Foundation and Chaos: The Second Foundation Trilogy by Greg Bear

Author:Greg Bear
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fiction, General
ISBN: 9780061056406
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 1998-01-02T02:00:00+00:00

"You are entirely disinterested? You are serving science?" "I am. "

"Then let us see how. Can the future be changed, Dr. Sel-don?"

"Obviously. " He waved his hand over the audience. "This courtroom may explode in the next few hours, or it may not. " Boon made a mildly disapproving face. "If it did, the future would undoubtedly be changed in some minor respects. " Hari smiled at the advocate, then at Linge Chen, who was not watching him. Boon's frown deepened.

"You quibble, Dr. Seldon. Can the overall history of the human race be changed?"

"Yes. "

"Easily?"

"No. With great difficulty. "

"Why?"

"The psychohistoric trend of a planet-full of people contains a huge inertia. To be changed it must be met with something possessing a similar inertia. Either as many people must be concerned, or, if the number of people be relatively small, enormous time for change must be allowed. " Hari put on his professorial tone, treating the advocate—and anyone else who was paying attention—as students. "Do you understand?"

The advocate looked up briefly. "I think I do. Trantor need not be ruined, if a great many people decide to act so that it will not. "

Hari nodded professorial approval. "That is right. "

"As many as a hundred thousand people?"

"No, sir, " Hari replied mildly. "That is far too few. "

"You are sure?"

"Consider that Trantor has a population of over forty billions. Consider further that the trend leading to ruin does not belong to Trantor alone but to the Empire as a whole, and the

Empire contains nearly a quintillion human beings. "

The advocate appeared thoughtful. "I see. Then perhaps a hundred thousand people can change the trend, if they and their descendants labor for five hundred years. " He gave a curious undershot look at Hari.

"I'm afraid not. Five hundred years is too short a time. "

The advocate seemed to find this a revelation. "Ah! In that case, Dr. Seldon, we are left with this deduction to be made from your statements. You have gathered one hundred thousand people within the confines of your Project. These are insufficient to change the history of Trantor within five hundred years. In other words, they cannot prevent the destruction of Trantor no matter what they do. "

Hari found the line of questioning unproductive, and said in an undertone, "You are unfortunately correct. I wish—"

But the advocate bore in. "And on the other hand, your hundred thousand are intended for no illegal purpose. "

"Exactly. "

The advocate stepped back, fastened a benevolent gaze on Hari, then said, slowly and with smug satisfaction, "In that case, Dr. Seldon—now attend, sir, most carefully, for we want a considered answer. " He suddenly thrust out a well-manicured finger and shrilled: "What is the purpose of your hundred thousand?"

The advocate's voice had grown strident. He had sprung his trap, backed Seldon into a corner, hounded him so astutely there would be no possibility of giving a convincing response.

The baronial audience of peers seemed to find this drama very convincing. They hummed like bees, and the Commissioners moved as one to witness Hari's discomfiture—all but Linge Chen.

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