Children of Tomorrow

by A. E. van Vogt

  When the spacecraft was less than half an hour out from base Susan, who had been suppressing yawns for some minutes, said sleepily, ‘Gee, I can hardly keep my scanners open, I was awake most of the night. So I think I’ll squeeze out the light for a while. Sack?’

  ‘Sack,’ said Peter Sennes.

  In a minute more, the two males were, in a manner of speaking, alone. The girl slept with her head tilted slightly to one side and nestling down on her left shoulder. ‘Fact is,’ the man said to the boy, ‘since we’re making a long trip, I put some relaxer in her orange juice at breakfast.’

  Bud nodded, but said nothing. His bright eyes flicked a little, he registered the words. But the rule was to speak no more than necessary. Let the hypnotic victim do his own rationalising for his illogical acts.

  For some reason, he himself was not quite as disturbed by the presence of a Susan who was asleep, as he had been by a Susan awake. Thus, the hours went by, and he sat there as the magnificent machine flew all the way to the orbit of Mars, and kept right on hurtling along into the fantastic distances between Mars and Jupiter.

  About three o’clock, Susan stirred, stretched, and opened her eyes. ‘Aren’t we at Tombaugh yet?’ she asked, stifling a yawn.

  Her question had the effect of a double-acting catalyst.

  Just like that, her aliveness penetrated again to Bud. And the shock of her being on the ship returned.

  The boy saw that the words had brought a puzzled frown into Sennes’s face and eyes: ‘Tombaugh?’ the man echoed. But he seemed to be thinking. Bud watched him anxiously.

  Oh, my father. .. He sent the silent appeal out into space .., When are you coming? I need you.

  And, in fact, out there in space, the invisible observer was during those moments involved in the intricate task of matching velocities with the hurtling Omnivulture.

  Succeeded.

  My son, he said, you have done well.

  But Susan is aboard, the boy answered uneasily .. . And she just now asked where we were going.

  The father was instantly concerned.

  Did you do exactly as you were trained to do when you interviewed Captain Sennes?

  Yes. I dropped the crystal at kis feet when he was turned away from me for a few moments. As soon as 1 did that I repeated the words that I was told,

  Good!

  But, my father, they forgot to say there shouldn’t be any other passengers.

  It was an unfortunate oversight, soothed the father . .. not to realise that you might become attached to someone.

  But it's Susan, and she’s a member of my outfit, Bud protested.

  Your escape is the important thing, my son. Now, heed me! You say Susan has just asked Captain Sennes about the vessel’s destination?

  Yes. But, first, about Susan -

  What was Captain Sennes’s reply? The father’s telepathic communication ignored Bud’s question.

  He hasn’t answered yet. He’s sitting here looking very tense.

  These active flight officers are trained to be immune to ordinary hypnotism. You bypassed his defenses. It never even occurred to him that a boy would try anything like that. But the effect is undoubtedly wearing off, now that he’s wondering about how he got to the wrong destination. So you know what you must do.

  Oh!

  What's the matter?

  Captain Sennes is talking to somebody.

  Instead of immediately taking the phone receiver from his secretary’s extended hand. Fleet Commander John Lane climbed to his feet and said, ‘Tell Captain Sennes to hold for a minute.’ Hurriedly, he walked over to the conference room, opened it, and beckoned Reid to come out. Quickly, then, he explained to the older man about Omnivulture - but he named only Bud and Captain Sennes; did not mention Susan. He finished in a harsh voice, ‘Dez, what do you think? I feel I may have to order that unit destroyed. Do you concur?’

  The Committee chairman was amazed. Under no circum-1 stances. This may be our opportunity to establish communication with these beings - which you have told me was the only sensible course.’

  Relief flooded the younger man’s face. He said hastily, ‘Dez, thank God for that decision. It was my own, also. But I thought I might be letting personal considerations influence me in this emergency.’

  ‘How do you mean?’ Reid was puzzled.

  ‘Susan is aboard.’

  The older man turned pale. His face actually became gray. Finally, he gulped, and said shakily, ‘Does Estelle know?’

  Lane shook his head. ‘Not yet. But she’s on her way down here. So she’ll know shortly.’

  Having spoken, he stepped over to the red button. Placed his finger on it. And then looked up questioningly at the other. ‘Do you agree?’

  ‘Plan D?’ asked his friend, simply.

  'What else? The president, the cabinet members, all top echelon authorised to be interconnected with this computer, should hear every word, and be ready for immediate decisions. Correct?’ ‘Correct,’ was the steady-toned reply.

  Lane pressed the button.

  Having done so, he nodded to Reid. ‘Tell the boys to come out here. We may need their help.’

  As he walked back to his desk, he was aware of the blond youth and the intese, dark-haired one, coming forth. Moments after that he was saying to Scott in a low voice, ‘When my wife arrives, you brief her.’

  ‘Very good sir,’ was the equally low-voiced reply.

  Lane now accepted the receiver from Scott’s hand. He spoke into it in the formal tone of someone who knows that important people, indeed, were listening in, and that they would need all the information they could get. ‘This is Fleet Commander John Lane. Am I addressing Captain Peter Sennes aboard Omnivulture 26S1-E in flight six hours out from earth?’

  ‘Yes, Commander. And I believe that I have a problem ,. which I have just become aware of.’

  ‘Captain Sennes,’ said Lane, ‘you may tell me your problem in a moment. First, we want to know where you are.’

  ‘Quadrant 31, Four-point-zero-three.’

  Lane’s voice changed slightly in pitch when he spoke again, almost as if he were standing on the bridge of the Oriole. His tone was firm and commanding, as he said ‘To all unit captains near that reading - approach and stand by.’ Once more, he addressed Serines, and now his voice was again clear and showed awareness that other ears were listeneing: ‘Captain! he said, ‘we have reason to believe that the boy who is one of your two passengers is an alien enemy, and if you can persuade him, we would like to have a conversation with him. Now, what is your problem?’

  ‘I have just become aware,’ was the calm answer, ‘that I was hypnotised by the boy yesterday morning. I believe I have now successfully dehypnotised myself. And I shall attempt to carry out your request. Just a moment, sir.’

  There was silence.

  My father, they want to talk to me from earth. They know!

  The parent was greatly disturbed.

  This is very serious. Let me feedback to ship-base and ask instructions.

  Shall I talk to Commander Lane?

  Yes.

  But - reluctantly - he’s a hooter.

  He’s also the senior earth fleet commander. So find out what he wants. But make no admissions about yourself.

  Lane had urgently beckoned to Lee David and Mike Sutter, ‘Get onto those phone extensions, and you talk to Bud first.’

  The two boys grabbed the phones indicated silently by Andrew Scott. And Mike with a nod deferred to his outfit leader.

  Captain Sennes’s voice came first. ‘My passenger, Bud Jaeger,1 he said, ‘has a microphone and receiver fitted over his head, and is ready for communication.’

  ‘Bud,’ said Lee David, ‘this is Lee David of the Red Cats.’ ‘Whee,’ said the alien boy into everybody’s speaker system. ‘What’s the problem, Bud?’ said Lee.

  What shall I say, my father?

  Ask him what he wants.

  But I know what he wants. And you can't refuse to answer a direct
question from your outfit leader. It's in the rules.

  Lee was speaking again: ‘Bud, do you still regard yourself as a jabber?’

  ‘Y-yes, of course. You haven’t scraped me, have you?’

  ‘Not yet,’ said Lee. ‘But you’re either a jabber or you’re not. And a jabber goes by the rules.’

  ‘I kind of liked being in an outfit. We don’t have anything like that. What would a jabber do in a situation like this?’

  ‘What kind of situation is it, Bud? What’s the problem?’

  ‘My father says I mustn’t answer that. And where I come from, a boy is with his father and does what he says.’

  There was an interjection - Mike’s urgent voice: ‘Bud, our goal is peace. You know and I know, the adults can’t or won’t allow peace. So the jabbers have to achieve it. Sack?’

  ‘But how do I know answering your questions will bring peace?5 At that point, Lee gestured at Mike for silence, and then he made a face at Lane. The man said promptly into his mouthpiece, ‘Bud, this is the fleet commander, John Lane.’

  ‘You’re Susan’s father. You’re a booter.’

  “Yes, I may be all those things. But I also know the problem. We’d like to talk to your leaders. They don’t ever reply to our attempts at communication. Why, Bud, why?’

  ‘Because you dropped bombs on our main planet without warning.’

  ‘No - we didn’t!’

  'Somebody did. We’re trying to find out who. That’s why I’m here. We’ve got to find out.’

  ‘Earth didn’t do it, Bud.’

  ‘That’s why they won’t communicate. They figure you’d lie, and so we’d never be sure.’

  ‘Just a moment, Bud.’ Lane placed his palm over the mouthpiece and said sotto voce to his secretary, ‘Get microfilm copies from the computer of all documents and photos relating to every space expedition. Now!’

  ‘Yes sir.’

  Lane removed his palm, and said, ‘What do you think, Bud? You’ve looked us over.’ ‘People like you and Mr Jaeger are pretty awful. But some of the others were nice.’

  "We didn’t do it. Bud. Is there some way we can talk to your father?’

  ‘I’ll ask him.,

  ‘Is he close by?!

  “He’s outside - well, a projection of him is/

  “Like the one that was here in Spaceport?’

  ’Yes’

  He wants to talk to you, my father.

  I told you not to give him any information. What kind of disobedience is this?

  Mike says it's up to us jabbers to bring peace. The grown-ups can’t do it, he says.

  I have just received instructions. Drop the second capsule,

  B-but that'll kill Susan, too.

  My son, do as your father commands you!

  But I can’t do that to a member of my outfit. I can’t . There was a long pause, then: I won’t!

  The father’s grim thought came: What does Commander Lane want, you disobedient child?

  I-I'll ask him.

  A few minutes after eight o’clock, Spaceport time, the president announced to the world what had happened. The Chief Executive finished his account with the dramatic statement that ‘at this very moment, Senior Fleet Commander John Lane and Chairman Desmond Reid of the Space Committee are on their way to the command ship of the alien fleet to present a complete refutation of the accusation that earth was responsible for bombs being dropped without warning on their home planet.’

  It was a bold speculation on the part of the government leader. His words implied that the aliens were actually intending to negotiate, though it was obvious to expert observers that nothing had really happened that could logically have caused them to reverse their earlier negation of all communication with the human race. It was even possible - hinted the doubters - that Lane and Reid were already dead.

  All that anyone knew was, the aliens agreed to allow Reid and Lane to board Omnivulture 2681-E. And they permitted Captain Sennes and Susan to return to earth on the space-lift that had delivered the two men. Sennes requested permission to be the Omnivulture pilot - but was turned down, on the grounds that he might still be under some kind of enemy control.

  With that, the two men disappeared into silence.

  The two great fleets stood by - while earth was, presumably, being tried.

  At 7.30 the following morning, Susan phoned Lee. 1 won’t be at school today,’ she told him in a subdued voice, Tjut I suppose I’m going to be dashed. So why not let’s do that tonight?’

  When Lee reported this to Mike, that individual said, ‘Well, she’s got a lot of chattering to do.’

  The blond boy was silent. They were standing at the school gate, and he stared thoughtfully into the distance. He said finally, ‘Under the circumstances - of Susan being willing - I see no reason for dashing her.’

  The dark-haired youth gave him a startled look. Then: ‘Lee,’ he said, ‘I don’t think you should be the leader of the Red Cats any more.’

  Lee was calm. ‘We’ll settle all that tonight. I’ve been thinking along the same lines.’

  ‘And for that remark,’ said Mike, ‘1 think you ought to be dashed, too.’

  ‘I can see you’re still my old pal,’ said the older boy. But he was smiling, cheerful, not offended.

  The lean boy was not to be stopped. He flashed, ‘You’ve shown a weakness with girls. So you’ve damaged first Dolores and now Susan.’

  The smile faded from Lee’s face. ‘Let’s set me up to be dashed tonight - sack? We will settle Red Cat affairs... tonight. Dolores, Susan, me - you! Sack?’ He spoke tautly.

  There was a pause. ‘Sack,’ said Mike at last. But, as Lee turned and walked rapidly into the school grounds, the younger boy’s face showed disturbance.

  That night. . .

  The sign above the door, into which dozens of jabbers streamed, said simply, OUTFIT CENTRAL.

  Inside . . .

  As the policeman, Henry, and his cover wagon associate of the previous morning, emerged from an inner room, they stopped short. Henry said, ‘Hey! there must be a dozen outfits here tonight. Wonder what’s going.’

  “Let’s take a look,’ replied his companion pragmatically.

  The two men walked to an open door further along the hallway. It was into it that the young people were disappearing. As the policeman ga2ed in, it was immediately obvious that it was a big meeting. Henry addressed Marianne, who was standing at the door. “What’s going on?’ he asked.

  ‘They’re going to dash, well, several kids,’ said Marianne, reluctantly, ‘including Lee.’

  “Lee David?’ said the second constable, surprised.

  Henry shook that shaggy-haired head of his. “Lee! These jabbers don’t play any favorites, do they?’

  With that, the two men turned, and walked away - just as Marianne hurried forward to intercept Susan, who was somewhat hesitantly coming along at that moment.

  ‘You can’t go in, Susan. You’re next - after Lee.'

  The blonde girl’s pretty face acquired a shocked expression. ‘Lee!’ she echoed, and her voice sounded outraged. Abruptly she was angry. ‘Why that’s absolutely ridiculous. I’m going in there, Don’t try to stop me!’

  With that, she brushed past the smaller girl, who made vague protesting noises, and then shrugged and followed Susan into the big room. They entered, as Mike was stating the accusation: “His moocher had cheated on him,’ said the Conscience of the Red Cat outfit, ‘and he’s pretending it hasn’t happened. It’s the same complete failure to handle a girl in a responsible way as when he dealt with Dolores a few months ago,’

  The dark-haired Dolores made a face, as her name was mentioned in that derogatory tone. She was standing close to Captain Peter Sennes, but she did not glance at him to see his reaction.

  The senior outfit leader present was a slim, straight boy of eighteen and a half, with fine, sandy hair, who stood with his head held back in a proud fashion. He said in an adjudicating tone, ‘Of the other outfit le
aders present, Tom Clanton and Johnny Sammo are the most familiar with this situation. I defer to Tom.’

  Tom came forward. ‘Lee,’ he said, ‘what’s your answer to Mike?’

  Lee was calm. ‘It says in the rules that some kids, boys as well as girls, commit suicide when they’re criticised. Something to do with their parents treating them like kings and queens when they were kids, die book speculates. Well, I’ve got to admit it never happened in my outfit until Dolores did it. What confused me was, I had misunderstood the idea. I thought they meant that kids who were innocent and falsely criticised, were the ones who committed suicide. It didn’t occur to me that someone who was as guilty as Dolores would pretend that she was the injured party, and commit suicide - which I confess she has done - just as if she were innocent. So I was wrong, but I was wrong through ignorance. Does that take care of that?’ He glanced questioningly around at the faces of the other outfit leaders,

  ‘Keep pushing,’ said Tom Clanton.

  ‘About Susan,’ said Lee. ‘In my judgement, she was innocent that first time. Mike had her faced because he’s a little unstable where girls are concerned - there’s a hot-headedness about him that isn’t wrong because he’s a friend of the rules - but he’s like the inquisition judges of the Middle Ages. He carries a good thought to its extreme conclusion, and suddenly it’s not good any more. So let me just put it in one sentence’ - he clenched his fists and spoke the words through tight-clamped teeth - ‘when a girl like Susan runs off to marry a sailor, the outfit has got to go back to the beginning and start over again. When Susan gets here, I want - ’

  He stopped. He had been turning, looking at various boys and girls in the room - and he came to Susan. Lee gulped, and said, TJh!’

  The blonde girl walked out into the open space, and, turning, said in a trembling voice, ‘You leave Lee alone. I’m the one that deserves to be dashed.’

  Lee recovered at that point, said hastily, ‘Susan, be quiet. It’s all right.’

  Susan refused to be quiet. Listen, jabbers,’ she said, I’ve been a slab. Not a real bad one, because I came to in time. But for a week I’ve been bulging because a space sailor was rushing me.’ Lee said in a despairing voice, ‘Susan, shut up.’