Foudation 1 - Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Author:Isaac Asimov [Asimov, Isaac]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-04-12T09:22:59.707000+00:00

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Sacratorium

AURORA- . . . A mythical world, supposedly inhabited in primordial times, during the dawn of interstellar travel. It is thought by some to he the perhaps equally mythical "world of origin" of humanity and to be another name for "Earth." The people of the Mycogen (q.v.) Sector of ancient Trainor reportedly held themselves to be descended from the inhabitants of Aurora and made that tenet central to their system of beliefs, concerning which almost nothing else is known . . .

ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA

50.

The two Raindrops arrived at midmorning. Raindrop Forty-Five seemed as cheerful as ever, but Raindrop Forty-Three paused just inside the door, looking drawn and circumspect. She kept her eyes down and did not as much as glance at Seldon.

Seldon looked uncertain and gestured to Dors, who said in a cheerful businesslike tone of voice, "One moment, Sisters. I must give instructions to my man or he won't know what to do with himself today."

They moved into the bathroom and Dors whispered, "Is something wrong?"

"Yes. Raindrop Forty-Three is obviously shattered. Please tell her that I will return the Book as soon as possible."

Dors favored Seldon with a long surprised look. "Hari," she said, "you're a sweet, caring person, but you haven't the good sense of an amoeba. If I as much as mention the Book to the poor woman, she'll be certain that you told me all about what happened yesterday and then she'll really be shattered. The only hope is to treat her exactly as I would ordinarily."

Seldon nodded his head and said dispiritedly, "I suppose you're right."

Dors returned in time for dinner and found Seldon on his cot, still leafing through the Book, but with intensified impatience.

He looked up with a scowl and said, "If we're going to be staying here any length of time, we're going to need a communication device of some sort between us. I had no idea when you'd get back and I was a little concerned."

"Well, here I am," she said, removing her skincap gingerly and looking at it with more than a little distaste. "I'm really pleased at your concern. I rather thought you'd be so lost in the Book, you wouldn't even realize I was gone."

Seldon snorted.

Dors said, "As for communications devices, I doubt that they are easy to come by in Mycogen. It would mean easing communication with tribespeople outside and I suspect the leaders of Mycogen are bound and determined to cut down on any possible interaction with the great beyond."

"Yes," said Seldon, tossing the Book to one side, "I would expect that from what I see in the Book. Did you find out about the whatever you called it . . . the temple?"

"Yes," she said, removing her eyebrow patches. "It exists. There are a number of them over the area of the sector, but there's a central building that seems to be the important one. -Would you believe that one woman noticed my eyelashes and told me that I shouldn't let myself be seen in public? I have a feeling she intended to report me for indecent exposure.

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