their basic weakness with thecrude strength of the Markovians and other races to which they cling.They haven't the strength to build a civilization of their own.Certainly they haven't got the power to influence the whole Nucleus.No--we'll have to look a good deal farther than the Ids before we findthe answer. I'm convinced of that, even though I'd like to find outexactly what makes _them_ tick. Maybe next trip--"
* * * * *
The following days were spent in almost profitless activity as far astheir basic purpose in being in the Nucleus was concerned. Marthasa andhis wife took them on long tours through the city and into the scenicareas of the continent. They promised trips over the whole planet and toother worlds of the Nucleus. There seemed no end to the sight-seeingthat was proposed for them to do.
Cameron improved his facility with the language, and Joyce was beginningto get along without the translator. They were introduced to aconsiderable number of other Markovians, including the officialrepresentative of Premier Jargla. This gave them added contact with theMarkovian character, but Marthasa and his family seemed so typical ofthe race that scarcely anything new was learned from the others.
At no time was anything hinted in reference to the original reluctanceto have the Terrans visit the Nucleus. All possible courtesy was shownthem now, and Cameron dared not mention the invitations to stay home. Hefelt the situation was as penetrable as a thick wall of sponge rubberbacked by a ten-foot foundation of steel.
After three weeks of this, however, he cautiously broached the subjectof meeting the son and daughter of Marthasa in regard to visiting thelibrary and museum. He had met each of them just once and found themrather cool to his presence. He had not dared express his interest intheir specialties at that time.
Marthasa was favorable and apologetic, however. "I have intended toarrange it," he said. "There have been so many other things to do that Ihave neglected your interest in these things. We won't neglect it anylonger. Suppose we make an appointment for this afternoon? Zlenon willbe able to give you his personal attention."
JOYCE]
Zlenon was Marthasa's son, who held the position of Chief Historian atthe research library. He was more slender and darker than his father,and lacking in his volubility and glad-handedness.
He greeted Cameron's request with a tolerant smile. "You have to bequite specific, Mr. Wilder, when you say you would like to know aboutthe history of the Markovian Nucleus. You understand the Nucleusconsists of over a hundred worlds and has a composite history extendingback more than thirty thousand of your years in very minute detail."
Cameron countered with a helpless shrug and smile. "I'm afraid I'll haveto depend on your good nature to guide me through such a mass. I don'tintend to become a student of Markovian history, of course, but perhapsyou have adequate summaries with which a stranger could start. Goingbackward, let us say, for perhaps two or three hundred Terran years?"
"Of course--some very excellent ones are available--" He moved towardthe reading table nearby and began punching a selection of buttons.
As Cameron and Joyce moved to follow, Marthasa waved a hand expansivelyand started out the other way. "I can see you're going to be set for awhile. I'll just leave you here, and send the car back after I reach thehouse. Don't be late for dinner."
They nodded and smiled and turned to Zlenon. The Markovian was watchingthem with pin-point eyes. "I wondered if there was any _particular_problem in which you might be interested," he said calmly. "If thereis--?"
Cameron shook his head hastily. "No--certainly not. Just generalinformation--"
The Historian turned his attention to the table and began explaining itsuse to the Terrans, showing how they could obtain recording of anyspecific material they wished to choose. It would appear in eitherprinted or pictorial form or could be had on audio if they wanted it.Once he was certain they could make their own selections he left them totheir study.
"This is the best break we could possibly have hoped for," Joycewhispered as Zlenon disappeared from their sight. "We can get anythingwe want in the whole library if I understand the operation of thisgadget the way I think I do."
"That's the way it looks to me," Cameron answered. "But don't get yourhopes too high. There must be a catch in it somewhere, the way they weretrying to shoo us away from coming here."
* * * * *
They punched the buttons for the history of the planet they were on,scanning slowly from the present to earlier years. There were endlessaccountings of trading and commercial treaties between members of theNucleus as shifts of economic balance occurred. There were stories ofexplorations and benevolent contacts with races on the outer worlds.Details of their most outstanding scientific discoveries, which seemedto come with profligate rapidity--
Cameron whipped back through the pages of the histories, searching onlyfor a single item, one clue to the swift evolution from barbarism topeaceful co-operation. After an hour he was in the middle of thatcritical period when the Council despaired of its inability to cope withthe Markovian menace.
But the stories of commerce and invention and far-flung exchange withother peoples continued. Nowhere was there any reference to the violenceof the period. They went back two hundred--five hundred years--beyondthe time when Council members first made contact with the Nucleus.
There was nothing.
Cameron sat back in complete puzzlement as it became apparent that itwas useless to go back further. "The normal thing would be for them tobrag all over the place about their great conquests. Even races whobecome comparatively civilized citizens ordinarily let themselves gowhen it comes to history. If they've had a long record of conquest andbloodshed, they say so with plenty of chest pounding. Of course, it'spadded out to reflect their righteous conquest over tyranny, but it'salways there in _some_ form.
"But nothing up to now has been normal about the development of theMarkovian problem and this really tops it off--the complete omission ofany reference to their armed conquests."
"Maybe this planet didn't participate very much. Perhaps only a smallnumber of the Nucleus worlds were responsible for it," said Joyce.
Cameron shook his head. "No. The Council records show that the Nucleusas a unit was responsible, and that virtually all the worlds arespecifically mentioned. And even if this one had been out of itcompletely you could still expect references to it because there wasconstant interchange with most of the other planets. We can try anotherone, though--"
They tried one more, then a half dozen in quick scanning. They sweptthrough a summarization of the Nucleus as a whole during that criticalperiod.
There was nothing to show that the Markovians had ever been anything butpeace-loving citizens intent on pursuit of science, commerce, and thearts.
"This could have been rigged for our special benefit," said Joycethoughtfully as they ended the day's futile search. "They didn't want toapply enough pressure to keep us from coming, but they did want to makesure we wouldn't find out anything about their past."
Cameron shook his head slowly. "It couldn't have been done in the timethey've had. Simply cutting out what they didn't want to show uswouldn't have done it. There's too much cross reference to all periodsinvolved. It's a complete phony, but it's not something done on the spurof the moment just for our benefit. It's too good for that."
"Maybe they've had it for a _long_ time--just in case somebody like usshould come along."
"It's possible, but I don't think that's right either," said Cameron. "Ican't give you any reason for thinking so--except the phoniness goesdeeper than merely deceiving an investigator. Somehow I have the feelingthat the Markovians are even deceiving themselves!"
* * * * *
They left the building and took the car back to the house of Marthasawithout seeing Zlenon again. Their Markovian host was waiting. Cameronthought he sensed a trace of tension in Marthasa that wasn't therebefore as he led them to seats in the garden.
"We
don't like to boast about the Nucleus," he said with his customaryvolubility, "but we have to admit we are proud of our science andtechnology. Few civilizations in the Universe can match it. That's notto disparage the fine accomplishments of the Terrans, you understand,but it's only _natural_ that out here on these older worlds--"
They listened half attentively, trying in their imaginations to piercethe armor he used to defend so frantically the thing the Markovians didnot want the outer worlds to know anything about.
The talk went on during mealtime. Marthasa's wife caught the spirit ofit and they both regaled the Terrans with accounts of the grandeur ofMarkovian exploits. Cameron grew more and more depressed by it,