Read Online The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Isaac Asimov
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction & Fantasy, American, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Human-alien encounters, Sun
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bad," said Chen. "They can use Pumping to supply themselves with the necessary energy. By your speculations, they're in fine shape."
"Not really," said Lament. Until now, he hadn't thought the para-situation through. "Once our end explodes, the Pumping stops. They can't keep it up without us, and that means they'll face a cooling star without Pump-energy. They might be worse off than we; we'd go out in a painless flash while their agony would be long-drawn-out."
"You have a good imagination, Professor," said Chen, "but I'm not buying it. I don't see any chance of giving up Pumping on nothing more than your imagination. Do you know what the Pump means to mankind? It's not just the free, clean, and copious energy. Look beyond that. What it means is that mankind no longer has to work for a living. It means that for the first time in history, mankind can turn its collective brains to the more important problem of developing its true potential.
"For instance, not all the medical advances of two and a half centuries have succeeded in advancing man's full life-span much past a hundred years. We've been told by gerontologists over and over that there is nothing, in theory, to stand in the way of human immortality, but so far not enough attention has been concentrated on this."
Lament said angrily, "Immortality! You're talking pipe dreams."
"Perhaps you're a judge of pipe dreams, Professor," said Chen, "but I intend to see ,that research into immortality begins. It won't begin it Pumping ends. Then we are back to expensive energy, scarce energy, dirty energy. Earth's two billions will have to go back to work for a living and the pipe dream of immortality will remain a pipe dream."
"It will anyway. No one is going to be immortal. No one is even going to live out a normal lifetime."
"Ah, but that is your theory, only."
Lament weighed the possibilities and decided to gamble. "Mr. Chen, a while ago I said I was not willing to explain my knowledge of the state of mind of the para-men. Well, let me try. We have been receiving messages."
"Yes, but can you interpret them?"
"We received an English word."
Chen frowned slightly. He suddenly put his hands in his pockets, stretched his short legs before him, and leaned back in his chair. "And what was the English word?"
"Fear!" Lament did not feel it necessary to mention the misspelling.
"Fear," repeated Chen; "and what do you think it means?"
"Isn't it clear that they're afraid of the Pumping phenomenon?"
"Not at all. If they were afraid, they would stop it. I think they're afraid, all right, but they're afraid that our side will stop it. You've gotten across your intention to them and if we stop it, as you want us to do, they've got to stop also. You said yourself they can't continue without us; it's a two-ended proposition. I don't blame them for being afraid."
Lament sat silent.
"I see," said Chen, "that you haven't thought of that. Well, then, we'll push for immortality. I think that will be the more popular cause."
"Oh, popular causes," said Lamont slowly. "I didn't understand what you found important. How old are you, Mr. Chen?"
For a moment, Chen bunked rapidly, then he turned away. He left the room, walking rapidly, with his hands clenched.
Lamont looked up his biography later. Chen was sixty and his father had died at sixty-two. But it didn't matter.
9
"You don't look as though you had any luck at all," said Bronowski.
Lamont was sitting in his laboratory, staring at the toes of his shoes and noting idly that they seemed unusually scuffed. He shook his head. "No."
"Even the great Chen failed you?"
"He would do nothing. He wants evidence, too. They all want evidence, but anything you offer them is rejected. What they really want is their damned Pump, or their reputation, or their place in history. Chen wants immortality."
"What do you want, Pete?" asked Bronowski, softly.
"Mankind's safety," said Lamont. He looked at the other's quizzical eyes. "You don't
"Not really," said Lament. Until now, he hadn't thought the para-situation through. "Once our end explodes, the Pumping stops. They can't keep it up without us, and that means they'll face a cooling star without Pump-energy. They might be worse off than we; we'd go out in a painless flash while their agony would be long-drawn-out."
"You have a good imagination, Professor," said Chen, "but I'm not buying it. I don't see any chance of giving up Pumping on nothing more than your imagination. Do you know what the Pump means to mankind? It's not just the free, clean, and copious energy. Look beyond that. What it means is that mankind no longer has to work for a living. It means that for the first time in history, mankind can turn its collective brains to the more important problem of developing its true potential.
"For instance, not all the medical advances of two and a half centuries have succeeded in advancing man's full life-span much past a hundred years. We've been told by gerontologists over and over that there is nothing, in theory, to stand in the way of human immortality, but so far not enough attention has been concentrated on this."
Lament said angrily, "Immortality! You're talking pipe dreams."
"Perhaps you're a judge of pipe dreams, Professor," said Chen, "but I intend to see ,that research into immortality begins. It won't begin it Pumping ends. Then we are back to expensive energy, scarce energy, dirty energy. Earth's two billions will have to go back to work for a living and the pipe dream of immortality will remain a pipe dream."
"It will anyway. No one is going to be immortal. No one is even going to live out a normal lifetime."
"Ah, but that is your theory, only."
Lament weighed the possibilities and decided to gamble. "Mr. Chen, a while ago I said I was not willing to explain my knowledge of the state of mind of the para-men. Well, let me try. We have been receiving messages."
"Yes, but can you interpret them?"
"We received an English word."
Chen frowned slightly. He suddenly put his hands in his pockets, stretched his short legs before him, and leaned back in his chair. "And what was the English word?"
"Fear!" Lament did not feel it necessary to mention the misspelling.
"Fear," repeated Chen; "and what do you think it means?"
"Isn't it clear that they're afraid of the Pumping phenomenon?"
"Not at all. If they were afraid, they would stop it. I think they're afraid, all right, but they're afraid that our side will stop it. You've gotten across your intention to them and if we stop it, as you want us to do, they've got to stop also. You said yourself they can't continue without us; it's a two-ended proposition. I don't blame them for being afraid."
Lament sat silent.
"I see," said Chen, "that you haven't thought of that. Well, then, we'll push for immortality. I think that will be the more popular cause."
"Oh, popular causes," said Lamont slowly. "I didn't understand what you found important. How old are you, Mr. Chen?"
For a moment, Chen bunked rapidly, then he turned away. He left the room, walking rapidly, with his hands clenched.
Lamont looked up his biography later. Chen was sixty and his father had died at sixty-two. But it didn't matter.
9
"You don't look as though you had any luck at all," said Bronowski.
Lamont was sitting in his laboratory, staring at the toes of his shoes and noting idly that they seemed unusually scuffed. He shook his head. "No."
"Even the great Chen failed you?"
"He would do nothing. He wants evidence, too. They all want evidence, but anything you offer them is rejected. What they really want is their damned Pump, or their reputation, or their place in history. Chen wants immortality."
"What do you want, Pete?" asked Bronowski, softly.
"Mankind's safety," said Lamont. He looked at the other's quizzical eyes. "You don't
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