Project Pope

by Clifford Simak

  Plop, plop, plop, went Plopper.

  Theodosius had risen from his stool and was walking out to meet them. The Old One spinning slowly moved along beside him. Behind them the people clustered, the robots and the humans. They jammed the staircase that ran to the basilica, they perched on every roof, they spread out as flankers on both sides of the esplanade. On the facade of the basilica, the cross-hatched face of His Holiness stared out at them.

  Theodosius held out his hand to them, first to Jill, then to Tennyson.

  'Welcome home, he said, 'and our heartfelt thanks for the journey that you made for us.

  Plopper, bouncing madly, hopped an intricate fandango around Theodosius and the Old One.

  'You, said Theodosius, speaking to Tennyson, 'have met Decker's Old One, but I doubt that Jill has met him.

  'I am pleased to meet you, sir, said Jill.

  The Old One wheezed and hummed and finally he said, 'It is my privilege and pleasure to have met the two of you and to welcome you back to End of Nothing.

  The crowd had started slowly edging in, a close-packed semicircle about the four of them — five, if one counted Plopper.

  'First of all, said Theodosius, 'Out of sheer curiosity, what is this bouncing horror you brought along with you? Does it have significance?

  'Your Eminence, said Tennyson, 'I rather doubt it does.

  'Then why is it along?

  'You might say it got caught up in a traffic jam.

  'Our intelligence is that you reached Mary's Heaven.

  'Yes, we did, said Tennyson, 'and it is not Heaven. It is a research center similar to Vatican. We did not have the chance, however, to explore it. It seems we got entangled in local politics.

  A robot elbowed his way through the crowd and came up to stand alongside Theodosius. Tennyson saw that it was John, the gardener.

  'Dr. Tennyson, asked John, 'what proof can you offer that it is not Heaven?

  'Why, no proof at all, said Tennyson, brazening it out. 'No documentary proof. Can you not accept our word? I would have thought a human's word would be enough for you.

  'In a situation such as this, said John, 'no unsupported word is good enough. Not even a human's word. It seems to me you humans —

  'John, said Theodosius, where is your respect?

  'Your Eminence, respect is not a factor. We all are in this together.

  'The Tennyson speaks the truth, said the Old One. 'He radiates the truth.

  'You thought, perhaps, said John to Tennyson, ignoring the Old One, 'that this bouncing betsy you brought might serve to support your story. Pointing to it, you would ask if such a thing would be found in Heaven.

  'I thought no such thing, said Tennyson, 'for if I should do that, then you would ask that I prove it was, indeed from Heaven, and not picked up otherwhere.

  'That I would have done, said John.

  The crowd cried out in a single voice and thereupon surged back, still crying out in wonder and in terror.

  'For the love of God! exclaimed Theodosius, standing straight and rigid.

  Tennyson spun around and there they stood: Smoky and Haystack and Decker II, huddled in a row, with the equation folk standing guard on them.

  — The equation folk must have understood what was going on, said Whisperer. I wondered if they did and felt certain that they didn't. Could this be the proof you need?

  Decker II was walking down the esplanade toward them.

  'Why, that is Decker, said the cardinal. 'And it cannot be. Decker's dead. I said a mass for him…

  'Later, Your Eminence, I'll explain, said Tennyson. 'This is a different Decker. Another Decker. I know it is confusing.

  They stood and waited for Decker II. Tennyson stepped out several paces to meet him.

  'I suppose, said Decker, 'that this is Vatican.

  'Yes, it is, said Tennyson. 'I am glad to see you.

  'I don't mind telling you, said Decker, 'that back there, at the end, it was getting very hairy. You damn near got us killed.

  'I almost —

  'You were dealing with a maniac, said Decker. 'An alien maniac. Aliens alone are bad enough, but —

  'Yet you were one with him. You seemed to be his man. What was it you called it — a triad?

  'My friend, said Decker, 'in that hornet's nest back there your first thought is survival. To survive you do what you must. You have to be fast on your feet and shifty in your attitude and you must go along.

  'I can understand, said Tennyson.

  'And now I must speak to the man in charge, said Decker. 'You're not the man in charge, are you?

  'No, I'm not, Tennyson told him. 'The man in charge is His Holiness, on the wall up there. But I think you had best speak to Cardinal Theodosius. You'll get along with him better than you would with His Holiness. When you speak to the cardinal, you address him as Your Eminence. It's not necessary, but he likes it.

  He took Decker by the arm and marched him up to Theodosius.

  'Your Eminence, he said, 'this is Thomas Decker II. He desires to speak with you.

  'Decker II, said the cardinal, 'you drop in on us unceremoniously and with no warning whatsoever, but I'll be glad to listen.

  'I speak for an alien being who is a fugitive from his home planet, Your Eminence, said Decker. 'He is that egg-shaped bubble out there and I call him Smoky, although he has a more proper name.

  'It seems to me, said Theodosius, 'that I have seen this Smoky, or one of his fellows, a number of years ago. And now, please, eliminate all the palaver and get on with what you want to tell me.

  'Smoky throws himself upon your mercy, Eminence, said Decker, 'and begs sanctuary of you. He can't return to Center, for if he did, his life would be forfeit. He is truly a homeless creature and fallen from very high estate. He is quite humble now.

  'He sounds in bad shape, said Theodosius.

  'He truly is, Your Eminence. He petitions you —

  'Enough of that, said Theodosius. 'Now, tell me, is this place he fled from known as Heaven?

  'Not to my knowledge. I have never heard it called that.

  'Are you aware that one of our Listeners made an attempt to visit your Center — is that what you call it?

  'Yes, Your Eminence, that is what we call it, the Center for Galactic Studies. And, yes, we are aware that someone or something that fitted the description given me by Tennyson of your Listeners had tried to infiltrate the Center, but we frightened it away.

  Tennyson glanced over his shoulder and saw that the equation people had spread out so that Smoky and Haystack stood relatively alone. Hopping frantically toward them was Plopper, making straight for the Bubbly.

  It reached a position in front of Smoky and began hopping up and down in place, going very rapidly.

  'Oh, my God, cried Tennyson, 'not again! He lurched around and started running toward the two of them. Behind him he heard the pounding of feet and Decker yelling at him, 'Get out of the way, you damn fool! Get out of here!

  Tennyson kept on running. Decker came up beside him and reached out an arm, thrusting at Tennyson, hitting him on the shoulder and sending him sprawling. Tennyson tried to keep his feet beneath him, running hard and sidewise to regain his balance. But it was impossible to stay upright, and be went plunging to the pavement, striking on one shoulder and skidding, finally coming to a stop piled up in a heap.

  Decker was yelling at Smoky in the Bubbly language. 'No, Smoky! Don't try it. Haven't you had enough? You're finished, I tell you. You are all washed up; you haven't got a chance.

  Haystatck was also bawling at the Bubbly. 'You and your goddamned pet! You'll be the death of us.

  Haystack yelled at Decker. 'Get out of the way! The fool is going to do it.

  Decker hurled himself to one side, running desperately.

  Plopper blazed. He became a circle of brilliant fire, but the fire was cold. Even where he lay, fallen off to one side, Tennyson felt the bite of it.

  But even as this happened, an awful silence fell, cutting off t
he screaming of the crowd — a silence and a darkness. Tennyson, lying on his back and looking toward the basilica, saw the shaft of darkness projected from the vision plate that had been installed for His Holiness. The shaft of blackness extended out over the esplanade, and within it lay the deepest night. The brilliance of Plopper blinked out and the darkness went away. Plopper was no longer exploding. He lay sprawled on the pavement and did not stir. Haystack had been tipped over on his side and Smoky tipped as well, lying on his face. As Tennyson watched, the Bubbly began a slow crawl up the esplanade, painfully hitching his way along. Theodosius and the Old One stood waiting as Smoky crawled toward them. Decker strode across the pavement and picked up Haystack, setting him on his feet. Plopper was stirring feebly and Decker, going over to him, picked him up by one tentacle and walked slowly down the esplanade, dragging Plopper behind him.

  Tennyson hauled himself erect. One shoulder, the one he had fallen on, was sore and there was a throbbing pain in it. He hobbled along lopsidedly as he walked over to join Decker and Haystack.

  'He just wouldn't give up, said Decker, making a thumb at Smoky. 'He is one of those fanatics who never know when they are licked. Even when he was flat on his butt and knew it, he still had to make another try. You know what his motto is? First the galaxy, then the universe.

  'He is mad, said Tennyson.

  'Of a certainty, said Decker.

  'But you stayed with him.

  'As I told you, friend. Survival.

  By now Smoky had reached a position in front of Theodosius. He stopped his crawling and remained face down on the pavement.

  Decker spoke to him and Smoky answered in a muffled voice.

  'I told you, Eminence, said Decker, 'that he was humble when I spoke to you before. I missed a lick, it seems. But he's humble now. He's truly humble now. Take the bastard and lock him up, as tightly as you can. The best way would be to put an end to him.

  'We do not put an end to life, said Theodosius. 'With us, all life is sacred. But we have a place for him. How about the hopper?

  'Throw it in with him. It's not likely it will live.

  'And the other?

  'You mean Haystack, Eminence?

  'Yes, I suppose I do.

  'Haystack's all right. Harmless. Even decent. I'll vouch for him.

  'All right, then. We'll take care of the other two. And please accept my gratitude"

  'Your gratitude?

  'For telling me that one of our Listeners was frightened from your Center.

  The crowd was buzzing again, beginning to pick up steam.

  A voice boomed above the chatter.

  His Holiness was speaking.

  'These proceedings, he said, 'are ended. In due time all the facts in this situation will be taken under careful consideration. The results will be announced at a later time.

  Sixty-one

  They had gathered in Tennyson's suite, in front of the blazing fire. Tennyson got up to refill Ecuyer's glass. He said to Theodosius, 'It seems to the, Your Eminence, to be inhospitable to be able to offer you nothing while the rest of us chomp down sandwiches and slosh down the booze.

  The cardinal hunched down more solidly on the stool that Jill had brought in from the kitchen. 'It is sufficient, he said, 'to be here, in this circle of friendship before this warming fire. You remember the night I came and you invited me in?

  'Yes, I do, said Tennyson, 'and you couldn't because you were bringing a summons from His Holiness.

  'That is right, and I have looked forward ever since to an invitation.

  'There is no need to await an invitation, said Jill. 'Drop in any time. You'll always find a welcome.

  'It seems to have turned out all right, said Ecuyer. 'It looks as if we can pick up where we left off. The Listeners can settle down and start going out.

  'His Holiness said an announcement will be made at a later time," said Jill. 'Do you think there is any chance…

  'None at all, said Theodosius. 'After listening to what the second Decker had to tell us, especially about the Center having been aware of Mary's visits, I would think there'd be no question. His Holiness, as a matter of fact, would accept lesser proof than what we have. He was more upset than any of us knew by the Heaven business and the proposal to make a Listener a saint. You must remember that he is, basically, a computer, although a most sophisticated one. None of us should have had any doubt where his interest lay.

  'Yet had it come to a pinch, said Ecuyer, 'he would have ruled against us.

  'He would have done anything to hold Vatican together. And so, I think, would have all the rest of us.

  'There's still one thing that worries me, said Ecuyer. 'The Bubblies, so-called, did survey this planet. Some centuries ago.

  'There is little need to worry about it, said Tennyson. 'Decker assures me that portions of every survey record still lie in the files and, with new data flooding into the Center all the time, there's not much likelihood any of them will go digging back. They have no way now of knowing they have a record of the planet.

  'But there are your recreations, Jill II and Jason II. They could tell them the record is in their files. They could tell them where we are.

  'It is a danger surely, said Theodosius. 'It is a wonder that someone has not nosed us out before. It is a situation that we must accept. We are not entirely defenseless. We don't talk about it or flaunt it, but you saw what His Holiness did to quell the Plopper. A damping effect. A rather humane weapon, as a matter of fact. It simply squelches everything in its path. We have others…

  'I was not aware of this, said Ecuyer.

  'Few are, said Theodosius. 'We would use them only under the greatest provocation. From what Decker tell us, the Bubblies must be a vicious race. Each one of them a little island to itself, waiting for the chance to move up a rung or two.

  'Smoky had plans to take over the galaxy and then take aim at the universe, said Tennyson. 'He was mad, of course. He had found this feeble little god and planned to use it as a secret weapon.

  'Only he used it too soon, said Jill. 'Jason, you goaded him into it. Did you have an inkling of what was going on?

  'No, I was just smarting off. I was determined he'd get no information from us. I guess I carried it too far.

  'A good thing for us you did, said Ecuyer.

  'A little god, you say, said Theodosius. 'There are no little gods. There is only one God, or one Principle, whatever you may call it. I am sure of that. One must beware of little gods. There are no such things.

  'The thing we don't understand, said Jill, 'is that finding, or thinking he had found, a god of any sort would have loomed very large to Smoky. He ascribed it much greater power than he would have otherwise because the Center had become convinced, through its studies, that no spiritual values existed — that all religion and all faith had no basis whatsoever.

  'How true, said Theodosius. 'How true. Always there are those who think that. They stand naked before the universe and glory in their nakedness. Even when we find the true faith that we seek — if we find it — there'll still be those who will deny it. They will be those who cannot subject themselves to discipline or restraint.

  'How about Decker II? asked Ecuyer. 'What will happen to him?

  'He and Haystack; said Theodosius, 'are being held in house arrest. They seem harmless enough, but we have to be sure. The only one we need to worry about is Smoky and, where we have him, he'll not be going anywhere.

  'He wouldn't be going anywhere anyhow, said Tennyson. 'The other Bubblies know by now what he was planning and he wouldn't dare go back. It was a stroke of genius when Whisperer grabbed hold of Plopper and brought him along. Even if the equation folk hadn't brought us the other three, Smoky probably would have had a try to seek out Plopper. I don't know. When I try to think about it, it gets all tangled up. Whisperer maybe has it clear in his mind, but I haven't, not yet. Whisperer claims he didn't actually intend to haul Plopper along, but I can't be, certain of that. Whisperer's thinking can get compl
icated.

  'It worked out well for us, said Ecuyer, 'that the equation people brought the other three to us. Why do you think they did it?

  'Who can say? said Jill. 'The equation folk are faster on their feet than we ever dreamed they were. I have a feeling — well, I have a feeling….

  'Go ahead and say it, said Ecuyer. 'We won't hold you to it.

  'Well, I have a feeling they can look a ways ahead. Into time, I mean.

  'I wouldn't doubt it for a moment, said Tennyson. 'I wonder if they're still around. I lost track of them.

  'No, they left, said Jill. 'I don't know where they went. I'm sure that if we ever need them, Whisperer can sniff them out again.

  'It seems to me, said Theodosius, 'that once again we are back to the Vatican of old. We can take up our work and carry on again. I wonder, Jason if you'd pour me a glass of your booze so we might drink a toast.

  'But your Eminence….

  'I'll pour it on my chin, said Theodosius, 'and pretend I am drinking it.

  Tennyson went to get another glass and brought it back, filled to the brim with Scotch.

  Theodosius took the glass and rose. He held the glass on high.

  'To those of us, he said, 'who really kept the faith.

  The others drank the toast.

  Theodosius tipped back his head and solemnly poured the liquor on his chin.

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