"I have, but not enough of books. Picture and music tapes were easy to
get in the tank but they didn't make acid proof books. Limited demand,
I suppose."
"Here's the formula I've worked out. Books are selected according to
subject and author, filed according to size and date received." He went
over the procedure until she had it straight.
"I guess I can do it," she said dubiously. "But why not start at one
end and go through to the other side of the stacks?"
"You've got to segregate the medical references first."
Belated compensation because he had refused Jeriann? Perhaps, but he
was not that simple. If anything it was just recognition of what came
first in importance. "A tedious job," she grumbled as she started to
leave.
"It is. But, except for what we are as persons and what we create in
the future, it's the total of our human heritage. It's the last we'll
get."
"Sometimes I believe----" said Anti. "Oh, never mind what a huge old
woman thinks." She went out the door and when she came back seconds
later Docchi was again drawing.
"Yes, Anti?"
"You can start cutting down on me. I won't mind."
"When it's necessary I'll take you up on it. I don't think it will
be. It doesn't take much power to run the computers and they're always
functioning anyway. And when we drop to quarter gravity, which is the
minimum we'll go, you won't actually need your gadget. You see, you're
not holding us back."
"Just the same if it will help I'll stay in the tank."
His face glittered and his eyes strayed back to the work. "If it's
necessary I'll ask you," he repeated.
Anti left again, secure in the knowledge that he would do as he said.
In his own way Docchi was as ruthless as Judd. But the purpose was
different and therefore the comparison not accurate. Strength was not
easy to define.
* * * * *
The librarian resembled an angular metallic squid spread out to dry
on the floor. Docchi picked his way through the wiry tentacles,
scrutinizing the work of the crew. He squatted near Webber, watching
him splice and adjust the components, briefly giving advice and then
moving on to the next man. The librarian was dormant but to Docchi's
practiced eye it was nearly ready to be recalled to the semi-life of a
memory machine.
Jordan came swinging in. Docchi heard him and turned. He knew who
it was by the sound but seemed disappointed to find his judgment
confirmed. "The star chart drum is finished," said Jordan, pausing at
the tangle of wires. "Most of the observed data on the neighboring
stars is included. Of course all the locations are figured from Earth."
"It's all right. The computers won't mind making the conversions." With
his foot Docchi nudged a tool toward him that Webber was reaching for.
"What about the crossover relays?"
"Done too, waiting to be tied in. Guaranteed to switch from one
computer to the other before even they realize what's happening."
"Good. The next thing is the impulse recognition hunter. Last night
I thought of a way to make the selection tighter. Here, I'll show
you." Docchi went to a diagram strewn desk and waited while Jordan
pawed through the sheets for him. "There it is," he said when Jordan
uncovered it.
Jordan studied it in silence. "Can't make it," he said at last.
"Why not? It's not difficult."
"Yeah. But we can't manage the delivery from Earth. Don't have all the
parts here." Jordan scratched his chest. "Tell you what. Think I can
rob nonessential stuff and put together something like this." He took a
pencil and began to sketch rapidly.
"It'll do," said Docchi, finally approving it after a number of changes.
Jordan scratched in the alterations. "Why so tight?" he complained,
folding the sheet and tucking it away. "The computers don't have to be
controlled so tight. They never have disobeyed."
"I know, and I'm not going to give them a chance. Every watt we allot
must be used on the drive and for no other purpose."
Privately Jordan doubted it was necessary. When he thought of the great
nuclear pile that warmed the heart of the asteroid and drove them on
he didn't see how a mere ship, no matter how efficient, could surpass
them. True, the ship was travelling faster now but that was because
they weren't exerting their full energies. And when they did--Jordan
shrugged and creased the paper again, swinging away.
At the door he swerved to miss Jeriann. "Hi," he said, hurrying a
little faster. It was none of his concern what went on but he didn't
have to be around when it blew up.
Jeriann returned the greeting and stood at the entrance. "May I come
in?"
"Certainly. There's no sign it's restricted to electronic technicians."
Webber winked at her and bent his head over his work. Docchi was
expressionless. "I want to talk to you," she said.
"About Maureen? I've heard. Go ahead."
She'd hoped he'd suggest a more private place but it was evident he
didn't want to be alone with her. She didn't altogether blame him.
"What I asked for the other day wasn't very realistic. It was mostly my
fault. I had at least a month to think of getting a larger power supply
to the machine but I thought I could get along without it. It was my
own shortsightedness and I had no reason to expect you to drop what
you're doing."
"You don't have to apologize. We're all trying to do our best--and
various needs do conflict. Actually I might have found some way to
run the extra power line if I hadn't been sure it was an act of pure
desperation, that you had no idea of what you were going to do with it
when you got it."
What made it worse was that he was right. The impulse had been
irrational, the feeling that there must be something that would help.
He should have said he was at fault too, that he should have built the
command unit months ago. It made no difference he hadn't known there
was a ship behind them. He should have said it.
"It's over," she said. "We've done what we could. I thought you'd like
to see her while there's time."
"I can't leave for another ten hours. None of us can. We've got to get
it wrapped up if it's going to be of any use at all," said Docchi,
looking at what remained to be done. "Wait. You said I can see her.
Sounds to me like she's better." He scanned her face hopefully.
She shook her head. "It doesn't mean that. We've stopped using
hypnotics because they're no longer effective. Heavy sedatives,
extremely heavy, are the only things that keep her from jumping up and
running out to die."
His face was sallow. This was one of the times his slender shoulderless
body seemed frailer than it was. "I'll come as soon as I can get away.
We're near the finish line on this." He turned and walked past Webber
to the far end of the room, bending over a technician's work to examine
it.
She was trying to tell him and all he had to do was half listen. Nobody
blamed either of them. Maureen wouldn't, if she were capable of any
kind of judgment. From his position among the tangled tentacles of the
mechanical squid, seemingly strangled by the motionless machinery,
Webber winked soberly at her. Jeriann bit her lip and hurried out.
Her eyes burned but that was all. Her body was protected against
unnecessary fluid loss.
It wasn't possible to drive the technicians. They weren't very skilled
and the work was delicate. From the beginning they had known the
importance of what they were doing and they were already at their top
speed and above that no increase in productivity could be achieved.
When he said ten hours Docchi optimistically thought eighteen.
And yet they were done in nine. Not because it would help
Maureen--they knew it wouldn't. But because--well, why? Nobody asked
for explanations. They made no mistakes; nothing had to be torn down
and built again. And the less skilled men, those who puttered from
one instruction to the next, stalling between orders, now seemed to
anticipate what they would be told and to complete the work before it
was given to them. They learned fast and what they didn't know how to
do was done right anyway.
The wires ceased to resemble tentacles and were neatly arranged in the
cabinet of the command unit, formerly the librarian, which was then
moved against the wall. Calling in Jordan and discussing it with him,
Docchi left the remainder of the work in his capable hands.
He was tired all over, inside and out. He didn't want to see anyone
die, not someone he had been partly responsible for sentencing,
whatever the circumstances. He walked along in the semi-twilight,
wishing there was a cool breeze. He hadn't ordered one and so it
was missing. Before long there wouldn't be any power to spare for
circulation of the air.
Anti met him at the hospital steps, going up with him. "I've been
waiting. I didn't want to go in alone."
He talked to her briefly and they went on in silence. The asteroid was
being diminished, perhaps already had been. They all had first hand
knowledge of what death was--at one time or another they'd brushed very
near to it--but they were not accustomed to losing the encounter. One
of their own kind, who should live for hundreds of years, would not.
Jeriann heard them and came outside of the hushed room. "I don't know
what to say," she whispered. "Oh yes I do. I wish I had your face,
Docchi. You would see it shining."
Whatever she thought, her face _was_ shining, though not in the same
way. He looked into her eyes but they were not easy to read. "You did
it," he whispered.
"I don't know why I'm talking so low," she said, raising her voice. "It
doesn't hurt now. No, I didn't have anything to do with it. Come in and
see her."
Maureen was sleeping. Her breathing was light but regular as the
lung machines responded normally. Her skin was waxen but it was not
unhealthy. The wrinkles of strain had fallen away and her face was
relaxed in the beauty of survival.
"Go ahead and talk," said Cameron from the corner as he bent over an
analyzer. "I shot her full of dope. I guess I didn't have to--she'll
sleep now no matter what you do."
"Thanks, doctor," said Docchi. "We're lucky to have you."
"Not half as lucky as I am to be here. Damnedest thing I ever saw. My
colleagues wouldn't believe it." Carefully he closed the analyzer and
rolled it away. "I forget I no longer have colleagues."
"The more remarkable. Your efforts alone."
"I guess you don't understand. I had nothing to do with it," said
Cameron. "I was an interested and awed spectator but nothing more. The
person who saved Maureen was Maureen herself."
"Now how could she?" said Anti. "She lacked male hormones and the
bodily processes were out of control, upset, running away with
themselves." She raised a few inches from the floor to get a better
glimpse of the patient. The best refutation of Anti's argument was
Maureen herself.
"It couldn't happen to anyone but an accidental," began Jeriann, but
Cameron cut her off.
His voice was cool and dry, that of a lecturer. It was the only chance
he'd get to share his discovery. "You know why you're biocompensators:
the severe injury, and later pulling through with the help of medical
science, developing the extraordinary resistance I spoke of. You had
to have it or you didn't live. And the resistance remained after the
injury was gone.
"In Maureen's case every function began to be disturbed after the
supply of hormones was cut off. It got worse as we were unable to
manufacture what she needed. She developed a raging fever and was in
a constant state of hallucination. In an earlier era she would have
been a mass of cancerous tissue. Fortunately we are now able to control
cancer quite simply.
"At any rate she was rapidly reaching the state where there was no
coordination at all. Death should have been the result--but the body
stepped in."
"Yes, but how?" said Anti.
"I don't know but I'm going to find out," said Cameron. "Last time I
tested all the normal hormones were present. Somehow, out of tissues
that weren't adapted to it, her body built up new organs and glands
that supply her with the substances she needs to live."
Cell by cell the body had refused to die. Organs and nerves and tissues
had fought the enveloping chaos. The body as a whole and in parts tried
to survive but it was not adapted to conditions. So it adapted.
Nerves forged new paths in places they had never gone before because
there was nothing at the end which they could attach to. But by the
time they arrived at their destination certain specialized cells had
changed their specialty. All cells in the adult body derived from an
original one and they remembered though it was long ago. In the endless
cellular generations since conception, in the continual microscopic
death and rebirth that constitutes the life process, the cells had
changed much--but in extremity the change was not irreversible.
Here a nerve began to fatten its stringy length; it was the beginning
of what was later to become a long missing gland. Elsewhere a muscle
seemed to encyst, adhering to another stray cell, changing both of
them, working toward the definite goal.
From the brink the body turned and began the slow march toward health.
What was missing it learned to replace and what could not be replaced
it found substitutes for. Cell by cell, with organs and tissues and
nerves, the body had fought its own great battle--and won.
"Spontaneous reconstruction," commented the doctor, touching the
forehead of the patient he had not been able to help, merely observe.
"It begins where our artificial regenerative processes leave off. I
think--oh never mind. There's a lot of development to be done and I
don't want to promise anybody something I can't deliver." He eyed
Docchi's armless body speculatively.
Webber came in, noisily clanking his mechanical arm and leg. "Heard the
good news," he said cheerfully. "Finished my work so I came over." He
glanced admiringly at Maureen. "Say, I didn't remember she looked like
that."
She was a pleasant sight and not merely because she'd fought off death.
Her lips were full and color was returning to her face and the shape
under the sheets was provocatively curved.
"Tomorrow or the next day she can leave the hospital for a few hours,"
said Cameron. "The new functions are growing stronger by the minute.
Now she needs to get out after the long confinement."
"I'll volunteer to take her for a walk," said Webber.
"You will not," said Jeriann. "For the next few weeks she sees only
women. Physiologically she's sound again but mentally she's still the
complete female. You'll visit her when she's normal but not before."
"Guess I'll have to wait," said Webber, but he looked pleased.
She lingered outside while Webber left, seeking an opportunity to talk
to Docchi. "I wanted to see you," she said as soon as they were alone.
"Any time. You know where I'll be."
"I know, and always working too."
"It's got to be done," he said doggedly.
"Sure. I know. I'll come over when I can." But she wouldn't, not until
he gave her some encouragement. He had not forgiven the scene in the
lab. Cameron called then and she went inside to her patient.
Docchi went back to gravity center, thoughts crowding through his
mind. Little victories, though the life or death of a woman was not
insignificant, were achieved without much effort. But that which meant
something to everyone on the asteroid was more difficult. Where, in
relation to their own position, was the ship that was striving to reach
the Centauri group before they did?
14
"I'm cold," said Jeriann.
"Put on more clothes," said Docchi grimly.
"That's not a nice thing to say to a girl with a figure as pretty as
hers," said Anti.
"She can go to hydroponics," suggested Jordan. "It's warmer there and
we've had to allow lights."
"But it's a lot smaller than it was and too many have crowded in. I
don't want to be crushed," said Jeriann. She wouldn't have left even if
it hadn't been true.
"Have to cut down," said Anti. "Meanwhile, what do we eat? Synthetics."
She snorted.
"Synthetics are pure," said Jordan. His enthusiasm was less than it had
been. A steady diet had begun to alter his opinion.
"Pure what?" said Anti, but received no reply. She looked over the
circle huddled around the scanner. Nona was curled near Cameron,
sleeping peacefully. Docchi leaned forward with uncomfortable
intensity. Jeriann was beside him but he didn't seem to notice her.
"How long does this go on?" said Anti. "I'm getting tired of freezing
in the dark." Actually she didn't mind it; cold that would kill others
still bothered her hardly at all.
"Until we know," said Docchi. "All the way to Centauri if it takes that
long."
"How can we know?"
"We'll find out as soon as we measure relative speeds," answered
Docchi. "The scanner is similar to radar but it uses gravity, which
makes things rather difficult. We can't send out an impulse and see how
long it takes to get back because it travels instantaneously as far as
we're concerned."
"Then there isn't any way? They seem to know how fast we're going."
"Better astronomical equipment," said Docchi. "We're a bigger object
and they were able to measure our light shift, until we stopped
illuminating the whole dome."
"And now they can't tell because they can seldom see us?"
"The contrary, if they're on their toes. They should guess that we're
putting most of the power into the drive."
"Then how can we find out?" said Anti.
"Triangulation," said Docchi. "When we first saw them it was from the
front. In past weeks they've crept up until they're nearly broadside.
Now I hope they'll drop back. It may take weeks to tell, especially if
our speeds are almost evenly matched."
"And if we don't gain?"
"With our power?" interrupted Jordan, ceasing to tune the scanner.
"But, all right, we don't gain. We'll get there first because we're
still a little ahead of them.
"If there are no aliens there's no question of interstellar law.
They'll have to hunt us down over an entire planet and maybe blast us
off. I don't think sentiment will let them actually harm us. If there
are aliens, what are they going to do? We've told our story first."
The asteroid seemed to leap ahead as all but the most necessary
functions were curtailed and additional power was channeled into
the drive. There was no sense of motion, merely of tension as the
unmistakable vibration increased. In the darkness through the darkness
they hurtled. Sleeping or waking Docchi remained near the scanner, as
if his presence would somehow cause the ship to recede. It didn't.
Across the silence the race went on intently. Weeks passed and Anti
walked with increased assurance as her weight diminished and her
strength grew greater. Maureen recovered and was released from the
hospital. She disappeared frequently, mostly with Webber, and no one
questioned where they went.
Jeriann came when she could get away from her hospital work. She came
at night because it was usually night now though occasionally lights
were turned on for short periods and warmth was allowed to filter
through the dome. They couldn't risk killing the plants on which they
depended for part of their oxygen supply.
"Good thing you're here," said Docchi once when she entered. "I want
you to make some adjustments." She followed him to the next room where
the former librarian was now the command unit presiding over their
destiny.
"There," he said gloomily as she changed a number of settings slightly.
"That's as good as I can do."
"How good is it?"
"Faster than we've gone before. I don't know the exact speed."
"Faster than with Nona?"
"I think so. Of course I don't know what she could have gotten out of
it if she'd tried--but she always seemed to hold something back."
She would rather not have asked but the answer was on his face. "But
it's not good enough?"
He sat down near the command unit. "They found out what we were doing
and increased their own speed. It's slightly greater than ours."
"Well, why do we do it?" she said. "It takes more and more power to add
another mile per second as we approach the speed of light. But that
holds true for them too."
He tried to frown away the problem she posed. "Sure, but it doesn't
matter to them as long as they can match anything we do."
"But they'd just as soon not. They're inconvenienced the same as we
are when they have to divert too much power. They're better organized
and it's not so bad, but still they have to do without their ordinary
comforts. I don't see any point in tormenting ourselves. Let's turn on
the lights and warm up the place. They'll do the same when they see it."
"Maybe they will," he said grudgingly. He was not going to accept her
advice.