[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
stances."
"Very well. You are free to come and go as an ape."
"So there is a restriction," said Modyun.
"It's very minor. What point would there be for the last
human being on earth to announce his identity?"
Modyun had to agree that it would certainly not be very
meaningful information. "But the fact is," he argued, "there
is one other human being left: the woman, Soodleel. You say
she left the planet last night?"
"The way the committee member, who dealt with this
whole matter, reasoned it," said the Nunuli Number Two, "is
that if only Number One knew where the human female was,
and then he went off to some other part of the universe,
never to return here, then it would be impossible for you to
trace her."
Modyun stood there on the metal floor of the high-ceil-
inged computer center, and he could feel the vibration of all
those suddering metal plates through the soles of his shoes. In
his brain was another kind of impulse with its own intensity.
He said finally, "It's an interesting problem."
"Unsolvable," said the Nunuli, with satisfaction.
The creature's triumph offended Modyun. But he recog-
nized it as a body response, as if a part of him felt challenged
to solve the problem. But of course that was not a truth. Why
solve a problem that didn't have to be solved? Soodleel had
left the house, and apparently had shortly afterwards gone
aboard a vessel. The sequence of events was puzzling because
his guess was that she had no plan to do such a thing. "Per-
haps," he said aloud, "the simplest solution would be if you
found out for me where she is, and told me."
"Out of the question." Curtly.
"What is your motive for such a refusal?"
"You are a male. She is a female," said the Nunuli. "It
would be ridiculous for us to permit you two to mate and
produce offspring. So she's gone where there are no human
men, and you're here."
Modyun dismissed the possibility that Soodleel would ever
permit the reproductive process to come to fruition. His at-
tention accordingly went to another thought. He said, "Num-
ber One was actually able to seize her and put her aboard
some vessel?"
file:///F|/rah/A.%20E.%20Van%20Vogt/Van%20Vo...A.%20E%20-%20The%20Battle%20of%20Forever.txt (39 of 104) [2/2/03 11:24:40 PM]
file:///F|/rah/A.%20E.%20Van%20Vogt/Van%20Vogt,%20A.%20E%20-%20The%20Battle%20of%20Forever.txt
"Well no!" The being's almost glass-smooth, grayish face
rippled with some kind of internal muscular, and perhaps
emotional reaction. Modyun analyzed it as a kind of smug,
amused superiority. "She was very trusting, according to my
report," said the Nunuli, "and naturally would not violate my
predecessor's mental privacy. So, when he invited her to visit
one of the committee's swift ships, she went aboard without
suspicion. Even after she felt the vessel lift, it was later re-
ported by the commander that she remained unconcerned."
Modyun was relieved. "Well, of course," he said. "One
place is as good as another. This is something you people do
not seem to grasp." His interest was now fading rapidly. He
said, "I see now that your intent was to cause her and me
damage, but fortunately human thought transcends your evil
and makes nothing of it in this instance. So Soodleel is on a
ship being taken to a specific place. At some future time
when you come to a better awareness of reality, I would ap-
preciate your finding out for me where she is."
"I repeat, that will be never," was the reply.
"I assumed you might say that," said Modyun. He turned
away, indifferent. "I have a slight responsibility to her, so I
may persist on a future occasion."
"It would do you no good," said the new Nunuli Master.
"I don't know where she is, and the committee has issued
specific instructions against such information ever being given
to me. So I couldn't help you even if I wanted to. Which I
don't. That should complete our discussion. Unless you have
another question."
Modyun could think of nothing.
XIV
OUTSIDE AGAIN. Still dark. But dawn was a faint glint now in
the cloud-filled sky. Modyun walked along the sidewalk,
which was deserted. The street, of course, was alive with cars.
All that he saw were unoccupied, but what should they be
doing at night except keep moving in case somebody wanted
to utilize their services. That was what they were for. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl wyciskamy.pev.pl
stances."
"Very well. You are free to come and go as an ape."
"So there is a restriction," said Modyun.
"It's very minor. What point would there be for the last
human being on earth to announce his identity?"
Modyun had to agree that it would certainly not be very
meaningful information. "But the fact is," he argued, "there
is one other human being left: the woman, Soodleel. You say
she left the planet last night?"
"The way the committee member, who dealt with this
whole matter, reasoned it," said the Nunuli Number Two, "is
that if only Number One knew where the human female was,
and then he went off to some other part of the universe,
never to return here, then it would be impossible for you to
trace her."
Modyun stood there on the metal floor of the high-ceil-
inged computer center, and he could feel the vibration of all
those suddering metal plates through the soles of his shoes. In
his brain was another kind of impulse with its own intensity.
He said finally, "It's an interesting problem."
"Unsolvable," said the Nunuli, with satisfaction.
The creature's triumph offended Modyun. But he recog-
nized it as a body response, as if a part of him felt challenged
to solve the problem. But of course that was not a truth. Why
solve a problem that didn't have to be solved? Soodleel had
left the house, and apparently had shortly afterwards gone
aboard a vessel. The sequence of events was puzzling because
his guess was that she had no plan to do such a thing. "Per-
haps," he said aloud, "the simplest solution would be if you
found out for me where she is, and told me."
"Out of the question." Curtly.
"What is your motive for such a refusal?"
"You are a male. She is a female," said the Nunuli. "It
would be ridiculous for us to permit you two to mate and
produce offspring. So she's gone where there are no human
men, and you're here."
Modyun dismissed the possibility that Soodleel would ever
permit the reproductive process to come to fruition. His at-
tention accordingly went to another thought. He said, "Num-
ber One was actually able to seize her and put her aboard
some vessel?"
file:///F|/rah/A.%20E.%20Van%20Vogt/Van%20Vo...A.%20E%20-%20The%20Battle%20of%20Forever.txt (39 of 104) [2/2/03 11:24:40 PM]
file:///F|/rah/A.%20E.%20Van%20Vogt/Van%20Vogt,%20A.%20E%20-%20The%20Battle%20of%20Forever.txt
"Well no!" The being's almost glass-smooth, grayish face
rippled with some kind of internal muscular, and perhaps
emotional reaction. Modyun analyzed it as a kind of smug,
amused superiority. "She was very trusting, according to my
report," said the Nunuli, "and naturally would not violate my
predecessor's mental privacy. So, when he invited her to visit
one of the committee's swift ships, she went aboard without
suspicion. Even after she felt the vessel lift, it was later re-
ported by the commander that she remained unconcerned."
Modyun was relieved. "Well, of course," he said. "One
place is as good as another. This is something you people do
not seem to grasp." His interest was now fading rapidly. He
said, "I see now that your intent was to cause her and me
damage, but fortunately human thought transcends your evil
and makes nothing of it in this instance. So Soodleel is on a
ship being taken to a specific place. At some future time
when you come to a better awareness of reality, I would ap-
preciate your finding out for me where she is."
"I repeat, that will be never," was the reply.
"I assumed you might say that," said Modyun. He turned
away, indifferent. "I have a slight responsibility to her, so I
may persist on a future occasion."
"It would do you no good," said the new Nunuli Master.
"I don't know where she is, and the committee has issued
specific instructions against such information ever being given
to me. So I couldn't help you even if I wanted to. Which I
don't. That should complete our discussion. Unless you have
another question."
Modyun could think of nothing.
XIV
OUTSIDE AGAIN. Still dark. But dawn was a faint glint now in
the cloud-filled sky. Modyun walked along the sidewalk,
which was deserted. The street, of course, was alive with cars.
All that he saw were unoccupied, but what should they be
doing at night except keep moving in case somebody wanted
to utilize their services. That was what they were for. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]