name they choose, there is a tendency to be vague about its location—placing it indefinitely far away or in some never-never land.”
Trevize said, “Yes, as some on Sayshell told us that Gaia was located in hyperspace.”
Bliss laughed.
Trevize cast her a quick glance. “It’s true. That’s what we were told.”
“I don’t disbelieve it. It’s amusing, that’s all. It is, of course, what we want them to believe. We only ask to be left alone right now, and where can we be safer and more secure than in hyperspace? If we’re not there, we’re as good as there, if people believe that to be our location.”
“Yes,” said Trevize dryly, “and in the same way there is something that causes people to believe that Earth doesn’t exist, or that it is far away, or that it has a radioactive crust.”
“Except,” said Pelorat, “that the Comporellians believe it to be relatively close to themselves.”
“But nevertheless give it a radioactive crust. One way or another every people with an Earth-legend consider Earth to be unapproachable.”
“That’s more or less right,” said Pelorat.
Trevize said, “Many on Sayshell believed Gaia to be nearby; some even identified its star correctly; and yet all considered it unapproachable. There may be some Comporellians who insist that Earth is radioactive and dead, but who can identify its star. We will then approach it, unapproachable though they may consider it. We did exactly that in the case of Gaia.”
Bliss said, “Gaia was willing to receive you, Trevize. You were helpless in our grip but we had no thought of harming you. What if Earth, too, is powerful, but not benevolent. What then?”
“I must in any case try to reach it, and accept the consequences. However, that is
my
task. Once I locate Earth and head for it, it will not be too late for you to leave. I will put you off on the nearest Foundation world, or take you back to Gaia, if you insist, and then go on to Earth alone.”
“My dear chap,” said Pelorat, in obvious distress. “Don’t say such things. I wouldn’t dream of abandoning you.”
“Or I of abandoning Pel,” said Bliss, as she reached out a hand to touch Pelorat’s cheek.
“Very well, then. It won’t be long before we’re ready to take the Jump to Comporellon and thereafter, let us hope, it will be—on to Earth.”
PART II
COMPORELLON
3
AT THE ENTRY STATION
9.
BLISS, ENTERING THEIR CHAMBER, SAID, “DID TREVIZE tell you that we are going to make the Jump and go through hyperspace any moment now?”
Pelorat, who was bent over his viewing disk, looked up, and said, “Actually, he just looked in and told me ‘within the half-hour.’ ”
“I don’t like the thought of it, Pel. I’ve never liked the Jump. I get a funny inside-out feeling.”
Pelorat looked a bit surprised. “I had not thought of you as a space traveler, Bliss dear.”
“I’m not particularly, and I don’t mean that this is so only in my aspect as a component. Gaia itself has no occasion for regular space travel. By my/our/Gaia’s very nature, I/we/Gaia don’t explore, trade, or space junket. Still, there is the necessity of having someone at the entry stations—”
“As when we were fortunate enough to meet you.”
“Yes, Pel.” She smiled at him affectionately. “Or even to visit Sayshell and other stellar regions, for various reasons—usually clandestine. But, clandestine or not, that always means the Jump and, of course, when any part of Gaia Jumps, all of Gaia feels it.”
“That’s too bad,” said Pel.
“It could be worse. The large mass of Gaia is
not
undergoing the Jump, so the effect is greatly diluted. However, I seem to feel it much more than most of Gaia. As I keep trying to tell Trevize, though all of Gaia is Gaia, the individual components are not identical. We have our differences, and my makeup is, for some reason, particularly sensitive to the Jump.”
“Wait!” said Pelorat, suddenly remembering.
Trevize said, “Yes, as some on Sayshell told us that Gaia was located in hyperspace.”
Bliss laughed.
Trevize cast her a quick glance. “It’s true. That’s what we were told.”
“I don’t disbelieve it. It’s amusing, that’s all. It is, of course, what we want them to believe. We only ask to be left alone right now, and where can we be safer and more secure than in hyperspace? If we’re not there, we’re as good as there, if people believe that to be our location.”
“Yes,” said Trevize dryly, “and in the same way there is something that causes people to believe that Earth doesn’t exist, or that it is far away, or that it has a radioactive crust.”
“Except,” said Pelorat, “that the Comporellians believe it to be relatively close to themselves.”
“But nevertheless give it a radioactive crust. One way or another every people with an Earth-legend consider Earth to be unapproachable.”
“That’s more or less right,” said Pelorat.
Trevize said, “Many on Sayshell believed Gaia to be nearby; some even identified its star correctly; and yet all considered it unapproachable. There may be some Comporellians who insist that Earth is radioactive and dead, but who can identify its star. We will then approach it, unapproachable though they may consider it. We did exactly that in the case of Gaia.”
Bliss said, “Gaia was willing to receive you, Trevize. You were helpless in our grip but we had no thought of harming you. What if Earth, too, is powerful, but not benevolent. What then?”
“I must in any case try to reach it, and accept the consequences. However, that is
my
task. Once I locate Earth and head for it, it will not be too late for you to leave. I will put you off on the nearest Foundation world, or take you back to Gaia, if you insist, and then go on to Earth alone.”
“My dear chap,” said Pelorat, in obvious distress. “Don’t say such things. I wouldn’t dream of abandoning you.”
“Or I of abandoning Pel,” said Bliss, as she reached out a hand to touch Pelorat’s cheek.
“Very well, then. It won’t be long before we’re ready to take the Jump to Comporellon and thereafter, let us hope, it will be—on to Earth.”
PART II
COMPORELLON
3
AT THE ENTRY STATION
9.
BLISS, ENTERING THEIR CHAMBER, SAID, “DID TREVIZE tell you that we are going to make the Jump and go through hyperspace any moment now?”
Pelorat, who was bent over his viewing disk, looked up, and said, “Actually, he just looked in and told me ‘within the half-hour.’ ”
“I don’t like the thought of it, Pel. I’ve never liked the Jump. I get a funny inside-out feeling.”
Pelorat looked a bit surprised. “I had not thought of you as a space traveler, Bliss dear.”
“I’m not particularly, and I don’t mean that this is so only in my aspect as a component. Gaia itself has no occasion for regular space travel. By my/our/Gaia’s very nature, I/we/Gaia don’t explore, trade, or space junket. Still, there is the necessity of having someone at the entry stations—”
“As when we were fortunate enough to meet you.”
“Yes, Pel.” She smiled at him affectionately. “Or even to visit Sayshell and other stellar regions, for various reasons—usually clandestine. But, clandestine or not, that always means the Jump and, of course, when any part of Gaia Jumps, all of Gaia feels it.”
“That’s too bad,” said Pel.
“It could be worse. The large mass of Gaia is
not
undergoing the Jump, so the effect is greatly diluted. However, I seem to feel it much more than most of Gaia. As I keep trying to tell Trevize, though all of Gaia is Gaia, the individual components are not identical. We have our differences, and my makeup is, for some reason, particularly sensitive to the Jump.”
“Wait!” said Pelorat, suddenly remembering.
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