Illustrated by Williams
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1945.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Gerd Lel Rayne stood in the arched doorway of the living room of hishome and smiled at the Terran. Andrew Tremaine smiled up at his hostwith an almost microscopic feeling of annoyance. The Terran was a largeman, well proportioned, but the other was somewhat larger and somewhatin better proportion. The annoyance was the usual jealousy of thebetter man.
Tremaine knew that Gerd was a better man, and he stifled his feeling ofannoyance because hating Gerd was unjust. Besides, Tremaine wanted afavor and one does not irritate a favor-giver.
Gerd Lel Rayne was of a breed that could know when a man disliked himno matter how well it was concealed. Therefore—
Andrew smiled. "You've been well?"
"Positively dripping with good health," boomed Gerd in a resonantvoice. "And yourself?"
"Fair to middling."
"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Will you have refreshment?"
"A cigarette, perhaps."
Gerd opened an ornate box on the table and offered Andrew a cigarette.Andrew puffed it into illumination and exhaled a cloud of smoke."Busy?" he asked.
"Yes," drawled Gerd. "I'm always busy, more or less. But being busy orun-busy is my own desire. Being without something to do would drive mecrazy, I'm sure." Gerd laughed at the thought. "At the present time I'mbusy seeing you. Is this a business visit or a personal visit?"
"Partly pleasure, partly business. There's something been bothering mefor some time."
"Glad to help—That's what I'm here for, you know."
"Now that I'm here," admitted Andrew with some abashment, "I have afeeling that the same question has been asked and answered before.But I want to hear, firsthand, why your race denies us the secret ofinterstellar travel."
"Because you have not developed it yet," said Gerd. "Yes, we could giveit to you. You couldn't use it."
"You're looking down at us again."
"I'm honestly sorry that I give you that opinion. I have no desire tolook down at anything or anyone. Please believe me."
"But—"
"May I offer an hypothetical case?" asked Gerd, and then went onbecause he knew the answer to his own question: "A hundred years ago,the Terrans were living without directive power. You used solar phoenixpower. It brought you out of the mire of wire and machinery under whichTerra writhed. You were, you thought, quite advanced. You were. But,Andy, could you have used directives? Supposing that I had given youthe secret of directive power? What would have happened?"
"Um—Trouble, perhaps. But with supervision?"
"I can not give you supervision. I am but one. Consider, Andy. A planetfilled with inventive people, a large quantity of which are highlytrained technically. What would they say to a program which restrictedthem to any single phase? We came, and all that we could do to assistwas to let your race know that directive power was available. Theproblem of power is an interesting thing, Andy. The initial steps intoany realm of power are such that the discoverers are self-protected bytheir own lack of knowledge, and their investigations lead them intomore and more knowledge; they gain the dangerous after learning how toprotect themselves against it. The directive power could destroy notonly Terra but the entire Solar System if improperly applied."
"What you're saying is that we could not understand it," objectedAndrew.
"I admit it. Could a savage hurt himself if permitted to enter apowerhouse—