by Moulton, CD
*This is what was known about them at the time Library was established and this is what they've done since. You can see their progress is a very steady if slow thing. There are no erratic jumps and starts. In another million and a half years at this same rate they'll be in space. That gives me something to look forward to. It gives me a reason to want to go to another galaxy – to see if perhaps there's anything like this there. If there was such a race who were in space we could meet them!*
There were pictures and explanations. It was, as Maita had said, amazing.
*We'll go to Narmach, next planet on my list, and won't bother Thing unless we find something very much out of the ordinary. It hasn't had any rest in thirty four hours, which is long even for Thing.*
They went to that world to discover a society of mammals in a feudal period. Z was a bit sorry he couldn't go aground there. He enjoyed those kinds of worlds despite their ingrained cruelties, disease and violence. There were other things, too. The world was only a few hundred years from space flight unless they didn't survive the nuclear period that would surely come.
Maita used floaters to explore the world, then they moved on to Jahrah, which had apparently developed nuclear bombs and used them. Just what they were afraid might happen on Narmach.
[ It'll take them another six to seven thousand years to re-evolve, then they'll probably do it again. Some of these races are cyclical for this. Some outgrow it and some eventually manage to exterminate themselves. ]
Thing came from its cubicle as they approached the world. It had slept for almost fourteen hours and had eaten a very solid meal before coming to the pilot's dome. Maita gave it information about Narmach.
[ Hmm. Too bad Z and Happ and I couldn't go aground as wizards. That can be great fun. Tell Happ about our experiences on Tlorg, Maita. ]
It then told Happ about the strange experiences it had known on several worlds such as Tlorg (Book five: Now You See It – Now You Don't), where there were problems that must be solved. Happ was most amused at the description of the two-headed golem Maita made and controlled on Tlorg and the way it always argued with itself. Thing and Maita demonstrated the golems' act to Happ. They then discussed Fred again and Thing gave a few of its own ideas, but no arguments started. Maita was outclassed in many ways by Thing and would defer on questions such as this. There would be no chances taken whatever.
*Shall we try Yusef? It could be interesting.*
[ No objections from here. What's it supposed to be like? ]
*No information on it. It was simply listed as a closed planet. There was a longstanding argument about it for some reason. Apparently, the closing was to protect people going in, not the natives.*
"I remember something about some chemicals that infiltrated everything and poisoned people without them knowing it," Happ said. "It had a native population who were contacted very early, but no one ever had much contact with them for some reason. We passed over it for the safety of all concerned."
When they were above the planet Maita sent floaters. They waited until they had reports.
*Remember what I said about the possibility of people being poisonous to one another, Happ? These would definitely be deadly poisonous to all of you. Remember the gincha Tab traced that was contaminated with thallium? (Book eight: The Newlitch Problem) That's only one of the bigger problems here. These people's systems will lock thallium and several other deadly metals into special cells in the skin where it grows out and is dropped off as the skin is normally replaced. The food here is deadly and the people are as deadly. Contact with them over a period of time would cause your bio-systems to absorb enough of the poisons through your skins to damage you seriously. Breathing the air is deadly, drinking the water is deadly. A good place to stay away from for our types of beings.*
[ But what about the people here? Are they advanced enough that they should be contacted? Won't that become a real dilemma at some future time? ]
*Not yet. Maybe a hundred years. It'll still be our problem, but maybe the contact with the Krofpth Empire will make it easier on everyone. Maybe they'll be able to understand why contact will have to be so limited.*
"If I remember correctly we are as poisonous to them as they are to us," Happ said. "That would seem logical to me."
Maita checked with Library, then reported, *True. The natural oils of the Krofpth seem to interfere negatively with the bio-systems of the natives. It's much like insecticide poisoning. This saddens me. I think they're probably a good people.*
"Maybe we'll find other races who can interact with them," Z suggested. "Maybe we can solve several such problems at once. There's always a possibility. We find a hell of a lot of things on our jaunts around the galaxy. If the Mactowans could meet their neighbors (Book sixteen: Now You Tell Me!) I'm sure these can find someone."
[ That's true, Maita. We always avoid worlds that have high concentrations of those elements. As big as the galaxy is there should be quite a few of them. The traders' sensor probes would simply inform them the world was off-limits due to absorbable poisons. They wouldn't even check further. We can run the lists and find people for these to contact. They can become a group of traders on their own. ]
"I hope so," Happ said with feeling. "I don't want anyone to ever be isolated for such causes that are beyond anyone's control or desires."
The subject was decided to be delayed until it was further researched. University would give a final decision on action. They headed for the next world, Zulevt.
*This one has radio, holovid and much more. They're colonizing two other planets. They're reptilian, not unlike the Kheth and not unlike Happ. Somewhere between. They seem, from what I can see, to be rather strongly regimented. Maybe too much. It could be a slave society, though ... maybe not. Things are a bit ... different. I can't exactly identify the problem.*
"We can go in," Z suggested. "They're certainly advanced enough."
[ Can you extract enough of their language, Maita? If there's going to be some other problem we don't need language at the same time. ]
*Get some rest while I work on it. I believe it will be a relatively easy language, as structured as it seems. No idioms, Z.*
Z grunted and went to the shower, ate a good meal, then laid in the pilot's chair where Thing soon joined him. They slept while Maita got the language. Z and Thing were awakened before Happ because Maita had used the portable probe to learn about the Neephs, as the people called themselves.
*They aren't slaves in a sense we're against, as you can see. They're slaves to their nature, which decrees they must remain isolated. I need a vote. Will we do harm to contact them?*
[ No, we may do some good. I don't understand the psychology of this being. Maybe you should get another subject on the probe, Maita. I can't say this one's sane as we understand the word. ]
*I got three already. They're the same. Very much the same. This is a matter of a racial trait that is obviously genetic.*
"They're sure there are others out here," Z said. "They want to be sure they aren't ... bothered. We can make it plain to them we'll beacon the system so no one comes. They have to agree that no one GOES from here, either. They can't have it both ways. If we stay out, they stay in. They want isolation this much they get it."
[ As badly as you said it I have to agree. Whatever they want. There's some great lack in these people. It's rather sad, but we've run across this sort of thing before. Bad inheritance. Overly territorial. It's part of them as much as their hands and feet are. ]
*I sense that, too. I'll wake Happ and have him come here, then we'll land somewhere. We don't have to stay if we can't make reasonable contact. We have to try, under the circumstances.*
Happ came in soon and given a language crystal. He remarked the language certainly seemed unfriendly, if a language could project such things.
[ We feel the same about that. It has a negative sound to it. That can be a bad sign, I fear. The language tells us much about the people. They won't trust anyone. ]
[ Oh, groan! Not another one of those! Maita, this gets so tiresome!]
"I assume you have experience with such as this, but I have to admit I don't much like being at the focus of all that energy!" Happ protested. "I'm not used to it at all!"
"We can shield anything they have," Z assured him. "It's just that it's so unnecessary and so boring. It tells us a lot more about them too. We're being attacked before they know anything at all about us – and after we told them we're peaceful."
[ Maybe they'll have the sense to stop it when they see they make no progress with it. I don't need another Klatch where they keep shooting that silly crap at us until we flatten their entire military establishment! ]
*They're stopping already. I'll carry everything on the open speakers. You can make your own determinations about them.*
There was a pause, then, "Enemy ship! Why are you here? What do you want?"
*We want nothing. We're merely a diplomatic ship of the Maitan Empire. Were we to be actual enemies we have the facilities aboard this ship to have destroyed this entire planet or any part of it. To fire on a ship before you even determine its purpose is stupid, at best.*
There was a few moments pause, then, "You must want something here! What is this Maitan Empire?"
*There are more than four thousand worlds joined in a trading and informational guild that we call the Maitan Empire. There are world members in all parts of the galaxy. You appear advanced enough where you'll soon leave this planetary system. If there is to be trade we'll wish to know you and to make ourselves known to you. We wish to know all of those with whom we later have contact.*
"We wish no contact with any other world and certainly with no empire. We wish no trade. Go away."
*That's a choice you must make for yourselves. If you wish us to leave, we'll leave. Should that be your choice you will be expected to stay within this planetary system. You will NOT be permitted to expand into the galaxy. There's no room for such silliness in empire space.*
"We cannot be conquered. We will die to the last one before we will be conquered!"
*No one said anything about conquering anyone. That's your fantasy. We'll leave and never again intrude into this system, but if that's your choice you won't intrude into our space, either.*
There was another long pause, then, "Please go away. We have no plans to leave this system. We wish no contact with others."
*Very well. I'm very sorry. You're limiting your people very badly. Should you ever wish contact or to join with the family of worlds that's the Maitan Empire there will be a beaconsat beyond your outermost planet. It'll serve to ensure that no other from the Maitan Empire ever comes here. There's a large lever on the side of the satellite. Should there ever be an emergency where you need emergency help or if there's a change of desire and you wish contact simply reverse the lever and we'll come. We wish you good fortune. Goodbye.*
There was silence as Maita rose above the atmosphere. They placed the satellite and put a beacon light on it to make it easy to locate, then left the system.
"What if they shoot down the satellite?" Happ asked.
[ Then there's nothing to stop other traders from coming here. They won't. It's to their advantage as they see it for the beacon to be there. ]
*I think they'll eventually condition themselves to meeting others. They have a desire to go out and there's no other way they can do so. They'll change. They have a genetic flaw they must overcome.*
[ How can you be sure? ]
"They're expanding within the system. They want to go out," Z reasoned. "I think they have the intelligence to overcome their territorial instincts, which is what this is about. They had to do that to ever leave the home planet."
"Maita, please go back," Happ requested. "I think I can do something."
[ Not likely, but what do you plan? Tell us and we'll vote on it. ]
"I want to speak with them on a video circuit, then we will go," Happ replied. "We are very much alike. I think I see what they fear."
Maita dropped into N space to reverse course and returned to orbit the world. It announced their return and explained that a video circuit was needed, then they would be gone. They would stay until the circuit was provided. As there was the choice of looking at the aliens for a short time or having them stay for a long time the circuit was soon provided.
Happ was alone in the camera's eye. "My name is Happ and I am of the race called the Krofpth. As you can see, we are much alike. I will have the ship show videos of a race called the Kheth. They are also much like us both. Many races in the Maitan Empire are much like us and many are very different.
"I don't know what you expect of aliens. I am very different from two other beings here, who I will show to you soon. The differences in the members of the Maitan Empire are beyond your imagination and even mine – and I have seen many races. There is relatively near here a race of intelligent, mobile plants! There are mammals and reptiles and amphibians. There are aquatic intelligences and machine and land intelligences. There is no end to variety.
"It is very hard for some to join others and it is easy for others. That is natural. It is part of each of our evolutions. It is something some must overcome. Some, such as my race, wish to meet as many and as varied a group as we possibly can. We are fascinated with peoples.
"Here is a being who is beyond classification. It is called Thing and is from the planet, Menta. Menta is thirty thousand plazsis from this world on what we call the 'N' arm of the galaxy."
Thing climbed onto Happ's shoulder and held around his neck.
"Thing has an intelligence much too high for us to measure. It is a very close friend of mine," he continued as Z came to stand beside him with a hand on his shoulder.
"This is Z. He is from Terra, a planet close to where Menta is. They are only a thousand plazsis apart, which is a very short distance in the Maitan Empire. Z is a mammal and is my close friend, also.
"You can see from viewing the three of us that we are very different, physically.
"Consider us all. We are all very different, yet we are all much alike. I beg of you to not turn away from your family – the family of life in the galaxy. There is only sadness in such a path.
"We will go now. Good fortunes."
*The beacon is in place. You may call us at any time.*
Maita again left the system.
"Do you think I did any good?" Happ asked.
[ We won't know for years, but I'd say you gave them something to think about. Maybe they'll join because of your little speech. Maybe they'll retreat into their own system for centuries. ]
*Well, I want to see a system next that has psiltripium in minute amounts. There's no life there, but the system should be spectacular. It has a double sun. The suns are only one light hour apart or a little less and the planet is between the suns at the center of gravity, which constantly twists and distorts it. It's one large volcano!*
They soon were approaching the system, but there was no planet there!
[ What happened to it? ]
"It was pulled one kilometer out of orbit," Z said. "It's now a part of one of those suns. Right, Maita?"
*Probably. The only problem is finding what could have pulled it out of orbit. The thing was there for millions of years and was in a stable system. I can't see why it would leave orbit.*
[ Psiltripium, I'd say. ]
"How do you figure?" Z asked.
*I see it as possible. Psiltripium is formed from heavy metals and volcanoes and such. Give me your math, Thing.*
There was silence for that point to be shared, then Thing explained what it thought must have happened. Maita showed what it was talking about in the holovid screen.
[ Psiltripium is, as you know, much heavier than you can imagine. It's almost a quarter as heavy as neutron mass. It's formed on worlds such as that one that used to be
down there and collects in small spots during particularly violent eruptions or goes to the center of the world. If it moves to the core there's no problem. Everything will remain in balance. ]
The diagram showed the process.
[ That world's internal heat was mostly caused from the twisting and compression by those two massive objects at whose center of gravity it was held. It had a solid core of nickel, iron and all the heavy metals. The psiltripium, therefore, settled around that core, not at planetary center. It's tremendously massive and develops independent gravity. That's why it's used as focus for Maita's gravitic grids. The twisting and volcanism would probably allow the psiltripium to move in the liquid magma layers around the solid core.]
The diagram showed the twisting process and the psiltripium settling on the core surface. It was moving to form small nodes on the core.
[ Note that the stuff sort of balances around, but then a certain critical mass is reached and their gravity is suddenly pulling from one node to the next. The molten sea flows and pushes its small bit, too. One day one of the masses suddenly moves and combines with another. It's all over. Now other bits are moving toward this one lump, each one adding that much mass. All on this side of the world. It's evenly spread on the other side. Do I have to explain what happens next? ]
"It's like one of those balls with a weight on one side," Z said. "It wobbles."
"And the wobble takes it out of the center of gravity so it falls into a sun," Happ said. "Maita can compare masses of the stars with Library records to prove it."
*It's not in either one and it didn't break up and end in both. The mass of the stars is exactly what it should be with normal decay.*
[ It can't disappear! This isn't Tlorg! It had to leave orbit with an extreme wobble. ]
"If we knew which direction it flew off in we could find it," Z said. "If we knew when it flew off, that is. It probably went wobbling off at ninety degrees from the stars' orbital plane."
[ I think I see. I guess it's possible. It would tend to ... mmmmm. ]
