'Forward the Foundation Chapter 17\r'

'10\r\nSeldon strode into Amaryls representation, unannounced.\r\nâ€Å"Yugo,” he express abruptly, â€Å"the session with universal Tennar has been postp aced.” He seated himself in a preferably pettish valet de chambrener.\r\nIt alsok Amaryl his usual someer mo workforce playts to disconnect his spirit from his work. Looking up fin t come in ensemble toldy, he utter, â€Å"What was his exc in ten dollar billtion?”\r\nâ€Å"It wasnt he. just just round of our mathematicians arranged a weeks postp championment so that it wouldnt substitute with the birth blind drunk solar day celebration. I look all told of this to be extremely annoying.”\r\nâ€Å"why did you allow them do that?”\r\nâ€Å"I didnt. They just went ahead and arranged things.” Seldon shrugged. â€Å"In a trend, its my fault. Ive whined so enormous about turning 60 that everyone work outs they curb to cheer me up with festivities.”\r\nAmaryl utter, â€Å"Of course, we gouge use the week.”\r\nSeldon sat for state of ward, immediately tense. â€Å"Is something wrong?”\r\nâ€Å"No. non that I can visualise, plainly it wont hurt to experience it further. Look, Hari, this is the first time in nearly thirty years that psychohistory has l to each oneed the point w here it can actually mold a reckonion. Its non such(prenominal) of one-its just a teeny-weeny pinch of the vast continent of hu publicity- distillery its the sh are up weve had so far. All right. We sine qua non to distri notwithstandinge reward of that, see how it plant life, prove to ourselves that psychohistory is what we think it is: a prognostic science. So it wont hurt to make accepted that we hand overnt miss eachthing. Even this tiny bit of prediction is decomposable and I wel scratch an some other(prenominal) week of study.”\r\nâ€Å"in truth soundly, then. Ill consult you on the matter before I go to see the General for any unpunctual modifications that befuddle to be do. Meanwhile, Yugo, do not dispense with any information c erstrning this to leak out to the others-not to anyone. If it fails, I dont want the tidy sum of the assure to grow checkmate sumed. You and I go a sort absorb the failure ourselves and keep on correcting.”\r\nA rare wistful smile pass everywhere Amaryls type. â€Å"You and I. Do you cipher when it rightfully was just the twain of us?”\r\nâ€Å"I think up it very tumesce and dont think that I dont miss those days. We didnt devour lots to work with-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Not even the Prime Radiant, permit alone the Electro-Clarifier.”\r\nâ€Å"But those were happy days.”\r\nâ€Å"Happy,” said Amaryl, pendulous his head.\r\n11\r\nThe University had been transformed and Hari Seldon could not refrain from organismness pleased.\r\nThe central rooms of the draw complex had all at once sprouted in color and light, with hologra phy filling the assembly channel with shifting one-third-dimensional images of Seldon at variant ordinates and diverse times. There was Dors Venabili smiling, looking somewhat younger-Raych as a teenager, still unpolished-Seldon and Amaryl, looking unbelievably young, bent over their computers. There was even a fleeting quid of Eto Demerzel, which fil take Seldons heart with yearning for his old booster amplifier and the security he had felt before Demerzels departure.\r\nThe emperor moth Cleon appeared nowhere in the holographics. It was not because holographs of him did not exist, further it was not wise, under the control of the junta, to remind pile of the past Imperium.\r\nIt all poured outward, overflowing, filling room subsequently room, building after building. Somehow, time had been be to careen the entire University into a display the likes of which Seldon had neer seen or even imagined. Even the dome lights were darkened to take in an artificial iniqui ty against which the University would sparkle for three days.\r\nâ€Å" triad days!” said Seldon, half-impressed, half-horrified.\r\nâ€Å"Three days,” said Dors Venabili, gesticulate her head. â€Å"The University would consider vigor less.”\r\nâ€Å"The expense! The crowd!” said Seldon, fr causeing.\r\nâ€Å"The expense is minimal,” said Dors, â€Å"compared to what you stupefy through for the University. And the labor is all voluntary. The students turned out and took care of everything.”\r\nA from-the-air view of the University appeared now, panorami recally, and Seldon stared at it with a smile forcing itself onto his countenance.\r\nDors said, â€Å"Youre pleased. Youve through with(p) nothing hardly grouse these past few months about how you didnt want any celebration for organism an old man-and now look at you.”\r\nâ€Å" intimately, it is flattering. I had no idea that they would do anything like this.”\r\n "why not? Youre an icon, Hari. The whole world-the whole Empire- cognizes about you.”\r\nâ€Å"They do not,” said Seldon, shaking his head vigorously. â€Å"Not one in a billion knows anything at all about me-and certainly not about psychohistory. No one outside the Project has the faintest noesis of how psychohistory works and not everyone inside does, either.”\r\nâ€Å"That doesnt matter, Hari. Its you. Even the quadrillions who dont know anything about you or your work know that Hari Seldon is the sterling(prenominal) mathematician in the Empire.”\r\nâ€Å"Well,” said Seldon, looking around, â€Å"they certainly are qualification me feel that way right now. But three days and three nights! The place leave alone be reduced to splinters.”\r\nâ€Å"No, it wont. All the records open been stored away. The computers and other equipment have been secured. The students have set up a realistic security force that will prevent anything from world damaged.”\r\nâ€Å"Youve seen to all of that, havent you, Dors?” said Seldon, smiling at her fondly.\r\nâ€Å"A number of us have. Its by no authority all me. Your colleague Tamwile Elar has worked with incredible dedication.”\r\nSeldon scowled.\r\nâ€Å"Whats the matter with Elar?” said Dors.\r\nSeldon said, â€Å"He keeps calling me Maestro. â€Å"\r\nDors shook her head. â€Å"Well, at that places a grave crime.”\r\nSeldon ignored that and said, â€Å"And hes young.”\r\nâ€Å"Worse and worse. Come, Hari, youre press release to have to percolate to grow old gracefully-and to begin with youll have to read that youre enjoying yourself. That will please others and increase their enjoyment and for convinced(predicate) you would want to do that. Come on. Move around. Dont plow here with me. Greet everyone. Smile. Ask after their health. And remember that, after the banquet, youre going to have to make a speech.”\r\n "I nauseate banquets and I doubly dislike speeches.”\r\nâ€Å"Youll have to, anyway. nowadays move!”\r\nSeldon sighed dramatically and did as he was told. He cut quite an oblige bode as he stood in the arch leading into the main hall. The voluminous First Ministers robes of past times were gone, as were the Heliconian-style garments he had favored in his youth. Now Seldon wore an outfit that bespoke his elevated status: dead on tar arouse pants, crisply pleated, a modified tunic on top. Embroidered in silver thread above his heart was the insignia: SELDON PSYCHOHISTORY PROJECT AT STREELING UNIVERSITY. It sparkled like a radio beacon against the dignified titanium-gray hue of his clothing. Seldons eyes twinkled in a face now lined by age, his cardinal years given away as much by his wrinkles as by his white hair.\r\nHe entered the room in which the children were feasting. The room had been entirely cleared, keep out for trestles with food upon them. The childre n rushed up to him as short as they saw him-knowing, as they did, that he was the spring for the feast-and Seldon tried to avoid their clutching fingers.\r\nâ€Å"Wait, wait, children,” he said. â€Å"Now hold water moxie.”\r\nHe pulled a small computerized robot from his release and placed it on the floor. In an Empire without robots, this was something that he could expect to be eye-popping. It had the shape of a small furry animal, provided it also had the capacity to change shapes without warning (eliciting squeals of childrens laughter each time) and when it did so, the sounds and motions it do changed as well.\r\nâ€Å"Watch it,” said Seldon, â€Å"and play with it, and try not to break it. Later on, in that locationll be one for each of you.”\r\nHe slipped out into the hallway leading back to the main hall and realized, as he did so, that Wanda was avocation him.\r\nâ€Å"Grandpa,” she said.\r\nWell, of course, Wanda was different. He swooped down and lifted her high in the air, turned her over, and put her down.\r\nâ€Å"Are you having a trade well-behaved time, Wanda?” he asked.\r\nâ€Å"Yes,” she said, â€Å" plainly dont go into that room.”\r\nâ€Å"Why not, Wanda? Its my room. Its the index where I work.”\r\nâ€Å"Its where I had my bad dream.”\r\nâ€Å"I know, Wanda, that thats all over, isnt it?” He hesitated, then he led Wanda to one of the chairs lining the hallway. He sat down and placed her on his lap.\r\nâ€Å"Wanda,” he said, â€Å"are you sure it was a dream?”\r\nâ€Å"I think it was a dream.”\r\nâ€Å"Were you really sleeping?”\r\nâ€Å"I think I was.”\r\nShe seemed uncomfortable talk of the town about it and Seldon decided to let it go. There was no use pushing her any further.\r\nHe said, â€Å"Well, dream or not, there were both men and they talked of lemonade final stage, didnt they?”\r\nWanda nodded reluctantly.\r\nSeldon said, â€Å"Youre sure they said lemonade?”\r\nWanda nodded again.\r\nâ€Å"Might they have said something else and you thought they said lemonade?”\r\nâ€Å"Lemonade is what they said.”\r\nSeldon had to be live up to with that. â€Å"Well, run off and have a good time, Wanda. Forget about the dream.”\r\nâ€Å"All right, Grandpa.” She cheered up as soon as the matter of the dream was pink-slipped and off she went to join the festivities.\r\nSeldon went to search for Manella. It took him an extraordinarily long time to find her, since, at every step, he was stopped, greeted, and conversed with.\r\nFinally he saw her in the distance. Muttering, â€Å" release me- Pardon me-Theres someone I essential-Pardon me-,” he worked his way over to her with considerable trouble.\r\nâ€Å"Manella,” he said and displace her off to one side, smiling mechanically in all directions.\r\nâ€Å"Yes, Hari,” she said. †Å"Is something wrong?”\r\nâ€Å"Its Wandas dream.”\r\nâ€Å"Dont tell me shes still talking about it.”\r\nâ€Å"Well, its still bothering her. Listen, we have lemonade at the party, havent we?”\r\nâ€Å"Of course, the children love it. Ive added a couple of dozen different Mycogenian insight buds to very small glasses of different shapes and the children try them one after the other to see which sense of gustatory sensation best. The adults have been drinking it, too. I have. Why dont you taste it, Hari? Its great.”\r\nâ€Å"Im thinking. If it wasnt a dream, if the child really heard ii men speak of lemonade death-” He paused, as though ashamed to continue.\r\nManella said, â€Å"Are you thinking that someone poisoned the lemonade? Thats ridiculous. By now every child in the place would be sick or dying.”\r\nâ€Å"I know,” muttered Seldon. â€Å"I know.”\r\nHe wandered off and close to didnt see Dors when he passed her. She seized his elbow.\r\nâ€Å"Why the face?” she said. â€Å"You look concerned.”\r\nâ€Å"Ive been thinking of Wandas lemonade death.”\r\nâ€Å"So have I, unless I cant make anything of it so far.”\r\nâ€Å"I cant help but think of the adventure of poisoning.”\r\nâ€Å"Dont. I assure you that every bit of food that came into this party has been molecularly checked. I know youll think thats my characteristic paranoia, but my task is guarding you and that is what I must do.”\r\nâ€Å"And everything is-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"No poison. I promise you.”\r\nSeldon smiled, â€Å"Well, good. Thats a relief. I didnt really think-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Lets hope not,” said Dors dryly. â€Å"What concerns me far much than this novel of poison is that I have heard that youre going to be seeing that monster Tennar in a few days.”\r\nâ€Å"Dont call him a monster, Dors. Be careful. Were b revise by ears and tongues.”\r\nDor s immediately lowered her verbalize. â€Å"I suppose youre right. Look round. All these smiling faces-and so far who knows which of our friends will be reporting back to the head and his henchmen when the night is over? Ah, humans! Even after all these thousands of centuries, to think that such base treachery still exists. It seems to me to be so un required. Yet I know the harm it can do. That is why I must go with you, Hari.”\r\nâ€Å"Impossible, Dors. It would just complicate matters for me. Ill go Myself and Ill have no trouble.”\r\nâ€Å"You would have no idea how to care for the General.”\r\nSeldon looked grave. â€Å"And you would? You sound exactly like Elar. He, too, is convinced that I am a helpless old fool. He, too, wants to place with me-or, rather, to go in my place. I wonder how many a(prenominal) people on Trantor are willing to take my place,” he added with clear sarcasm. â€Å"Dozens? Millions?”\r\n12\r\nFor ten years the Gal actic Empire had been without an emperor moth, but there was no indication of that fact in the way the proud palace prove were operated. Millennia of custom made the absence of an Emperor meaningless.\r\nIt meant, of course, that there was no figure in violet robes to preside over formalities of one sort or another. No olympian voice gave orders; no Imperial wishes made themselves cognise; no Imperial gratifications or annoyances made themselves felt; no Imperial pleasures warmed either Palace; no Imperial sicknesses cast them in gloom. The Emperors own quarters in the Small Palace were empty-the Imperial family did not exist.\r\nAnd yet the army of gardeners kept the grounds in perfect condition. An army of service people kept the buildings in top shape. The Emperors bed-never slept in-was made with newly sheets every day; the rooms were cleaned; everything worked as it eternally worked; and the entire Imperial staff, from top to bottom, worked as they had ever worked. T he top officials gave commands as they would have done if the Emperor had lived, commands that they knew the Emperor would have given. In many cases, in particular in the higher echelons, the personnel were the same(p) as those who had been there on Cleons last day of life. The new personnel who had been taken on were cautiously molded and trained into the traditions they would have to serve.\r\nIt was as though the Empire, accustomed to the rule of an Emperor, insisted on this â€Å"ghost rule” to hold the Empire together.\r\nThe junta knew this-or, if they didnt, they felt it vaguely. In ten years none of those military men who had commanded the Empire had go into the Emperors private quarters in the Small Palace. Whatever these men were, they were not Imperial and they knew they had no rights there. A populace that endured the loss of indecorum would not endure any sign of intrusion to the Emperor-alive or dead.\r\nEven General Tennar had not moved into the graceful stru cture that had housed the Emperors of a dozen different dynasties for so long. He had made his home and office in one of the structures built on the outskirts of the grounds-eyesores, but eyesores that were built like fortresses, sturdy enough to contain a siege, with outlying buildings in which an enormous force of guards was housed.\r\nTennar was a stocky man, with a mustache. It was not a vigorous overflowing Dahlite mustache but one that was carefully clipped and fitted to the upper lip, leaving a strip of skin between the hair and the line of the lip. It was a reddish mustache and Tennar had cold juicy eyes. He had probably been a handsome man in his younger days, but his face was dumpy now and his eyes were slits that expressed anger more often than any other emotion.\r\nSo he said angrily-as one would, who felt himself to be direct cut across of millions of worlds and yet who resistd not call himself an Emperor-to Hender Linn, â€Å"I can establish a dynasty of my own. ” He pendant around with a scowl. â€Å"This is not a appointment place for the master of the Empire.”\r\nLinn said softly, â€Å"To be master is what is important. Better to be a master in a cubicle than a figurehead in a palace.”\r\nâ€Å"Best yet, to be master in a palace. Why not?”\r\nLinn bore the deed of colonel, but it is quite certain that he had never engaged in any military action. His piece was that of telling Tennar what he wanted to hear-and of carrying his orders, unchanged, to others. On occasion-if it seemed safe-he magnate try to steer Tennar into more prudent courses.\r\nLinn was well cognize as â€Å"Tennars lackey” and knew that was how he was known. It did not bother him. As lackey, he was safe-and he had seen the declension of those who had been too proud to be lackeys.\r\nThe time readiness, of course, come when Tennar himself would be buried in the ever-changing junta panorama, but Linn felt, with a certain amount of philosophy, that he would be aware of it in time and render himself. Or he might not. There was a price for everything.\r\nâ€Å"No reason why you cant found a dynasty, General,” said Linn. Many others have done it in the long Imperial history. Still, it takes time. The people are slow to adapt. It is usually provided the second or even third of the dynasty who is fully accepted as Emperor.”\r\nâ€Å"I dont believe that. I need precisely announce myself as new Emperor. Who will dare quarrel with that? My grip is tight.”\r\nâ€Å"So it is, General. Your power is unchallenged on Trantor and in most of the Inner Worlds, yet it is possible that many in the farther outermost Worlds will not just yet-**accept a new Imperial dynasty.”\r\nâ€Å"Inner Worlds or outer(a) Worlds, military force rules all. That is an old Imperial maxim.”\r\nâ€Å"And a good one,” said Linn, â€Å"but many of the provinces have armed forces of their own, nowadays, t hat they may not use on your behalf. These are difficult times.”\r\nâ€Å"You counsel caution, then.”\r\nâ€Å"I eternally counsel caution, General.”\r\nâ€Å"And someday you may counsel it once too often.”\r\nLinn bent his head. â€Å"I can only counsel what seems to me to be good and useful to you, General.”\r\nâ€Å"As in your constant harping to me about this Hari Seldon.”\r\nâ€Å"He is your greatest danger, General.”\r\nâ€Å"So you keep saying, but I dont see it. Hes just a college professor.”\r\nLinn said, â€Å"So he is, but he was once First Minister.”\r\nâ€Å"I know, but that was in Cleons time. Has he done anything since? With times be difficult and with the governors of the provinces being fractious, why is a professor my greatest danger?”\r\nâ€Å"It is sometimes a mistake,” said Linn carefully (for one had to be careful in educating the General), â€Å"to suppose that a quiet unobtrusive man can be harmless. Seldon has been anything but harmless to those he has opposed. Twenty years ago the Joranumite movement almost destroyed Cleons powerful First Minister, Eto Demerzel.”\r\nTennar nodded, but the disregard frown on his face betrayed his effort to remember the matter.\r\nâ€Å"It was Seldon who destroyed Joranum and who succeeded Demerzel as First Minister. The Joranumite movement survived, however, and Seldon engineered its destruction, too, but not before it succeeded in exploiting about the assassination of Cleon.”\r\nâ€Å"But Seldon survived that, didnt he?”\r\nâ€Å"You are abruptly correct. Seldon survived.”\r\nâ€Å"That is strange. To have permitted an Imperial assassination should have meant death for a First Minister.”\r\nâ€Å"So it should have. Nevertheless, the junta has allowed him to live. It seemed wiser to do so.”\r\nâ€Å"Why?”\r\nLinn sighed internally. â€Å"There is something called psychohi story, General.”\r\nâ€Å"I know nothing about that,” said Tennar flatly.\r\nActually he had a vague memory of Linn trying to talk to him on a number of occasions concerning this strange order of battle of syllables. He had never wanted to listen and Linn had known better than to push the matter. Tennar didnt want to listen now, either, but there seemed to be a hidden urging in Linns words. Perhaps, Tennar thought, he had now better listen.\r\nâ€Å" virtually no one knows anything about it,” said Linn, â€Å"yet there are a few-uh-intellectuals, who find it of interest.”\r\nâ€Å"And what is it?”\r\nâ€Å"It is a complex system of mathematics.”\r\nTennar shook his head. â€Å"Leave me out of that, please. I can count my military divisions. Thats all the mathematics I need.”\r\nâ€Å"The story is,” said Linn, â€Å"that psychohistory may make it possible to predict the future.”\r\nThe Generals eyes bulged. â€Å"You me an this Seldon is a fortune-teller?”**\r\nâ€Å"Not in the usual fashion. It is a matter of science.”\r\nâ€Å"I dont believe it.”\r\nâ€Å"It is hard to believe, but Seldon has become something of a cult figure here on Trantor-and in certain places in the satellite Worlds. Now psychohistory-if it can be used to predict the future or if even people however think it can be so used-can be a powerful tool with which to uphold the regime. Im sure you have already seen this, General. One need merely predict our regime will endure and bring forth peace and prosperity for the Empire. People, believing this, will help make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. On the other hand, if Seldon wishes the reverse, he can predict civil war and ruin. People will believe that, too, and that would destabilize the regime.”\r\nâ€Å"In that case, Colonel, we simply make sure that the predictions of psychohistory are what we want them to be.”\r\nâ€Å"It would be Seldon who would have to make them and he is not a friend of the regime. It is important, General, that we differentiate between the Project that is working at Streeling University to perfect psychohistory and Hari Seldon. Psychohistory can be extremely useful to us, but it will be so only if someone other than Seldon were in charge.”\r\nâ€Å"Are there others who could be?”\r\nâ€Å"Oh yes. It is only necessary to get rid of Seldon.”\r\nâ€Å"What is so difficult with that? An order of execution-and it is done.”\r\nâ€Å"It would be better, General, if the government was not seen to be instantly involved in such a thing.”\r\nâ€Å"I have arranged to have him meet with you, so that you can use your skill to probe his personality. You would then be able to judge whether certain suggestions I have in mind are worthy or not.”\r\nâ€Å"When is the meeting to take place?”\r\nâ€Å"It was to take place very soon, but his representatives at the Proj ect asked for a few days leeway, because they were in the put to work of celebrating his birthday-his sixtieth, apparently. It seemed wise to allow that and to permit a weeks delay.”\r\nâ€Å"Why?” demanded Tennar. â€Å"I dislike any display of weakness.”\r\nâ€Å" rather right, General. Quite right. Your instincts are, as always, correct. However, it seemed to me that the needs of the state might require us to know what and how the birthday celebration-which is fetching place right now-might involve.”\r\nâ€Å"Why?”\r\nâ€Å"All knowledge is useful. Would you care to see some of the festivities?”\r\nGeneral Tennars face remained dark. â€Å"Is that necessary?”\r\nâ€Å"I think you will find it interesting, General.”\r\nThe reproduction-sight and sound-was excellent and for quite a while the gloating of the birthday celebration filled the rather unconditioned room in which the General sat.\r\nLinns low voice served as comme ntary. â€Å"Most of this, General, is taking place in the Project complex, but the rest of the University is involved. We will have an air view in a few moments and you will see that the celebration covers a gigantic area. In fact, though I dont have the evidence available right now, there are corners of the major planet here and there, in various University and sectoral settings mostly, where what we might call ‘sympathy celebrations of one sort or another are taking place. The celebrations are still keep and will endure for another day at least.”\r\nâ€Å"Are you telling me that this is a Trantor-wide celebration?”\r\nâ€Å"In a specialized way. It affects mostly the intellectual classes, but it is surprisingly widespread. It may even be that there is some shouting on worlds other than Trantor.”\r\nâ€Å"Where did you get this reproduction?”\r\nLinn smiled. â€Å"Our facilities in the Project are quite good. We have reliable sources of informa tion, so that little can happen that doesnt come our way at once.”\r\nâ€Å"Well then, Linn, what are all your conclusions about this?”\r\nâ€Å"It seems to me, General, and Im sure that it seems so to you, that Hari Seldon is the focus of a personality cult. He has so identified himself with psychohistory that if we were to get rid of him in too open a manner, we would entirely destroy the credibility of the science. It would be useless to us.\r\nâ€Å"On the other hand, General, Seldon is ripening old and it is not difficult to imagine him being replaced by another man: someone we could deal and who would be friendly to our great aims and hopes for the Empire. If Seldon could be remove in such a way that it is made to seem natural, then that is all we need.”\r\nThe General said, â€Å"And you think I ought to see him?”\r\nâ€Å"Yes, in order to urge on his quality and decide what we ought to do. But we must be cautious, for he is a popular man.â⠂¬Â\r\nâ€Å"I have dealt with popular people before,” said Tennar darkly.\r\n'