A Simple Truth (37 page)

"So you see
,"
he
concluded, "we
have
to
understand
how the
changes occurred
so that we can begin the vital reversals that will ensure your safety
and wellbeing
for the
indefinite future.  W
e can only do that by the probing of living human brains.  I assure you that no pain or
harmful
after-effects of any kind will occur."

"From what you have told us there are many other species either developed or undergoing development and that they are spread across the universe
,"
said Lincoln.

"That is correct."

"Is this the first time your plans have gone astray?"

"No.  In the early days especially things often went wrong.  Now we are more expert, but now and again something happens that we could not foresee, as it has done here, and then we try to understand the process to prevent its recurrence.  There has of course been no parallel to what has happened here before, because if there had we would have prevented it."

Lincoln slowly rose from his seat and walked quietly over to one of the large windows.  He looked south over the valley to the distant hills glowing in the sunlight.  He turned sharply to face the
Scout
.  "And what will you do if we refuse any research on living humans?"

His tone was menacing
. 
Khan looked up at him, startled at the change.  Lincoln maintained his gaze.  It was impossible to read any reaction in the large unmoving frame of the Scout.  The eyes remained cold, black pools of unknowable depth, the face still, as if made of stone.

"Then of course none will be done
,"
answered the
Guardian
in a surprised tone.  "But I promise you that there is nothing to fear, you will lose nothing but stand to gain everything."

Lincoln smiled as though he had been only teasing.  "Of course we shall not refuse
,"
he said reassuringly, but inside he was as cautious as ever.  "I don't know whether we can provide the numbers you require, but we'll do our best.  I shall make the necessary arrangements."

***************

"You were a bit sharp earlier Arthur
,"
said Khan when they were alone again.  The remark was clearly intended as a question and Lincoln could well appreciate his friend's bewilderment.  His behaviour even puzzled himself sometimes.

"I just don't want them taking things for granted.  No doubt they intend no harm but I feel the need to maintain a degree of control.  That way we are more likely to be involved in whatever they are doing.  Besides, I don't want them to think we trust them
implicitly;
we seem to have accepted them unconditionally.  I admit I'm astonished that there's been so little hostility.  I feel now
that
I want to pull back a little
,
to keep them at arm's length
.  F
rankly their power overawes me."

"Yes I can understand that and I'm sure you're right.  I'm as guilty as anyone of accepting their good intent, but I do feel that we can trust them.  Will you let the people go for analysis as you promised?"

"Yes I'll ask for volunteers and select the ones to go myself."

22
   
A P
ersonal
I
nvitation

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen
,"
said Lincoln cheerfully, "and thank you for coming."  His eyes surveyed his section leaders closely.  They were clearly wondering what all this was about.

He had become very dissatisfied with progress.  Over two hundred trained observers had so far visited the alien craft and they had recorded practically everything about it.  It was now becoming difficult to think up new questions to ask and new things to see.  Additionally over six hundred volunteers had visited the ship for analysis and psychological stabilisation.  Transfer of the tribespeople had been repeatedly requested but Lincoln had continually deferred acceptance even though there had been many countries willing to take them.

Things had reached an impasse.  We had learned as much as we were going to about the aliens and the aliens had similarly reached a stalemate in their search for the prehistoric selection mechanism.  They had probed the minds of hundreds of people, had traced practically the entire history of the human race, but still could not determine why things had happened in the way that they did.

"I have asked you all here to put a simple question to you.  I deliberately did not divulge my reason earlier as I didn't want any rehearsed answers.  The question is this.  'What are we gaining from the continued presence of the aliens?'"

There were expressions of astonishment all around the table, and people eyed one another in confusion.  What sort of question was that from a man who had pioneered this contact with all his might?  The background noise rose to almost shouting level.  Lincoln waited for half a minute then raised his hands in a call for silence.

"Well
?"
he prompted.

Yasuko
Tanaka
of t
he G
eology
D
ivision rose to her feet.  "How can you ask such a thing?  Our knowledge has increased tremendously, we know things now that we could never have dreamed of
,"
she said indignantly.

"Give me an example
,"
challenged Lincoln.

"Certainly, how many do you want?  Penetration of solid matter, artificial gravity, manipulation of light, reading of cellular material..."

Lincoln stopped her.  She was missing the point.  "Yes but we can't do these things ourselves.  All we know is that they can be done, we can't reproduce them.

"Our scientists have some very promising theories
,"
she replied defiantly
,
"
w
e have research programmes already under way that I'm sure will bear fruit.  But you know that as well as we all do."

"Yes of course, and they will continue, and with determination some will be
successful
, but the point I'm trying to make is that we have not learned anything that is directly usable.  Certainly we know that many things are possible that previously existed only in the realms of fantasy.  But we only have that knowledge as a starting point.  The aliens have told us repeatedly that our technological progress
is too advanced for our psychology
, so they are certainly not going to enhance it.  Can anyone tell me of any
useful
knowledge
or any abilities
that we now have that we didn't have before the alien contact?"  There was no immediate response so Lincoln continued.  "I ask again, given the situation, what are we gaining from the continued presence of the aliens?"

Ranjit Khan volunteered an observation.  "Surely it has given us a new vigour, something to aim for now we know what is possible."

"That doesn't answer my question
,"
replied Lincoln.  He was not going to be side-tracked.  Several others made suggestions but none stood up for long against Lincoln's strict criterion.  Eventually the question was turned towards Lincoln himself as he had known it would.  It was Jack Arnold who articulated everyone's thoughts.

"We'd all hoped to visit the vessel ourselves sometime, there won't be a chance if they leave now.  In any case even if we haven't gained as much as we'd hoped, what can we do about it?" 

"We do what we should always do when a meeting has run its course.  We conclude it."

"How
?"
persisted Arnold.

"We simply ask them to leave."

There was a general groan and then a dismayed silence.  Everyone knew Lincoln well enough by now to know that once set on a course of action he was very difficult to dissuade from it without an exceptionally good reason.

Ranjit Khan asked the only sensible question.  "What harm are they doing in staying?"

"They are a disturbing influence on us all.  While they stay humanity waits for and expects to learn all their knowledge and technology.  I know they have promised us the universe, eventually, but that is a very long way off.  The immediate effect is detrimental.  Their presence has taken the heart out of
people;
the will to work is in decline.  You have already drawn attention to the ideas and goals that we now have, but while there remains the possibility of ready-made answers we are reluctant to make the effort ourselves.  Once gone, we will look back on the tremendous stimulus that they provided, but paradoxically that stimulus can only materialise after they have gone.  As long as they stay, we decline."

Once having faced up to it, the sense in Lincoln's argument was clear if unpalatable, and his
audience
w
as
sufficiently persuaded not to argue further.  The ever
practical Tom Daniels from the B
iology
D
ivision asked what we did if they refused to go.

"Very little
,"
replied Lincoln, smiling
,
"
w
e aren't exactly in a position to insist."

Although he gave sound logical reasons for his decision Lincoln was working more and more by intuition.  He did not know what would happen if they refused to go, but felt confident in his ability to think of something if that situation arose.

"So Jack, if you could devise a tactful message with reasons and send it off I'd be grateful."

"What, right away
?"
Arnold asked, taken aback.

"No time like the present
,"
responded Lincoln with a grin.

Lincoln felt much happier when the meeting was over.  He knew there would be strong reactions from the world in general but he was prepared to take full responsibility for his action.  It was not that he simply wanted them
gone;
he felt that things were drifting and had to be brought to a head.

Almost as soon as Arnold's communication had gone out the reply was back.  It was as if they had been expecting such a request, and perhaps they had.  Lincoln looked at the transcript and even before starting to read it he knew with certainty what it contained.  It was addressed to him personally.

'We acknowledge your request and fully understand your feelings.  We regret our having had to stay so long and will commence preparations to leave immediately.  We shall be ready to depart in five day
'
s time.  We agree that our presence has a disturbing effect and that our leaving will remove it.  As you know we are concerned that your further development proceeds smoothly towards full maturity, and have done what we can to assist that in the short term.  We believe further that a strong stabilising influence should result from our having visited you and indicated the dangers that you face. 
You are
all
now very well aware of tho
se dangers and we are considerably more confident than we were that you will have the good sense to keep your destructive inclinations in check. 
We are therefore content to leave your immediate future development to yourselves, but shall return at intervals of a few hundred years to monitor and help
where we can
.

'You yourself have never visited our vessel so we would particularly like to extend an invitation to you now, together with any of your
family, friends or
colleagues, while there is still time.  If you care to come we shall be very pleased to show you over our craft and thank you in person for the co-operation and assistance that you have given to us.  We would also remind you once again of the humans we have on board.  They have no further need to stay so we would appreciate your preparing to accept them very soon.'

Lincoln's eyes turned from the message.  He was filled with an unusual clarity of mind.  He had to go to the alien vessel, it was as if he had known it all along, but the knowledge had been temporarily hidden from his consciousness.  He felt himself playing out a predestined role in an unalterable sequence of events.  He had had déjà vu experiences before, but never so strongly.

Abruptly a sense of panic began to seize him.  He was trapped inside a body whose actions were unchangeable, even the thoughts of his mind followed a preordained pattern.  His instincts told hi
m to run, to break the sequence.  S
omehow he had to escape, but his body would no longer obey him.  His mind cried out but his voice was silent.

"He's stirring.  Hand me some water
,"
demanded Khan.

"Here, drink some of
this;
you gave us quite a fright."

A face was looking into
his, blurred and dark, but becom
ing clearer.