Isaac Asimov Foundation 09 Foundation and Chaos

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.He was somehow convinced that to stay, however,could be very dangerous.He paid the woman and thanked her in her own accent, then stood beneath thehuge balloon roof of the immigration and transfer authority area.The blueskies and distant fields showed through gaps where buildings had been torndown and not replaced.He found a cool, secluded spot next to an empty restaurant and sat on abench, holding the recorder display up to see how much it had captured.Five hours.For a few seconds, he simply sat and tapped the recorder against his chin,eyes heavy-lidded.Then, brows drawing in,fingers white where they gripped the tiny tube, he said, "Code: unforgivable.This is Planch, log in personal.Play back, all."23.The candidates for the Second Foundation did not meet in secret.Instead,they shared a plausible cover: they were a social club, interested in thehistory of certain games of chance, little different from other hobbyistsaround Trantor.Hobbies swept the planet with boring regularity, and evenafter their times had passed, small groups of adherents remained loyal.The mentalic candidates who could form part of the proposed Star's Endsettlement met, with official approval, twice a week, in a social hall in oneof the less fancy dormitories on the outskirts of Streeling University.Inthese run-down facilities, they were ignored by students who had come toTrantor from some of the less privileged worlds.The hall was not equipped with listening devices; Wanda herself had persuadeda caretaker to tell her of the older buildings whose bugs were either inactivePage 72ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlor had been removed.Wanda stood beside her husband, Stettin Palver, in the crowded hall andwaited for the 103 candidates to settle in to their seats.Thesergeant-at-arms closed and locked the doors, and three sensitives stood watchto make sure they were not eavesdropped upon.In this core group of mentalics the only one Wanda knew of, perhaps the onlyone there had ever been there was little need for calls to order or otherformal, spoken signals; the group tended to come to order with little overtfuss.She thought ruefully that this had nothing to do with politeness.Therehad been a large number of fractious outbreaks in the community since thebeginning, but disorder manifested itself in different ways with her people.Stettin raised his hand.The group had already fallen quiet.They all facedfront with deceptively placid expressions.Men-talks seldom exhibited theirtrue emotions, certainly not in the presence of their peers.Wanda felt little ripples of uncontrolled persuasion; they made her neckitch.She could pick out a few distinct strands in the welter, like smellsfrom a rich stew: currents of social and sexual tension, focused concern, evenuncoordinated attempts to override Stettin's dominance.In mentalics, not justthe conscious mind exerted its persuasive effects.My people, she thought.Heaven save me from my people!"We need the reports from our recruitment cells, " Stettin said quietly."Next, I'll give my report on mathematical and psychological training to bringour candidates up to speed with the other groups preparing for themission then we'll discuss the attrition.""We need to discuss the murders now!" said a young woman historian with thickblack hair cut in a wide bowl.Her green eyes blazed at Stettin and Wanda.Wanda deflected the woman's automatic whip of persuasion.Her neck itchedfiercely.The woman continued, voice calm but inner emotions raging."Every recruit forthe last three months ""There's a traitor among us!" interrupted a man from the back.Stettin pressed his lips together grimly and held up his hand again."We knowwho the so-called traitor is, " he said softly."Her name is Vara Liso."The crowd instantly quieted.Wanda observed the waves of turmoil and calmwith an intense but somehow distant interest.This is how we are.Grandfatherchose us because we are this way didn't he?"Perhaps we know her name, now, " the young historian said."But what gooddoes that do us? She is stronger than any of us here." She could barely beheard [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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