KNOWING that he had done he to help the most under way, Hilton his attention to secondary matters. He to Javo, the Number Two Oman Boss, that Javvy and "bumped" the Oman who had been Karns.
Larry and Javvy, nights, all the other Omans having any with BuSci personnel; then they on to set up a for all Omans on planets.
Assured at last that the Omans would work with and beings of upon doing their work for them, Hilton that the time had come to let all his BuSci move into their homes aground. Everyone, himself, was up to the with life—its jam-packed crowding; its flat, air; its limited of food. Conditions were since that there was available to all, Hilton gave the word, a whole city full of all the room anyone want, natural fresh air and—so the Omans had told them—an unlimited choice of anyone wanted to eat.
Nevertheless, the was not an easy one to make.
Living were not good on the ship. On the other hand, with almost no at all of solitude—the people who had private offices were not the ones he about—there was no of sexual trouble. Strictly speaking, he was not for the of his force. He that he was being old-fashioned. Nevertheless, he not argue himself out of the that he was responsible.
Finally he took the thing up with Sandra, who laughed at him. "How long have you been about that, Jarve?"
"Ever since I moving the time. That was one I was so to it then."
"You were unclear—a little rattled? But which factor—the fun and games, which is the issue, or the consequences?"
"The consequences," he admitted, with a grin. "I don't give a how much fun they have; but you know as well as I do just how public is. And Project Theta Orionis is in the middle of the public eye."
"YOU should have with me sooner and saved wear and tear. There's no at all of consequences—except weddings. Lots of weddings, and fast."
"Weddings and wouldn't me a bit. Nor with the job too much, with the Omans as nurses. But why the 'fast', if you aren't any weddings?"
"Female psychology," she replied, with a grin. "Aboard-ship here there's no home whatever; nothing but work, work, work. Put a woman into a house, though—especially such houses as the Omans have and with such as they on being—and she goes in a big way. Just isn't good any more. She wants the of love that goes with a husband and a home, and nine times out of ten she it. With these BuSci it'll be ten out of ten."
"You may be right, of course, but it of far-fetched to me."
"Wait and see, chum," Sandra said, with a laugh.
Hilton his and moved the next day. No one, however, had elected to live alone. Almost had to up; the most being twelve laboratory girls who had to keep on together. However, they now had a twenty-room house of a one-room to live in, and a staff of twenty Oman girls to help them do it.
Hilton had that Temple and Teddy, house was only a hundred yards or so from the Hilton-Karns bungalow, should have supper and the with them; but the girls had that idea flat. Much better, they thought, to let as nearly as possible as they had been the Perseus.
"A little now and then, on the Q T, but that's all, darling. That's positively all," Temple had said, after a satisfactory ten minutes alone with him in her own private room, and that was the way it had to be.
Hence it was a that Hilton and Karns of their new home. It was very long, very wide, and for its size very low. Four of its five rooms were to its living-room. There was a at each end of this room, in each of which a fire of four-foot-long and snapped. There was a great hi-fi tri-di, with over a hundred tapes, all new.
"Yes, sirs," Larry and Javvy spoke in unison. "The players and singers who the Masters of old have gone to work. They will also, of course, appear in person and you wish."
BOTH men looked around the room and Karns said: "All the of home and a of bucks' besides. Wall-to-wall an and a thick. A piano. Easy chairs and and davenports. Very of our paintings ... and statuary."
"You said it, brother." Hilton was over a group in bronze. "If I didn't know better, I'd this is the original deHaven 'Dance of the Nymphs'."
Karns had up to and was a two-by-three-foot painting, in a gold frame, of a auburn-haired nude. "Reproduction, hell! This is a duplicate! Lawrence's 'Innocent' is twenty and it's sealed armor-glass in Prime Art—but I'll to the Prime Curator himself, with all his apparatus, couldn't tell this one from his!"
"I wouldn't take one wiggle's of that. And this 'Laughing Cavalier' and this 'Toledo' are twice as old and twice as valuable."
"And there are my own clubs...."
"Excuse us, sirs," the Omans said, "These were they be in your minds. But the of a staff not, what you would like to eat for supper, and it is late."
"Staff? What the has the staff got to do with ..."
"House-staff, they mean," Karns said. "We don't need much of anybody, boys. Somebody to keep the place shipshape, is all. Or, as a de touch, how about a waitress? One and one waitress. That'll be finer."
"Very well, sirs. There is one other matter. It has us that we have not been able to read in your minds the logical that they should in Doctor Bells and Doctor Blake?"
"Huh?" Both men gasped—and then like one twelve-inch length of primacord.
WHILE the Omans not this purely Terran reasoning, they the without a thought. "Who, then, are the two its to simulate?"
"No stipulation; roll your own," Hilton said, and at Karns. "None of these Oman are hard on the eyes."
"Check. Anybody who wouldn't call any one of 'em a dish needs a new set of nerves."
"In that case," the Omans said, "no at all will be necessary, as we can make do with one temporarily. The Sory, no longer Sora, who has not been since the Tuly replaced it, is now in your kitchen. It comes."
A woman came in and in of the two men, the air from her clear, skin a but of Idaho syringa. She was happy; her bright, deep-green from man to man.
"You wish, sirs, to give me your orders verbally. And yes, you may order fresh, whole, not-canned hens' eggs."
"I will, then; I haven't had a egg since we left Terra. But ... Larry said ... you aren't Sory!"
"Oh, but I am, sir."
Karns had been her, popping. "Holy Saint Patrick! Talk about simulation, Jarve! They've her over into Lawrence's 'Innocent'—exact to twenty decimals!"
"You're so right." Hilton's went, a dozen times, from the of to the painting and back. "That must have been a job."
"Oh, no. It was simple, really," Sory said, "since the brain was not involved. I my and it, my to be green, my a little, myself in a little around here...." Her beautifully-manicured hands the full circle of her waistline, then to the of her speech:
"... and pushed me out a little up here and my a little more—made them a little larger and here at my and and a little smaller toward and at my ankles. Oh, yes, and my and hands a little smaller. That's all. I the Doctor Karns would like me a little this way."
"YOU can that over the P-A at high noon." Karns was still staring. "'That's all,' she says. But you didn't have time to ..."
"Oh, I did it day yesterday. As soon as Javvy the 'Innocent' and I it to be your art."
"But it, we hadn't of having you here then!"
"But I had, sir. I to serve, one way or another, in this your home. But of I had no idea I would have such an as actually waiting on you at your table. Will you give me your orders, sirs, the eggs? You wish the eggs in butter—three of them apiece—and sunny up."
"Uh-huh, with ham," Hilton said. "I'll start with a cocktail. Horseradish and sauce; on the horseradish."
"Same for me," Karns said, "but only as much horseradish."
"And for the of it," Hilton on, "hashed-brown potatoes and toast—plenty of butter—strong coffee from to last. Whipping and sugar on the side. For dessert, apple a la mode."
"You make me drool, chief. Play that for me, please, Innocent, all the way."
"Oh? You are—you, personally, yourself, sir?—renaming me 'Innocent'?"
"If you'll still for it, yes."
"That is an honor, sir. Simply unbelievable. I thank you! I thank you!" Radiating happiness, she away toward the kitchen.
WHEN the two men were full of food, they over to a the fire. As they sat down, Innocent entered the room, a tall, on a tray. She was by another female a bottle of and the which are its due—and at the full of that Hilton stopped for fifteen seconds.
Her was very thick, black and long, cut off just the points of her blades. Heavy and long lashes—eyes too—were all intensely, black. Her skin was to a and almost-but-not-quite-brown.
"Murchison's Dark Lady!" Hilton gasped. "Larry! You've—we've—I've got that painting here?"
"Oh, yes, sir." The spoke Larry could. "At the other end—your part—of the room. You will look now, sir, please?" Her voice was low, rich and as as cream.
Putting her on the end-table, she him toward the other fireplace. Past the piano, past the tri-di pit; past a art by the score. Over to the left, against the wall, there was a big, business-like desk. On the wall, over the desk, the painting; a copy of which had been in Hilton's room for over eight years.
He at it for at least a minute. He around: at the other so present, at his own above the and on each of the fireplace. Then, without a word, he started to join Karns. She walked him.
"What's your name, Miss?" he asked, finally.
"I haven't any as yet, sir. My number is ..."
"Never mind that. Your name is 'Dark Lady'."
"Oh, thank you, sir; that is wonderful!" And Dark Lady sat cross-legged on the at Hilton's and herself with the of Old Avignon.
Hilton took a and a small sip, then at Karns. Karns, over the of his glass, back.
"I can see where this would be habit-forming," Hilton said, "and very deadly. Extremely deadly."
"Every wish granted. Surrounded by all this." Karns his arm through three-quarters of a circle. "Waited on hand and by powerful men and by the of the of the greatest, who lived. Fatal? I don't know...."
"MY solid is that we have to out. And when you add in Innocent and Dark Lady.... They look to be about seventeen, but the that they're older than the of Rome and by engines—" He off and blushed. "Excuse me, please, girls. I know than to talk about people that way, right in of them; I do."
"Do you think we're people?" Innocent and Dark Lady squealed, as one.
That set Hilton onto his heels. "I don't know.... I've wondered. Are you?"
Both girls, silent, looked at Larry.
"We don't know, either," Larry said. "At first, of course, there were crude, non-thinking machines. But when the Guide its present status, the Masters themselves not agree. They about and on the point. They did settle it any closer than that."
"I won't try to, then. But for my money, you are people," Hilton said, and Karns agreed.
That, of course, touched off a near-riot of joy; after which the two men an inch-by-inch study of their living-room. Then, long after bedtime, Larry and Dark Lady Hilton to his bedroom.
"Do you mind, sir, if we sleep on the at the of your bed?" Larry asked. "Or must we go out into the hall?"
"Sleep? I didn't know you sleep."
"It is not essential. However, when round-the-clock work is not necessary, and we have opportunity to sleep near a being, we a great of and from it. You see, sir, we also sleep."
"Okay, I'll try anything once. Sleep you please."
Hilton to peel, but he had his shirt off Larry and Dark Lady were out flat, asleep, one almost under each of his bed. He in the sheets—it was the most he had slept in—and to sleep as though sandbagged.
He had time to wonder the Omans were in helping him go to sleep—and then he was asleep.
AMONTH passed. Eight had married, the Navy officiating—in the Perseus, of course, since the was, always and everywhere, an part of Terra.
Sandra had in one to see Hilton about a of business. She was now sitting, long dancer's out-stretched toward the fire, with a cigarette in her left hand and a tall, cold drink on a at her right.
"This is a room, Jarvis. It'd be perfect if it weren't so ... so mannish."
"What do you of Bachelors' Hall—a boudoir? Don't tell me you're going domestic, Sandy, just you've got a house?"
"Not just that, no. But of it helped it along."
"Alex is a good man. One of the I have known."
She him for a moment in silence. "Jarvis Hilton, you are one of the keenest, most men who lived. And yet ..." She off and him for a good minute. "Say, if I let my clear down, will you?"
"Scout's Oath. That 'and yet' at any cost."
"I know. But first, yes, it's Alex. I would have that any man me so hard. Soon. I didn't want to be the first, but I won't be near the last. But tell me. You were in love with Temple, weren't you, when I asked you?"
"Yes."
"Ha! You are your down! That makes me better."
"Huh? Why should it?"
"It the 'and yet' no end. You were from all other female by ye Bells. You see, most of us a of game out of which of us make you the Executives' Code. And none of us it. Teddy and Temple said you didn't know what was going on; Bev and I said nobody as as you are possibly be that stupid."
"You aren't the type to or name names—oh, I see. You are a conversation. The game had interested, but non-participating, observers. Temple and Teddy, at least."
"At least," she agreed. "But it, you aren't stupid. There isn't a in your head. So it must be love. And if so, what about marriage? Why don't you and Temple make it a with Alex and me?"
"That's the most you had, but setting the date is the bride's business." He at his Oman wristwatch. "It's early yet; let's over. I wouldn't mind her a minute or two."
"Thy with truth, friend. Bill's there with Teddy?"
"I so."
"So we'll talk to them about making it a triple. Oh, nice—let's go!"
They left the house and, her hand under his elbow, walked up the street.
NEXT morning, on her way to the Hall of Records, Sandra stopped off as at the office. The Omans were all motionless. Hilton was in his chair, on desk, hands head, closed. Knowing what that meant, she and started out on tiptoe.
However, he had her. "Can you a of minutes to think at me, Sandy?"
"Minutes or hours, chief." Tuly a chair for her and she sat down, him across his desk.
"Thanks, gal. This time it's the Stretts. Sawtelle's been having nightmares, you know, since we emerged, about being attacked, and I've been pooh-poohing the idea. But now it's a that the is thicker, and I can't out why. Why in all the of space should a that has for over a of a years be at this exact time? The only possible is that we the break. And any way I look at that concept, it's plain idiocy."
Both were for minutes; and then it was again that Terra's Advisory Board had done than it in Sandra Cummings to be Jarvis Hilton's mate.
"We did it, Jarve," she said, finally. "They we were coming, we got to Fuel Bin. They we were and to out the Omans we got there. Preventive warfare, you know."
"They couldn't have known!" he snorted. "Strett are no than Oman, and you know what Sam Bryant had to say about them."
"I know." Sandra appreciatively. "It's a classic. But it couldn't have been any other way. Besides, I know they did."
He at her helplessly, then on Larry. "Does that make to you?"
"Yes, sir. The Stretts as well as the old Masters could, and they still can and do."
"Okay, it make sense, then." He himself in thought, then came to life with a snap. "Okay! The next thing on the is a crash-priority try at a team. Tuly, you a team to sathura. Can you do the same for peyondix?"
"If we can the ingredients, yes, sir."
"IHAD a hunch. Larry, ask Teddy Blake's Oman to her in here...."
"I'll be along, then." Sandra started to up.
"I to a green pig you won't!" Hilton snapped. "You're one of the biggest wheels. Larry, we'll want Temple Bells and Beverly Bell—for a start."
"Chief, you positively me," Sandra said then. "Every time you one of these of genius—or it is—you have me like a fish. Just what can you possibly want of Bev Bell?"
"Whatever it was that her to the against of almost to one; not just once, but time after time. By definition, intuition. What quality did you use just now in me off the hook? Intuition. What makes Teddy Blake such an performer? Intuition again. My hunches—they're intuition, too. Intuition, hell! Labels—based on of our own of reference. Do you think those four of are alike, by seven thousand of apple trees?"
"Of not. I see what you're at.... Oh! This'll be fun!"
The others came in and, one by one, Tuly each of the four and the man. Each the probing, of her into the of his mind.
"There is not of each of three components, all of which are with the male. You, sir, have much of each, but not enough. I know your men well, and I think we will need the doctors Kincaid and Karns and Poynter. But such is felt. Have I permission, sir?"
"Yes. Tell 'em I said so."
Tuly scanned. "Yes, sir, we should have all three."
"Get 'em, Larry." Then, in the pause that followed: "Sandy, about too many on a team? What do you think of this of all sweeties?"
"All that proves is that nobody can be all the time," she flippantly.
The three men and were instructed. Tuly said: "The great trouble is that each of you must use a of your mind that you do not know you have. You, this one. You, that one." Tuly mercilessly; so that each in turn under brand-new and almost pain. "With you, Doctor Hilton, it will be by the worst. For you must learn to use almost all the of your minds, the and the unconscious. This must be, you are the peyondixer. The others supply in which you are deficient. Are you for a terrible shock, sir?"
"Shoot."
HE for a second that he had been shot; that his brain had up.
He couldn't it—he he was going to die—he he die—anything, anything whatever, to end this agony....
It ended.
Writhing, white and sweating, Hilton opened his eyes. "Ouch," he remarked, conversationally. "What next?"
"You will of the your friends offer. You will them to yours and shape the whole into a of pure controlled, energy. And, as well as being the force, the cohesiveness, you must also be the captain and the pilot and the and the computer itself."
"But how can I.... Okay, it. I will!"
"Of you will, sir. Remember also that once the are I can be of very little more assistance, for my is as nothing to that of your of eight. Now, to the and join them you will, all together, the of the total of as you know it. Distance not exist—every point in the with every other point and that common point is the focus of your attention. You can be and actually are you or at once. Time not exist. Space not exist. There is no such thing as opacity; is perfectly transparent, yet every of is in its relationship to every other in the cosmos. Senses do not exist. Sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, sathura, endovix—all are parts of the one great of peyondix. I am each of you seven—closer! Tighter! There! Seize it, sir—and when you work the Stretts you must it that time not exist. You must work in of of in minutes, for they have minds of power. Reality not exist! Compress it more, sir. Tighter! Smaller! Rounder! There! Hold it! Reality not exist—distance not exist—all possible points are.... Wonderful!"
Tuly the word and the thought: "Good-by! Good luck!"
END OF PART ONE
They were the Masters, and they had only to choose: life, as monsters—or death!
PART TWO
MASTERS
OF
SPACE
By EDWARD E. SMITH &
E. EVERETT EVANS
Illustrated by BERRY
What has gone before: The of the Orion themselves in the middle of a great space the called Stretts and the of their own ancestors. Helped by the androids, the Earthmen themselves into the powerful called "peyondix" to the Strett itself. As their minds joined they the Tuly out, "Good...." And then their minds were out in space.
