Read Online The Eyes of Heisenberg by Frank Herbert - Free Book Online Page B

something I wish to say about that if I—”
    â€œHold your tongue, pharmacist,” Nourse said. “We talk to Max.”
    Igan bowed his head, thought, How dangerous this is! And all because of that fool nurse. She wasn’t even one of us. No Cyborg-of-the-register knows her. A member of no cell or platoon. An accidental, a Sterrie, and she puts us in this terrible peril!
    Allgood saw that Igan’s hands trembled, wondered, What’s driving these surgeons? They can’t be such fools.
    â€œWas it not a deliberate thing that nurse did?” Calapine asked.
    â€œYes, Calapine,” Allgood said.
    â€œYour agents did not see it, yet we knew it had to be,” Calapine said. She turned to scan the instruments of the control center, returned her attention to Allgood. “Say now why this was.”

    Allgood sighed. “I have no excuses, Calapine. The men have been censured.”
    â€œSay now why the nurse acted thus,” Calapine ordered.
    Allgood wet his lips with his tongue, glanced at Boumour and Igan. They looked at the floor. He looked back to Calapine, at her face shimmering within the globe. “We were unable to discover her motives, Calapine.”
    â€œUnable?” Nourse demanded.
    â€œShe … ahh … ceased to exist during the interrogation, Nourse,” Allgood said. As the Tuyere stiffened, sitting bolt upright in their thrones, he added, “A flaw in her genetic cutting, so the pharmacists tell me.”
    â€œA profound pity,” Nourse said, settling back.
    Igan looked up, blurted, “It could’ve been a deliberate self-erasure, Nourse.”
    That damn’ fool! Allgood thought.
    But Nourse stared now at Igan. “You were present, Igan?”
    â€œBoumour and I administered the narcotics.”
    And she died, Igan thought. But we did not kill her. She died and we’ll be blamed for it. Where could she have learned the trick of stopping her own heart? Only Cyborgs are supposed to know and teach it.
    â€œDeliberate … self-erasure?” Nourse asked. Even when considered indirectly, the idea held terrifying implications.
    â€œMax!” Calapine said. “Say now if you used excessive … cruelty.” She leaned forward, wondering why she wanted him to admit barbarity.
    â€œShe suffered nothing, Calapine;” Allgood said.
    Calapine sat back disappointed. Could he be lying? She read her instruments: Calmness. He wasn’t lying.
    â€œPharmacist,” Nourse said, “explain your opinion.”
    â€œWe examined her carefully,” Igan said. “It couldn’t have been the narcotics. There’s no way …”
    â€œSome of us think it was a genetic flaw,” Boumour said.
    â€œThere’s disagreement,” Igan said. He glanced at Allgood, feeling the man’s disapproval. It had to be done, though. The Optimen must be made to know disquiet. When they could be tricked into acting emotionally, they
made mistakes. The plan called for them to make mistakes now. They must be put off balance—subtly, delicately.
    â€œYour opinion, Max?” Nourse asked. He watched carefully. They’d been getting poorer models lately, doppleganger degeneration.
    â€œWe’ve already taken cellular matter, Nourse,” Allgood said, “and are growing a duplicate. If we get a true copy, we’ll check the question of genetic flaw.”
    â€œIt is a pity the doppleganger won’t have the original’s memories,” Nourse said.
    â€œPity of pities,” Calapine said. She looked at Schruille “Is this not true, Schruille?”
    Schruille looked up at her without answering. Did she think she could bait him the way she did the meres ?
    â€œThis woman had a mate?” Nourse asked.
    â€œYes, Nourse,” Allgood said.
    â€œFertile union?”
    â€œNo, Nourse,” Allgood said. “A Sterrie.”
    â€œCompensate the mate,” Nourse said. “Another