Alfred Van Vogt - Null–A Three

“The way I visualize this reasoning method,” Enro went on, before Gosseyn could say anything, “is that General Semantics requires an individual to take the larger view; that is, to include all the possible factors.”

“That,” said Gosseyn, “sounds as if you have heard at least a part of the system.”

“For example,” said Enro, “recently, I sentenced a former aide to twenty years in prison for being too busy with his own affairs instead of doing his job. Now, I’m sure that if he had taken into account what it would feel like to be in jail for twenty years, he undoubtedly would not be there today. Similarly, I believe if you were to take into account all the aspects of our future relationship you would realize that the emperor’s mother should marry me.”

He paused, perhaps to catch his breath; and Gosseyn said politely: “First, the subject matter is very probably a matter you and I should discuss privately. Second, I have a feeling the lady will probably have her own map of the situation; and, thirdly, I have a feeling you have not taken into consideration some of the factors which I am now about to describe.”

The cynical face gazed up at him… cynically. “I’m listening,” said the great man.

“Thank you,” said Gosseyn, politely.

But, somehow, it was no longer quite the same meeting. People were exchanging glances. Even the Troogs seemed to be less relaxed.

—The “realities” underlying existence or non-existence, is not a concern of General Semantics (said Gosseyn in his lecture.)

General Semantics begins by accepting what is perceivable, and operates within the frame of what every normal human, animal, or insect can perceive by way of the perceptive system of each individual.

But the Gosseyn extra-brain seems to function on the “level” of the underlying nothingness. For the extrabrain, operating with 20-decimal similarity, there is no distance, no time, no universe… at the no-time that the extra-brain manifests.

It is agreed (said Gosseyn) that the universe cannot possibly exist. There is no explanation for it. Simply and directly, it just cannot be.

Yet—here it is, around us, through us, and stretching out… scientists say… to an enormous but finite distance in every direction.

That ought to be something to perceive, where that “finite distance” “ends.”

A definition of “nothingness” (said Gosseyn) does not refer to a condition of emptiness. In short, it does not mean an empty space, large or small. It does not even consist of a dot, or a mathematical point.

Nothingness is… nothing.

It is non-existence, non-being, without time or space… nothing.

It has been estimated (continued Gosseyn) that there are three thousand languages spoken on earth alone. Inside all those visible heads—observable on the level of consciousness where perception operates—is a neural structure arranged so that each individual could, if he were educated, express all possible nuances of observation and philosophy available for that language.

A normal Gosseyn similarization action merely moves the individual from one location to another. Such a twenty-decimal transmission normally takes him as he is and moves him—as he is. No internal structural transformation takes place.

However, the Dzan battleship, and all its personnel, were not simply moved from one location, as memorized by the Gosseyn extra-brain, to another memorized location.

They came to Gosseyn direct, as if he were the location to be arrived at. And the reason there was no collision between the huge ship and the small capsule (which contained the Gosseyn body) was because the great vessel had automatic energy barriers and screens that prevented it from striking objects in space.

Nevertheless, the basic similarization process was not cancelled. The Gosseyn extra-brain, which operated within the nothingness of the universe, was, of course, the activating force, and therefore was not a part of the neural similarization of a portion of the rest of the Gosseyn brain.

And so, the brain of each arriving Dzanian was transformed on the various levels that were most closely connected to the extra-brain. This included all the neural structures involving language—because they were actively receiving messages from Gosseyn Two.

But the messages themselves were stored in a different part of the normal brain.

… So the Dzanian—and later the Troogs—instantly had the language neural complexes of their brains slightly altered. The original Dzanian—and Troogan—language neural pattern was shifted over to an equivalent in English.

At twenty decimal speed: instantly…

Neither personality, nor education, nor information of any kind, was involved.

The English language of Gilbert Gosseyn Three… was!

And now (Gosseyn concluded his lecture) are there any questions?

… Enro presently raised his hand, and his sister translated his words: “It has been my observation that women are even more elite-minded than men; and in that connection I have furnished the emperor’s mother with visual materials that will show her my palaces on Gorgzid…”

Gosseyn Two’s faraway thought came: “I think you should find out what those visual materials consist of besides pictures of palaces—”

“Maybe another little distorter, you mean?” Gosseyn Three replied.

“At least,” said his alter ego.

“Under the circumstances,” said Gosseyn Three, “I think—”

After a pause, and a careful effort at concentration, so that there would be no mistake, he 20-decimaled Enro into the capsule, to which the Troogs had brought the Gosseyn Three body after a number of initial experiments.

It should be an interesting interim problem for Enro to deal with; so it seemed to Gosseyn Three; and there seemed to be no objecting thought out there in remote space…

Back on 26th century earth; all of the human beings except Enro…

Gosseyn, who had done the twenty-decimal transmitting of everyone, was the last to arrive. As he straightened from his arrival position, he saw that the others were waiting for him: the women were already seated in the chairs and on the couch, and the men were standing.

They had all been instructed—again—to leave the location of arrival quickly; and they had obviously done so.

He grew aware that President Blayney was on the phone, saying at that moment: “… And get over here at once!”

As Blayney replaced the receiver moments later, he saw Gosseyn. “It’s fifteen minutes after twelve noon,” he said: “I’ve been missing for three days.”

He added, “My security people will be here in a few minutes.”

Gosseyn said, “That’s interesting information, sir.”

He wondered what day it was in relation to when Enin and he had originally arrived. But actually that was incidental.

Quietly but quickly, he walked over and glanced into the bedroom he had shared with the young emperor. Empty. But the bed was unmade.

Moments later, he saw that the other bedroom was also unoccupied.

Swiftly, he strode over to the hall door, and opened it. Addressing Eldred Crang, who stood beside his wife—the former Patricia Hardie was sitting in the chair nearest the door—Gosseyn said, “I’m going up front to talk to the caretaker. I’ll be right back.”

Crang seemed to realize his concern. “I’m guessing they’ll be all right,” he said. “There’s no sign of violence around here.”

He added, “I think it’s still basically you they’re after.” Gosseyn said, “Thank you.” And went out into the wide hallway of the empty shell of a building that had been the Institute of General Semantics.

A minute later, after he had rung the caretaker s doorbell several times, there was that wrinkled face and those sneaky eyes looking up at him; and presently showing comprehension of his question.