by Moulton, CD
*I agree. I'd say what happened was that the gravitics gave out no more than a year before the main generators failed. When those generators failed they started burning things and it was all over within hours. Remember, it takes power to get the air down here and the carbon dioxide would quickly fill those caverns. It's heavy and would settle. I seriously doubt they suffered much physically. They got tired, went to sleep and it was over.*
[ Let's get out of here, Maita. This is more depressing than you could know. ]
"I find it so, too," Happ said. "I am heartened to know our empire was not the cause of this. I feel very badly for these poor people. I would like to be away from here."
"Your empire's fault?" Z asked. "How in the hell could your empire have had anything to do with it? These people didn't even have a survival instinct, for Christ's sake!"
They went to the dropshaft and out, then Maita had the servos replace the plug and reseal the hole. The group went into Maita, and into orbit.
[ What next, Maita? Do you have another world selected? Please try to find something that's not quite so depressing. ]
*I think we might find something of interest on Julpit. They were an unclassifiable race who were never understood by others in the empire. I don't know what to expect so it might be the best bet while we're this close.*
[ Okay with me. Just get away from here. ]
"Yep," Z voted.
"Yes," from Happ.
*Clean up and rest. I'll fix a meal you should all like, then we'll see what we've got.*
They went to their own spots after a delicious meal to sleep. Happ required a bit longer sleep period than Thing or Z, but also stayed awake longer.
Maita reached the world and orbited, sending various floaters aground. When Happ awakened they had the information. There was a race of unclassifiable beings there who weren't too very different from the original inhabitants. The crystals were made for Happ and Z, Happ's being edited for no more than language and the basic customs. There was no sense in letting the Krofpth know the full potential of the things. Maita had made the socket in Happ's neck and gained some sense of his feelings. While these strange people were content there was no need to put something on this crystal that may have to be edited from later ones. The lack would be too noticeable then and one doesn't miss what one's never known in such things.
"Have these people had contact or anything, Maita?" Z asked.
*They know of other cultures so we'll do them no harm. These people aren't the same race that was in the empire. These are what were more pets than anything else. They were just evolving intelligence at that time and are just now coming to this point of advancement. They have records of the former society and can read them so know of the empire.*
"Did our deserting of them cause their ruin?" Happ asked.
[ I thought we had made it plain you can't claim credit for whether any of those races did or didn't survive. If you want to insist on playing the guilty party, go ahead – but leave such questions out of it. At worst, you delayed the advance or decline of a race a few years. That's all. Whether a race advances or declines is a matter of the genetics of that race, barring the star going nova or something such. ]
"You can claim you failed to drag some race or another up when you could have, but that's about the extent of it," Z agreed. "Will we ever know why these people declined, Maita?"
*Maybe. They have records of the old race, which died out only a few thousand years ago. Maybe eighty five or ninety."
[ We'll learn a lot more from being out there. Shall we go? The translators on my floater will have to handle the language. It's mostly out of the range of either of you. ]
They went down the ramp to see the strange beings who were in a silent row in a half-circle around the base of the ramp. They were somewhat like the Mord, somewhat like the Zulians, somewhat like the Ternz and somewhat different from any of them.
*We wish you good fortune,* Maita said over the speaker on the floater in the language of the planet. The crystal showed that they called themselves the Tslrv.
"You are of the Krofpth Empire?" someone asked.
[ We are of the Maitan Empire. The Krofpth Empire is no more. Happ here is a Krofpth who wishes after all these centuries to learn of the fates of some of the peoples of the empire. Are you aware of what happened to the Julpitians? Why are they no more? ]
"There was a great sickness," the spokesman (?) replied. "All soon died. Their scientists gave us the genes that would make us develop more quickly. We have monuments to them and vow never to forget them. They were a good people. We aspire to reach the heights they attained."
*I'm sure you will reach those heights and more. Do you know why they didn't retain space flight?*
"We will show you the records," the speaker suggested. "They mostly agreed with the Krofpth philosophy that the way the empire was being developed was counter to any reasonable hope of lasting success. They came to this, their home, to study forms that would be positive. They reached the conclusions of three possible ways.
"They were not a technological people, as we are not, so they were waiting for their friends, the Krofpth, to return. When they knew they would become extinct they were very sad. They speeded our advance because we were not affected by the thing that killed them so they turned to us to continue the watch. We have kept to that dream.
"They knew there would be great difficulty for the Krofpth to accept any of the options. We also have the arguments to try to convince them there can never be a great empire under the kinds of forces used to hold the First Krofpth Empire."
[ Is one of those plans one of using machines to control the society? ]
"Yes, that is the most stable form, but one for which we had no small hope of acceptance," the speaker answered. "All plans use many machines in many capacities. That is an undeniable part of an equation for success. An empire must progress and organic minds rather obviously are limited in the data they can absorb and are slow to work with that data, thus the efficiency and speed of the machine becomes critical to continuation.
"The one we feel, or that our mentors felt, may be successful, given the basic psychology of the Krofpth, would be a military control through a variety of machines. Those machines must control the military to the extent the military controls other factors. It could work so long as the military's control was balanced well and effectively.
"How is your Maitan Empire controlled?"
"It's controlled by many thousands of machines through a central computer," Z replied. "It's more a trading guild than an empire, in fact. There are very few empire rules. We have learned that adding to the rules multiplies the problems."
"It works because this guild specifies where the traders go and what cargo they carry? It is their agreement?" the speaker asked. "You have only a small empire military force, or more likely none at all? There is an emperor, but for only ceremonial occasions – one who has no real power? You have eliminated many of the usual bureaucrats through use of machines? You have absolute freedom of movement? There are no politicians off of individual worlds? I have three hundred points. If they are all met, your empire will be entirely stable."
[ All of what you have asked is true of the Maitan Empire except that Emperor Maita has absolute power, but has seldom used any of it. Any orders given are through machines. Emperor Maita's orders may be refused except for the ban on nuclear weapons, the ban on any member of the empire from holding slaves, the ban on interfering with an unprepared culture and the ban on offensive moves against anyone. The military is the fleet, which are very few and are manned by many races, but controlled by the Acnians and the Feach. They mostly aid Hospital or other emergency situations as they arise. I'm very sorry we weren't here when your mentors got sick. We have a ship carrying the finest medical equipment and researchers in the galaxy short of Hospital that goes to any world where there's a major medical problem. We've never found a plague we couldn't cure. ]
"We would not have been members
of your empire unless the Krofpth said they wished it," the speaker pointed out.
*That is irrelevant. The Hospital ship goes to any world where such a problem is known. There's no requirement that such a world be a member of the empire. Medicine is open to all at all times. There's a Krofpth here to tell you if he thinks it wise for you to join our empire, though it's entirely your decision. There are associates who aren't members, but who join the traders guild and use the Maitan Empire machines. They tend to program the machines with their own laws and allow them to control. I think you would be a good race and would vote to welcome you into the empire. I'm sure we'll also welcome the Krofpth, should they decide to join. It's time, I think, for them to come out of their stasis. There's great need for such good races as yours. There's always need for good races.*
"We would be allowed to restrict contact?" the speaker asked.
[ Each world makes its own rules about contact. That's with agreements among the traders and isn't empire business. Emperor Maita doesn't have time to handle those details. There is the caveat that you cannot deny others the right to come here unless you decide to not go anywhere else. Trade and diplomatic rules, to accomplish anything positive, must be reciprocal and must apply equally to both sides. ]
All of this was more for the benefit of Happ than for the Tslrv, but Z was certain these people would be, eventually, much like the Zulians. That was a definite positive under any set of criteria.
They spent six more days on the planet, left a machine to contact the traders and departed with a new member in the empire. These people would produce scholars and researchers who would, like the Inktans, have an unusually large contingent of top students and professors at University.
"Where to now?" Z asked when they were in orbit.
*Utryger, if you vote for it.*
[ I vote yes. Whatever you think will be interesting. I like the Tsrlv. I wish we could have known the Julpit people. They really must have been an unusually good race. I've added an enormous amount of philosophical input toward my sociomath research. These people will be great scholars. ]
"I vote to go to Utryger, too," Happ said. "And I agree about the Tsrlv. They are a studious, enquiring, curious people."
Z agreed. "OK. Tell us why we've chosen that world, Maita."
*Because there's psiltripium there.*
[ Well! If anything makes the place a true rarity, THAT would! ]
Looking for Clues
Thing and Happ were in the cargo bay where Thing was showing Happ some of the uses of the various special-purpose floaters as well as how the shields and an irising rim could triple the size of the standards and how a half-meter floater could be used with the rim fully withdrawn to act as a hand-held shield such as Z, Tab and several others who had traveled with them in the past used on worlds where there were swords, knights and kings.
Z was laying back in the pilot's chair trying to puzzle out the enigma of these people. Happ was very likeable, curious, friendly, open, honest – what more could one ask? – yet there was something wrong. There was still a reticence that didn't make much sense to any of them. At first, he thought there was a shame, but that wasn't it. There was some kind of a reaching out by these people that didn't fit with their being on a self-imposed closed world. There was a very definite feeling of – something missing. The people longed to go outward to meet others.
Thing said its empathy detected a strange fear mixed with excitement when they first came. Now there was a lot of expectancy and what it could only call a deep and desperate hope. It suggested racial memory of the empire may be causing it, but it didn't really think so. There was something influencing the world that they hadn't yet discovered.
"Maita?"
*Yes, Z?*
"Replay our conversations with Glo and Happ again. There's something we're missing here that's as plain as the dome on your underside," Z requested. "We're being begged for help. I feel it. I KNOW it! I don't need Thing's empathy on this one. There has to be a definite clue in those conversations. It may be shown in body language somehow. Why would they not dare to.... Just one more time, Maita."
*A thousand times if it'll help to solve this thing. I'm definitely not empathic, but I feel very strongly that these people are pleading with us on some subliminal plane. I like them and I want them in the empire.*
They watched more than an hour of it, then Z said to go back to a certain point. Glo had asked something about a bureaucratic machine that actually performed like a bureaucrat.
[ You mean the standard manner? The petty power of deliberate obstructionism? ]
"No, I mean, well, a machine designed to, well, uh, say, issue licenses to, uh, build ... roads," she stammered. "What happens if that machine actually controls every detail exactly according to the rules and the, uh, the people, well, simply, you know ... can't be machines themselves and can't, well, say, even physically.... I mean.... I'm not sure what I mean.
"Do your machines have the ability to call out Hospital or other empire services without supervision?"
*Supervision? If you mean can trader machines simply order Hospital facilities such as the ship to go somewhere without clearing it with the emperor, emphatically NO! If the machines detect an emergency it must be cleared. If it is a suggestion and no one nor anything will be placed in jeopardy they can.... Let's say the machines can dispatch help, but cannot order it.*
"But if there is what may be perceived as an emergency by the machines can the machines act, THEN get an approval from the emperor?" Happ asked.
[ Fastcom guarantees us that such a thing will never be needed meaning the answer is 'no.' The emperor may never be more than one minute from fastcom terminals. He actually has a broadcast transceiver on his person at all times so there's no delay in an emergency situation. Maita, as you know, has fastcom aboard and can answer instantly, but the people only know the emperor must never be more than one minute from an answer. ]
"There is Wanderlust Island," Noblit suddenly said, pointing across the lake. "It is a museum now. It was once the center of the empire."
The Krofpth were watching them both intently, and now relaxed to show them the sights.
"I'm beginning to catch on," Z decided. "I think I know pretty much what the problem is."
*Gimme a clue? I don't see it.*
"Consider that Glo was very positive all the time and only stammered around at that point. Notice the reactions of everyone."
*You can read organic reactions much better than I can.*
"I think there's a hell of a lot of communication on Krofpth. I think it's probably the tightest-knit com system you ever saw."
*They're in constant communication all over Krofpth. They told us they had ear receivers and small transmitters so scientists could question us through them. They also said that everyone could hear our answers. There was no secrecy. It was explained before we ever said one word about anything important to them. They were more than open and honest with that point. No secrecy there.*
"Like bloody hell there wasn't! It can wait until we get back to Krofpth. It's waited a quarter of a million years. I think I've solved this one. Sometimes we childish primitives see things you sophisticated moderns don't!"
*No clues for me?*
"It's ninety percent supposition and intuition right now. I could very well be wrong – but I'm not!"
*One little clue?*
"Why did Noblit chose that moment to change the subject? He wasn't even part of the team of two who were questioning us. Now I'LL change the subject. I liked those people we just left. I really wish we'd been around to help before the plague wiped out their predecessors. They would surely have been another Zule. I feel that, too."
*The people there now will eventually be much like that. I'll call Thing and Happ to the dome and we'll make further plans. I've got floaters down there.*
They waited a few minutes until Thing came into the dome riding on Happ's shoulder.
"Seems we're at Utryger and that Maita
has floaters down there," Z announced. "Time for a conference."
[ Conference? About what? I don't see the point of having a conference here. ]
"What do you mean, about what?" Z asked. "What do you mean, no point?"
[ Basically that planets we’ve found with psiltripium deposits are virtually certainly not lifebearing. Unless this one was planoformed there's no need of any conference. We can go aground to look around a bit without a vote or anything. ]
"That's true! Why the conference, Maita?"
*It was partly planoformed. There was a large mine there. It's altogether possible some of the laborers who came here among the permanent workforce are still there. The floaters will tell us about that.*
"There were what we must now honestly call slave workers on these kinds of worlds," Happ explained. "They were criminals from various societies brought to places such as this simply because we never were able to decide anything else to do with them. They were what we called habitual criminals."
[ You called them nothing. An empire that died a quarter of a million years ago called them habitual criminals. I feel guilt from you and that's just plain silly. You had nothing whatever to do with it. We have habitual prisoners in the Maitan Empire, though few, thankfully. They are proven nonrehabitable through use of the probe when they are convicted of capital crimes. They are put on penal worlds. Society has every right to protection from those we KNOW will commit other serious or violent crimes if left to their own devices. ]
"The Krofpth DID have everything to do with it. They are my ancestors!" Happ argued. "From what I have learned a number of the prisoners were nothing more than political dissidents. It was part of my research on Library."
"That still has nothing to do with you and you know it," Z said. "What my father or mother may have done is no reflection on me, much less what some ancestor ten thousand times removed might have done. I think you're perfectly well aware of that. I think I know what a lot of this is about, too!"
