George O. Smith

“ When it died, Barden continued. "Not only am I convinced of the validity of this theory, but I am willing to give all I have or ever hope to have for a chance to prove its worth."
"Then," said Worthington, "we are not so much to be impressed by the excellence of semantic reasoning as we have been. True sophistry is brilliant when the reasoner admits that his basic premise is false. Sophistry is just self-deception when the entire pattern is a firm conviction of the reasoner." ”

“ Barden grunted. "We dislike being bothered, and our will happens to be that we want to go wherever we choose at any time we please. A favorable attitude upon the part of any other culture is one that permits us our will. A dead culture will never obstruct us, for one thing. It will never revert to its original attitude of belligerency, for the second thing. And for the third thing, alien, with the interstellar drive we have, we can find those cultures in the galaxy which see exactly as we do, therefore it is to our advantage to eliminate any malcontents right now." ”

“ The only proof of valid mathematics is in the experimental data that agrees. And may I add that when experiment and math do not agree, it is the math that gets changed. As witness Galileo's results with the freely falling bodies."
Barden nodded slowly. "You mean that mathematics alone is no proof."
"Precisely. Figures do not lie but liars can often figure. No offense, Barden. I wouldn't accuse any man of willful lying. But the math is a lie if it is based on a false premise." ”

“ Then Barden embellished it thoroughly, knowing that the flagrance of his embroidery would sound like a lie to anyone who was really unaware of the truth. "I was invaded in a dream by a gentleman who used a mechanical educator on me and taught me everything that I've produced, everything that I've invented, and every advanced theory that I've had. I have become a scientist of an alien culture that I have full intention of making into a solar science." ”

“ A second race analyzing the burst and trying their own idea out a few years later?"
"My dear young woman," said Barden, "your attitude belies your position. You seem to be telling me not to advance in science. Yet you yourself are head of the Solar Space Laboratory, an institution of considerable renown that is dedicated to the idea of advancement in science. Do you think that your outfit has a corner on brains—that no one should experiment in any line that you do not approve?" ”

“ Edith Ward.
"I want to find out if your informant was telling the truth," said Tom Barden. "Interested?"
Edith shuddered a little. "That's a big responsibility," she said. "You intend to destroy a whole stellar system?"
"I don't know. I'm going to see whether that stuff would actually start an overall sustaining fission-reaction in a planet after the minor fission got under way. If it does, then it is no worse for me to blow up a dead system than it would be for my little informant getting us to blow up ours." ”

“ A nova would disrupt both the magnetic and the gravitic levels sufficiently to warn us immediately. And we knew that any race who was not suspicious of an enemy would try it—"
"I see," said Barden angrily. "Then we have you to thank? And you," he said to Lanthar, "knowing that this was done, tried to protect us?"
"Not basically," apologized the man from Procyon. "You see, we did not know you—nor even where you were in the galaxy. You meant nothing to us at all then, except as a consulting service for our enemy—completely hidden and quite safe. ”

“ The only way that subjugation of your race, complete with the attending strife, may be stopped is for you to have the same technological developments. Once you meet us as an equal, thoughts of enslaving you can not exist."
"Logical," admitted Barden.
"This science is entering your subconscious mind. It will not be clear to you for many days. I'd suggest rest and contemplation, but not heavy concentration. Learning is a matter of accepting facts and filing them logically in the subconscious mind. Unlike a course of study where fact follows fact, this knowledge is being poured in at high speed. ”

“ But if Barden's tale were correct, why did the so-called altruists offer him a science that was dangerous to pursue?
Unless, perhaps, the political argument was conquest versus dominance. Both factions wanted conquest and dominance. One demanded the elimination of all races that might offer trouble. The other faction might argue that a completely dead enemy offers no real reward for conquest—for of what use is it to become king when the throne is safe only when all subjects are dead? ”

“ Your subconscious mind is very much like a librarian who has just received a complete file of facts on a new world. Unfortunately these facts must be evaluated in terms of your own world and your own thought. After evaluation, they must be filed in the proper order. The subconscious never sleeps, but it will take time before the logical order is complete. At that time you will be able to speak with authority on the subject."
"I hope," replied Barden.
"You must! For we have had enough of war and talk of war. War is never fought between peoples who respect one another's ability. ”

“ Barden looked at her for a moment and then smacked a fist into the palm of his hand.
"Look," he said, "that's apparently what your informant wants. Now as to veracity, for every statement you make about the impossibility of interpreting theoretical logic into a complete prediction of physical phenomena without experimental evidence, I can state in your own words that you can't tell anybody what the outcome will be. You want me to stop. If my story is true, then Terra will have interstellar travel and will meet this incoming race on its own terms. ”

“ Barden, that despite the fact that we, none of us, will have a prime function in the disbursement of any funds, we are none the less a primely responsible body. The fact that we permit you to speak will carry much weight. It will be a recommendation by us to the rest of the members. As such we must be cautious."
"Is there no way for an unknown man to make a contribution to science?" asked Barden.
"Of course. Produce one shred of evidence by experimentation."
"The cost!" exploded Barden. "You admit that every piece of equipment will require special construction. ”

“ This was time to do something bold. For all the men of science who would hear of his theory, a few of them might try. If they tried one experiment, they would be convinced. Once convinced, he would be given credit.
The paper could not be very long. A long paper would be thrown out for divers reasons. A very short, terse paper might get by because it would show the logical development of thought. The reviewing members might think it sheer sophistry, but might allow it if for no other reason than to show how sophistic reasoning could build up a complete technology.
Barden began to make notes. ”

“ If you deny me the right to work on Terra or any other solid body of the system, I shall take my laboratory into space and then we shall have two space laboratories—one of which will function in the medium for which it was named!"
Barden nodded affably, turned, and left the room.
One of the committeemen smiled sardonically and said: "I think he has just said, 'To Hell with us'!"
Another one nodded glumly and said: "Me, I think he's right. No one can stand in the way of progress."
Edith Ward blazed. "Progress! Progress! Is destruction progress? ”

“ To be his own boss in his own laboratory would mean that he would not be required to follow other lines of research; he could do things that would seem downright idiotic to those uninformed of the new science. That plus the fact that not one of the large laboratories would care to spend a small fortune on the cold predictions of a young unknown.
Thomas Barden wondered just how many men had found themselves hating the everlasting Time and Money factors before. ”

“ Before the panel were trained technicians, each with a desk full of controls. Behind them were the directors with the master controls, and behind them stood Barden and Edith Ward. From holes above peeked the lenses of cameras recording the motions of every technician, and behind the entire group, more cameras pointed at the vast master panel. ”

“ If it would generate the almost-perfect vacuum in a vacuum tube it would also de-air electron microscopes and all other kinds of equipment.
It was simple, too. It was not one of the direct results of the alien science, but it was an item used to develop the science from present technology. Doing it would not introduce anyone to Barden's technology any more than a thorough knowledge of small intricate mechanisms would introduce a mechanician to the field of electronics. But one cannot delve into basic electronic theory without hitting some of the principles of moving machinery. ”

“ Yes, there's Paranoia. The paranoid will either become king of all or king of none—or none will remain to be king including himself. That theory is quite hard on rational people.
So went the arguments, and when the ten days were completed, they were no closer to the truth than they had been before.
Not entirely true, that. For they hoped to drive—somewhere—at a velocity higher than the speed of light.
With a firm hand, Tom Barden pressed the Start button. The relays clicked and the pilot lights flared red, and then after the warm-up period they turned green. ”

“ Barden faced the reviewing board exactly eight weeks after the dream. By this time he was getting resigned to waiting. Also the hysteria that made him want immediate action was beginning to die in the face of logic. Obviously the alien culture was not on the verge of heading Solward or the alien mind would have told him that fact. He did mention that there was little time, but the alien would not have bothered if imminent disaster threatened.
Barden believed that the alien was cognizant of the difficulties of introducing a new science to a skeptical world—especially when done by an unknown. ”

“ If it has planets unsuited for life, what possible good can it do Terra? Plus the fact that the instability that follows the nova for a few years will act as a nice sign-post toward Terra from all parts of the galaxy. Remember, men will really be spreading out with the new drive. ”

“ It came relayed through the sentience above his bed, and since he was in direct mental communication with the other, thought and reply were clear also to Barden. "Good," replied the other. "Be quick and be thorough. We may never return!"
"You, sentience, listen for we have too little time. Those of your system are numbered in the billions, and, of them all, you are the only one we have been able to contact though we have tried constantly for several years.
"As I communicate with you, your subconscious mind is being filled with a specialized knowledge of a science new to you. ”

“ You'll be the object of argument and of both admiration and hatred. Flag-wavers will either point with pride or view with alarm, depending upon their politics. Why not wait until the thing is discussed?"
"Forever? No, Edith. None of us can afford it. We must know. If this works, Sol has a rather dangerous weapon against any possible conquesting races in the galaxy. Regardless of what has gone before, Sol is in a position to go out and make her mark upon the galaxy. It is best to go prepared, and if we fear nothing, we neither need fear subjugation." ”

“ For though no true menace had shown, it was a common bond between Barden and Ward against a question that annoyed them simultaneously. It may have been simply the fact that man and woman find it hard to continue a dislike when they have something in common. Nature seems to have made it so. ”

“ However self-determination is not enough to produce a science. Give us a shred of proof."
"Have you reviewed my mathematics?" demanded Barden.
"Naturally. And we find your mathematics unimpeachable. But an equation is not a flat statement of fact in spite of what they tell you. It is not even an instrument until you deduce from the equation certain postulates."
"But—
"I'll give an example. The simplest form of electronic equation is Ohm's Law. Resistance equals Voltage divided by Current. Or, simpler: E equals IR. That has been proven time and again by experiment. Your equations are logical. ”

“ You fear the complete altruist. I'll explain. This science will enable you to develop your spacecraft drive into a means of interstellar travel. This science is known to us. We are using it now. However, there is a political difficulty on our world. We have two factions. One faction wants conquest and subjugation of all systems that are less fortunate in their sociological and technological development. The other faction believes that any kind of subjugation of another people will lead to war upon war in pyramiding terror. ”

“ Edith Ward muttered something and Barden asked what she said.
"I said that I wondered how many men were too successful in mixing nitroglycerine before they had one smart enough to mail the formula to a friend—before he went up. I also wonder how many men tried Ben Franklin's experiment with the kite and—really got electricity out of the clouds and right through his body and was found slightly electrocuted after the storm had blown over. Number three—novas often occur in places where there seems to be no reason. Could they be caused by races who have just discovered some new source of power? ”

“ How else?"
"You win," she said solemnly. "Fudge up your true square wave, and I'll buy a ticket back home in your crate!"
"Thanks, Edith," he said. "That's a high compliment. But there's more of us than we-all. I'll have to take a vote."
There was a roar at Barden's explanation. And his head technician stood up, waving for silence. "There's enough lifecraft aboard," he shouted over the noise. "Anybody who wants to get out can take 'em. They can make Terra from here in a couple of months in a lifecraft if they want to." ”