Part 1 (2/2)

”But how could Rell possibly be out there?”

”Who mentioned Rell?” was the interpretive bank's smug answer. They were not utterly averse to demonstrating their superior mental abilities on occasion.

The speculative bank replied, ”Artificial implies intelligence, and intelligence means Rell...”

”Does it?” the interpretive bank interrupted. The speculative bank waited but the interpretive bank failed to enlarge on the provocative query.

The Rell had found certain disadvantages accrued to abnormal prolongation of life and thus were not unused to the interpretive bank's occasional tendency to talk in riddles.

”Perhaps not,” the speculative bank replied after a quick check with the logical formulae held in reserve by the historical bank. ”It is theoretically possible that Rell-like individuals might have developed elsewhere, and perhaps even have developed intelligence, although, according to the historical bank, such an idea has never before been subjected to consideration. But what is the flame doing?” they continued, a trifle resentful at having been left to do work properly in the interpretive bank's province.

The observation and interpretive banks once more came into play, studying the situation for several minutes. ”The flame appears to be the exhaust of a fairly crude vessel,” the interpretive bank finally reported, ”propelled by ignition of some gaseous mixture.”

”Is it moving?”

”Quite rapidly.”

”Where is it going?”

This called into play the prophecy division of the mind and Raeillo/ee13 and Raellu//2, who had been merely interested onlookers before, hurriedly meshed themselves with the other forty nine hundred odd of their fellows. (It was impossible to say at any given time just how many there were in their computer section, as several births and deaths had occurred among the group since beginning the current observations. These would be suspended for the next several moments, however, as there was a strict prohibition against anyone being born, dying, or otherwise engaging in extraneous activity while their particular bank was either alerted or in action.)

Raeillo/ee13 and Raellu//2 felt the group discipline take hold much more firmly than the free-and-easy mesh which each unit enjoyed with the complete group-mind during periods of leisure.

With a speed that would have been dizzying and incomprehensible to any individual unit, the observing banks relayed huge ma.s.ses of extraneous data to the interpretive bank. They strained out the salient facts and in turn pa.s.sed these to the computing:prediction section. Here they were routed to the groups who would deal with them. Raeillo/ee13 and Raellu//2 found their own talents pressed into service a dozen or more times in the s.p.a.ce of the minute and a half it took the computing:prediction and interpretive banks to arrive at the answer.

”It's aimed here,” the interpretive bank reported.

”Here!” a jumble of incoherent and anarchistic thoughts resounded from many shocked and temporarily out-of-mesh units.

”Order!” came a sharp command from the elite corp of three thousand disciplinary units.

As stillness settled back over the group-mind the speculative bank once more came in. ”By here ... do you mean _right_ here?”

”Approximately,” replied the interpretive bank with what would have sounded suspiciously like a chuckle in a human reply. ”According to calculations the craft should land within half a mile of our present location.”

”Let's go there then and wait for it!” That thought from the now seldom used reservation of impulse.

The speculative bank murmured, ”I wonder if there would be any danger.

How hot is that exhaust?”

Calculations were rapidly made and the answer arrived at. The Rell prudently decided to remain where they were for the present.

Captain Leonard Brown, USAF, hunched over the instruments in the cramped control cabin which, being the only available s.p.a.ce in the s.h.i.+p, doubled as living quarters. A larger man would have found the arrangement impossible. Brown, being 5' 2” and weighing 105 pounds found it merely intolerable.

At the moment he was temporarily able to forget his discomfort, however.

The many tiny dials and indicators told a story all their own to Brown's trained vision.

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