Part 45 (1/2)
”There he goes again! Pappy, you put Undine into Ish in the soak pool; that's why we named her that. Elf is either yours or Ira's; the Hamadear told me so. And n.o.body has any doubt about Andrew Jackson. Justin, I'm sterile.”
”-based on statistical probability, both on sperm count and the fact that he keeps so busy at it. But Ishtar reads the gene charts and keeps such matters to herself; we prefer it that way. But it is extremely unlikely that Hamadryad ever said that, or that she has or ever will have a child by Ira. No genetic hazard, Ishtar is certain. And the fact that we have yet to have any any defectives in this colony gives me great confidence in Ishtar's skill in reading a gene chart; she screened the first wave, a job that gave her eyestrain for months. Nevertheless, Ira has some unease about it and won't even stand close to Hamadryad when she is fertile-an irrational att.i.tude I understand, as I am cursed with it myself. I remember too well a time in the past when all the Howards had to go on was percentage of mutual ancestry-and got defectives all too often. Of course today a woman with a clean gene chart is better off married to her brother than to a stranger from another planet-but old ghosts die hard. defectives in this colony gives me great confidence in Ishtar's skill in reading a gene chart; she screened the first wave, a job that gave her eyestrain for months. Nevertheless, Ira has some unease about it and won't even stand close to Hamadryad when she is fertile-an irrational att.i.tude I understand, as I am cursed with it myself. I remember too well a time in the past when all the Howards had to go on was percentage of mutual ancestry-and got defectives all too often. Of course today a woman with a clean gene chart is better off married to her brother than to a stranger from another planet-but old ghosts die hard.
”What it amounts to, Justin, is three fathers-four, with you-three mothers, but four when Minerva asks to have her adolescence protection canceled-an ever-changing number of kids to be taught and spanked and loved-plus always the possibility of the number of parents being either enhanced or diminished. But this is my house, in my name, and I've kept it that way because I planned it to house one one family, not to make life jolly for goats such as Galahad-” family, not to make life jolly for goats such as Galahad-”
”But it does! Thank you, Pappy darling.”
”-but for the welfare of children. I've seen catastrophe strike colonies that looked as safe as this one. Justin, a disaster could wipe out all but one mother and father in this family, and our kids would still grow up normally and happily. This is the only long-run purpose of a family. We think our setup insures that purpose more than a one-couple family can. When you join, you commit yourself to that purpose-that's all.”
I took a deep breath. ”Where do I sign?”
”I see no use in written marriage contracts; they can't be enforced . . whereas if the partners want to make it work, no written instrument is necessary. If you seriously want to join us, a nod of your head is enough.”
”I do!”
”-or if you want ritual, Laz and Lor would be delighted to dream up a fancy one-and we can all have a crying jag together-”
”-and on his wedding night Justin gets to sleep with the babies so he'll know how serious it is.”
”Seal it, Galahad. If you want to add that touch, you should make it the night before before, so he'll have a fair chance to back out if he can't take it.”
”Lazarus, I volunteer for the diaper watch tonight; I'm hardened to such things.”
”I doubt if the women will let you.”
”And you won't live till morning,” Galahad added. ”They're an emotional lot. Last night you had it easy. Better take the pee watch.”
”Galahad could be right; I should check your heart. As may be-keep quiet, Galahad-Justin, this household is not a jail. The setup is not only safer for children, it is more flexible for adults. When I asked you whether you intended to go back to Secundus, I meant simply that. An adult can be away for a year, ten years, any length of time for any purpose-and know that the kids are taken care of and know that he-she will be welcomed back. The twins and I have been off-planet several times and will be again. And . . well, you know I intend to attempt this time-tripping experiment. That won't involve much elapsed time in this framework . . but it does involve a slight element of risk.”
” 'Slight!' Meaning that Pappy is out of his silly head. Be sure to kiss him good-bye when he leaves, Justin; he won't be back.”
I was alarmed to see that Galahad was not joking. Lazarus said quietly, ”Galahad, it is all right to say that to me. But don't say it in front of the women. Or children.” He went on to me, ”Of course there is an element of risk; there is in anything. But not to a time trip itself, as Galahad seems to think.” (Galahad shuddered.) ”The risk is the same as in visiting any planet; someone there may not like you. But the time jump takes place in the safest possible surroundings: in s.p.a.ce with a s.h.i.+p around you-any risk comes later.”
Lazarus grinned. ”That's why I was so riled at that old cow Arabelle-telling me to go look-see at battles battles! Justin, the best thing about modern times is that we are all so spread apart that war is no longer practical. But-Did I tell you what I'm going to use as a practice run?”
”No. I had the impression from Madam Chairman Pro Tem that you already had a perfected technique.”
”It's possible that I let her think so. But Arabelle wouldn't know an imperial number from an imperial edict; she couldn't ask the right questions.”
”I don't think I could either, Lazarus; it's not my field of mathematics.”
”If you're interested, Dora can teach you-”
”Or me, Lover Boy.”
”Or Teena. What's the idea of calling Justin 'Lover Boy,' Teena? Are you trying to seduce him?”
”No, he's promised to seduce me me . . about a hundred years from now.” . . about a hundred years from now.”
Lazarus looked at me thoughtfully; I tried to look as if I hadn't heard the exchange. ”Mmm . . maybe you had better take those lessons from Dora, Justin. You haven't met Dora, but think of her as about eight years old; she won't try to seduce you. But she's the brightest computer pilot in s.p.a.ce and can teach you more than you want to know about Libby field transformations. I was saying that we felt sure of the theory, but I wanted a separate opinion. So I thought of asking Mary Sperling-”
I said, ”Hold it a moment! Lazarus, in all the Archives there is, I am certain, only one Mary Sperling. I'm descended from her, Tamara is descended from her-”
”Lots of Howards descended from her, Son; Mary had over thirty children-quite a record for those days.”
”Then you do do mean Elder Mary Sperling, born in 1953 Gregorian, died in-” mean Elder Mary Sperling, born in 1953 Gregorian, died in-”
”She did not not die, Justin; that's the point. So I went back there and talked with her.” die, Justin; that's the point. So I went back there and talked with her.”
My head felt fuzzy. ”Lazarus, I'm confused. Are you telling me that you've already made one time trip? Nearly two thousand years? No, I mean 'over two thousand years'-”
”Justin, if you'll keep quiet, I'll tell tell you what I mean.” you what I mean.”
”Sorry, sir.”
”Call me 'sir' and I'll get the twins to tickle you. I mean I went, in present time, to star PK3722 and the Planet of the Little People. That designation is obsolete, and the new catalogings don't hook it in with that planet because Libby and I decided to toss in a joker; we felt that it was a place for humans to stay away from.
”But the Little People are the source of the concepts that Andy Libby worked out as field theory that anyone can use, and all s.p.a.ce pilots, computer and human, do use. But I had never gone back there because-well, Mary and I had been close. So close that it was a blow to me when she 'went over.' More disturbing than a death, some ways.
”But the years do mellow a memory and I did want to consult. So the twins and I set out in the 'Dora' to try to find that planet, from a set of coordinates and a ballistic Andy had a.s.signed a long time back. The ballistic was slightly off, but a star doesn't move far in only two thousand years; we found it.
”No trouble then; I had warned Lor and Laz most solemnly of the subtle danger of the place. They listened, and that made them as immune to the place as I am-not tempted to swap their individual personalities for a pseudo-immortality. In fact, they had a wonderful time; the place is is charming, and safe in all other ways. Hadn't changed much, one huge park. charming, and safe in all other ways. Hadn't changed much, one huge park.
”I orbited first-it's their planet, and they have powers we don't ken. Same as last time; a Doppelganger of a Little Person showed up in the 'Dora' and invited us down to visit . . only this time it called me by name-in my head; they don't use oral speech-and admitted to being Mary Sperling. That shook me but it was good news. She-'it,' I mean-it seemed mildly pleased to see me but not especially interested; it was not like meeting a beloved old friend but more like meeting a stranger who nevertheless remembered what that old friend remembered.”
”I understand it,” the computer said. ”Something like Minerva and me, huh?”
”Yes, dear . . except that you had a more positive personality your very first day than this creature who used the name of my old friend . . and you've been getting positiver and positiver for the past three years.”
”Ol' Buddy Boy, I'll bet you tell that to all the girls.”
”Could be. Please keep quiet, dear. Nothing more to tell, Justin, save that we grounded and stayed a few days, and Dora and I consulted with the Little People about s.p.a.ce-time field theory while the twins listened and enjoyed playing tourist. But, Justin, when the Families left there, returning to Earth in the 'New Frontiers,' you will recall that we left some ten thousand behind.”
”Eleven thousand, one hundred, and eighty-three,” I answered, ”according to log of the 'New Frontiers.' ”
”Is that what we logged? Should have been more, maybe, as the logged figure was reconstructed by seeing who couldn't be mustered, so almost certainly there were unregistered children among those who elected to stay behind; we were there quite a piece. But the exact number doesn't matter. Justin, call it an even ten thousand. Given a favorable environment; how many would you expect to find there after two thousand years?”
I used the arbitrary expansion. ”Approximately ten to the twenty-second-which is ridiculous. I would expect either a stabilized optimax-call it ten to the tenth-or a Malthusian catastrophe, in not over seven to eight centuries.”
”Justin, there were none. Nor any sign that men had ever been there.”
”What happened to them?”
”What happened to Neanderthal Man? What happens to any champion when he's defeated? Justin, what's the point in striving when you're so outcla.s.sed that it's no contest? The Little People have the perfect Utopia-no strife, no compet.i.tion, no population problem, no poverty, perfect harmony with their beautiful planet. Paradise, Justin! The Little People are all the things that philosophers and religious leaders throughout history have been urging the human race to become.
”Maybe they are are perfect, Justin. Maybe they are what the human race perfect, Justin. Maybe they are what the human race can can become . . in another million years. Or ten million. become . . in another million years. Or ten million.
”But when I say that their Utopia frightens me, that I think it is deadly to human beings, and that they themselves look like a dead end to me, I am not not running them down. Oh, no! They know far more about mathematics and science than I do-or I wouldn't have gone there to consult them. I can't imagine fighting them because it wouldn't be a fight; they would already have won against anything we could attempt. If we became obnoxious to them, I can't guess what would happen-and don't want to find out. But I don't see any danger as long as we leave them alone as we don't have running them down. Oh, no! They know far more about mathematics and science than I do-or I wouldn't have gone there to consult them. I can't imagine fighting them because it wouldn't be a fight; they would already have won against anything we could attempt. If we became obnoxious to them, I can't guess what would happen-and don't want to find out. But I don't see any danger as long as we leave them alone as we don't have anything anything they want. So it appears to me-but what's the opinion of one old Neanderthal? I understand them as little as that kitten over there understands astrogation. they want. So it appears to me-but what's the opinion of one old Neanderthal? I understand them as little as that kitten over there understands astrogation.
”I don't know what happened to the Howards who stayed behind. Some may have gone over and been a.s.similated, as Mary Sperling did. I didn't ask, I didn't want to know. Some may have lapsed into lotus-eaters' apathy and died. I doubt if many reproduced-although it is possible that there were subhumans around being kept as pets. If so, I most especially did not want to know it. I got what I wanted: a corroborating opinion on a mathematical oddity in field physics-then gathered up my girls and left.