Isaac Asimov: The End of Eternity

The chart told him where and when in the world of the 482nd Century he might go and where he might not; what he could do and what be could not; what he must avoid at all costs. His presence must impinge only upon those places and times where it would not endanger Reality.

The 482nd was not a comfortable Century for him. It was not like his own austere and conformist homewhen. It was an era without ethics or principles, as he was accustomed to think of such. It was hedonistic, materialistic, more than a little matriarchal. It was the only era (he checked this in the records in the most painstaking way) in which ectogenic birth flourished and, at its peak, 40 per cent of its women gave eventual birth by merely contributing a fertilized ovum to the ovaria. Marriage was made and unmade by mutual consent and was not recognized legally as anything more than a personal agreement without binding force. Union for the sake of childbearing was, of course, carefully differentiated from the social functions of marriage and was arranged on purely eugenic principles.

In a hundred ways Harlan thought the society sick and therefore hungered for a Reality Change. More than once it occurred to him that his own presence in the Century, as a man not of that time, could fork its history. If his disturbing presence could only be made disturbing enough at some key point, a different branch of possibility would become real, a branch in which millions of pleasure-seeking women would find themselves transformed into true, pure-hearted mothers. They would be in another Reality with all the memories that belonged with it, unable to tell, dream, or fancy that they had ever been anything else.

Unfortunately, to do that, he would have to step outside the bounds of the spatio-temporal chart and that was unthinkable. Even if it weren’t, to step outside the bounds at random could change Reality in many possible ways. It could be made worse. Only careful analysis and Computing could properly pin-point the nature of a Reality Change.

Outwardly, whatever his private opinions, Harlan remained an Observer, and the ideal Observer was merely a set of sense-perceptive nerve patches attached to a report-writing mechanism. Between perception and report there must be no intervention of emotion.

Harlan’s reports were perfection itself in that respect.

Assistant Computer Finge called him in after his second weekly report.

“I congratulate you, Observer,” he said in a voice without warmth, “on the organization and clarity of your reports. But what do you really think?”

Harlan sought refuge in an expression as blank as though chipped painstakingly out of native 95th Century wood. He said, “I have no thoughts of my own in the matter.”

“Oh, come. You’re from the 95th and we both know what that means. Surely this Century disturbs you.”

Harlan shrugged. “Does anything in my reports lead you to think that I am disturbed?”

It was near to impudence and the drumming of Finge’s blunt nails upon his desk showed it. Finge said, “Answer my question.”

Harlan said, “Sociologically, many facets of the Century represent an extreme. The last three Reality Changes in the aboutwhen have accentuated that. Eventually, I suppose the matter should be rectified. Extremes are never healthy.”

“Then you took the trouble to check the past Realities of the Century.”

“As an Observer, I must check all pertinent facts.”

It was a standoff. Harlan, of course, did have the right and the duty to check those facts. Finge must know that. Every Century was continually being shaken by Reality Changes. No Observations, however painstaking, could ever stand for long without rechecking. It was standard procedure in Eternity to have every Century in a chronic state of being Observed. And to Observe properly, you must be able to present, not only the facts of the current Reality, but also of their relationship to those of previous Realities.

Yet it seemed obvious to Harlan that this was not merely unpleasantness on Finge’s part, this probing of the Observer’s opinions. Finge seemed definitely hostile.

At another time Finge said to Harlan (having invaded the latter’s small office to bring the news), “Your reports are creating a very favorable impression with the Allwhen Council.”

Harlan paused, uncertain, then mumbled, “Thank you.”

“All agree that you show an uncommon degree of penetration.”

“I do my best.”

Finge asked suddenly, “Have you ever met Senior Computer Twissell?”

“Computer Twissell?” Harlan’s eyes widened. “No, sir. Why do you ask?”

“He seems particularly interested in your reports.” Finge’s round cheeks drew downward sulkily and he changed the subject. “To me it seems that you have worked out a philosophy of your own, a viewpoint of history.”

Temptation tugged hard at Harlan. Vanity and caution battled and the former won. “I’ve studied Primitive history, sir.”

“ Primitive history? At school?”

“Not exactly, Computer. On my own. It’s my—hobby. It’s like watching history standing still, frozen! It can be studied in detail whereas the Centuries of Eternity are always changing.” He warmed up a trifle at the thought of it. “It’s as though we were to take a series of stills from a book-film and study each painstakingly. We would see a great deal we would miss if we just scanned the film as it went past. I think that helps me a great deal with my work.”

Finge stared at him in amazement, widened his eyes a little, and left with no further remark.

Occasionally, thereafter, he brought up the subject of Primitive history and accepted Harlan’s reluctant comments with no decisive expression on his own plump face.

Harlan was not sure whether to regret the whole matter or to regard it as a possible way of speeding his own advancement.

He decided on the first alternative when, passing him one day in Corridor A, Finge said abruptly and in the hearing of others, “Great Time, Harlan, don’t you ever smile?”

The thought came, shockingly, to Harlan that Finge hated him. His own feeling for Finge approached something like detestation thereafter.

Three months of raking through the 482nd had exhausted most of its worth-while meat and when Harlan received a sudden call to Finge’s office, he was not surprised. He was expecting a change in assignment. His final summary had been prepared days before. The 482nd was anxious to export more cellulose-base textiles to Centuries which were deforested, such as the 1174th, but were unwilling to accept smoked fish in return. A long list of such items was contained in due order and with due analysis.

He took the draft of the summary with him.

But no mention of the 482nd was made. Instead Finge introduced him to a withered and wrinkled little man, with sparse white hair and a gnomelike face that throughout the interview was stamped with a perpetual smile. It varied between extremes of anxiety and joviality but never quite disappeared. Between two of his yellow-stained fingers lay a burning cigarette.

It was the first cigarette Harlan had ever seen, otherwise he would have paid more attention to the man, less to the smoking cylinder, and been better prepared for Finge’s introduction.

Finge said, “Senior Computer Twissell, this is Observer Andrew Harlan.”

Harlan’s eyes shifted in shock from the little man’s cigarette to his face.

Senior Computer Twissell said in a high-pitched voice, “How do you do? So this is the young man who writes those excellent reports?”

Harlan found no voice. Laban Twissell was a legend, a living myth. Laban Twissell was a man he should have recognized at once. He was the outstanding Computer in Eternity, which was another way of saying he was the most eminent Eternal alive. He was the dean of the Allwhen Council. He had directed more Reality Changes than any man in the history of Eternity. He was— He had—