai. *.uster, supportab.e agony to a farm co.ony that had sprung up on Dacopettii 7, incredib.e suffering to a parent.ess spider-chi.d on Hiydyg IM, and re.ent.ess torment to a b.ame.ess race of mute aborigines on a name.ess, arid p.anet circ.ing a dying sun of the AGA #ystem. 5nd through it a.., Trente suffered for his charges. 3hat cou.d not be, was. 3hat cou.d not come to pass, had. The sou..ess, emotion.ess, regimented creature that the "thos had named ,aingod had contracted a sickness. *oncern. 5t .ast, after centuries too fi.ed away to unearth and codify, Trente had reached a 'ow in which he cou.d no .onger support his acts. He cared. The physica. manifestations of his menta. upheava. were numerous. His ob.ong head throbbed and his eye g.obes were du..ing, a .itt.e more each decade: the inter.inked duodena. u.cers so necessary to his endocrina. systems norma. function had begun to misfire .ike fau.ty p.ugs in an o.d car: the th+ac # of his sa.amander tai. had grown weaker, indicating his motor responses to nerve endings were feeb.er. Trente-who had a.ways been considered rather a handsome e6amp.e of his race-had s.ow.y come to .ook for.orn, weary, even a touch pathetic. 5nd he sent down woe to an armored, f.ying creature with a mite-si9ed brain on a dark p.anet at the edge of the *oa.sack: he dispatched fear and tremb.ing to a smoke-.ike wraith that was the on.y visib.e remains of a great race that had .earned to dispense with its bodies centuries before, in the sun known as %erte.: he conscientious.y winged terror and unhappiness and misery and sadness to a group of murdering pirates, a c.i/ue of shrewd po.iticians and a brothe.fu. of unregenerate whores-a.. on a fifth-power p.anet of the 3hite Horse *onste..ation. #topped a.one there, in the night of space, his mind spira.ing now for the first time down a strange and dis/uieting chamber of thought, Trente twisted within himse.f. I was se.ected because I .acked the certain difficu.ties I now manifest. 3hat is this torment8 3hat is this unp.easant, unhappy, unre.enting fee.ing that gnaws at me, tears at me, corrupts my thoughts, co.ors dark.y my every desire8 5m I going mad8 4adness is beyond my race: it is a something we have never known. Have I been at this post too .ong, have I fai.ed in my duties8 If there was a &od

stronger than the &od that I am, or a &od stronger than the "thos &ods, then I wou.d appea. to that &od. !ut there is on.y si.ence and the night and the stars, and Im a.one, so a.one, so &od a.. a.one here, doing what I must, doing my best. 5nd then, fina..y( I must know. I must no+# ...whi.e he spun a fiber of me.ancho.y down to a doub.e-thora6ed insect-creature on Io, speared with dread a b.ob of bare.y sentient mud on 5caras III, pain-goaded into suicide an e.ectrica. wave-being capab.e of producing e6/uisite fifteen-toned harmonics on #yndon !eta %, reduced by ha.f the p.easures of a pitiab.e s.ug thing in the methane caves of Ekk... I%, enshrouded in bitterness and misery a man named *o.in 4arshack on an insignificant p.anet ca..ed #o. III, "arth, Terra, the wor.d... 5nd then, fina..y( I +ill know. I wi.. no+# Trente removed the sca.e mode. of "arth from the disp.ay crate, and stared at it. #uch a tiny thing, such a he.p.ess thing, to support the nightwa.k of a ,aingod. He se.ected the most recent recipient of his attentions, through no more invo.ved method than that, and used the means of trave. his race had .ong since perfected to .eave his encased cubic.e hanging trans.ucent against the stars. Trente, ,aingod of the universes, for the first time in a.. the centuries he had .ived that .ife of giving, never receiving, .eft his p.ace, and .eft his 'ow, and went to find out. To find out...what8 He had no way of knowing. +or the ,aingod, it was the first nightwa.k. ,ieter Eos.ek had been born in a dwarf province of a minuscu.e *entra. "uropean country .ong since swa..owed up by a tiny power now a member of the *ommon 4arket. He had .eft "urope ear.y in the ?@KGs, had shipped aboard a freighter to !o.ivia and, after working his way as common deckhand and .aborer through ha.f a do9en banana repub.ics, had been washed up on an in.and shore of the 7nited #tates in ?@HB. He had prompt.y gone to earth, gone to seed, and gone to fat. 5 short stint in a *** camp, a shorter stint as a bouncer in a Eansas *ity speak, a term in the I..inois #tate 3orkhouse, a .ong run on the ,ontiac assemb.y .ine making an obscure part for an obscure segment of a !-?As innards, a brief f.ing as owner of a raspberry farm, and an e6tended period as a skid row-fre/uenting wino summed up his .ife. 'ow, as no+ wou.d be reckoned by any sane mans ephemeris, ,ieter Eos.ek was a wetbrain-an a.coho.ic so sunk in the fumes and vapors of his own .i/uor need that he was bare.y recogni9ab.e as a human being. $ying sodden.y, but /uiet.y, in an a..ey two b.ocks up from the &reyhound bus station in downtown $os 5nge.es, ,ieter Eos.ek, age fifty-nine, weight K?G, hair fi.th gray, eyes red and moist and c.osed, unceremonious.y died. That simp.y, that unconcerned.y, that uneventfu..y for a.. the young-o.d men in over.ong &I surp.us overcoats who passed by that a..ey mouth unseeing, uncaring-,ieter Eos.ek died. His brain gave out, his .ungs ceased to be..ow, his heart refused to pump, his b.ood s.id to a ha.t in his veins, and breath no .onger passed his .ips. He died. "nd of story, beginning of story. 5s he .ay there, ha.f-propped against the brick wa.. with its shredded reminder of a .ightweight bo6ing match between two stumb.ebums .ong since passed into obscurity and the fi.es of Rin$ Ma$a<ine" a thin tepid vapor of pa.e green came to the use.ess body of ,ieter Eos.ek: touched it: fe.t of it: entered it: Trente was on the p.anet "arth, #o. III. If it had been possib.e to mount an epitaph on bron9e for the wetbrain, there on the wa.. of the a..ey perhaps, the most fitting wou.d have been( H"R" $5) ,I"T"R E #$"E. ' THI'& I' HI# $I+" !"*54" HI4 # 47*H 5# TH" $"5%I'& + IT. The thick-bodied orator on the empty packing crate had gathered a si9ab.e crowd. His .icense was encased in p.astic, and it had been pinned to a broom hand.e sharpened and driven into the ground. 5n 5merican f.ag hung .imp.y from a po.e on the other side of the makeshift podium. The f.ag had on.y forty-eight stars: it had been purchased .ong before Hawaii or 5.aska had joined the union, but new f.ags cost money, and -#cum0 $ike sewer water poured into your b.oodstream0 $ook at them, do they loo .ike you, do they smell .ike you-those sme..s, those, those stin s that wa.k .ike men0 Thats what they are, stin s with voting privi.eges, a.. of them, the niggers, the kike-jews who own the .and and the apartments you .ive in, what they think theyre big dea.s0 The spicks, the ,uerto Rican fi.th that takes over your streets and rapes your women and puts its .ousy hands on your white young daughters, that scum...1 *o.in 4arshack stood in the crowd, staring up at the thick-bodied orator, his shaking hands thrust deep into his sport jacket pockets, his head throbbing, the un.it cigarette hanging unnoticed from his .ips. "very word. -...*ommies in pub.ic office, is what we have got to be content with. 'igger .overs and pawns of the kike bastards who own the corporations. They wanta ki.. a.. of you, a.. of us, everyone of us. They want us to say, <Hey0 *mon, make .ove to my sister, to my wife, do a.. the dirty things that.. po..ute my pure race0 Thats what the *ommies in pub.ic office, misusing our pub.ic trust, say to us. 5nd what do we say in return, back to them, we say,

<'o dice, dirty spicks, .ousy kikes, ,uerto bastards, b.ack men that want to stea. our pure heritage0 3e say, go to he.. to them, go straight to he.., you dirty rotten sonsuh-1 5t which point the po.icemen moved /uiet.y through the crowd, fascinated and si.ent .ike cobras at a mongoose convention, and arrested the thick-bodied orator. 5s they took him away, *o.in 4arshack turned and moved out of the mi..ing group. 3hy is such hideousness a..owed to e6ist, he thought bitter.y, fearfu..y. He wa.ked down the path and out of ,ershing #/uare ;-,ershing #/uare is where they have a fence up so the fruits cant pick the peop.e.1= and did not even rea.i9e the rheumy-eyed o.d man was fo..owing him ti.. he was si6 b.ocks away. Then he turned, and the o.d man a.most ran into him...#omething I can do for you81 *o.in 4arshack asked. The o.d man grinned feeb.y, his pa.e gums e6posing themse.ves above gap-toothed ruin. -'osir, nuh-nosir, Ive just, uh, I was just fo..erin a.ong to see maybe I cou.d tap yah for a coup.e cents <tuh get some chickn nood.e soup. Its kinda co.d...n I thought, maybe...1 *o.in 4arshacks wide, somehow humorous face sett.ed into understanding .ines. -)oure right, o.d man, its co.d, and its windy, and its miserab.e, and I think youre entit.ed to some goddam chicken nood.e soup. &od knows someone*s entit.ed.1 He paused a beat, added, -4aybe me.1 He took the o.d man by the arm, seeming.y unaware of the rancid, rotting condition of the c.oth. They wa.ked a.ong the street outside the park, and turned into one of the many side routes .ittered with one-arm beaneries and BGN-a-night f.ophouses. -5nd possib.y a hot roast beef sandwich with gravy a..over the +rench fries,1 *o.in added, steering the wine-sme..ing o.d dere.ict into a restaurant. ver coffee and a bear c.aw, *o.in 4arshack stared at the o.d man. -Hey, whats your name81 -,ieter Eos.ek,1 the o.d man murmured, hot vapors from the thick white coffee mug rising up before his watery eyes. -Ive, uh, been kinda sick, yknow....1 -Too much sauce, o.d man,1 said *o.in 4arshack. -Too much sauce does it for a .ot of us. 4y father and mother both. 'ice fo.k, .oved each other, they went to the o.d a.kys home hand in hand. It was touching. -)oure kinda fee.in sorry for yse.f, aintcha81 said ,ieter Eos.ek. 5nd .ooked down at his coffee hurried.y. *o.in stared across angri.y. Had he sunk that .ow, that /uick.y, that even the seediest cockroach-ridden bum in the gutter cou.d snipe at him, ta.k up to him, see his sad and sorry state8 He tried to .ift his coffee cup, and the cream-.aced .i/uid s.oshed over the rim, over his wrist. He yipped and set the cup down /uick.y. -)our hands shake worsen mine, mister,1 ,ieter Eos.ek noted. It was a curious tone, somehow devoid of fee.ing or concern-more a statement of observation. -)eah, my hands shake, 4r. Eos.ek, sir. They shake because I make my .iving cutting things out of stone, and for the past two years Ive been unab.e to get anything from stone but tidy pi.es of rock dust.1 Eos.ek spoke around a mouthfu. of cru..er. -)ou, uh, youre onea them statue makers, what I mean a scu.ptr.1 -That is precise.y what I am, 4r. Eos.ek, sir. I am a capturer of e6/uisite beauty in rock and p.aster and /uart9 and marb.e. The on.y troub.e is, Im no damned good, and I was never e,er rea..y very good, but at .east I made a decent .iving se..ing a piece here and there, and conning myse.f into thinking I was great and bui.ding a career, and *anaday in the 6imes said a few nice things about me. !ut even that*s turned to rust now. I cant make a chise. do what I want it to do, I cant sand and I cant chip and I cant carve dirty words on sidewa.ks if I try.1 ,ieter Eos.ek stared across at *o.in 4arshack, and there was a banked fire down in those rheumy, sad o.d eyes. He watched and .ooked and saw the hands shaking uncontro..ab.y, saw them wring one against another .ike mad things, and even when inter.ocked, they sti.. tremb.ed hideous.y. 5nd... 6rente" loc ed +ithin an alien shell" com'rehended a small somethin$. 6his creature of 'uny car(on atoms and other su(stances that could not e7ist for an instant in the ri$orous arena of s'ace" +as dyin$. Inside" it +as endin$ its life cycle" (ecause of the misery 6rente had sent do+n. 6rente had (een res'onsi(le for the .ui,erin$ 'ain that sent ;olin Marshac *s hand into s'asms. It had (een done t+o years (efore)(y ;olin Marshac *s time)(ut only a fe+ moments earlier as 6rente ne+ it. And no+ it had chan$ed this creature*s life totally. 6rente +atched the stran$e human (ein$" a 'roduct of little intro,erted needs and desires. And he ne+ he must $o further" must e7'eriment further +ith his 'ro(lem. 6he $reen and trans'arent ,a'or that +as 6rente see'ed out of the eyes of Pieter 0osle " and slid carefully inside ;olin Marshac . It left itself +ide o'en" flun$ itself +ide o'en" to +hat tremors $o,erned the man. And 6rente felt the full im'act of the 'ain he so li$htly dis'ensed to all the li,in$ thin$s in the uni,erses. It +as 'otent hot all# And it +as a further no+in$" a $reater no+led$e" a sim'le act that the sic ness had com'elled him to underta e. 8y the fear and the memory of all the fears that had $one (efore" 6rente

knew, and no+in$" had to $o further. For he +as Pain$od. not a transient tourist in the country of 'ain. %e dre+ forth the mind of Marshac " of that +ea and trem(lin$ ;olin Marshac " and fled +ith it. Out. Out there. Further. Much further. 6ill time came to a slitherin$ halt and s'ace +as no lon$er of any conse.uence. And he +hirled ;olin Marshac throu$h the uni,erses. 6hrou$h the infinite allness of the s'ace and time and motion and meanin$ that +as the cre,ice into +hich Life had sun itself %e sa+ the (lo(s of mud and the +hirlin$ +in$ed thin$s and the tall humanoids and the cleat)treaded half)men-half)machines that ruled one and another sector of o'en s'ace. %e sho+ed it all to ;olin Marshac " drenched him in +onder" filled him li e the most ,ital $o(let the Ethos had e,er created" 'oured him full of lo,e and life and the sta$$erin$ (eauty of the cosmos. And ha,in$ done that" he +hirled the soul and s'irit of ;olin Marshac do+n do+n and do+n to the fi(rous shell that +as his (ody" and 'oured that soul (ac inside. 6hen he +al ed the shell to the home of ;olin Marshac ...and turned it loose. And... 3hen the scu.ptor awoke, .ying face down amidst the marb.e chips and powder-fine dust of the statue, he saw the base first: and not having reca..ed even buying a chunk of stone that .arge, raised himse.f on his hands, and his knees, and his haunches, and sat there, and his eyes went up toward the summit, and seemed to go on forever, and when he fina..y saw what it was he had created-this thing of such incredib.e .ove.iness and meaning and wisdom-he began to sob. #oft.y, never very .oud, but deep.y, as though each whimper was drawn from the very core of him. He had done it this once, but as he saw his hands sti.. tremb.ing, sti.. murmuring to themse.ves in spasms, he knew it was the one time he wou.d ever do it. There was no memory of how, or why, or even of when...but it was his work, of that he was certain. The pain in his wrists to.d him it was. The moment of truth stood high above him, resp.endent in marb.e, but there wou.d be no other moments. This was *o.in 4arshacks .ife, in its tota.ity, now. The sound of sobbing was on.y broken periodica..y, as he began to drink. 3aiting. The "thos waited. Trente had known they wou.d. It was inevitab.e. +oo.ish for him to conceive of a situation of which they wou.d not have an awareness. A+ay. From your 'ost" a+ay. -I had to know. It has been growing in me, a .ive thing in me. I had to know. It was the on.y way. I went to a p.anet, and .ived within what they ca.. <men and knew. I think I understand now.1 0no+. &hat is it you no+= -I know that pain is the most important thing in the universes. &reater than surviva., greater than .ove, greater even than the beauty it brings about. +or without pain there can be no p.easure. 3ithout sadness there can be no happiness. 3ithout misery, there can be no beauty. 5nd without these, .ife is end.ess, hope.ess, doomed and damned. Adult. ?ou ha,e (ecome adult. -I know...this is what became of the other ,aingods before me. They grew into concern, into knowing, and then...1 Lost. 6hey +ere lost to us. -They cou.d not take the step: they cou.d not go to one of the ones to whom they had sent pain, and .earn. #o they were no use as ,aingod. I understand. 'ow I know, and I am returned.1 Do. &hat +ill you do= -I wi.. send more pain than ever before. 4ore and greater.1 More= ?ou +ill send more= -4uch more. !ecause now I understand. It is a gray and a .one.y p.ace in which we .ive, a.. of us, swinging between desperation and emptiness, and a.. that makes it worthwhi.e is caring, is beauty. !ut if there were no opposite for beauty, or for p.easure, it wou.d a.. turn to dust.1 8ein$. @o+ you no+ +ho you are. -I am most b.essed of the "thos, and most humb.e. )ou have given me the highest, kindest position in the universes. +or I am the &od to a.. men, and to a.. creatures sma.. and .arge, whether they ca.. me by name or not. I am ,aingod, and it is my .ife, however .ong it stretches, to treat them to the finest they wi.. ever know. To give them pain, that they may know p.easure. Thank you.1 5nd the "thos went away, secure that at .ast, after a.. the eons of ,aingods who had broken under the strain, who had .acked the courage to take that nightwa.k, they had found one who wou.d .ast tru.y forever. Trente had come of age. 3hi.e back in the cubic.e, hanging star-bright and trans.ucent in space, high above it a.., yet very much part

of it a.., the creature who wou.d never die, the creature who had .ived within the rotting body of ,ieter Eos.ek and for a few moments in the sou. and ta.ent of *o.in 4arshack, that creature ca..ed ,aingod, .earned one more thing, as he stared at the tiny mode. of the p.anet "arth he had known. Trente knew the fee. of a tear formed in a duct and turned free from an eye g.obe-coo. on his face. Trente knew happiness.

@o+ it can he told: my secret ,ice. 8uried dee' in the anthracite core of my (ein$ is a 'ersonal trait so hideous" so confoundin$" a conceit so terri(le in its re'ercussions" that it ma es sodomy" 'ederasty and (arratry on the hi$h seas seem as tame as a Frances Par inson 0eyes no,el. I am al+ays late. In,aria(ly. ;onsistently. If I tell you I*ll (e there to 'ic u' you at J:FB" e7'ect me 6hursday. A 'ositi,e $enius for tardiness. Paramount sends a car to 'ic me u' +hen I*m scri'tin$" other+ise they no+ I*ll (e off loo in$" at the flo+ers" or +atchin$" the ocean" or readin$" a co'y of The 5ma9ing #pider-4an in the (athroom. I ha,e (een (rou$ht to tas for this" on innumera(le occasions. It 'rom'ted se,eral courts)martial +hen I +as in the Army. I*,e lost $irl friends (ecause of it. So I +ent to a doctor" to see if there +as somethin$" +ron$ +ith my medulla o(lon$ata" or somesuch. %e told me I +as al+ays late. %is (ill +as se,enty)fi,e dollars. I*,e decided that unli e most other fol +ith hi$hly de,elo'ed senses of the fluidity of time" the 'ermanence of humanity in the chronostream" et al" I $ot no tic toc $oin$ u' there on to'. So I had to e7'lain it to the +orld" to co' out" as it +ere" in ad,ance. I +rote the follo+in$ story as my 'lea for understandin$" e7tra'olatin$ the /to me2 $hastly state of the +orld around me)in +hich e,eryone scam'ers here and there to (e 'laces on time)to a time not too far a+ay /(y my +atch2 in +hich you $et your life doc ed e,ery time you*re late. It is not entirely coincidental that the name of the hero in this minor master'iece closely resem(les that of the author" to +it:

Repent, Har e!uin"# $aid the Tic%toc%&an

TH"R" 5R" 5$35)# TH #" 3H 5#E, what is it a.. about8 +or those who need to ask, for those who need points sharp.y made, who need to know -where its at,1 this(
The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men main.y, but as machines, with their bodies. They are the standing army, and the mi.itia, jai.ors, constab.es, posse comitatus, etc. In most cases there is no free e6ercise whatever of the judgment or of the mora. sense: but they put themse.ves on a .eve. with wood and earth and stones: and wooden men can perhaps be manufactured that wi.. serve the purpose as we... #uch command no more respect than men of straw or a .ump of dirt. They have the same sort of worth on.y as horses and dogs. )et such as these even are common.y esteemed good citi9ens. thers-as most .egis.ators, po.iticians, .awyers, ministers, and office-ho.ders-serve the state chief.y with their heads: and, as they rare.y make any mora. distinctions, they are as .ike.y to serve the 2evi., without intending it, as &od. 5 very few, as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men" serve the state with their consciences a.so, and so necessari.y resist it for the most part: and they are common.y treated as enemies by it.

H"'R) 25%I2 TH R"57 ;i,il Diso(edience

That is the heart of it. 'ow begin in the midd.e, and .ater .earn the beginning: the end wi.. take care of itse.f. !ut because it was the very wor.d it was, the very wor.d they had a..owed it to (ecome" for months his activities did not come to the a.armed attention of The nes 3ho Eept The 4achine +unctioning #mooth.y, the ones who poured the very best butter over the cams and mainsprings of the cu.ture. 'ot unti. it had become obvious that somehow, someway, he had become a notoriety, a ce.ebrity, perhaps even a hero for ;what fficia.dom inescapab.y tagged= -an emotiona..y disturbed segment of the popu.ace,1 did they turn it over to the Ticktockman and his .ega. machinery. !ut by then, because it was the very wor.d it was, and they had no way to predict he wou.d happen-possib.y a strain of disease .ong-defunct, now, sudden.y, reborn in a system where immunity had been forgotten, had .apsed-he had been a..owed to become too rea.. 'ow he had form and substance. He had become a 'ersonality" something they had fi.tered out of the system many decades before. !ut there it was, and there he was, a very definite.y imposing persona.ity. In certain circ.es-midd.e-c.ass circ.es-it was thought disgusting. %u.gar ostentation. 5narchistic. #hamefu.. In others, there was on.y snickering, those strata where thought is subjugated to form and ritua., niceties, proprieties. !ut down be.ow, ah, down be.ow, where the peop.e a.ways needed their saints and sinners, their bread and circuses, their heroes and vi..ains, he was considered a !o.ivar: a 'apo.eon: a Robin Hood: a 2ick !ong ;5ce of 5ces= : a Desus: a Domo Eenyatta. 5nd at the top-where, .ike socia..y attuned #hipwreck Ee..ys, every tremor and vibration threatening to

dis.odge the wea.thy, powerfu. and tit.ed from their f.agpo.es-he was considered a menace: a heretic: a rebe.: a disgrace: a peri.. He was known down the .ine, to the very heartmeat core, but the important reactions were high above and far be.ow. 5t the very top, at the very bottom. #o his fi.e was turned over, a.ong with his time card and his cardiop.ate, to the office of the Ticktockman. The Ticktockman( very much over si6 feet ta.., often si.ent, a soft purring man when things went timewise. The Ticktockman. "ven in the cubic.es of the hierarchy, where fear was generated, se.dom suffered, he was ca..ed the Ticktockman. !ut no one ca..ed him that to his mask. )ou dont ca.. a man a hated name, not when that man, behind his mask, is capab.e of revoking the minutes, the hours, the days and nights, the years of your .ife. He was ca..ed the 4aster Timekeeper to his mask. It was safer that way. -This is +hat he is,1 said the Ticktockman with genuine softness, -but not +ho he is. This time-card Im ho.ding in my .eft hand has a name on it, but it is the name of +hat he is, not +ho he is. The cardiop.ate here in my right hand is a.so named, but not whom named, mere.y what named. !efore I can e6ercise proper revocation, I have to know who this what is.1 To his staff, a.. the ferrets, a.. the .oggers, a.. the finks, a.. the comme6, even the minee9, he said, -3ho is this Har.e/uin81 He was not purring smooth.y. Timewise, it was jang.e. However, it +as the .ongest sing.e speech they had ever heard him utter at one time, the staff, the ferrets, the .oggers, the finks, the comme6, but not the minee9, who usua..y werent around to know, in any case. !ut even they scurried to find out 3ho is the Har.e/uin8 High above the third .eve. of the city, he crouched on the humming a.uminum-frame p.atform of the airboat ;foof0 airboat, indeed, swi99.eskid is what it was, with a tow-rack jerry-rigged= and stared down at the neat 4ondrian arrangement of the bui.dings. #omewhere nearby, he cou.d hear the metronomic .eft-right-.eft of the K(BA ,.4. shift, entering the Timkin ro..erbearing p.ant, in their sneakers. 5 minute .ater, precise.y, he heard the softer right-.eft-right of the I(GG 5.4. formation, going home. 5n e.fin grin spread across his tanned features, and his dimp.es appeared for a moment. Then, scratching at his thatch of auburn hair, he shrugged within his mot.ey, as though girding himse.f for what came ne6t, and threw the joystick forward, and bent into the wind as the air-boat dropped. He skimmed over a s.idewa.k, purpose.y dropping a few feet to crease the tasse.s of the .adies of fashion, and-inserting thumbs in .arge ears-he stuck out his tongue, ro..ed his eyes and went wugga-wugga-wugga. It was a minor diversion. ne pedestrian skittered and tumb.ed, sending parce.s everywhichway, another wet herse.f, a third kee.ed s.antwise and the wa.k was stopped automatica..y by the servitors ti.. she cou.d be resuscitated. It was a minor diversion. Then he swir.ed away on a vagrant bree9e, and was gone. Hi-ho. 5s he rounded the cornice of the Time-4otion #tudy !ui.ding, he saw the shift, just boarding the s.idewa.k. 3ith practiced motion and an abso.ute conservation of movement, they sidestepped up onto the s.owstrip and ;in a chorus .ine reminiscent of a !usby !erke.ey fi.m of the antide.uvian ?@HGs= advanced across the strips ostrich-wa.king ti.. they were .ined up on the e6presstrip. nce more, in anticipation, the e.fin grin spread, and there was a tooth missing back there on the .eft side. He dipped, skimmed, and swooped over them: and then, scrunching about on the air-boat, he re.eased the ho.ding pins that fastened shut the ends of the homemade pouring troughs that kept his cargo from dumping premature.y. 5nd as he pu..ed the trough-pins, the air-boat s.id over the factory workers and one hundred and fifty thousand do..ars worth of je..y beans cascaded down on the e6presstrip. De..y beans0 4i..ions and bi..ions of purp.es and ye..ows and greens and .icorice and grape and raspberry and mint and round and smooth and crunchy outside and soft-mea.y inside and sugary and bouncing jouncing tumb.ing c.ittering c.attering skittering fe.. on the heads and shou.ders and hardhats and carapaces of the Timkin workers, tink.ing on the s.idewa.k and bouncing away and ro..ing about underfoot and ru.ing the sky on their way down with a.. the co.ors of joy and chi.dhood and ho.idays, coming down in a steady rain, a so.id wash, a torrent of co.or and sweetness out of the sky from above, and entering a universe of sanity and metronomic order with /uitemad coocoo newness. De..y beans0 The shift workers how.ed and .aughed and were pe.ted, and broke ranks, and the je..y beans managed to work their way into the mechanism of the s.idewa.ks after which there was a hideous scraping as the sound of a

mi..ion fingernai.s rasp down a /uarter of a mi..ion b.ackboards, fo..owed by a coughing and a sputtering, and then the s.idewa.ks a.. stopped and everyone was summari.y dumped thisawayandthataway in a jackstraw tumb.e, sti.. .aughing and popping .itt.e je..y bean eggs of chi.dish co.or into their mouths. It was a ho.iday, and a jo..ity, an abso.ute insanity, a gigg.e. !ut... The shift was de.ayed seven minutes. They did not get home for seven minutes. The master schedu.e was thrown off by seven minutes. Ouotas were de.ayed by inoperative s.idewa.ks for seven minutes. He had tapped the first domino in the .ine, and one after another, .ike chik chik chik, the others had fa..en. The #ystem had been seven minutes worth of disrupted. It was a tiny matter, one hard.y worthy of note, but in a society where the sing.e driving force was order and unity and promptness and c.ock.ike precision and attention to the c.ock, reverence of the gods of the passage of time, it was a disaster of major importance. #o he was ordered to appear before the Ticktockman. It was broadcast across every channe. of the communications web. He was ordered to be there at A(GG dammit on time. 5nd they waited, and they waited, but he didnt show up ti.. a.most ten-thirty, at which time he mere.y sang a .itt.e song about moon.ight in a p.ace no one had ever heard of, ca..ed %ermont, and vanished again. !ut they had a.. been waiting since seven, and it wrecked hell with their schedu.es. #o the /uestion remained( 3ho is the Har.e/uin8 !ut the unas ed /uestion ;more important of the two= was ( How did we get into this position, where a .aughing, irresponsib.e japer of jabberwocky and jive cou.d disrupt our entire economic and cu.tura. .ife with a hundred and fifty thousand do..ars worth of je..y beans... !elly for &ods sake (eans# This is madness0 3here did he get the money to buy a hundred and fifty thousand do..ars worth of je..y beans8 ;They knew it wou.d have cost that much, because they had a team of #ituation 5na.ysts pu..ed off another assignment, and rushed to the s.idewa.k scene to sweep up and count the candies, and produce findings, which disrupted their schedu.es and threw their entire branch at .east a day behind.= De..y beans0 De..y...(eans= 'ow wait a second-a second accounted for-no one has manufactured je..y beans for over a hundred years. 3here did he get je..y beans8 Thats another good /uestion. 4ore than .ike.y it wi.. never be answered to your comp.ete satisfaction. !ut then, how many /uestions ever are8 The midd.e you know. Here is the beginning. How it starts( 5 desk pad. 2ay for day, and turn each day. @(GG-open the mai.. @ (BI-appointment with p.anning commission board. ?G(HG-discuss insta..ation progress charts with D.$. ??(?I pray for rain. ?K(GG-.unch. And so it $oes. -Im sorry, 4iss &rant, but the time for interviews was set at K(HG, and its a.most five now. Im sorry youre .ate, but those are the ru.es. )ou.. have to wait ti.. ne6t year to submit app.ication for this co..ege again.1 And so it $oes. The ?G( ?G .oca. stops at *resthaven, &a.esvi..e, Tonawanda Dunction, #e.by and +arnhurst, but not at Indiana *ity, $ucasvi..e and *o.ton, e6cept on #unday. The ?G(HI e6press stops at &a.esvi..e, #e.by and Indiana *ity, e6cept on #undays F Ho.idays, at which time it stops at...and so it $oes. -I cou.dnt wait, +red. I had to be at ,ierre *artains by H (GG, and you said youd meet me under the c.ock in the termina. at K(BI, and you werent there, so I had to go on. )oure a.ways .ate, +red. If youd been there, we cou.d have sewed it up together, but as it was, we.., I took the order a.one...1 And so it $oes. 2ear 4r. and 4rs. 5tter.ey( In reference to your son &era.ds constant tardiness, I am afraid we wi.. have to suspend him from schoo. un.ess some more re.iab.e method can be instituted guaranteeing he wi.. arrive at his c.asses on time. &ranted he is an e6emp.ary student, and his marks are high, his constant f.outing of the schedu.es of this schoo. make it impractica. to maintain him in a system where the other chi.dren seem capab.e of getting where they are supposed to be on time and so it $oes. ) 7 *5'' T % T" 7'$"## ) 7 5,,"5R 5T P(BI 5.4. -I dont care if the script is $ood. I need it Thursday01 *H"*E- 7T TI4" I# K(GG ,.4. -)ou got here .ate. The jobs taken. #orry.1 ) 7R #5$5R) H5# !""' 2 *E"2 + R T3"'T) 4I'7T"# TI4" $ #T. -&od, what time is it, Ive gotta run01 5nd so it goes. 5nd so it goes. 5nd so it goes. 5nd so it goes goes goes goes goes tick tock tick tock tick tock and one day we no .onger .et time serve us, we serve time and we are s.aves of the schedu.e, worshippers of the suns passing, bound into a .ife predicated on restrictions because the system wi.. not function if we dont keep the schedu.e tight.

7nti. it becomes more than a minor inconvenience to be .ate. It becomes a sin. Then a crime. Then a crime punishab.e by this( "++"*TI%" ?I D7$) KHP@, ?K(GG(GG midnight, the office of the 4aster Timekeeper wi.. re/uire a.. citi9ens to submit their time-cards and cardiop.ates for processing. In accordance with #tatute IIIA-#&H-@@@ governing the revocation of time per capita, a.. cardiop.ates wi.. be keyed to the individua. ho.der and 3hat they had done was devise a method of curtai.ing the amount of .ife a person cou.d have. If he was ten minutes .ate, he .ost ten minutes of his .ife. 5n hour was proportionate.y worth more revocation. If someone was consistent.y tardy, he might find himse.f, on a #unday night, receiving a communi/uQ from the 4aster Timekeeper that his time had run out, and he wou.d be -turned off1 at high noon on 4onday, p.ease straighten your affairs, sir. 5nd so, by this simp.e scientific e6pedient ;uti.i9ing a scientific process he.d dear.y secret by the Ticktockmans office= the #ystem was maintained. It was the on.y e6pedient thing to do. It was, after a.., patriotic. The schedu.es had to be met. 5fter a.., there +as a war on0 !ut, wasnt there a.ways8 -'ow that is rea..y disgusting,1 the Har.e/uin said, when pretty 5.ice showed him the wanted poster. -2isgusting and hi$hly improbab.e. 5fter a.., this isnt the day of the desperado. 5 +anted poster01 -)ou know,1 5.ice noted, -you speak with a great dea. of inf.ection.1 -Im sorry,1 said the Har.e/uin, humb.y. -'o need to be sorry. )oure a.ways saying <Im sorry. )ou have such massive gui.t, "verett, its rea..y very sad.1 -Im sorry,1 he repeated, then pursed his .ips so the dimp.es appeared momentari.y. He hadnt wanted to say that at a... -I have to go out again. I have to do something.1 5.ice s.ammed her coffee-bu.b down on the counter. - h for &ods sa e" "verett, cant you stay home just one night0 4ust you a.ways be out in that ghast.y c.own suit, running around annoying peop.e81 -Im-1 he stopped, and c.apped the jesters hat onto his auburn thatch with a tiny ting.ing of be..s. He rose, rinsed out his coffee-bu.b at the tap, and put it into the drier for a moment. -I have to go.1 #he didnt answer. The fa6bo6 was purring, and she pu..ed a sheet out, read it, threw it toward him on the counter. -Its about you. f course. )oure ridicu.ous.1 He read it /uick.y. It said the Ticktockman was trying to .ocate him. He didnt care, he was going out to be .ate again. 5t the door, dredging for an e6it .ine, he hur.ed back petu.ant.y, -3e.., you speak with inf.ection, too#: 5.ice ro..ed her pretty eyes heavenward. -)oure ridicu.ous.1 The Har.e/uin sta.ked out, s.amming the door, which sighed shut soft.y, and .ocked itse.f. There was a gent.e knock, and 5.ice got up with an e6ha.ation of e6asperated breath, and opened the door. He stood there. -I.. be back about ten-thirty, okay81 #he pu..ed a ruefu. face. -3hy do you te.. me that8 3hy8 )ou no+ you.. be .ate0 )ou no+ it0 )oure al+ays .ate, so why do you te.. me these dumb things81 #he c.osed the door. n the other side, the Har.e/uin nodded to himse.f. She*s ri$ht. She*s al+ays ri$ht. I*ll (e late. I*m al+ays late. &hy do I tell her these dum( thin$s= He shrugged again, and went off to be .ate once more. He had fired off the firecracker rockets that said( I wi.. attend the ??Ith annua. Internationa. 4edica. 5ssociation Invocation at J(GG ,.4. precise.y. I do hope you wi.. a.. be ab.e to join me. The words had burned in the sky, and of course the authorities were there, .ying in wait for him. They assumed, natura..y, that he wou.d be .ate. He arrived twenty minutes ear.y, whi.e they were setting up the spiderwebs to trap and ho.d him, and b.owing a .arge bu..horn, he frightened and unnerved them so, their own moisturi9ed encirc.ement webs sucked c.osed, and they were hau.ed up, kicking and shrieking, high above the amphitheaters f.oor. The Har.e/uin .aughed and .aughed, and apo.ogi9ed profuse.y. The physicians, gathered in so.emn conc.ave, roared with .aughter, and accepted the Har.e/uins apo.ogies with e6aggerated bowing and posturing, and a merry time was had by a.., who thought the Har.e/uin was a regu.ar foofaraw in fancy pants: a.., that is, but the authorities, who had been sent out by the office of the Ticktockman, who hung there .ike so much dockside cargo, hau.ed up above the f.oor of the amphitheater in a most unseem.y fashion. ;In another part of the same city where the Har.e/uin carried on his -activities,1 tota..y unre.ated in every way to what concerns us here, save that it i..ustrates the Ticktockmans power and import, a man named 4arsha.. 2e.ahanty received his turn-off notice from the Ticktockmans office. His wife received the notification from the gray-suited minee who de.ivered it, with the traditiona. -.ook of sorrow1 p.astered hideous.y across his face. #he knew what it was, even without unsea.ing it. It was a bi..et-dou6 of immediate recognition to everyone these days.

#he gasped, and he.d it as though it was a g.ass s.ide tinged with botu.ism, and prayed it was not for her. $et it be for 4arsh, she thought, bruta..y, rea.istica..y, or one of the kids, but not for me, p.ease dear &od, not for me. 5nd then she opened it, and it +as for 4arsh, and she was at one and the same time horrified and re.ieved. The ne6t trooper in the .ine had caught the bu..et. -4arsha..,1 she screamed, -4arsha..0 Termination, 4arsha..0 hmi&od, 4arsha.., whatt. we do, whatt. we do, 4arsha.., omigodmarsha.....1 and in their home that night was the sound of tearing paper and fear, and the stink of madness went up the f.ue and there was nothing, abso.ute.y nothing they cou.d do about it. ;!ut 4arsha.. 2e.ahanty tried to run. 5nd ear.y the ne6t day, when turn-off time came, he was deep in the forest two hundred mi.es away, and the office of the Ticktockman b.anked his cardiop.ate, and 4arsha.. 2e.ahanty kee.ed over, running, and his heart stopped, and the b.ood dried up on its way to his brain, and he was dead thats a... ne .ight went out on his sector map in the office of the 4aster Timekeeper, whi.e notification was entered for fa6 reproduction, and &eorgette 2e.ahantys name was entered on the do.e ro.es ti.. she cou.d remarry. 3hich is the end of the footnote, and a.. the point that need be made, e6cept dont .augh, because that is what wou.d happen to the Har.e/uin if ever the Ticktockman found out his rea. name. It isnt funny.= The shopping .eve. of the city was thronged with the Thursday-co.ors of the buyers. 3omen in canary ye..ow chitons and men in pseudo-Tyro.ean outfits that were jade and .eather and fit very tight.y, save for the ba..oon pants. 3hen the Har.e/uin appeared on the sti..-being-constructed she.. of the new "fficiency #hopping *enter, his bu..horn to his e.fish.y-.aughing .ips, everyone pointed and stared, and he berated them( -3hy .et them order you about8 3hy .et them te.. you to hurry and scurry .ike ants or maggots8 Take your time0 #aunter a whi.e0 "njoy the sunshine, enjoy the bree9e, .et .ife carry you at your own pace0 2ont be s.aves of time, its a he..uva way to die, s.ow.y, by degrees...down with the Ticktockman01 3hos the nut8 most of the shoppers wanted to know. 3hos the nut oh wow Im gonna be .ate I gotta run... 5nd the construction gang on the #hopping *enter received an urgent order from the office of the 4aster Timekeeper that the dangerous crimina. known as the Har.e/uin was atop their spire, and their aid was urgent.y needed in apprehending him. The work crew said no, they wou.d .ose time on their construction schedu.e, but the Ticktockman managed to pu.. the proper threads of governmenta. webbing, and they were to.d to cease work and catch that nitwit up there on the spire with the bu..horn. #o a do9en and more bur.y workers began c.imbing into their construction p.atforms, re.easing the a-grav p.ates, and rising toward the Har.e/uin. 5fter the debac.e ;in which, through the Har.e/uins attention to persona. safety, no one was serious.y injured=, the workers tried to reassemb.e and assau.t him again, but it was too .ate. He had vanished. It had attracted /uite a crowd, however, and the shopping cyc.e was thrown off by hours, simp.y hours. The purchasing needs of the system were therefore fa..ing behind, and so measures were taken to acce.erate the cyc.e for the rest of the day, but it got bogged down and speeded up and they so.d too many f.oatva.ves and not near.y enough wagg.ers, which meant that the pop.i ratio was off, which made it necessary to rush cases and cases of spoi.ing #mash- to stores that usua..y needed a case on.y every three or four hours. The shipments were bo..i6ed, the trans-shipments were misrouted, and in the end, even the swi99.eskid industries fe.t it. -2ont come back ti.. you have him01 the Ticktockman said, very /uiet.y, very sincere.y, e6treme.y dangerous.y. They used dogs. They used probes. They used cardiop.ate crossoffs. They used teepers. They used bribery. They used stiktytes. They used intimidation. They used torment. They used torture. They used finks. They used cops. They used searchFsei9ure. They used fa..aron. They used betterment incentive. They used fingerprints. They used !erti..on. They used cunning. They used gui.e. They used treachery. They used Raou. 4itgong, but he didnt he.p much. They used app.ied physics. They used techni/ues of crimino.ogy. 5nd what the he..( they caught him. 5fter a.., his name was "verett *. 4arm, and he wasnt much to begin with, e6cept a man who had no sense of time. -Repent, Har.e/uin1< said the Ticktockman. -&et stuffed1< the Har.e/uin rep.ied, sneering. -)ouve been .ate a tota. of si6ty-three years, five months, three weeks, two days, twe.ve hours, forty-one minutes, fifty-nine seconds, point oh three si6 one one one microseconds. )ouve used up everything you can, and more. Im going to turn you off.1 -#care someone e.se. Id rather be dead than .ive in a dumb wor.d with a bogey man .ike you.1 -Its my job.1

-)oure fu.. of it. )oure a tyrant. )ou have no right to order peop.e around and ki.. them if they show up .ate.1 -)ou cant adjust. )ou cant fit in.1 -7nstrap me, and I.. fit my fist into your mouth.1 -)oure a nonconformist.1 -That didnt used to be a fe.ony.1 -It is now. $ive in the wor.d around you.1 -I hate it. Its a terrib.e wor.d.1 -'ot everyone thinks so. 4ost peop.e enjoy order.1 -I dont, and most of the peop.e I know dont.1 -Thats not true. How do you think we caught you81 -Im not interested.1 -5 gir. named pretty 5.ice to.d us who you were.1 -Thats a .ie.1 -Its true. )ou unnerve her. #he wants to be.ong, she wants to conform, Im going to turn you off.1 -Then do it a.ready, and stop arguing with me.1 -Im not going to turn you off.1 -)oure an idiot01 -Repent, Har.e/uin01 said the Ticktockman. -&et stuffed.1 #o they sent him to *oventry. 5nd in *oventry they worked him over. It was just .ike what they did to 3inston #mith in ?@PB, which was a book none of them knew about, but the techni/ues are rea..y /uite ancient, and so they did it to "verett *. 4arm, and one day /uite a .ong time .ater, the Har.e/uin appeared on the communications web, appearing e.fish and dimp.ed and bright-eyed, and not at a.. brainwashed, and he said he had been wrong, that it was a good, a very good thing indeed, to be.ong, and be right on time hip-ho and away we go, and everyone stared up at him on the pub.ic screens that covered an entire city b.ock, and they said to themse.ves, we.., you see, he was just a nut after a.., and if thats the way the system is run, then .ets do it that way, because it doesnt pay to fight city ha.., or in this case, the Ticktockman. #o "verett *. 4arm was destroyed, which was a .oss, because of what Thoreau said ear.ier, but you cant make an ome.et without breaking a few eggs, and in every revo.ution, a few die who shou.dnt, but they have to, because thats the way it happens, and if you make on.y a .itt.e change, then it seems to be worthwhi.e. r, to make the point .ucid.y( -7h, e6cuse me, sir, I, uh, dont know how to uh, to uh, te.. you this, but you were three minutes .ate. The schedu.e is a .itt.e, uh, bit off.1 He grinned sheepish.y. -Thats ridicu.ous01 murmured the Ticktockman behind his mask( -*heck your watch.1 5nd then he went into his office, going mrmee, mrmee, mrmee, mrmee.

Madness is in the eye of the (eholder. %a,in$ done e7hausti,e research on socio'athic (eha,ior for a t+o)hour @8; dramatic s'ecial recently" I +on*t $i,e you the faintest murmur of an o(5ection that there are frea s and +hac os +al in$ the streets3 they*re as lia(le to shoot you dead for chuc les as they are to assist you in $ettin$ your stalled car mo,in$ out of the intersection. One relia(le estimate of the num(er of 'otential 'sychomotor e'ile'tics undetected in our midst is ECB"BBB in the Gnited States alone. And if you*,e read Michael ;richton*s 6%E 6ERMI@AL MA@ you no+ that the 9(rain storm: caused (y 'sychomotor e'ile'sy can turn a normal human (ein$ into a 'sycho'athic iller in moments. @o" I +on*t ar$ue: there are madfol amon$ us. 8ut the madness of +hich I s'ea is +hat the Late 1eor$e A'ley mi$ht ha,e called 9eccentricity.: 6he (eha,ioral 'attern outside the acce'ted norm. &hate,er the hell that mi$ht (e. 6he little old man sittin$ on the 'ar (ench ha,in$ an animated con,ersation +ith himself. 6he $irl +ho li es to dress as an e7act re'lica of 8etty 8oo'. 6he youn$ $uy out on the side+al 'layin$ an ocarina and inters'ersin$ his recital +ith denunciations of the city 'o+er and +ater authority. 6he old lady +ho dies in her t+o)room flat and the co's find si7ty years* +orth of old ne+s'a'ers 'lus t+o hundred thousand dollars in a ci$ar (o7. /One of the +ooden ones" the old ones you sim'ly can*t find any more (ecause they don*t ma e them. 6hey*re $reat for storin$ old 'hotos and comic character (uttons. If you ha,e one you don*t +ant" send it alon$ to me" +illya=2 6he staid (usinessman +ho $ets off (y +earin$ his +ife*s 'antyhose. 6he little id +ho 'uts a (i$ 9S: on a (ath to+el and" shoutin$" 9G'" u' and a+aaayyy#: 5um's of the $ara$e roof. 6hey*re not nuts" friends" they*re sim'ly seein$ it all throu$h different eyes. 6hey ha,e ima$ination" and they no+ somethin$ a(out (ein$ alone" and in 'ain. 6hey*re alterin$ the real +orld to fit their fantasies. 6hat*s o ay. &e all do it. Don*t say you don*t. %o+ many of you ha,e come out of the mo,ie" ha,in$ seen !u..itt or The +rench *onnection or %anishing ,oint or The .ast 5merican Hero or +reebie and the bean" $otten in your car" and 5ust a(out done a +heelie" si7ty)fi,e m'h out of the 'ar in$ lot= Don*t lie to me" $entle reader" +e a.. ha,e +eird) loo in$ mannerisms that seem 'erfectly rational to us" (ut ma e onloo ers coc an eye(ro+ and cross to the other side of the street. I*,e $ro+n ,ery fond of 'eo'le +ho can let it out" +ho can ha,e the stren$th of com'ulsion to indul$e their s'ecial affectations. 6hey seem to me more real than the faeless $ray hordes of side+al sliders +ho $o from there to here +ithout so much as a ho'" s i' or a 5um'. One mornin$ in @e+ ?or last year" I +as ha,in$ a dru$ store (rea fast +ith @ancy &e(er" +ho +rote 6%E LIFE S&AP. &e +ere sittin$ u' at the counter" on re,ol,in$ stools" che+in$ do+n $reasy e$$s and salty (acon" tal in$ a(out ho+ many dryads can li,e in a (anyan tree" +hen the front door of the dru$ store /the no+)ra<ed" much)lamented" lo,ely %enry %al'er*s on the corner of C4 th and Madison" torn do+n to (uild" I su''ose" an esthetically)enchantin$ 'ar in$ structure or candidate for a to+erin$ inferno2 o'ened" and in stormed a little old man in an o,ercoat much to hea,y for the +eather. %e (oiled in li e a monsoon" stood in the middle of the room and (e$an to 'illory @i7on and his resident offensi,e line of thu$s for dou(le)teamin$ Democracy. %e +as (rilliant. @e,er re'eated himself once. And this +as lon$ (efore the crash of @i7on off his 'edestal. 6o' of his lun$s. Flam(oyant rhetoric. Gtter honesty" no mic eymouse" corru'tion and e,il aflo+er in the land of the free# On and on he +ent" as e,eryone stared dum(founded. And then" +ithout e,en a (o+ to the (o7 seats" out he +ent" a (reath of fresh air in a mu$$y +orld. I sat there +ith a $rin on my face only a ta'e measure could ha,e recorded. I a''lauded. Su'erdu'er# @ancy du$ it" I du$ it" and a (es'ectacled $entleman three do+n from us)(urnt toast i$nored)du$ it. 6he rest of the 'eo'le ,acillated (et+een outra$e and confusion" finally settlin$ on attitudes (est descri(ed (y a circlin$ fin$er to+ard the ri$ht ear. 6hey thou$ht he +as (ananas. &ell" may(e" (ut +hat a s+ell madness# Or ta e my (ed" for instance. &hen you come into my (edroom" you see the (ed u' on a s.uare (o7 'latform co,ered +ith dee' 'ile car'etin$. It*s in (ri$ht colors" (ecause I .ike (ri$ht colors. @o+" there*s a ,ery $ood" solid" rational reason +hy the (ed is u' there li e that. Some day I*ll tell you +hy3 it*s a 'ersonal reason3 in the nature of illin$ e,il shado+s. 8ut that isn*t im'ortant" ri$ht here. &hat is im'ortant is the attitude of 'eo'le +ho see that (ed for the first time. Some snic er and call it an altar. Others fro+n in disa''ro,al and call it a 'edestal" or a ,.ayboy (ed. It*s none of those. It*s ,ery functional" and ser,es an emotional 'ur'ose that is none of their (usiness" (ut lord ho+ .uic they are to la(el it the +ay they see it" and lay their ,alue)5ud$ment on it" and me. Most of the time I don*t (other e7'lainin$. It isn*t +orth it. 8ut it ha''ens all the time" and e,ery time it ha''ens I thin a(out this story. Madness is in the eye of the (eholder. &hat seems cuc oo to you may (e ri$orously lo$ical to someone else. Remem(er that as you read.

The Crac%pots
H" 35# #T5'2I'& ' 5 #TR""T * R'"R, wearing a .ong orange nightgown and a red s.umber-cap with a tasse.. He was studious.y picking his nose. -3atch him01 cried +urth. -3atch what he does0 &et the techni/ue accurate.y01 +or this I studied four years to (ecome an e7'ert= thought Themus. +urth .ooked at the younger man for the first time in severa. minutes. - 5re you watching him81 The e.der 3atcher nudged his companion, causing Themus dictobo6 to bump unceremonious.y against his chest. -)es, yes, Im watching,1 answered Themus, -but what possib.e reason cou.d there be to watch a .unatic picking his nose on a pub.ic street comer81 5nnoyance rang in his voice. +urth swung on him, his eyes co.d-stee.. -)ou +atch them, thats your job. 5nd dont ever forget that0 5nd dictate it into that bo6 strapped to your stupid shou.ders. If I ever catch you fai.ing to notice and dictate what theyre doing, I.. have you shipped back to *entra. and then into the 4ines. )ou understand what Im saying81 Themus nodded dumb.y, the attack having shocked and surprised him, so sudden and intensive was it. He watched the *rackpot. His stomach fe.t uneasy. His voice /uavered as he described in minute detai., as he had been taught, the procedure. It made his nose itch. He ignored it. #oon the *rackpot gave a .itt.e .augh, did a sma.. dance step, and skipped out of sight across the street and around the corner. Themus spoke into the *ommunicator-5ttachment on his bo6( -3atcher, sector seventy, here. 4a.e, orange nightgown, red s.umber-cap, coming your way. ,ick him up, si6ty-nine. Hes a.. yours. ver.1 5n acknow.edging bu99 came from the 5ttachment, Themus said, - ut here,1 and turned the 5ttachment off. +urth, who had been dictating the detai.ed tying of a can on the tai. of a four-.egged Eyben dog by a ta.., ba.d *rackpot, conc.uded his report as the dog ran off barking wi.d.y, muttered, - ff, - into the dicto-bo6 and turned once more to Themus. The younger 3atcher tightened inside. %ere it comes. 7ne6pected.y, the senior 3atchers voice was /uiet, a.most gent.e. -*ome with me, Themus, I want to ta.k with you.1 They strode through the street of %a.asah, capita. of Eyba, watching the other branch of Eyben. The native Eyben, those who put .ight-tubes in their mouths and twisted their ears in e6pectation of f.uorescence, those who pu..ed their teeth with adjusto-wrenches, those who sat and scribb.ed odd messages on the sidewa.ks, ca..ed the armor-dressed Eyben -#tuffed-#hirts.1 The governing Eyben, those with the armor and high-crested meta. he.mets bearing the proud emb.em of the eye-and-eag.e, ca..ed their charges, -*rackpots,1 They were both Eyben. There was a vast difference. +urth was about to de.ineate the difference to his new aide. The senior 3atchers great cape swir.ed in a rain of b.ack as he turned into the ,ub-craw.er. 5t a tab.e near the front, +urth pu..ed his cape about his thighs and sat down, motioning Themus to the other chair. The waiter wa.ked s.ow.y over to them, yawning behind his hand, +urth dictated the fact brief.y. The waiter gave a high-pitched maniaca. .augh. Themus fe.t his b.ood chi... These peop.e were a.. mad, abso.ute.y mad. -Two g.asses of $reth" - +urth said. The waiter .eft. +urth recorded the fact. The waiter had kicked him before he had gone behind the bar. 3hen the drinks arrived, +urth took a .ong pu.. from the he.i6-shaped g.ass, s.umped back, fo.ded his hands on the tab.e and said, -3hat did you .earn at 5cademy-*entra.81 The /uestion took Themus by surprise. -3h-what do you mean8 I .earned a great many things.1 -#uch as8 Te.. me.1 -3e.., there was primary snooping, both conscious and subconscious eva.uation: reportage-four fu.. years of it-shorthand, app.ied dicto.ogy, history, manners, customs, authority eva.uation, mechanics, fact assemb.age...1 He found the subjects .eaping to the front of his mind, tumb.ing from his .ips. He had been second in his c.ass of twe.ve hundred, and it had a.. stuck. +urth cut him off with a wave of his hand. -$ets take that history. *apsu.e it for me.1 +urth was a big man, eyes odd.y set far back in ho..ows above deep ye..ow cheeks, hair white about the temp.es, a .ean and e.ectric man, the type who radiates energy even when as.eep. Themus suspected this was his superiors way of testing him. He recited(

-The *orps is dedicated to gathering data. It wi.. 3atch and detect, assimi.ate and fi.e. 'othing wi.. escape the ga9e of the 3atcher. 5s the eag.e soars, so the eye of the 3atcher wi.. f.y to a.. things.1 -&od, no, man, I mean the %istory# The %istory. - The e.der 3atcher precision-tapped his fingers one after another in irritation. -3hat is the story of the Eyben. f Eyba itse.f. f your job here. 3hat is our re.ation to these81 He waved his hand, taking in the bar, the peop.e in the streets, the entire p.anet and its twin suns b.a9ing ye..ow in the afternoon sky. Themus .icked his thin .ips, -The Eyben ru.e the &a.a6y-is that what you want81 He breathed easier as the o.der man nodded. He continued, by rote( -The Eyben ru.e the &a.a6y. They are the organi9ers. 5.. other races rea.i9e the superior reasoning and administrative powers of the Eyben, and thus a..ow the Eyben to ru.e the &a.a6y.1 He stopped, biting his .ower .ip, -3ith your permission, #uperior, can I do this some other way8 !ack at 5cademy-*entra. memori9ation was re/uired, even on ,enares it seemed apropos, but somehow-here-it sounds foo.ish to me. 'o disrespect intended, you understand. Id just .ike to ramb.e it off /uick.y. I gather a.. you want are the basics.1 The o.der man nodded his head for Themus to continue in any fashion he chose. -3e are a power, and a.. the others are too scared of us to try usurping because we run it a.. better than any ten of them cou.d, and the on.y troub.e is with the "arthmen and the 4awson *onfederation, with whom we are negotiating right now. The on.y thing we have against us is this p.anet of b.ack sheep re.atives. They happen to be our peop.e. but we .eft them some e.even hundred years ago because they were a pain in the neck and the Eyben rea.i9ed they had a universe to con/uer, and we wish we cou.d get .id of them, because theyre a.. /uite mad, and if anyone finds out about them, we.. .ose prestige, and besides theyre a nuisance.1 He found himse.f out of breath after the .ong string of phrases, and he stopped for a second. -There isnt a sane person on this p.anet, which isnt strange because a.. the B-+s were .eft when our ancestors took to space. In the e.even hundred years weve been running the &a.a6y, these *rackpots have created a cu.ture of imbeci.ity for themse.ves. The 3atcher garrison is maintained, to make sure the .unatics dont escape and damage our position with the other wor.ds around us. -If you have a b.ack sheep re.ative, you either put him away under survei..ance so he cant bother you, or you have him e6terminated. #ince we arent barbarians .ike the "arthmen, we keep the madmen here, and watch them fu.. time.1 He stopped, rea.i9ing he had covered the subject /uite we.., and because he saw the sour e6pression on +urths face. -Thats what they taught you at 5cademy-*entra.81 asked the senior 3atcher. -Thats about it, e6cept that 3atcher units are a..over the &a.a6y, from ,enares to Eyba, from the home p.anet to our furthest ho.ding, doing a job for which they were trained and which no other order cou.d do. ,erforming an inva.uab.e service to a.. Eyben, from Eyben-*entra. outward to the edges of our e6p.oration.1 -Then dont you ever forget it, hear81 snapped +urth, .eaning /uick.y across to the younger man. -2ont you ever .et it s.ip out of your mind. If anything happens whi.e youre awake and on the scene, and you miss it, no matter how insignificant, you.. wind up in the 4ines.1 5s if to i..ustrate his point, he c.icked the dicto-bo6 to -on1 and spoke brief.y into it, keeping his eyes on a gir. neat.y pouring the contents of a row of g.asses on the bars f.oor and eating the g.asses, a.. but the stems, which she .eft .ying in an order.yin pi.e. He conc.uded, and .eaned back toward Themus, pointing a stubby finger. -)ouve got a soft job here, boy. Ten years as a 3atcher and you can retire. !ack to a nice co9y apartment in a ,roject at Eyben-*entra. or any other p.anet you choose, with anyone you choose, doing anything you choose-within the bounds of the *ovenant, of course. )oure .ucky you made it into the *orps. 4any a mothers son wou.d $i,e his mother to be where you are.1 He .ifted the he.i6-g.ass to his .ips and drained it. Themus sat, scratched his nose, and watched the purp.e .i/uid disappear. It was his first day on Eyba, his #uperior had straightened him out, he knew his p.ace, he knew his job. "verything was c.ean and top-notch. #omehow he was miserab.e. Themus .ooked at himse.f. 5t himse.f as he knew he was, not as he thought he was. This was a time for rea.ities, not for wishfu. thinking. He was twenty-three, average height, b.ue hair, b.ue eyes, .ight comp.e6ion-just a bit .ighter than the average go.d-co.or of his peop.e-superior inte..igence, and with the rigid, .ogica. mind of his kind. He was an

accepted 7nderc.ass member of the 3atcher *orps with a year of intern work at ,enares-!ase and an immediate promotion to Eyba, which was acknow.edged the soft spot before retirement. +or a man as new to the *orps as Themus five years made him, this was a remarkab.e thing, and e6p.ainab.e on.y by his /uick and bri..iant dictographic background. He was a free man, a /uick mart with a dicto-bo6, a good-.ooking man, and unfortunate.y, an unhappy man. He was confused by it a... His summation of himse.f was sudden.y shattered by the rest of his s/uads entrance into the commonroom, voices pitched on a do9en different .eve.s. They came through the s.iding doors, jost.ing and joking with one another, a.. ta.. and straight, a.. handsome and inte..igent. -)ou shou.d have seen the one I got yesterday,1 said one man, 9ipping up his chest-armor. -He was sitting in the 2ogs-#ku..-you know, that .itt.e p.ace on the corner of !remen and &abrett-with a bow. of nood.e soup in front of him, tying the things together. - The rest of the speakers sma.. group .aughed uproarious.y. -3hen I asked him what he was doing, he said, <Im a nodd.e-knitter, stupid. %e ca..ed me stupid0 5 nood.e-knitter01 He e.bowed the 7nderc.assman ne6t to him in the ribs and they both roared with .aughter. 5cross the room, strapping his dicto-bo6 to his chest one of the e.der 7nderc.assmen was studious.y ho.ding court. -The worst ones are the psychos, gent.emen. I assure you, from si6 years service here, that they take every pri9e ever invented. They are destructive, confusing, and e.aborate to record. I reca.. one who was stacking juba-fruits in a huge pyramid in front of the .ibrary on Hemmorth *ourt. I watched him for seven hours, then sudden.y he .eaped up, be..owing, kicking the who.e thing over, threw himse.f through a shop-front, attacked a woman shopping in the store, and fina..y came to rest e6hausted in the gutter. It was a twenty-eight minute record, and I assure you it stretched my abi.ity to /uick-dictate. If he had...1 Themus .ost the train of the fe..ows description. The ta.ks were going on a.. over the common-room as the s/uad prepared to go out. His was one of three hundred such s/uads, a.. over the city, shifted every four hours of the thirty-two hour day so there was no section of the city .eft untended. +ew, if any, things escaped the notice of the 3atcher *orps. He pu..ed on his soft-so.ed jump-boots, buck.ed his dicto-bo6 about him, and moved into the briefing room for instructions. The rows of seats were fast fi..ing up, and Themus hurried down the ais.e. +urth, dressed in an off-duty suit of p.astic body armor with e.aborate scro..work embossed on it, and the traditiona. b.ack great-cape, was seated with .egs neat.y crossed at the front of the room, on a s.ight.y raised podium. Themus took a seat ne6t to the 3atcher named ".i6, one who had been chort.ing over an escapade with a pretty fema.e *rackpot. Themus found himse.f .ooking at the other as though he were a mirror image. Odd ho+ so many of us loo ali e" he thought. Then he caught himse.f. It was a ridicu.ous thought, and an incorrect one, of course. It was not that they .ooked a.ike, it was mere.y that the Eyben had found for themse.ves a centra. .ine, a median, to which they conformed. It was so much more .ogica. and rewarding that way. If your brother .ooks and act as you do, you can predict him. If you can predict him, efficiency wi.. fo..ow. n.y these *rackpots defied prediction. 4admen0 -There are two current items on our orders of business today, gent.emen,1 +urth announced, rising. 'ote pads and sty.i appeared as though by magic, but +urth shook his head and indicated they were not needed. -'o, these arent memoranda, gent.emen. The first is a prob.em of discip.ine. The second is an a.ert.1 There was a rest.ess murmur in the room, and Themus g.anced around to see uneasiness on many faces. 3hat cou.d it be8 -The prob.em of discip.ine is simp.y-1 he pointed at ".i6 seated beside Themus, --such of your 7nderc.assmen as 3atcher ".i6.1 ".i6 rose to attention. -,ack your gear, 3atcher ".i6, you .eave for Eyben-*entra. this afternoon... Themus noted with fascination that the 3atchers face turned a shade pa.er. -4-may I ask why, #uperior +urth81 ".i6 gasped out, maintaining *orps protoco. even through his panic. -)es, yes, of course,1 rep.ied +urth in a casua., matter-of-fact manner. -)ou were on the scene of an orgy in the Hagars !ui.ding yesterday during second-shift, were you not81 ".i6 swa..owed with difficu.ty and nodded yes, then catching himse.f he said, -)es, #uperior +orth.1 -How much of that orgy did you record81 -5s much as I cou.d before it broke up, sir.1 -3hat you mean is, as much as you cou.d before you found that fond.ing a young woman named &u9bee was more interesting than your on-duty job. *orrect81

-#he-she just tal ed to me for a short time, #uperior: I recorded the entire affair. It was-1 9Out.: +urth pointed toward the door to the common-room. ".i6 s.umped visib.y, turned out of the row, wa.ked up the ais.e, and out of the briefing-room. - 5nd .et that be an indication, gent.emen, that we wi.. to.erate no activities with these peop.e, be they Eyben or not. 3e are here to watch, and there are enough fema.e-3atchers and *entra. personne. so that any desires that may be aroused in you may be /uenched without recourse to our wards. Is that /uite c.ear, gent.emen81 He did not wait for an answer. They knew it was c.ear, and he knew it was c.ear. The message had been transmitted in the most readi.y understood manner. -'ow to the other business at hand,1 continued +urth. -3e are current.y .ooking for a man named !oo.bak, who, we are to.d, pinches stee.. I have no e6p.anation of this description, gent.emen, mere.y that he <pinches stee.. -I can te.. you that he has a big, bushy white beard, what they ca.. twink.ing eyes, a puffy-cheeked face and a scar across his forehead from temp.e to temp.e. He weighs something between ?@G and KGG pounds, fat and short, and a.ways dresses in a red jacket and knickers with white fur on them. -If you see this man, you are to fo..ow him, dictograph him comp.ete.y )com'letely" do you understand8and not .ose sight of him un.ess you are re.ieved by at .east ten other 3atchers. Is that c.ear81 5gain he did not wait for an answer, but snapped his fingers casua..y, indicating the dai.y briefing was over. Themus rose with the other thirty-eight 3atchers and began to .eave the room. There was a uniform .ook on a.. their faces: they a.. had the picture of ".i6 behind their eyes. Themus began to edge out of his row. He started when +urth ca..ed to him. - h, 3atcher Themus, Id .ike a word with you.1 +urth was a strange man, in many ways. He did not fit Themus picture of a #uperior, from previous e6perience with them, and, sti.. bewi.dered by the abrupt fate assigned ".i6, he found himse.f .ooking on his #uperior with a mi6ture of awe, incredu.ousness, hatred and fear. -I hope the-uh-.itt.e .esson you saw today wi.. not upset you. It was a harsh measure, to be sure, but it was the on.y way to get the point across.1 Themus knew precise.y what the #uperior 3atcher meant, for he had been taught from youth that this was the way matters shou.d be hand.ed. He a.so knew what he fe.t, but he was Eyben, and Eyben know their p.ace. +urth .ooked at him for a .ong moment, then pu..ed the b.ack sheen that was his c.oak c.oser about him. -I have you s.ated for big things here, Themus. 3e wi.. have a post open for a new Dunior 3atcher in another si6 to eight months, and your record indicates youre a strong possibi.ity.1 Themus was shocked at the fami.iarity in both conversation protoco. and e6position of *orps business, but he kept the astonishment from showing on his face. -#o I want you to keep an eye open here in %a.asah,1 continued +urth. -There are a number of-we..irregu.arities we want to put a stop to.1 -3hat sort of irregu.arities, #uperior81 The #uperiors fami.iarities had caused a corresponding ease to sett.e over the 7nderc.assman. -+or one, this fraterni9ation-oh, strict.y on an <occupying troops .eve., to be sure, but sti.. a deviation from the norm-and another is that weve had a number of men .eave the *orps.1 -)ou mean sent home or-.ike 3atcher ".i681 The #uperior s/uirmed visib.y. -3e.., no, not e6act.y. 3hat I mean is, theyve-you might say disappeared.1 Themus eyes opened wider in surprise. -2isappeared8 That indicates free choice.1 The ro.es of #uperior and 7nderc.assman seemed for the moment to have been transposed, as +urth tried to e6p.ain to the new 3atcher. -Theyve just gone. Thats a... 3e cant find any trace of them. 3e suspect the *rackpots have been up to tricks more annoying than usua..1 He sudden.y stopped, rea.i9ing he had .owered himse.f by e6p.aining to a .esser, and drew himse.f erect. -!ut then, theres a.ways been a certain percentage of .oss here. 7nusua., but not too unusua.. This is a mad wor.d, dont forget.1 Themus nodded. -!ut then, to compensate, there are a certain number of *rackpots who want to .eave their insane peop.e, a.so. 3e take off a good three hundred every year: peop.e with the proper Eyben mind, the kind who can snap into a prob.em and so.ve it in no time. &ood, .ogica. thinkers. The administrative type. )ou know.1 -I see, sir,1 said Themus, not at a.. understanding. He was becoming more and more .ost in trying to fathom his #uperior. The e.der 3atcher seemed to sense a change in the underc.assmans attitude, for once again he became brus/ue, rea.i9ing he had overstepped himse.f. -3e.., accurate snooping, to you. &ood rounds01

Themus snapped a brisk sa.ute at the #uperior and .eft /uick.y. His beat that day was the #eventh #ector, a twe.ve-b.ock coverage with five fe..ow 3atchers, their rounds over.apping. It was a route from the docks to the minaret-vi..age. +rom the stock-pens near the &o.wa. Institute to the pueb.o-city. %a.asah, .ike a.. cities on Eyba, was a wi.d me.ange of disorder. 5iry, fragi.e towers of transparent p.astic rose spira.ing ne6t to s/uat /uonset-bui.dings. Teepees hunkered down ne6t to bui.dings, of mu.ti-dimensiona. eccentricity, whose arms twisted in on themse.ves ti.. the eye .ost the track of their form. #treets twisted and sudden.y opened onto others. 4any stopped dead as though their bui.ders had tired of the effort of continuing. $arge empty .ots stood ne6t to stores in which customers fought to get at the merchandise. The peop.e strutted, capered, hobb.ed, marched and wa.ked backward on both hands and feet through the streets, in the stores, across the tops of a hundred different sty.es of transportation. Themus snapped his dicto-bo6 on and spoke, -Record,1 into it. Then he wa.ked s.ow.y down one street, up the ne6t, into an office bui.ding, through doors, past knots of peop.e, dictating anything and everything. ccasiona..y he wou.d see a fe..ow 3atcher and they wou.d e6change sa.utes, eyes never .eaving their wards. The *rackpots seemed ob.ivious to his presence. 'o conversation wou.d s.ow or ha.t at his approach, no one wou.d move from his path, a.. seemed to accept him somehow. This bothered Themus. &hy aren*t they an$ry at our ea,esdro''in$= he wondered. &hy do they tolerate us so= Is it fear of the 0y(en mi$ht= 8ut they are 0y(en" too. 6hey call us Stuffed)Shirts" (ut they are still 0y(en. r +ere once. &hat ha''ened to the 0y(en ni$ht that +as (orn into each of them= His thoughts were cut off by sight of an o.d woman, skin a.most ye..ow-white from age, rapid.y wie.ding a three-pronged picka6e at the cement of a gutter. He stopped, began dictating, and watched as she broke through the street, pu..ing out huge gouts of cement-work and dirt from underneath. In a moment she was down on hands and knees, feverish.y digging with her gnar.ed o.d hands at the dirt. 5fter thirty-nine minutes, her hands were raw and b.eeding, the ho.e was /uite four feet deep, and she knee.ed in it, dirt arcing away into the air. The fifty-minute mark brought her to a ha.t. #he c.imbed .aborious.y out of the si6-foot ho.e, grabbed the picka6e and .eaped back in. Themus moved nearer the edge. #he was hacking away mad.y at a sewer pipe some three feet thick. In a few moments she had driven a gaping ho.e in the side of the pipe. #he reached into her bodice and brought out a piece of what .ooked .ike dirty oi.c.oth, strung with wires. Themus was astounded to see both c.ear water and garbage running out of the pipe. !oth were running together. 'o, they loo ed as though they were running together, but the f.ow of c.ean water came spurting out in one direction, whi.e the muck and garbage sprayed forth from the opposite direction. They were running in opposite directions in the same pipe0 #he c.amped the oi.c.oth onto the pipe, immediate.y stopping the escape of the water and refuse, and began fi..ing the ho.e in. Themus watched her ti.. the ho.e was neat.y packed in, on.y s.ight.y .ower than the street .eve.. #he had thrown dirt hapha9ard.y in a.. directions, and some of it was sti.. evident on car tops and in doorways. His curiosity cou.d be contained no .onger. He wa.ked over to the o.d woman, who was s.apping dirt off her po.ka-dotted dress, getting spots of b.ood on it, from her rawed hands. -"6cuse me-1 he began. The o.d womans face sudden.y assumed, - h no, here they are again01 as its message in .ife. -&arbage runs with the drinking water81 He asked the /uestion tremu.ous.y, thinking of a.. the water he had drunk since his arriva., of the number of deaths from botu.ism and ptomaine poisoning, of the madness of these peop.e. The o.d woman muttered something that sounded .ike, -*retinous #tuffed-#hift,1 and began to pick up a bag of groceries obvious.y dumped in a hurry before the e6cavating began. -5re there many deaths from this81 Themus asked, knowing it was a stupid /uestion, knowing the figures must be staggering, wondering if he wou.d be one of the statistics. -Hmmph, man, they dont even bother up and back to f.ow that way in negative po.ari9ation of the garboh, .et me away from this maniac01 5nd she sta.ked off, dirt dropping in sma.. c.ots from her po.ka-dotted dress. He shook his head severa. times, trying to c.ear it, but the bu99ing of his brains trying to escape through his ears prevented any comfort. He communicated her passage out of his sight through the *ommunicator-5ttachment, received the word she had been picked up by someone e.se, and started to make his rounds again.

He stopped in mid-stride. It dawned on him sudden.y( why hadnt that bit of oi.c.oth been s/uirted out of the ho.e from the pressure in the pipe8 3hat had he.d it on8 He fe.t his tongue begin to swe.. in his mouth, and he rea.i9ed it had a.. been deceiving. There had been wires attached to that scrap of oi.c.oth, they had served some purpose. 7ndoubted.y that was it. 7ndoubted.y. His fine Eyben mind pushed the prob.em aside. He wa.ked on, watching, recording. 3ith a sudden headache. The afternoon netted a continuous running commentary on the ordinary mundane habits of the *rackpots ;biting each other on the .eft ear.obe, which seemed to be a common activity: removing tires from .andcars and rep.acing them with wadded-up artic.es of c.othing: munching .oaves of the spira. Eyben bread on the streets: poking .ong sticks through a many-ho.ed board, to no visib.e purpose=, and severa. items that Themus considered off-beat even for these warped members of his race( Item( a young man .eaped from the seventeenth story of an office bui.ding, p.ummeted to the third, .anded on an awning, and after bouncing si6 times, .owered himse.f off the canvas, through the window, into the arms of an attractive b.onde gir. ho.ding a stenographic pad, who immediate.y threw the pad away and began kissing him. He did not seem to be hurt by the fa.. or the abrupt .anding. Themus was not sure whether they had been tota. strangers before the .eap, but he did record a break in their amours when his 5udio ,ickup caught her panting, -3hat was the name81 Item( a b.ind beggar approached him on the street, crying for a.ms, and when he reached into a pocket to give the fe..ow a coin, the beggar drew himse.f ta..er than Themus had thought he cou.d, and spat direct.y onto Themus jump-boots. -'ot that coin, you c.od, not that coin. The other one.1 Themus was ama9ed, for he had but two coins in his pocket and the one intended had been a si.ver ha.f-ky.e and the one the beggar seemed to want was a copper nark. The beggar became indignant at the de.ay and hurried away, carefu..y sidestepping a group of men who came hurrying out of an a..ey. Item( Themus saw a woman in a te.evi9 booth, rapid.y erasing the wa... %i9 numbers .eft there by a hundred occupants sudden.y disappeared under the womans active hands. 3hen she had the wa..s comp.ete.y bare she reached into a bag at her feet and brought out a tube of spray-paint. In a few minutes the booth was repainted a cherry pink, and was comp.ete.y dry. Then she began writing new numbers in. 5fter an hour and a /uarter, she .eft, and Themus did too. Item( a young woman .owered herse.f by her .egs from the sign above a bar-and-gri.., swinging direct.y into Themus path. "ven upside down she .ooked good to Themus. #he was wearing a pretty print dress and .avender .aceundies. Themus averted his eyes and began to step around her. -He..o,1 she said. Themus stopped and found himse.f .ooking up at her, hanging by her knees from the wooden sign that said, ) 7 *5' "5T H"R" T 0 #he was a beautifu. gir., indeed: bright b.ue hair, a fair go.den comp.e6ion, high cheekbones, .ove.y .egs, de.ightfu. He drew himse.f to attention, turning his eyes s.ight.y away from her, -3atcher Themus at your service, 4iss.1 -I .ike you,1 she said. -7mmm81 asked Themus, not /uite be.ieving he had heard her correct.y. -2o I stutter81 - h-no-certain.y not#: -Then you heard what I said. -3e.., yes, I suppose I did.1 -Then why ask me to repeat it81 -!ecause-because-you just don*t come down that way and te.. someone you .ike them. It isnt-it isnt-we.., it isnt-it just isnt ladyli e#: #he did a doub.e-Hip in the air and came down .ight.y on the ba..s of her feet, direct.y in front of the 3atcher. - h, swi99.egup0 Its .ady.ike if I want to do it. If you cant te.. Im a .ady just from .ooking at me, then Id better find someone who can te.. the difference between the se6es.1 Themus found himse.f /uite enthra..ed. #omehow she was not .ike the rest of the mad inhabitants of this wor.d. #he ta.ked .ogica..y-a.though a bit more forward.y than what he had become accustomed to-and she was certain.y de.ightfu. to .ook at. He began to ask her name, when a c.ear, bright picture of the damned ".i6 came to him. He turned to .eave. #he grabbed him rough.y by the s.eeve, her fingernai.s tink.ing on his armor.

-3ait a minute, where are you going8 Im not finished ta.king to you.1 -I cant ta.k to you. The #uperior doesnt approve.1 He nervous.y ran a hand across the bridge of his nose, whi.e .ooking up and down the street for brother 3atchers. - h, urbb.edoo90 Him01 #he gigg.ed, -He doesnt .ike anything, thats his job. If you ha,e a 5o( to do" do it" you understand=: #he mimicked +urths voice faithfu..y, and Themus grinned in spite of himse.f. #he sei9ed on his gesture of p.easure and continued, hurried.y, <Tm nineteen. 4y name is 2arf.a. 3hats yours, Themus81 -Ive got to go. I.. be sent to the 4ines. This isnt part of my job. Ive got to 3atch, dont you under-1 - h, a.. right0 If I make it part of your stupid #tuffed-#hirt job wi.. you ta.k to me81 #he drew him into a wide, shadowed doorway with much difficu.ty. -3e.., I dont know how you can make it a part of my-1 He .ooked about him in apprehension. *ou.d he be court-martia.ed just for ta.king8 3as he doomed a.ready8 #he cut in, -)oure .ooking for a man named !oo.bak, arent you81 -How did you-1 -5re you are you are you are you are you are you are you are81 -)es, yes" stop that0 I dont know how you found out, but yes, we are, why81 dd.y, he found himse.f s.ipping into the running-away speech of these peop.e, and it was both p.easing and distressing. He was somehow afraid he might be going native. 8ut in less than t+o days= -Hes my unc.e. 3ou.d you .ike to meet him81 -Record01 Themus barked at his dicto-bo6. - h, must you81 2arf.a .ooked toward the twin suns and crossed her arms in e6asperation. Themus brow furrowed and he re.uctant.y muttered, - ff,1 into the bo6. -Im a 3atcher, and thats what Im supposed to do. 3atch. !ut if I dont record it a.., then they cant send it to Eyben-*entra. and there wont be any tapes for me, and I.. get sent to the 4ines.1 He stopped, then added, with a finger stiff.y pointed between her eyebrows, - 5nd that may not bother you" but Ive seen ree.s of the 4ines and craw.ing through a bore-shaft not much wider than your body dragging an ore-sack tied to your .eg, and the chance that steri.ity wont have time to hit before your face just ups and fa..s off, we.., it sort of makes me worry.1 He .ooked at her, surprised. #he was tink.ing. Her .aughter was actua..y a tink.e, fa..ing .ight.y from her and p.easant.y ting.ing his ears. -3hat are you .aughing at81 he frowned, trying to be angry though her .aughter made him fee. .ighter than he had since hed hit this madba.. wor.d. -)our face u's and falls off#: #he .aughed again. -Thats the kind of thing you #tuffed-#hirts wou.d e6pect me to say0 !eautifu.0 )es, Im sure I .ike you.1 The underc.ass 3atcher was confused. He .ooked about in confusion, fee.ing distinct.y as though he had come in during the midd.e of a conversation. -I-Id better be going. I dont think I want to meet your-1 - 5.. right, a.. right. #uppose I fi6 your stupid bo6 so it keeps right on recording: recording things that are happening, in your voice, without your being here, then wou.d you .eave it and come with me 81 -5re you out of your mind81 he ye..ed in a hushed tone. -*ertain.y( she said, smi.ing broad.y. He turned once more to .eave, angry and annoyed at her making fun of him. 5gain she stopped him. -'o, Im sorry. ,.ease, I can do it. Honest.y. Here, .et me have it.1 -$ook, I can*t give you my dicto-bo6. Thats about the most terrib.e thing a 3atcher can do. Id be-Id betheyd hang me, shoot me, starve me, ki.. me, then send the ashes of my cremated stump to our 4ines to be used for feeding the s.ave-apes. $eave me a.one01 The .ast was a rising note, for the gir. had .ifted her skirt and draw.= a curved knife from her garter-be.t and was determined.y prying off the top of the dicto-bo6, sti.. attached to Themus chest. The 3atcher fought down a mad impu.se to ask her why she was wearing a garter-be.t when she wasnt wearing hose, and tried to stop her. -3ait0 3ait0 They.. throw me out of the *orps. #top0 Here, .et go there, wait a minute, I say waitaminuteforgod sake, if you wont stop, at .east .et me take it off so you dont s.ice my throat. Here.1 He s.ipped the shou.der-straps off and unbuck.ed the be.t. The dicto-bo6 fe.. into the gir.s hand and she set to work fumb.ing about in the machines intricate innards. +ina..y she stood up, her feet .ost in a pi.e of wirespoo.s, vacuum tubes, meta. separators, punch-circuits and p.astic coi.s. The bo6 .ooked empty inside, e6cept for a strange.y f.otsam-.ike construction in one corner. -$ook what youve done now01 -#top whining, man0 Its a.. right.1 -If its a.. right, make it record and p.ay back for me.1 He was terrified, indignant, furious and interested, a.. at once.

-I cant1 9&haaaaaaat#: -3hy shou.d I8 Im cra9y, remember81 Themus fe.t his face turn to .ava. -2amn you0 $ook what youve done to me0 In five minutes youve taken me from my *orps and sentenced me to a .ife that may be no .onger than a.t the brains you have, stretched end to end01 - h, stop being so me.odramatic. - #he was smi.ing, tink.ing again. -'ow you can come with me to meet my unc.e. Theres no reason why you shou.d stay here. There is a chance the bo6 wi.. p.ay, if you come back to it .ater, as I said it wou.d. !ut even if it doesnt, staying here is no he.p, since it isnt functioning. I.. get a mechanic to fi6 it, if that wi.. make you any happier.1 -'o *rackpot mechanic can fi6 that, you foo.0 Its a masterpiece of Eyben science. It took hundreds of men thousands of hours to arrive at this- h, whats the use01 He sat down in the doorway, head in his hands. #omehow, her .ogic was sound. If the bo6 was broken, there was no reason for his refusing to go with her, for staying there cou.d on.y bring him troub.e sooner. It was sound, yes, but on.y sound on the muggy foundation of her ruining the machine in the first p.ace. He was beginning to fee. .ike a tom'ora-snake-the kind that swa..ows its own tai.. He didnt know which end was which. -*ome with me.1 Her voice had sudden.y .ost its youthfu. happiness. It was sudden.y strong, commanding. He .ooked up. -&et on your feet1 He arose s.ow.y. -'ow, come with me. If you want to come back to your bo6, it wi.. be here, and it wi.. <'ork. Right now it wi.. do as we.. if you be.ieve Im mad and ruined your dicto-bo6. - #he jerked her head sharp.y toward the street. -*ome on. ,erhaps you can reinstate yourse.f by finding the man named !oo.bak.1 It was hope.ess there among the remnants of the dicto-bo6. There was a chance the gir. wasnt as tota..y insane as she seemed and she actua..y might be !oo.baks niece. 5nd, somehow, against a.. his better, stricter, reasoning to the contrary, her .ogic was /ueer.y sound. In a fugitive sort of way. He went with her. ;3ondering if he was insane, himse.f.= Themus fo..owed the gir. through sections of the city #uperior +urth had missed during his guided tour of inspection. They passed under a beautifu..y fi.igreed arch into a gardened street .ined with monstrous b.ossoms growing to heights of eight and nine feet on either side of the road, casting twin shadows from the bright suns above. nce he stopped her, in the shadows of a towering f.ower, and asked, -3hy did you decide you wanted me to meet your unc.e81 -Ive been watching you a.. day,1 she said simp.y, as if prepared to .eave that as a tota. e6p.anation. -!ut why me81 -I .ike you,1 she said, as though being purpose.y repetitious to impress him. Themus distinct.y got the idea she was treating him as she wou.d a very young chi.d. - h. I see,1 he said, more baff.ed than before. They continued down the street through an area covered by .ong, .ow structures that might have been factories were it not for the impossib.y ta.. and spind.y .ooking towers that reared from the roof of each one. Themus shaded his eyes from the g.are of the twin suns as he sought to g.impse what was at the top of each tower. He cou.d see nothing. -3hat are those81 he asked. He was surprised to hear his own voice. It sounded .ike that of an in/uisitive .itt.e boy. -Ouiet, you.1 That was the .ast thing 2arf.a said ti.. they came out of nowhere and grabbed her and Themus. !efore the 3atcher knew what was happening, a horde, more men than he cou.d count, had surrounded them. They were dressed in everything from .oinc.oth and top hat to burnoose and riding boots. 2arf.a gave one sharp, tiny s/uea. and then .et her hands fa.. .imp.y to her sides. -5.. right, you want your say, so say01 5nger and annoyance f.uttered in her voice. 5 short, pock-faced man wearing a suit that appeared to be made from ropes of different co.ors stepped forward. -3e thought negative ;c.ick-c.ick0= and wanted to ta.k on this at *ave ;c.ick-c.ick0=.1 Themus .istened with growing ama9ement. 'ot on.y did the man intersperse every few words with a meta..ic, unnerving tongue-c.acking, but he said the word -*ave1 with a .ow, mysterious, important tone tota..y un.ike the rest of his speech which was /uite f.at and uninf.ected. 2arf.a raised her hands, pa.ms upward, in resignation. -3hat can I say, 2eere, after I say Im sorry81 The man addressed as 2eere shook his head and said, -;*.ick-c.ick0= we before ta.ked and him not now

ne,er ne,er ne,er# 'othing to say against the ;*.ick0= but hes def but def a stuffed one at .east we.. now for a time ;*.ick0=. *ave.1 #ame c.ucking, same cryptic tone when speaking of the *ave. Themus began to worry in direct proportion to the number of surrounders. -$ets go,1 2arf.a said over her shou.der to Themus, not taking her eyes from 2eere. -3-where81 tremb.ed Themus. -*ave. 3here e.se81 - h, nowhere-I guess.1 He tried to be .ighthearted about it. #omehow, he fai.ed miserab.y. They started off, the surrounders doing a masterfu. job of surrounding: cutting Themus and the gir. off from anyone who might be .ooking. They were a wa.king camouf.age. 2arf.a began to need.e 2eere with caustic, and to Themus, cryptic remarks. 2eere .ooked about to turn and put his pudgy fist in her face, and Themus nudged the gir. to stop. -3oof woof a go.dfish,1 she tossed off as a fina. insu.t. -;*.ick0=1 answered 2eere, sticking his tongue out. It was a huge, feature.ess b.ock in the midst of comp.ete.y empty ground. #omething about it suggested that it was an edifice of tota. disinterest. Themus reca..ed bui.dings he had seen in his youth that had been vague.y .ike this one. !ui.dings he wou.d make a point of not bothering to enter, so uninteresting were they. Inside it was a cave. #ta.actites hung down from the cei.ing in wedge-shaped rockiness. #ta.agmites pushed their way up from the f.oor, spiking the stone underfoot. 5 mud co..ar surrounded a sma.. poo. in which c.ear water ripp.ed. The wa..s were hewn out of rock, the f.oor was sand-covered stone. They cou.d have been five mi.es underground. It was another wor.d. It was crammed with *rackpots. Themus wa.ked between two huge men wearing fe99es and sword-be.ts, behind the c.icking 2eere and ne6t to 2arf.a who .ooked uneasy. Themus fe.t more than mere.y uneasy, He was terrified. -2eere01 It was 2arf.a. #he had stopped, was being pushed unwi..ing.y by the weight of peop.e moving behind her. -I want this ta.ked out right now. Here. 'ow. Here. 'ow. Here. 'ow-1 -2ont ;*.ick0= try that here, 2arf.a. 3e have ours, too, you know ;*.ick-c.ick0=.1 -5.. right. #traight, then.1 -3ere you taking him to see !oo.bak81-)es, why81 -)ou know your unc.e isnt re.iab.e. He cou.d say anything, 2arf.a. 3e have no fear, rea..y, but why tempt the *hances.1 He pursed his pudgy .ips and said, -3e.. have to recondition your 3atcher, gir.. Im sorry.1 There was a murmur from the .arge, rest.ess crowd. Themus did not know what reconditioning was, nor what the who.e conversation had been about, nor who these peop.e were, but he recogni9ed the 3atcher part, and the fact that something unp.easant was about to happen to him. He .ooked around for a way out, but there was none. He was effective.y manac.ed by the sheer weight of numbers. The *ave was fi..ed, and the wa..s were .ined with peop.e. 5.. they had to do was move in and hed be s/uashed. He remained very sti.., turned his inward eyes upward and ran painstaking.y over the .ist of his fami.y $ords, offering up to each of them paeans of praise and p.eas for he.p and de.iverance. -'o, no01 2arf.a was p.eading, -Hes not rea..y: Hes a Eyben. I wou.dnt have been ab.e to stand him, wou.d I, if he were a rea. #tuff81 2eere bit the inside of his cheek in thought. -3e thought so, too, when we got the .ist, but since hes been here, its been too ear.y to te.., and now youve .et him too c.ose to it a... 3e dont .ike this, 2arf.a, but-1 -Test him. He.. show you.1 #he was sudden.y c.ose to 2eere, his hand in hers, her face turned down to the fat .itt.e mans pudgy stare. -,.ease, 2eere. +or what unc.e used to be.1 2eere e6ha.ed hi..y, pursed his .ips again and said, - 5.. right, 2arf.a. If the others say its a.. right. Its not my decision to make.1 He .ooked around. There was a mutter of assent from the throng. 2eere turned to Themus, .ooking at the 3atcher appraising.y. Then sudden.y-Here it is( were mad. )ou must prove to us you are mad. )ou must do-oh, .ets see-five mad acts. Tru.y mad. Right here in the *ave. )ou can do anything but harm one of us or try to escape. 5nd were mad, so we.. know if theyre mad acts or not. 'ow, go on.1

-Te.. him the rest, 2eere, te.. him-1 2arf.a began. -Ouiet, woman0 Thats a.. there is, 3atcher. &o on.1 He stood back, arms fo.ded across his round .itt.e be..y. -4ad8 3hat kind of madness8 I mean, .ike what8 I dont...I cant do any...1 Themus .ooked at 2arf.a. #omething unhinged within him at sight of her, about to cry. He thought for a whi.e. The crowd became impatient, voices ca..ed out things from the pack. He thought .onger. Then his face smi.ed a.. the way from his mouth to his hair.ine. *a.m.y he wa.ked over to 2arf.a and began undressing her. The c.ack of jaws fa..ing was an audib.e thing in the sudden si.ence of the *ave. Themus stripped her piece by piece, carefu..y knotting and pu..ing each piece of c.othing before he went on to the ne6t. !.ouse. Enot and pu.. tight. !e.t. Enot and pu.. tight. #kirt. Enot and pu.. tight. 2arf.a offered no resistance, but her face went stoney and her jaw musc.es worked rhythmica..y. "ventua..y she was naked to the skin. Themus bent down, made sure each item of c.othing was secure.y knotted. Then he gathered it a.. up in a bund.e and brought the armfu. to the gir.. #he put out her arms and he dropped the bund.e into them. -Enots to you,1 he said. - ne,1 said 2eere, Themus cou.d fee. sma.. generators in his head begin to spin, whirr and grind as they worked themse.ves up to a monstrous headache, He stood spradd.e-.egged in the open area among the *rackpots, a ta.., b.ue-haired man with a nose just a trif.e too .ong and cheeks just a trif.e too sunken, and rubbed his a-trif.e-too-.ong nose in deep concentration, 5gain he smi.ed. Then he spun three times on his toes, bad.y, and made a wi.d dash for one of the on.ookers. The *rackpot .ooked around in a.arm, saw his neighbors smi.ing at his discomfort, and .ooked back at Themus, who had stopped direct.y in front of him. The *rackpot wore a shirt and s.acks of mot.ey, a f.at mortarboard-type hat askew over his forehead. The mortar-board s.ipped a fraction of an inch as he .ooked at Themus, The 3atcher stood before him, intent.y staring at his own hand. Themus was c.utching his .eft e.bow with his right hand. His .eft hand was e6tended, the fingers bent up .ike spikes, to form a rough sort of enc.osure, -#ee my gugg.e-fish81 asked Themus. The *rackpot opened his mouth once: strang.ed a bit, c.osed his mouth, strang.ed a bit, opened his mouth again. 'othing came out. Themus e6tended his hand direct.y under the others nose. It was obvious.y a bow. he was ho.ding in his hand. -#ee my gugg.e-fish81 he repeated. *onfused, the *rackpot managed to say, -3)+hat g-gugg.e-fish 8 I dont see any fish.1 -That isnt odd,1 said Themus, grinning, -they a.. died .ast week.1 ver the roar of the crowd the voice of a b.ocky-faced man ne6t to the mot.ey-wearer rose( -I see your gugg.e-fish. Right there in the bow.. I see them. 'ow what81 -)oure cra9ier than I am,1 said Themus, .etting the mythica. bow. evaporate as he opened his hand, -I dont have any bow..1 -Two:1 said 2eere, his brow furrowed. 3ithout wasting a moment, Themus began shoving the *rackpots toward the wa... 3ithout resistance they a..owed themse.ves to be pushed a bit. Then they stopped. -+or this one I.. need everyones he.p,1 said Themus. -"verybody has to .ine up. I need everyone in a straight .ine, a rea. straight .ine.1 He began shoving again. This time they a.. a..owed themse.ves to be pushed into a semb.ance of order, a .ine straight across the *ave. -'o, no,1 muttered Themus s.ow.y, -that isnt /uite good enough. Here.1 He went to one end, began moving each *rackpot a bit forward or backward ti.. they were a.. appro6imate.y in the same positions of the .ine. He went to the right end and s/uinted down the .ine. -)ou there, fourth from the end, move back a ha.f-step, wi.. you. 7h, yes, thats-just-stop0 +ine. 'ow you,1 he pointed to a fe..ow with ye..ow bagged-out trousers and no shirt, -move up just a smidgee-un-uh-nuh0 Sto'# Thats just perfect.1 He stepped back away from them and .ooked a.ong both ways, surveying them as a genera. surveys his troops. -)oure a.. nice.y in .ine. 5.. the same. The *rackpots are neat.y maneuvered into being regimented #tuffed-#hirts. Thank you,1 he said, grinning wide.y.

-Three,1 said 2eere, b.ushing and furrowed at the same time. Themus was pacing back and forth by the time the crowd had hurried.y and se.f-conscious.y gotten itse.f out of rank and c.umped around the *ave again. He paced from one huge sta.agmite, kicking it on turning, to the edge of the mud-surrounded poo. and began scrabb.ing in the mud at his feet. He scooped up two huge handfu.s of the runny stuff and carried it a few feet away to a rock surface. ,.unking it down he hurried back for another handfu.. This he carried with wi.d abandon, spraying those near him with drops of the gunk, ti.. he was back where he had deposited the previous .oad. Then he stopped, considered for a .ong moment, then p.aced the mud ginger.y atop the other, at an ang.e. Then he hurried back for more. This he again p.aced with carefu. de.iberation, tongue poking from a comer of his mouth, eyes narrowed in contemp.ation. Then another .oad. 5nd another. "ach one p.aced with more care than the .ast, ti.. he had a huge structure over four feet ta... He stepped back from it, .ooked at it, raised his thumb and s/uinted at it through one eye. Then he raced back to the deep ho.e that had been gouged out of the mud and took a fingerfu. of the stuff. He ran back, patted it carefu..y into p.ace, smoothed it with an e6perienced hand, and stepped back, with a sigh and a .ook of utter contentment and achievement. -5h0 Dust the way I wanted it,1 he said... ...and jumped into the ho.e. -+our,1 said 2eere, tears of .aughter streaming down his cheeks. Themus sat in the ho.e, .egs drawn up and crossed, hands cupping his chin, e.bows on knees. He sat. 5nd sat .onger. 5nd sti.. sat. 5nd remained seated. 2eere wa.ked over to him and .ooked down. -3hat is the fifth act of madness81 -There isnt any.1 4ore /uick.y than anyone cou.d fo..ow, he had swive.ed back and his head had revo.ved on his head in a b.ur, 96here isn*t any=: -Im going to sit here and not do any more.1 The crowd murmured again. -3hat81 cried 2eere. -3hat do you mean, you wont do any more8 3e set you five. )ouve done four. 3hy no fifth81 -!ecause if I dont do a fifth, you.. ki.. me, and I think thats mad enough even for you.1 Though 2eeres back was turned and he was wa.king away, Themus was certain he heard, -+ive,1 from somewhere. -They want you to come back here again after youve seen my unc.e,1 said 2arf.a, a definite chi.. in her voice. They were wa.king brisk.y down a moving traverseway, the gir. a few steps ahead of the 3atcher. Themus knew he had a sma.. prob.em on his hands. -$ook, 2arf.a, Im sorry about that back there, but it was my .ife or a .itt.e embarrassment for you. It was the first thing I cou.d bring to mind, and I had to sta.. for time. Im really sorry, but Im sure theyve seen a woman naked before, and you must have been naked before a man before so it shou.dnt-1 Themus fe.. si.ent. The continued down the traverseway, 2arf.a striding forward, anger evident in each .ong step. +ina..y the gir. came to an intersection of be.t-strips and agi.e.y swung across ti.. she was on the s.owest moving outer be.t. #he stepped off, took severa. rapid steps to .ose momentum, and turned to Themus. -3ed better stop in here for a moment and get you something to wear over that 3atcher uniform. It isnt hard to avoid the #tuffed-#hirts, - she said, .ooking at him with disparagement, -but theres no sense taking foo.ish chances.1 #he indicated a sma.. shop that was a.. window and no door, with a hasti.y painted message across one of the panes. "$&I# TH" * #T74"R and I+ 3" 2 'T & T IT, IT 5I'T 3 RTH H5%I'&0 They entered through a c.ever.y designed window that spun on a center-pin. Inside the shop 2arf.a spoke brief.y to a ta.., thin *rackpot in b.ack ha.f-mask and body-tight b.ack suit. He

disappeared down a shaft in the f.oor from which stuck a shining po.e. The gir. pu..ed a bo.t of c.oth off a corner of the counter and perched herse.f, with trim .egs crossed. Themus stood .ooking at the shop. It was a costumers a.. right, and with an arrangement and se.ection of fantastic capacities. *.othing ranged from rustic Eyben farmgarb to the .atest spun p.astene fibers from a..over the &a.a6y. He was marve.ing at the end.ess varieties of c.othing when the ta.., thin *rackpot s.id back up the po.e. He stepped off onto the f.oor, much to Themus ama9ement, and no e.evator-disc fo..owed him. It appeared that the man had come up the po.e the same way he had gone down, without mechanica. assistance. Themus was .ong past worrying over such apparent inconsistencies. He shrugged and .ooked at the suit the fe..ow had brought up with him. Ten minutes .ater he .ooked at the suit on himse.f, in a fu..-.ength mirror-cube, and smi.ed at his sudden change from 7nderc.ass 3atcher Themus to a sheeted and fetish-festooned member of the Toad-Reve.ers cu.t found on +ewb-huh I%. His earrings hung in shining .oops to his shou.ders, and the bag of toad-shavings on his be.t fe.t heavier than he thought it shou.d. He pu..ed the drawstring on the bag and gasped. They +ere toad-shavings. He tucked the bottom fo.ds of the mu.ti-co.ored sheet into his boot-tops, swung the .antern onto his back, and .ooked at 2arf.a in e6pectation. He caught her grinning, and when he, too, smi.ed, her face went back to its recent stoniness. 2arf.a made some kind of arrangement with ".gis, shook his hand, bit his ear, said, -How are the twins, ".gis81 to which the costumer rep.ied, -"h1< in a .ackadaisica. tone, and they .eft. The rest of the trip through the patchwork-/ui.t of %a.asah was spent in si.ence. The *rackpots were not what they seemed. f that Themus was certain. He had been very stupid not to notice it before, and he thought the 3atchers must be even mote stupid for not having seen it in a.. their hundreds of years on Eyba. !ut there was a factor he did not possess. &arbage and water that ran in different directions through the same pipe, a beggar that knew how many coins he had in his pocket, a gir. who cou.d rip out the innards of a dictobo6, .eaving it so it wou.d work-and somehow he was now certain it +ould work-without a human behind it, and a fu..-si9ed cave bui.t inside a concrete b.ock. These were not the achievements of madmen. !ut they +ere mad0 They had to be. 5.. the things which seemed mysterious and superhuman were offset by a mi..ion acts of out-and-out insanity. They .ived in a wor.d of no standardi9ation, no conformity at a... There was no way to gauge the way these peop.e wou.d act, as you cou.d with the Eyben of the stars. It was-it was-we.., insane# Themus nose itched in confusion, but he refrained from unseem.y scratching. -2ont I .ook .ike #anta *.aus81 he said. -3ho81 asked Themus, .ooking at the ro.y-po.y f.orid face and bushy beard. He tried to ignore the jagged.y ye..ow scar that reached from temp.e to temp.e. -#anta *.aus, #anta *.aus, you .out8 Havent you ever heard of the "arthmens mythica. hero, #anta *.aus8 He was the hero of the !att.e of the 5.amo, he discovered what they ca.. The &reat ,yramid of &i9eh, he was the greatest drinker of mi.k out of wooden shoes that p.anet ever knew01 -3hats mi.k81 asked Themus. -$ords, what a c.od01 He screwed up his .ips in a chi.dish pout. -I did immense research work on the subject. Immense01 Then he muttered, under his breath, a.most an afterthought, -Immense.1 The o.d man was frightened. It showed, even through the jovia.ity of his garb and appearance. Themus cou.d not understand the o.d man. He .ooked as though he wou.d be /uite the maddest of the .ot, but he ta.ked in a soft, a.most whispering voice, .ucid.y, and for the most part of fami.iar things. )et there was something about him which set him apart from the other *rackpots. He did not have the wi.d-eyed .ook. 'o one was saying anything and the sounds of their breathing in the basement hide-out was .oud in Themus ears. - 5re you !oo.bak, the stee.-pincher81 the 3atcher asked, to make conversation. It seemed .ike the thing to say. The bearded o.dster shifted his position on the coa. pi.e on which he was sitting, b.ackening his beard, covering his red suit with dust. His voice changed from a whisper to a shri... - 5 spy0 5 spy0 Theyve come after me. )ou.. do it to me0 )ou.. bend it0 &et away from me, get away from me, gedda way from me, geddawayfromee01 The o.d man was peering out from over the top of the pi.e, pointing a shaking finger at Themus. -7nc.e !oo.bak01 2arf.as brows drew down and she c.apped her hands together. The o.d man stopped

shouting and .ooked at her. -3hat81 he asked, pouting chi.dish.y. -Hes no spy, whatever he is,1 she said, casting a definite.y contemptuous g.ance at Themus. -He was a 3atcher a.erted to find you. I .iked him,1 she said .ooking toward the cei.ing to find sa.vation for such a fou. deed, -and I thought that it was about time you stopped this nonsense of yours and spoke to one of them. #o I brought him here.1 -'onsense8 'onsense, is it0 3e.., youve sea.ed my doom, gir.0 'ow they.. bend it around your poor unc.es head as sure as Eoobis and ,oorah rise every morning. h, what have you done 81 The gir. shook her head sad.y, - h, stop it, wi.. you. 'o one wants to hurt you. #how him your stee.pinching.1 -'o01 he answered, pouting again. Themus watched in ama9ement. The man was seni.e. He was a tottering, doddering chi.d. f what possib.e use cou.d he be 8 f what possib.e interest cou.d he be to both the 3atchers and the *rackpots, who had tried to stop 2arf.as bringing him here8 #udden.y the o.d man smi.ed secret.y and moved in c.oser, sid.ing up to the 3atcher as though he had a treasure everyone was after. He made sma.. motions with his pudgy fingers, indicating he wanted Themus attention, his patience, his si.ence, and his ear, in that order. It was a most e.o/uent motioning, and Themus found he was comp.ying, though no voca. re/uest had been made. He bent c.oser. 7nc.e !oo.bak dug into a pocket of the red coa.-coated jacket, and fished out a cane-shaped, striped piece of candy. -3ant a piece of candy8 Huh, want it, huh81 Themus fe.t an urge to bo.t and run, but he summoned a.. his dignity and said, -Im Themus, 7nderc.ass 3atcher, and I was to.d you-pitch stee.. Is that right81 +or a moment the o.d man .ooked unhappy that the 3atcher did not want any candy, then sudden.y his face hardened. The eyes .ost their twink.e and .ooked .ike two co.d diamonds b.a9ing at him. !oo.baks voice, too, became harder, more mature, actua..y o.der. -)es, thats right, I <pinch stee., as you put it. )ou wonder what that means, eh81 Themus found himse.f unab.e to ta.k. The mans who.e demeanor had changed. The 3atcher sudden.y fe.t .ike a chi.d before a great inte..ect. He cou.d on.y nod. -Here. $et me show you.1 The o.d man went behind the furnace and brought out two p.ates of stee.. +rom a workbench a.ong one wa.. he took a meta. punch and doub.e-headed hammer. He threw down one of the p.ates, and handed Themus the punch and hammer. -,ut a ho.e in this with that punch,1 he said, motioning Themus toward the other p.ate, which he had .aid f.at on the workbench. Themus hesitated. <-*ome, come, boy. 2ont dawd.e.1 The 3atcher stepped to the workbench, set the punch on the p.ate and tapped .ight.y ti.. he had a ho.e started. Then he p.aced the punch in it again and brought the hammer down on its head with two swift strokes. The c.angs rang .oud in the dim basement. The punch sank through the p.ate and went a /uarter-inch into the tab.e. -I didnt hit it very hard,1 Themus e6p.ained, .ooking over his shou.der at -#anta *.aus,1 -Thats a.. right. Its very soft stee.. Too many impurities. Eyben spacecraft are made of a stee. which isnt too much better than this, though they back it with strong reinforcers. 'ow watch.1 He took the p.ate in his hand, ho.ding it between thumb and forefinger at one comer, .etting it hang down, 3ith the other hand he pinched it at the opposite comer, pressing thumb and forefinger together tight.y. The p.ate crumb.ed to dust, drifting down over the o.d mans pinching hand in a bright stream. Themus mouth opened of its own accord, his chest tightened. #uch a thing wasnt possib.e. The o.d man was a magician. The dust g.owed up at him from the f.oor. It was s.ight.y .uminous. He gogg.ed, unab.e to he.p himse.f. -'ow,1 said !oo.bak, ta.king the other p.ate. -,ut a ho.e in this one.1 Themus found he was unab.e to .ift the hammer. His hands refused to obey. ne did not see such things and remain untouched. -#nap out of it, boy0 *ome on, punch01 The o.d mans voice was commanding: Themus broke his trance. He p.aced the punch on the second p.ate and in three heavy b.ows had gone through it and into the tab.e again. -+ine, fine,1 said 7nc.e !oo.bak, ho.ding the second p.ate as he had the first. He pinched it, with a s.ight revo.ving movement of the fingers. The stee. seemed to change. It stayed rigid in shape, but the p.anes of it darkened, ran together. It was a at piece of meta., but sudden.y it seemed to have depths, other surfaces. !oo.bak he.d it out to Themus, -put another ho.e in it.1

Themus took it, wondering.y, and .aid it down on the workbench. It seemed heavier than before. He brought the hammer down sharp.y, three times. The meta. was unmarred. He set the punch and hammered again, harder, ha.f a do9en times. He took the punch away. Its point was du..ed, the punch shank was s.ight.y bowed. The meta. was unscarred. -Its-its-1 he began, his tongue abrupt.y becoming a wad of cotton batting in his mouth. !oo.bak nodded, -Its changed, yes. It is now harder than any stee. ever made. It can withstand heat or co.d that wou.d either me.t to paste or shatter to sp.inters any other meta.. It is impregnab.e. It is the idea. war-meta.. 3ith it an army is invincib.e. It is the c.osest thing to an u.timate weapon ever devised, for it is unstoppab.e. -5 tank composed of this meta. wou.d be a fearsome juggernaut. 5 spaceship of it cou.d pierce the corona of a sun. 5 so.dier wearing body armor of it wou.d be a superman.1 He stood back, his .ips a thin .ine, .etting Themus .ook dumfounded.y at the p.ate he he.d. -!ut how do you-how can you-its impossib.e0 How can you make this8 3hat have you done to it81 Themus fe.t the room swir. around him, but that defied the .aws of the universe. -#it down. I want to ta.k to you. I want to te.. you some things. - He put one arm around Themus shou.ders, .eading him to a f.ight of stairs, to sit down. Themus .ooked at 2arf.a. #he was biting her .ip. 3as this the ta.k the *rackpots did not want him to have with 7nc.e !oo.bak8 Themus sensed( this is it. This is an answer. ,erhaps not the answer to a.. that troub.ed him, but it was, un/uestionab.y, an answer. #udden.y he didnt want to know. He was afraid: terrib.y afraid. He stammered. -2o-do you think you shou.d8 Im a 3atcher, you know, and I dont want to-1 The o.d man cut him off with a wave of his hand, and pushed him down firm.y. -)ou think youre watching us, dont you81 began !oo.bak. -I mean, you think the 3atcher *orps was assigned here to keep an eye on a.. the .oonies, dont you8 To keep the b.ack sheep in the asy.um so the star-f.ung Eyben dont .ose face or esteem in the &a.a6y, isnt that it81 Themus nodded, re.uctant.y, not wanting to insu.t the o.d man. !oo.bak .aughed. -+oo.0 3e +ant you here. 2o you think for a moment wed a..ow you b.undering pompous snoopers around if we didnt have a use for you8 -$et me te.. you a story,1< the o.d man went on. -Hundreds of years ago, before what you b.issfu..y ca.. the Eyben "6p.osion into space, both *rackpots and #tuffed-#hirts .ived here, though they werent divided that way, back then. The #tuffed-#hirts were the administrators, the imp.ements of keeping everything neat.y fi.ed, and everyone in .ine. That type seems to gravitate toward positions of inf.uence and power. -The *rackpots were the nonconformists. They were the ones who kept coming up with the new ideas. They were the ones who painted the great works of art. They were the ones who composed the most memorab.e music. They were the ones who overf.owed the .unatic asy.ums. They thought up the great ideas, true, but they were a thorn in the side of the #tuffs, because they cou.dnt be predicted. They kept running off in a.. directions at once. They were a regimenta. prob.em. #o the #tuffs tried to keep them in .ine, gave them tedious .itt.e chores to do, compartmenta.i9ed them in thought, in habits, in attitudes. The noncons snapped. There is no record of it, but there was a.most a war on this p.anet that wou.d have wiped out every Eyben-of both breeds-to the .ast man.1 He rubbed a hand across his eyes, as if to wipe away unp.easant images. Themus and 2arf.a .istened, intent.y, their eyes fastened to those of the o.d man in his ridicu.ous costume. Themus knew 2arf.a must have heard the story before, but sti.. she strained to catch every sound !oo.bak made. -$ucki.y, the coo.er heads won. 5n a.ternate so.ution was presented, and carried out. )ouve a.ways thought the Eyben .eft their misfits, the *rackpots, behind. That we were .eft here because we werent good enough, that we wou.d disgrace our hard-headed pioneers before the other races, isnt that the story youve a.ways heard8 That we are the b.ack sheep of the Eyben81 He .aughed, shaking his head. -+oo.s0 3e threw you out0 3e didnt want you tripping a.. over our hee.s, annoying us. 3e werent .eft behind-you were thrown away01 Themuss breath caught in his throat. It was true. He knew it was true. He had no doubts. It was so. In the short space of a few seconds the who.e structure of his .ife had been inverted. He was no .onger a member of the e.ite corps of the e.ite race of the universe: he was a c.od, an unwanted superf.uousity, a tin so.dier, a carbon copy. He started to say something, but !oo.bak cut him off. -3e have nothing against ru.ing the &a.a6y. 3e .ike the idea, in fact. 4akes things nice when we want something unusua. and it takes inf.uence to get it /uick.y. !ut why shou.d we bother doing the work when we can pu.. a string or two and one of you armor-p.ated puppets wi..

perform the menia. tasks. -*ertain.y we a..ow you to ru.e the &a.a6y. It keeps you out of troub.e, and out of our hair. )ou ru.e the &a.a6y, but +e ru.e you#: Thunder ro..ed end.ess.y through the 3atchers head. He was being bombarded with .ightning, and he was certain any moment he wou.d rip apart. It was too much, a.. too sudden.y. !oo.bak was sti.. ta.king( -3e keep the 3atcher *orps on other wor.ds both for spying purposes and as a cover-up, #o we can have a 3atcher *orps here on Eyba without attracting any attention to ourse.ves. 5 few hundred of you arent that much bother, and its ridicu.ous.y easy to avoid you when we wish to. !etter than a who.e p.anet of you insufferab.e bores... He stopped again, and pointed a pudgy finger at Themus chest armor. -3e estab.ished the 3atcher *orps as a .iaison between us, when we had innovations, new methods, concepts ready for use, and you, with your graspy .itt.e hands a.ways ready to accept what the <.unatics back home had come up with. -7sua..y the ideas were put into practice and you never knew they originated here. -3e made sure the 3atchers basic motto was to watch, watch, watch, whatever we did, to save ourse.ves the troub.e of getting the information back where it wou.d do the most good, undistorted-and be.ieve me, if we didnt want you to see something, it wasnt hard to hide it from you: youre rea..y /uite simp.e and stupid anima.sso when we had a new invention or concept, a.. we had to do was wa.k into a pub.ic s/uare and demonstrate it for you. Pe$ulla" see-'e$ulla" do.1 Themus mused a.oud, interrupting the o.d man, -!ut what does, we.., stacking 5u(a-fruits in the s/uare demonstrate81 -3e wou.dnt e6pect your simp.e-ce..ed minds to grasp something .ike that immediate.y,1 answered !oo.bak. -!ut I happen to know #hei.a, who did that, and I know what he was demonstrating. He was i..ustrating a new system of .ibrary fi.ing, twice as efficient as the o.d one. -He knew it wou.d be dictated, sent back to Eyben-*entra. and fina..y understood for what it was. 3e give you enough c.ues. If something seems strange, think about it a whi.e, and a .ogica. use and e6p.anation wi.. appear. 7nfortunate.y, that is the one facu.ty the #tar-+.ung Eyben are incapab.e of using. Their minds are patterned, their thoughts set in tracks.1 The .augh was a barb this time. -!ut why are you a.. so-so)mad=: Themus asked, a /uavering note in his voice. -!eginning to crack, boy8 I.. te.. you why were mad" as you put it. 3ere not mad, were just doing what we want, when we want, the way we want. )ou rigid-thinkers cant recogni9e the hea.thy sanity of that. )ou think everyone has to wear a standardi9ed set of c.othes, go to his dentist a specified number of times, worship in de.ineated forms, marry a specified type of mate. In other words, .ive his .ife in a mo.d. -The on.y way to stimu.ate true creativeness is to a..ow it to grow unchained with restrictions. 3ere not mad at a... 3e may put on a bit, just to cover from you boobs, but were saner than you. *an you change the mo.ecu.ar structure of a piece of stee., just by touching it at a juncture of atom-chains81 -Is that-that-how you did it81 Themus asked. -)es. How far cou.d I have gotten on a thing of this kind if Id grown up in a cu.ture .ike the one youve a.ways known8 -+or every mad thing you see on this wor.d, there is a .ogica., sane answer.1 Themus fe.t his knees shaking. This was a.. too much to be taken at one sitting. The very fiber of his universe was being unwound and sp.it down the grain. He .ooked at 2arf.a for the first time in what seemed an eternity, and found it impossib.e to te.. what she was thinking. -!uy why havent you shown this stee.-pinching to the 3atchers, if you want them to know a.. the new concepts81 the incredu.ous Themus /uestioned. !oo.baks face sudden.y went s.ack. The eyes became g.assy and twink.y again. His face became f.ushed. He c.apped his hands together chi.dish.y. - h, no0 I dont want that01 -!ut why81 demanded Themus. 5gain the o.d mans face changed. This time abject terror shone out. He began to sweat. -Theyre gonna chase me, and bend a bar of iron around my head.1 He .eaped up and ran in a f.urry back to the coa. pi.e, where he burrowed into the b.ack dust and peered out, tremb.ing. -!ut thats cra9y0 'o one wants to bend a bar of iron around your head. n.y a maniac wou.d keep a secret .ike that because of a cra9y reason .ike that01 -"6act.y,1 came 2arf.as voice from behind him, sad.y, -thats just it. 7nc.e is cra9y.1

They had wanted to see Themus after his ta.k with 7nc.e !oo.bak, and though 2arf.a had taken pains to cover their tracks, a group of *rackpots were waiting outside the house when they emerged. Themus was white and shaking, and made no movement of resistance as they were hust.ed into a .ow-s.ung bubb.e-roadster and whisked back to the *ave. -3e.., did he ta.k to that mad genius81 asked 2eere. 2arf.a nodded su..en.y. -Dust as you said. He knows.1 2eere turned to Themus. -'ot /uite a.. however, 2o you think you can take more, 3atcher81 Themus fe.t distinct.y faint. ne microscopic bit more added to the staggering burden of reve.ation he had had tossed on him, and he was prepared to sink through the f.oor. However, 2eere was not waiting for an answer. He motioned to a man in a toga and spiked be.t, who came toward Themus. -#ee this man81 2eere asked. Themus said yes. 2eere tapped the man .ight.y on the chest, -#enior 3atcher, +irst &rade, 'orsim, .ate.y disappeared from the barracks at Eyba!ase, %a.asah. - He pointed to three others standing together near the front of the crowd. -Those three were top men in the *orps, over a period often years. 'ow theyre *rackpots.1 Themus eyebrows and hands asked, -!ut how81 -There is a gravitating factor among Eyben,1 he e6p.ained. -There are *rackpots who are brought up as #tuffs who rea.i9e when they get here that their thinking has been fettered. "ventua..y they come to us. They come to us for the simp.e reason that the inte..ect rises through the 3atcher ranks, and for severa. reasons gets assigned here. 3eve made sure the smartest boys get fina. assignment here. - n the other side of the .edger there are non-cons who go psycho from the responsibi.ity of being a freethinker when they want supervision, and their thinking directed. They eventua..y wind up as Eyben, after minor reconditioning so they dont remember a.. this,1 he waved his hand to indicate the *ave. -'ow theyre somewhere out there and probab.y /uite happy.1 -!ut how can you make a 3atcher disappear so comp.ete.y, when the who.e garrison here is .ooking--#imp.e,1 said a voice from behind Themus. #upervisor +urth just stood smi.ing. Themus just stood choking. The e.der 3atcher grinned at the confusion swir.ing about Themus face. -How did-when were you-1 Themus stuttered. +urth raised a hand to stop him. -I was an unbending #tuff for a good many years, Themus, before I rea.i9ed the *rackpot in me wanted out.1 He grinned wide.y. -2o you know what did it8 I was kidnapped, put in a barre. with a bunch of chattering 'e$ullas" and forced to think my way out. I fina..y made it, and when I craw.ed out, a.. covered with 'e$ulla)dung" those grinning maniacs he.ped me up and said, <4ore fun than a barre. of 'e$ullas#* Themus began to chuck.e. -That did it,1 said +urth. -!ut why do you send men .ike ".i6 back to the 4ines8 )ou must know how horrib.e it is. That isnt at a.. consistent.1 +urths mouth drew down at the corner, -It is, when you consider that Im supposed to be the iron hand of the 3atcher garrison here on Eyba. 3e have to keep the #tuffs in .ine. They have to be maneuvered, whi.e they think theyre maneuvering us. 5nd ".i6 was getting too far out of .ine.1 -2o you know how c.ose to being ki..ed you came when we brought you here the first time81 2eere said. Themus turned back to the pock-faced .itt.e man, -'o. I-I thought youd just send me back and .et the *orps dea. with me.1 -Hard.y. 3e arent afraid of our b.undering brothers with the armored hides, but we certain.y dont take wide chances to attract attention to ourse.ves. 3e .ike our freedom too much for that. -)ou see, we arent p.ay-acting at being odd. 3e actua..y enjoy and .ive the job of being individua.s. !ut there is a .ogic to our madness. 'othing we do is fo..y.1 -!ut,1 Themus objected, -what are the e6p.anations for things .ike-1 and he finger-.isted severa. things that had been bothering him. -The garbage is negative.y po.ari9ed, so it touches nothing but its side of the sewer pipes,1 e6p.ained +urth. -The beggar, who by the way is a professiona. numismatist, can sense the structura. aura of various meta.s, thats how he knew how many and what type coins you had in your pocket. The *ave here is mere.y an ade/uate job of force-moving .arge areas of soi. and rock, and atomic rea.ignment

He e6p.ained for a few more minutes, Themus astonishment becoming deeper and deeper at each further reve.ation of what he had considered superhuman achievements. +ina..y, the young 3atcher asked, -!ut why havent these discoveries been turned over to Eyben-*entra.81 -There are some things our .itt.e categori9ing brothers arent ready for, as yet,1 e6p.ained 2eere. -"ven you were not ready. *hance saved you, you know.1 Themus .ooked start.ed. -*hance81 -3e.., chance, and your innate inte..igence, boy. 3e had to see if there was enough non-con in you to a..ow you to .ive. The reconditioning in your case wou.d have been-ah-something of a fai.ure. The five mad acts you were to perform not on.y had to be mad-they had to be lo$ically mad. They each had to i..ustrate a point.1 -3ait a minute,1 said Themus. I had no idea what I was going to do. I just did it, thats a...1 -7m-hm. Ouite right, but if you didnt know, at .east your subconscious was ab.e to put two and two together and come up with the proper four. The acts you did demonstrated you had courage enough to be a non-con, that you were smart enough to maneuver us *rackpots-so it wou.d be easy enough for you to he.p us maneuver the #tuffs-that you cou.d be a non-con thinker when you had to be, and even you knew you were too va.uab.e to ki... -"ven if you werent in on it, your subconscious and the rest of us were.1 -!ut-but-what I dont get is, why did you try to stop me from seeing !oo.bak and then .et me go, and why does !oo.bak hide from you and the 3atchers both81 - ne at a time, - rep.ied 2eere. -!oo.bak hides because he is mad. There are some .ike that in every group. He happens to be a genius, but hes a.so a tota. madman. 3e dont try to keep tabs on him, because we a.ready have the inventions hes come up with, but we dont put him out of the way because he might get something new one of these days we don*t have, and then too, he was a great man once, .ong before-1 He stopped sudden.y, rea.i9ing he had stepped over the .ine from e6p.anation to maud.inity. -3ere not barbarians. 'or are we a secret underground movement. 3e dont want to overthrow anything, we just want to do as we p.ease. If our brothers fee. .ike foaming up and ru.ing star-systems, a.. we.. and good, it makes it easier for us to obtain the things we want, so we he.p them in a /uiet way. !oo.bak isnt doing anyone any harm, but we didnt think you were ready to be e6posed to too much non-con thinking a.. at once, as we knew !oo.bak wou.d do. He a.ways does. -!ut 2arf.a was so concerned, and she seemed to .ike you, so we took a chance. It seemed to work out, .ucki.y for you.1 Themus .ooked at the gir.. #he was staring at him as though a .ayer of ice covered her. He smi.ed to himse.f. 5ny amount of ice can be thawed by the proper app.ication of intensive heat. -3e didnt want you to see him at first,1 2eere went on, -because we knew he wou.d dump the cart. !ut when you showed us you were f.e6ib.e enough to do the five mad acts, we knew you cou.d take what !oo.bak had to say. -5nd we .et him e6p.ain it, instead of us, because hes one damned fine story-te..er. He can ho.d the interest. Hes a born minstre. and youd be.ieve him before us.1 -!ut why did he te.. me a.. that8 I thought you wanted it a.. kept /uiet8 He hard.y knew me and he e6p.ained the who.e situation, the way it rea..y is. 3hy81 Themus in/uired. -3hy8 !ecause hes comp.ete.y out of his mind-and hes a big-mouth to boot,1 2eere stated, -3e to.erate !oo.bak, but we make sure he keeps away from the 3atchers, for the most part. If he does get through, though, it eventua..y shutt.es to +urth and we snap a .id on it. I suppose he was ready to te.. you because 2arf.a brought you to him. He has a soft spot for her. -3hat I want to know is, why did 2arf.a take you off your rounds in the first p.ace81 2arf.a .ooked up. #he had been id.y running her toe through the mud near the poo.. -I went through his dossier. He was too bri..iant for the *orps. His record indicated any number of checkpoints of upper-.eve. inte..igence. #o I went and found him. He didnt react as most #tuffs wou.d have, when I app.ied a few stimu.i, such as ruining his dicto-bo6.1 Themus winced at the memory of the dicto-bo6. -!ut what made you .ook up his dossier81 demanded +urth. 2arf.a hesitated, and a go.d b.ush crept up her cheeks. -I saw him get off the ship from ,enares-!ase. Iwe..-I rather .iked his appearance. )ou know.1 #he .ooked down again, embarrassed. 2eere made a gun with thumb and forefinger, pointed it at her, -If you dont stop taking these things into your own hands0 Theres a group who .ooks into things .ike that. 3ed have gotten to him in time.1 Themus rubbed his nose in ama9ement. -I-I just cant be.ieve a.. this. Its so fantastic. #o unrea..1 -'o more unrea. to be.ieve every man is a sing.e brain with individua. thoughts than to be.ieve hes a member of a group mind with the same thoughts for a...1

He c.apped the 3atcher on the back. -5re you prepared to drop your .ife as a 3atcher and become one of us8 I think you.. be /uite a find. )our five acts were the maddest weve seen in a .ong time.1 -!ut Im not a *rackpot. Im a #tuffed-#hirt. Ive a.ways been one.1 -!osh0 )ou were brought up to think you were one. 3eve shown you there are other ways to think, now use them.1 Themus considered. Hed never rea..y had anything, as a member of the Eyben race-the ru.ers of the universe-but a constant unease and a fear of the 4ines. These peop.e a.. seemed so free, so c.ever, so-so-He was at a .oss for words. -*an you take me out of sight of the *orps 81 he asked. -"asiest thing in the wor.d,1 said +urth, -to make you drop out of sight as Themus, the 3atcher, and make you reappear as-.ets say-&ugg.efish, the *rackpot 4ountebank.1 Themus face broke into the first fu.., unreserved smi.e he cou.d reca... -Its a dea., I suppose. Ive a.ways wanted to .ive in a madhouse. The on.y thing that bothers me is 7nc.e !oo.hak. )ou foo. the #tuffs by pretending madness, and we..-you consider !oo.bak mad, so perhaps-1 He stopped when he saw the perp.e6ed .ooks that came over the *rackpots faces. It +as a germ of thought. -3e.come home, maniac,1 said 2eere.

6he 'ain in this one is the 'ain of a mind (loc ed from all 5oy and satisfaction (y an out+orn idea" an idQe fi6e, a monomaniacal han$u' that tunnels the ,ision. 6hin of someone you no+" e,en someone you lo,e" tra''ed into a corru't or self)destructi,e or anti)social (eha,ior 'attern (y an ina(ility to $et around the road(loc of erroneous thin in$. Pathetic. 6he story is a(out a man and a +oman. 6he +oman is the $ood $uy" the man is the dummy. &hen it a''eared last year in 5na.og, 0elly Freas did a dra+in$ that sho+ed the man as the stron$er of the t+o" his (ody 'ositioned in such a +ay that it loo ed as if he +as 'rotectin$ the lesser female. &ron$. I tried to $et 8en 8o,a" the editor of 5na.og, to get 0elly to alter the dra+in$" (ut it +as too close to the 'u(lication deadline" so it +ent in that +ay. 8ut" much as I admire and res'ect 0elly" I too it not so much as a se7ist attitude on his 'art)Polly +ouldn*t 'ermit such an e,il to e7ist)as an unconscious understandin$ of the massmind of the $eneral 5na.og readershi'" +hich is at core and 'rimarily en$ineers" technicians" scientists" men of the dra+in$ (oard and the s'anner. #o I +asn*t 'er'le7ed or saddened +hen the story came in at the (ottom of 5na.ogs Analytical La(oratory ratin$s. &here else +ould a story that says machismo is (ullshit and a +oman thin s more reasona(ly than a man come in= Diana 0in$ at the ma$a<ine assures me the short stories a.ways come in last" (ut I thin she*s 5ust tryin$ to hel' me o,er a (ad time3 I handle re5ection" I 5ust don*t handle it +ell. @onetheless" I*m includin$ it in this collection" an addition to the stories that a''eared in 're,ious editions of this (oo " not only to $i,e you a little e7tra for your money" (ut (ecause it*s the latest in my Earth)0y(a &ar stories. And +hat +ith 96he ;rac 'ots: here" the first of the series" it ma es a nice little 'ac a$e. 6here*s not much else to say a(out it. 6his isn*t the most soul)sunderin$ tale I*,e e,er tried to +rite" it*s 5ust an attem't to do an actual" honest)to)1od science fiction story for 5na.og. 6o see if I could do it on my o+n terms. And to see if I could gig the 5na.og readers of thirty)and)more years* $ood standin$" +ho +ould ha,e coronary arrest at seein$ Ellison in the hallo+ed 'a$es of their fa,orite ma$a<ine. ?ou can ima$ine my 5oy +hen I sa+ the issue on the ne+sstands, +ith my name on the front co,er +ith Isaac Asimo,*s" no+in$ that 5na.ogs faithful +ould (e $a$$in$" and no+in$ the little 5i(e I had +aitin$ for them inside +ith

$ eeping 'ogs
TH" '$) -, #ITI%"1 THI'& $ynn +erraro cou.d say about the destruction of the cities of &.obar and #cha.. was that their burning made esthetica..y-p.easing smears of .ight against the night sky of "psi.on Indi I%. -The stiffness of your back te..s me you dont approve, +riend +erraro.1 #he didnt turn at his words, but she cou.d fee. her vertebrae cracking as she tensed. #he kept her face turned to the screens, watching the twin cities shrink as the f.ames consumed them, a wi.d co.ossus whose pi..ared .egs rose to meet a hundred meters above the debac.e. -5 .ot of good my disapprova. does, *ommander.1 He made a sighing sound at her response. -3e.., you have the satisfaction of knowing your report wi.. more than .ike.y terminate my career.1 #he turned on him, her facia. musc.es tight as sun-dried .eather. - 5nd a he.. of a .ot of good that does the peop.e down there I1 #he was an Amicus %ostis" a +riend of the "nemy, p.aced on board the Terran dreadnought Descartes" #o.ar +orce registry, number #+2L?@@-JJG, in this the forty-first year of the "arth-Eyba 3ar, to prevent atrocities, to attempt any ind of rapprochment with the Eyben, shou.d a situation present itse.f in which the Eyben wou.d do other than ki.. or be ki..ed. 5nd when it had become c.ear that this .unatic, this butcher, this *ommander Du.ian 2rabi6 was determined to take the p.anet-at any cost-no matter how horrifying.y high-scorched earth if nothing short of that monstrousness wou.d suffice-when it had become c.ear her command powers wou.d be ignored by him, she had fi.ed a .ight-wave report with Terran *entra.. !ut it wou.d take time for the report to reach *entra., time for it to be studied, time for a report-judgment and time for instructions to be .ight-fired back to the Descartes. 5nd 2rabi6 had not waited. *ontravening the authority of the Amicus" he had un.eashed the fu.. firepower of the dreadnought. &.obar and #cha.. burned .ike #odom and &omorrah. !ut un.ike those &od-condemned he..ho.es of an ancient re.igion, no one knew if the residents of &.obar and #cha.. were good, or evi., or mere.y frightened natives of a wor.d caught in the midd.e of an interste..ar war that seemed destined ne,er to end.

-5.. I know,1 2rabi6 had said, by way of justification, -is that p.anets atmospheric conditions are perfect for the formation of the crysta..ine form of the power-minera. we need. If we dont get it, Eyba wi... Its too rare, and its too important to vaci..ate. Im sorry about this, but it has to be done.1 #o he had done it. #he had argued that they didnt even know for certain if the minera. was there" in the enormous /uantities 2rabi6 be.ieved were present. It was true the conditions were right for its formation and on simi.ar wor.ds where the conditions were appro6imated they had found the precious crysta.s in sma.. amounts...but how cou.d even such a near-certainty justify destruction so tota., so inhuman8 2rabi6 had chosen not to argue. He had made his choice, knowing it wou.d end his career in the #ervice: but he was a patriot: and a..egiance overrode a.. other considerations. +erraro despised him. It was the on.y word that fit. #he despised everything about him, but this b.ind servitude to cause was the most .oathsome aspect of his character. 5nd even that was futi.e, as &.obar and #cha.. burned. 3ho wou.d speak the e.egy for the thousands, perhaps mi..ions, who now burned among the stones of the twin cities8 3hen the conf.agration died down, and the rubb.e coo.ed, the Descartes sent down its reconnaissance ships: and after a time, *ommander 2rabi6 and +riend +erraro went to the surface. To murmur among the ashes. *ommand post had been set up on the is.and the natives ca..ed #tand of $ight because of the manner in which the sun.ight from "psi.on Indi was ref.ected back from the s.eek bo.es of the gigantic trees that formed a centra. c.uster forest in the midd.e of the twenty-five ki.ometer spot of .and. 2rabi6 had ordered his recon teams to scour the p.anet and bring in a wide samp.e of prisoners. 'ow they stood in ragged ranks up and down the beach as far as $ynn +erraro cou.d see: perhaps thirty thousand men and women and chi.dren. #ome were burned horrib.y. #he rode on the air.ift p.atform with 2rabi6 as he skimmed smooth.y past them, just above their heads. -I cant be.ieve this,1 2rabi6 said. 3hat he found difficu.t to accept was the diversity of races represented in the popu.ation samp.e the recon ships had brought in. There were !.eshites and 4osynichii in worn .eathers from the wor.ds of J? *ygni, there were *amogas/ues in prayer togas from "psi.on "ridani, there were Eopektans and $ivides from 5.tair II and M: 4i..men from Tau *eti, .donians from $a.ande K??PI, Runaways from Rige.: sta.k-thin fema.e warriors of the #eu.. *.an from 2e.ta *ephei III, beaked Raskkans from the ho..ow asteroids of the 3hip be.t, s/uid.ike #i.vinoids from &rover: ,etokii and %u.pecu.ans and Rohrs and 4awawanias and creatures even 2rabi6s fami.iarity with the "phemeris cou.d not identity. )et nowhere in the thousands of tremb.ing and cursing prisoners-watching the air.ift p.atform as it passed them-nowhere in that horde, cou.d be seen even one sing.e go.den-skinned, tentac.e-fingered Eyben. It was this, perhaps, that 2rabi6 found the more impossib.e to accept. !ut it was so. f the e6peditionary force sent from far Eyba to ho.d this crossroads p.anet, not one survivor remained. They had a.., to the .ast defender, suicided. 3hen the know.edge cou.d no .onger be denied, $ynn turned on 2rabi6 and denounced him with words of his own choosing, words he had fre/uent.y used to vindicate his actions during the two years she had ridden as supercargo on the Descartes. - -3ar is not mere.y a po.itica. act but a.so a po.itica. instrument, a continuation of po.itica. re.ations, a carrying out of the same by other means,1 as Ear. von *.ausewit9 has so perfect.y said. <He snar.ed at her. -#hut your face, Amicus# Im not in a mood for your stupidities01 -5nd s.aughter is not mere.y an act of war, is that right, *ommander8 Is it also a po.itica. instrument8 3hy not take me to see the stacked corpses8 ,erhaps I can fu.fi.. my mission...perhaps I.. .earn to communicate with the dead0 )ou deranged foo.0 )ou shou.d be commanding an abattoir, not a ship of the .ine01 He doub.ed his right fist and punched her fu.. in the face, within sight of the end.ess swarm of he.p.ess prisoners and his own crew. #he fe.. backward, off the air.ift, tumb.ing down into the throng. Their bodies broke her fa.., and within seconds members of 2rabi6s crew had rescued her: but he did not see it: the air.ift had skimmed away and was /uick.y .ost in the f.ash of go.den bri..iance ref.ecting off the ho.y shining trees of #tand of $ight. The adjutant found her sitting on a greeng.ass bou.der jutting up from the edge of the beach. 3aves came in .a9i.y and foamed around the huge shape. There was hard.y any sound. The forest was a.most si.ent: if there were birds or insects, they had been sti..ed, as though waiting. -+riend +erraro81 he said, stepping into the water to gain her attention. He had ca..ed her twice, and she had seemed too sunk in thought to notice. 'ow she .ooked down at him and seemed to re-focus with difficu.ty. -)es, Im sorry, what is it 4r. $a.wani81 -The *ommander wou.d .ike to see you.1 Her e6pression smoothed over .ike the surface of the pa.e b.ue ocean. -3here is he81 - n the main continent, 4i9. Hes decided to take the forms.1

#he c.osed her eyes in pain. -2ear sou.s in He.....wi.. there never be an end8 Hasnt he done enough to this wretched backwash81 Then she opened her eyes and .ooked at him c.ose.y. -3hat does he want with me8 Has there been a rep.y from *entra.8 2oes he simp.y want an audience81 -I dont know, 4i9. He ordered me to come and find you. I have a recon ship waiting, whenever youre ready.1 #he nodded. -Thank you, 4r. $a.wani. I.. be a.ong in a few moments.1 He sa.uted and wa.ked away up the beach and around the bend. #he sat staring out across the ocean: as a.ways( an observer. They had charted the positions of the fifty -forts1 during the first pass at the p.anet. 3hether they were, in fact, forts was entire.y supposition. 5t first they were thought to be natura. rock formations-huge b.ack cubes sunk into the earth of the tiny p.anet: feature.ess, ominous, si.ent-but their carefu. spacing around the e/uator made that un.ike.y. 5nd the recon ships had brought back confirmation that they were created, not natura.. &hat they were, remained a mystery. $ynn +erraro stood with 2rabi6 and stared across the empty p.ain to the enormous b.ack cube, fifty meters on a side. #he cou.d not remember ever having seen anything /uite so terrifying. There was no reason to fee. as she did, but she cou.d not shake the oppression, the sense of impending doom. "ven so, she had reso.ved to say nothing to 2rabi6. There was nothing that could be said. 3hatever motivated him, whatever passions had come to possess him in his obsession about this p.anet, she knew no words she might speak to dissuade him. -I wanted you here,1 he said, -because Im sti.. in charge of this operation, and whatever you may think of my actions I sti.. fo..ow orders. )oure re/uired to be in attendance, and I want that in the report.1 -Its noted, *ommander.1 He g.anced at her /uick.y. There had been neither tone nor inf.ection revea.ing her hatred, but it tremb.ed in the air between them. -I e6pected something more from you.1 #he continued staring at the b.ack, feature.ess cube in the midd.e of the p.ain. -#uch as8 -5 comment. 5n assessment of mi.itary priorities. 5 p.ea to spare these cu.tura. treasures. #omething...anything...to justify your position.1 #he .ooked at him and saw the depth of distaste he he.d for her. 3as it her Amicus status, or herse.f he feared and despised. Had she been repe..ed .ess by his warrior manner, she might have pitied him-1There are men whom one hates unti. that moment when one sees, through a chink in their armor, the sight of something nai.ed down and in torment.1 -The va.idity of my position wi.. insure you never go to space again, *ommander. If there were more I cou.d do, something immediate and fina., I wou.d do it, by a.. the sweet dear sou.s in He... !ut I cant. )oure in charge here, and the best I can do is record what I think insane behavior.1 His anger f.ared again, and for a moment she thought he might hit her a second time, and she dropped back a step into a se.f-defense position. The first time he had taken her unaware: there wou.d be no second time: she was capab.e of cripp.ing him. -$et me te.. you a thing, Amicus" +riend of the "nemy0 )ou fo..ow that word a.. the way8 The Enemy= )oure a paid spy for the "nemy. 5n "nemy thats out to ki.. us, everyone of us, that wi.. stop nowhere short of tota. annihi.ation of the human race. The Eyben feed off a hatred of humankind unknown to any other race in the ga.a6y...1 -4y thresho.d for jingoism is very .ow, *ommander. If you have some information to convey, do so. therwise, I.. return to #tand of $ight.1 He breathed deep.y, damping his rage, and when he cou.d speak again he said, -3hether this p.anet has what I think it has, or not, /uite c.ear.y its been a pri9e for a .ongtime. 5 lon$ time. 5 jot .onger than either of us can imagine. $ong before the war moved into this sector. Its been con/uered and recon/uered and con/uered a.. over again. The p.anets lousy with every marauding race rye ever even heard of. The p.ace is .ike Terran *hina....et itse.f be overrun and probab.y didnt even put up a fight. $et the hordes in, submitted, and waited for them to be swa..owed up. !ut more kept coming. Theres something here they a.. wanted.1 #he had deduced as much herse.f: she needed no .ong-winded superficia. .ectures about the obvious. - 5nd you think whatever it is they wanted is in the fifty forts. Have you spoken to any of the prisoners81 -Ive seen inte..igence reports.1 -!ut have you spoken to any of the prisoners 'ersonally=: -5re you trying to make a case for incompetence, too81 -5.. I asked is if youve spoken-1

9@o" dammit" I ha,en*t s'o en to any of that scum#: -3e.., you shou.d have01 -To what end, +riend81 5nd he waved to his adjutant. 2rabi6 was in motion now. $ynn +erraro cou.d see there was nothing short of assassination that wou.d stop him. 5nd that was beyond her. -!ecause if youd spoken to them, youd have .earned that whatever .ives inside those forts has 'ermitted the p.anet to be con/uered. It doesnt care, as .ong as everyone minds their own business.1 2rabi6 smi.ed, then snickered. 9Amicus" go sit down somewhere, wi.. you. The heats getting to you.1 -They say even the Eyben were to.erated, *ommander. Im warning you: .et the forts a.one.. -+ade off, +riend +erraro. *ommand means decision, and my orders were to secure this p.anet. #ecure doesnt mean fifty impregnab.e fortresses .eft untouched, and command doesnt mean .etting b.eeding hearts .ike you scare us into inaction with bogey men.. The 5djutant stood waiting. -4r. $a.wani,1 2rabi6 said, -te.. the ground batteries to commence G0? signa.. *oncentrate fire on the southern face of that cube.1 -)es, sir.1 He went away /uick.y. -Its war, *ommander. Thats your on.y answer, that its war81 2rabi6 wou.d not .ook at her now. -Thats right. Its a war to the finish. They dec.ared it, and its been that way for forty years. Im doing my job...and if that makes doing yours difficu.t, perhaps it <II show those pimp.yassed bureaucrats at *entra. we need more ships and .ess +riends of the "nemy. Somethin$ has to break this sta.emate with the Eyben, and even if I dont see the end of it I.. be satisfied knowing I was the one who broke it.1 He gave the signa.. +rom concea.ed positions, .ancet batteries opened up on the si.ent b.ack cube on the p.ain. *rack.ing beams of .eashed energy erupted from the projectors, criss-crossed as they sped toward their target and impacted on the near face of the cube. 3here they struck, novae of .ight appeared. 2rabi6 .owered the visor on his batt.e he.met. <-,rotect your eyes, +riend,1 he warned. $ynn dropped her visor, and heard herse.f shouting above the sudden crash of sound, -$et them a.one01 5nd in that instant she rea.i9ed no one had asked the right /uestion( where +ere the origina. natives of this wor.d8 !ut it was too .ate to ask that /uestion. The barrage went on for a very .ong time. 2rabi6 was studying the southern face of the cube through a cyc.op. The reports he had received were even more disturbing than the mere presence of the forts( the .ancets had caused no visib.e damage. 3hatever formed those cubes, it was beyond the destructive capabi.ities of the ground batteries. The barrage had drained their power sources, and sti.. the fort stood unscathed. -$et them a.one8 2ont disturb them8 @o+ do you see the danger, the necessity81 2rabi6 was spira.ing upward, his frustration and an6iety making his voice britt.e and high. -Te.. me how we secure a war 9one with the "nemy in our midst, +riend81 -They arent the "nemy01 she insisted. -$eave them a.one, eh81 -They +ant to be .eft a.one.1 2rabi6 sneered at her, took one .ast .ook through the cyc.op and pu..ed the communicator .oose from his wristcuff. He spoke direct.y to the Descarles" hanging in space above them. -4r. Eokonen01 The voice came back, c.ear and sharp. -)es, sir81 - n signa., pour everything youve got into the primary .ancets. Hit it dead center. 5nd keep it going ti.. you open it up.1 - n signa., sir.1 -2rabi60 3ait for *entra. to-1 -4inus three01 -$et it a.one0 $et me try another-1 -4inus two01 -2rabi6...stop....1 -4inus one0 &o to He.., +riend01 -)oure out of your-1 -*ommence firing01 The .ancet hurt.ed down out of the sky .ike a river of .ight. It struck the cube with a force that dwarfed the sum tota. of annihi.ation visited on the cube a.. that day. The sound ro..ed across the p.ain and the .ight was b.inding. "6p.osions came so c.ose together they merged into one end.ess report, the roof of the cube bathed in

withering bri..iance that riva.ed the sun. $ynn +erraro heard herse.f screaming, 5nd sudden.y, the .ancet beam was cut off. 'ot from its source, but at its target. 5s though a giant, invisib.e hand had smothered the beam, it hurt.ed down out of the sky from the invisib.e dreadnought far above and ended in the sky above the cube. Then, as 2rabi6 watched with eyes widening and the Amicus watched with open terror choking her, the beam was snuffed out a.. a.ong its .ength. It disappeared back up its route of destructive force, into the sky, into the c.ouds, into the upper atmosphere and was gone. 5 moment .ater, a new sun .it the sky as the dreadnought Descartes was strang.ed with its own weapon. It f.ared sudden.y, b.ossomed...and was gone. Then the cube began to rise from the earth. However much .arger it was than what was revea.ed on the p.ain, $ynn +erraro cou.d not begin to estimate. It rose up and up, now no .onger a s/uat cube, becoming a terrifying pi..ar of feature.ess b.ack that dominated the sky. #omehow, she knew at forty-nine other .ocations around the p.anet the remaining forts were a.so rising. 5fter end.ess centuries of so.itude, whatever .ived in those structures was awakening at .ast. They had been content to .et the races of the ga.a6y come and go and con/uer and be assimi.ated, as .ong as they were not severe.y threatened. They might have a..owed humankind to come here and e6ist, or they might have a..owed the Eyben the same freedom. !ut not both. 2rabi6 was whimpering beside her. 5nd not even her pity for him cou.d save them. He .ooked at her, white-eyed. -you got your wish,1 she said -The war is over.1 The origina. natives of the p.anet were taking a hand, at .ast. The sta.emate was broken. 5 third force had entered the war. 5nd whether they wou.d be inimica. to Terrans or Eyben, no one cou.d know. Amicus +erraro grew co.d as the cube rose up out of the p.ain, towering above everything. It was c.ear( roused from s.eep, the inhabitants of the fifty forts wou.d never consider themse.ves +riends of the "nemy.

9%o+ did you come to +rite this story=: I am fre.uently as ed" +hether it (e this story" or that one o,er there" or the soft 'in )and)+hite one in the corner. Gsually" I shru$ hel'lessly. My ideas come from the same 'laces yours come from: ;om'ulsion ;ity" a(out half an hour out of Schenectady. I can*t $i,e a more s'ecific location than that. Once in a $reat +hile" I no+ s'ecifically. 6he story that follo+s is one of those instances" and I +ill tell you. I attended the EEnd &orld Science Fiction ;on,ention /Pacificon DD= on La(or Day" ?@JB. For the 'ast many 9cons": a feature has (een a fan)art e7hi(it" +ith art+or entered (y non)'rofessionals from all o,er the science fiction +orld. Se,eral times /for some as)yet)une7'lained reason2 I ha,e (een as ed to (e amon$ the 5ud$es of this sho+" and ha,e found the le,el of +or to (e 'leasantly hi$h" in some cases really remar a(le. On half a do<en occasions I ha,e found myself +onderin$ +hy the certain illustrator that im'ressed me +as not +or in$ dee' in the 'rofessional scene3 and +ithin a year" in,aria(ly" that artist has left the amateur ran s and (ecome a sellin$ illustrator. At the Pacificon" once a$ain I attended the fan)art e7hi(ition. I +as in the com'any of Ro(ert Sil,er(er$" a +riter +hose name +ilt not (e unfamiliar to you" and the then)editor of 5ma9ing #tories, ;ele 1oldsmith Lalli /the Lalli had only recently (een added" +hen that handsome (achelor lady finally thre+ in the s'on$e and married Mr. Lalli" in +hose direction dirty loo s for a(scondin$ +ith one of the a(lest editors s)f had yet 'roduced2. ;ele had (een tryin$ ,ainly to $et a story out of me. I +as 'layin$ coy. 6here had (een days +hen the cent or cent)and)a)half 5ma9ing #tories 'aid +as mucho dinero to me" (ut no+ I +as A 8i$ 6ime %olly+ood &riter /it says here some+here2 and I +as en5oyin$ sayin$ stu'id thin$s li e" 9you can*t afford me" ;ele": or 9I*ll see if !ose'h E. Le,ine +ill let me ta e off a +ee to +rite one for you...I*ll ha,e my a$ent call you.: ;ele +as ta in$ it staunchly. Since I +as much youn$er" and 'eriodically disru'ted her efficient Kiff)Da,is office" she had tolerated me +ith a stoic resi$n only faintly a''roached (y 6he ;olossus of Rhodes. 9O ay" o ay" (i$ shot": she +as re'lyin$" - I*ll stretch it to t+o cents a +ord" and +e (oth no+ you*re (ein$ o,er'aid. - I sneered" and marched a+ay. I t +as somethin$ of a runnin$ $un(attle for t+o days. 8ut" in 'oint of fact" I +as so tied u' +ith 'rior commitments in tele,ision /that +as my term of menial ser,itude on 96he Outer Limits: = that I ne+ I didn*t ha,e the time for short stories" much as I lusted to do a fe+" to ee' my hand in. 6hat Sunday mornin$ in Se'tem(er" +e +ere at the fan)art e7hi(it" and I +as sto''ed in front of a dis'lay of scratch(oard illustrations (y a youn$ man named Dennis Smith" from ;hula Vista" ;alifornia. 6hey +ere e7traordinary efforts" com(inin$" the (est features of Finlay" La+rence and %einrich 0ley. 6hey +ere youthfully deri,ati,e" of course" (ut 'rofessionally e7ecuted" and one of them held me utterly fascinated. It +as a scene on a fo$$y landsca'e" +ith a mil )+ash of stars dri''in$ do+n the s y" a dim outline of (attlements in the distance" and in the fore$round" a +eird 'hos'horescent creature +ith $reat luminous eyes" holdin$ a (a$ of s ulls" astride a $iant rat" 'addin$ to+ard me. I stared at it for a lon$ +hile" and a small $rou' of 'eo'le clustered (ehind me, also held (y the 'icture. 9If some(ody +ould (uy that" I*d +rite the story for it": I heard myself say. And from (ehind me" ;ele 1oldsmith Lalli*s mar$arine)+arm ,oice re'lied" 9I*ll (uy it for +antastic: you*,e $ot an assi$nment.: I +as tra''ed. %ell hath no fury li e the +rath of an editor +ith sin$le)minded de,otion to duty. Around that stran$e" remar a(le dra+in$" I +rote a story" one of my 'ersonal fa,orites. Dennis Smith had named the 'icture" so I felt it only seemly to title the story the same:

Bright E(es
+""T 3ITH 7T T "#. #oft.y padded feet, furred. +ootsteps sounded gent.y, padding furry, down ink-chi.. corridors of the p.ace. 5 p.ace !right "yes had inhabited since before time had substance. #ince before p.aces had names. 5 dark p.ace, a shadowed p.ace, on.y a b.ot against the eterna..y nightened skies. 'o stars chip-ice twittered insane.y against that night: for in truth the night was mad enough. 'ight was a condition !right "yes understood. 5nd he knew about day... He knew about a.most everything. The worms. The mo.es. The trunks of dead trees. The whites of eggs. 4usic. 5nd random sounds. The sound fish make in the deep. The f.ares of the sun. The scratch of unb.eached c.oth against f.esh. The hounds that roamed the tundra. The way those who have hair see it go pa.e and stiff with age. *.ocks and what they do. Ice cream. 3a6 sea.s on parchment dedications. &rass and .eaves. 4eta. and wood. 7p and down. Here and most of there. !right "yes knew it a... 5nd that was the reason his padding, acoustica..y-sussurating footsteps hissed high in the dark, beamed, si.ent corridors of the p.ace. 5nd why he wou.d now, forever at .ast, make that .ong journey. The giant rat, whose name was Thomas, .ay cur.ed, fetid, s.eeping, near the great wooden gate: and as !right "yes approached, it stirred. Then, .ike a mastiff, it .ifted its bu..et-shaped head, and the bright crimson eyes

f.ickered artfu. awareness. The massive head stiffened on the neck.ess neck, and it shamb.ed to its feet. The wire tai. swished across hand-inset cobb.estones, making scratching sounds in the si.ent night. -Its time,1 !right "yes murmured. -Here, Thomas.1 The great gray creature jogged to him, nu99.ing !right "yes .eg. It sniffed at the net fi..ed with o.d sku..s, and its whiskers twitched .ike ci.ia for a moment. !right "yes swung the great wooden gate open with difficu.ty, dis.odging caked dirt and co.d-hardened c.ots of stray matter. The heavy meta. ring c.anged as he dropped it against the porta.. Then !right "yes swung to the back of the rat, and without reins or prompting, the rat whose name was Thomas, paced steadi.y through the opening, .eaving behind the on.y home !right "yes had ever known, which he wou.d never see again. There was mist on the .and. #trange and terrib.e portents had caused !right "yes to .eave the p.ace. 7nwi..ing to be.ieve what they imp.ied, at first, !right "yes pursued the gent.e patterns of his days-.ike a.. the other days he had ever known, a.one. !ut fina..y, when the b.ood-red and gray co.ors washed in unho.y mi6ture down the skies, he knew what had happened, and that it was his ob.igation to return to a p.ace he had never seen, had on.y heard about from others, centuries before, and do what had to be done. The others were .ong-since dead( had been dead since before *hrist took !arabbas p.ace on the cross. The p.ace to which !right "yes must return had not even been known, had not even e6isted, when the others .eft the wor.d. )et it was !right "yes p.ace, by defau.t, and his ob.igation to a.. the others who had passed before. #ince he was the .ast of his kind, a race that had no name, and had dwe..ed in the cast.e-p.ace for mi..ennia, he on.y dim.y understood what was demanded of him. )et this he knew( the ca.. had been made, the portents cast into the night to be seen by him: and he must go. It was a journey whose .ength even !right "yes cou.d not surmise. The mist seemed to cover the wor.d in a soft shroud that promised .itt.e good .uck on this mission. 5nd, ine6p.icab.y, to !right "yes, there was a crushing sadness in him. 5 sadness he did not fathom, cou.d not p.umb, dared not e6amine. His g.owing sight pierced through the mist, as steadi.y and state.y, Thomas moved toward !right "yes fina. destination. 5nd it wou.d remain unknown, ti.. he reached it. ut of the mist the giant rat swung jaunti.y. They had passed among soft.y-rounded hi..s with water that dripped from above. Then the shou.ders had become b.ack rock, and g.eaming pinpoints of diamond bri..iance had shone in the rock, and !right "yes had rea.i9ed they were in caves. !ut had they come from the .and, inside...or had they come from some resting-.and deep in the bowe.s of the "arth, into these .ess hidden caverns: and wou.d they continue to another outside8 +ar ahead, a dim .ight pu.sed and g.owed, and !right "yes spurred Thomas forward. The dim .ight grew more bo.d, more orange and ye..ow and menacing with sudden soft roars of bubb.ing thunder. 5nd as they rounded the passage, the f.oor of the cave was gone, and in their path .ay a boi.ing scar in the stone. 5 .ava pit torn up out of the so.id stone, hissing and bubb.ing fierce.y with demonic abandon. The .ight burned at !right "yes, and the heat was gagging. The sour stench of su.phur bit at his senses, and he made to turn aside. The giant rat sudden.y bo.ted in panic, arching back, more .ike caterpi..ar than rodent, and !right "yes was tossed to the f.oor of the cave, his net of sku..s ro..ing away from him. Thomas chittered in fear, and took steps away, then paused and returned to his master. !right "yes rose and patted the terrified beast severa. times. Thomas fe.. into /uivering si.ence. !right "yes retrieved the sku..s. 5.. but one, that had ro..ed across the stone f.oor and disappeared with a vagrant hiss into the f.ame-pit. The giant rat sniffed at the wa..s, first one, then the other, and sett.ed against the far one. !right "yes contemp.ated the gash in the stone f.oor. It stretched comp.ete.y across, and as far as he cou.d te.., forward. Thomas chittered. !right "yes .ooked away from the f.ames, into the fear-streaked eyes of the beast. -3e.., Thomas81 he asked. The rats snout twitched, and it hunkered c.oser to the wa... It .ooked up at !right "yes imp.oring.y. !right "yes came to the rat, crouched down, stroked its neat, tight fur. !right "yes brushed the wa... It was not hot. It was coo.. The rat knew. !right "yes rose, wa.ked back a.ong the passage. He found the para..e. corridor ha.f a mi.e back in the direction they had come. 3ithout turning, he knew Thomas had si.ent.y fo..owed, and .eading the way, he moved down the para..e. corridor, in coo.ness. "ven the "arth cou.d not keep !right "yes from what had to be done. They fo..owed the corridor for a very .ong time, ti.. the rock wa..s .eaned inward, and the .ittered f.oor ti.ted toward the sta.actite-spiked cei.ing. !right "yes dismounted, and wa.ked beside the giant rat. There were strange, soft murmurings beneath them. Thomas chittered every time the "arth ratt.ed. +urther on, the passage

puckered narrower and narrower...and !right "yes was forced to bend, then stoop, then craw.. Thomas s.ithered be..y-tight behind him, more frightened to be .eft behind than to strugg.e forward. 5 whisper of chi.., c.ean air passed them. They moved ahead, on.y the g.ow of !right "yes marking a passage. 5brupt.y, the cave mouth opened onto darkness, and co.d, and the wor.d !right "yes had never seen, the wor.d his dim ancestors had .eft, mi..ennia before. 'o one cou.d ever set down what that first sight meant to !right "yes. !ut... ...the chi.. he fe.t, was not chi.d of the night wind. The countryside was a murmuring si.ence. The sky was so b.ack, not even the stars seemed at home. +rightened, .one.y and a.ienated from the universe they popu.ated, the si.ver specks drifted down the night .ike cha.k dust. 5nd through the strangeness, !right "yes rode Thomas, neither seeing nor caring. !ehind him a vi..age passed over the hori9on .ine, and he never knew he had been through it. 'o shouts of ha.t were hur.ed on the wind. 'o one came to darkened windows to see !right "yes pass through. He was approaching there and gone, a.. in an instant of time that may have been forever and may have been never. He was a wraith on the mist-bottomed si.ence. 5nd Thomas, moved state.y through va..ey and vi..age, on.y paced, nothing more. +rom now on, it was !right "yes prob.em. +ar out on the p.ains, the wind opened up sudden.y. It spun down out of the northwest and drove at !right "yes back. 5nd on the tremb.ing coo.ness, the a.ien sounds of wi.d dogs came snapping across the emptiness. !right "yes .ooked up, and Thomas neck hair brist.ed with fear. !right "yes stroked a round, pa.pitating ear and the great rat came under contro.. Then, a.most without sound that was tied to them-for the sound of dogs came from a distance, from far away-the insane beasts were upon them. 5 s.avering band of crimson-eyed mongre.s, some sti.. wearing dog co..ars and c.inking tags, hair grown shaggy and matted with fi.th. 'oses with .arge nostri.s, as though they had had to .earn to forage the .and a.. at once, rather than from birth. These were the dogs of the peop.e, driven out onto the wind, to .ive or die or eat each other as best they cou.d. The first few .eaped from ten feet away, high and f.at in trajectories that brought them down on Thomas back, a.most into !right "yes .ap, their ye..ow teeth scraping and c.attering .ike dice on cement, .unacy bubb.ing out of them as froth and stench and spastic c.aw-scrabb.ings. Thomas reared and !right "yes s.id off without .osing ba.ance, using the bag of sku..s as a mace to ward off the first of the vicious assau.ts. ne great 2oberman had its teeth set for a strike into Thomas be..y, but the great rat-with incredib.e ferocity and ski..-snapped its head down in a scythe.ike movement, and rent the gray-brown beast from jow. to chest, and it fe.. away, b.eeding, moaning piteous.y. 5nd the rest of the pack materia.i9ed from the darkness. 2o9ens of them, circ.ing wari.y now that one of their number .ay in a tremb.ing-wet garbage heap of its own innards. !right "yes whist.ed Thomas to him with a soft sound. They stood together, facing the horde, and !right "yes ca..ed up a ta.ent his race had not been forced to use in uncounted centuries. The great white eyes g.owed, deep and bubb.ing as cau.drons of .ava, and a ho..ow moaning came from a p.ace deep in !right "yes throat. 5 sound of torment, a sound of fear, an evocation of gods that were dust before the "arth began to gather moisture to itse.f in the sense.ess cosmos, before the 4oon had coo.ed, before the patterns of magnetism had sett.ed the p.anets of the #o.ar #ystem in their sockets. ut of that sound, the basic fiber of emotion, .ike some great machine phasing toward top-point efficiency, !right "yes drew himse.f tight and un.eashed the b.ast of pure power at the dogs. !uried deep in his mind, the key to pure fear as a weapon was depressed, and in a b.inding fan of sweeping bri..iance, the emotion washed out toward the horde, a comber of undi.uted, unbuffered terror. +or the first time in centuries, that immense power was un.eashed. !right "yes thou$ht them terrified, and the air stank with fear. The dogs, bu.ge-eyed and hysterica., f.ed in a wave of yipping, tremb.ing, tuck-tai.ed /uivering. 5s if the night cou.d no .onger contain the immensity of it, the shimmering sound of terror bu.ged and grew, seeking re.ease in perhaps another dimension, some higher thresho.d of audibi.ity, and finding none-it wisped away in darkness and was gone. !right "yes stood tremb.ing uncontro..ab.y, every fiber of his body spasming. His pinea. g.and throbbed. 5n intracrania. tumor-whose presence in a human brain wou.d have meant death-abso.ute.y imperative for !right "yes coordinated thought processes, which had swo..en to five times its si9e as he concentrated, ti.. his .eft temp.e had bu.ged with the pressing growth of it-now shrank, subsided, sucked itse.f back down into the gray brain matter, the g.iomas itse.f. 5nd s.ow.y, as the banked fires of his eyes softened once more, !right "yes came back to fu.. possession of himse.f. -It has been a very .ong time since that was needed,1 he said gent.y, and dwe.t for a moment on the powers

his race had possessed, powers .ong-since gone to forgetfu.ness. 'ow that it was over, the giant rat sett.ed to the ground, .icking at its fur, at a s.ash in the f.esh where one of the mad things had ripped and found meat. !right "yes went to him. -They are the saddest creatures of a... They are a.one.1 Thomas continued .icking at his wounds. 2ays .ater, but c.oser to their fina. destination, they came to the edge of a great river. 5t one time it had been a swift.y-moving stream, whipping itse.f high in a pounding torrent fi..ed with co.ors and sounds: but now it f.ushed itse.f to the sea weari.y, riding .ow in its own tide-trough, and hampered by the .og-jam. The .og-jam was made of corpses. !odies, hideous.y b.oated and maggot-white puffed out of human shapes, .ay across one another, from the near shore to the opposite bank. Thousands of bodies, uncountab.e thousands, twisted and pi.ed and washed together ti.. it wou.d have been possib.e to cross the river on the top .ayer of naked mens faces, b.eached womens backs, twisted chi.drens hands crink.ed as if .eft too .ong in water. +or they had been. 5s far upstream as !right "yes cou.d see, and as far downstream as the bend of the banks permitted, it was the same. 'o movement, save the very se.dom jigg.e of a corpse as the water passed through. +or they were packed so deep.y and so tight.y that in truth on.y water at its most s.uggish cou.d wan.y press through. )et the water gurg.ed and twittered among them, stea.ing s.ow.y downstream-caressing rotting f.esh in obscene parody( water, c.eansing steppingstones: po.ishing and smoothing and drenching them sense.ess.y as it marks its passage on.y by what is .eft behind. That was the u.timate horror of this river of dead( that the tide-no matter how he.d-back now-continued unheeding as it had since the wor.d was born. +or the wor.d went on. 5nd did not care. !right "yes stood si.ent.y. 5t the bottom of the short s.ope that ended with shore.ine, bodies were strewn in a care.ess tumb.e. He breathed very deep.y, fighting for air, and the shivering started again. 5s it grew more pronounced, there was movement in the dry-moist river bed. !odies abrupt.y began to move. They tremb.ed as though roi.ing in a stream growing turbu.ent. Then, one by one, they rearranged themse.ves. 5.. up and down the .ength of the river, the bodies shifted and moved and .ifted without aid from their origina. positions, and far off, where their movement to neatness cou.d not be seen, there came the roar of dammed-up water breaking free, surging forward, freed from its restraining wa..s of once-human f.esh. 5s !right "yes tremb.ed, power surging through his s.ight frame, his eyes seeming to wa6 and wane with currents of e.ectricity, the river of corpses freed itse.f from its .og-jam, and was open once more. The water poured in a great frothing wave down and down the corpse-bordered trough of the river. It broke out of a bo6-canyon to !right "yes .eft, .ike a wi.d creature penned too .ong and at .ast set free on the wind. It came bubb.ing, boi.ing, thrashing forward, passed the spot where he stood, and hur.ed itse.f away around the bend in the shore.ine. 5s !right "yes fe.t the tremb.ing pass, the river rose, and rose, and gent.y now, rose. *overing the ghast.y residue of humanity that now .ay submerged beneath the mud-b.ackened waters. The eyes of the tremb.ing creature, the eyes of the giant rat, the eyes of the uncaring day were b.essed.y re.ieved of the sight of decay and death. "motions washed /uick.y, one after another, down his features: washed as /uick.y as the river had concea.ed its sad wea.th: co.ors of sadness, imprinted in a manner no human being cou.d ever have conceived, for the face that supported these emotions was of a race that had vanished before man had wa.ked the "arth. Then !right "yes turned, and with the rat, wa.ked upstream. Toward the morning. 3hen the b.eeding birds went over, the sun darkened. &reat irregu.ar, hard-edged c.ouds of them, a.. species, a.. wingspreads-but si.ent. ,assing across the broad, gray brow of the sky, heading abso.ute.y nowhere, they turned off the sun. It was sudden.y chi.. as a crypt. Heading east. 'ot toward warmth, or instinct, or destination...just anywhere, nowhere. 7nti. they wearied, e6pired, dropped. 'ot manna, garbage. $ive garbage that fe.. in hundredc.ots from the beat-winged f.ights. 4any dropped, f.uttering id.y as if too weary to fight the air currents any .onger. 5s though what tiny instinctua. brain substance they had possessed, were now baked, turned to je..y, s/uashed by an unnameab.e force into an ichorous juice that ran out through their eyes. 5s though they no .onger cared to .ive, much .ess to continue this sense.ess f.ight east to nowhere... ...and they b.ed. 5 rain of birds b.ood, sick and disco.ored. It misted down, beading !right "yes, and the stiff rat fur, and the trees, and the sti.., si.ent, dark .and.

n.y the dead, f.at no-sound of mi..ions of wings metronomic a..y beating, beating, beating... !right "yes shuddered, turned his face from the sight above, and finding himse.f unab.e to .ook, yet unab.e to end the horror as he had the mad dogs or the water of corpses, sought surcease in his own persona. vision. 5nd this, which had driven him forth, was his vision( #.eeping, deep in that p.ace where he had .ived so .ong, !right "yes had fe.t the subt.e a.tering of tempo in the air around him. It was nothing as obvious as machinery beginning to whirr, tremb.ing the wa..s around him: nor as comp.e6 as a shift in dimensiona. orientation. It was, rather, a soft s.iding in the mo.ecu.es of everything e6cept !right "yes. +or an instant everything went just s.ight.y out of synch, a .itt.e fu99y, and !right "yes came awake sharp.y. The thin$ that had occurred, was something his race had pre-set eons before. It was triggered to activate itse.f-whatever -itse.f1 was-after certain events had 'ossi(ly happened. The fact that this shifting had occurred, made !right "yes grow co.d and wary. He had e6pected to die without its ever having come. !ut now, this was the time, and it had happened, and he waited for the ne6t phase. It came /uick.y. The vision. The air before him grew even more indistinct, more roi.ed, .ike a poo. of /uicksi.ver smoke tumb.ing in and in on itse.f. 5nd from that c.oudiness the image of the .ast of the *aste..ans took shape. ;3as it image, or rea.ity, or thought within his head8 He did not rea..y know, for !right "yes was mere.y the .ast of his kind, no specia..ytrained adept, and much of what his race had been, and knew, was .ost to him, beyond him.= The *aste..an was a fifth-degree adept, and sure.y the .ast remaining one of !right "yes race to-go. He wore the purp.e and b.ue of roya.ty, from a House !right "yes did not recogni9e, but the cut of the robe was shorter than sty.es !right "yes reca..ed as having been current-then. 5nd the *aste..ans cow. was up, revea.ing a face that was b.eak with sorrow and even a hint of crue.ty. #uch was not present, of course, for the *aste..ans mere.y performed their duties, but !right "yes was certain this adept had been against the decision to-go. )et he had been chosen to bring the message to !right "yes. He stood, booted and si.ent, in the soft-washed b.ue and white .ightness of !right "yes s.eeping chamber. !right "yes was given time to come to fu.. wakefu.ness, and then the *aste..an spoke. -3hat you see has been gone for ten centuries. I am the .ast, save you. They have set me the task, and this twist of my being, of te..ing you what you must do. If the proper portents trigger my twist to appear before you-pray it never happens-then you must go to the city of the ones with hair, the ones who come after us, the ones who inherit the "arth, the men. &o to their city, with a bag of sku..s of our race. )ou wi.. know what to do with them. -Enow this, !right "yes( we go vo.untari.y. #ome of us-and I am one of them-more re.uctant.y than most. It is a decision that seems on.y proper. Those who come after us, 4en, wi.. have their chance for the stars. This was the on.y gift of birth we cou.d offer. 'o other gift can have meaning between us. They must have our chance, so we have gone to the p.ace where you now .ie. !y the time I appear to you-if ever I do-we wi.. be gone. This is the way of it, a sad and an inescapab.e way. )ou wi.. be the .ast. 5nd now I wi.. show you a thing.1 The *aste..an raised his hands before his face, and as though they were growing transparent, they g.owed with an inner fire. The %isioning power. The *aste..ans face suffused with f.ames as it conjured up the proper vision for !right "yes. It appeared out of .ines of b.ossoming crimson force, in the very air beside the *aste..an. 5 vision of terror and destruction. +.ames man-made and devastating, incredib.e in their he..fire. $ike some great arachnid of pure force, the demon f.ames of the destruction swept and washed across the vision, and when it faded, !right "yes .ay shaken by what he had seen. -If this that I have showed you ever comes to pass, then my twist wi.. appear to you. 5nd if you ever hear me as you hear me now, then go, with the bag of sku..s of our peop.e. 5nd do not doubt your fee.ings. -+or if I appear to you, it wi.. a.. have been in vain, and those of us who were .ess pure in our motivations, wi.. have been proved right.1 #himmering substance, coa.escing nothingness, air that tremb.ed and twittered in reforming, and the *aste..an was gone. !right "yes rose, and gathered the sku..s from the crypt. Then( +eet without toes. #oft.y-padded feet, furred. +ootsteps sounded gent.y, padding furry, down ink-chi.. corridors of the p.ace. 5 p.ace !right "yes had inhabited since before time had substance. He wa.ked through night, out of the p.ace. 'ight was a condition !right "yes understood. 5nd he knew about day... The b.eeding birds were .ong since gone. !right "yes moved through the days, and onward. 5t one point he passed through a sector of tremb.ing mountains that heaved up great s.abs of rock and hur.ed them away .ike epi.eptics ridding themse.ves of c.othes. The ground tremb.ed and burst and screamed and the very earth went

insane to tunes of destruction it had never written. There was a p.ain of dead grass, sere and wasted with great heaps of dessicated insects heaped here, there. They had f.ocked together to the .ast resting-p.ace, and the p.ain of dead grass was poor tapestry indeed to ho.d the imprisoned pigments of their dead f.esh, the acrid and bittersweet pervasive odor of formic acid that .ingered .ike hot breath of a mad giant across the si.ent wind.ess emptiness. )et, how faint, a sound of weeping...8 +ina..y, !right "yes came to the city. Thomas wou.d not enter. The twisted rope-pi..ars of smoke that sti.. c.imbed re.ent.ess.y to the dark sky: the terrib.e sounds of stee. cracking and masonry fa..ing into empty streets: the charne. house odor. Thomas wou.d not go in. !ut !right "yes was compe..ed to enter. Into that .ast debac.e of a... +rom where it had begun. The dead were everywhere, sighing sound.ess.y with mi.kwhite eyes at a tomorrow that had never come. 5nd each fa..en one sound.ess.y spoke the /uestion of why. !right "yes wa.ked with the burden of chaos pu.sing in him. This. This is what it had come to. +or this, his race had gone away. That the ones with hair, the 4en they had been ca..ed, they had ca..ed themse.ves, cou.d stride the "arth. How cheap they had .eft it a... How cheap, how thin, how sordid. This was the .ast of it, the .ast of the race of men. 2ust and dead. 2own a street, woman p.eading out of death for mercy. Through what had been a park, o.d men humped cra9i.y in rigorous fai.ure to escape. ,ast a structure, bui.ding front ripped away as if fingernai.s had shorn it c.ean. *hi.drens arms, pocked and burned, dang.ing. Tiny hands. To another p.ace. 'ot .ike the p.ace from which !right "yes had come, but the p.ace to which he had journeyed. 'o specia. marker, just...a p.ace. #ufficient. 5nd then it was, that !right "yes sank to his knees, crying. Tears that had not been seen since before 4an had come from caves, tears that !right "yes had never known. Infinite sadness. *ried. *ried for the ghosts of the creatures with hair, cried for 4en. +or 4an. "ach 4an. The 4an who had done away with himse.f so absurd.y, so comp.ete.y. !right "yes, on his knees, sorrowing for the ones who had .ived here, and were gone, .eaving him to the night, and the si.ence, and eternity. 5 me.ody never to be heard again. He p.aced the sku..s. 2own in the soft white ash. 7nresponsive, dying "arth, receiving its burden testament. !right "yes, .ast of a race that had condemned itse.f to e6tinction, had condemned him to .iving in darkness forever, and had had on.y the saving wistfu. know.edge that the race coming after wou.d .ive in the wor.d. !ut now, gone, a.. of them, taking the wor.d with them, .eaving instead-no fair e6change-charne. house. 5nd !right "yes: a.one. 'ot on.y their race had been destroyed, in vain, but his" centuries turned to mud and diamonds in their marker.ess graves, had passed in futi.ity. It had a.., a.. of it, been for nothing. #o !right "yes-never 4an-was the .ast man on "arth. Eeeper of a si.ent graveyard: echo.ess tomb monument to the foo.ishness, the absurdity, of nobi.ity.

Pretty 'eo'le ha,e it easier than u$lies. It smac s of clichL" and yet the lo,elies of this +orld" defensi,e to the $ra,e" +ill say" tain*t so. 6hey +ill contend that nice ma es it harder for them. 6hey $et hustled more" 'eo'le try to use them more" and to hear $irls tell it" their $ood loo s are nothin$ (ut curse" curse" curse. 8ut sto' to thin : at least a $ood)loo in$ human (ein$ has that much $oin$ for o'eners. Plain to not)so)nice)at)all fol ha,e to really 5um' for e,ery little crum(. 6hin$s come harder to them. 6he reasonin$ of the rationale is a sim'le one" +e +orshi' the Pe'si 1eneration. &e ha,e a 'atholo$ical lemmin$ dri,e to conceal our a$e" lift our faces" dress li e o,er(lo+n Shirley 6em'les" (lac that $rey in the hair" li,e a lie. &hat e,er ha''ened to $ro+in$ old $racefully" the re,erence of maturity" the search for character as differentiated from su'erficial comeliness= It (e a disease" I +arn you. It +ill rot you from the inside" +hile the outside $lo+s. It +ill escalate into a culture that can ne,er tolerate

The 'iscarded
!"2R)E #53 RII$5 & 452, and watched her throw herse.f against the .ucite port, ti.. her pinhead was a red b.otch of pu.ped f.esh and b.ood. He sighed, and sucked deep.y from his massive be..ows chest, and wondered how he" of a.. the 2iscards, had been si.ent.y nominated the .eader. The ship hung in space, between the 4oon and "arth, unwanted, unnoticed, a raft adrift in the sea of night. 5round him in the ships sa.oon, the others watched Rii.a ki..ing herse.f, and when her body fe.. to the rug, they turned away, a..owing !ed9yk his choice of who was to dispose of her. He chose Dohn #mith-the one with feathers where hair shou.d have been-and the name.ess one who c.anged instead of ta.king. The two of them .ifted her heavy body, with its tiny pea of head, and carried it to the garbage port. They emptied it, opened it, tossed her inside, redogged and b.ew her out. #he f.oated past the sa.oon window on her way sunward. In a moment she was .ost. !ed9yk sat down in a deep chair and drew breath whist.ing.y into his mighty chest. It was a chore, being .eader of these peop.e. ,eop.e8 'o, that was certain.y not the word. These 2iscards. That was a fine wi..owy word to use. They were scrap, refuse, waste, garbage themse.ves. How fitting for Rii.a to have gone that way, out the garbage port. They wou.d all bid goodbye that way some day. He noted there was no -day1 on the ship. !ut some good somethin$)maybe day, maybe night-each of them wou.d go sucking out that port .ike the garbage. It had to be that way. They were 2iscards. !ut peop.e8 'o, they were not peop.e. ,eop.e did not have hooks where hands shou.d have been, nor one eye, nor carapaces, nor humps on chests and backs, nor fins, nor any of the other mutations these residents of the ship sported. ,eop.e were norma.. "ven.y matched sets of arms and .egs and eyes. "ven.y matched husbands, wives. "ven.y distributed throughout the #o.ar #ystem, and even.y dividing the goods of the #ystem between themse.ves and the frontier wor.ds at the "dge. 5nd a.. happi.y disposed to .et the obscene 2iscards die in their prison ship. -#hes gone.1 He had pursed his .ips, had sunk his perfect.y norma. head onto his gigantic chest, and had been thinking. 'ow he .ooked up at the speaker. It was Dohn #mith, with feathers where hair shou.d have been. -I said( shes gone.1 !ed9yk nodded without rep.ying. Rii.a had been just one more in the tradition. They had a.ready .ost over two hundred 2iscards from the ship. There wou.d be more. #trange how these-he hesitated again to use the word 'eo'le" fina..y sett.ed on the word they used among themse.ves( creatures-these creatures had stee.ed themse.ves to the death of one of their kind. r perhaps they did not consider the rest as ma.formed as themse.ves. "ach person on the ship was different. 'o two had been affected by #ickness in the same way. The very fibers of the musc.es had a.tered with some of these creatures, making their .imbs use.ess: on others the pores had c.ogged on their skin surfaces, e.iminating a.. hair. n sti.. others strange juices had been secreted in the b.ood stream, causing weird growths to erupt where smoothness had been. !ut perhaps each one thought he was .ess hideous than the others. It was conceivab.e. !ed9yk knew his great chest was not near.y as unp.easant to .ook upon as, say, #amswopes spiny crest and twin heads. In fact" !ed9yk mused wry.y, many 'eo'le mi$ht thin it +as (ecomin$" this $reat +ed$e of a chest" all matted +ith dar hair and heroic)seemin$. Gh)huh" the others are 'retty misera(le to loo at" (ut not me" es'ecially. )es, it was conceivab.e. In any case, they paid no attention now, if one of their group ki..ed himse.f. They turned away: most of them were better off dead, anyhow. Then he caught himse.f.

He was starting to get .ike the rest of them0 He had to stop thinking .ike that. It wasnt right. 'o one shou.d be a..owed to take death .ike that. He reso.ved, the ne6t one wou.d be stopped, and he wou.d de.iver them a stern warning, and te.. the 2iscards that they wou.d find .andfa.. soon, and to buck up. !ut he knew he wou.d sit and watch the ne6t time, as he had this time. +or he had made the same reso.ve before Rii.a had gone. #amswope came into the sa.oon-he had been on E, a.. -day1 and both his heads were dripping with sweatand picked his way among the conversing groups of 2iscards to the seat beside !ed9yk. -4mm.1 It was a greeting: he was identifying his arriva.. -Hi, #am. How was it81 -4etsoo-met9,1 he gibed, imitating #ca.omina ;the one-eyed e6-p.umber, of #ici.ian descent=, tipping his hand in an obvious #ca.ominian gesture. -I.. .ive. 7nfortunate.y.1 He added the .ast word with on.y a .itt.e drop of humor. -2id I ever te.. you the one about the *andy-5ss *anadian !oi.-#ucker81 He didnt even smi.e as he said it: with either head. !ed9yk nodded weari.y( he didnt want to p.ay that game. -)eah, we..,1 #amswope said weari.y. He sat si.ent.y for severa. .ong moments, then added, with irony, -!ut did I te.. you I was married to her81 His wife had turned him in. 4orbidity ran knee-deep on the ship. -Rii.a ki..ed herse.f a .itt.e bit ago,1 !ed9yk said care.ess.y. There was no other way to say it. -I figured as much,1 #amswope e6p.ained. -I saw them carrying her past the ga..ey to the garbage .ock. Thats number si6 this week a.one. )ou going to do anything, !ed9yk81 !ed9yk twisted abrupt.y in his chair. He .eve.ed a ga9e at a spot direct.y between #amswopes two heads. His words were bitter with he.p.essness and anger that the burden shou.d be p.aced upon him. -3hat do you mean, what am I going to do8 Im a prisoner here, too. 3hen they had the big roundup, I got snatched away from a wife and three kids, the same as you got pu..ed away from your used car .ot. 3hat the he.. do you want me to do8 !eg them not to bash their heads against the .ucite, it.. smear our nice north view of space01 #amswope wiped both hands across his faces simu.taneous.y in a weary pattern. The b.ue eyes of his .eft head c.osed, and the brown eyes of his right head b.inked /uick.y. His .eft head, which had been speaking ti.. now, nodded onto his chest. His right head, the near.y-dumb one, mumb.ed incoherent.y-#amswopes .eft head jerked up, and a .ook of disgust and hatred c.ouded his eyes. -#hut up, you-fucking moron01 He cracked his right head with a fu.. fist. !ed9yk watched without pity. The first time he had seen #amswope f.ai. himse.f-wou.d f.age..ate be a better term8-he had pitied the mutant. !ut it was a constant thing now, the way #amswope took his agony out on the dumb head. 5nd there were times !ed9yk thought #amswope was better off than most. 5t .east he had a re.ease va.ve, an object of hate. -Take it easy, #am. 'othings going to he.p us, not a sing.e, .ousy th-1 #amswope snapped a .ook at !ed9yk, then cata.ogued the thick arms and huge chest of the man, and weari.y murmured( - h, I dont know, !ed9yk, I dont know.1 He dropped his .eft head into his hands. The right one winked imbeci.ica..y at !ed9yk. !ed9yk shuddered and .ooked away. -If on.y we cou.d have made that .anding on %enus,1 #amswope intoned from the depths of his hands. -If on.y theyd .et us in.1 -)ou ought to know by now, #am,1 !ed9yk reminded him bitter.y, -theres no room for us in the #ystem at a... 'o room on "arth and nowhere e.se. Theyve got a..ocations and /uotas and assignments. #o many to ?G, so many to *a..isto, so many to $una and %enus and 4ars and anyp.ace e.se you might want to sett.e down. 'o room for 2iscards. 'o room in space, at a...1 5cross the sa.oon three fish-men, their heads encased in bubb.ing c.ear he.mets, had gotten into a s/uabb.e, and two of them were trying to open the petcock on the thirds he.met. This was something e.se again: the third fishman was strugg.ing, he didnt want to die gasping. This was not a suicide, but a murder, if they .et it go unchecked. !ed9yk .eaped to his feet and hur.ed himse.f at the two attacking fish-men. He caught one by the bicep and spun him. His fist was ha.f-cocked before he rea.i9ed one so.id b.ow wou.d shatter the water-g.obe surrounding the fish-face, wou.d ki.. the mutant. Instead, he took him around and shoved him so.id.y by the back of the shou.ders, toward the compartment door. The fish-man stumb.ed away, breathing bubb.y imprecations into his .ife water, casting furious g.ances back at his companions. The second fish-man came away of his own accord and fo..owed the first from the sa.oon. !ed9yk he.ped the .ast fish-man to a re.a6er and watched disinterested.y as the mutant .et a fresh supp.y of

air bubb.es into the circu.ating water in the g.obe. The fish-man mouthed a .ip.ess thanks, and !ed9yk passed it away with a gesture. He went back to his seat. #amswope was massaging the dumb head. -Those three.. never grow up.1 !ed9yk fe.. into the chair. -)ou wou.dnt be too happy .iving inside a go.dfish bow. yourse.f, #wope.1 #amswope stopped massaging the wrink.ed ye..ow skin of the dumb head, seemed prepared to snap a retort, but a b.ip and c.ear-s/uawk from the intercom stopped him. -!ed9yk0 !ed9yk, you down there81 It was the voice of Harmony Teat up in the drive room. 3hy was it they a.ways ca..ed him= 3hy did they persist in making him their arbiter8 -)eah, Im here, in the sa.on. 3hats up81 The s/uawk-bo6 b.ipped again and Harmony Teats me..ow voice came to him from the cei.ing. -I just registered a ship coming in on us, off about three-thirty. I checked through the ephemeris and the shipping schedu.es. 'othing supposed to be out there. 3hat shou.d I do8 )ou think its a customs ship from "arth81 !ed9yk heaved himse.f to his feet. He sighed. -'o, I dont think its a customs ship. They threw us out, but I doubt if they have the imagination or ga.. to e6tract tithe from us for being here. I dont know what it might be, Harmony. Ho.d everything and record any signa.s they send. Im on my way upship.1 He strode /uick.y out of the sa.on, and up the cross-.eve.ed ramps toward the drive room. 'ot ti.. he had passed the hydroponics .eve. did he rea.i9e #amswope was behind him. -I, uh, thought Id come a.ong, !ed,1 #amswope said apo.ogetica..y, wringing his sma.., red hands. -I didnt want to stay down there with those-those freaks.1 His dumb head hung off to one side, s.eeping fitfu..y. !ed9yk did not answer. He turned on his hee. and casua..y strode up decks, not .ooking back. There was no troub.e. The ship identified itse.f when it was we.. away. It was an 5ttachQ *arrier from #ystem *entra. in !utte, 4ontana, "arth. The supercargo was a #pec5ttachQ named *urran. 3hen the ship pu..ed a.ongside the 2iscard vesse. and jockeyed for grapp.ing position, Harmony Teat ;her .ong gray-green hair reaching down past the spiked projections on her spina. co.umn= threw on the attract fie.d for that section of the hu... The "arth ship c.unked against the 2iscard vesse., and the .ocks were synched in. *urran came across without a suit. He was a s.im, incredib.y tanned young man with a crew cut c.ipped so short, a patch of near.y-ba.d showed at the center of his sca.p. His eyes were a.ert, and his manner was brisk and friend.y, that of the professiona. dignitary in the +oreign #ervice. !ed9yk did not bother with amenities. -3hat do you want81 -3ho may I be addressing, sir, if I may ask81 *urran was the perfect mode. of dip.omacy. -!ed9yk is what I was ca..ed on "arth.1 *oo., disdainfu., I-may-be-hideous-but-I-sti..-have-a-.itt.e-pride. -4y name is *urran, 4r. *urran, 4r. !ed9yk. 5.an *urran of #ystem *entra.. Ive been asked to come out and speak to you about-1 !ed9yk sett.ed against the bu.khead opposite the .ock, not even offering the 5ttachQ an invitation to return to the sa.oon. -)ou want us to get out of your sky, is that it8 )ou stinking, .ousy...1 He fa.tered in fury. He cou.d not finish the sentence, so steeped in anger was he. -)ou set off too many bombs down there, and eventua..y some of us with something in our b.oodstreams react to it, and we turn into monsters. 3hat do you do...you ca.. it the #ickness and you pack us up whether we want to go or not, and you shove us into space.1 -4r. !ed9yk, I-1 -)ou +hat= )ou damned we.. +hat" 4r. #ystem *entra.8 3ith your straight, c.ean body and your nice home on "arth, and your a..ocations of how many peop.e .ive where to keep the ba.ance of cu.ture just so0 )ou +hat= )ou want to invite us to .eave8 kay, we.. go,1 he was near.y screeching, his face crimson with emotion, his big hands knotted at his sides in fear he wou.d strike this emissary. -3e.. get out of your sky. 3eve been a.. the way out to the "dge, 4r. *urran, and theres no room in space for us anywhere. They wont .et us .and even on the frontier wor.ds where we can pay our way. h no, contamination, they think. kay, dont shove, *urran, we.. be going.1 He started to turn away, was near.y down the passageway, when *urrans so.id voice stopped him( -!ed9yk01 The wedge-chested man turned. *urran was unsticking the seam that sea.ed his jumper top. He pu..ed it open and revea.ed his chest. It was covered with .eprous green and brown sores. His face was a b.asted thing, then. He was a man with

#ickness, who wanted to know how he had ac/uired it-how he cou.d be rid of it. n the ship, they ca..ed *urrans particu.ar deformity -the funnies.1 !ed9yk wa.ked back s.ow.y, his eyes never .eaving *urrans face. -They sent you to ta.k to us81 !ed9yk asked, wondering. *urran resea.ed the jumper, and nodded. He .aid a hand on his chest, as though wishing to be certain the sores wou.d not run off and .eave him. 5 terror swam bright.y in his young eyes. -Its getting worse down there, !ed9yk,1 he said as if in a terrib.e need for hurrying. -There are more and more changing every day. Ive never seen anything .ike it-1 He hesitated, shuddered. He ran a hand over his face, and swayed s.ight.y, as though whatever memory he now c.utched to himse.f was about to make him faint. -I-Id .ike to sit down.1 !ed9yk took him by the e.bow, and .ed him a few steps toward the sa.oon. Then 2resden, the gir. with the g.ass hands-who wore monstrous cotton-fi..ed g.oves-came out from the connecting passage .eading to the sa.on, and !ed9yk thought of the hundred weird forms *urran wou.d have to face. In his condition, that wou.d be bad. He turned the other way, and .ed *urran back up to the drive room. !ed9yk waved at a contro. chair. -Have a seat.1 *urran .ooked co..egiate-boy shook-up. He sank into the chair, again touching his chest in disbe.ief. -Ive been .ike this for over two months...they havent found out yet: Ive tried to keep myse.f from showing it...1 He was shivering wi.d.y. !ed9yk perched on the she.f of the p.ot-tank, and crossed his .egs. He fo.ded his arms across his huge chest and .ooked at *urran. -3hat do they want down there8 3hat do they want from their be.oved 2iscards81 He savored the .ast word with the taste of a.um. -Its, its so bad you wont be.ieve it, !ed9yk.1 He ran a hand through his crew cut, nervous.y. -3e thought we had the #ickness .icked. There was every reason to be.ieve the atmosphere spray Terra ,harmaceutica.s deve.oped wou.d end it. They sprayed the entire p.anet, but something they didnt even know was in the spray, and something they on.y ha.f-suspected in the #ickness combined, and produced a hea.thier strain. -That was when it started getting bad. 3hat had been a hit-and-miss thing-with just a few .ike yourse.ves, with some weakness in your b.oodstreams making you susceptib.e-became a ru.e instead of an e6ception. ,eop.e started changing whi.e you watched. I-I,1 he fa.tered again, shuddered at a memory. -4y, my fiancQe,1 he went on, .ooking at his 5ttachQ case and his hands, -I was eating .unch with her in Rockefe..er ,.a9as #ky top. 3e had to be back at work in !utte in twenty minutes, just time to catch a cab, and sheshe-chan$ed whi.e we were sitting there. Her eyes, they, they-I cant e6p.ain it, you cant know what it was .ike seeing them water and run down her ch-cheeks .ike that, it was-1 his face tightened up as though he were trying to keep himse.f from going comp.ete.y insane. !ed9yk sharp.y curbed the hysteria. -3e have seven peop.e .ike that on board right now. I know what you mean. 5nd they arent the worst. &o on, you were saying81 #uch prosaic acceptance of the horror brought *urrans fren9y down. -It got so bad everyone was staying in the steri.e she.ters. The streets a.ways empty: it was horrib.e. Then some /uack physician out in *incinnati or somewhere .ike that came up with an answer. 5 serum made from a secretion in the b.oodstreams of-of-1 !ed9yk added the .ast word for him( - f 2iscards81 *urran nodded sober.y. !ed9yks hard-edged .augh ratt.ed against *urrans thin fi.m of ca.m. He jerked his eyes to the man sitting on the p.ot-tank. 5 furious e6pression came over him. -3hat are you .aughing at8 3e need your he.p0 3e need a.. you peop.e as b.ood donors.1 !ed9yk stopped .aughing abrupt.y. -3hy not use the changed ones from down there.1 He jerked a thumb at the big .ucite viewport where "arth hung swo..en and mu.ti-co.ored. -3hats wrong with them-1 and he added with ma.ice --with you81 *urran twitched as he rea.i9ed he cou.d so easi.y be .umped in with the aff.icted. -3ere no good. 3e were changed by this new mutated #ickness. The secretion is different in our b.ood than it is in yours. )ou were stricken by the primary #ickness, or virus, or whatever they ca.. it. 3e have a comp.icated one. !ut the way the research has out.ined it, the on.y ones who have what we need, are you 2is-1 he caught himse.f --you peop.e who were shipped out before the #ickness itse.f mutated.1 !ed9yk snorted contemptuous.y. He .et a wry, astonished smirk tick.e his .ips. -)ou "arthies are fantastic.1 He shook his head in private amusement. He s.ipped off the p.ot-tanks .edge and turned to the port, ta.king ha.f to himse.f, ha.f to a none6istent third person in the drive room. -These "arthies are unbe.ievab.e0 *an you imagine, can you 'icture it81 5stonishment

rang in his disbe.ief at the proposa.. -+irst they hust.e us into a meta. prison and shoot us out here to die a.one, they dont want any part of us, go away they say. Then when the troub.e comes to them too big, they run after us, can you he.p us p.ease, you dirty, ug.y things, he.p us nice c.ean "arthies.1 He spun sudden.y. -&et out of here0 &et off this ship0 3e wont he.p you. -)ou have your a..otments and your /uotas for each wor.d-1 *urran broke in, -)es, thats it. If the popu.ation goes down much more, theyve been ki..ing themse.ves, riots, its terrib.e, then the ba.ance wi.. be changed, and our entire #ystem cu.ture wi.. bend and fa.. and-1 !ed9yk cut him off, finishing what he had been saying, --yes, you have your dirty .itt.e /uotas, but you have no room for us. 3e.., weve got no room for you0 'ow get the he.. off this ship. 3e dont want to he.p you01 *urran .eaped to his feet. -)ou cant send me away .ike this0 )ou dont speak for a.. of them aboard. )ou cant treat a Terran emissary this way-1 !ed9yk had him by the jumper, and had prope..ed him toward the c.osed companionway door before the 5ttachQ knew /uite what was happening. He hit the door and rebounded. 5s he stumb.ed back toward !ed9yk, the great-chested mutant snatched the briefcase from beside the contro. chair and s.ammed it into *urrans stomach. -Here0 Heres your offer and your .ousy demands, and get off this ship0 3e dont want any part of y-1 The door crashed open, and the 2iscards were there. They fi..ed the corridor, as far back as the ang.e where cross-passages ran off toward the sa.on and ga..ey. They shoved and nudged each other to get a view into the drive room: #amswope and Harmony Teat and 2resden were in the front, and from somewhere #amswope had produced an effective.y dead.y .itt.e rasp-pisto.. He he.d it tight.y, threatening.y, and !ed9yk fe.t f.attered that they had come to his aid. -)ou dont need that, #am-4r. *urran was just .eav-1 Then he rea.i9ed. The rasp was pointed not at *urran, but at him. He stood fro9en, one hand sti.. c.utching *urrans s.eeve, as *urran be..ied the briefcase to himse.f. -2resden overheard it a.., 4r. *urran,1 #amswope said in a pathetica..y ingratiating tone. 9%e wants us to rot on this barge.1 He gestured at !ed9yk with his free hand as the dumb head nodded certain agreement. -3hat offer can you make us, can we go home, 4r. *urran...81 There was a whimpering and a p.eading in #amswopes voice that !ed9yk had on.y sensed before. He tried to break in, -5re you insane, #wope8 ,utty, thats a.. you are0 ,utty when you see a fake hope that you.. get off this ship0 *ant you see they just want to use us0 *ant you understand that81 #amswopes face grew .ivid and he screamed, -#hut up0 Dust shut up and .et *urran ta.k0 3e dont want to die on this ship. ?ou may .ike it, you .itt.e tin god, but we hate it here0 #o shut up and .et him ta.k01 *urran spoke rapid.y then( -If you a..ow us to send a medica. detachment up here to use you as b.ood donors, I have the word of the #ystem *entra. that you wi.. a.. be a..owed to .and on "arth and we.. have a reservation for you so you can .ive some kind of norma. .ives again-1 -Hey, whats the matter with you81 !ed9yk again burst in, trying vain.y to speak over the hubbub from the corridor. -*ant you see hes .ying8 They.. use us and then desert us again01 #amswope grow.ed menacing.y, -If you dont shut up I.. ki.. you, !ed9yk01 !ed9yk fa.tered into si.ence and watched the scene before him. They were me.ting. They were going to .et this rotten turncoat "arthie b.ind them with fa.se hopes. -3eve worked our a..otments around so there is space for you, perhaps in the new green-va..eys of #outh 5merica or on the ve.dt.and in Rhodesia. It wi.. be wonderfu., but we need your b.ood, we need your he.p.1 -2ont trust him0 2ont be.ieve him, you cant be.ieve an "arthman01 !ed9yk shouted, stumb.ing forward to wrest the rasp-pisto. from #amswopes grip. #amswope fired point-b.ank. +irst the rasp of the power spurting from the mu99.e of the tiny pisto. fi..ed the drive room, then the sme.. of burning f.esh, and !ed9yks eyes opened wide in pain. He screamed thin.y, and staggered back against *urran. *urran stepped aside, and !ed9yk mewed in agony, and crump.ed onto the deck. 5 huge ho.e had been seared through his huge chest. Huge chest, huge death, and he .ay there with his eyes open, bare.y forming the words -2ont...you cant, cant t-trust an "arthmmm...1 with his b.oody .ips. The .ast word formed and became a forever intag.io. *urrans face had pa.ed out ti.. it was a b.otch against the dark b.ue of his jumper. -)-y-y...1 #amswope moved into the drive room and took *urran by the s.eeve, a.most where !ed9yk had he.d it. -)ou promise us we can .and and be a..owed to sett.e somep.ace on "arth81 *urran nodded dumb.y. Had they asked for "arth in its socket, he wou.d have nodded agreement. #amswope sti.. he.d the rasp.

-5.. right, then...get your med detachment up here, and get that b.ood. 3e want to go home, 4r. *urran, we want to go home more than anything01 They .ed him to the .ock. !ehind him, *urran saw three mutants .ifting the b.asted body of !ed9yk, bearing it on their shou.ders through the crowd. The body was borne out of sight down a cross-corridor, and *urran fo..owed it out of sight with his eyes. !eside him, #amswope said( -To the garbage .ock. 3e go that way, 4r. *urran.1 His tones were hard and uncompromising. -3e dont .ike going that way, 4r. *urran. 3e want to go home. )ou.. see to it, wont you, 4r. *urran81 *urran again nodded dumb.y, and entered the .ock .inking ships. Ten hours .ater, the med detachment came up. The 2iscards were comp.ete.y obedient and tremendous.y he.pfu.. It took near.y e.even months to inocu.ate the entire popu.ation of the "arth and the rest of the #ystemstrict.y as preventive caution dictated-and during that time no more 2iscards took their .ives. 3hy shou.d they8 They were going home. #oon the tug-ships wou.d come, and he.p jockey the big 2iscard vesse. into orbit for the run to "arth. They were going home. There was room for them now, even in their condition. #pirits ran high, and .aughter tink.ed odd.y down the passageway in the -evenings.1 There was even a wedding between 5rkay ;who was b.ind and had a bushy tai.= and a pretty young thing the others ca..ed 2aanae, for she cou.d not speak herse.f. 3ithout a mouth that was impossib.e. 5t the ceremony in the sa.oon, #amswope acted as minister, for the 2iscards had made him their .eader, in the same, si.ent way they had made !ed9yk the .eader before him. #pirits ran high, and the constant know.edge that as soon as "arth had the #ickness under contro., they wou.d be going home. Then one -afternoon1 the ship came. 'ot the .itt.e tugs, as they had supposed, but a cargo ship near.y as big as their own home. #amswope rushed to synch in the .ocks, and when the red .ights merged on the board, he .ocked the two together firm.y, and scramb.ed back through the throng to be the first to greet the men who wou.d de.iver them. 3hen the .ock sighed open, and they saw the first ten who had been thrust in, they knew the truth. ne had a head f.at as a p.ate, with no eyes, and its mouth in its neck. 5nother had severa. hundred thousand s.imy tentac.es where arms shou.d have been, and wadd.ed on stumps that cou.d never again be .egs. #ti.. another was brought in by a pair of huge empty-faced men, in a bow.. The bow. contained a ye..ow je..y, and swimming in the ye..ow je..y was the woman. Then they knew. They were not going home. 5s .ockfu. after .ockfu. of more 2iscards came through, to swe.. their ranks even more, they knew these were the .ast of the tainted ones from "arth. The .ast ones who had been stricken by the #ickness-who had changed before the serum cou.d save them. These were the .ast, and now the "arth was c.ean. #amswope watched them trai. in, some dragging themse.ves on appendage.ess torsos, others in baskets, sti.. others with one arm growing from a chest, or hair that was b.ue and fungus growing out a.. over the body. He watched them and knew the man he had ki..ed had been correct. +or among the crowd he g.impsed a bare-chested 2iscard with huge sores on his body. *urran. 5nd as the cargo ship un.ocked and swept back to "arthwith the si.ent warning Don*t follo+ us" don*t try to land" there*s no room for you here)#amswope cou.d hear !ed9yks hysterica. tones in his head( 2ont trust them0 Theres no room for us anywhere0 2ont trust them0 )ou cant trust an "arthman0 #amswope started wa.king s.ow.y toward the ga..ey, knowing he wou.d need someone to sea. the garbage .ock after him. !ut it didnt matter who it was. There were more than enough 2iscards aboard now.

Pain. 6he 'ain of (ein$ o(solete. I $o do+n to Santa Monica sometimes" and +al alon$ throu$h the oceanside 'ar that forms the outermost ed$e of ;alifornia. 6here" at the shore of the Pacific" li e flotsam +ashed u' (y America" +ith no 'lace to $o" are the old 'eo'le. 6heir time has $one" their eyes loo out across the +ater for another (e$innin$" (ut they ha,e come to the final moments. 6hey sit in the ,anilla sunshine and they dream of yesterday. 0ind old 'eo'le" for the most 'art. 6hey tal to each other" they tal to themsel,es" and they +onder +here it all +ent. I sto' and sit on the (enches and tal to them sometimes. @ot often3 it ma es me thin of endin$s rather than continuations or ne+ (e$innin$s. 6hey*re sad" (ut they ha,e a no(ility that cannot (e i$nored. 6hey*re 'assed) o,er, o(solescent" (ut they still run +ell and they ha,e $ood minutes in them. 6heir 'ain is a terri(le thin$ (ecause it cries to (e $i,en the chance to +or those arthritic fin$ers at somethin$ meanin$ful" to +or those (rain cells at somethin$ challen$in$. 6his story is a(out someone in the 'rocess of (ein$ 'assed)o,er , (ein$ made o(solete. Refi$hts. I +ould fi$ht. Some of the old 'eo'le in Santa Monica fi$ht. Do +e e,er +in= A$ainst the shado+ that ine,ita(ly falls" no. A$ainst the time (et+een no+ and the shado+*s arri,al" yes" certainly. 6hat*s the messa$e in

)anted in $urger(
*H5,T"R '" 5 45' '54"2 TI! R E5R $) R#"! E who had escaped from the ,eop.es Hungarian ,rotectorate to the 'orth 5merican *ontinents sanctuary .ate in the year KGPA-invented it. 3hi.e working as a bonded technician for the rrin Too. and Tree *ong.omerate-on a design to create a robot capab.e of fine watch repairs-he discovered the factor of mu.tip.e choice. He was ab.e to app.y this concept to the ce..u.ose-p.astee. brain of his watch repair robots pi.ot mode., and came up with the start.ing -physician mechanica..1 Infinite.y more intricate than a mere robotmechanica., yet far simp.er than a human brain, it was capab.e-after proper conditioning-of the most de.icate of operations. +urther, the -phymech,1 as it was tagged soon a.ter, was capab.e of infa..ib.e diagnosis, invo.ving anything organic. The mind was sti.. .ocked to the powers of the meta. physician, but for the i..s of the body there was no more capab.e administrator. Rsebok died severa. weeks a.ter his pi.ot mode. had been demonstrated at a specia. c.osed session of the House of *ongress: from a coronary thrombosis. !ut his death was more of a prope..ing factor to widespread recognition of the phymech than his .ife cou.d ever have been. The House of *ongress appointed a committee of fact-finders, from the firm of 2ata, 7n.imited-who had successfu..y comp.eted the rinoco !asin ,robe-and compared their three-month findings with the current Histophysio.ogy appropriations a..ocated to the #ecretary of 4edicine. They found phymechs cou.d be operated in a.. the socia.i9ed hospita.s of the *ontinent, for far .ess than was being spent on 2octors sa.aries. 5fter a.., a 2octor continued to need. 5 phymech absorbed one ha.f pint of .i/uified radio. every three years, and an occasiona. .ubrication, to insure proper functioning. #o the government passed a .aw. The Hippocratic $aw of KGPP, which said, in essence( -5.. ministrations sha.. henceforth be confined to government-sponsored hospita.s: emergency cases necessitating attendance outside said institutions sha.. be hand.ed only, repeat only" by registered ,hysician 4echanica.s issuing from registered hospita. poo.s. 5ny irregu.arities or deviations from this procedure sha.. be hand.ed as cases outside the .aw, and i..ega. attendance by non-4echanica. ,hysicians sha.. be severe.y punishab.e by cance..ation of practicing .icense andLor fine and imprisonment...1 Dohns Hopkins was the first to be de-franchised. Then the *o.umbia #choo. of 4edicine, and the other co..eges fo..owed short.y thereafter. 5 few specia.ist schoo.s were maintained for a time: but it became increasing.y apparent after the first three years of phymech operation that even the specia.ists were s.ow compared to the robot doctors. #o even they passed away. 2octors who had been .icensed before the innovations the phymechs brought, were maintained at s.ashed sa.aries, and were reduced to assistants, interns.

They were, however, given a few annuities, which boi.ed down eventua..y to ?= a franking privi.ege so postage was unnecessary on their .etters, K= a sma.. annua. do.e, H= subscriptions to current medica. journa.s ;now fi..ed more with e.ectronic data pertinent to phymechs than surgica. techni/ues= and B= honorary tit.es. 2octors in tit.e on.y. There was dissatisfaction. In KG@? Eoh.bensch.agg, the greatest brain surgeon of them a.., died. He passed away on a /uiet ctober morning, with the c.imate dome purring ever so faint.y above the city, and the distant scream of the transport sphincter opening to a..ow the "arth-4ars P(GG .iner through. 5 /uiet, drawn-faced man with a great ta.ent in s.im fingers. He died in his s.eep, and the papers c.acked out of the homes.ots, with heavy b.ack head.ines across ye..ow p.astic sheets. !ut not about Eoh.bensch.agg. %e was yesterdays news. The head.ine was about the tota. automation changeover in the +ord-*hrys.er p.ants. n page one hundred and eighteen there was a five .ine obituary that .abe.ed him -a pre-phymech surgeon of some ski...1 It a.so reported he had died of acute a.coho.ism. It was not specifica..y true. His death was caused by a composite. 5cute a.coho.ism. 5nd a broken heart. He died a.one, but he was remembered. !y the men and women who, .ike Eoh.bensch.agg, had spent their ear.y .ives in dedication to the staff and the .ions head, the hand and eag.es eye. !y men and women who cou.d not adjust. The sma.. .egion of men and women who sti.. wa.ked the antiseptic corridors of the hospita.s. 4en .ike #tuart !ergman, 4.2. This is his story. *H5,T"R T3 The main operation theater of 4emoria. was constructed a.ong standard .ines. The observation bubb.e was set high on one wa.., curving .arge and down, with a separating section a..owing two viewing stands. The operating stage, on a te.escoping base that raised or .owered it for easier observation from the bubb.e, s/uatted in the center of the room. There were no operating .amps in the cei.ing, as in o.d-sty.e hospita.s, for the phymechs had their powerfu. eterna .ight mounted atop their heads, serving their needs more accurate.y than any outside .ight source cou.d have. !eyond the stage, there were anaesthetic spheres c.ipped to the wa..s-in .ive-container groups-where they cou.d be easi.y reached shou.d the phymechs persona. supp.y run dry, and a rapidro.. be.t running from a digita. supp.y machine beside the operating tab.e to the see-through se.ector cabinets that stood by the e6its. That was a..: everything that was needed. "ven the spheres and e6tra cabinets might have been dispensed with: but somehow, they had been maintained, just s.ight.y .imiting the phymechs abi.ities. 5s though to reassure some unnamed person that they needed he.p. "ven if it was mechanica. he.p to he.p the mechanica.s. The three phymechs were performing the operation direct.y beneath the bubb.e when !ergman came in. The bubb.e was dark, but he cou.d see 4urray Thomass craggy features set against the .ight of the operating stage. The i..umination had been a concession to the human observers, for with their own eterna.ights, the phymechs cou.d work in a tota. b.ackout, during a power fai.ure. !ergman he.d the crump.ed news sheet in his hand, page one hundred and eighteen showing, and stared at the scene be.ow him. 'atura..y, it +ould be a brain operation today0 The one day it shou.d be a mere goiter job, or a p.antar stripping, if just to keep him steady: but no, it had to be a brain job, with the phymechs thirty te.escoping, snake.ike appendages e6truded and snicking into the patient. !ergman swa..owed hard, and made his way down the s.ope of ais.e to the empty seat beside Thomas. He was a dark man, with an a.most unnatura..y spade.ike face. High, prominent cheekbones, giving him a gaunt .ook, and veins that stood out a.ong the temp.es. His nose was thin, and humped where it had been broken years before. His eyes were deep and darkest b.ue, so they appeared b.ack. His hair was thin, rough.y combed: back from the forehead without affectation or wave, just combed, because he had to keep the hair from his eyes. He s.umped into the seat, keeping his eyes off the operation be.ow, keeping the face of 4urray Thomas in his sight, with the .ight from be.ow p.aying up across the round, unf.ustered features. He he.d out the news sheet, touching Thomass arm with it: for the first time, as the young 2octor started, Thomas rea.i9ed !ergman was there. He turned s.ow.y, and his p.acid stare met the wi.d .ook of !ergman: a /uestion began to form, but Thomas cast a

g.ance behind him, toward the top of the seat tier, at the si.ent dark bu.k of the Head Resident. He put a hand on !ergmans arm, and then he saw the news sheet. !ergman offered it another inch, and Thomas took it. He opened it out, turning it be.ow the .eve. of the seats, trying to catch the .ight from be.ow. He roamed the page for a moment, then his hands crump.ed tight on the p.astic. He saw the five .ine fi..er. Eoh.bensch.agg was dead. He turned to !ergman, and his eyes he.d infinite sorrow. He mouthed with his .ips the words, -Im sorry, #tuart,1 but they died midway between them. He stared at !ergmans face for a moment, knowing he cou.d do nothing for the man now. Eoh.bensch.agg had been #tuart !ergmans teacher, his friend, more a father to him than the father !ergman had run away from in his youth. 'ow !ergman was tota..y a.one...for his wife The.ma was no he.p in this situation...her constitution cou.d not cope with a case of inner disintegration. 3ith difficu.ty he turned back to the operation, fee.ing an overwhe.ming desire to take !ergmans hand, to he.p ease away the sorrow he knew coursed through the man: but the sorrow was a persona. thing, and he was cut off from the tense man beside him. !ergman watched the operation now. There was nothing e.se to do. He had spent ten years of his .ife training to be a physician, and now he was sitting watching face.ess b.ocks of meta. do those ten years better than he ever cou.d. 4urray Thomas was abrupt.y aware of heavy breathing beside him. He did not turn his head. He had seen !ergman getting nearer and nearer the cracking point for weeks now( ever since the phymechs had been comp.ete.y insta..ed, and the human doctors had been re.egated to assistants, interns, instrument-carriers. He feverish.y hoped this was not the moment !ergman wou.d choose to fa.. apart. The phymechs be.ow were proceeding with the de.icate operation. ne of the te.escoping, snake.ike tentac.es of one phymech had a wafer-thin circu.ar saw on it, and as Thomas watched, the saw s.iced down, and they cou.d hear the bu99 of stee. meeting sku... -&od in hea,en# #top it, stop it, stop it...01 Thomas was an instant too .ate. !ergman was up out of his seat, down the ais.e, and banging his fists against the c.ear p.astee. of the observation bubb.e, before he cou.d be stopped. It produced a fee.ing of utter hysteria in the bubb.e, as though a.. of them wanted to scream, had been ho.ding it back, and now were strugg.ing with the sounds, not to join in. !ergman battered himse.f up against the c.earness of the bubb.e, mumb.ing, screaming, his face a riot of pain and horror. -'ot even a...a...decent death#: he was screaming. -He .ies down there, and rotten dirty meta. thin$sI things, &od dammit0 6hin$s rip up his patients0 h, &od, where is the way, where, where, where...1 Then the three interns erupted from the door at the top rear of the bubb.e, and ran down the ais.e. In an instant they had !ergman by the shou.ders, the arms, the neck, and were dragging him back up the ais.e. *a.kins, the Head Resident, ye..ed after them, -Take him to my office for observation, I.. be right there.1 4urray Thomas watched his friend disappear in the darkness toward the rectang.e of .ight in the rear wa... Then he was gone, and Thomas heard *a.kins say( -Ignore that outburst, 2octors, there is a.ways someone who gets s/ueamish at the sight of a we..-performed operation.1 Then he was gone, off to e6amine !ergman. 5nd 4urray Thomas fe.t a brassy, bitter taste on his tongue: !ergman afraid of b.ood, the sight of an operation8 'ot .ike.y. He had seen #tuart !ergman work many times-not #tuart !ergman: the operating room was home to !ergman. 'o, it hadnt been that. Then it was that Thomas rea.i9ed( the incident had comp.ete.y shattered the mood and attention of the men in the bubb.e. 6hey were incapab.e of watching the phymechs any further today-but the phymechs... ...they were undisturbed, unseeing, uncaring( ca.m.y, coo..y working, taking off the top of the patients sku... Thomas fe.t desperate.y i... *H5,T"R THR"" -Honest to &od, I te.. you, 4urray, I cant take it much .onger01 !ergman was sti.. shaking from the e6amination in *a.kinss offices. His hands were prominent with b.ue veins, and they tremb.ed ever so s.ight.y across the formatop of the tab.e. The dim sounds of the 4edica. *enter fi.tered to them in the hush-booth. !ergman ran a hand through his hair. -"very time I see one of those...1 he paused,

hesitated, then did not use the word. 4urray Thomas knew the word, had it come forth, wou.d have been monster. !ergman went on, a b.ank space in his sentence, -"very time I see one of them picking around inside one of my patients, with those meta. tips, I-I get sick to my stomach0 Its a.. I can do to keep from ripping out its goddamed wiring01 His face was death.y pa.e, yet somehow unnatura..y f.ushed. He /uivered as he spoke. 5nd /uivered again. 2r. 4urray Thomas put out a hand p.acating.y. -'ow take it easy, #tu. )ou keep getting yourse.f a.. hot over this thing and if it doesnt break you-which it damned we.. easi.y cou.d-they.. revoke your .icense, bar you from practicing.1 He .ooked across at !ergman, and b.inked assuring.y, as if to keynote his warning. !ergman muttered with sur.iness, -+ine .ot of practicing I do now. r you, for that matter.1 Thomas tapped a finger on the tab.e. It caused the mu.tico.ored bits of p.astic beneath the formatop to jigg.e, casting pinpoints of .ight across !ergmans strained features. -5nd besides, #tu, you have no lo$ical" scientific reason for hating the phymechs.1 !ergman stared back angri.y. -#cience doesnt come into it, and you know it. This is from the gut, 4urray, not the brain1< -$ook, #tu, theyre infa..ib.e: theyre safer and they can do a job /uicker with .ess mess than even a-a Eoh.bensch.agg. Right81 !ergman nodded re.uctant.y, but there was a dangerous edge to his e6pression. -!ut at .east Eoh.bensch.agg, even with those thick-.ensed g.asses, was human. It wasnt .ike having a piece of-of-we.., a piece of sto,e'i'e rummaging around in a patients stomach.1 He shook his head sad.y in remembrance. - .d +rit9 cou.dnt take it. Thats what ki..ed him. Those damned machines. ,.aying intern to a phymech was too much for him. h hell# )ou know what a grand heart that o.d man had, 4urray. +ifty years in medicine and then to be bare.y allo+ed to ho.d sponge for a .ousy tick-tock...and what was worse, knowing the tick-tock cou.d ho.d the sponge more firm.y with one of its pincers. Thats what ki..ed .d +rit9.1 !ergman added soft.y, staring at his shaking hands, -5nd at thatS he*s the .ucky one.1 5nd then( -3ere the damned of our cu.ture, 4urray: the kept men of medicine.1 Thomas .ooked up start.ed, then annoyed. - h, for *hrists sake, #tuart, stop being me.odramatic. 'othing of the sort. If a better sca.pe. comes a.ong, do you refuse to discard the o.d issue because youve used it so .ong8 2ont be an ass.1 98ut +e*re not scal'els. &e*re men# &e*re doctors#: He was on his feet sudden.y, as though the conversation had been physica..y bui.ding in him, forcing a.. e6p.osion. The two whiskey g.asses s.ipped and dumped as his thighs banged the tab.e in rising. !ergmans voice was raised, and his temp.es throbbed, yet he was not screaming: even so, the words came out .ouder than any scream. -+or &ods sake, #tu, sit do+n#: Thomas .ooked apprehensive.y around the 4edica. *enter $ounge. -If the Head Resident shou.d wa.k in, wed (oth get our throats cut. #it do+n" wi.. you a.ready01 !ergman s.umped s.ow.y back onto the form seat. It depressed and f.owed around him caressing.y, and he s/uirmed in agony, as though it were strang.ing him. "ven after he was fu..y seated, his shou.ders continued rounding: his eyes were wi.d. !eads of perspiration stood out on his forehead, his upper .ip. Thomas .eaned forward, a frown creasing his mouth. -Take ho.d, #tu. 2ont .et a thing .ike this ruin you. !etter men than us have fe.t this way about it, but you cant stop progress. 5nd .osing your head, doing something cra9y .ike that e6hibition at the operation yesterday, wont do any of us any good. Its a.. we can do to maintain what rights we have .eft. Its a bad break for us, #tu, but its good for the who.e rest of the human race, and dammit man, they come before us. Its as simp.e as that.1 He drew a handkerchief from his breast-pouch and mopped at the spreading twin poo.s of .i/uor, covert.y watching !ergman from behind .owered .ashes. The sudden b.are of a juke brought !ergmans head up, his nostri.s aring. 3hen he rea.i9ed what it was, he subsided, the .ights vanishing from his eyes. He rested his head in his hand, rubbing s.ow.y up and down the .ength of his nose. -How did it a.. start, 4urray8 I mean, a.. this81 He .ooked at the roaring juke that near.y drowned out conversation despite the hushbooth...the bar with its mechanica. drink-interpo.ater-remarkab.e mnemonic circuits capab.e of mi6ing ten thousand different .i/uors f.aw.ess.y-and into6ication-estimater...the fu..y-mechani9ed hospita. rearing huge outside the p.astee.-fonted bar...robot physicians g.impsed occasiona..y passing before a .ighted window. 3indows showing .ight on.y because the human patients and fa..ib.e doctors needed it. The robots needed no .ight: they needed no fame, and no desire to he.p mankind. 5.. they needed was their power-pack and an occasiona. oi.ing. In return for which they saved mankind. !ergmans mind tossed the bitter irony about .ike a dog with a fou. rag in its mouth.

4urray Thomas sighed soft.y, considered !ergmans /uestion. He shook his head. -I dont know, #tu... The words paced themse.ves, emerging s.ow.y, re.uctant.y. -,erhaps it was the automatic pi.ot, or the tactica. computers they used in the Third 3ar, or maybe even farther back than that: maybe it was as far back as e.ectric sewing machines, and hydramatic shift cars and se.f-serve e.evators. It was machines, and they worked better than humans. That was it, pure and simp.e. 5 hunk of meta. is nine times out of ten better than a fa..ib.e man.1 Thomas considered what he had said, added definite.y, -I.. take that back( ten times out of ten. Theres nothing a cybernetics man cant bui.d into one of those things now. It was inevitab.e theyd get around to taking human .ives out of the hands of mere men.1 He .ooked embarrassed for an instant at the .ength and tone of his rep.y, then sighed again and downed the .ast traces of his drink, running his tongue absent.y around the .ip of the g.ass, tasting the dried .i/uid there. !ergmans intensity seemed to pu.se, grow stronger. He was obvious.y trying to find an answer to the prob.em of himse.f, within himse.f. He hunched further over, .ooking into his friends face earnest.y, a.most boyish.y, -!ut-but it doesnt seem ti$ht" somehow. 3eve a.ways depended on doctors-human doctors-to care for the sick and dying. It was a constant, 4urray. 5 something you cou.d depend on. In time of war a doctor was invio.ate. -In times of need-I know it sounds maud.in, 4urray-for &ods sake, in times of need a doctor was priest and father and teacher and patriot, and...and...1 He made futi.e motions with his hands, as though p.eading the words to appear from the air. Then he continued in a stronger voice, from a memory ground into his mind( -I wi.. keep pure and ho.y both my .ife and my art. In whatsoever houses I enter, I wi.. enter to he.p the sick, and I wi.. abstain from a.. intentiona. wrongdoing and harm. 5nd whatsoever I sha.. see or hear in the course of my profession in my intercourse with men, if it be what shou.d not be pub.ished abroad, I wi.. never divu.ge, ho.ding such things to be ho.y secrets.1 Thomass eyebrows rose s.ight.y as his .ips /uirked in an unconscious smi.e. He had known !ergman wou.d resort to the ath eventua..y. 2edicated wasnt enough of a word to describe #tuart !ergman, it seemed. He was right, it +as maud.in, and sti..... !ergman continued. -3hat good is it a.. now8 Theyve on.y had the phymechs a few years now, on.y a few, and they have them in so.id.y ...even though there are things about them they arent sure about. #o what good were a.. the years in schoo., in study, in tradition8 3e cant even go into the homes any more.1 His face seemed to grow more haggard under the indirect g.eam of the g.a9e .ights in the $ounge: his hair seemed grayer than a moment before: the .ines of his face were deeper. He swa..owed nervous.y, ran a finger through the faint coating of wet .eft by the spi..ed drinks. -3hat kind of a practice is that8 To carry s.op-buckets8 To be a..owed to watch as the robots cut and sew our patients8 To be kept behind g.ass at the big operations8 -To see the red .ights f.ash on the hot board and know a mobi.i9ed monster is ro..ing faster than an ambu.ance to the scene8 Is that what youre te..ing me I have to adjust to8 5re you, 4urray8 2ont e6pect me to be as ca.m about it as you01 -5nd most degrading of a..( he added, as if to so.idify his arguments, -to have them throw us a miserab.e appendectomy or stomach-pump job once a week. $ike scraps from the tab.e...and watch us whi.e we do it0 3hat are we, dogs8 To be treated .ike pets8 I te.. you fm going cra9y, 4urray0 I go home at night and find myse.f even cutting my steak as though it were heart tissue. 5nything, anything at a.., just to remind myse.f that I was trained for surgery. 4y &od0 3hen I think of a.. the years, a.. the sweat, a.. the gutting and starving, just to come to this0 4urray, wheres it going to end81 He was on the verge of another scene .ike the one in the operating room observation bubb.e. 3hatever had happened when the Head Resident had e6amined !ergman-and it seemed to have been c.eared up, for !ergman was sti.. schedu.ed on the boards as phymech assistant, though his week.y operation had been set ahead three days-it wou.dnt do to .et it f.are up again. 5nd 4urray Thomas knew things were boi.ing inside his e6schoo.mate: he had no idea how .ong it wou.d be before the .id b.ew off, ruining !ergman permanent.y. -*a.m down, #tuart( he said. -$et me dia. you another drink...1 9Don*t touch that $oddam mechanical thin$#: he roared, striking Thomass hand from the interpo.ater dia.. He gasped ragged.y. -There are some things a machine can*t do. 4achines brush my teeth in the morning, and they cook my food, and they .u.. me to s.eep, but there must be somethin$ they cant do better than a human...otherwise why did &od create humans8 To be waited on by tin cans8 I dont know what they are, but I swear there must be some abi.ities a human possesses that a robot doesnt. There must be something that makes a man more va.uab.e than a whirring, c.anking chunk of tin01 He stopped, out of breath. It was then that *a.kins, the Head Resident, stepped around the pane. separating the booths from the bar.

The Head Resident stood there si.ent.y, watching for a moment, .ike a hound on point. He fingered the .ape. on his sport-jumper absent.y. -&etting a bit noisy, arent you, 2r. !ergman81 #tuart !ergmans face was a.ive with fear. His eyes .owered to his hands: entwined .ike serpents, seeking sanctuary in each other, white with the pressure of his c.asping, his fingers writhed. -I-I was just, just, airing a few views...thats a.., 2r. *a.kins.1 -Rather nasty views, I must say, 2r. !ergman. 4ight be construed as dissatisfaction with the way Im hand.ing things at 4emoria.. )ou wou.dnt want anyone to think that, wou.d you, 2r. !ergman81 His words had taken on the tone of command, of stee. imbedded in rock. !ergman shook his head /uick.y, s.ight.y, nervous.y. -'o. 'o, I didnt mean that at a.., 2r. *a.kins. I was just-we.., you know. I thought perhaps if we physicians had a few more operations, a few more difficu.t...1 -2ont you think the phymechs are /uite capab.e of hand.ing any such, 2r. !ergman81 There was an air of e6pectancy in his voice...waiting for !ergman to say the wrong thing. Thats what youd .ike, wou.dnt you, *a.kins8 Thats what you want0 His thoughts spun sidewise, mad.y. -I suppose so...yes, I know they are. It was, we.., its difficu.t to remember Im a 2octor, not doing any work for so .ong and a.. and -Thats about enough, !ergman01 snapped *a.kins. -The government subsidi9ed the phymechs, and they use ta6payers money to keep them serviced and saving .ives. They have a finer record than any human...1 !ergman broke in sharp.y. -!ut they havent been fu..y tested orS *a.kins stared him into si.ence, rep.ied, -If you want to remain on the payro.., remain in the hospita., 2r. !ergman, even as an 5ssistant, youd better tone down and watch yourse.f, !ergman. 3e have our eyes on you.1 -!ut I...1 -I said thats enough, !ergman01 Turning to 4urray Thomas he added vio.ent.y, - 5nd r d watch who I keep company with, Thomas, if. were you. Thats a... &ood evening.1 He strode off .ight.y, a.most jaunti.y, arrogance in each step, .eaving !ergman hudd.ed in a corner of the booth, staring wi.d-eyed at his hands. -Rotten .ousy appointee01 snar.ed Thomas soft.y. -If it werent for his connections with the #ecretary of 4edicine hed be in the same boat with us. The .ousy bastard.1 -I-I guess r d better be getting home( mumb.ed !ergman, s.iding out of the booth. 5 sudden b.ast from the juke shivered him, and he regained his focus on Thomas with difficu.ty. -The.mas probab.y waiting dinner for me. -Thanks...thanks for having a drink with me, 4urray. I.. see you at washup tomorrow.1 He ran a finger down the front of his jumper, sea.ing the suit: he pu..ed up his co..ar, sea.ing the suit to the neck. 5 fine spray of rain-schedu.ed for this time by 3eathere6-was dotting the huge transparent front of the .ounge, and !ergman stared at it, engrossed for an instant, as though seeing something deeper in the rain. He drew a handfu. of octagona. p.astic chits from his pouch, dropped them into the pay s.ot on his side of the tab.e, and started away. The machine registered an overpayment, but he did not bother to co..ect the surp.us coins. He paused, turned for a moment. Then, -Thanks...4urray...1 and he was gone into the rain. Poor slo(" thought 2r. 4urray Thomas, an ache beginning to bui.d within him for things he cou.d not name. !ust can*t ad5ust. He knew he cou.dnt ho.d it, but he dia.ed another drink. He regretted it whi.e doing it, but that ache had to be avoided at a.. costs. The drink was a doub.e. *H5,T"R + 7R That night was he... He.. with the torture of memories past and present. He knew he had been acting .ike a foo., that he was just another stupid man who cou.d not accept what was to be. !ut there was more, and it pervaded his thoughts, his dreams. He had been a coward in front of *a.ins. He fe.t strong.y-&od0 4ore than mere.y strong.y0-yet he had backed down. 5fter making an ass of himse.f at the operation, the day of .d +rit9 Eoh.ensch.aggs death, he had backed down. He had run away from his prob.em. 'ow, a.. the years that he had .ived by the ath were wasted. His .ife seemed to be a fai.ure. He had strugg.ed desperate.y to get where he was, and now that he was there...he was nowhere. He had run away. It was the first time since he had been very young that he had fe.t that way. He .ay on the bed, the formk.ing sheet rump.ed ha.f on the f.oor at the foot of the bed. The.ma .ay si.ent in the other hushbunk, the b.anker keeping her snores from disturbing him. 5nd the memories s.id by s.ow.y. He cou.d sti.. remember the time a friend had fa..en into a cistern near a deserted house-before the domeand fear had prevented his descending to save his p.aymate. The boy had drowned, and ten-year-o.d #tuart !ergman had fostered a gui.t of that fai.ure he had carried ever since. It had, he sometimes thought, been one of the factors

that had contributed to his decision to become a doctor. 'ow again, years .ater, he was he.p.ess and tremb.ing in the spiders mesh of a situation in which he cou.d not move to do what he knew was right. He did not know +hy he was so set against them-4urrays ana.ogy of the sca.pe. was perfect.y va.id-but something sensed but unnamed in his guts to.d him he was right. This was unnatura., damnab.e, that humans were worked over by machines. It somehow-irrationa..y-seemed a p.an of the 2evi.. He had heard peop.e ca.. the machines the 2evi.s ,.aythings. ,erhaps they were right. He .ay on his bed, sweating. +ee.ing incomp.ete, fee.ing fi.thy, fee.ing contamined by his own inade/uacy, and his cowardice before *a.kins. He screwed his face up in agony, in se.f-castigation, shutting his eyes tight, ti.. the nerves running through his temp.es throbbed. Then he p.aced the b.ame where it rea..y be.onged. 3hy was he suffering8 3hy was his once-fu.. .ife so sudden.y empty and framed by worth.essness8 +ear. +ear of what8 3hy was he afraid8 !ecause the ,hymechs had taken over. 5gain. The same answer. 5nd in his mind, his purpose reso.ved, so.idified. He had to get the ,hymechs discredited: had to find some reason for them to be thrown out. !ut how8 How8 They +ere better. In a.. ways. 3erent they8 Three days .ater, as he 5ssisted a phymech on his schedu.ed perating 5ssignment, the answer came to !ergman as horrib.y as he might have wished. It came in the form of a practica. demonstration, and he was never to forget it. The patient had been invo.ved in a thresher accident on one of the group-farms. The sucker-mouth thresher had whipped him off his feet, and dragged him in, feet first. He had saved himse.f from being comp.ete.y chewed to bits by p.acing his hands around the mouth of the thresher, and others had rushed in to drag him free before his grip .oosened. He had fainted from pain, and .ucki.y, for the sucker-mouth had ground off both his .egs just be.ow the knees. 3hen they whee.ed him before !ergman-with his o6ygen-mask and tube in hand-and the phymech-with instruments a.ready c.asped in nine of its thirteen magnetic tips-the man was covered with a sheet. !ergmans transparent face-mask /uivered as he drew back the sheet, e6posing the man. They had bound up the stumps, and cauter-ha.ted the b.eeding...but the patient was as bad.y off as !ergman had ever seen an injured man. It +ill (e close all the +ay. 6han 1od" in this case" the 'hymech is fast and efficient. 'o human could sa,e this one in time. #o intent was he on watching the phymechs techni/ue, so engrossed was he at the snicker and g.eam of the instruments being whipped from their cubic.es in the phymechs storage-bin chest, he fai.ed to adjust the anaesthesia-cone proper.y. !ergman watched the intricate p.ay of the phymechs tentac.es, as they te.escoped out and back from the sma.. ho.es in each shou.der-g.obe. He watched the tortured f.esh being stripped back to a..ow free p.ay for the sutures. The faint hiss of the imperfect.y-fitted cone reached him too .ate. The patient sat up, sudden.y. #traight up, with hands rigid to the tab.e. His eyes opened, and he stared down at the ripped and b.oodied stumps where his .egs had been. His screams echoed back from the operating room wa..s. - h, I wanna die, I wanna die, I wanna die...1 ver and over his hysterica. screams beat at !ergmans consciousness. The phymech automatica..y moved to .each off the rising panic in the patient, but it was too .ate. The patient fainted, and a.most instant.y the cardio showed a dip. The spark was going out. The phymech ignored it: there was nothing it cou.d do about it. rganica..y the man was being hand.ed efficient.y. The troub.e was emotiona....where the phymech never went. !ergman stared in horror. The man was dying...right out from under the tentac.es. &hy doesn*t the thin$ try to hel' the man= &hy doesn*t he soothe him" let him no+ it*ll (e all ri$ht= %e*s dyin$" (ecause he*s in shoc ...he doesn*t +ant to li,e# !ust a +ord +ould do... !ergmans thoughts whipped themse.ves into a fren9y, but the phymech continued operating, ca.m.y, hurried.y, but with the patient fai.ing rapid.y. !ergman started forward, intent to reach the patent. The injured man had .ooked up and seen himse.f amputated b.oodi.y just beneath the knees, and worse, had seen the face.ess meta. entity working over him: at that crucia. moment when any .itt.e thing cou.d sway the desire to .ive, the man had seen no human with whom he cou.d identify...mere.y a rounded and p.aned b.ock of meta.. He wanted to die.

!ergman reached out to touch the patient. 3ithout ceasing its activities, the phymech e6truded a chamoismitt tentac.e, and removed !ergmans hand. The ho..ow inf.ection.ess voice of the robot darted from its throatspeaker( -'o interference p.ease. This is against the ru.es.1 !ergman drew back, horror stamped across his fine features, his skin .itera..y craw.ing, from the touch of the robot, and from the sight of the phymech operating steadi.y...on a corpse. The man had .ost the spark. The operation was a success, as they had often /uipped, but the patient was dead. !ergman fe.t nausea grip him with sodden fingers, and he doub.ed over turning /uick.y toward the wa... He stared up at the empty observation bubb.e, thankfu. this was a standard, routine operation and no viewers sat behind the c.earness up there. He .eaned against the feeder-trough of the instrument cabinets, and vomited across the spark.ing grey p.astee. ti.es. 5 servomeck skittered free of its cubic.e and c.eaned away the mess immediate.y. It on.y heightened his sickness. 4achines c.eaning up for machines. He didnt bother finishing as 5ssistant on the phymechs gris.y operation. It wou.d do no good: and besides, the phymech didnt need any he.p. It wasnt human. !ergman didnt show up at 4emoria. for a week: there was a po.ite in/uiry from #chedu.ing, but when The.ma to.d them he was -just under the weather1 they rep.ied -we.., the robot doesnt rea..y need him anyhow1 and that was that. #tuart !ergmans wife was worried, however. Her husband .ay cur.ed on the bed, face to the wa.., and murmured the merest murmurs to her /uestions. It was rea..y as though he had something on his mind. ;3e.., if he did" why didnt he say something0 There just is no understanding that man. h we.., no time to worry over that now... +rancine and #a..y are getting up the e.ectro-mah jongg game at #a..ys today, 2ear, can you punch up some .unch for yourse.f8 3e.., rea..y0 'ot even an answer, just that mumb.e. h we.., Id better hurry...= !ergman did have something on his mind. He had seen a terrifying and a gut-wrenching thing. He had seen the robot fai.. 4iserab.y fai.. That was the sum of it. +or the first time since he had been unconscious.y introduced to the concept of phymech infa..ibi.ity, he had seen it as a .ie. The phymech was not perfect. The man had died under !ergmans eyes. 'ow #tuart !ergman had to reason why... and whether it had happened before...whether it wou.d happen again...what it meant...and what it meant to him, as we.. as the profession, as we.. as the wor.d. The phymech had no+n the man was in panic: the robot had instant.y .owered the adrena.in count...but it had been more than that. !ergman had hand.ed cases .ike that in the past, where improper.y-de.ivered anaesthesis had a..owed a patient to become conscious and see himse.f sp.it open. !ut in such cases he had said a few reassuring words, had run a hand over the mans forehead, his eyes, and strange.y enough, that bit of bedside manner had been de.ivered in just such a proper way that the patient sank back peacefu..y into s.eep. !ut the robot had done nothing. It had ministered to the body, whi.e the mind shattered. !ergman had known, even as the man had seen his b.oody stumps, that the operation wou.d fai.. 3hy had it happened8 3as this the first time a man had died under the tentac.es of a ,hymech, and if the answer was no...why hadnt he heard of it8 3hen he stopped to consider, .ost sti.. in that horror mae.strom of memory and pain, he rea.i9ed it was because the ,hymechs were sti.. -7ndergoing bservation.1 !ut whi.e that went on-so sure were the manufacturers, and the officia.s of the 2epartment of 4edicine, that the ,hymechs were perfect-.ives were being .ost in the one way they cou.d not be charged to the robots. 5n intangib.e factor was invo.ved. It had been such a simp.e thing. Dust to te.. the man, -)ou.. be a.. right, fe..ow, take it easy. 3e.. have you out of here good as new in a .itt.e whi.e...just sett.e back and get some s.eep...and .et me get my job done: weve got to work together, you know...1 That was a.., just that much, and the .ife that had been in that mang.ed body wou.d not have been .ost. !ut the robot had stood there ticking, efficient.y repairing tissue. 3hi.e the patient died in hope.essness and terror. Then !ergman rea.i9ed what it was a human had, a robot did not. He rea.i9ed what it was a human cou.d do that a robot cou.d not. 5nd it was so simp.e, so damnab.y simp.e, he wanted to cry. It was the human factor. They cou.d ne,er make a robot physician that was perfect, because a robot cou.d not understand the psycho.ogy of the human mind. !ergman put it into simp.e terms... 6he Phymechs 5ust didn*t ha,e a (edside manner#

*H5,T"R +I%" ,aths to destruction. #o many paths. #o many answers. #o many so.utions, and which of them was the right one8 3ere any of them the right ones8 !ergman had known he must find out, had known he must so.ve this prob.em by his own hand, for perhaps no one e.ses hand wou.d turn to the prob.em...unti. it was too .ate. "ach day that passed meant another .ife had passed. 5nd the thought cursed !ergman more than any persona. danger. He had to try something: in his desperation, he came up with a p.an of desperation. He wou.d ki.. one of his patients... nce every two weeks, a human was assigned his own operation. True, he was more supervised than assisted by the ,hymech on duty, and the case was usua..y on.y an appendectomy or simp.e tonsi..ectomy...but it +as an operation. 5nd $ord knew the surgeons were gratefu. for any bone thrown them. This was !ergmans day. He had been dreading it for a week, thinking about it for a week: knowing what he must do for a week. !ut it had to be done. He didnt know what wou.d happen to him, but it didnt rea..y matter what was going on in their hospita.s... !ut if anything was to be done, it wou.d have to be done bo.d.y, swift.y, sensationa..y. 5nd now. #omething as awfu. as this cou.dnt wait much .onger( the papers had been running artic.es about the #ecretary of 4edicines ne+ ,hymech ,roposa.. That wou.d have been the end. It wou.d have to be now. Right now, whi.e the issue was important. He wa.ked into the operating room. 5 standard simp.e operation. 'o one in the bubb.e. The phymech assistant stood si.ent.y waiting by the feeder trough. 5s !ergman wa.ked across the empty room, the cubic.e sp.it open across the way, and a ro..ing phymech with a tab.etop-on which was the patient-hurried to the operating tab.e. The machine .owered the tab.etop to the operating s.ab, and bo.ted it down /uick.y. Then it ro..ed away. !ergman stared at the patient, and for a minute his reso.ve .eft him. #he was a thin young gir. with .augh.ines in her face that cou.d never be erased...e6cept by death. 7p ti.. a moment ago !ergman had known he wou.d do it, but now...'ow he had to see who he was going to do this thing to, and it made his stomach fee. diseased in him, his breath fi..ed with the decay of fou. death. He cou.dnt do it. The gir. .ooked up at him, and smi.ed with .ight b.ue eyes, and somehow !ergmans thoughts centered on his wife The.ma, who was nothing .ike this sweet, frai. chi.d. The.ma, whose insensitivity had begun in his .ife as humorous, and decayed through the barren years of their marriage ti.. it was now a mi..stone he wore si.ent.y. !ergman knew he cou.dnt do what had to be done. 'ot to this gir.. The phymech app.ied the anaesthesia cone from behind the gir.s head. #he caught one /uick Hash of tentac.ed meta., her eyes widened with b.ueness, and then she was as.eep. 3hen she awoke, her appendi6 wou.d be removed. !ergman fe.t a wrenching inside him. This was the time. 3ith *a.kins so suspicious of him, with the phymechs getting stronger every day, this might be the .ast chance. He prayed to &od si.ent.y for a moment, then began the operation. !ergman carefu..y made a .ongitudina. incision in the right .ower /uadrant of the gir.s abdomen, about four inches .ong. 5s he spread the wound, he saw this wou.d be just an ordinary job. 'o peritonitis...they had gotten the gir. in /uick.y, and it hadnt ruptured. This wou.d be a simp.e job, eight or nine minutes at the .ongest. *arefu..y, !ergman de.ivered the appendi6 into the wound. Then he secure.y tied it at the base, and fee.ing the tension of what was to come bui.ding in him, cut it across and removed it. He began to c.ose the abdomina. wa..s tight.y. Then he asked &od for forgiveness, and did what had to be done. It was not going to be such a simp.e operation, after a... The sca.pe. was an e.ectro-b.ade-thin as a whisper-and as he brought it toward the f.esh, his p.an ran through his mind. The spin of a bu..et, the passage of a si.ver fish through /uicksi.ver, the f.ick of a thought, but it was a.. there, in tota.ity, comp.eteness and madness... He wou.d sever an artery, the robot wou.d sense what was being done, and wou.d shou.der in to repair the damage. !ergman wou.d s.ash another vein, and the robot wou.d work at two jobs. He wou.d s.ash again, and again,

and yet again, ti.. fina..y the robot wou.d over.oad, and free9e. Then !ergman wou.d overturn the tab.e, the gir. wou.d be dead, there wou.d be an in/uiry and a tria., and he wou.d be ab.e to b.ame the robot for the death...and te.. his story... make them check it...make them stop using ,hymechs ti.. the prob.em had been so.ved. 5.. that as the e.ectro-b.ade moved in his hand. Then the eyes of the gir. fastened to his own, c.osed for a moment to consider what he was doing. In the darkness of his mind, he saw those eyes and knew fina..y( 3hat good was it to win his point, if he .ost his sou.8 The e.ectro-b.ade c.attered to the f.oor. He stood there unmoving, as the ,hymech ro..ed near-si.ent.y beside him, and comp.eted the routine c.osure. He turned away, and .eft the operating room /uick.y. He .eft the hospita. short.y after, fee.ing fai.ure huge in his throat. He had had his opportunity, and had not been brave enough to take it. !ut was that it8 3as it another edge of that inner cowardice he had shown before8 r was it that he rea.i9ed nothin$ cou.d be worth the taking of an innocent gir.s .ife8 "thics, soft-heartedness, what8 His mind was a turmoi.. The night c.osed down stark and murmuring around !ergman. He stepped from the .ight b.otch of the .obby, and the rain misted down over him, shutting him away from .ife and man and everything but the dark woo. of his inner thoughts. It had been raining .ike this the night *a.kins had Intimidated him. 3as it a.ways to rain on him, throughout his days8 n.y the occasiona. whirr of a heater p.oughing invisib.y across the sky overhead broke the steady machine murmur of the city. He crossed the si.ent street /uick.y. The s/uare b.ock of darkness that was 4emoria. was dotted with the faint rectang.es of windows. $ighted windows. The ho..ow .aughter of bitterness bubb.ed up from his be..y as he saw the .ights. *oncessions to 4an...a.ways concessions by the 5.mighty &od of the 4achine. Inside !ergmans mind, something was fighting to be free. He was finished now, he knew that. He had had the chance, but it had been the wrong chance. It cou.d never be right if it started from something .ike that gir.s death. He knew that, too...fina..y. !ut what was there to do( 5nd the answer came back ho..ow.y( @othin$. !ehind him, where he cou.d not see It, a movement of meta. in the shadows. !ergman wa.ked in shadows, a.so. Thoughts that were shadows. Thoughts that .ed him on.y to b.eak futi.ity and despair. The Rsebok 4echanica. ,hysicians. Phymechs. The word e6p.oded in his head .ike a Roman cand.e, spitting sparks into his nerve end0:. He never wanted to destroy so desperate.y in his .ife. 5.. the years of fighting for medicine, and a p.ace in the wor.d of the hea.er...they were wasted. He now knew the ,hymechs werent better than humans...but how cou.d he prove it8 7nsubstantiated c.aims, brought to *a.kins, wou.d on.y be met with more intimidation, and probab.y a revoking of his .icense. He was trapped so.id.y. How much .onger cou.d it go on8 !ehind him, mechanica. ears tuned, robot eyes fastened on the s.umping, wa.king man. Rain was no deterrent to observation. The murmur of a beaters rotors caused !ergman to .ook up. He cou.d see nothing through the swir.ing rain-mist, but he cou.d hear it, and his hatred reached out. Then( I don*t hate machines" I ne,er did. Only no+ that they*,e de'ri,ed me of my humanity" no+ that they*,e ta en a+ay my life. @o+ I hate them. His eyes sparked again with submerged .oathing as he searched the sky beneath the c.imate dome, hearing the whirr of the beaters progress meshing with the faint hum of the dome at work: he desperate.y sought something against which he might direct his fee.ings of he.p.essness, of inade/uacy. #o intent was he that he did not see the o.d woman who stepped out stea.thi.y from the service entrance of a bui.ding, ti.. she had put a tremb.ing hand on his s.eeve. The shadows swir.ed about the shape watching !ergman-and now the o.d woman-from down the street. -)ou a doctor, aincha81 He started, his head jerking around spastica..y. His dark eyes focused on her seamed face on.y with effort. In the dim .ight of the i..umepost that fi.tered through the rain, !ergman cou.d see she was dirty and i..-kempt. bvious.y from the tenements in #.obtown, way out near the curve-down edge of the c.imate dome. #he .icked her .ips again, fumb.ing in the pockets of her torn jumpette, nervous to the point of terror, unab.e to drag forth her words. 9&ell" 3hat do you want8 !ergman was harsher than he had intended, but his banked-down antagonism

prodded him into be..igerence. -I been watchin for three days and *har.ies get tin worse and his stomachs swe..in and I noticed you been comin outta the hospita. every day now for three days...1 The words tumb.ed out a.most incoherent.y, s.urred by a gutter accent. To !ergmans tutored ear-subjected to these sounds since Eoh.bensch.agg had taken him in-there was something e.se in the o.d womans voice( the he.p.ess tones of horror in asking someone to minister to an aff.icted .oved one. !ergmans deep b.ue-b.ack eyes narrowed. 3hat was this8 3as this fi.thy woman trying to get him to attend at her home8 3as this perhaps a trap set up by *a.kins and the Hospita. !oard8 -3hat do you +ant" woman81 he demanded, edging away. -)a gotta come over ta see *har.ie. Hes dyin, 2octor, hes dyin0 He just .ays there twitchin, and evertime I touch him he jumps and starts throwin his arms round and doub.in over an everything01 Her eyes were wide with the fright of memory, and her mouth shaped the words hurried.y, as though she knew she must get them out before the mouth used itse.f to scream. The doctors angry thoughts, suspicious thoughts, cut off instant.y, and another part of his nature took command. *.inica. attention centered on the ma.ady the woman was describing. -...an he keeps $rinnin*" 2octor, grinnin .ike he was dead and everything was funny or somethin0 Thats the worst of a.....I cant stand ta see him that way, 2octor. ,.ease...p.ease.., ya gotta he.p me. He.p *har.ie, 2oc, hes dyin. 3e been tagether five years an ya gotta...gotta...do...somethin...1 #he broke into convu.sive weeping, her faded eyes p.eading with him, her knife-edged shou.ders heaving jerki.y within the jumpette. My 1od" thought !ergman, she*s descri(in$ tetanus# And a (adly ad,anced case to ha,e 'roduced s'asms and risus sardonicus. 1ood Lord" +hy doesn*t she $et him to the hos'ital= %e*ll (e dead in a day if she doesn*t. 5.oud, he said, sti.. suspicious, -3hy did you wait so .ong8 3hy didnt you take him to the hospita.81 He jerked his thumb at the .ighted b.ock across the street. 5.. his ear.ier anger, p.us the innate e6asperation of a doctor confronted with seeming.y ca..ous disregard for the needs of a sick man, came out in the /uestions. "6p.oded. The o.d woman drew back, eyes terrified, seamed face drawn up in an e6pression of beatenness. The force of him confused her. -I-I couldn*t take him there, 2oc. I just cou.dnt0 *har.ie wou.dnt .et me, anyhow. He said, .ast thing before he started twitchin, he said, dont take me over there to that hospita., Eatie, with them meta. things in there, promise me ya wont. #o I hadda promise him, 2oc, and ya gotta come ta see him-hes dyin*" Doc" ya $otta hel' us" he*s dyin*#: #he was c.ose up to him, c.utching at the .ape.s of his jumper with wrink.ed hands: impossib.y screaming in a hoarse whisper. The raw emotion of her appea. struck !ergman a.most physica..y. He staggered back from her, her breath of gar.ic and the s.ums enfo.ding him. #he pressed up again, c.awing at him with great sobs and p.eas. !ergman was becoming panicky. If a robocop shou.d see the o.d woman ta.king to him, it might register his name, and that wou.d be his end at 4emoria.. Theyd have him tagged for home-practitioning, even if it wasnt true. How cou.d he 'ossi(ly attend this womans man8 It wou.d be the end of his stunted career. The regu.ations swam before his eyes, and he knew what they meant. Hed be finished. 5nd what if this +as a trap8 !ut tetanus# ;The terrifying picture of a man in the .ast stages of .ockjaw came to him. The contorted body, wound up on itse.f as though the .imbs were made of rubber: the horrib.e face, mouth musc.es drawn back and down in the characteristic death-grin ca..ed risus sardonicus3 every inch of the nervous system affected. 5 s.amming door, a touch, a cough, was enough to send the stricken man into ghast.y gyrations and convu.sions. Ti.. fina..y the aff.iction attacked the chest musc.es, and he strang.ed horrib.y. 2ead...wound up .ike a snake, frothing...dead.= !ut to be thrown out of the hospita.. He cou.dnt take the chance. 5.most without rea.i9ing it, the words came out( -&et away from me, woman: if the robocops see you, they.. arrest us both. &etaway... and dont try approaching a doctor .ike this again0 r I.. see that youre run in myse.f. 'ow get away. If you need medica. aid, go to the phymechs at the hospita.. Theyre free and better than any human01 The words sounded tinny in his ears. The o.d woman fe.. back, .ight from the i..umepost casting faint, weird shadows across the .ined p.anes of her face. Her .ips drew back from her teeth, many of them rotting or missing. #he snorted, -3e d rather die than go to them creations of the devi.0 3e dont have no truck with them things...we thought you was sti.. doctors to he.p the poor...but you aint01 #he turned and started to s.ip away into the darkness. +aint.y, before the rust.e of her footsteps were gone, #tuart !ergman heard the sob that escaped her. It was fi..ed with a wi.d desperation and the horror of seeing death in the mist, waiting for her and the man she .oved. Then, ever more faint.y... -2amn you forever0.

5brupt.y, the tension of the past months, the inner horror at what he had a.most done to the b.ue-eyed gir. ear.ier, the fight and sorrow within him, mounted to a peak. He fe.t drained, and knew if he was to be deprived of his heritage, he wou.d .ose it the right way. He was a doctor, and a man needed attention. He took a step after her dim shape in the rain. -3ait, I...1 5nd knowing he was sea.ing his own doom, he .et her stop, watched the hope that swam up in her eyes, and said, -I-Im sorry. Im very tired. !ut take me to your man. I.. be ab.e to he.p him.1 #he didnt say thank you. !ut he knew it was there if he wanted it. They moved off together, and the watcher fo..owed on si.ent treads. *H5,T"R #IM The forever stink of #.obtown assau.ted !ergman the moment they passed the invisib.e boundary. There was no -other side of the tracks1 that separated #.obtowns s/ua.or from the .ower midd.e-c.ass huts of the city, but somehow there was no mistaking the transition. They passed from c.ean.iness into the Inferno, with one step. #hadows deepened, sounds muff.ed, and the f.ickering neon of outdated sa.oon signs g.ared at them from the darkness. !ergman fo..owed sto.id.y, and the woman .ed with resignation. #he had a fee.ing the trip wou.d be in vain. *har.ie had been c.ose to the edge when she had .eft, and this doctors coming was an une6pected mirac.e. !ut sti.., *har.ie had been so c.ose, so c.ose... They threaded c.ose to bui.dings, stepping wide around b.acker a..ey mouths and empty .ots. +rom time to time they heard the footpad of muggers and wineheads keeping pace with them, but when the noises became too apparent, the woman hissed into the darkness, -&eddaway from here0 Im *har.ie Eickbacks woman, an I got a croaker fer *har.ie01 Then the sounds wou.d fa.. behind. 5.. but the meta. fo..ower, whom no one saw. The raw sounds of fi.thy music spurted out of the swing doors of a sa.oon, as they passed, and were fo..owed a.most immediate.y by a body. The man was thrown past the bui.ding, and .anded in a twisted heap in the dirty gutter. He .ay twitching, and for an instant !ergman considered tending to him: but two things stopped him. The woman dragged him by his s.eeve, and the gutter-resident f.opped over onto his back, bubb.ing, and began mouthing an incomprehensib.e me.ody with indecipherab.e words. They moved past. 5 b.ock further a.ong, !ergman saw the battered remains of a robocop, .ying up against a tenement. He nodded toward it, and in the dusk *har.ie Eickbacks woman shrugged. -"very stiff comes in here takes his chances, even them devi.s tinkertoys.1 They kept moving, and !ergman rea.i9ed he had much more to fear than mere.y being deprived of his .icense. He cou.d be attacked and ki..ed down here. He had a wa..et with near.y three hundred credits in it, and theyd mugged men down here for much .ess than that, he was sure. !ut somehow, the futi.ity of the day, the horror of the night, were too insurmountab.e. He worried more about the fate of his profession than the contents of the wa..et. +ina..y they came to a bright.y-.it bui.ding, with tri-% photob.o6 outside, ten feet high. The b.o6 showed monstrous.y-mammaried women doing a s.ow tri-% shimmy, their appendages swaying behind the thinnest of vei.s, which often parted. The crude neon signs about the bui.ding read( TH" H 7#" + #"M #"M #"M #"M000 5+T"R #H 3# TH" &IR$# TI4" I# TH"IR 3' 5'2 ' H $2# !5RR"20 4 R" TH5' ) 7 *5' I45&I'" + R 5 *R"2IT000 $52) 4"4,HI# 5'2 H"R "27*5T"2 !5$ -TRIM 2I54 '2-4$$". H T0 * 4" ' 3, D5*E, * 4" ' 300 !ergman inc.ined his head at the poster b.o6, at the signs, and asked, -Is he here81 *har.ie Eickbacks womans face greyed-down and her .ips thinned. #he nodded, mumb.ed something, and .ed !ergman past the ticket window with its bu..etproof g.ass and stee.-suited ticket-taker. The woman snapped a finger at the taker, and a heavy p.astee. door s.id back for them. The moment it opened, tinny music, fraught with the bump and $rrrrind of the bur.es/ue since time immemoria., swept over them, and !ergman had to strain to hear *har.ie Eickbacks woman. He tensed, and caught her voice. -This way...through the side door...1 They passed the open back of the theater, and !ergmans eyes caught the id.e twist of f.esh, and the

sensuous beat of naked feet on a stage. The sounds of warwhoop .aughter and app.ause sifted up through the b.aring music. They passed through the side door. The woman .ed him down a ha.., and past severa. dim grey doors with pee.ing paint. #he stopped before a door with a faded star on it, and said, -He-hes in h-here...1 5nd she pa.med the door open /uiet.y. #he had not needed the si.ence. *har.ie Eickback wou.d never writher at a sound again. He was /uite dead. Twisted in on himse.f, wound up .ike some .oathsome pret9e., he .ay on the f.oor beneath the dirty sink, one .eg twisted under himse.f so painfu..y, it had broken before death. He had strang.ed to death. The o.d woman rushed to the body, and fe.. to her knees, burying her face in his c.othing, crying, name.ess.y seeking after him. #he cried so.id.y for a few minutes, whi.e !ergman stood watching, his heart fi..ed with pity and sorrow and unhappiness and frustration. This never wou.d have happened, if... The woman .ooked up, and her face darkened. -)ou0 )oure the ones brought in them robots. 3e cant stay a.ive even no more, cause of them0 Its you...and them...1 #he burst into tears again, and fe.. back on the inert body of her .over. Her words fou.ed in her .ips. !ut !ergman knew she was right. The ,hymechs had ki..ed this man as sure.y as if they had s.ashed his pu.monary artery. He turned to .eave, and then it was that the fo..ower .eaped on him. It had fo..owed him carefu..y through #.obtown, it had immobi.i9ed the ticket-taker in her suit, it had snaked a tentac.e through the ticket window to keep open the door, and had tracked him with interna. rade6 to this room. !ergman stopped at the door, as the robocop ro..ed up, and its tentac.es s.ammed out at him. -He.p01 was the first thing he cou.d ye..: and as he did so, Eickbacks woman .ifted her streaked face from the dead man, saw the robot, and went berserk. Her hand dipped to the hem of her skirt, and .ifted, e6posing .eg, s.ip, and a thigh-ho.ster. 5n acidee came up in her fist, and as she pressed the stud, a thin unsp.ashing stream of vicious acid streaked over !ergmans head, and etched a .ine across the robocops hood. Its faceted .ight-sensitives turned abrupt.y, fastened on the woman, and a stunner tentac.e snaked out, beamed her in her tracks. 5s !ergman watched, the robocop sudden.y re.easing him to concentrate on the woman, the acidee dropped from her hand, and she spun backward, fe.. in a heap ne6t to her dead *har.ie. "verything tota.ed for !ergman. The ,hymechs, the death of the thresher victim, the ath, and the way he had a.most shattered it tonight, the death of *har.ie, and now this robocop that was the 4echanica. &od in its vi.est form. It a.. summed up, and !ergman .unged around the robocop, trying to upset it. It rocked back on its sett.ers, and tried to grab him. He avoided a tentac.e, and streaked out into the ha... The punctuated, syncopated, stop-beat of the bur.ey music we..ed over him, and he cast about in desperation. $eaning against one wa.. he saw a .ong, thick-hand.ed meta. bar with a screw-socket on its top, for removing the outdated .ight units from the high cei.ings. He grabbed it and turned on the robocop as it ro..ed s.ow.y after him. His back to the wa.., he he.d it first .ike a staff, then further down the hand.e, ang.ing it. 5s the robocop approached, !ergman .unged, and brought fierce.y his hatred to the surface. The c.ub came down and smashed with a muted twanggg0 across the robocops hood. 5 tiny, tiny dent appeared in the meta., but it kept coming, steadi.y. !ergman continued to smash at it. His b.ows .anded ineffectua..y, many of them missing entire.y, but he strugg.ed and smashed and smashed and smashed and his scream rose over the music, -2ie, you bastard rotten chunk of tin, die, die, and .et us a.one so we can die in peace when we have to...1 ver and over, even after the robocop had taken the c.ub from him, immobi.i9ed him, and s.ung him -firemans-carry1 over his tote-area. 5.. the way back from #.obtown to the jai., to stand tria. for home practitioning, co..usion, assau.ting a robocop, he screamed his hatred and defiance. "ven in his ce.., a.. night .ong, in his mind, the screams continued. n into the morning, when he found out *a.kins had had the robocop trai.ing him for a week. #uspecting him of just what had happened, .ong before it had happened. Hoping it wou.d happen. 'ow it had happened, indeed. 5nd #tuart !ergman had come to the end of his career. The end of his .ife. He went on tria. at ?G(BG 54, with the option of human ;fa..ib.e= jury, or robotic ;infa..ib.e= jurymech.

Irrationa..y, he chose the human jury. 5n idea, a hope, had f.ared in the darkness of this fina.ity. If he was going down, !ergman was not going down a coward. He had run .ong enough. This was another chance. He meant to make the most of it. *H5,T"R #"%"' The courtroom was si.ent. Tota..y and utter.y si.ent, primari.y because the observers bubb.e was soundproofed, and each member of the jury sat in a hush-cubic.e. The jurymen each wore a speak-tip in one ear, and a speaker .et the audience know what was happening. Ha.fway up the wa.., beside the judges desk, the accuseds bubb.e c.ung to the wa.. .ike a teardrop. #tuart !ergman had sat there throughout the tria., .istening to the testimony( the robocop, *a.kins ;on the affair at the hospita., the day Eoh.bensch.agg had died: the affair of the .ounge: the suspicion and eventua. assigning of a robocop to trai. the doctor: !ergmans genera. attitudes, his abi.ity to have performed the crime of which he had been accused=, the o.d woman, who was pentatho.ed before she wou.d speak against !ergman, and even 4urray Thomas, who re.uctant.y admitted that !ergman was /uite capab.e of breaking the .aw in this case. Thomass face was strained and broken and he .eft the stand, staring up at !ergman with a mi6ture of remorse and pity burning there. The time was drawing near, and !ergman cou.d fee. the tension in the room. This was the first such case of its kind...the first f.agrant breaking of the new Hippocratic $aws, and the newsfa6 and news sheet men were here in hordes: a precedent was to be set... The anti-mech .eagues and the humanitarian organi9ations were here a.so. The case was a sensationa. one, most.y because it was the first of its kind, and wou.d set the future pattern. !ergman knew he had to take good advantage of that. 5nd he a.so knew that advantage wou.d have been .ost, had he chosen a robot jurymech to try the case. The nice things about humans tied in with their irrationa.ity. They were human, they cou.d see the human point of view. 5 robot wou.d see the robotic point of view. !ergman desperate.y needed that human factor. This had grown much .arger than just his own prob.ems of adaptation. the fate of the profession .ay in his hands, and uncountab.e .ives, .ost through stupidity and b.ind dead faith in the a..-powerfu. &od of the 4achine. Deus e7 machina" !ergman thought bitter.y, I*m $onna $i,e you a run for your rule today# He waited si.ent.y, .istening to the testimonies, and then, fina..y, his turn came to speak. He to.d them a story, from the accuseds bubb.e. 'ot one word of defense...he did not need that. !ut the story, and the rea. story. It was difficu.t to get it out without fa..ing into bathos or me.odrama. It was even harder to keep from .ashing out insane.y at the machines. nce, a snicker started up from the audience, but the others scathed the .aughter to si.ence with vicious stares. 5fter that, they .istened... The years of study. The death of Eoh.bensch.agg. The day of the peration. *a.kins and his approach to medicine. The fear of the peop.e for the machines. *har.ie Eickbacks woman, and her terrors. 3hen he fina..y came to the story of the thresher amputee, and the ca.m workings of the ,hymech as his patient died, the eyes turned from !ergman. They turned to the si.ent cubic.e where the jurymech .ay inactive in waiting for the ne6t case where an accused wou.d se.ect robot over human. 4any began to wonder how smart it wou.d be to se.ect the robot. 4any wondered how smart they had been to put their faith in machines. !ergman was p.aying them, he knew he was, and fe.t a s.ight /ua.m about it-but there was more invo.ved here than mere.y saving his .icense. $ife was at stake. 5s he ta.ked, ca.m.y and soft.y, they watched him, and watched *a.kins, and the jurymech. 5nd when he had finished, there was si.ence for a .ong, .ong time. "ven after the jurybo6 had sunk into the f.oor, as de.iberations were made, there was si.ence. ,eop.e sat and thought, and even the newsfa6 men took their time about getting to the vidders, to pip in their stories. 3hen the jury bo6 rose up out of the f.oor, they said they must have more de.iberation. !ergman was remanded to custody, p.aced in a ce.. to wait. Somethin$ was going to happen. 4urray Thomas was ushered into the ce.., and he he.d !ergmans hand far .onger than was necessary for mere greeting. His face was so.emn when he said, -)ouve won, #tu.1

!ergman fe.t a great wave of re.ief and peace sett.e through him. He had suspected he wou.d: the situation cou.d be verified, and if they checked for what he had pointed out, not just b.ind faith in the machine, they wou.d uncover the truth...it must have happened before, many times. Thomas said, -The news sheets are fu.. of it, #tu. !iggest thing since tota. automation. ,eop.e are scared, #tu, but theyre scared the right way. There arent any big smash sessions, but peop.e are considering their position and the re.ation of the robot to them. -Theres a big movement afoot for a return to human domination. I-I hate to admit it, #tu...but I think you were right a.. a.ong. I wanted to sett.e back too easi.y. It took guts, #tu. 5 .ot of guts. Im afraid Id have sent that woman away, not gone to tend her man.1 !ergman waved away his words. He sat staring at his hands, trying to find a p.ace for himse.f in the sudden rationa.e that had swept over his wor.d. Thomas said, -Theyve got *a.kins for investigation. #eems there was some sort of co..usion between him and the manufacturer of the ,hymechs. That was why they were put in so /uick.y, before theyd been fu..y tested. !ut they ca..ed in the man from the Rsebok *ompany, and he had to testify they cou.dnt bui.d in a bedside manner...too nebu.ous a concept, or something. -Ive been restored to fu.. status as a surgeon, #tu. Theyre .ooking around for a suitab.e reward for you.1 #tuart !ergman was not .istening. He was remembering a man twisted up in death-who need not have diedand a b.ue-eyed gir. who had .ived, and an amputee who had screamed his .ife away. He thought of it a.., and of what had happened, and he knew deep within himse.f that it was going to be a.. right now. It wasnt just his victory...it was the victory of humanity. 4an had stopped himse.f on the way to dependence and decadence, and had reversed a terrib.e trend. The machines wou.d not be put away entire.y. They wou.d work a.ong with peop.e, and that was as it shou.d have been, for the machines were too.s, .ike any other too.s. !ut human invo.vement was the key factor now, again. !ergman sett.ed back against the ce.. wa.., and c.osed his eyes in the first rea. rest he had known for oh so .ong a time. He breathed deep.y, and smi.ed to himse.f. Reward8 He had his reward.

Re'etitiously" the unifyin$ theme to the stories in this collection is 'ain" human an$uish. 8ut there is a su()te7t that informs the su(5ect3 it is this: +e are all inesca'a(ly res'onsi(le" not only for our o+n actions" (ut for our lac of action" the morality and ethic of our silences and our a,oidances" the shared $uilt of hy'ocrisy" ,oyeurism" and co+ardice3 +hat mi$ht (e called the 9s'ectator)s'ort social conscience.: ;atherine 1eno,ese" Martin Luther 0in$" Viola Lui<<o" @athaniel &est" Marilyn Monroe...ho+ the hell do +e face them if there*s somethin$ li e a %ereafter= And ho+ do +e ma e it day)to)day" +hat +ith mirrors e,ery+here +e loo " if there isnt a %ereafter= Perha's it all comes do+n to the ans+er to the .uestion any middle)a$ed 1erman in" say" Munich" mi$ht as today: 9If I didn*t do +hat they said" they*d ill me. I had to sa,e my life" didn*t I=: I*m sure +hen it comes ri$ht do+n to it" the most i$nominious life is (etter than no life at all" (ut a$ain and a$ain I find the ans+er comin$ from some+here too no(le to (e +ithin myself: 9&hat for=: Stayin$ ali,e only has merit if one does it +ith di$nity" +ith 'ur'ose" +ith res'onsi(ility to his fello+ man. If these are a(sent" then li,in$ is a slu$)li e thin$" more a matter of ha(it than +orth. &ithout coura$e, the 'ain +ill destroy you. And" oh" yeah" a(out this story...the last section came first. It +as a tone)'oem +ritten to a little fol son$ 6om Scott +rote" titled 9FJth Parallel": +hich Rusty Dra'er recorded ,ocally some years later as 9Lonesome Son$.: If you can find a BI r'm of it any+here" and 'lay it as you read the final sections" it +ill ,astly enhance" audi(ly colorin$ an e7'lanation of +hat mean +hen I tal a(out 'ain that is

'eeper Than the 'ar%ness

A Fol Son$ of the Future TH") *54" T 5$+ &7''2"R# ' in the ,awnee *ounty jai.. He was sitting against the p.astee. wa.. of the ce.., hugging his bony knees. n the p.astee. f.oor .ay an ancient, three-string mando.in he had borrowed from the deputy and had been p.unking with some ta.ent off and on a.. that hot summer day. 7nder his thick buttocks the empty trough of the mattress.ess bunk bowed beneath his weight. He was an e6treme.y ta.. man, even hunched up that way. He was a gaunt, empty-.ooking man. His hair fe.. .anky and drab and gray-brown in disarray over a .ow forehead. His eyes seemed to be peas, withdrawn from their pods and p.aced in a stark.y white face. Their b.ankness on.y accented the tota. cipher he seemed. There was no inch of e6pression or recognition on his face or in the .ine of his body. He seemed to be a man who had given up the #earch .ong ago. He was more than tired-.ooking, more than weary. His was an interna. weariness. His face did not change its ho..ow stare at the p.astee.-barred door opposite, even as it swung back to admit the two nonentities. The two men entered, their stride as a.ike as the unobtrusive gray mesh suits they wore, as a.ike as the faces that wou.d fade from memory moments after they had e6ited. The turnkey-a gri99.ed country deputy with a minus P rating-stared after the men with open wonder on his bearded face. ne of the gray-suited men turned, pinning the wondering stare to the deputys face. His voice was ca.m and unripp.ed. -*.ose the door and go back to your desk.1 The words were co.d and paced. They brooked no opposition. It was obvious( the men were 4indees. The roar of a .ate afternoon inverspace ship sp.it the waiting moment, outside: then the turnkey s.ammed the door, pa.ming its .oktite. He wa.ked back out of the ce.. b.ock, hands deep in his covera.. pockets. His head was .owered as though he was trying to so.ve a comp.e6 prob.em. It, too, was obvious( he was trying to b.ock his thoughts off from those goddammed 4indees. 3hen he was gone, the te.epaths circ.ed &unnderson s.ow.y. Their faces a.tered, soft.y, subt.y, and persona.ity f.owed in. They shot each other confused g.ances. %im= the first man thought, nodding s.ight.y at the sti.., knee-hugging prisoner. 6hat*s +hat the re'ort said" Ral'h. The other man removed his forehead-concea.ing snap-brim and sat down on the edge of the bunk-trough. He touched &unndersons .eg with tentative fingers. %e*s not thin in$" for 1od*s sa e# the thought f.ashed. I can*t $et a thin$. #hock spark.ed in the thought. %e must (e (loc ed off (y trauma)(arrier" came the rep.y from the te.epath named Ra.ph. -Is your name 5.f &unnderson81 the first 4indee in/uired soft.y, a hand on &unndersons shou.der.

The e6pression never changed. The head swive..ed s.ow.y and the dead eyes came to bear on the darksuited te.epath. -Im &unnderson.1 His tones indicated no enthusiasm, no curiosity. The first man .ooked up at his partner, doubt wrink.ing his eyes, pursing his .ips. He shrugged his shou.ders, as if to say, &ho no+s= He turned back to &unnderson. Immobi.e, as before. Hewn from rock, si.ent as the pit. -3hat are you in here for, &unnderson81 He spoke the ha.ting speech of the te.epath, as though he was unused to words. The dead stare swung back to the p.astee. bars. -I set the woods on fire,1 he said. The 4indees face darkened at the prisoners words. That was what the report had said. The report that had come in from this remote corner of this remote country. The 5merican 7nion covered two continents with p.astee. and printed circuits, re.ays and rapid movement, but there were areas of backwoods country that had never taken to civi.i9ing. They sti.. maintained roads and jai.s, fishing ho.es and forests. ut of one of these had come three reports, spaced an hour apart, with start.ing ramifications-if true. They had been snapped through the primary message banks in *apita. *ity in !uenos 5ires, ree.ed through the computers, and handed to the !ureau for checking. 3hi.e the inverspace ships p.ied between wor.ds, whi.e "arth fought its transga.actic wars, in a rura. section of the 5merican continents, a strange thing was happening. 5 mi.e and a ha.f of raging forest fire, and 5.f &unnderson the one responsib.e. #o the !ureau had sent two 4indees. -How did it start, 5.f81 The dead eyes c.osed momentari.y in pain, then opened, and he answered, -I was trying to get the pot to heat up. Trying to set the kind.ing under it to burning. I fired myse.f too hard.1 5 f.ash of se.f-pity and unbearab.e hurt came into his face, disappeared just as /uick.y. "mpty once more, he added, -I a.ways do.1 The first man e6ha.ed sharp.y, got up and put on his hat. The persona.ity f.owed out of his face. He was a carboncopy of the other te.epath once more. They were no .onger individua.s: they were !ureau men, studied.y, e6act.y, precise.y a.ike in every detai.. -This is the one,1 he said. -*ome on, 5.f,1 the 4indee named Ra.ph said. -$ets go.1 The authority in his voice no more served to move &unnderson than their initia. appearance had. He sat as he was. The two men .ooked at one another. &hat*s the matter +ith him= the second one f.ashed. If you had +hat he*s $ot)you*d (e a (it (u$$y yourself" the first one rep.ied. They hoisted the prisoner under his arms, .ifted him unresisting, off the bunk. The turnkey came at a ca.., and-sti.. marve.ing at these men who had come in, shown !ureau cards, sworn him to dead.y si.ence, and were now taking the tramp firebug with them-opened the ce.. door. 5s they passed before him, the te.epath named Ra.ph turned sudden.y sharp and piercing eyes on the o.d guard. -This is government business, mister,1 he warned. - ne word of this, and you.. be a prisoner in your own jai.. 2igit81 The turnkey bobbed his head /uick.y.1 5nd stop thinking, mister,1 the 4indee added nasti.y, -we dont .ike to be referred to as s.imy peekers01 The turnkey turned a shade pa.er and watched si.ent.y as they disappeared down the ha.., out of the ,awnee *ounty jai.house. He waited, b.anking fierce.y, ti.. he heard the whine of the !ureau so.ocab rising into the afternoon sky. 'ow what the devi. did they want with a cra9y firebug hobo .ike that8 He thought vicious.y, $oddam Mindees# 5fter they had f.own him to !uenos 5ires, deep in the heart of the b.asted 5rgentine desert, they sent him in for testing. The testing was e6haustive. "ven though he did not rea..y cooperate, there were things he cou.d not keep them from .earning, things that showed up because they were there( #uch as his abi.ity to start fires with his mind. #uch as the fact that he cou.d not contro. the b.a9es. #uch as the fact that he had been burning for fifteen years in an effort to find peace and sec.usion. #uch as the fact that he had become a tortured and unhappy man because of his strange mind-power... -5.f,1 said the bodi.ess voice from the rear of the darkened auditorium, -.ight that cigarette on the tab.e.

,ut it in your mouth and make it .ight, 5.f. 3ithout a match.1 5.f &unnderson stood in the circ.e of .ight. He shifted from .eg to .eg on the b.a9ing stage, and eyed the cy.inder of white paper on the tab.e. He was trapped in it again. The harrying, the testing, the staring. He was different-even from the other accredited psioid types-and they wou.d try to put him away. It had happened before, it was happening now. There was no rea. peace for him. -I dont smoke,1 he said, which was not true. !ut this scene was brother to the uncountab.e po.ice .ineups he had gone through, a.. the way across the 5merican continents, across "arth, to 5 *entauri IM and back. It annoyed him, and it terrified him, for he knew he cou.d not escape. "6cept this time there were no hard rocky-faced cops out there in the darkness beyond his sight. This time there were hard, rocky-faced !ureau men and #pace*om officia.s. "ven Terrence, head of #pace*om, was sitting in one of those pneumoseats, watching him steadi.y. 2aring him to be what he was0 He .ifted the cy.inder hesitant.y, a.most put it back. -#moke it, 5.f01 snapped a different voice, deeper in tone, from the darkness. He put the cigarette between his .ips. The men waited. He wanted to say something, perhaps to object, but he cou.d not. 5.f &unndersons heavy brows drew down. His b.ank eyes became-if it were possib.e-even b.anker. 5 sharp, denting % appeared between the brows. The cigarette f.amed into .ife. 5 tongue of fire .eaped up from the tip. In an instant it had consumed tobacco, paper, and denicoti9er in one roar. The fire s.ammed against &unndersons .ips, searing them, .apping at his nose, his face. He screamed, fe.. on his face and beat at the f.ames with his hands. #udden.y the stage was c.ogged with running men in the b.ue and charcoa. suits of the #pace*om. &unnderson .ay writhing on the f.oor, a wisp of charry smoke rising from his face. ne of the #pace*om officia.s broke the cap on an e6tinguisher via. and the spray washed over the body of the fa..en man. -&et the 4a..aport0 &et the goddammed 4a..aport, wi..ya01 5 young ensign with brush-cut b.ond hair, first to reach the stage, as though he had been waiting crouched be.ow, crad.ed &unndersons head in his muscu.ar arms, brushing with horror at the f.akes of charred skin. He had the watery b.ue eyes of the spaceman, the man who has seen terrib.e things: yet his eyes were more frightened now than any mans eyes had a right to be. In a few minutes the angu.ar, spade-jawed, 4a..eab.e. Transporter was smoothing the skin on &unndersons face, rea.igning the atoms-shearing away the burned f.esh, coating it with vibrant, hea.thy pink skin. 5nother few moments and the psioid was finished. The burns had been erased: &unnderson was new and who.e, save for the patches of hea.thier-seeming skin that dotted his face. 5.. through it he had been murmuring. 5s the 4a..aport finished his menta. work and stood up with a sigh, the words fi.tered through to the young #pace*om ensign. He stared at &unnderson a moment, then raised his watery b.ue eyes to the other officia.s standing about. He stared at them with a mi6ture of fear and bewi.derment. &unnderson had been saying( -$et me die, p.ease .et me die, I want to die, wont you .et me die, p.ease...1 The ship was heading toward ma.o, sun of the 2e.gart system. It had been trans.ated into inverspace by a 2river named *arina *orreia. #he had warped the ship through, and gone back to her deep-s.eep, ti.. she was needed at ma.o snap-out. 'ow the ship whir.ed through the cra9y /ui.t of inverspace, cutting through to the star system of "arths adversary. &unnderson sat in the cabin with the brush-cut b.ond ensign. 5.. through the trip, since b.ast-off and snapout, the pyrotic had been kept in his stateroom. This was the newest of the "arth #pace*om ships, yet he had seen none of it. Dust this tiny stateroom, and the constant company of the ensign. The #pace*om ensigns watery b.ue eyes swept between the pa..id man and the te.eport-proof safe set in the cabins bu.khead. -5ny idea why theyre sending us so deep into 2e.gart territory81 the ensign fished. -Its pretty tight .ines up this far. 4ust be something big. 5ny idea81 &unndersons eyes came up from their focus on his boottops, and stared at the spaceman. He id.y f.ipped the harmonica he had re/uested before b.ast-off and had used to pass away the .ong hours in inverspace. -'o idea. How .ong have we been at war with the 2e.garts81 -2ont you even know who your p.anets at war with81

-Ive been rura. for many years. 5nd arent we al+ays at war with someone81 The ensign .ooked start.ed. -'ot un.ess its to protect the peace of the ga.a6ies. "arth is a peace-.oving-1 &unnderson cut him off. -)es. I know. !ut how .ong have we been at war with the 2e.garts8 I thought they were our a..ies under some treaty or other81 The spacemans face contorted in a picture of conditioned hatred. -3eve been after the bastards since they jumped one of our mining p.anets outside their c.uster.1 He twisted his .ips in open .oathing. -3e.. c.ean the bastards out soon enough0 Teach them to jump peacefu. "arthmen.1 &unnderson wished he cou.d shut out the words. He had heard the same story a.. the way to 5 *entauri IM and back. #omeone had a.ways jumped someone e.se: someone was a.ways at war with someone e.se: there were a.ways bastards to be c.eaned out... The invership whipped past the myriad co.ors of inverspace, hurt.ing through that not-space toward the a.ien c.uster. &unnderson sat in the te.eport-proof stateroom, trip.e-.oktited, and waited. He had no idea what they wanted of him, why they had tested him, why they had sent him through the pref.ight checkups, why he was here. !ut he knew one thing( whatever it was, there was to be no peace for him...ever. He si.ent.y cursed the strange menta. power he had. The power to make the mo.ecu.es of anythin$ speed up tremendous.y, making them grind against one another, causing combustion. 5 strange, channe.ed te.eport facu.ty that was use.ess for anything but the creation of fire. He damned it sou.fu..y, wishing he had been born deaf, mute, b.ind, incapab.e of any contact with the wor.d. +rom the moment of his .ife when he had become aware of his strange power, he had been haunted. 'o contro., no identification, no communication. *ut off. Tagged as an oddie. 'ot even the p.easures of being an acknow.edged psioid .ike the 4indees, the inva.uab.e 2rivers, the !.asters, or the 4a..aports who cou.d move the atoms of f.esh to their design. He was an oddie( a nondirective psioid. Tagged dead.y and uncontro..ab.e. He cou.d set the fires, but he cou.d not contro. them. The mo.ecu.es were too tiny, too /uick.y imitative for him to stop the activity once it was started. It had to stop of its own vo.ition-and usua..y it was too .ong in stopping. nce he had thought himse.f norma., once he had thought of .eading an ordinary .ife-of perhaps becoming a musician. !ut that idea had died af.aming, as a.. other norma. ideas had fo..owed it. +irst the ostracism, then the hunting, then the arrests and the prison terms, one after another. 'ow something new-something he cou.d not understand. 3hat did they want with him8 It was obvious.y in connection with the mighty batt.e being fought between "arth and the 2e.garts, but of what use cou.d his unre.iab.e powers be8 3hy was he in this most marve.ous of the new #pace*om ships, heading toward the centra. sun of the enemy c.uster8 5nd why shou.d he he.p "arth in any case8 5t that moment the .ocks popped, the safe broke open, and the c.anging of the a.arms was heard to the bowe.s of the invership. The ensign stopped him as he rose and started toward the safe. The ensign thumbed a button on his wristconso.e. -Ho.d it, 4r. &unnderson. I wasnt to.d what was in there, but I was to.d to keep you away from it unti. the other two get here.1 &unnderson s.umped back hope.ess.y on the acce.eration bunk. He dropped the harmonica to the meta. f.oor and .owered his head into his hands. -3hat other two81 -I dont know, sir. I wasnt to.d.1 The other two were psioids, natura..y. 3hen the 4indee and the !.aster arrived, they motioned the ensign to remove the contents of the safe. He wa.ked over nervous.y, took out the tiny recorder and the sing.e speak-tip. -,.ay it, "nsign,1 the 4indee directed. The spaceman thumbed the speak-tip into the ho.e, and the grating of the b.ank space at the beginning of the record fined the room. -)ou can .eave now, "nsign,1 the 4indee said. 5fter the #pace*om officer had secure.y .oktited the door, the voice began. &unnderson recogni9ed it immediate.y as that of Terrence, head of #pace*om. The man who had /uestioned him tire.ess.y at the !ureau bui.ding in !uenos 5ires. Terrence( hero of another war, the "arth-Eyben 3ar, now head of #pace*om. The words were britt.e, a.most without inf.ection, yet they carried a sense of utmost importance( -&unnderson,1 he began, -we have, as you a.ready know, a job for you. !y this time the ship wi.. have reached the centra.-point of your trip through inverspace. -)ou wi.. arrive in two days "arthtime at a s.ip-out point appro6imate.y five mi..ion mi.es from ma.o, the enemy sun. )ou wi.. be far behind enemy .ines, but we are certain you wi.. be ab.e to accomp.ish your mission safe.y. That is why you have been given this new ship. It can withstand anything the enemy can throw.

-3e want you to get back after your job is done. )ou are the most important man in our war effort, &unnderson, and this is on.y your first mission. -3e want you to turn the sun ma.o into a supernova.1 &unnderson, for perhaps the second time in thirty-eight years of b.eak, gray .ife, was staggered. The very concept made his stomach churn. Turn another races sun into a f.aming, gaseous bomb of inca.cu.ab.e power, spreading death into space, charring into nothing the p.anets of the system8 5nnihi.ate in one move an entire cu.ture8 3hat did they think he was capab.e of8 *ou.d he direct his mind to such a task8 *ou.d he do it8 Should he do it= His mind tremb.ed at the possibi.ity. He had never rea..y considered himse.f as having many idea.s. He had set fires in warehouses to get the owners their .iabi.ity insurance: he had f.amed other hobos who had tried to rob him: he had used the unpredictab.e power of his mind for many things, but thisThis was the murder of a so.ar system0 He wasnt in any way sure he could turn a sun supernova. 3hat was there to .ead them to think he might be ab.e to do it8 !urning a forest and burning a giant red sun were two things fantastica..y far apart. It was something out of a nightmare. !ut even if he could... -In case you find the task unp.easant, 4r. &unnderson,1 the ice-chip voice of the #pace*om head continued, -we have inc.uded in this ships comp.ement a 4indee and a !.aster. -Their so.e job is to watch and protect you, 4r. &unnderson. To make certain you are kept in the proper, 'atriotic state of mind. They have been instructed to read you from this moment on, and shou.d you not be wi..ing to carry out your assignment...we.., Im certain you are fami.iar with a !.asters capabi.ities.1 &unnderson stared at the b.ank-faced te.epath sitting across from him on the other bunk. The man was obvious.y .istening to every thought in &unndersons head. 5 strange, nervous e6pression was on the 4indees face. His ga9e turned to the !.aster who accompanied him, then back to &unnderson. The pyrotic swive.ed a g.ance at the !.aster, then swive.ed away as /uick.y. !.asters were men meant to do one job, one job on.y: a !.aster became the type of man he had to be, to be successfu. doing that job. They a.. .ooked the same, and now &unnderson found the .ook a.most terrifying. He had not thought he cou.d (e terrified, any more. -That is your assignment, &unnderson, and if you have any hesitation, remember our enemy is not human. They may .ook .ike you, but menta..y they are e6traterrestria.s as un.ike you as you are un.ike a s.ug. 5nd remember theres a war on. )ou wi.. be saving the .ives of many "arthmen by performing this task. -This is your chance to become respected, &unnderson. -5 hero, respected, and for the first time,1 he paused, as though not wishing to say what was ne6t, -for the first time-worthy of your wor.d.1 The rasp-rasp-rasp of the speak-tip fi..ed the stateroom. &unnderson said nothing. He cou.d hear the phrase whir.ing, whir.ing in his head( Theres a war on, 6here*s a +ar on" TH"R"# 5 35R '0 He stood up and s.ow.y wa.ked to the door. -#orry, 4r. &unnderson,1 the 4indee said emphatica..y, -we cant a..ow you to .eave this room.1 He sat down and .ifted the battered mouth organ from where it had fa..en. He fingered it for a whi.e, then put it to his .ips. He b.ew, but made no sound. 5nd he didnt .eave. They thought he was as.eep. The 4indee-a cadaverous.y thin man with hair grayed at the temp.es and s.icked back in strips on top, with a gasping speech and a nervous movement of hand to ear-spoke to the !.aster. -He doesnt seem to be thinking, Dohn01 The !.asters smooth, hard features moved vague.y, and a /uirking frown sp.it his ink.ine mouth. -*an he do it81 The 4indee rose, ran a hand /uick.y through the straight, s.icked hair. -*an he do it8 'o, he shou.dnt be a(le to do it, but hes doing it0 I cant figure it out...its eerie. "ither Ive .ost it, or hes got something new.1 -Trauma-barrier81 -Thats what they to.d me before I .eft, that he seemed to be b.ocked off. !ut they thought it was on.y temporary, and that once he was away from the !ureau bui.dings hed c.ear up.

-!ut he hasn*t c.eared up.1 The !.aster .ooked concerned. -4aybe its you.1 -I didnt get a 4asters rating for nothing, Dohn, and I te.. you there isnt a trauma-barrier I cant at .east get somethin$ through. If on.y a snatch of gabb.e. !ut here theres nothing-nothing01 -4aybe its you,1 the !.aster repeated, sti.. concerned. -2amn it0 Its not me0 I can read you, cant I-your right foot hurts from new boots, you wish you cou.d have the bunk to .ie down on, you... h, he.., I can read you" and I can read the *aptain up front, and I can read the pitmen in the ho.d, but I can*t read him# -Its .ike hitting a sheet of g.ass in his head. There shou.d be a ref.ection if not penetration, but he seems to be opa/ued. I didnt want to say anything when he was awake, of course.1 -2o you think I shou.d twit him a .itt.e-wake him up and warn him were on to his game81 The 4indee raised a hand to stop the very thought of the !.aster. -&reat &ods, no01 He gestured wi.d.y. -This &unndersons inva.uab.e. If they found out wed done anything unauthori9ed to him, wed both be tanked.1 &unnderson .ay on his acce.eration-bunk, feigning s.eep, .istening to them. It was a new discovery to him, what they were saying. He had sometimes suspected that the pyrotic facu.ty of his mind was not the on.y way he differed from the norm-perhaps there were others. 5nd if it was a side-effect, there ou$ht to be others. He knew he cou.d not read minds: was this impenetrabi.ity by 4indees another factor8 ,erhaps the !.aster was power.ess against him, too. It wou.d never c.ear away his prob.em-that was something he cou.d do on.y in his own mind-but it might make his position and fina. decision safer. There was on.y one way to find out. He knew the !.aster cou.d not actua..y harm him severe.y, by #pace*oms orders: but he wou.dnt hesitate to b.ast off one of the ,yrotics arms -cauteri9ing it as it disappeared-to warn him, if the situation seemed desperate enough. The !.aster had seemed to &unnderson a singu.ar.y over9ea.ous man, in any case. It was a terrib.e risk, but he had to know. There was on.y one way to find out, and he took it, finding a start.ing new vita.ity in himse.f for the first time in over thirty years. He snapped his .egs off the bunk, and .unged across the stateroom, shou.dering aside the 4indee and straight-arming the !.aster in the mouth. The !.aster, surprised by the rapid and comp.ete.y une6pected movement, had a ref.e6 thought, and one entire bu.khead was washed by bo.ts of power. They crack.ed, and the p.astee. buck.ed. His direction had been upset, but &unnderson knew the instant he regained his menta. ba.ance, the power wou.d be directed at him. &unnderson was at the stateroom door, pa.ming the .oktite open-having watched the manner used by the !.aster when he had .eft on severa. occasions-and putting one foot into the companionway. Then the !.aster struck. His fury rose, and he .ost his sense of duty. This man had struck him-an accepted psioid, not an oddie0 The b.ack of his eyes deepened, and his face strained. His cheekbones rose in the stricture of a grin, and the force materia.i9ed. It was a.. around &unnderson. He cou.d fee. the heat...see his c.othes sparking and disappearing...fee. his hair charring at the tips...fee. the strain of psi power in the air. !ut there was no effect on him. He was safe-safe from the power of the !.aster. Then he knew he didnt have to run, and he turned back to the cabin. The two psioids were staring at him in open terror. It was a.most a.ways night in inverspace. The ship p.oughed constant.y through a swamp of b.ack, with meta. inside, and meta. outside, and the co.d, unchanging devi.-dark beyond the meta.. 4en hated inverspace-they sometimes took the years-.ong journey through norma. space, to avoid the chi..ing mystery of inverspace. +or one moment the tota. b.ack wou.d surround the ship, and the ne6t they wou.d be sifting through a fie.d of changing, f.ickering cra9y /ui.t co.ors. Then dark again, then .ight, then dots, then shafts, then the dark once more. It was ever-changing, .ike a madmans dream. !ut not interesting.y changing, so one wou.d wish to watch, as one might watch a ka.eidoscope. This was strange, and unnatura., something beyond the powers of the mind, or the abi.ities of the eye to comprehend. ,orts were un.ocked on.y in the officers country, and those had so.id .ead shie.ds that wou.d s.am down and dog c.osed at the s.ap of a button. 'othing e.se cou.d be done( for men were men, and space was their eterna. enemy. !ut no man wi..ing.y

stared back at the deep of inverspace. In the officers country, 5.f &unnderson reached with his sight and his mind into the coa.-soot that now .ay beyond the ship. #ince he had proved his invu.nerabi.ity over the !.aster, he had been given the run of the ship. 3here cou.d he go8 'owhere that he cou.d not be found. &uards watched the egress ports at a.. times, so he was sti.., in effect, a prisoner on the invership. He stared from the giant /uart9 window, a.. shie.ds open, a.. the darkness f.owing in. The cabin was dark, but not ha.f so dark as that darkness that was everywhere. That darkness deeper than the darkness. 3hat was he8 3as he man or was he machine, to be to.d he must turn a sun nova8 3hat of the peop.e on that suns p.anets8 3hat of the women and the chi.dren, a.ien or not8 3hat of the peop.e who hated war, and the peop.e who served because they had been to.d to serve, and the peop.e who wanted to be .eft a.one8 3hat of the men who went into the fie.ds, whi.e their fe..ow troops dutifu..y sharpened their war knives, and cried8 *ried because they were afraid, and they were tired, and they wanted home without death. 3hat of those men8 3as this war one of sa.vation or .iberation or duty as they parroted the phrases of patriotism8 r was this sti.. another of the unending wars for domination, .arger ho.dings, richer wor.ds8 3as this another vast joke of the 7niverse, where men were sent to their deaths so one type of government, no better than another, cou.d ru.e8 He didnt know. He wasnt sure. He was afraid. He had a power beyond a.. powers in his hands, and he sudden.y found himse.f not a tramp and a waste, but a man who might demo.ish a so.ar system at his own wi... 'ot even sure he could do it, he considered the possibi.ity, and it terrified him, making his .egs turn to rubber, his b.ood to .i/uid o6ygen. He was sudden.y /uite .ost, and immersed in a deeper darkness than he had ever known. 3ith no way out. He spoke to himse.f, .etting his words sound foo.ish to himse.f, but speaking them just the same, knowing he had avoided speaking them for far too .ong( -*an I do it8 -#hou.d I8 Ive waited so .ong, so .ong, to find a p.ace, and now they te.. me Ive found a p.ace. Is this my fina. p.ace8 Is this what Ive .ived and searched for8 I can be a va.uab.e war weapon. I can be the man the others turn to when they want a job done. !ut what sort of job8 -*an I do it8 Is it more important to me to find peace-even a peace such as this-and to destroy, than to go on with the unrest81 5.f &unnderson stared at the night, at the faint tinges of co.or beginning to form at the edges of his vision, and his mind washed itse.f in the water of thought. He had discovered much about himse.f in the past few days. He had discovered many ta.ents, many idea.s he had never suspected in himse.f. He had discovered he had character, and that he was not a hope.ess, oddie hu.k, doomed to die wasted. He found he had a future. If he cou.d make the proper decision. !ut what +as the proper decision8 - ma.o0 ma.o snap-out01 The cry roared through the companionways, bounced down the ha..s and against the meta. hun of the invership, sprayed from the speakers, and deafened the men as.eep beside their s/uawk-bo6es. The ship p.oughed through a ma9e of co.ors whose names were unknown, skiiiiittered in a name.ess direction, and popped out, shuddering. There it was. The sun of 2e.gart. ma.o. !ig. 5nd go.den. 3ith p.anets set about it .ike bou.ders on the edge of the sea. The sea that was space, and from which this ship had come. 3ith death in its ho.d, and death in its tubes, and death, nothing but death, in its purpose. The !.aster and the 4indee escorted 5.f &unnderson to the bridge. They stood back and .et him wa.k to the huge /uart9 porta.. The porta. before which the pyrotic had stood so .ong, so many hours, ga9ing so deep.y into inverspace. They .eft him there, and stood back, because they knew he was safe from them. 'o matter how hard they he.d his arms, no matter how fierce.y they pounded thoughts at him, he was safe. He was something new. 'ot just a pyrotic, not just a mind-b.ocked psioid, not just a !.aster-safe, he was something tota..y new. 'ot a composite, for there had been many of those, with imperfect powers of severa. psi types. !ut something new, and incomprehensib.e to his guards. ,sioid-p.us-with a p.us that might mean anything. &unnderson moved forward s.ow.y, his deep shadow s/uirming out before him, s.iding up the conso.e, across the porta. si.., and across the /uart9 itse.f. Himse.f super-imposed across the immensity of space. The man who was &unnderson stared into the night that .ay without, and at the sun that burned steadi.y and high in that night. 5 greater fire raged within him than on that sun.

His was a power he cou.d not even begin to estimate, and if he .et it be used in this way, this once, it cou.d be turned to this purpose over and over and over again. 3as there any sa.vation for him8 -)oure supposed to f.ame that sun, &unnderson,1 the s.ick-haired 4indee said, trying to assume an authoritative tone, a tone of command, but fai.ing miserab.y. He knew he was power.ess before this man. They cou.d shoot him, of course, but what wou.d that accomp.ish8 -3hat are you going to do, &unnderson8 3hat do you have in mind81 the !.aster chimed in. -#pace*om wants ma.o fired. 5re you going to do it, or do we have to report you as a traitor81 -)ou know what they.. do to you back on "arth, &unnderson. )ou know, dont you81 5.f &unnderson .et the .ight of ma.o wash his sunken face with red ha9e. His eyes seemed to deepen in intensity. His hands on the conso.e .edge stiffened and the knuck.es turned white. He had seen the possibi.ities, and he had decided. They wou.d never understand that he had chosen the harder way. He turned s.ow.y. -3here is the .ifescoot .ocated81 They stared at him, and he repeated his /uestion. They refused to answer, and he shou.dered past them, stepped into the droptube to take him be.ow decks. The 4indee spun on him, his face raging. -)oure a coward and a traitor, fireboy0 )oure a .ousy no-psi freak and we.. get you0 )ou can take the .ifeboat, but someday we.. find you0 'o matter where you go out there, were going to find you01 He spat then, and the !.aster strained and strained and strained, but the power of his mind had no effect on &unnderson. The pyrotic .et the dropshaft .ower him, and he found the .ifescoot some time .ater. He took nothing with him but the battered harmonica, and the red f.ush of ma.o on his face. 3hen they fe.t the 'o'# of the .ifescoot being snapped into space, and they saw the dark gray dot of it moving away rapid.y f.icking /uick.y off into inverspace, the !.aster and the 4indee s.umped into re.a6ers, stared at each other. -3e.. have to finish the war without him.1 The !.aster nodded. -He cou.d have won it for us in one minute. 5nd now hes gone.1 -2o you think he cou.d have done it81 The !.aster shrugged his heavy shou.ders. -Hes gone,1 the 4indee repeated bitter.y. 9%e*s gone8 *oward0 Traitor0 #omeday...someday...1 -3here can he go81 -Hes a wanderer at heart. #pace is deep, he can go anywhere.1 -2id you mean that, about finding him someday81 The 4indee nodded rapid.y. -3hen they find out, back on "arth, what he did today, they.. start hunting him through a.. of space. He.. never have another moments peace. They ha,e to find him-hes the perfect weapon. 5nd he cant run forever. They.. find him.1 -5 strange man.1 -5 man with a power he cant hide, Dohn. 3e know he cant contro. it, so how can he hide it8 #ooner or .ater he.. give himse.f away. He can*t hide himse.f c.ever.y enough to stay hidden forever.1 - dd that he wou.d turn himse.f into a fugitive. He cou.d have had peace of mind for the rest of his .ife. Instead, hes got thisS1 The 4indee stared at the c.osed porta. shie.ds. His tones were bitter and frustrated. -3e.. find him someday.1 The ship shuddered, reversed drives, and s.ipped back into inverspace. 4uch sky winked back at him. He sat on the b.uff, wind tous.ing his gray hair, f.apping soft.y at the dirty shirt-tai. hanging from his pants top. The 4instre. sat on the b.uff watching the .and fa.. s.oping.y away under him, down to the shining hide of the spraw.ing dragon that was a city, .ying in the cup of the hi..s. The dragon that crouched where .ush grass had once grown. n this /uiet wor.d, far from a red sun that shone high and steady, the 4instre. sat and pondered the many kinds of peace. 5nd the kind that is not peace, can ne,er be peace. His eyes turned once more to the sage and eterna. advice of the b.ackness above. 'o one saw him wink back at the si.ent stars. 3ith a sigh he s.ung the battered theremin over his s.oping shou.ders. It was a portab.e machine, with both

rods bent and its power-pack patched and so.dered. His body a.most at once assumed the ha.f-s.ouched, roundshou.dered wa.k of the wanderer. He amb.ed down the hi.. toward the rocket fie.d. They ca..ed it the rocket fie.d, out here on the "dge, but they didnt use rockets any .onger. 'ow they rode to space on strange tubes that whist.ed and spark.ed behind the ship ti.. it f.icked off into some cra9y /ui.t not-space, and was gone forever. Tarmac c.icked under the hee.s of his boots. !right, shining boots, kept meticu.ous.y c.ean by po.ishing, overpo.ishing ti.. they ref.ected back the corona of the fie.d k.iegs and, more faint.y, the g.eam of the stars. The 4instre. kept them c.eaned and po.ished, a c.ashing note matched against his genera..y unkempt appearance. He was ta.., towering over a.most everyone he had ever met in his home.ess wanderings. His body was a .ean and supp.e thing, .ike a high-tension wire, with the merest suggestion of contained power and /uickness. He moved with an easy gait, accentuating his .ong .egs and gang.ing arms, making his we..-proportioned head seem a bubb.e precarious.y ba.anced on a neck too .ong and thin to support it. He kept time to the c.ick of the po.ished boots with a soft ha.f-hum, ha.f-whist.e. The song was a dead song, .ong forgotten. He came from beyond the mountains. 'o one knew where. 'o one cared where. !ut they .istened when he came. They .istened a.most reverent.y, with a desperation born of men who know they are severed from their home wor.ds, who know they wi.. go out and out and se.dom come back. He sang of space, and he sang of .and, and he sang of the peace that is .eft for 4an-a.. men, no matter how many arms they had, or what their skin was co.ored-when he has e6pended the .ast .itt.e bit of "ternity to which he is entit.ed. His voice had the sadness of death in it-the sadness of death before .ife has finished its work. !ut it a.so had the joy of meta. under /uick fingers, the strength of turned nicke.-stee., and the whip of heart and sou. working in .one.iness. They .istened when his song came with the night wind, probing, crying through the darkness of a thousand wor.ds and on a thousand winds. The pitmen stopped their work as he came, si.ent but for the hum of his song and the beat of his boots on the b.acktop. They watched as he came across the fie.d. He had been wandering the star-paths for many years now. He had appeared, and that was a..: he was. They knew him as certain.y as they knew themse.ves. They turned and he was .ike a pi..ar, set dark against the .ight and shadow of the fie.d. He paced s.ow.y, and they stopped the hoses feeding the radioactive food to the ships, and the torches with which they f.ayed the meta. skins: and they .istened. The 4instre. knew they were .istening, and he uns.ung his instrument, sett.ing the narrow bo6 with its tone-rods around his neck by its thong. His fingers cajo.ed and pried and e6tracted the song of a sou., cast into the pit of the void, .eft to die, crying in torment not so much at death, but at the terror of being a.one when the .ast ca.. came. 5nd the workmen cried. They fe.t no shame as the tears coursed through the dirt on their faces and mi6ed with the sweat-shine of their toi.. They stood, si.ent and dreaming, as he came toward them. 5nd before they even knew it was ended, and for seconds after the wai. had f.ed back across the fie.d into the mountains, they .istened to the .ast notes of his .ament. Hands wiped c.umsi.y across faces, .eaving more dirt than before, and backs turned s.ow.y as men resumed work. It seemed they cou.d not face him, the nearer he came: as though he was too deep-seeing, too perceptive for them to be at ease c.ose by. It was a mi6ture of respect and awe. The 4instre. stood, waiting. -Hey0 you01 The 4instre. did not move. There was a pad of soft-so.ed feet behind him. 5 spaceman-tanned, supp.e, a.most as ta.. as the ba..ad-singer and reminding him of another spaceman, a b.ond-haired boy he had known .ong ago-came up beside him. -3hat can I do for ya, 4instre.81 asked the spaceman, tones of the accent of a .ong distant "arth rich in his voice. -3hat do they ca.. this wor.d81 the 4instre. asked. His voice was /uiet, .ike a need.e being drawn through ve.vet. -The natives ca.. it 5udi, and the charts ca.. it Re6a 4ajoris MMIM, 4instre.. 3hy81 -Its time to move on.1 The spaceman grinned huge.y, .ines of amusement crink.ing out around his watery brown eyes. -'eed a .ift81

The 4instre. nodded. The spacemans face softened, the .ines of s/uinting into the reaches of an eterna. night broke and he e6tended his hand( -4y names Ouantry: top dog on the S'irit of Lucy Marlo+e. If you dont mind working your way singing for the passengers, wed be p.eased to have you on board.1 The ta.. man smi.ed, a /uick radiance across the shadows of his face. -That isnt work.1 -Then done01 e6c.aimed the spaceman. -*mon, I.. fi6 you a bunk in steerage.1 They wa.ked between the wiper gangs and the pitmen. They threaded their way between the g.are of f.uorotorches and the sputtering b.ast of robot we.ding instruments. The man named Ouantry indicated the opening in the smooth side of the ship and the 4instre. c.ambered inside. Ouantry fi6ed the berth just behind the reactor feederbins, wa..ing off a compartment with an e.ectric b.anket draped over a .oading track rai.. The 4instre. .ay on his bunk -a repair bench-with a pi..ow under his head. He .ay thinking. The moments f.ed si.ent.y and his mind, deep in thought, hard.y rea.i9ed the ports were being dogged home, the radioactive additives being s.uiced through their tubes to the converter-ce..s, the .ift tubes being e6truded. His mind did not .eave its thoughts as the tubes warmed, turning the pit to green g.ass beneath the ships bu.k. Tubes that wou.d carry the ship to an a.titude where the 2river wou.d be wakened from his s.eep-or her s.eep, as was more often the case with that particu.ar breed of psioid-to snap the ship into inverspace. 5s the ship came unstuck from so.id ground and hur.ed itse.f outward on its whist.ing sparks, the 4instre. .ay back, .etting the reassuring hand of acce.eration press him into deeper reverie. Thoughts spun( of the past, of the further past, and of a.. the pasts he had known. Then the converter-ce..s cut off, the ship shuddered, and he knew they were inverspaced. The 4instre. sat up, his eyes far away. His thoughts were deep inside the c.oudcover of a wor.d bi..ions of .ight-years away, hundreds of years .ost to him. 5 wor.d he wou.d never see again. There was a time for running, and a time for resting, but even in the running there cou.d be resting. He smi.ed to himse.f so faint.y it was not a smi.e. 2own in the reactor rooms, they heard his song. They heard the bui.d of it, matching, sustaining, ringing in harmony with the inverspace drive. They grinned at each other with a softness their faces did not seem e/uipped to wear. -Its gonna be a good trip,1 said one to another, smi.ing. In the officers country, Ouantry .ooked up at the tight-s.ammed shie.ds b.ocking off the patchwork insanity of not-space, and he smi.ed. It +as going to be a good trip. In the sa.oons, the passengers .istened to the odd strains of .one.y music coming up from be.ow, and even they were forced to admit, though they had no way of e6p.aining how they knew, that this was indeed going to be a good trip. 5nd in steerage, his fingers wandering across the keyboard of the battered theremin, no one noticed that the man they ca..ed the 4instre. had .it his cigarette without a match.