Asimov’s Future History Volume 19

by Isaac Asimov

  Bliss was stroking her, softly and rhythmically, and making soothing sounds. Trevize was certain that she was delicately accompanying it all by an infinitely gentle rearrangement of mental fibrils.

  Fallom took in a sudden deep breath, almost a gasp, and shook herself, in what was perhaps an involuntary shudder. She raised her head and looked at those present with something approaching normality and then buried her head in the space between Bliss’s arm and body.

  Bliss let her remain so, while her arm, encircling Fallom’s shoulder, tightened periodically as though to indicate her own protective presence over and over.

  Pelorat seemed rather awestruck, as his eyes went from one Alphan to another. He said, “Golan, they differ so among themselves.”

  Trevize had noticed that, too. There were various shades of skin and hair color, including one brilliant redhead with blue eyes and freckled skin. At least three apparent adults were as short as Hiroko, and one or two were taller than Trevize. A number of both sexes had eyes resembling those of Hiroko, and Trevize remembered that on the teeming commercial planets of the Fili sector, such eyes were characteristic of the population, but he had never visited that sector.

  All the Alphans wore nothing above the waist and among the women the breasts all seemed to be small. That was the most nearly uniform of all the bodily characteristics that he could see.

  Bliss said suddenly, “Miss Hiroko, my youngster is not accustomed to travel through space and she is absorbing more novelty than she can easily manage. Would it be possible for her to sit down and, perhaps, have something to eat and drink?”

  Hiroko looked puzzled, and Pelorat repeated what Bliss had said in the more ornate Galactic of the mid-Imperial period.

  Hiroko’s hand then flew to her mouth and she sank to her knees gracefully. “I crave your pardon, respected madam,” she said. “I have not thought of this child’s needs, nor of thine. The strangeness of this event has too occupied me. Wouldst thou-would you all-as visitors and guests, enter the refectory for morning meal? May we join you and serve as hosts?”

  Bliss said, “That is kind of you.” She spoke slowly and pronounced the words carefully, hoping to make them easier to understand. “It would be better, though, if you alone served as hostess, for the sake of the comfort of the child who is unaccustomed to being with many people at once.”

  Hiroko rose to her feet. “It shall be as thou hast said.”

  She led them, in leisurely manner, across the grass. Other Alphans edged closer. They seemed particularly interested in the clothing of the newcomers. Trevize removed his light jacket, and handed it to a man who had sidled toward him and had laid a questing finger upon it.

  “Here,” he said, “look it over, but return it.” Then he said to Hiroko. “See that I get it back, Miss Hiroko.”

  “Of a surety, it will be backhanded, respected sir.” She nodded her head gravely.

  Trevize smiled and walked on. He was more comfortable without the jacket in the light, mild breeze.

  He had detected no visible weapons on the persons of any of those about him, and he found it interesting that no one seemed to show any fear or discomfort over Trevize’s. They did not even show curiosity concerning them. It might well be that they were not aware of the objects as weapons at all. From what Trevize had so far seen, Alpha might well be a world utterly without violence.

  A woman, having moved rapidly forward, so as to be a little ahead of Bliss, turned to examine her blouse minutely, then said, “Hast thou breasts, respected madam?”

  And, as though unable to wait for an answer, she placed her hand lightly on Bliss’s chest.

  Bliss smiled and said, “As thou hast discovered, I have. They are perhaps not as shapely as thine, but I hide them not for that reason. On my world, it is not fitting that they be uncovered.”

  She whispered in an aside to Pelorat, “How do you like the way I’m getting the hang of Classical Galactic?”

  “You did that very well, Bliss,” said Pelorat.

  The dining room was a large one with long tables to which were attached long benches on either side. Clearly, the Alphans ate community-fashion.

  Trevize felt a pang of conscience. Bliss’s request for privacy had reserved this space for five people and forced the Alphans generally to remain in exile outside. A number, however, placed themselves at a respectful distance from the windows (which were no more than gaps in the wall, unfilled even by screens), presumably so that they might watch the strangers eat.

  Involuntarily, he wondered what would happen if it were to rain. Surely, the rain would come only when it was needed, light and mild, continuing without significant wind till enough had fallen. Moreover, it would always come at known times so that the Alphans would be ready for it, Trevize imagined.

  The window he was facing looked out to sea, and far out at the horizon it seemed to Trevize that he could make out a bank of clouds similar to those that so nearly filled the skies everywhere but over this little spot of Eden.

  There were advantages to weather control.

  Eventually, they were served by a young woman on tiptoeing feet. They were not asked for their choice, but were merely served. There was a small glass of milk, a larger of grape juice, a still larger of water. Each diner received two large poached eggs, with slivers of white cheese on the side. Each also had a large platter of broiled fish and small roasted potatoes, resting on cool, green lettuce leaves.

  Bliss looked with dismay at the quantity of food before her and was clearly at a loss where to begin. Fallom had no such trouble. She drank the grape juice thirstily and with clear evidence of approval, then chewed away at the fish and potatoes. She was about to use her fingers for the purpose, but Bliss held up a large spoon with tined ends that could serve as a fork as well, and Fallom accepted it.

  Pelorat smiled his satisfaction and cut into the eggs at once.

  Trevize, saying, “Now to be reminded what real eggs taste like,” followed suit.

  Hiroko, forgetting to eat her own breakfast in her delight at the manner in which the others ate (for even Bliss finally began, with obvious relish), said, at last, “Is it well?”

  “It is well,” said Trevize, his voice somewhat muffled. “This island has no shortage of food, apparently.-Or do you serve us more than you should, out of politeness?”

  Hiroko listened with intent eyes, and seemed to grasp the meaning, for she said, “No, no, respected sir. Our land is bountiful, our sea even more so. Our ducks give eggs, our goats both cheese and milk. And there are our grains. Above all, our sea is filled with countless varieties of fish in numberless quantity. The whole Empire could eat at our tables and consume not the fish of our sea.”

  Trevize smiled discreetly. Clearly, the young Alphan had not the smallest idea of the true size of the Galaxy.

  He said, “You call this island New Earth, Hiroko. Where, then, might Old Earth be?”

  She looked at him in bewilderment. “Old Earth, say you? I crave pardon, respected sir. I take not thy meaning.”

  Trevize said, “Before there was a New Earth, your people must have lived elsewhere. Where was this elsewhere from which they came?”

  “I know naught of that, respected sir,” she said, with troubled gravity. “This land has been mine all my life, and my mother’s and grandmother’s before me; and, I doubt not, their grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s before them. Of any other land, I know naught.”

  “But,” said Trevize, descending to gentle argumentation, “you speak of this land as New Earth. Why do you call it that?”

  “Because, respected sir,” she replied, equally gentle, “that is what it is called by all since the mind of woman goeth not to the contrary.”

  “But it is New Earth, and therefore, a later Earth. There must be an Old Earth, a former one, for which it was named. Each morning there is a new day, and that implies that earlier there had existed an old day. Don’t you see that this must be so?”

  “Nay, respected sir. I kn
ow only what this land is called. I know of naught else, nor do I follow this reasoning of thine which sounds very much like what we call here chop-logic. I mean no offense.”

  And Trevize shook his head and felt defeated.

  77.

  TREVIZE LEANED TOWARD Pelorat, and whispered, “Wherever we go, whatever we do, we get no information.”

  “We know where Earth is, so what does it matter?” said Pelorat, doing little more than move his lips.

  “I want to know something about it.”

  “She’s very young. Scarcely a repository of information.”

  Trevize thought about that, then nodded. “Right, Janov.”

  He turned to Hiroko and said, “Miss Hiroko, you haven’t asked us why we are here in your land?”

  Hiroko’s eyes fell, and she said, “That would be but scant courtesy until you have all eaten and rested, respected sir.”

  “But we have eaten, or almost so, and we have recently rested, so I shall tell you why we are here. My friend, Dr. Pelorat, is a scholar on our world, a learned man. He is a mythologist. Do you know what that means?”

  “Nay, respected sir, I do not.”

  “He studies old tales as they are told on different worlds. Old tales are known as myths or legends and they interest Dr. Pelorat. Are there learned ones on New Earth who know the old tales of this world?”

  Hiroko’s forehead creased slightly into a frown of thought. She said, “This is not a matter in which I am myself skilled. We have an old man in these parts who loves to talk of ancient days. Where he may have learned these things, I know not, and methinks he may have spun his notions out of air, or heard them from others who did so spin. This is perhaps the material which thy learned companion would hear, yet I would not mislead thee. It is in my mind,” she looked to right and left as though unwilling to be overheard, “that the old man is but a prater, though many listen willingly to him.”

  Trevize nodded. “Such prating is what we wish. Would it be possible for you to take my friend to this old man-”

  “Monolee he calls himself.”

  “-to Monolee, then. And do you think Monolee would be willing to speak to my friend?”

  “He? Willing to speak?” said Hiroko scornfully. “Thou must ask, rather, if he be ever ready to cease from speaking. He is but a man, and will therefore speak, if allowed, till a fortnight hence, with no pause. I mean no offense, respected sir.”

  “No offense taken. Would you lead my friend to Monolee now?”

  “That may anyone do at any time. The ancient is ever home and ever ready to greet an ear.”

  Trevize said, “And perhaps an older woman would be willing to come and sit with Madam Bliss. She has the child to care for and cannot move about too much. It would please her to have company, for women, as you know, are fond of-”

  “Prating?” said Hiroko, clearly amused. “Why, so men say, although I have observed that men are always the greater babblers. Let the men return from their fishing, and one will vie with another in telling greater flights of fancy concerning their catches. None will mark them nor believe, but this will not stop them, either. But enough of my prating, too.-I will have a friend of my mother’s, one whom I can see through the window, stay with Madam Bliss and the child, and before that she will guide your friend, the respected doctor, to the aged Monolee. If your friend will hear as avidly as Monolee will prate, thou wilt scarcely part them in this life. Wilt thou pardon my absence a moment?”

  When she had left, Trevize turned to Pelorat and said, “Listen, get what you can out of the old man, and Bliss, you find out what you can from whoever stays with you. What you want is anything about Earth.”

  “And you?” said Bliss. “What will you do?”

  “I will remain with Hiroko, and try to find a third source.”

  Bliss smiled. “Ah yes. Pel will be with this old man; I with an old woman. You will force yourself to remain with this fetchingly unclad young woman. It seems a reasonable division of labor.”

  “As it happens, Bliss, it is reasonable.”

  “But you don’t find it depressing that the reasonable division of labor should work out so, I suppose.”

  “No, I don’t. Why should I?”

  “Why should you, indeed?”

  Hiroko was back, and sat down again. “It is all arranged. The respected Dr. Pelorat will be taken to Monolee; and the respected Madam Bliss, together with her child, will have company. May I be granted, then, respected Sir Trevize, the boon of further conversation with thee, mayhap of this Old Earth of which thou-”

  “Pratest?” asked Trevize.

  “Nay,” said Hiroko, laughing. “But thou dost well to mock me. I showed thee but discourtesy ere now in answering thy question on this matter. I would fain make amends.”

  Trevize turned to Pelorat. “Fain?”

  “Be eager,” said Pelorat softly.

  Trevize said, “Miss Hiroko, I felt no discourtesy, but if it will make you feel better, I will gladly speak with you.”

  “Kindly spoken. I thank thee,” said Hiroko, rising.

  Trevize rose, too. “Bliss,” he said, “make sure Janov remains safe.”

  “Leave that to me. As for you, you have your-” She nodded toward his holsters.

  “I don’t think I’ll need them,” said Trevize uncomfortably.

  He followed Hiroko out of the dining room. The sun was higher in the sky now and the temperature was still warmer. There was an otherworldly smell as always. Trevize remembered it had been faint on Comporellon, a little musty on Aurora, and rather delightful on Solaria. (On Melpomenia, they were in space suits where one is only aware of the smell of one’s own body.) In every case, it disappeared in a matter of hours as the osmic centers of the nose grew saturated.

  Here, on Alpha, the odor was a pleasant grassy fragrance under the warming effect of the sun, and Trevize felt a bit annoyed, knowing that this, too, would soon disappear.

  They were approaching a small structure that seemed to be built of a pale pink plaster.

  “This,” said Hiroko, “is my home. It used to belong to my mother’s younger sister.”

  She walked in and motioned Trevize to follow. The door was open or, Trevize noticed as he passed through, it would be more accurate to say there was no door.

  Trevize said, “What do you do when it rains?”

  “We are ready. It will rain two days hence, for three hours ere dawn, when it is coolest, and when it will moisten the soil most powerfully. Then I have but to draw this curtain, both heavy and water-repellent, across the door.”

  She did so as she spoke. It seemed made of a strong canvas-like material.

  “I will leave it in place now,” she went on. “All will then know I am within but not available, for I sleep or am occupied in matters of importance.”

  “It doesn’t seem much of a guardian of privacy.”

  “Why should it not be? See, the entrance is covered.”

  “But anyone could shove it aside.”

  “With disregard of the wishes of the occupant?” Hiroko looked shocked. “Are such things done on thy world? It would be barbarous.”

  Trevize grinned. “I only asked.”

  She led him into the second of two rooms, and, at her invitation, he seated himself in a padded chair. There was something claustrophobic about the blockish smallness and emptiness of the rooms, but the house seemed designed for little more than seclusion and rest. The window openings were small and near the ceiling, but there were dull mirror strips in a careful pattern along the walls, which reflected light diffusely. There were slits in the floor from which a gentle, cool breeze uplifted. Trevize saw no signs of artificial lighting and wondered if Alphans had to wake at sunrise and go to bed at sunset.

  He was about to ask, but Hiroko spoke first, saying, “Is Madam Bliss thy woman companion?”

  Trevize said cautiously, “Do you mean by that, is she my sexual partner?”

  Hiroko colored. “I pray thee, have regard for t
he decencies of polite conversation, but I do mean private pleasantry.”

  “No, she is the woman companion of my learned friend.”

  “But thou art the younger, and the more goodly.”

  “Well, thank you for your opinion, but it is not Bliss’s opinion. She likes Dr. Pelorat much more than she does me.”

  “That much surprises me. Will he not share?”

  “I have not asked him whether he would, but I’m sure he wouldn’t. Nor would I want him to.”

  Hiroko nodded her head wisely. “I know. It is her fundament.”

  “Her fundament?”

  “Thou knowest. This.” And she slapped her own dainty rear end.

  “Oh, that! I understand you. Yes, Bliss is generously proportioned in her pelvic anatomy.” He made a curving gesture with his hands and winked. (And Hiroko laughed.)

  Trevize said, “Nevertheless, a great many men enjoy that kind of generosity of figure.”

  “I cannot believe so. Surely it would be a sort of gluttony to wish excess of that which is pleasant in moderation. Wouldst thou think more of me if my breasts were massive and dangling, with nipples pointing to toes? I have, in good sooth, seen such, yet have I not seen men flock to them. The poor women so afflicted must needs cover their monstrosities-as Madam Bliss does.”

  “Such oversize wouldn’t attract me, either, though I am sure that Bliss doesn’t cover her breasts for any imperfection they may have.”

  “Thou dost not, then, disapprove of my visage or form?”

  “I would be a madman to do so. You are beautiful.”

  “And what dost thou for pleasantries on this ship of thine, as thou flittest from one world to the next-Madam Bliss being denied thee?”

  “Nothing, Hiroko. There’s nothing to do. I think of pleasantries on occasion and that has its discomforts, but we who travel through space know well that there are times when we must do without. We make up for it at other times.”