Oneness Page 4

use of it--"

  * * * * *

  "The situation," Spokesman Dorn told the directors in the TribunalHall some minutes later, "is then this. There has been nothinghaphazard about the Mars Convicts' plan to coerce us into acceptingtheir terms. Considering the probable quality of the type of mindswhich developed both the stardrive and the extraordinary 'philosophy'we have encountered today, that could be taken for granted from thestart. We cannot kill their emissary here, or subject him to seriouspain or injury, since we would pay a completely disproportionatepenalty in doing it.

  "However, that doesn't mean that we should surrender to the MarsConvicts. In fact, for all their cleverness, they appear to be actingout of something very close to desperation. They have gained noessential advantage through their trick, and we must assume they madethe mistake of underestimating us. This gentleman they sent to Earthhas been given thorough physical examinations. They show him to be inexcellent health. He is also younger by many years than most of us.

  "So he will be confined to quarters where he will be comfortable andprovided with whatever he wishes ... but where he will not be providedwith any way of doing harm to himself. And then, I believe, we cansimply forget about him. He will receive the best of attention,including medical care. Under such circumstances, we can expect hisnatural life span to exceed our own.

  "Meanwhile, we shall continue our program of developing our ownspacedrive. As the Mars Convicts themselves foresee, we'll gain iteventually and will then be more than a match for them. Until then thedefense fields around Earth will remain closed. No ship will leaveEarth and no ship will be admitted to it. And in the long run we willwin."

  The spokesman paused, added, "If there are no other suggestions, thisman will now be conducted to the hospital of the Machine where he isto be detained for the remainder of his days."

  Across the hall from Menesee, a figure arose deliberately in one ofthe boxes. A heavy voice said, "Spokesman Dorn, I very definitely dohave a suggestion."

  Dorn looked over, nodded warily. "Go ahead, Director Squires!"

  Menesee grimaced in distaste. He had no liking for Squires, a harsh,arrogant man, notorious for his relentless persecution of any directoror officer who, in Squires' opinion, had become slack in his duties tothe Machine. But he had a large following in the upper echelons, andhis words carried weight.

  Squires folded his arms, said unhurriedly as if savoring each word,"As you pointed out, Spokesman Dorn, we cannot hurt the person of thisprisoner. His immediate accomplices also remain beyond our reach atpresent. However, our hands are not--as you seem to imply--socompletely tied that we cannot strike back at these rascals at once.There are camps on Earth filled with people of the same politicalstripe--potential supporters of the Mars Convicts who would be infullest sympathy with their goals if they learned of them.

  "I suggest that these people serve now as an object lesson to show theMars Convicts the full measure of our determination to submit to nothreats of force! Let this prisoner and the other convicts whodoubtless are lurking in nearby space beyond Earth's defense fieldsknow that _for every day_ their obscene threat against the highofficers of the Machine continues hundreds of malcontents who wouldwelcome them on Earth will be painfully executed! Let them--"

  Pain doubled Menesee abruptly over the table before him. A savage,compressing pain, very different from the fiery touch of the nervestimulators, which held him immobile, unable to cry out or drawbreath.

  It relaxed almost as instantaneously as it had come on. Meneseeslumped back in his chair, shaken and choking, fighting down bitternausea. His eyes refocused painfully on Rainbolt, gray-faced but onhis feet, in the prisoner's area.

  "You will find," Rainbolt was saying, "that Director Squires is dead.And so, I'm very much afraid, is every other member of the upperechelons whose heart was in no better condition than his. This was ademonstration I had not intended to give you. But since it has beengiven, it should serve as a reminder that while it is true we couldnot force you directly to do as we wish, there are things we areresolved not to tolerate."

  Ojeda was whispering shakily near Menesee, "He controls his body tothe extent that he was able to bring on a heart attack in himself andproject it to all of us! He counted on his own superb physicalcondition to pull him through it unharmed. _That_ is why he didn'tseem frightened when the administrator threatened him with a gun. Evenif the spokesman hadn't acted, that gun never would have been fired.

  "Menesee, no precautions we could take will stop that monster fromkilling us all whenever he finally chooses--simply by committingsuicide through an act of will!"

  Spokesman Dorn's voice seemed to answer Ojeda.

  "Director Squires," Dorn's voice said, still thinned by pain but oddlytriumphant, "became a victim of his own pointless vindictiveness. Itwas a mistake which, I am certain, no member of the Machine will careto repeat.

  "Otherwise, this incident has merely served to confirm that the MarsConvicts operate under definite limitations. They _could_ kill us butcan't afford to do it. If they are to thrive in space, they needEarth, and Earth's resources. They are aware that if the Machine'sleadership dies, Earth will lapse into utter anarchy and turn itstremendous weapons upon itself.

  "The Mars Convicts could gain nothing from a ruined and depopulatedplanet. Therefore, the situation as it stands remains a draw. We shalldevote every effort to turn it into a victory for us. The agreement wecome to eventually with the Mars Convicts will be on our terms--andthere is essentially nothing they or this man, with all his powers,can do to prevent it."

  * * * * *

  The Missionary of Oneness swung his bronzed, well-muscled legs overthe side of the hammock and sat up. With an expression of greatinterest, he watched Spokesman Dorn coming across the sun room towardshim from the entrance corridor of his hospital suite. It was the firstvisit he'd had from any member of the organization of the Machine inthe two years he had been confined here.

  For Spokesman Dorn it had been, to judge by his appearance, astrenuous two years. He had lost weight and there were dark smudges offatigue under his eyes. At the moment, however, his face appearedrelaxed. It might have been the relaxation a man feels who has beenemptied out by a hard stint of work, but knows he has accomplishedeverything that could possibly have been done.

  Dorn came to a stop a dozen feet from the hammock. For some seconds,the two men regarded each other without speaking.

  "On my way here," Dorn remarked then, "I was wondering whether youmightn't already know what I've come to tell you."

  Rainbolt shook his head.

  "No," he said. "I think I could guess what it is--I pick upgeneralized impressions from outside--but I don't really know."

  Spokesman Dorn considered that a moment, chewing his lower lipreflectively. Then he shrugged.

  "So actual mind-reading doesn't happen to be one of your talents," hesaid. "I was rather sure of that, though others had a differentopinion. Of course, considering what you are able to do, it wouldn'treally make much difference.

  "Well ... this morning we sent out a general call by space radio toany Mars Convict ships which might be in the Solar System to come in.The call was answered. Earth's defense fields have been shut down, andthe first FTL ships will land within an hour."

  "For what purpose?" Rainbolt said curiously.

  "There's a strong popular feeling," Spokesman Dorn said, "that yourcolleagues should take part in deciding what pattern Earth's permanentform of government will take. In recent months we've handled things ina rather provisional and haphazard manner, but the situation isstraightened out well enough now to permit giving attention to suchlegalistic details. Incidentally, you will naturally be free to leavewhen I do. Transportation is available for you if you wish to welcomeyour friends at the spaceport."

  "Thank you," said Rainbolt. "I believe I will."

  Spokesman Dorn shrugged. "What could we do?" he said, almostdisinterestedly. "You never slept. In the beginning
you were drugged anumber of times, as you probably know, but we soon discovered thatdrugging you seemed to make no difference at all."

  "It doesn't," Rainbolt agreed.

  "Day after day," Dorn went on, "we'd find thoughts and inclinationscoming into our minds we'd never wanted there. It was an eerieexperience--though personally I found it even more disconcerting toawaken in the morning and discover that my attitudes had changed insome particular or other, and as a rule changed irrevocably."

  Rainbolt said, "In a sense, those weren't really your attitudes, youknow. They were results of the conditioning of the Machine. It wasthe conditioning I was undermining."

  "Perhaps