fitted every known fact, as faras he knew. Still--
"I would think," he said, "that the Nipe would have realized, after tenyears, that there is no such race of Real People. He's had access to allour records, and such things. Or does he reject them as lies?"
"Possibly he would, if he could read them. Did I not say he wasilliterate?"
"You mean he's learned to speak our languages, but not to read them?"
The scientist smiled broadly. "Your statement is accurate, my friend, butincomplete. It is my opinion that the Nipe is incapable of reading anywritten language whatever. The concept does not exist in his mind, exceptvaguely."
"A technological race without a written language? That's impossible!"
"Ah, no. Ask yourself: What need has a race with a perfect memory forwritten records--at least, in the sense we know them. Certainly not toremember things. All their history and all their technology exists in thecollective mind of the race--or, at least, most of it. I dare say that theless important parts of their history has been glossed over and forgotten.One important event in every ten centuries would still give a historianten thousand events to remember--and history is only a late development inour own society."
"How about communications?" Stanton said, "What did they use before theyinvented radio?"
"Ah. That is why I hedged when I said he was _almost_ illiterate. There isa possibility that a written symbology did at one time exist, for justthat purpose. If so, it has probably survived as a ritualistic form--whenan officer is appointed to a post, let's say, he may get a formal paperthat says so. They may use symbols to signify rank and so on. Theycertainly must have a symbology for the calibration of scientificinstruments.
"But none of these requires the complexity of a written language. I daresay our use of it is quite baffling to him. And if he thinks of symbols asbeing unable to convey much information, then he might not be able tolearn to read at all. You see?"
"Where's your evidence for that?"
"It is sketchy, I will admit," said Yoritomo. "It is not as solidly basedas our other reconstructions of his background. The pattern of his raidsindicates, however, that his knowledge of the materials he wants and theirlocations comes from vocal sources--television advertising,eaves-dropping, and so on. In other words, he cases the joint by ear. Ifhe could understand written information, his job would have been mucheasier. He could have found the materials more quickly and easily. Fromthis evidence, we are fairly certain that he can't read any Terrestrialwriting.
"Add to that the fact that he has never been observed writing downanything himself, and the suspicion dawns that perhaps he _knows_ thatsymbols can only convey a very small amount of specialized information.Eh?
"As I said, it is not proof."
"No. But the whole thing makes for some very interesting speculation,doesn't it?"
"Very interesting indeed." Yoritomo folded his hands in his lap, smiledseraphically, and looked at the ceiling. "In fact, my friend, we are nowso positive of our knowledge of the Nipe's mind that we are prepared toenter into the next phase of our program. Within a very short while, if weare correct, we shall, with your help, arrest the most fearedarch-criminal that Earth has ever known." He chuckled, but there waslittle mirth in it. "I dare say that the public will be extremely happy tohear of his death, and I know that Colonel Mannheim and the rest of uswill be glad to know that he will never kill again."
Stanton saw that the fateful day was looming suddenly large in thefuture. "How soon?"
"Within days." He lowered his eyes from the ceiling and looked intoStanton's face with a mildly bland expression.
"By the way," he said, "did you know that your brother is returning toEarth tomorrow?"
XV
INTERLUDE
"Is this our young man, Dr. Farnsworth?" asked the man in uniform.
"Yes, it is. Colonel Mannheim, I'd like you to meet Mr. BartholomewStanton."
"How are you, Mr. Stanton?"
"Fine, Colonel. A little nervous."
The colonel chuckled softly. "I can't say that I blame you. It's not aneasy decision to make." He looked at Dr. Farnsworth. "Has Dr. Yoritomo anymore information for us?"
Farnsworth shook his head. "No. He admits that his idea is nothing morethan a wild hunch. He seems to think that five years of observing the Nipewon't be too much time at all. We may have to act before then."
"I hope not. It would be a terrible waste," said Mannheim. "Mr. Stanton, Iknow that Dr. Farnsworth has outlined the entire plan to you, and I'm sureyou're aware that many things can change in five years. We may have toplay by ear long before that. Do you understand what we are doing, and whyit must be done this way?"
"Yes, sir."
"You know that you're not to say anything."
"Yes, sir. Don't worry; I can keep my mouth shut."
"We're pretty sure of that," the colonel said with a smile. "Yourpsychometric tests showed that we were right in picking you. Otherwise, wecouldn't have told you. You understand your part in this, eh?"
"Yes, sir."
"Any questions?"
"Yes, sir. What about my brother, Martin? I mean, well, I know what's thematter with him. Aside from the radiation, I mean. Do you think he'll beable to handle his part of the job after--after the operations?"
"If the operations turn out as well as Dr. Farnsworth thinks they will,yes. And, with the therapy we'll give him afterwards, he'll be in fineshape."
"Well." He looked thoughtful. "Five more years. And then I'll have thetwin brother that I never really had at all. Somehow, it doesn't reallyregister, I guess."
"Don't worry about it, Mr. Stanton," said Dr. Farnsworth. "We've got acomplex enough job ahead of us without your worrying in the bargain. Bythe way, we'll need your signature here." He handed him a pen and spreadthe paper on the desk. "In triplicate."
The young man read quickly through the release form. "All nice and legal,huh? Well...." He hesitated for a moment, then bent over and wrote:_Bartholomew Stanton_ in a firm, clear hand.
XVI
The tunnel was long and black and the air was stale and thick with thestench of rodents. Stanton stood still, trying to probe the luminescentgloom that the goggles he wore brought to his eyes. The tunnel stretchedout before him--on and on. Around him was the smell of viciousness anddeath. Ahead ...
_It goes on to infinity_, Stanton thought, _ending at last at zero_.
"Barbell," said a voice near his ear, "Barhop here. Do you read?" It wasthe barest whisper, picked up by the antennae in his shoes from the steelrail that ran along the tunnel.
"Read you, Barhop."
"Move out, then. You've got a long stroll to go."
Stanton started walking, keeping his feet near the rail, in case Barhopwanted to call again. As he walked, he could feel the slight motion of theskin-tight, woven elastic suit that he wore rubbing against his skin.
And he could hear the scratching patter of the rats.
Mostly, they stayed away from him, but he could see them hiding in cornersand scurrying along the sides of the tunnel. Around him, six rat-likeremote-control robots moved with him, shifting their pattern constantly asthey patrolled his moving figure.
Far ahead, he knew, other rat robots were stationed, watching and waiting,ready to deactivate the Nipe's detection devices at just the right moment.Behind him, another horde moved forward to turn the devices on again.
It had taken a long time to learn how to shut off those detectors withoutgiving the alarm to the Nipe's instruments.
There were nearly a hundred men in on the operation, operating the robotrats or watching the hidden cameras that spied upon the Nipe. Nearly ahundred. And all of them were safe.
They were outside the tunnel. They were with Stanton only in proxy. Theycould not die here in this stinking hole, but Stanton could.
There was no help for it. Stanton had to go in person. A full-sized robotproxy would be stronger, although not faster unless Stanton controlled it,than the Nipe. But the Nipe would be able to te
ll that it was a robot, andhe would simply destroy it with one of his weapons. A remote-controlledrobot would never get close enough to the Nipe to do any good.
"We do not know," Dr. Yoritomo had said, "whether he would recognize it asa robot or not, but his instruments would show the metal easily enough,and his eyes might be able to see that it was not covered with human skin.The rats are covered with real rat hides; they are small, and he is usedto seeing them around. But a human-sized robot? Ah, no. Never."
So Stanton had to go in in person, walking southward, along the miles ofblackness that led