The 50th Golden Age of Science Fiction MEGAPACK by Russ Winterbotham

Author:Russ Winterbotham [Winterbotham, Russ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction
Publisher: Wildside Press
Published: 2020-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

Dr. Bruber walked through the door, tripped over a cable and sprawled in front of the television cameras. Rodkey helped him to his feet and steered him to a seat to the left of the distinguished news commentator, Cecil Burroughs. On the right of the commentator sat Olbu, bobbing his huge head and smiling.

Rodkey barely got out of camera range in time to give the signal.

* * * *

Burroughs gave the commercial, which had nothing to do with interplanetary flight, or anything else of interest. “NOW, ladies and gentlemen,” said Burroughs, “our two distinguished scientists have a great deal to tell us about two widely separated points in the universe.”

Dr. Bruber smiled into the camera. “Just before we went on the air, Mr. Burroughs,” he said, “Ambassador Olbu and I had an interesting discussion about the merits of Earth. He contends that it is unstable—”

“You are twisting my words around, doctor,” interpolated Olbu. “I made it clear that it was not the planet itself, but the people who are objectionable.”

“The people spoil the planet?”

“In a sense. The people are dangerous, the planet is not.”

“Would it be possible for a planet to spoil the people?”

Olbu seemed to digest the words in his mind before he spoke: “That is a rather weak effort to shift the blame from the shoulders of those responsible for a sad state of affairs, doctor. You are trying to say there is something in the air, or the water, that makes Earthmen what they are.”

“No, I was hinting that there might be something wrong with your planet, Mr. Olbu.”

“Nonsense! Nothing is wrong with my planet. My people would not be affected even if the air and water were bad. We, the children of Xvik, are the highest expression of the human race.”

“It’s easy to see that,” said Dr. Bruber. “You were pointing out to me that Earth’s pattern of existence doesn’t offer much hope for the future.”

“That is right,” said Olbu. “Earth’s future is not much to look forward to.”

“But the planet is worth saving?”

“Definitely.”

“Yet the people are a part of the planet.”

“You should study logic, Dr. Bruber. You’re trying to make me say things that are not logical.”

“Okay, let’s forget logic and look at what Earth is likely to do if it follows its ‘natural’ trend. You say it will destroy itself.”

“If someone else doesn’t do it first,” said Olbu. “It will continue to have wars till it exhausts all opportunities for it on the planet. Then it will war in the skies, with other planets, with other stars, finally with other galaxies. Man has a thirst for power, and that thirst is never satisfied. On the other hand, knowledge leads to contentment. If the Earth should seek knowledge, it would forget war.”

“Perhaps war is necessary for survival,” suggested Dr. Bruber.

“War is seldom fought for survival. It is a result of a struggle for supremacy. And, might I ask, supremacy of what? After you’ve conquered all the galaxies, what do you have?”

“Olbu seems to have a point there,” said Burroughs.

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