It was their tenth day in Wye and in the morning Hari Seldons door signal sounded and Raychs high-pitched voice outside was crying out, "Mister! Mister Seldon! Its war!"
Seldon took a moment to swap1 from sleep to wakefulness and scrambled2 out of bed. He was shivering slightly (the Wyans liked their domiciles on the chilly3 side, he had discovered quite early in his stay there) when he threw the door open.
Raych bounced in, excited and wide-eyed. "Mister Seldon, they have Mannix, the old Mayor. They have--"
"Who have, Raych?"
"The Imperials, Their jets came in last night all over. The news holocasts are telling all about it. Its on in Missuss room. She said to let ya sleep, but I figured ya would wanner4 know."
"And you were quite right." Seldon pausing only tong enough to throw on a bathrobe, burst into Dorss room. She was fully5 dressed and was watching the holo-set in the alcove6.
Behind the clear, small image of a desk sat a man, with the Spaceship-and-Sun sharply defined on the left-front of his tunic7. On either side, two soldiers, also wearing the Spaceship-and-Sun, stood armed. The officer at the desk was saying, "--is under the peaceful control of his Imperial Majesty8. Mayor Mannix is safe and well and is in full possession of his Mayoral powers under the guidance of friendly Imperial troops. He will be before you soon to urge calm on all Wyans and to ask any Wyan soldiers still in arms to lay them down."
There were other news holocasts by various newsmen with unemotional voices, all wearing Imperial armbands. The news was all the same: surrender by this or that unit of the Wyan security forces after firing a few shots for the record--and sometimes after no resistance at all. This town center and that town center were occupied--and there were repeated views of Wyan crowds somberly watching Imperial forces marching down the streets.
Dors said, "It was perfectly9 executed, Hari. Surprise was complete. There was no chance of resistance and none of consequence was offered."
Then Mayor Mannix IV appeared, as had been promised. He was standing10 upright and, perhaps for the sake of appearances, there were no Imperials in sight, though Seldon was reasonably certain that an adequate number were present just out of camera range.
Mannix was old, but his strength, though worn, was still apparent. His eyes did not meet the holo-camera and his words were spoken as though forced upon him--but, as had been promised, they counseled Wyans to remain calm, to offer no resistance, to keep Wye from harm, and to cooperate with the Emperor who, it was hoped, would survive long on the throne.
"No mention of Rashelle," said Seldon. "Its as though his daughter doesnt exist."
"No one has mentioned her," said Dors, "and this place, which is, after all, her residence--or one of them--hasnt been attacked. Even if she manages to slip away and take refuge in some neighboring sector11, I doubt she will be safe anywhere on Trantor for long."
"Perhaps not," came a voice; "but Ill be safe here for a little while." Rashelle entered. She was properly dressed, properly calm. She was even smiling, but it was no smile of joy; it was, rather, a cold baring of teeth.
The three stared at her in surprise for a moment and Seldon wondered if she had any of her servants with her or if they had promptly12 deserted13 her at the first sign of adversity.
Dors said a little coldly, "I see, Madam Mayor, that your hopes for a coup14 can not be maintained. Apparently15, you have been forestalled16."
"I have not been forestalled. I have been betrayed. My officers have been tampered17 with and--against all history and rationality--they have refused to fight for a woman but only for their old master. And, traitors18 that they are, they then let their old master be seized so that he cannot lead them in resistance."
She looked about for a chair and sat down. "And now the Empire must continue to decay and die when I was prepared to offer it new life."
"I think," said Dors, "the Empire has avoided an indefinite period of useless fighting and destruction. Console yourself with that, Madam Mayor."
It was as though Rashelle did not hear her. "So many years of preparation destroyed in a night."
She sat there beaten, defeated, and seemed to have aged19 twenty years.
Dors said, "It could scarcely have been done in a night. The suborning of your officers--if that took place--must have taken time."
"At that, Demerzel is a master and quite obviously I underestimated him. How he did it, I dont know--threats, bribes20, smooth and specious21 argument. He is a master at the art of stealth and betrayal--I should have known." She went on after a pause. "If this was outright22 force on his part, I would have had no trouble destroying anything he sent against us. Who would think that Wye would be betrayed, that an oath of allegiance would be so lightly thrown aside?"
Seldon said with automatic rationality, "But I imagine the oath was made not to you, but to your father."
"Nonsense," said Rashelle vigorously. "When my father gave me the Mayoral office, as he was legally entitled to do, he automatically passed on to me any oaths of allegiance made to him. There is ample precedence for this. It is customary to have the oath repeated to the new ruler, but that is a ceremony only and not a legal requirement. My officers know that, though they choose to forget. They use my womanhood as an excuse because they quake in fear of Imperial vengeance23 that would never have come had they been staunch or tremble with greed for promised rewards they will surely never get--if I know Demerzel." She turned sharply toward Seldon. "He wants you, you know. Demerzel struck at us for you."
Seldon started. "Why me?"
"Dont be a fool. For the same reason I wanted you ... to use you as a tool, of course." She sighed. "At least I am not utterly24 betrayed. There are still loyal soldiers to be found.--Sergeant25!"
Sergeant Emmer Thalus entered with a soft cautious step that seemed incongruous, considering his size. His uniform was spruce, his long blond mustache fiercely curled.
"Madam Mayor," he said, drawing himself to attention with a snap. He was still, in appearance, the side of beef that Hari had named him--a man still following orders blindly, totally oblivious26 to the new and changed state of affairs.
Rashelle smiled sadly at Raych. "And how are you, little Raych? I had meant to make something of you. It seems now I wont27 be able to."
"Hello, Missus ... Madam," said Raych awkwardly.
"And to have made something of you too, Dr. Seldon," said Rashelle, "and there also I must crave28 pardon. I cannot."
"For me, Madam, you need have no regrets."
"But I do. I cannot very well let Demerzel have you. That would be one victory too many for him and at least I can stop that."
"I would not work for him, Madam, I assure you, any more than I would have worked for you."
"It is not a matter of work. It is a matter of being used. Farewell, Dr. Seldon. Sergeant, blast him."
The sergeant drew his blaster at once and Dors, with a loud cry, lunged forward--but Seldon reached out for her and caught her by the elbow. He hung on desperately29.
"Stay back, Dors," he shouted, "or hell kill you. He wont kill me. You too, Raych. Stand back. Dont move."
Seldon faced the sergeant. "You hesitate, Sergeant, because you know you cannot shoot. I might have killed you ten days ago, but I did not. And you gave me your word of honor at that time that you would protect me."
"What are you waiting for?" snapped Rashelle. "I said shoot him down, Sergeant."
Seldon said nothing more. He stood there while the sergeant, eyes bulging30, held his blaster steady and pointed31 at Seldons head.
"You have your order!" shrieked32 Rashelle.
"I have your word," said Seldon quietly.
And Sergeant Thalus said in a choked tone, "Dishonored either way." His hand fell and his blaster clanged to the floor.
Rashelle cried out, "Then you too betray me."
Before Seldon could move or Dors free herself from his grip, Rashelle seized the blaster, turned it on the sergeant, and closed contact. Seldon had never seen anyone blasted before. Somehow, from the name of the weapon perhaps, he had expected a loud noise, an explosion of flesh and blood. This Wyan blaster, at least, did nothing of the sort. What mangling33 it did to the organs inside the sergeants34 chest Seldon could not tell but, without a change in expression, without a wince35 of pain, the sergeant crumbled36 and fell, dead beyond any doubt or any hope.
And Rashelle turned the blaster on Seldon with a firmness that put to rest any hope for his own life beyond the next second.
It was Raych, however, who jumped into action the moment the sergeant fell. Racing37 between Seldon and Rashelle, he waved his hands wildly.
"Missus, Missus," he called. "Dont shoot."
For a moment, Rashelle looked confused. "Out of the way, Raych. I dont want to hurt you."
That moment of hesitation38 was all Dors needed. Breaking loose violently, she plunged39 toward Rashelle with a long low dive. Rashelle went down with a cry and the blaster hit the ground a second time.
Raych retrieved40 it.
Seldon, with a deep and shuddering41 breath, said, "Raych, give that to me." But Raych backed away.
"Ya aint gonna kill her, are ya, Mister Seldon? She was nice to me."
"I wont kill anyone, Raych," said Seldon. "She killed the sergeant and would have killed me, but she didnt shoot rather than hurt you and well let her live for that."
It was Seldon, who now sat down, the blaster held loosely in his hand, while Dors removed the neuronic whip from the dead sergeants other holster.
A new voice rang out. "Ill take care of her now, Seldon."
Seldon looked up and in sudden joy said, "Hummin! Finally!"
"Im sorry it took so long, Seldon. I had a lot to do. How are you, Dr. Venabili? I take it this is Mannixs daughter, Rashelle. But who is the boy?"
"Raych is a young Dahlite friend of ours," said Seldon.
Soldiers were entering and, at a small gesture from Hummin, they lifted Rashelle respectfully.
Dors, able to suspend her intent surveillance of the other woman, brushed at her clothes with her hands and smoothed her blouse. Seldon suddenly realized that he was still in his bathrobe.
Rashelle, shaking herself loose from the soldiers with contempt, pointed to Hummin and said to Seldon, "Who is this?"
Seldon said, "It is Chetter Hummin, a friend of mine and my protector on this planet."
"Your protector." Rashelle laughed madly. "You fool! You idiot! That man is Demerzel and if you look at your Venabili woman, you will see from her face that she is perfectly aware of that. You have been trapped all along, far worse than ever you were with me!"
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1
swap
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| n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易 | |
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scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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wanner
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| adj.苍白的( wan的最高级 )；无血色的；病态的；暗淡的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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alcove
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| n.凹室 | |
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tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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sector
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| n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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coup
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| n.政变；突然而成功的行动 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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forestalled
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| v.先发制人，预先阻止( forestall的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tampered
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| v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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traitors
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| 卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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bribes
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| n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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specious
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| adj.似是而非的；adv.似是而非地 | |
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outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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bulging
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| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mangling
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| 重整 | |
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sergeants
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| 警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士 | |
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wince
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| n.畏缩，退避，（因痛苦，苦恼等)面部肌肉抽动；v.畏缩，退缩，退避 | |
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crumbled
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| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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retrieved
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| v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 )；恢复；寻回；检索（储存的信息） | |
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shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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