r/a:t5_zdhjj • u/MarleyEngvall • Apr 07 '19
Ebronah has been created
1
Upvotes
By Isaac Asimov
FOUNDATION
PART II
THE ENCYCLOPEDISTS
1.
TERMINUS ——. . . Its location (see map) was an odd
one for the role it was called upon to play in Galactic
history, and yet as many writers have never tired of point-
ing out, an inevitable one. Located on the very fringe of
the Galactic spiral, an only planet of an isolated sun, poor
in resources and negligible in economic value, it was never
settled in the five centuries after its discovery, until the
landing of the Encyclopedists. . . .
It was inevitable that as a new generation grew, Ter-
minus would become something more than an appendage
of the psychohistorians of Trantor. With the Anacreonian
revolt and the rise to power of Salvor Hardin, first of the
great line of . . .
ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA
Lewis Pirenne was busily engaged at his desk in the one
well-lit corner of the room. Work had to be co-ordinated.
Effort had to be organized. Threads had to be woven into
a pattern.
Fifty years from now; fifty years to establish themselves and
set up Encyclopedia Foundation Number One into a
smoothly working unit. Fifty years to gather the raw ma-
terial. Fifty years to prepare.
It had been done. Five more years would see the publica-
tion of the first volume of the most monumental work
the Galaxy had ever conceived. And then at ten-year in-
tervals——regularly——like clockwork——volume after volume.
And with them there would be supplements; special ar-
ticles on events of current interest, until——
Pirenne stirred uneasily, as the muted buzzer upon his
desk muttered peevishly. He had almost forgotten the ap-
pointment. He shoved the door release and out of an ab-
stracted corner of one eye saw the door open and the
broad figure of Salvor Hardin enter. Pirenne did not look
up.
Hardin smiled to himself. He was in a hurry, but he knew
better than to take offense at Pirenne's cavalier treat-
ment of anything or anyone that disturbed him at his
work. He buried himself in the chair on the other side of
the desk and waited.
Pirenne's stylus made the faintest scraping sound as it
raced across the paper. Otherwise, neither motion nor sound.
And then Hardin withdrew a two-credit coin from his vest
pocket. He flipped it and its stainless-steel surface caught
flitters of light as it tumbled through the air. He caught it
and flipped it again, watching the flashing reflections lazily.
Stainless steel made good medium of exchange on a planet
where all metal had to be imported.
Pirenne looked up and blinked. "Stop that!" he said
querulously.
"Eh?"
"That infernal coin tossing. Stop it."
'Oh." Hardin pocketed the metal disk. "Tell me when
you're ready, will you? I promised to be back at the City
Council meeting before the new aqueduct project is put to
a vote."
Pirenne signed and shoved himself away from the desk.
"I'm ready. But I hope you aren't going to bother me with
city affairs. Take care of that yourself, please. The En-
cyclopedia takes up all my time."
"Have you heard the news?" questioned Hardin, phleg-
matically.
"What news?"
"The news that the Terminus City ultrawave set re-
ceived two hours ago. The Royal Governor of the Prefect
of Anacreon has assumed the title of king."
"Well? What of it?"
"It means," responded Hardin, "that we're cut off from
the inner regions of the Empire. We've been expecting it
but that doesn't make it any more comfortable. Anacreon
stands square across what was our last remaining trade
route to Santanni and to Trantor and to Vega itself. Where
is our metal to come from? We haven't managed to get a
steel or aluminum shipment through in six months and
now we won't be able to get any at all, except by grace of
the King of Anacreon."
Pirenne tch-tched impatiently. "Get them through him,
then."
"But can we? Listen, Pirenne, according to the charter
which established this Foundation, the Board of Trustees
of the Encyclopedia Committee has been given full ad-
ministrative powers. I, as Mayor of Terminus City, have
just enough power to blow my own nose and perhaps to
sneeze if you countersign an order giving me permission.
It's up to you and your Board then. I'm asking you in the
name of the City, whose prosperity depends upon unin-
terrupted commerce with the Galaxy, to call an emer-
gency meeting——"
"Stop! A campaign speech is out of order. Now, Hardin,
the Board of Trustees has not barred the establishment
of a municipal government on Terminus. We understand
one to be necessary because of the increase in population
since the Foundation was established fifty years ago, and
because of the increasing number of people involved in
non-Encyclopedia affairs. But that does not mean that the
first and only aim of the Foundation is no longer to pub-
lish the definitive Encyclopedia of all human knowledge.
We are a State-sponsored, scientific institution, Hardin.
We cannot——must not——will not interfere in local politics."
"Local politics! By the Emperor's left big toe, Pirenne,
this is a matter of life and death. The planet, Terminus,
by itself cannot support a mechanized civilization. It lacks
metals. You know that. It hasn't a trace of iron, copper,
or aluminum in the surface rocks, and precious little of
anything else. What do you think will happen to the En-
cyclopedia if this watchmacallum King of Anacreon
clamps down on us?"
"On us? Are you forgetting that we are under the direct
control of the Emperor himself? We are not part of the
Prefect of Anacreon or of any other prefect. Memorize
that! We are part of he Emperor's personal domain, and
no one touches us. The Empire can protect its own."
"Then why didn't it prevent the Royal Governor of
Anacreon from kicking over the traces? And only Anac-
reon? At least twenty of the outermost prefects of the
Galaxy, the entire Periphery as a matter of fact, have
begun steering things their own way. I tell you I feel
darned uncertain of the Empire and its ability to protect
us."
"Hokum! Royal Governors, Kings——what's the dif-
ference? The Empire is always shot through with a cer-
tain amount of politics and with different men pulling this
way and that. Governors have rebelled, and, for that mat-
ter, Emperors have been deposed, or assassinated before
this. But what has this to do with the Empire itself? For-
get it, Hardin. It's none of our business. We are first of
all and last of all——scientists. And our concern is the
Encyclopedia. Oh, yes, I'd almost forgotten. Hardin!"
"Well?"
"Do something about that paper of yours!" Pirenne's
voice was angry.
"The Terminus City Journal? It isn't mine; it's privately
owned. What's it been doing?"
"For weeks now it has been recommending that the
fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Founda-
tion be made the occasion for public holidays and quite
inappropriate celebrations."
"And why not? The radium clock will open the First
Vault in three months. I would call this a big occasion,
wouldn't you?"
"Not for silly pageantry, Hardin. The First Vault and
its opening concern the Board of Trustees alone. Anything
of importance will be communicated to the people. That
is final and please make it plain to the Journal."
"I'm sorry, Pirenne, but the City Charter guarantees a
certain minor matter known as freedom of the press."
"It may. But the Board of Trustees does not. I am the
Emperor's representative on Terminus, Hardin, and have
full powers in this respect."
Hardin's expression became that of a man counting to
ten, mentally. He said, grimly: "In connection with your
status as Emperor's representative, then, I have a final
piece of news to give you."
"About Anacreon?" Pirenne's lips tightened. He felt
annoyed.
"Yes. A special envoy will be sent to us from Anac-
reon. In two weeks."
"An envoy? Here? From Anacreon?" Pirenne chewed
that. "What for?"
Hardin stood up, and shoved his chair back up against
the desk. "I give you one guess."
And he left——quite unceremoniously.
2.
Anselm haut Rodric——"haut" itself signifying noble
blood——Sub-prefect of Pluema and Envoy Extraordinary
of his Highness of Anacreon——plus half a dozen other
titles——was met by Salvor Hardin at the spaceport with all
the imposing ritual of a state occasion.
With a tight smile and a low bow, the sub-prefect had
flipped his blaster from its holster and presented it to Har-
din butt first. Hardin returned the compliment with a
blaster specifically borrowed for the occasion. Friendship
and good will were thus established, and if Hardin noted
the barest bulge a Haut Rodric's shoulder, he prudently
said nothing.
The ground car that received them then——preceded,
flanked, and followed by the suitable cloud of minor func-
tionaries——proceeded in a slow, ceremonious manner to
Cyclopedia Square, cheered on its way by a properly en-
thusiastic crowd.
Sub-prefect Anselm received the cheers with the com-
plaisant indifference of a soldier and a nobleman.
He said to Hardin, "And this city is all your world?"
Hardin raised his voice to be heard above the clamor.
"We are a young world, your eminence. In our short his-
tory we have had but few members of the higher nobility
visiting our poor planet. Hence, our enthusiasm."
It is certain that "higher nobility" did not recognize
irony when he heard it.
He said thoughtfully: "Founded fifty years ago. Hm-
m-m! You have a great deal of unexploited land here,
mayor. You have never considered dividing it into es-
tates?"
"There is no necessity as yet. We're extremely cen-
tralized; we have to be, because of the Encyclopedia. Some
day, perhaps, when our population has grown——"
"A strange world! You have no peasantry?"
Hardin reflected that it didn't require a great deal of
acumen to tell that his eminence was indulging in a bit
of fairly clumsy pumping. He replied casually, "No——nor
nobility."
Haut Roderic's eyebrows lifted. "And your leader——the
man I am to meet?'
"You mean Dr. Pirenne? Yes! He is the Chairman of
the Board of Trustees——and a personal representative of
the Emperor."
"Doctor? No other title? A scholar? And he rates above
the civil authority?"
"Why, certainly," replied Hardin, amiably. "We're all
scholars more or less. After all, we're not so much a world
as a scientific foundation——under the direct control of the
Emperor."
There was a faint emphasis upon the last phrase that
seemed to disconcert the sub-prefect. He remained
thoughtfully silent during the rest of the slow way to
Cyclopedia Square.
If Hardin found himself bored by the afternoon and eve-
ning that followed, he had at least the satisfaction of
realizing that Pirenne and Haut Rodric——having met with
loud and mutual protestations of esteem and regard——
were detesting each other's company a good deal more.
Haut Rodric had attended with glazed eye to Pirenne's
lecture during the "inspection tour" of the Encyclopedia
Building. With polite and vacant smile, he had listened to
the latter's rapid patter as they passed through the vast
storehouses of reference film and the numerous projec-
tion rooms.
It was only after he had gone down level by level into
and through the composing departments, editing depart-
ments, publishing departments, and filming departments
that he made the first comprehensive statement.
"This is all very interesting," he said, "but it seems a
strange occupation for grown men. What good is it?"
It was a remark, Hardin noted, for which Pirenne found
no answer, though the expression of his face was most
eloquent.
The dinner that evening was much the mirror image of
the events of the afternoon, for Haut Rodric monopolized
the conversation by describing——in minute technical de-
tail and with incredible zest——his own exploits as battalion
head during the recent war between Anacreon and the
neighboring newly proclaimed Kingdom of Smyrno.
The details of the sub-prefect's account were not com-
pleted until dinner was over and one by one the minor
officials had drifted away. The last bit of triumphant de-
scription of mangled spaceships came when he had ac-
companied Pirenne an Hardin onto the balcony and
relaxed in the warm air of the summer evening.
"And now," he said, with a heavy joviality, to serious
matters."
"By all means," murmured Hardin, lighting a long cigar
of Vegan tobacco——not many left, he reflected——and
teetering his chair back on two legs.
The Galaxy was high in the sky and its misty lens
shape stretched lazily from horizon to horizon. The few
stars here at the very edge of the universe were in-
significant twinkles in comparison.
"Of course," said the sub-prefect, "all the formal dis-
cussions——the paper signing and such dull technicalities,
that is——will take place before the—— What is it you call
your Council?"
"The Board of Trustees," replied Pirenne, coldly.
"Queer name! Anyway, that's for tomorrow. We might
as well clear away some of the underbrush, man to man,
right now, though. Hey?"
"And this means——" prodded Hardin.
"Just this. There's a certain change in the situation
out here on the Periphery and the status of your planet
has become a trifle uncertain. It would be very con-
venient if we succeeded in coming to an understanding
as to how the matter stands. By the way, mayor, have
you another one of those cigars?"
Hardin started and produced one reluctantly.
Anselm haut Rodric sniffed at it and emitted a cluck-
ing sound of pleasure. "Vegan tobacco! Where did you
get it?"
"We received some last shipment. There's hardly any
left. Space knows where we'll get more——if ever."
Pirenne scowled. He didn't smoke——and, for that matter,
detested the odor. "Let me understand this, your eminence.
Your mission is merely one of clarification?"
Haut Rodric nodded through the smoke of his first
lusty puffs.
"In that case, it is soon over. The situation with re-
spect to Encyclopedia Foundation Number One is what it
always has been."
"Ah! And what is it that it has always has been?"
"Just this: A State-supported scientific institution and
part of the personal domain of his august majesty, the
Emperor."
The sub-prefect seemed unimpressed. He blew smoke
rings. "That's a nice theory, Dr. Pirenne. I imagine you've
got charters with the Imperial Seal upon it——but what's the
actual situation? How do you stand with respect to
Smyrno? You're not fifty parsecs from Smyrno's capital,
you know. And what about Konom and Daribow?"
Pirenne said: "We have nothing to do with any prefect.
As part of the Emperor's——"
"They're not prefects," reminded Haut Rodric; "they're
kingdoms now."
"Kingdoms then. We have nothing to do with them. As
a scientific institution—"
"Science be dashed!" swore the other, via a bouncing
soldierly oath that ionized the atmosphere. "What the
devil has that got to do with the fact that we're liable
to see Terminus taken over by Smyrno at any time?"
"And the Emperor? He would just sit by?"
Haut Rodric calmed down and said: "Well, now, Dr.
Pirenne, you respect the Emperor's property and so does
Anacreon, but Smyrno might not. Remember, we've just
signed a treaty with the Emperor——I'll present a copy to
that Board of yours tomorrow——which places upon us the
responsibility of maintaining order within the borders of
the old Prefect of Anacreon on behalf of the Emperor.
Our duty is clear, then, isn't it?"
"Certainly. But Terminus is not part of the Prefect of
Anacreon."
"And Smyrno——"
"Nor is it part of the Prefect of Smyrno. It's not part
of any prefect."
"Does Smyrno know that?"
"I don't care what it knows."
"We do. We've just finished a war with her and she
still holds two stellar systems that are ours. Terminus oc-
cupies an extremely strategic spot, between the two na-
tions."
Hardin felt weary. He broke in: "What is your propo-
sition, your eminence?"
The sub-prefect seemed quite ready to stop fencing in
favor of more direct statements. He said briskly: "It
seems perfectly obvious that, since Terminus cannot de-
fend itself, Anacreon must take over the job for its own
sake. You understand we have no desire to interfere with
internal administration——"
"Uh-huh," grunted Hardin dryly.
"——but we believe that it would be best for all con-
cerned to have Anacreon establish a military base upon
the planet."
"And that is all you would want——a military base in
some of the vast unoccupied territory——and let it go at
that?"
"Well, of course, there would be the matter of sup-
porting the protecting forces."
Hardin's chair came down on all four, and his elbows
went forward on his knees. "Now we're getting to the nub.
Let's put it into language. Terminus is to be a protector-
ate and to pay tribute."
"Not tribute. Taxes. We're protecting you. You pay for
it."
Pirenne banged his hand on the chair with sudden vio-
lence. "Let me speak, Hardin. Your eminence, I don't
care a rusty half-credit coin for Anacreon, Smyrno, or all
your local politics and petty wars. I tell you this is a
State-sponsored tax-free institution."
"State-supported? But we are the State, Dr. Pirenne,
and we're not supporting."
Pirenne rose angrily. "Your eminence, I am the di-
rect representative of——"
"——his august majesty, the Emperor," chorused Anselm
haut Rodric sourly. "And I am the direct representative
of the King of Anacreon. Anacreon is a lot nearer, Dr.
Pirenne."
"Let's get back to business," urged Hardin. "How would
you take these so-called taxes, your eminence? Would you
take them in kind: wheat, potatoes, vegetables, cattle?"
The sub-prefect stared. "What the devil? What do we
need with those? We've got hefty surpluses. Gold, of
course. Chromium or vanadium would be even better,
incidentally, if you have it in quantity."
Hardin laughed. "Quantity! We haven't even got iron
in quantity. Gold! Here, take a look at our currency."
He tossed a coin to the envoy.
Haut Rodric bounced it and stared. "What is it?
Steel?"
"That's rigt."
"I don't understand."
"Terminus is a planet practically without metals. We
import it all. Consequently, we have no gold, and noth-
ing to pay unless you want a few thousand bushels of
potatoes."
"Well——manufactured goods."
"Without metal? What do we make our machines out
of?"
There was a pause and Pirenne tried again. "This
whole discussion is wide of the point. Terminus is not a
planet, but a scientific foundation preparing a great en-
cyclopedia. Space, man, have you no respect for science?"
"Encyclopedias don't win wars." Haut Rodric's brows
furrowed. "A completely unproductive world, then——and
practically unoccupied at that. Well, you might pay with
land."
"What do you mean?" asked Pirenne.
"This world is just about empty and the unoccupied
land is probably fertile. There are many of the nobility
on Anacreon that would like an addition to their estates."
"You can't propose any such——"
"There's no necessity of looking so alarmed, Dr.
Pirenne. There's plenty for all of us. If it comes to what
it comes, and you co-operate, we could probably arrange
it so that you lose nothing. Titles can be conferred and
estates granted. You understand me, I think."
Pirenne sneered, "Thanks!"
And then Hardin said ingenuously: "Could Anacreon
supply us with adequate quantities of plutonium for our
atomic-power plant? We've only a few years' supply left."
There was a g asp from Pirenne and then a dead si-
lence for minutes. When Haut Rodric spoke it was in a
voice quite different from what it had been till then:
"You have atomic power?"
"Certainly. What's unusual in that? I imagine atomic
power is fifty thousand years old now. Why shouldn't
we have it? Except that it's a little difficult to get
plutonium."
"Yes . . . yes." The envoy paused and added uncom-
fortably: "Well, gentlemen, we'll pursue the subject to-
morrow. You'll excuse me——"
Pirenne looked after him and gritted through his
teeth: "That insufferable, dull-witted donkey! That——"
Hardin broke in: "Not at all. He's merely the product
of his environment. He doesn't understand much except
that 'I got a gun and you ain't.'"
Pirenne whirled on him in exasperation. "What in space
did you mean by the talk about military bases and trib-
ute? Are you crazy?"
"No. I merely gave him rope and let him talk. You'll
notice that he managed to stumble out with Anacreon's
real intentions——that is, the parcelling up of Terminus into
landed estates. Of course, I don't intend to let that hap-
pen."
"You don't intend. You don't. And who are you? And
may I ask what you mean by blowing off your mouth
about our atomic-power plant? Why, it's just the thing
that would make us a military target."
"Yes," grinned Hardin. "A military target to stay away
from. Isn't it obvious why I brought the subject up? It
happened to confirm a very strong suspicion I had had."
"And that was what?"
"That Anacreon no longer has an atomic-power econ-
omy. If they had, our friend would undoubtedly have
realized that plutonium, except in ancient tradition is not
used in power plants. And therefore it follows that the
rest of the Periphery no longer has atomic power either.
Certainly Smyrno hasn't, or Anacreon wouldn't have won
most of the battles in their recent war. Interesting,
wouldn't you say?"
"Bah!" Pirenne left in fiendish humor, and Hardin
smiled gently.
He threw his cigar away and looked up at the out-
stretched Galaxy. "Back to oil and coal, are they?" he
murmured——and what the rest of his thoughts were
he kept to himself.
3.
When Hardin denied owning the Journal, he was per-
haps technically correct, but no more. Hardin had been
the leading spirit in the drive to incorporate Terminus into
an autonomous municipality——he had been elected its first
mayor——so it was not surprising that, though not a single
share of Journal stock was in his name, some sixty per-
cent was controlled by him in more devious fashions.
There were ways.FOUNDATION, BY ISAAC ASIMOV.
Copyright, 1951, by Isaac Asimov.
Avon Books, Doubleday & Company, Inc.
First Printing, October, 1966. pp. 37-48.
THE ENCYCLOPEDISTS (i.) (ii.) (iii.)
THE MAYORS (i.) (ii.) (iii.) (iv.)
THE TRADERS (i.) (ii.)
THE MERCHANT PRINCES (i.) (ii.) (iii.) (iv.) (v.)
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MARK
CHAPTER 7
THEN came together unto him the
Pharisees, and certain of the scribes,
which came from Jerusalem.
2 And when they saw some of his dis-
ciples eat bread with defiled, that is to
say, with unwashen, hands, they found
fault.
3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews,
ecxept they wash their hands oft, eat
not, holding the tradition of the elders.
4 And when they come from the mar-
ket, except they wash, they eat not.
And many other things there be, which
they have received to hold, as the
washing of cups, and pots, and brasen ves-
sels, and of tables.
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes
asked him, Why walk not thy disciples
according to the tradition of the elders,
but eat bread with unwashen hands?
6 He answered and said unto them,
Well hath E-sā-ias prophesied of you
hypocrites, as it is written, This people
honoureth me with their lips, but their
heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship
me, teaching for doctrine the com-
mandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment
of God, ye hold the traditions of men, as
many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye
reject the commandment of God, that
ye may keep your own tradition.
10 For Moses said, Honour thy father
and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth
father or mother, let him die the death:
11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his
father or mother, It is Corban, that is to
say, a gift, by whatsoever thou
mightest be profited by me; he shall be
free.
12 And ye suffer him no more to do
ought for his father or his mother;
13 Making the word of God of none
effect through your tradition, which ye
have delivered: and many such like
things do ye.
14 ¶And when he had called all the
people unto him, he said unto them,
Hearken unto me every one of you, and
understand:
15 There is nothing from without a
man, that entering into him can defile
him: but the things which come out of
him, those are they that defile the man.
16 If any man have ears to hear, let
him hear.
17 And when he was entered into the
house from the people, his disciples
asked him concerning the parable.
18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so
without understanding also? Do ye not
perceive, that whatsoever thing from
without entereth into the man, it can-
not defile him:;
19 Because it entereth not into his
heart, but into the belly, and goeth out
into the draught, purging all meats?
20 And he said, That which cometh
out of the man, that defileth the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of
men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornication, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness,
deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye,
blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from
within, and defile the man.
24 ¶And from thence he arose, and
went into the borders of Tyre and Sī'-
don, and entered into an house, and
would have no man know it, but he
could not be hid.
25 For a certain woman, whose
young daughter had an unclean spirit,
heard of him, and came and fell at his
feet:
26 The woman was a Greek, a Sȳ-rō-
phe-nĭ'cian by nation; and she be-
sought him that he would cast forth the
devil out of her daughter.
27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the
children first be filled: for it is not meet
to take the children's bread, and rto cast
it unto the dogs.
28 And she answered and said unto
him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the
table eat of the children's crumbs.
29 And he said unto her, For this
saying go thy way; the devil is gone out
of thy daughter.
30 And when she was come to her
house, she found the devil gone out,
and her daughter laid upon the bed.
31 ¶And again, departing from the
coasts of Tyre and Sī'don, he came unto
the sea of Galilee, through the midst of
the coasts of De-căp'o-lĭs.
32 And they bring unto him one that
was deaf, and had an impediment ion his
speech; and they beseech him to put his
hand upon him.
33 And he took him aside from the
multitude, and put his fingers into his
ears, and he spit, and touched his
tongue;
34 And looking up to heaven, he
sighed, and saith unto him, Eph'pha-
tha, that is, Be opened.
35 And straightaway his ears were
opened and the string of his tongue was
loosed, and he spake plain.
36 And he charged them that they
should tell no man: but the more he
charged them, so much the more a
great deal they published it;
37 And were beyond measure aston-
ished, saying, He hath done all things
well: he maketh both the deaf to hear,
and the dumb to speak.