by Rory Magill
guess you could say itwasn't necessary."
There was no applause from the spectators. There was a kind of bitterferment working, a wonderment and a suspicion and a dull kind of shockthat blanks out facing unpleasant truths.
Smith started past the first row, then stopped and looked down at thewoman. He'd miss her, she had seen to that, and she had only beenjesting. He'd think of how it might have been, at another time, inanother way--but he'd forget in time. You forgot and you grew.Especially, when you had a job to do.
"There's one thing this school has," he said, "that Earth doesn't have... and never did ... and probably never will. And that is Geria ofBortinot."
When he went out, she was staring after him with an odd expression hecouldn't identify. And behind her, Jorak of Gyra danced round and roundthe mats.
* * * * *
The Registrar's lights blinked with what might almost have beennervousness.
"Smith of Earth. Item: Garnot of Jlob has withdrawn his recommendationthat you leave the school. However, his transtellar history class willhave a new instructor for a week. His name is Khrom of Khaldmar.
"Item: Sog-chafka of Wortan withdraws his accusation that you usedpsi-power in Wortan fighting. Wortan fighting classes have been droppedfor two weeks.
"Item: Kard of Shilon does not wish to meet you again in Wortan.
"Item: Jorak of Gyra and Geria of Bortinot do not question yourmentality and formally request that you release Jorak from psi-powersuggestion which is causing Jorak to dance himself to death."
Smith listened rather absently and then went to the window and lookedout over the strange landscape.
"Smith of Earth ... as yet you have not taken the battery of tests here,and the tests will determine your stay here. The choice is yours. We canrequest your withdrawal from the school, or we can keep you here. YourDominant classification has been thoroughly validated. We are sure youwould be happy here, and the tests will be presented in such a way thatyou will...."
Well, he hadn't let himself down. He'd defended his integrity as a humanbeing. But he'd been told not to let Earth down.
Well, would he be letting Earth down by leaving? Would he be? If hereturned and said that the galaxy had a school but we'd better not sendstudents because the school is decadent--could Earth stand up in theface of its pricked bubble?
What is, and what is not, letting your planet down? Smith knew it for analmost meaningless phrase, standing here before the clicking Registrar.The important thing was to learn, for from learning are sowed the seedsof progress, and surely he had learned.
Yes, he had learned a great deal about the Galactic culture.
The Registrar's voice droned on, being very logical and again petulantin a feminine way. It was a compliant machine. It got along well,maintaining a nice balance, with everyone. With Dominants it becameslightly recessive. With Receptives, it was just a little bit Dominant.
He watched the monstrous blotch of the red star, swelling and crimson,old and fading, yet filling a quarter of the sky, like a fat old man,getting fatter while his brain rotted away in his skull.
He turned as the door opened. His breath shortened as she came towardhim. Smith rubbed his bald pate, and felt the heat rise to his face.
"You made a fool of me, Smith," she whispered. "Now you're blushing ...and that's just an act isn't it? You're still making a fool of me."
"No," he said. "The way I felt about you and the things I said, I meantthem. I still do."
"But you let me use that psi-power on you ... and ... and if you'dwanted to ... you could have...." He stared. She was sobbing a little.
He had felt it before, but the feeling was strong enough now to motivateaction. He put his arms about her, protectively. He looked out thewindow at the cragged horizon and the dying red star behind.
"The psi-power," he said. "I didn't realize I had it then. When you usedit ... and later, the dream-empathy, it stirred up a lot of oldcapacities. I wasn't trying to fool anyone. I love you, Geria ofBortinot. And I'm not fooling...."
"_Your decision, Smith of Earth...._"
Well, he had learned a great deal about Galactic culture, so what shouldhe do? A duty to Earth, to civilization. He had learned:
... That the superior cultures out here among the stars were a myth.
... That something had gone haywire in the startrails, that everyone youmet was either psychotic or highly neurotic by Earth standards.
... That the exceptions might be the hope of the Galaxy. But they werevery few.
... That Earth had better seek out the reasons for all this, try toeliminate them at their sources if possible, but certainly keep themfrom contaminating the home planet.
... That Earth had a big job, but if he came back and reported andworked at it, he might convince Earth she was up to it.
That was one way.
"_Your decision, Smith of Earth, the battery of tests or...._"
She was looking up at him. "Well?"
"What do you think, Geria?"
She put her face against his chest. "Whatever you decide," shewhispered. "You're the Dominant...."
He smiled at the banks of lights. "When's the next ship for Deneb?" heasked. "We're going back to Earth."