Forward the Foundation

It was rather soft and distant, but it brought back a memory. Yes, Amaryl's warning. The demagogue. Was he here on campus?

His legs swerved without Seldon's making a conscious decision and brought him over the low rise to the University Field, which was used for calisthenics, sports, and student oratory.

In the middle of the Field was a moderate-sized crowd of students who were chanting enthusiastically. On a platform was someone he didn't recognize, someone with a loud voice and a swaying rhythm.

It wasn't this man, Joranum, however. He had seen Joranum on holovision a number of times. Since Amaryl's warning, Seldon had paid close attention. Joranum was large and smiled with a kind of vicious camaraderie. He had thick sandy hair and light blue eyes.

This speaker was small, if anything-thin, wide-mouthed, dark-haired, and loud. Seldon wasn't listening to the words, though he did hear the phrase "power from the one to the many" and the many-voiced shout in response.

Fine, thought Seldon, but just how does he intend to bring this about-and is he serious?

He was at the outskirts of the crowd now and looked around far someone he knew. He spotted Finangelos, a pre-math undergraduate. Not a bad young man, dark and woolly-haired.

"Finangelos," he called out.

"Professor Seldon" said Finangelos after a moment of staring as though unable to recognize Seldon without a keyboard at his fingertips he trotted over. "Did you come to listen to this guy?"

"I didn't come for any purpose but to find out what the noise was. Who is he?"

"His name is Namarti, Professor. He's speaking for Jo-Jo."

"I hear that, " said Seldon as he listened to the chant again. It began each time the speaker made a telling point, apparently. "But who is this Namarti? I don't recognize the name. What department is he in?"

"He's not a member of the University, Professor. He's one of Jo-Jo's men."

"If he's not a member of the University, he has no right to speak here without a permit. Does he have one, do you suppose?"

"I wouldn't know, Professor."

"Well then, let's find out."

Seldon started into the crowd, but Finangelos caught his sleeve. "Don't start anything, Professor. He's got goons with him."

There were six young men behind the speaker, spaced rather widely, legs apart, arms folded, scowling.

"Goons?"

"For rough stuff, in case anyone tries anything funny."

"Then he's certainly not a member of the University and even a permit wouldn't cover what you call his 'goons'. Finangelos, signal through to the University security officers. They should have been here by now without a signal."

"I guess they don't want trouble," muttered Finangelos. "Please, Professor, don't try anything. If you want me to get the security officers, I will, but you just wait till they come."

"Maybe I can break this up before they come."

He began pushing his way through. It wasn't difficult. Some of those present recognized him and all could see the professorial shoulder patch. He reached the platform, placed his hands on it, and vaulted up the three feet with a small grunt. He thought, with chagrin, that he could have done it with one hand ten years before and without the grunt.

He straightened up. The speaker had stopped talking and was looking at him with wary and ice-hard eyes.

Seldon said calmly, "Your permit to address the students, sir."

"Who are you?" said the speaker. He said it loudly, his voice carrying.

"I'm a member of the faculty of this University," said Seldon, equally loudly. "Your permit, sir?"

"I deny your right to question me on the matter." The young men behind the speaker had gathered closer.

"If you have none, I would advise you to leave the University grounds immediately."

"And if I don't?"

"Well, for one thing, the University security officers are on their way." He turned to the crowd. "Students," he called out, "we have the right of free speech and freedom of assembly on this campus, but it can be taken away from us if we allow outsiders, without permits, to make unauthorized-"

A heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he winced. He turned around and found it was one of the men Finangelos had referred to as "goons."

The man said, with a heavy accent whose provenance Seldon could not immediately identify, "Get out of here fast. "

"What good will that do?" said Seldon. "The security officers will be here any minute."

"In that case," said Namarti with a feral grin, "there'll be a riot. That doesn't scare us."

"Of course it wouldn't," said Seldon. "You'd like it, but there won't be a riot. You'll all go quietly." He turned again to the students and shrugged off the hand on his shoulder. "We'll see to that, won't we?"

Someone in the crowd shouted, "That's Professor Seldon! He's all right! Don't pound him!"