Flight of the Maita Supercollection 3: Solving Galactic Problems Collector's Edition

by Moulton, CD

  "Let's attach. We can share programming on this. First one to reach the thing will follow the plan. If we both reach it we'll both follow the plan. That's built into the scheme. That thing isn't the only one who can depend on having shared memories and schemes!"

  They attached the com lead. After less than a minute they separated, then Tab went out and back to his hotel. He'd become a glassware salesman for a short while so Kit could become another shady carrier with no particular place to go now that Grandish was quarantined. He would try to get in touch with Givzoo and Zantoo to see how the thing reacted to their honesty about talking of destroying it.

  After about two hours Givzoo came into the game room where Kit was playing a solo game of World hopper. Givzoo sat across the table to tell Kit the fungus took the news its agents had discussed its destruction with these others as a natural and expected thing. It merely asked what things were discussed.

  "I reported that you had asked about biological agents and poisons," Givzoo said. "It merely asked what I told you. It seemed rather pleased – though I don't really know how to tell if it has the abilities to be pleased or displeased – when I said I told you nothing worked. I didn't mention about fire because I can see we are somehow prevented from thinking about something so obvious.

  "I am to bring you to it. I told it you wanted to converse with it directly. It seemed to desire that after a period of thought – or a pause anyhow. I don't really think you can resist it.

  "Oh yes! It doesn't know you're the same one who was in the bunk quarters. It thinks the two who were in there are dead."

  "How did you manage that?" Kit asked.

  "It asked what happened after the explosion," Givzoo explained. "I told it that some of the chemicals in the press room exploded. It said you stopped broadcasting identification and location at the moment of the explosion. I merely said there didn't seem to be any way a person who was close to that kind of explosion could survive. It then dropped the subject and hasn't brought it up again. I'm rather glad it didn't ask about bodies or what we did with them."

  "Obvious, A plant doesn't worry about bodies," Kit replied. "I think I can shield myself against the thing so maybe I can learn something with a face-to-face talk. Face to stalk or whatever.

  "How does it speak?"

  "I can't describe it," Givzoo replied. "You suddenly have the words in your head. Part of the psy power, I imagine. I once used an induction teacher at University and it's not unlike that."

  "I see. Well, let's go visit with a fungus!" Kit suggested, standing and waving at the door.

  *

  Tab went out of town where TR sent a floater to transport him to the swamp below the lake. The floater then went below the surface of the water, up the stream to the skiff, attached a lead, drew the boat out of sight of the labs and the sensors, then returned it to where Tab was waiting. Tab was sure some of the spores must be in that swamp so spent a good bit of time searching until he realized he didn't know what he was looking for. There were any number of fungal growths almost everywhere he looked. He didn't know the planet's natural juvenile growth so couldn't very well distinguish among them. How could he tell? He'd have to make it a priority to learn to identify those particular spores. There would be different sizes according to their programming so he'd have to discover a feature that would definitely identify them.

  Tab then took the boat to start for Lope's. He would have to explain why he was gone for so long.... No, he wouldn't. He'd said he might be gone for several days. If Kit was to be asked to meet with the fungus he would be better off waiting. If not he should be en route for the labs instead of back to Koosd.

  That was yet another consideration, but the floater informed Tab that Kit had been asked to come to face the fungus only a few minutes after Tab wondered which way to go so he would go to Koosd for a time, then would arrange to go back to Milk Lake. Lope promised he could use the boat anytime he chose so he could stay in character.

  It was the fourth or fifth time he’d felt the slight repulsion as he rowed down Flint Creek before it registered. The feeling was weak and didn't last for more than a few seconds when he noticed it. It would be an instinctive reaction of the fungus upon detecting his presence.

  Why hadn't he felt the repulsion in the swamp?

  Answer: For some reason there were none of the fungi growing in the swamp. Why?

  Because something in that swamp inhibited its growth? Maybe because the water level in Flint Creek at the time didn't carry any of the spores into the bogs?

  That could be checked later. Right now would be a good time to locate one of those things so the next time he felt the repulsion he was going ashore to find it.

  He rowed for a few minutes, then felt the sensation. He spun the skiff to his right and felt the sensation lessen so went back to the other shore. He pulled the skiff aground and walked back a ways the way he had come. Suddenly the feeling was there again. He moved around to find the strongest sensation, then circled in until he was at the strongest point. It was an old rotting tree stump with a number of different fungi growing on it. Tab didn't know one from another.

  One thing was damned certain. It wasn't going anywhere. It may prove important to know where one of the things was at some later date. The thing was only in the first stages of growth so there wasn't much danger it would spore before they could destroy it.

  Tab went back to the boat after tying a marker ribbon to the stump, then back to Lope's farm. He talked with the farmer for awhile, then headed for Koosd and Veen's Inn where he had a good meal (Had he been a Grandish it would have been excellent. He ate it for appearances) and booked the room for a few more days.

  There were tales of farmers farther down Flint Creek whose stock were avoiding certain spots near the water even more than they avoided the water itself. There was talk about evil spells.

  "I don't believe in evil spells," Tab said. "If it was only one farmer I wouldn't argue. It isn't. You've told me about several places on different farms so there's some cause we haven't found yet. If someone will draw me some directions to those farms I'll go investigate in the morning. I'll bet I can find what it is!"

  They talked until quite late, people drew maps, then Tab turned in for the night. In the morning he was up and about early so he could go to all three farms in the one day. He was lucky in that by the fourth spot he checked he knew what the fungus looked like. It was a common type found on many worlds in one form or another. It grows on rotting wood, forming "shelves" of growth, was a yellowish grey color and had strange veinings of a golden color.

  Tab reached down to pull a bract from the log and was struck in the psy part of his mind with a definite attack from several directions. The farmer, who was standing a few meters away, was literally knocked to his knees by the force.

  That was very bad news! It should have been obvious long before this that this kind and strength of psy power would definitely indicate communication among the things. If the first one was part of that particular chain this could be disastrous. It would mean there would be no need to program the spores. The memory could be added after they were growing.

  Well, time to show these, at least, that they weren't immune to attack themselves. Tab found all of the ones that had been located and pulled them. On his way back to Koosd he put them on the floater for TR to analyze. He stopped at Lope's farm later in the afternoon, took the skiff and headed back toward Milk Lake. He used the infra-red vision to search along the lake shore, found various of the fungi growing on rotting wood and destroyed them with a heat laser TR sent on the floater. He didn't hope to get rid of the things in any such manner as there were undoubtably thousands of spores that may not grow for decades, but it would break their communication chain. The laser destroyed the things quickly enough to where they couldn't send any signals, which was good.

  They didn't seem able to detect him so easily at night with all his emanations turned off. The brain would find there were more and more of its offspring that
were no longer there in the morning.

  Tab turned the psy power part of his mind to its highest sensitivity, but soon couldn't detect anymore of the fungi near the lake shore so he went slowly back down Flint Creek.

  There WEREN'T any above the swamp! That was a major break that could have a very important side-effect – or two. If, as Tab now suspected, the range of the psy power was greatly limited there had been no communication of the destruction of those fungi destroyed at the farms. Maybe the mother growth at those labs would be thrown into confusion when none of those close to the labs took up whatever communications they held in the morning. It could reach to A Port in some ways so perhaps it was aware of the ones on the farms. They wouldn't be there in the morning – though there were a lot of them Tab hadn't found.

  Another important thing he found was the things were easy to spot at night with low infra-red vision because they produced a bit of "body heat" from the protein and RNA structures in their "bodies." He was able to ensure there weren't anymore of them growing between Milk Lake and Lope's farm on Flint Creek. He almost decided he would teach some of the people how they could get rid of them in the morning, then reconsidered. The repulsion of the psy power would keep the people from doing anything at all. It was going to be hell if he and Kit had to do this entirely by themselves.

  * *

  Kit walked along the smooth floor to the large iron doors. Givzoo stepped ahead to open the doors. Volich was by his side with Zantoo and Nortich close behind. Kit didn't know what to expect. That the thing was a fungus didn't tell much as the plants took so many forms.

  It was actually beautiful in its own way, like five large feather-fans in a circle standing perhaps four to five meters in height, the base of the circle three meters across and the top five and a half meters across. It was a silvery grey with golden veins in intricate patterns across the width of the fans. Kit felt himself to be under close scrutiny, though not of a visual type. He allowed the psy part of his mind to be probed while not letting any hint of the main part be detected. He was studying the exterior of the large bract fungus while it studied the interior of his mind. It was a strange sensation.

  There was suddenly a whispery voice coming from the psy mind.

  "What are you?"

  Not knowing how to speak to the thing Kit looked to Givzoo, who said to vocalize and it would be able to understand him.

  "I am a Bentan citizen of the Maitan Empire, male, less than middle aged," Kit replied.

  "You are not ... decipherable," the fungus said. "There is something not right about you. Picture your personal designation so I may isolate further communications with you when such is desirable for any reason."

  "Just state your name while thinking strongly of the words, Clohk," Nortich said.

  "I am called Clohk Nate here," Kit said. "And your designation?"

  "It doesn't matter," the fungus replied. "There is but one of me. I will not exist when there are others of my species, though I will be all of them here. Call me 'You'.

  "Clohk Nate is ... a lie, but is the truth? So much of what you various species represent is in that particular mode. These others cannot explain that to me. Perhaps you can."

  "Clohk Nate is what I am called here, that is true," Kit replied. "I am called by other names in other places. There are reasons one may wish to not be connected to another place or time so a different name is used. It is true here, but it is a lie on certain other worlds."

  "So it is a lie that is true. I understand much now," You mused. "This one called Givzoo explained how you have earlier discussed ways to destroy my species and myself in particular. He stated that you have discussed poisons and bacteriological agents. I perceived that as truth and lie. Can you explain the mixed reaction I had?"

  "We discussed radioactives under the general heading of poisons," Kit answered. "Perhaps it is only because he considers radioactive materials to be more than a normal poison. You are picking at the imprecise meanings of words. That is a waste of time because one word may have several meanings, thus the mind, when selecting the word will unconsciously note the variations. We are not adept at psy communications, thus we use words. One word may have many meanings, some of which we are not quite certain of even as we use those words. It is possible that what you feel to be a truth and lie mixed is only our normal reaction to use of imprecise words."

  "I will accept that for the moment," You replied after a long moment's consideration. "Even underlying such a seemingly straightforward explanation I perceive not truth along with truth. I have fully considered and feel it is safe to accept that explanation.

  "Why do you wish to destroy me?"

  "Don't you wish to destroy us?" Kit retaliated.

  "No. I merely wish that you do not unduly inconvenience me," You answered. "I find you to be sometimes useful. I am not mobile. That is an inconvenience I must accept as my nature. I can use your species to overcome the drawbacks of my own inability to travel."

  "Perhaps we do not wish to be used by you or anyone else," Kit shot back. "We believe in free will. We help those we wish to help. We do not help those we chose not to help."

  "Such a concept is not efficient," You replied. "I do not understand why you would wish to NOT serve me."

  "We are mobile, thus we see things from a different perspective," Kit said. "It is one of the things you could not be expected to understand about us. Free will means nothing to you because there is nothing you could do with it. On the other hand, it is very important to us. We must be able to choose where we go and what we do. You aren't going anywhere or doing anything so it isn't pertinent to you."

  "I comprehend much of what you mean by your muddled expressions," You replied. "A point well taken by both of us I believe would be to note that you used an expression about hands which I have none of yet which I can decipher as meaning to view things from another perspective. You will note that I use terms such as 'to view' when they have no meaning to me in any direct sense. I am able to compose a sense of things now because of your use of those terms. I comprehend why you appear to be lying when you are not. I comprehend why your words are imprecise. It is not the words, it is in the way you use them. If you thought logically that would not be a problem. You think in inefficient ways. I will change that."

  "No, you won't!" Kit snapped. "That kind of a statement is perceived as arrogance by us. We have evolved to our manner of thinking as you have evolved to yours. To take such a stance as you have shows me you have far too high an estimation of your own peculiar abilities. Perhaps we would not be looking for ways to destroy you if you would consider that we DO think in different ways and we are comfortable with our methods as you obviously are with your own."

  There was a sudden stab of what would have been pain in the psy part of Kit's mind at that.

  "I will tolerate no such resistance!" You said. "See that you control such thoughts or you will regret your actions!"

  "But you weren't successful in causing me pain," Kit pointed out. "That was a mistake you shouldn't have made. You seem to think that because you can cause pain in the Grandish or in the Klaft you can also do so with a Bentan! Does it occur to you that I haven't any idea what it is you find offensive?"

  "You will immediately desist in telling me how I may think!" You snapped, sending another stab of what would be pain if Kit couldn't turn it off.

  "Let's see if YOU feel pain!" Kit said, taking the heat laser from its holster and putting a thin beam through a piece of the frond. He felt an enormous surge of psy power thrown at him, but turned off the psy part of his mind before it struck. He saw the Klaft drop to the floor.

  "So you DO feel something akin to pain!" Kit cried. "If you again cause any pain to any of us here I will slice you up! I mean that!"

  "I have sustained damage," You said matter-of-factly. "My defense was automatic. It was not a deliberate attempt to harm these others who were not involved, though I will definitely find a way to seriously harm you. It is imperative I show you t
hat damaging me will result in harsh consequences to yourself."

  "If you again attack ANY of us I will do much more than a superficial bit of damage to you," Kit threatened. "You must understand that what happens to you is a direct result of what you do to us."

  "I merely protected myself with an instinctive reaction when you attacked me," You argued.

  "No!" Kit snapped. "You attacked me. You tried to cause me intense pain. That is an attack. I merely defended myself from your attack. There was a chronological sequence here. YOU attacked ME."

  "The pain does you no permanent damage," You dismissed. "The weapon you used did cause lasting damage. They are not the same thing."

  "That's one serious difference in our thought patterns," Kit replied. "We, these people and myself, perceive pain as damage. Simply because it causes no physical damage that is immediately evident does not mean it does NO damage in other ways."

  "I will think on this," You replied. "Go to the second room from the front on the eastern side of the corridor to await my decision as to what I wish to do with you."

  "I will go where I wish when I wish to do what I wish!" Kit snapped. "Your decision means little to me. I am mobile, you are not. That is the whole of it. You have no power over me so your plan to take and to hold this world will come to nothing. What I offer is cooperation with a truly unique race by the Maitan Empire. There are a large number of worlds where you can establish yourself without interfering with other cultures and without anyone interfering with yours."

  "These have reported that your empire has decreed that I never leave this world," You said. "Therefore, as that was truth, what you say is a lie."

  "The empire has decreed that you do not leave this world if it is to mean that you interfere with others," Kit argued. "The choice is yours as to whether you leave this world at all. You can sense I speak truth."

  "Yet there is guard upon your words," You accused. "I cannot perceive truth or untruth in a definitive sense. I do know that to have any number of worlds without those to serve me and my species is totally unacceptable to me. It would be an empty thing from any point of view. The fact that you are closed to me shows that there is subterfuge in your words."