The Battle Of Forever by AE Van Vogt

Author:AE Van Vogt [Vogt, AE Van]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-05-16T08:24:55.332000+00:00

(2) If you trust them (or it), they (it) will trust you.

(3) Give them love, and they'll respond with love.

(4) Life is basically good. Never make a threatening move, and you'll be amazed at how peaceful things are.

(5) Always turn the other cheek.

The meaning, he observed, simply ran its course through his head. It engaged no mental gears. It was a pleasant internal spinning of a set of thoughts that were undoubtedly true in a way but they were not literally true in an always fashion.

Because, obviously, the Nunuli were not like that now. Nor the Zouvgites -- at least not yet. Nor even some creatures of Earth. Maybe later, in the future, they would be. But not now.

He'd still have to be careful, of course. Still can't kill.

Many other can'ts. These were things the Zouvgites would know about him.

He and his animal friends watched most of the day as a large army was landed down there in the mountains inside the barrier -- without being resisted. So they're waiting for me, Modyun was pretty sure. He thrummed his feet in a rapid dance, which was an immediate expression of his pleasure.

I've really let the internal barriers down ... What he felt, the body did immediately. It felt kind of good.

Later, as they sat down to eat, it was evident that the others had been watching him. For Dooldn said, "How smart are you, really? Where did you learn all those things like about the black hole?"

"The indication methods, used as perception systems, are capable of directly perceiving all the phenomena of Nature," said Modyun. He added modestly, "It's nothing that I as an individual perfected. The Nunuli did it for us. I'm no smarter, no better, than anyone else -- except that I have these special abilities."

Roozb, who had started to eat in his vigorous fashion, looked up. "That's gotta be the truth, fellows. Most of the things this guy has done since we've known him, have been pretty naive. Goodhearted, but not bright. Yet, no question -- he's got some high-powered stuff cookin' in that noodle of his. Right, Modyun?"

Modyun was not happy with the bear-man's description of him. But he was anxious to have these animal friends of his accept him on a good personal basis; so now he nodded vigorously. "Right," he said.

"Nonetheless," he added after a moment, "but I'm not as naive as I used to be."

"That I've got to see," said Roozb. He glanced at Modyun.

"No offense, my friend, I'm just facing the facts. For example" -- he shook his head sadly -- "imagine, you let the only human woman left in the world be filched from you by a simple plot. And you're not even thinking of doing anything about it."

"But I know where she is," defended Modyun.

"Where?" growled Roozb promptly.

"She's with that Zouvgite, of course."

The bear-man turned towards the others, and spread his hands helplessly. "You see what I mean," he said.

Narrl grinned across the table at Modyun. "I remember a female I used to be hot about.

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