Foundation and Earth

"I asked him specifically, Golan, if the star that was only a parsec or so distant from Alpha might be the sun about which Earth revolved. He didn't know what a parsec was, and I said it was a short distance, astronomically speaking. He said, short or long, he did not know where Earth was located and he didn't know anyone who knew, and, in his opinion, it was wrong to try to find it. It should be allowed, he said, to move endlessly through space in peace."

Trevize said, "Do you agree with him?"

Pelorat shook his head sorrowfully. "Not really. But he said that at the rate the radioactivity continued to increase, the planet must have become totally uninhabitable not long after the transplantation took place and that by now it must be burning intensely so that no one can approach."

"Nonsense," said Trevize firmly. "A planet cannot become radioactive and, having done so, continuously increase in radioactivity. Radioactivity can only decrease."

"But Monolee is so sure of it. So many people we've talked to on various worlds unite in this-that Earth is radioactive. Surely, it is useless to go on."

80.

TREVIZE drew a deep breath, then said, in a carefully controlled voice, "Nonsense, Janov. That's not true."

Pelorat said, "Well, now, old chap, you mustn't believe something just because you want to believe it."

"My wants have nothing to do with it. In world after world we find all records of Earth wiped out. Why should they be wiped out if there is nothing to hide; if Earth is a dead, radioactive world that cannot be approached?"

"I don't know, Golan."

"Yes, you do. When we were approaching Melpomenia, you said that the radioactivity might be the other side of the coin. Destroy records to remove accurate information; supply the tale of radioactivity to insert inaccurate information. Both would discourage any attempt to find Earth, and we mustn't be deluded into discouragement."

Bliss said, "Actually, you seem to think the nearby star is Earth's sun. Why, then, continue to argue the question of radioactivity? What does it matter? Why not simply go to the nearby star and see if it is Earth, and, if so, what it is like?"

Trevize said, "Because those on Earth must be, in their way, extraordinarily powerful, and I would prefer to approach with some knowledge of the world and its inhabitants. As it is, since I continue to remain ignorant of Earth, approaching it is dangerous. It is my notion that I leave the rest of you here on Alpha and that I proceed to Earth by myself. One life is quite enough to risk."

"No, Golan," said Pelorat earnestly. "Bliss and the child might wait here, but I must go with you. I have been searching for Earth since before you were born and I cannot stay behind when the goal is so close, whatever dangers might threaten."

"Bliss and the child will not wait here," said Bliss. "I am Gaia, and Gaia can protect us even against Earth."

"I hope you're right," said Trevize gloomily, "but Gaia could not prevent the elimination of all early memories of Earth's role in its founding."

"That was done in Gaia's early history when it was not yet well organized, not yet advanced. Matters are different now."

"I hope that is so. Or is it that you have gained information about Earth this morning that we don't have? I did ask that you speak to some of the older women that might be available here."

"And so I did."

Trevize said, "And what did you find out?"

"Nothing about Earth. There is a total blank there."

"Ah."

"But they are advanced biotechnologists."

"Oh?"

"On this small island, they have grown and tested innumerable strains of plants and animals and designed a suitable ecological balance, stable and self. supporting, despite the few species with which they began. They have improved on the ocean life that they found when they arrived here a few thousand years ago, increasing their nutritive value and improving their taste. It is their biotechnology that has made this world such a cornucopia of plenty. They have plans for themselves, too."

"What kind of plans?"

Bliss said, "They know perfectly well they cannot reasonably expect to expand their range under present circumstances, confined as they are to the one small patch of land that exists on their world, but they dream of becoming amphibious."

"Of becoming what?"

"Amphibious. They plan to develop gills in addition to lungs. They dream of being able to spend substantial periods of time underwater; of finding shallow regions and building structures on the ocean bottom. My informant was quite glowing about it but she admitted that this had been a goal of the Alphans for some centuries now and that little, if any, progress has been made."

Trevize said, "That's two fields in which they might be more advanced than we are; weather control and biotechnology. I wonder what their techniques are."

"We'd have to find specialists," said Bliss, "and they might not be willing to talk about it."