Kane recalled it had been so before, particularly with theoreticians. When Lise Meitner decided to test for barium among the products of the neutron bombardment of uranium, Kane had been there, an unnoticed plodder along a corridor nearby.
He had been picking up leaves and trash in a park in 1904 when the young Einstein had pa.s.sed by, pondering. Einstein"s steps had quickened with the impact of sudden thought. Kane felt it like an electric shock.
But he didn"t know how it was done. Does a spider know architectural theory when it begins to construct its first web?
It went further back. The day the young Newton had stared at the moon with the dawn of a certain thought, Kane had been there. And further back still.
The panorama of New Mexico, ordinarily deserted, was alive With human ants crawling about the metal shaft lancing upward. This one was different from all the similar structures that had preceded it.
This would go free of Earth more nearly than any other. It would reach out and circle the moon before falling back. It would be crammed with instruments that would photograph the moon and measure its heat emissions, probe for radioactivity, and test by microwave for chemical structure. It would, by automation, do almost everything that could be expected of a manned vehicle. And it would learn enough to make certain that the next ship sent out would would be a manned vehicle. be a manned vehicle.
Except that, in a way, this first one was a manned vehicle after all.
There were representatives of various governments, of various industries, of various social and economic groupings. There were television cameras and feature writers.
Those who could not be there watched in their homes and heard numbers counted backward in painstaking monotone in the manner grown traditional in a mere three decades.
At zero the reaction motors came to life and ponderously the ship lifted.
Kane heard the noise of the rushing gases, as though from a distance, and felt the gathering acceleration press against him.
He detached his mind, lifting it up and outward, freeing it from direct connection with his body in order that he might be unaware of the pain and discomfort.
Dizzily, he knew his long journey was nearly over. He would no longer have to maneuver carefully to avoid having people realize he was immortal. He would no longer have to fade into the background, no longer wander eternally from place to place, changing names and personality, manipulating minds.
It had not been perfect, of course. The myths of the Wandering Jew and the Flying Dutchman had arisen, but he was still here. He had not been disturbed.
He could see his spot in the sky. Through the ma.s.s and solidity of the ship he could see it. Or not "see" really. He didn"t have the proper word.
He knew there was a proper word, though. He could not say how he knew a fraction of the things he knew, except that as the centuries had pa.s.sed he had gradually grown to know them with a sureness that required no reason.
He had begun as an ovum (or as something for which "ovum" was the nearest word he knew), deposited on Earth before the first cities had been built by the wandering hunting creatures since called "men." Earth had been chosen carefully by his progenitor. Not every world would do.
What world would? What was the criterion? That he still didn"t know.
Does an ichneumon wasp study ornithology before it finds the one species of spider that will do for her eggs, and stings it just so in order that it may remain alive?
The ovum spilt him forth at length and he took the shape of a man and lived among men and protected himself against men. And his one purpose was to arrange to have men travel along a path that would end with a ship and within the ship a hole and within the hole, himself.
It had taken eight thousand years of slow striving and stumbling.
The spot in the sky became sharper now as the ship moved out of the atmosphere. That was the key that opened his mind. That was the piece that completed the puzzle.
Stars blinked within that spot that could not be seen by a man"s eye unaided. One in particular shone brilliantly and Kane yearned toward it. The expression that had been building within him for so long burst out now.
"Home," he whispered.
He knew? Does a salmon study cartography to find the headwaters of the fresh-water stream in which years before it had been born?
The final step was taken in the slow maturing that had taken eight thousand years, and Kane was no longer larval, but adult.
The adult Kane fled from the human flesh that had protected the larva, and fled the ship, too. It hastened onward, at inconceivable speeds, toward home, from which someday it, too, might set off on wanderings through s.p.a.ce to fertilize some planet with its ovum.
It sped through s.p.a.ce, giving no thought to the ship carrying an empty chrysalis. It gave no thought to the fact that it had driven a whole world toward technology and s.p.a.ce travel in order only that the thing that had been Kane might mature and reach its fulfillment.
Does a bee care what has happened to a flower when the bee has done and gone its way?
Going through DOES A BEE CARE? makes me think of the many editors with whom I have dealt, and with the way in which they sometimes vanish into limbo.
There had been editors whom, for a period of time, I saw frequently, and with whom I felt quite close. Then, for one reason or another, they left their positions and vanished out of my ken. I haven"t seen Horace Gold for many years, for instance-and I haven"t seen James L. Quinn, who bought DOES A BEE CARE? and a few other stories of mine.
He had a southern accent, I remember, and was a delightful person-and now I don"t know where he is or even if he is still alive.
The next story, SILLY a.s.sES, is one that I had better say very little about or the commentary will be longer than the story. I wrote it on July 29, 1957, and it was rejected by two different magazines before Bob Lowndes kindly made a home for it. It appeared in the February 1958 issue of Future. Future.
SILLY a.s.sES.
Naron of the long-lived Rigellian race was the fourth of his line to keep the galactic records.
He had the large book which contained the list of the numerous races throughout the galaxies that had developed intelligence, and the much smaller book that listed those races that had reached maturity and had qualified for the Galactic Federation. In the first book, a number of those listed were crossed out; those that, for one reason or another, had failed. Misfortune, biochemical or biophysical shortcomings, social maladjustment took their toll. In the smaller book, however, no member listed had yet blanked out.
And now Naron, large and incredibly ancient, looked up as a messenger approached.
"Naron," said the messenger. "Great One!"
"Well, well, what is it? Less ceremony."
" Another group of organisms has attained maturity."
"Excellent. Excellent. They are coming up quickly now. Scarcely a year pa.s.ses without a new one. And who are these?"
The messenger gave the code number of the galaxy and the coordinates of the world within it.
"Ah, yes," said Naron. "I know the world." And in flowing script he noted it in the first book and transferred its name into the second, using, as was customary, the name by which the planet was known to the largest fraction of its populace. He wrote: Earth.
He said, "These new creatures have set a record. No other group has pa.s.sed from intelligence to maturity so quickly. No mistake, I hope."
"None, sir," said the messenger. "They have attained to thermonuclear power, have they?"
"Yes. sir."
"Well, that"s the criterion." Naron chuckled. "And soon their ships will probe out and contact the Federation."
"Actually, Great One," said the messenger, reluctantly, "the Observers tell us they have not yet penetrated s.p.a.ce."
Naron was astonished. "Not at all? Not even a s.p.a.ce station?"
"Not yet, sir."
"But if they have thermonuclear power, where then do they conduct their tests and detonations?"
"On their own planet, sir."
Naron rose to his full twenty feet of height and thundered, "On their own planet?"
"Yes, sir."
Slowly Naron drew out his stylus and pa.s.sed a line through the latest addition in the smaller book. It was an unprecedented act, but, then, Naron was very wise and could see the inevitable as well as anyone in the galaxy.
"Silly a.s.ses," he muttered.
This is another story with a moral, I"m afraid. But, you see, the nuclear danger had escalated when both the United States and the Soviet Union developed the fusion H-bomb, and I was bitter again.
As 1957 ended another turning point was upon me. It came about in this wise: When Walker, Boyd, and I wrote our textbook we all spent school time freely on it (though naturally much of the work overflowed into evenings and weekends) .It was a scholarly endeavor and part of our job.
When I wrote THE CHEMICALS OF LIFE I felt that that, too, was a scholarly endeavor, and worked on it during school hours without any qualms. I worked on other books of the sort during school hours, too.* [* I must stress. again. that I never never worked on science fiction during school hours.] By the end of 1957 I had in this fashion written seven nonfiction books for the general public. worked on science fiction during school hours.] By the end of 1957 I had in this fashion written seven nonfiction books for the general public.
Meanwhile, though, James Faulkner, the sympathetic dean, and Burnham S. Walker, the sympathetic department head, had resigned their positions and there had come replacements-who viewed me without sympathy.
Dean Faulkner"s replacement did not approve of my activities, and he had a point, I suppose. In my eagerness to write nonfiction I had completely abandoned research, and he thought it was research on which the school"s reputation depended. To an extent that is true, but it is not always always true, and in my case it wasn"t. true, and in my case it wasn"t.
We had a conference and I presented my view in a frank and straightforward manner, as my unworldly father had always taught me to do.
"Sir," I said, ""as a writer I am outstanding and my work will reflect l.u.s.ter on the school. As a researcher, however, I am merely competent, and if there is one thing Boston University School of Medicine does not need, it is another merely competent researcher."
I supose [sic] I might have been more diplomatic, for that seemed to end the discussion. I was taken off the payroll and the spring semester of 1958 was the last in which I taught regular cla.s.ses, after nine years at that game.
It didn"t bother me very much. Concerning the school salary I cared nothing. Even after two pay raises it only came to sixty-five hundred dollars a year, and my writing earned me considerably more than that already.
Nor did I worry about losing the chance to do research; I had abandoned that already. As for teaching, my nonfiction books (and even my science fiction) were forms of teaching that satisfied me with their great variety far more than teaching a limited subject matter could. I didn"t even fear missing the personal interaction of lecturing, since from 1950 onward I had been establishing myself as a professional lecturer and was beginning to earn respectable fees in that manner. lecturing, since from 1950 onward I had been establishing myself as a professional lecturer and was beginning to earn respectable fees in that manner.
However, it was the new dean"s intention to deprive me of my t.i.tle, too, and kick me out of the school altogether. That That I would not allow. I maintained that I had earned tenure, for I had become an a.s.sociate professor in 1955, and could not be deprived of the t.i.tle without cause. The fight went on for two years and I won. I retained the t.i.tle, and I I would not allow. I maintained that I had earned tenure, for I had become an a.s.sociate professor in 1955, and could not be deprived of the t.i.tle without cause. The fight went on for two years and I won. I retained the t.i.tle, and I still still retain the t.i.tle right now. I am still a.s.sociate professor of biochemistry at Boston University School of Medicine. retain the t.i.tle right now. I am still a.s.sociate professor of biochemistry at Boston University School of Medicine.
What"s more, the school is now happy about it. My adversary retired at last and has since died. (He wasn"t really a bad fellow; we just didn"t see eye to eye.) And lest I give a false impression, let me state emphatically that, except for that one period involving just one or two people, the school, and everyone in it, has always treated me with perfect kindness.
I still do not teach and am not on the payroll, but that is my own choice. I have been asked to come back in one way or another a number of times, but have explained why I cannot. I do give lectures at school when requested, and on May 19, 1974, I gave the commencement address at the medical school-so all is well, you see.
Nevertheless, when I found I had time on my hands, with no cla.s.ses to take care of and no commuting to do, I found that my impulse was to put that extra time into nonfiction, with which I had fallen completely and helplessly and hopelessly in love.
Remember, too, that on October 4, 1957, Sputnik I Sputnik I had gone into orbit, and in the excitement that followed I grew very fervent concerning the importance of writing science for the layman. What"s more, the publishers were now fiercely interested in it as well, and in no time at all I found I had been hounded into so many projects that it became difficult and even impossible to find time to work on major science fiction projects, and, alas, it has continued so to the present day. had gone into orbit, and in the excitement that followed I grew very fervent concerning the importance of writing science for the layman. What"s more, the publishers were now fiercely interested in it as well, and in no time at all I found I had been hounded into so many projects that it became difficult and even impossible to find time to work on major science fiction projects, and, alas, it has continued so to the present day.
Mind you, I didn"t quit science fiction altogether. No year has pa.s.sed that hasn"t seen me write something, even if only a couple of short pieces. On January 14, 1958, as I was getting ready to start my last semester and before the full impact of my decision had struck home, I wrote the following story for Bob Mills and his (alas) short-lived Venture. Venture. It appeared in the May 1958 issue. It appeared in the May 1958 issue.
BUY JUPITER.
He was a simulacron, of course, but so cleverly contrived that the human beings dealing with him had long since given up thinking of the real energy-ent.i.ties, waiting in white-hot blaze in their field-enclosure "ship" miles from Earth.
The simulacron, with a majestic golden beard and deep brown, wide-set eyes, said gently, "We understand your hesitations and suspicions, and we can only continue to a.s.sure you we mean you no harm. We have, I think, presented you with proof that we inhabit the coronal haloes of O-spectra stars; that your own sun is too weak for us; while your planets are of solid matter and therefore completely and eternally alien to us."
The Terrestrial Negotiator (who was Secretary of Science and, by common consent, had been placed in charge of negotiations with the aliens) said, "But you have admitted we are now on one of your chief trade routes."
"Now that our new world of Kimmonoshek has developed new fields of protonic fluid, yes."
The Secretary said, "Well, here on Earth, positions on trade routes can gain military importance out of proportion to their intrinsic value. I can only repeat, then, that to gain our confidence you must tell us exactly why you need Jupiter."
And as always, when that question or a form of it was asked, the simulacron looked pained. "Secrecy is important. If the Lamberj people-"
"Exactly," said the Secretary. "To us it sounds like war. You and what you call the Lamberj people-"
The simulacron said hurriedly, "But we are offering you a most generous return. You have only colonized the inner planets of your system and we are not interested in those. We ask for the world you call Jupiter, which, I understand, your people can never expect to live on, or even land on. Its size" (he laughed indulgently) "is too much for you."
The Secretary, who disliked the air of condescension, said stiffly, "The Jovian satellites are practical sites for colonization, however, and we intend to colonize them shortly."
"But the satellites will not be disturbed in any way. They are yours in every sense of the word. We ask only Jupiter itself, a completely useless world to you, and for that the return we offer is generous. Surely you realize that we could take your Jupiter, if we wished, without your permission. It is only that we prefer payment and a legal treaty. It will prevent disputes in the future. As you see, I"m being completely frank."
The Secretary said stubbornly, "Why do you need Jupiter?"
"The Lamberj-"
" Are you at war with the Lamberj?"
"It"s not quite-"
"Because you see that if it is war and you establish some sort of fortified base on Jupiter, the Lamberj may, quite properly, resent that, and retaliate against us for granting you permission. We cannot allow ourselves to be involved in such a situation."
"Nor would I ask you to be involved. My word that no harm would come to you. Surely" (he kept coming back to it) "the return is generous. Enough power boxes each year to supply your world with a full year of power requirement."
The Secretary said, "On the understanding that future increases in power consumption will be met."
"Up to a figure five times the present total. Yes."
"Well, then, as I have said, I am a high official of the government and have been given considerable powers to deal with you-but not infinite power. I, myself, am inclined to trust you, but I could not accept your terms without understanding exactly why you want Jupiter. If the explanation is plausible and convincing, I could perhaps persuade our government and, through them, our people, to make the agreement. If I tried to make an agreement without such an explanation, I would simply be forced out of office and Earth would refuse to honor the agreement. You could then, as you say, take Jupiter by force, but you would be in illegal possession and you have said you don"t wish that."
The simulacron clicked its tongue impatiently. "I cannot continue forever in this petty bickering. The Lamberj-" Again he stopped, then said, "Have I your word of honor that this is all not a device inspired by the Lamberj people to delay us until-"
"My word of honor," said the Secretary.