Isaac Asimov - Foundation's Edge

“It was just that he was a conqueror,” said Trevize sarcastically.

“Like the Foundation,” said Quintesetz.

Trevize, with no ready answer, said irritably, “Do you have more to say about Gaia?”

“Just a statement that the Mule made. According to the account of the historic meeting between the Mule and President Kallo of the Union, the Mule is described as having put his signature to the document with a flourish and to have said, “You are neutral even toward Gaia by this document, which is fortunate for you. Even I will not approach Gaia.”

Trevize shook his head. “Why should he? Sayshell was eager to pledge neutrality and Gaia had no record of ever troubling anyone. The Mule was planning the conquest of the entire Galaxy at the time, so why delay for trifles? Time enough to turn on Sayshell and Gaia, when that was done.”

“Perhaps, perhaps,” said Quintesetz, “but according to one witness at the time, a person we tend to believe, the Mule put down his pen as he said, ‘Even I will not approach Gaia.’ His voice then dropped and, in a whisper not meant to be heard, he added ‘again.’ ”

“Not meant to be heard, you say. Then how was it he was heard?”

“Because his pen rolled off the table when he put it down and a Sayshellian automatically approached and bent to pick it up. His ear was close to the Mule’s mouth when the word ‘again’ was spoken and he heard it. He said nothing until after the Mule’s death.”

“How can you prove it was not an invention?”

“The man’s life is not the kind that makes it probable he would invent something of this kind. His report is accepted.”

“And if it is?”

“The Mule was never in—or anywhere near—the Sayshell Union except on this one occasion, at least after he appeared on the Galactic scene. If he had ever been on Gaia, it had to be before he appeared on the Galactic scene.”

“Well?”

“Well, where was the Mule born?”

“I don’t think anyone knows,” said Trevize.

“In the Sayshell Union, there is a strong feeling he was born on Gaia.”

“Because of that one word?”

“Only partly. The Mule could not be defeated because he had strange mental powers. Gaia cannot be defeated either.”

“Gaia has not been defeated as yet. That does not necessarily prove it cannot be.”

“Even the Mule would not approach. Search the records of his Overlordship. See if any region other than the Sayshell Union was so gingerly treated. And do you know that no one who has ever gone to Gaia for the purpose of peaceful trade has ever returned? Why do you suppose we know so little about it?”

Trevize said, “Your attitude seems much like superstition.”

“Call it what you will. Since the time of the Mule, we have wiped Gaia out of our thinking. We don’t want it to think of us. We only feel safe if we pretend it isn’t there. It may be that the government has itself secretly initiated and encouraged the legend that Gaia has disappeared into hyperspace in the hope that people will forget that there is a real star of that name.”

“You think that Gaia is a world of Mules, then?”

“It may be. I advise you, for your good, not to go there. If you do, you will never return. If the Foundation interferes with Gaia, it will show less intelligence than the Mule did. You might tell your ambassador that .”

Trevize said, “Get me the co-ordinates and I will be off your world at once. I will reach Gaia and I will return.”

Quintesetz said, “I will get you the co-ordinates. The astronomy department works nights, of course, and I will get it for you now , if I can. —But let me suggest once more that you make no attempt to reach Gaia.”

Trevize said, “I intend to make that attempt.”

And Quintesetz said heavily, “Then you intend suicide.”

Janov Pelorat looked out at the dim landscape in the graying dawn with an odd mixture of regret and uncertainty.

“We aren’t staying long enough, Golan. It seems a pleasant and interesting world. I would like to learn more about it.”

Trevize looked up from the computer with a wry smile. “You don’t think I would like to? We had three proper meals on the planet—totally different and each excellent. I’d like more. And the only women we saw, we saw briefly—and some of them looked quite enticing, for—well, for what I’ve got in mind.”

Pelorat wrinkled his nose slightly. “Oh, my dear chap. Those cowbells they call shoes, and all wrapped around in clashing colors, and whatever do they do to their eyelashes. Did you notice their eyelashes?”

“You might just as well believe I noticed everything, Janov. What you object to is superficial. They can easily be persuaded to wash their faces and, at the proper time, off come the shoes and the colors.”

Pelorat said, “I’ll take your word for that, Golan. However, I was thinking more of investigating the matter of Earth further. What we’ve been told about Earth, thus far, is so unsatisfactory, so contradictory—radiation according to one person, robots according to another.”

“Death in either case.”

“True,” said Pelorat reluctantly, “but it may be that one is true and not the other, or that both are true to some extent, or that neither is sure. Surely, Golan, when you hear tales that simply shroud matters in thickening mists of doubt, surely you must feel the itch to explore, to find out.”

“I do,” said Golan. “By every dwarf star in the Galaxy, I do. The problem at hand, however, is Gaia. Once that is straightened out, we can go to Earth, or come back here to Sayshell for a more extended stay. But first, Gaia.”

Pelorat nodded. “The problem at hand! If we accept what Quintesetz told us, death is waiting for us on Gaia. Ought we to be going?”

Trevize said, “I ask myself that. Are you afraid?”

Pelorat hesitated as though he were probing his own feelings. Then he said in a quite simple and matter-of-fact manner, “Yes. Terribly!”

Trevize sat back in his chair and swiveled to face the other. He said, just as quietly and matter-of-factly, “Janov, there’s no reason for you to chance this. Say the word and I’ll let you off on Sayshell with your personal belongings and with half our credits. I’ll pick you up when I return and it will be on to Sirius Sector, if you wish, and Earth, if that’s where it is. If I don’t return, the Foundation people on Sayshell will see to it that you get back to Terminus. No hard feelings if you stay behind, old friend.”

Pelorat’s eyes blinked rapidly and his lips pressed together for a few moments. Then he said, rather huskily, “Old friend? We’ve known each other what? A week or so? Isn’t it strange that I’m going to refuse to leave the ship? I am afraid, but I want to remain with you.”

Trevize moved his hands in a gesture of uncertainty. “But why? I honestly don’t ask it of you.”

“I’m not sure why, but I ask it of myself. It’s—it’s— Golan, I have faith in you. It seems to me you always know what you’re doing. I wanted to go to Trantor, where probably—as I now see—nothing would have happened. You insisted on Gaia and Gaia must somehow be a raw nerve in the Galaxy. Things seem to happen in connection with it. And if that’s not enough, Golan, I watched you force Quintesetz to give you the information about Gaia. That was such a skillful bluff. I was lost in admiration.”

“You have faith in me, then.”

Pelorat said, “Yes, I do.”

Trevize put his hand on the other’s upper arm and seemed, for a moment, to be searching for words. Finally he said, “Janov, will you forgive me in advance if my judgment is wrong, and if you in one way or another meet with—whatever unpleasant may be awaiting us?”