Sar-Say. When he did not respond, she repeated the performance. He continued to watch her in silence as his brain worked overtime to resolve a dilemma he had been considering ever since his capture.
It had taken Sar-Say several days to come to the realization that these people were ignorant of Civilization. The situation was not without precedent, of course. There were stations throughout the Broan dominion that swept the stars for telltale signs of a technologically advanced species. Once detected, a flotilla of warcraft would use dozens of refocused stargates to converge on that system.
Usually a show of overwhelming force was sufficient to gain a species’ grudging acceptance of Broan domination. Sometimes actual fighting took place. In either event, the decision was never in doubt. A species either submitted to the overlords or else they were exterminated.
However, this was the first time such outsiders had, in effect, discovered Civilization for themselves. The situation held great danger, but also, the prospect of great opportunity. Properly exploited, it would bring considerable profit to Sar-Say and all his line. Everything turned on what he told these beings of the situation out among the stars. To be caught in a lie would be disastrous. It would likely end his life and all possibility of personal profit. Yet, the whole truth would be equally disastrous. How much to tell these strange bipeds and how much to conceal? That was the dilemma.
There had been no need to commit himself so long as his captors were content merely to watch him.
With the arrival of this knowledge seeker, however, the time for contemplation had ended. Eventually he must acknowledge their attempts at communication. Once committed, he would have to tell them something of Civilization, and whatever that something was, it would have to be self-consistent. He had spent his time in captivity mapping out several versions of “the truth.” Each had its advantages and its risks.
The problem was that any advanced species possessed computers - by definition! With computers comes information theory, and that leads to a scientific theory of language. Shortly after inventing the infernal machines, most species quickly developed software that could analyze an individual’s speech -
say that of a prisoner - and determine from the content whether that individual told the truth. The method was not 100% accurate, of course; and it worked less well on aliens than on one’s own species.
However, given a sufficiently large sample and the time to study the subject’s pronouncements, the internal inconsistencies would inevitably become apparent. No thinking being can remember everything when forced to substitute imagination for actual experience over a long period.
Since Sar-Say expected his captors would use the technique on him, he dare not stray too far from the truth. In fact, the longer the bipeds studied him, the less he would be able to conceal. No, if he was going to lie, he would have to limit it to something simple, but vital. To escape detection, his secret must be small, and heavily swaddled in a wrapping of truth.
Sar-Say reviewed one last time what he knew of these people, of their current state of knowledge, and what they were liable to learn about him in the future. He considered ... contemplated ... then made his decision. His twin hearts picked up their beat. For he was at a convergence of the star lanes. From this moment on, he would be committed. There would be no turning back.
Sar-Say sat and watched the female go through her elaborate pantomime for perhaps the twelfth time.
Again the two syllables “Leee ... Saaa” echoed through the compartment.
Slowly, as though he was just beginning to understand, Sar-Say bent his own arm to touch his chest. He, too, bared his teeth, although that expression among his people was more an invitation to battle than a sign of mirth. Then he opened his mouth and let the sounds that he had
It had taken Sar-Say several days to come to the realization that these people were ignorant of Civilization. The situation was not without precedent, of course. There were stations throughout the Broan dominion that swept the stars for telltale signs of a technologically advanced species. Once detected, a flotilla of warcraft would use dozens of refocused stargates to converge on that system.
Usually a show of overwhelming force was sufficient to gain a species’ grudging acceptance of Broan domination. Sometimes actual fighting took place. In either event, the decision was never in doubt. A species either submitted to the overlords or else they were exterminated.
However, this was the first time such outsiders had, in effect, discovered Civilization for themselves. The situation held great danger, but also, the prospect of great opportunity. Properly exploited, it would bring considerable profit to Sar-Say and all his line. Everything turned on what he told these beings of the situation out among the stars. To be caught in a lie would be disastrous. It would likely end his life and all possibility of personal profit. Yet, the whole truth would be equally disastrous. How much to tell these strange bipeds and how much to conceal? That was the dilemma.
There had been no need to commit himself so long as his captors were content merely to watch him.
With the arrival of this knowledge seeker, however, the time for contemplation had ended. Eventually he must acknowledge their attempts at communication. Once committed, he would have to tell them something of Civilization, and whatever that something was, it would have to be self-consistent. He had spent his time in captivity mapping out several versions of “the truth.” Each had its advantages and its risks.
The problem was that any advanced species possessed computers - by definition! With computers comes information theory, and that leads to a scientific theory of language. Shortly after inventing the infernal machines, most species quickly developed software that could analyze an individual’s speech -
say that of a prisoner - and determine from the content whether that individual told the truth. The method was not 100% accurate, of course; and it worked less well on aliens than on one’s own species.
However, given a sufficiently large sample and the time to study the subject’s pronouncements, the internal inconsistencies would inevitably become apparent. No thinking being can remember everything when forced to substitute imagination for actual experience over a long period.
Since Sar-Say expected his captors would use the technique on him, he dare not stray too far from the truth. In fact, the longer the bipeds studied him, the less he would be able to conceal. No, if he was going to lie, he would have to limit it to something simple, but vital. To escape detection, his secret must be small, and heavily swaddled in a wrapping of truth.
Sar-Say reviewed one last time what he knew of these people, of their current state of knowledge, and what they were liable to learn about him in the future. He considered ... contemplated ... then made his decision. His twin hearts picked up their beat. For he was at a convergence of the star lanes. From this moment on, he would be committed. There would be no turning back.
Sar-Say sat and watched the female go through her elaborate pantomime for perhaps the twelfth time.
Again the two syllables “Leee ... Saaa” echoed through the compartment.
Slowly, as though he was just beginning to understand, Sar-Say bent his own arm to touch his chest. He, too, bared his teeth, although that expression among his people was more an invitation to battle than a sign of mirth. Then he opened his mouth and let the sounds that he had
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