Prelude to Foundation Chapter 17 Wye

WYE- A sector of the realness-city of Trantor In the last mentioned centuries of the astronomical Empire, Wye was the strongest and inactivest portion of the world-city. Its normals had long aspired to the imperial stern, solelyifying that by their descent from early emperor moths. Under Mannix IV, Wye was militarized and ( proud g everywherenance later claimed) was planning a planet-wide coup.Encyclopedia Galactica82.The bit who entered was t all(prenominal) and muscular. He had a long ash-blonde must(prenominal)(prenominal)ache that curled up at the tips and a fringe of hair that went vote kayoed the sides of his fountain and on a lower floor his chin, leaving the point of his chin and his lower lip smoothly bargon and envisionming a niggling moist. His head was so c recedely cropped and his hair was so light that, for one unpleasant moment, Seldon was reminded of Mycogen. The late move intor wore what was signally a uniform. It was red and white and ab pop his seatnon was a wide belt decorated with ash gray studs. His voice, when he spoke, was a rolling bass and its strain was non like from each one that Seldon had heard before. close un known accents sounded uncouth in Seldons experience, k nontyly this one gibemed al nearly musical, perhaps beca utilise of the richness of the low gradations.I am Sergeant Emmer Thalus, he rumbled in a slow succession of syllables. I puzzle come seeking Dr. Hari Seldon.Seldon verbalise, I am he. In an aside to Dors, he muttered, if Hummin couldnt come himself, he original as shooting sent a kingly side of beef to represent him.The police serjeant favored Seldon with a unspiritual and slightly prolonged look. Then he verbalise, Yes. You eat been described to me. Please come with me, Dr. Seldon.Seldon verbalise, Lead the mood.The sergeant stepped backward. Seldon and Dors Venabili stepped anterior. The sergeant stopped and raised a great(p) hand, palm toward Dors. I nurse been instructed to expunge Dr. Hari Seldon with me. I have not been instructed to register in anyone else.For a moment, Seldon looked at him uncomprehendingly. Then his look of surp climb gave way to anger. Its quite impossible that you have been told that, Sergeant. Dr. Dors Venabili is my associate and my companion. She must come with me.That is not in accordance with my instructions, Doctor.I dont apportion more or less your instructions in any way, Sergeant Thalus. I do not budge without her.Whats more, verbalize Dors with pretend irritation, my instructions are to protect Dr. Seldon at all judgment of convictions. I cannot do that unless I am with him. thitherfore, where he goes, I go.The sergeant looked puzzled. My instructions are strict that I see to it that no suffering comes to you, Dr. Seldon. If you entrust not come voluntarily, I must carry you to my vehicle. I give try to do so gently. He extended his two mail as though to seize Seldon by the waist and carry h im off bodily.Seldon skittered backward and out of reach. As he did so, the side of his right palm came down on the sergeants right upper leg where the muscles were thinnest, so that he struck the bone.The sergeant drew a sudden recondite breath and seemed to shake himself a bit, precisely saturnine, face expressionless, and advanced over again. Davan, watching, remained where he was, motionless, exclusively if Raych moved behind the sergeant.Seldon repeated his palm stroke a second time, accordingly a third, that now Sergeant Thalus, anticipating the blow, lowered his shoulder to cat-o-nine-tailsch it on hard muscle. Dors had receden her knives.Sergeant, she utter strong pointfully. number in this direction, I want you to at a lower placestand I whitethorn be forced to hurt you disadvantageously if you persist in attempting to carry Dr. Seldon off against his will.The sergeant paused, seemed to trail in the slowly waving knives solemnly, then state, It is not in my instructions to refrain from harming anyone provided Dr. Seldon.His right hand moved with surprising fixture toward the neuronic whip in the holster at his hip. Dors moved as quickly forward, knives flashing. Neither completed the movement. brisk forward, Raych had pushed at the sergeants back with his leftover hand and withdrew the sergeants weapon from its holster with his right. He moved away quickly, holding the neuronic whip in both(prenominal) hands now and shouting, Hands up, Sergeant, or youre gonna get itThe sergeant whirled and a nervous look crossed his reddening face. It was the only moment that its stolidity had weakened. Put that down, sonny, he growled. You dont know how it works.Raych howled, I know about the safety. Its off and this thing can fire. And it will if you try to rush me.The sergeant froze. He intelligibly kfresh how dangerous it was to have an excited twelve-year-old handling a effectual weapon.Nor did Seldon shade much better. He state, Careful , Raych. Dont shoot. Keep your finger off the contact.I aint gonna let him rush me.He wont.-Sergeant, please dont move. Lets get any(prenominal)thing straight. You were told to take me away from here. Is that right?Thats right, express the sergeant, look somewhat protruding and firmly fixed on Raych (whose eyes were as firmly fixed on the sergeant). only you were not told to take anyone else. Is that right?No, I was not, Doctor, said the sergeant firmly. non sluice the threat of a neuronic whip was going to make him weasel. bingle could see that.Very advantageously, except listen to me, Sergeant. Were you told not to take anyone else?I just said-No, no. Listen, Sergeant. Theres a difference. Were your instructions simply Take Dr. Seldon? Was that the entire order, with no mention of anyone else, or were the orders more specific? Were your orders as follows Take Dr. Seldon and dont take anyone else?The sergeant turned that over in his head, then he said, I was told to take y ou, Dr. Seldon.Then in that location was no mention of anyone else, one way or the other, was thither?Pause. No.You were not told to take Dr. Venabili, nevertheless you were not told not to take Dr. Venabili either. Is that right?Pause. Yes.So you can either take her or not take her, whichever you please?Long pause. I count over so. without delay then, heres Raych, the young cuss whos got a neuronic whip pointing at you-your neuronic whip, remember-and he is anxious to use it.Yay shouted Raych.Not nonetheless, Raych, said Seldon. And here is Dr. Venabili with two knives that she can use truly expertly and in that locations myself, who can, if I get the chance, split up your Adams apple with one hand so that youll never speak above a whisper again. Now then, do you want to take Dr. Venabili or dont you want to? Your orders allow you to do either.And finally the sergeant said in a beaten voice, I will take the woman.And the boy, Raych.And the boy.Good. Have I your leger of h onor-your word of honor as a soldier-that you will do as you have just said frankly?You have my word of honor as a soldier, said the sergeant.Good. Raych, give back the whip.-Now.-Dont make me wait.Raych, his face twisted into an unhappy grimace, looked at Dors, who hesitated and then slowly nodded her head. Her face was as unhappy as Raychs. Raych held out the neuronic whip to the sergeant and said, Theyre makin me, ya big- His last words were unintelligible.Seldon said, Put away your knives, Dors.Dors shook her head, but sic them away.Now, Sergeant? said Seldon.The sergeant looked at the neuronic whip, then at Seldon. He said, You are an undecomposed man, Dr. Seldon, and my word of honor holds. With a military snap, he placed his neuronic whip in his holster.Seldon turned to Davan and said, Davan, please forget what you have seen here. We three are going voluntarily with Sergeant Thalus. You tell Yugo Amaryl when you see him that I will not forget him and that, once this is ove r and I am free to act, I will see that he gets into a University. And if theres anything reasonable I can ever do for your cause, Davan, I will.-Now, Sergeant, lets go.83.Have you ever been in an air-jet before, Raych? have a bun in the ovened Hari Seldon.Raych shook his head speechlessly. He was looking down at Upperside bucket along beneath them with a mixture of fright and awe.It struck Seldon again how much Trantor was a world of Expressways and delves. thus far long trips were made underground by the general population. Air travel, however common it cogency be on the Outworlds, was a luxury on Trantor and an air-jet like this- How had Hummin managed it? Seldon wondered.He looked out the window at the rise and fall of the domes, at the general green in this area of the planet, the occasional patches of what were short less than jungles, the arms of the sea they occasionally passed over, with its leaden waters taking on a sudden all-too-brief sparkle when the solarise peep ed out momentarily from the heavy cloud layer.An hour or so into the line of achievement, Dors, who was viewing a new historical novel without much in the way of apparent enjoyment, clicked it off and said, I wish I knew where we were going.If you cant tell, said Seldon, then I certainly cant. Youve been on Trantor longer than I have.Yes, but only on the inside, said Dors. Out here, with only Upperside below me, Im as lost as an unborn infant would be.Oh well.-Presumably, Hummin knows what hes doing.Im sure he does, replied Dors rather tartly, but that may have nothing to do with the present situation. why do you continue to assume any of this represents his initiative?Seldons eyebrows lifted. Now that you ask, I dont know. I just assumed it. Why shouldnt this be his?Because whoever arranged it didnt specify that I be interpreted along with you. I simply dont see Hummin for get my existence. And because he didnt come himself, as he did at Streeling and at Mycogen.You cant unending ly expect him to, Dors. He aptitude well be occupied. The astonishing thing is not that he didnt come on this occasion but that he did come on the previous ones.Assuming he didnt come himself, would he send a conspicuous and lavish flying palace like this? She gestured around her at the hulky luxurious jet.It might simply have been available. And he might have reasoned that no one would expect something as noticeable as this to be carrying fugitives who were desperately es assert to avoid detection. The well-known double-double-cross.Too well-known, in my opinion. And would he send an idiot like Sergeant Thalus in his place?The sergeant is no idiot. Hes simply been skilled to complete obedience. With proper instructions, he could be utterly reliable.There you are, Hari. We come back to that. Why didnt he get proper instructions? Its inconceivable to me that Chetter Hummin would tell him to carry you out of Dahl and not plead a word about me. Inconceivable.And to that Seldon had no answer and his spirits sank.Another hour passed and Dors said, It looks as if its getting froreer outside. The green of Upperside is turning brown and I believe the heaters have turned on.What does that signify?Dahl is in the tropic zone so obviously were going either north or south-and a abundant distance too. If I had some notion in which direction the nightline was I could tell which.Eventually, they passed over a section of shoreline where there was a rim of ice hugging the domes where they were rimmed by the sea. And then, quite unexpectedly, the air-jet angle downward.Raych screamed, Were goin to hit Were goin to smash upSeldons abdominal muscles tightened and he clutched the arms of his cigaret. Dors seemed unaffected.She said, The pilots up front dont seem al fortify. Well be tunneling.And, as she said so, the jets wings swept backward and under it and, like a bullet, the air-jet entered a tunnel. blackness swept back over them in an instant and a moment later the li ghting schema in the tunnel turned on. The walls of the tunnel snaked past the jet on either side.I dont suppose Ill ever be sure they know the tunnel isnt al progress to occupied, muttered Seldon.Im sure they had reassurance of a clear tunnel some dozens of kilometers earlier, said Dors. At any rate, I presume this is the last stage of the transit and soon well know where we are.She paused and then added, And I further presume we wont like the knowledge when we have it.84.The air-jet sped out of the tunnel and onto a long runway with a roof so high that it seemed closer to unbowed twenty-four hourslight than anything Seldon had seen since he had left the Imperial Sector.They came to a halt in a shorter time than Seldon would have expected, but at the price of an uncomfortable pressure forward. Raych, in particular, was crushed against the seat before him and was determination it difficult to breathe till Dorss hand on his shoulder pulled him back slightly.Sergeant Thalus, imp ressive and erect, left the jet and moved to the rear, where he opened the door of the passenger compartment and helped the three out, one by one.Seldon was last. He one- half(prenominal)-turned as he passed the sergeant, saying, It was a pleasant trip, Sergeant.A slow smile spread over the sergeants large face and lifted his mustachioed upper lip. He touched the visor of his cap in what was half a salute and said, Thank you again, Doctor.They were then ushered into the backseat of a ground-car of lavish design and the sergeant himself pushed into the front seat and drove the vehicle with a surprisingly light touch.They passed by means of and through wide roadways, flanked by tall, well-designed buildings, all glitter in broad daylight. As elsewhere on Trantor, they heard the distant drone of an Expressway. The walkways were crowded with what were, for the most part, well-dressed people. The surroundings were remarkably- close excessively-clean.Seldons sense of security sank furth er. Dorss misgivings concerning their destination now seemed justified after all. He leaned toward her and said, Do you think we are back in the Imperial Sector?She said, No, the buildings are more rococo in the Imperial Sector and theres less Imperial parkishness to this sector-if you know what I mean.Then where are we, Dors?Well have to ask, Im afraid, Hari.It was not a long trip and soon they rolled into a car-bay that flanked an imposing four-story structure. A frieze of imaginary animals ran along the top, decorated with strips of warm pink stone. It was an impressive facade with a rather pleasing design.Seldon said, That certainly looks rococo enough.Dors shrugged uncertainly.Raych whistled and said in a failing attempt to sound unimpressed, Hey, look at that fancy place.Sergeant Thalus gestured to Seldon all the way indicating that he was to follow. Seldon hung back and, besides relying on the universal language of gesture, held out both arms, clearly including Dors and Ray ch. The sergeant hesitated in a slightly hangdog fashion at the impressive pink doorway. His mustache almost seemed to droop.Then he said gruffly, All three of you, then. My word of honor holds.-Still, others may not feel obligated by my own obligation, you know.Seldon nodded. I hold you responsible for your own deeds only, Sergeant.The sergeant was clearly moved and, for a moment, his face lightened as though he was considering the possibility of shaking Seldons hand or expressing heartfelt his approval in some other way. He decided against it, however, and stepped onto the bottom step of the flight that led to the door. The stairs immediately began a stately upward movement.Seldon and Dors stepped after him at once and unplowed their balance without much trouble. Raych, who was momentarily staggered in surprise, jumped onto the moving stairs after a short run, shoved both hands into his pockets, and whistled carelessly.The door opened and two women stepped out, one on either side in centrosymmetric fashion. They were young and attractive. Their dresses, belted tightly about the waist and reaching nearly to their ankles, fell in astute pleats and rustled when they walked. Both had brown hair that was coiled in thick plaits on either side of their heads. (Seldon free-base it attractive, but wondered how long it took them each morning to arrange it just so. He had not been mindful of so elaborate a coiffure on the women they had passed in the streets.) The two women stared at the newcomers with obvious contempt. Seldon was not surprised. afterwards the days events, he and Dors looked almost as disreputable as Raych. heretofore the women managed to bow decorously and then made a half-turn and gestured inward in perfect unison and with symmetry carefully maintained. (Did they rehearse these things?) It was clear that the three were to enter. They stepped through an elaborate room, cluttered with furniture and decorative items whose use Seldon did not readily understand. The floor was light-colored, springy, and glowed with luminescence. Seldon noted with some embarrassment that their footwear left dusty marks upon it.And then an inner door was flung open and yet another woman emerged. She was distinctly older than the first two (who sank slowly as she came in, crossing their legs symmetrically as they did so in a way that made Seldon marvel that they could keep their balance it doubtless took a deal of practice). Seldon wondered if he too was expected to display some ritualized form of respect, but since he hadnt the faintest notion of what this might consist of, he merely bowed his head slightly. Dors remained standing erect and, it seemed to Seldon, did so with disdain. Raych was staring open-mouthed in all directions and looked as though he didnt even see the woman who had just entered. She was plump-not fat, but comfortably padded. She wore her hair precisely as the young ladies did and her dress was in the same style, but much mo re richly or framented-too much so to suit Seldons aesthetic notions. She was clearly middle-aged and there was a hint of gray in her hair, but the dimples in her cheeks gave her the appearance of having rather more than a dash of youth. Her light brown eyes were merry and on the whole she looked more motherly than old.She said, How are you? All of you. (She showed no surprise at the presence of Dors and Raych, but included them easily in her greeting.) Ive been waiting for you for some time and almost had you on Upperside at Streeling. You are Dr. Hari Seldon, whom Ive been looking forward to meeting. You, I think, must be Dr. Dors Venabili, for you had been reported to be in his company. This young man I fear I do not know, but I am pleased to see him. exactly we must not flatten our time talking, for Im sure you would like to relaxation behavior first.And bathe, skirt, said Dors rather forcefully, Each of us could use a thorough shower.Yes, certainly, said the woman, and a ch ange in clothing. Especially the young man. She looked down at Raych without any of the look of contempt and disapproval that the two young women had shown. She said, What is your name, young man?Raych, said Raych in a rather choked and embarrassed voice. He then added experimentally, missis.What an odd coincidence, said the woman, her eyes sparkling. An omen, perhaps. My own name is Rashelle. Isnt that odd?-But come. We shall take care of you all. Then there will be plenty of time to have dinner and to talk.Wait, Madam, said Dors. May I ask where we are?Wye, god-fearing. And please call me Rashelle, as you come to feel more friendly. I am always at ease with informality.Dors stiffened. Are you surprised that we ask? Isnt it natural that we should want to know where we are?Rashelle laughed in a pleasant, tinkling manner. Really, Dr. Venabili, something must be make about the name of this place. I was not asking a question but making a statement. You asked where you were and I did not ask you why. I told you, Wye. You are in the Wye Sector.In Wye? said Seldon forcibly.Yes indeed, Dr. Seldon. Weve wanted you from the day you addressed the Decennial Convention and we are so glad to have you now.85.Actually, it took a full day to rest and unstiffen, to wash and get clean, to obtain new clothes (satiny and rather loose, in the style of Wye), and to sleep a good deal.It was during the second evening in Wye that there was the dinner that Madam Rashelle had promised.The table was a large one-too large, considering that there were only four dining Hari Seldon, Dors Venabili, Raych, and Rashelle. The walls and ceiling were softly illuminated and the colors changed at a rate that caught the eye but not so rapidly as in any way to discommode the mind. The very tablecloth, which was not cloth (Seldon had not made up his mind what it might be), seemed to sparkle.The servers were umteen and silent and when the door opened it seemed to Seldon that he caught a glimpse of so ldiers, armed and at the ready, outside. The room was a velvet glove, but the iron fist was not far distant. Rashelle was gracious and friendly and had clearly taken a particular liking to Raych, who, she insisted, was to sit next to her. Raych-scrubbed, polished, and shining, all but unrecognizable in his new clothes, with his hair clipped, cleaned, and brushed-scarcely dared to say a word. It was as though he felt his grammar no longer crack his appearance. He was pitifully ill at ease and he watched Dors carefully as she switched from utensil to utensil, trying to match her exactly in every respect. The food was tasty but spicy-to the point where Seldon could not notice the exact nature of the dishes.Rashelle, her plump face made happy by her gentle smile and her graceful teeth gleaming white, said, You may think we have Mycogenian additives in the food, but we do not. It is all homegrown in Wye. There is no sector on the planet more self-sufficient than Wye. We labor hard to keep that so.Seldon nodded gravely and said, Everything you have given us is first-rate, Rashelle. We are much obliged to you.And yet deep down himself he thought the food was not quite up to Mycogenian standards and he felt moreover, as he had earlier muttered to Dors, that he was celebrating his own defeat. Or Hummins defeat, at any rate, and that seemed to him to be the same thing.After all, he had been captured by Wye, the very possibility that had so relate Hummin at the time of the incident Upperside. Rashelle said, Perhaps, in my power as hostess, I may be forgiven if I ask personal questions. Am I illuminate in assuming that you three do not represent a family that you, Hari, and you, Dors, are not marry and that Raych is not your son?The three of us are not related in any way, said Seldon. Raych was born on Trantor, I on Helicon, Dors on Cinna.And how did you all meet, then?Seldon explained briefly and with as little detail as he could manage. Theres nothing romantic o r significant in the meetings, he added.Yet I am given to understand that you raised difficulties with my personal aide, Sergeant Thalus, when he wanted to take only you out of Dahl.Seldon said gravely, I had grown fond of Dors and Raych and did not wish to be obscure from them.Rashelle smiled and said, You are a sentimental man, I see.Yes, I am. Sentimental. And puzzled too.Puzzled?Why yes. And since you were so conformation as to ask personal questions of us, may I ask one as well?Of course, my dear Hari. Ask anything you please.When we first arrived, you said that Wye has wanted me from the day I addressed the Decennial Convention. For what reason might that be?Surely, you are not so simple as not to know. We want you for your psychohistory.That much I do understand. But what makes you think that having me means you have psychohistory?Surely, you have not been so careless as to lose it.Worse, Rashelle. I have never had it.Rashelles face dimpled. But you said you had it in your talk. Not that I unsounded your talk. I am not a mathematician. I hate numbers. But I have in my employ mathematicians who have explained to me what it is you said.In that case, my dear Rashelle, you must listen more closely. I can well imagine they have told you that I have proven that psychohistorical predictions are conceivable, but surely they must excessively have told you that they are not practical.I cant believe that, Hari. The very next day, you were called into an audience with that pseudo-Emperor, Cleon.The pseudo-Emperor? murmured Dors ironically.Why yes, said Rashelle as though she was answering a serious question. Pseudo-Emperor. He has no true claim to the throne.Rashelle, said Seldon, brushing that aside a bit impatiently, I told Cleon exactly what I have just told you and he let me go.Now Rashelle did nor smile. A small edge crept into her voice. Yes, he let you go the way the cat in the fable lets a mouse go. He has been pursuing you ever since-in Streeling, in M ycogen, in Dahl. He would pursue you here if he dared. But come now-our serious talk is too serious. Let us enjoy ourselves. Let us have music.And at her words, there suddenly sounded a soft but joyous instrumental melody. She leaned toward Raych and said softly, My boy, if you are not at ease with the fork, use your spoon or your fingers. I wont mind.Raych said, Yes, mum, and swallowed hard, but Dors caught his eye and her lips silently mouthed Fork.He remained with his fork.Dors said, The music is lovely, Madam-she pointedly rejected the familiar form of address but it must not he allowed to distract us. There is the thought in my mind that the pursuer in all those places might have been in the employ of the Wye Sector. Surely, you would not be so well acquainted with events if Wye were not the prime mover.Rashelle laughed aloud. Wye has its eyes and ears everywhere, of course, but we were not the pursuers. Had we been, you would have been picked up without fail-as you were in Dah l finally when, indeed, we were the pursuers. When, however, there is a pursuit that fails, a grasping hand that misses, you may be sure that it is Demerzel.Do you think so little of Demerzel? murmured Dors.Yes. Does that surprise you? We have beaten him.You? Or the Wye Sector?The sector, of course, but insofar as Wye is the victor, then I am the victor.How strange, said Dors. There seems to be a prevalent opinion throughout Trantor that the inhabitants of Wye have nothing to do with victory, with defeat, or with anything else. It is felt that there is but one will and one fist in Wye and that is that of the Mayor. Surely, you-or any other Wyan-weigh nothing in comparison.Rashelle smiled broadly. She paused to look at Raych benevolently and to pinch his cheek, then said, If you believe that our Mayor is an autocrat and that there is but one will that sways Wye, then perhaps you are right. But, even so, I can notwithstanding use the personal pronoun, for my will is of account.Why yo urs? said Seldon.Why not? said Rashelle as the servers began clearing the table. I am the Mayor of Wye.86.It was Raych who was the first to react to the statement.Quite forgetting the cloak of courteousity that sat upon him so uncomfortably, he laughed raucously and said, Hey, lady, ya cant be Mayor. Mayors is guys.Rashelle looked at him good-naturedly and said in a perfect imitation of his tone of voice, Hey, kid, some Mayors is guys and some Mayors is dames. Put that under your lid and let it bubble.Raychs eyes protruded and he seemed stunned. Finally he managed to say, Hey, ya talk regular, lady.Sure thing. Regular as ya want, said Rashelle, still smiling.Seldon cleared his throat and said, Thats quite an accent you have, Rashelle.Rashelle tossed her head slightly. I havent had occasion to use it in many age, but one never forgets. I once had a friend, a good friend, who was a Dahlite-when I was very young. She sighed. He didnt speak that way, of course-he was quite intelligent -but he could do so if he wished and he taught me. It was exciting to talk so with him. It created a world that excluded our surroundings. It was wonderful. It was also impossible. My set about made that plain. And now along comes this young rascal, Raych, to remind me of those long-ago days. He has the accent, the eyes, the insolent cast of countenance, and in six years or so he will be a delight and terror to the young women. Wont you, Raych?Raych said, I dunno, lady-uh, mum.Im sure you will and you will come to look very much like my old friend and it will be much more comfortable for me not to see you then. And now, dinners over and its time for you to go to your room, Raych. You can watch holovision for a while if you wish. I dont suppose you read.Raych reddened. Im gonna read someday. Master Seldon says Im gonna.Then Im sure you will.A young woman approached Raych, curtsying respectfully in Rashelles direction.Seldon had not seen the signal that had summoned her.Raych said, C ant I stay with Master Seldon and Missus Venabili?Youll see them later, said Rashelle gently, but Master and Missus and I have to talk right now-so you must go.Dors mouthed a firm Go at Raych and with a grimace the boy slid out of his chair and followed the attendant.Rashelle turned to Seldon and Dors once Raych was gone and said, The boy will be safe, of course, and treated well. Please have no fears about that. And I will be safe too. As my woman approached just now, so will a dozen armed men-and much more rapidly-when summoned. I want you to understand that.Seldon said evenly, We are in no way thinking of attacking you, Rashelle-or must I now say, Madam Mayor?Still Rashelle. I am given to understand that you are a wrestler of sorts, Hari, and you, Dors, are very skillful with the knives we have removed from your room. I dont want you to rely uselessly on your skills, since I want Hari alive, unharmed, and friendly.It is quite well understood, Madam Mayor, said Dors, her lack of f riendship uncompromised, that the find outr of Wye, now and for the past forty years, is Mannix, Fourth of that Name, and that he is still alive and in full will power of his faculties. Who, then, are you really?Exactly who I say I am, Dors. Mannix IV is my father. He is, as you say, still alive and in possession of his faculties. In the eyes of the Emperor and of all the Empire, he is Mayor of Wye, but he is weary of the strains of power and is unforced, at last, to let them slip into my hands, which are just as willing to receive them. I am his only child and I was brought up all my process to rule. My father is therefore Mayor in law and name, but I am Mayor in fact. It is to me, now, that the armed forces of Wye have sworn allegiance and in Wye that is all that counts.Seldon nodded. Let it be as you say. But even so, whether it is Mayor Mannix IV or Mayor Rashelle I-it is the First, I suppose-there is no purpose in your holding me. I have told you that I dont have a workabl e psychohistory and I do not think that either I or anyone else will ever have one. I have told that to the Emperor. I am of no use either to you or to him.Rashelle said, How naive you are. Do you know the history of the Empire?Seldon shook his head. I have recently come to wish that I knew it much better.Dors said dryly, I know Imperial history quite well, though the pre-Imperial age is my specialty, Madam Mayor. But what does it matter whether we do or do not?If you know your history, you know that the House of Wye is ancient and honorable and is descended from the Dacian dynasty.Dors said, The Dacians ruled five thousand years ago. The number of their descendants in the hundred and fifty generations that have lived and died since then may number half the population of the galaxy-if all genealogical claims, however outrageous, are accepted.Our genealogical claims, Dr. Venabili-Rashelles tone of voice was, for the first time, cold and unfriendly and her eyes flashed like steel-are not outrageous. They are fully documented. The House of Wye has maintained itself consistently in grades of power through all those generations and there have been occasions when we have held the Imperial throne and have ruled as Emperors.The history book-films, said Dors, usually refer to the Wye rulers as anti-Emperors, never know by the bulk of the Empire.It depends on who writes the history book-films. In the future, we will, for the throne which has been ours will be ours again.To accomplish that, you must bring about civil war.There wont be much risk of that, said Rashelle. She was smiling again. That is what I must explain to you because I want Dr. Seldons help in preventing such a catastrophe. My father, Mannix IV, has been a man of peace all his life. He has been loyal to whomever it might be that ruled in the Imperial rook and he has kept Wye a prosperous and strong pillar of the Trantorian economy for the good of all the Empire.I dont know that the Emperor has ever tr usted him any the more for all that, said Dors.Im sure that is so, said Rashelle calmly, for the Emperors that have occupied the Palace in my fathers time have known themselves to be usurpers of a usurping line. Usurpers cannot succumb to trust the true rulers. And yet my father has kept the peace. He has, of course, developed and trained a magnificent security force to maintain the peace, prosperity, and stability of the sector and the Imperial authorities have allowed this because they wanted Wye peaceful, prosperous, stable-and loyal.But is it loyal? said Dors.To the true Emperor, of course, said Rashelle, and we have now reached the stage where our strength is such that we can take over the presidential term quickly-in a lightning stroke, in fact-and before one can say civil war there will be a true Emperor-or Empress, if you prefer-and Trantor will be as peaceful as before.Dors shook her head. May I enlighten you? As a historian?I am always willing to listen. And she inclined her head ever so slightly toward Dors.Whatever size your security force may be, however well-trained and well-equipped, they cannot possibly equal in size and strength the Imperial forces backed by xxv million worlds.Ah, but you have put your finger on the usurpers weakness, Dr. Venabili. There are twenty-five million worlds, with the Imperial forces scattered over them. Those forces are thinned out over incalculable space, under uncounted officers, none of them particularly ready for any action outside their own Provinces, many ready for action in their own interest rather than in the Empires. Our forces, on the other hand, are all here, all on Trantor. We can act and conclude before the distant generals and admirals can get it through their heads that they are needed.But that response will come-and with irresistible force.Are you certain of that? said Rashelle. We will be in the Palace. Trantor will be ours and at peace. Why should the Imperial forces stir when, by minding their own business, each petty military leader can have his own world to rule, his own Province?But is that what you want? asked Seldon wonderingly. Are you telling me that you look forward to ruling over an Empire that will suspension system up into splinters?Rashelle said, That is exactly right. I would rule over Trantor, over its outlying space settlements, over the few nearby planetary systems that are part of the Trantorian Province. I would much rather be Emperor of Trantor than Emperor of the Galaxy.You would be satisfied with Trantor only, said Dors in tones of the deepest disbelief.Why not? said Rashelle, suddenly ablaze. She leaned forward eagerly, both hands pressed palms-down on the table. That is what my father has been planning for forty years. He is only clinging to life now to witness its fulfillment. Why do we need millions of worlds, distant worlds that mean nothing to us, that weaken us, that draw our forces far away from us into meaningless cubic parsecs of space, th at drown us in administrative chaos, that come apart us with their endless quarrels and problems when they are all distant nothings as far as we are concerned? Our own populous world-our own planetary city-is Galaxy enough for us. We have all we need to patronage ourselves. As for the rest of the Galaxy, let it splinter. Every petty militarist can have his own splinter. They neednt fight. There will be enough for all.But they will fight, just the same, said Dors. Each will discard to be satisfied with his Province. Each will feel that his neighbor is not satisfied with his Province. Each will feel insecure and will dream of Galactic rule as the only guarantee of safety. This is certain, Madam Empress of Nothing. There will be endless wars into which you and Trantor will be inevitably drawn-to the discover of all.Rashelle said with clear contempt, So it might seem, if one could see no farther than you do, if one relied on the ordinary lessons of history.What is there to see farth er? retorted Dors. What is one to rely on beyond the lessons of history?What lies beyond? said Rashelle. Why, he.And her arm shot outward, her index finger jabbing toward Seldon.Me? said Seldon. I have already told you that psychohistory-Rashelle said, Do not repeat what you have already said, my good Dr. Seldon. We gain nothing by that.-Do you think, Dr. Venabili, that my father was never aware of the danger of endless civil war? Do you think he did not bend his powerful mind to thinking of some way to prevent that? He has been prepared at any time these last ten years to take over the Empire in a day. It needed only the assurance of security beyond victory.Which you cant have, said Dors.Which we had the moment we heard of Dr. Seldons paper at the Decennial Convention. I apothegm at once that that was what we needed. My father was too old to see the significance at once. When I explained it, however, he saw it too and it was then that he formally transferred his power to me. So it is to you, Hari, that I owe my position and to you I will owe my greater position in the future.I keep telling you that it cannot- began Seldon with deep annoyance.It is not important what can or cannot be done. What is important is what people will or will not believe can be done. They will believe you, Hari, when you tell them the psychohistoric prediction is that Trantor can rule itself and that the Provinces can become Kingdoms that will live together in peace.I will make no such prediction, said Seldon, in the absence of true psychohistory. I wont play the charlatan. If you want something like that, you say it.Now, Hari. They wont believe me. Its you they will believe. The great mathematician. Why not oblige them?As it happens, said Seldon the Emperor also thought to use me as a source of self-serving prophecies. I refused to do it for him, so do you think I will agree to do it for you?Rashelle was silent for a while and when she spoke again her voice had lost its intense exci tement and became almost coaxing.Hari, she said, think a little of the difference betwixt Cleon and myself. What Cleon undoubtedly wanted from you was propaganda to preserve his throne. It would be useless to give him that, for the throne cant be preserved. Dont you know that the Galactic Empire is in a state of decay, that it cannot endure for much longer? Trantor itself is slowly sliding into ruin because of the ever-increasing weight of administering twenty-five million worlds. Whats ahead of us is breakup and civil war, no matter what you do for Cleon.Seldon said, I have heard something like this said. It may even be true, but what then? rise up then, help it break into fragments without any war. Help me take Trantor. Help me establish a firm government over a realm small enough to be ruled efficiently. Let me give independence to the rest of the Galaxy, each portion to go its own way according to its own customs and cultures. The Galaxy will become a working whole again throu gh the free agencies of trade, tourism, and communication and the fate of cracking into disaster under the present rule of force that barely holds it together will be averted. My ambition is moderate indeed one world, not millions peace, not war freedom, not slavery. Think about it and help me.Seldon said, Why should the Galaxy believe me any more than they would believe you? They dont know me and which of our fleet commanders will be impressed by the mere word psychohistory?You wont be believed now, but I dont ask for action now. The House of Wye, having waited thousands of years, can wait thousands of days more. Cooperate with me and I will make your name famous. I will make the promise of psychohistory glow through all the worlds and at the proper time, when I justness the movement to be the chosen moment, you will pronounce your prediction and we will strike. Then, in a twinkle of history, the Galaxy will exist under a New Order that will render it stable and happy for eons. Come now, Hari, can you refuse me?