Second Foundation Part 19

"Well, then just one thing: If you're going to Terminus, could you ... would you see my father?"

And Pappa's face crinkled and seemed to melt into sympathy, "Oh and I have to wait for you to tell me. Sure, I'll see him. I'll tell him you're safe and everything's O.K., and when the war is over, I'll bring you back."

"Thanks. I'll tell you how to find him. His name is Dr. Toran Darell and he lives in Stanmark. That's just outside Terminus City, and you can get a little commuting plane that goes there. We're at 55 Channel Drive."

"Wait, and I'll write it down."

"No, no," Arcadia's arm shot out. "You mustn't write anything down. You must remember and find him without anybody's help."

Pappa looked puzzled. Then he shrugged his shoulders. "All right, then. It's 55 Channel Drive in Stanmark, outside Terminus City, and you commute there by plane. All right?"

"One other thing."

"Yes?"

"Would you tell him something from me?"

"Sure."

"I want to whisper it to you."

He leaned his plump cheek toward her, and the little whispered sound pa.s.sed from one to the other.

Pappa's eyes were round. "That's what you want me to say? But it doesn't make sense."

"He'll know what you mean. Just say I sent it and that I said he would know what it means. And you say it exactly the way I told you. No different. You won't forget it?"

"How can I forget it? Five little words. Look"

"No, no." She hopped up and down in the intensity of her feelings. "Don't repeat it. Don't ever repeat it to anyone. Forget all about it except to my father. Promise me."

Pappa shrugged again. "I promise! All right!"

"All right," she said, mournfully, and as he pa.s.sed down the drive to where the air taxi waited to take him to the s.p.a.ceport, she wondered if she had signed his death warrant. She wondered if she would ever see him again.

She scarcely dared to walk into the house again to face the good, kind Mamma. Maybe when it was all over, she had better kill herself for what she had done to them.

19

End of War

QUORISTON, BATTLE OF Fought on 9, 17, 377 F.E. between the forces of the Foundation and those of Lord Stettin of Kalgan, it was the last battle of consequence during the Interregnum .... Fought on 9, 17, 377 F.E. between the forces of the Foundation and those of Lord Stettin of Kalgan, it was the last battle of consequence during the Interregnum ....

Jole Turbor, in his new role of war correspondent, found his bulk incased in a naval uniform, and rather liked it. He enjoyed being back on the air, and some of the fierce helplessness of the futile fight against the Second Foundation left him in the excitement of another sort of fight with substantial s.h.i.+ps and ordinary men.

To be sure, the Foundation's fight had not been remarkable for victories, but it was still possible to be philosophic about the matter. After six months, the hard core of the Foundation was untouched, and the hard core of the Fleet was still in being. With the new additions since the start of the war, it was almost as strong numerically, and stronger technically, than before the defeat at Ifni.

And meanwhile, planetary defenses were being strengthened; the armed forces better trained; administrative efficiency was having some of the water squeezed out of it and much of the Kalganian's conquering fleet was being wallowed down through the necessity of occupying the "conquered" territory.

At the moment, Turbor was with the Third Fleet in the outer reaches of the Anacreonian sector. In line with his policy of making this a "little man's war," he was interviewing Fennel Leemor, Engineer Third Cla.s.s, volunteer.

"Tell us a little about yourself, sailor," said Turbor.

"Ain't much to tell," Leemor shuffled his feet and allowed a faint, bashful smile to cover his face, as though he could see all the millions that undoubtedly could see him at the moment. I'm a Locrian. Got a job in an air-car factory; section head and good pay. I'm married; got two kids, both girls. Say, I couldn't say h.e.l.lo to them, could I in case they're listening."

"Go ahead, sailor. The video is all yours."

"Gosh, thanks." He burbled, "h.e.l.lo, Milla, in case you're listening, I'm fine. Is Sunni all right? And Tomma? I think of you all the time and maybe I'll be back on furlough after we get back to port. I got your food parcel but I'm sending it back. We get our regular mess, but they say the civilians are a little tight. I guess that's all."

"I'll look her up next time I'm on Locris, sailor, and make sure she's not short of food. O.K.?"

The young man smiled broadly and nodded his head. "Thank you, Mr. Turbor. I'd appreciate that."

"All right. Suppose you tell us, then You're a volunteer, aren't you?"

"Sure am. If anyone picks a fight with me, I don't have to wait for anyone to drag me in. I joined up the day I heard about the Hober Mallow." Hober Mallow."

"That's a fine spirit. Have you seen much action? I notice "You're wearing two battle stars."

"Ptah." The sailor spat. "Those weren't battles, they were chases. The Kalganians don't fight, unless they have odds of five to one or better in their favor. Even then they just edge in and try to cut us up s.h.i.+p by s.h.i.+p. Cousin of mine was at Ifni and he was on a s.h.i.+p that got away, the old The sailor spat. "Those weren't battles, they were chases. The Kalganians don't fight, unless they have odds of five to one or better in their favor. Even then they just edge in and try to cut us up s.h.i.+p by s.h.i.+p. Cousin of mine was at Ifni and he was on a s.h.i.+p that got away, the old Ebling Mis. Ebling Mis. He says it was the same there. They had their Main Fleet against just a wing division of ours, and down to where we only had five s.h.i.+ps left, they kept stalking instead of fighting. We got twice as many of their s.h.i.+ps at He says it was the same there. They had their Main Fleet against just a wing division of ours, and down to where we only had five s.h.i.+ps left, they kept stalking instead of fighting. We got twice as many of their s.h.i.+ps at that that fight." fight."

"Then you think we're going to win the war?"

Sure bet; now that we aren't retreating. Even if things got too bad, that's when I'd expect the Second Foundation to step in. We still got the Seldon Plan and they they know it, too." know it, too."

Turbor's lips curled a bit. "You're counting on the Second Foundation, then?"

The answer came with honest surprise. "Well, doesn't everyone?"

Junior Officer Tippellum stepped into Turbor's room after the visicast. He shoved a cigarette at the correspondent and knocked his cap back to a perilous balance on the occiput.

"We picked up a prisoner," he said.

"Yes?"

"Little crazy fellow. Claims to be a neutral diplomatic immunity, no less. I don't think they know what to do with him. His name's Palvro, Palver, something like that, and he says he's from Trantor. Don't know what in s.p.a.ce he's doing in a war zone."

But Turbor had swung to a sitting position on his bunk and the nap he had been about to take was forgotten. He remembered quite well his last interview with Darell, the day after war had been declared and he was shoving off.

"Preem Palver," he said. It was a statement.

Tippellum paused and let the smoke trickle out the sides of his mouth. "Yeah," he said, "how in s.p.a.ce did you know?"

"Never mind. Can I see him?"

"s.p.a.ce, I I can't say. The old man has him in his own room for questioning. Everyone figures he's a spy." can't say. The old man has him in his own room for questioning. Everyone figures he's a spy."

"You tell the old man that I know him, if he's who he claims he is. I'II take the responsibility."

Captain Dixyl on the flags.h.i.+p of the Third Fleet watched unremittingly at the Grand Detector. No s.h.i.+p could avoid being a source of subatomic radiation not even if it were lying an inert ma.s.s and each focal point of such radiation was a little sparkle in the three-dimensional field.

Each one of the Foundation's s.h.i.+ps were accounted for and no sparkle was left over, now that the little spy who claimed to be a neutral had been picked up. For a while, that outside s.h.i.+p had created a stir in the captain's quarters. The tactics might have needed changing on short notice. As it was "Are you sure you have it?" he asked.

Commander Cenn nodded. "I will take my squadron through hypers.p.a.ce: radius, 10.00 pa.r.s.ecs; theta, 268.52 degrees; phi, 84.15 degrees. Return to origin at 1330. Total absence 11.83 hours."

"Right. Now we are going to count on pin-point return as regards both s.p.a.ce and time. Understand?"

"Yes, captain." He looked at his wrist watch, "My s.h.i.+ps will be ready by 0140."

"Good," said Captain Dixyl.

The Kalganian squadron was not within detector range now, but they would be soon. There was independent information to that effect. Without Cenn's squadron the Foundation forces would be badly outnumbered, but the captain was quite confident. Quite Quite confident. confident.

Preem Palver looked sadly about him. First at the tall, skinny admiral; then at the others, everyone in uniform; and now at this last one, big and stout, with his collar open and no tie not like the rest who said he wanted to speak to him.

Jole Turbor was saying: "I am perfectly aware, admiral, of the serious possibilities involved here, but I tell you that if I can be allowed to speak to him for a few minutes, I may be able to settle the current uncertainty."

"Is there any reason why you can't question him before me?"

Turbor pursed his lips and looked stubborn. "Admiral," he said, "while I have been attached to your s.h.i.+ps, the Third Fleet has received an excellent press. You may station men outside the door, if you like, and you may return in five minutes. But, meanwhile, humor me a bit, and your public relations will not suffer. Do you understand me?"

He did.

Then Turbor in the isolation that followed, turned to Palver, and said, "Quickly what is the name of the girl you abducted."

And Palver could simply stare round-eyed, and shake his head.

"No nonsense," said Turbor. "If you do not answer, you will be a spy and spies are blasted without trial in war time."

"Arcadia Darell!" gasped Palver.

"Well! All right, then. Is she safe?" All right, then. Is she safe?"

Palver nodded.

"You had better be sure of that, or it won't be well for you."

"She is in good health, perfectly safe," said Palver, palely.

The admiral returned, "Well?"

"The man, sir, is not a spy. You may believe what he tells you. I vouch for him."

"That so?" The admiral frowned. "Then he represents an agricultural co-operative on Trantor that wants to make a trade treaty with Terminus for the delivery of grains and potatoes. Well, all right, but he can't leave now."

"Why not?" asked Palver, quickly.

"Because we're in the middle of a battle. After it is over a.s.suming we're still alive we'll take you to Terminus."

The Kalganian fleet that spanned through s.p.a.ce detected the Foundation s.h.i.+ps from an incredible distance and were themselves detected. Like little fireflies in each other's Grand Detectors, they closed in across the emptiness.

And the Foundation's admiral frowned and said, "This must be their main push. Look at the numbers." Then, "They won't stand up before us, though; not if Cenn's detachment can be counted on."

Commander Cenn had left hours before at the first detection of the coming enemy. There was no way of altering the plan now. It worked or it didn't, but the admiral felt quite comfortable. As did the officers. As did the men.

Again watch the fireflies.

Like a deadly ballet dance, in precise formations, they sparked.

The Foundation fleet edged slowly backwards. Hours pa.s.sed and the fleet veered slowly off, teasing the advancing enemy slightly off course, then more so.

In the minds of the dictators of the battle plan, there was a certain volume of s.p.a.ce that must be occupied by the Kalganian s.h.i.+ps. Out from that volume crept the Foundationers; into it slipped the Kalganians. Those that pa.s.sed out again were attacked, suddenly and fiercely. Those that stayed within were not touched.

It all depended on the reluctance of the s.h.i.+ps of Lord Stettin to take the initiative themselves on their willingness to remain where none attacked.

Captain Dixyl stared frigidly at his wrist watch. It was 1310, "We've got twenty minutes," he said.

The lieutenant at his side nodded tensely, "It looks all right so far, captain. We've got more than ninety percent of them boxed. If we can keep them that way"

"Yes! If" If"

The Foundation s.h.i.+ps were drifting forward again very slowly. Not quick enough to urge a Kalganian retreat and just quickly enough to discourage a Kalganian advance. They preferred to wait.

And the minutes pa.s.sed.

At 1325, the admiral's buzzer sounded in seventy-five s.h.i.+ps of the Foundation's line, and they built up to a maximum acceleration towards the front-plane of the Kalganian fleet, itself three hundred strong. Kalganian s.h.i.+elds flared into action, and the vast energy beams flicked out. Every one of the three hundred concentrated in the same direction, towards their mad attackers who bore down relentlessly, uncaringly and At 1330, fifty s.h.i.+ps under Commander Cenn appeared from nowhere, in one single bound through hypers.p.a.ce to a calculated spot at a calculated time and were s.p.a.ced in tearing fury at the unprepared Kalganian rear.

The trap worked perfectly.

The Kalganians still had numbers on their side, but they were in no mood to count. Their first effort was to escape and the formation once broken was only the more vulnerable, as the enemy s.h.i.+ps b.u.mbled into one another's path.

After a while, it took on the proportions of a rat hunt.

Of three hundred Kalganian s.h.i.+ps, the core and pride of their fleet, some sixty or less, many in a state of near-hopeless disrepair, reached Kalgan once more. The Foundation loss was eight s.h.i.+ps out of a total of one hundred twenty-five.

Preem Palver landed on Terminus at the height of the celebration. He found the furore distracting, but before he left the planet, he had accomplished two things, and received one request.

The two things accomplished were: 1) the conclusion of an agreement whereby Palver's co-operative was to deliver twenty s.h.i.+ploads of certain foodstuffs per month for the next year at a war price, without, thanks to the recent battle, a corresponding war risk, and 2) the transfer to Dr. Darell of Arcadia's five short words.