Forward the Foundation - Isaac Asimov [19]
"It will to me. Say it. I would rather like to hear it."
Seldon hesitated, as though he couldn't believe his lips could frame the words or his vocal cords sound them. "Daneel," he said at length.
"R. Daneel Olivaw," said Demerzel. "Yes. You will dine with me, Hari. If I dine with you, I won't have to eat, which will be a relief."
"Gladly, though one-way eating is not my idea of a convivial time. Surely a bite or two-"
"To please you-"
"Just the same," said Seldon, "I can't help but wonder if it is wise to spend too much time together."
"It is. Imperial orders. His Imperial Majesty wants me to."
"Why, Daneel?"
"In two more years the Decennial Convention will be meeting again. -You look surprised. Have you forgotten?"
"Not really. I just haven't thought about it."
"Were you not going to attend? You were a hit at the last one."
"Yes. With my psychohistory. Some hit."
"You attracted the attention of the Emperor. No other mathematician did."
"It was you who were initially attracted, not the Emperor. Then I had to flee and stay out of the Imperial notice until such time as I could assure you that I had made a start on my psychohistorical research, after which you allowed me to remain in safe obscurity."
"Being the head of a prestigious Mathematics Department is scarcely obscurity."
"Yes, it is, since it hides my psychohistory."
"Ah, the food is arriving. For a while, let's talk about other things as befits friends. How is Dors?"
"Wonderful. A true wife. Hounds me to death with her worries over my safety."
"That is her job."
"So she reminds me-frequently. Seriously, Daneel, I can never be sufficiently grateful to you for bringing us together."
"Thank you, Hari, but, to be truthful, I did not foresee married happiness for either of you, especially not Dors-"
"Thank you for the gift just the same, however short of the actual consequences your expectations were."
"I'm delighted, but it is a gift, you will find, that may be of dubious further consequence-as is my friendship."
To this, Seldon could make no reply and so, at a gesture from Demerzel, he turned to his meal.
After a while, he nodded at the morsel of fish on his fork and said, "I don't actually recognize the organism, but this is Mycogenian cooking."
"Yes, it is. I know you are fond of it."
"It's the Mycogenians' excuse for existence. Their only excuse. But they have special meaning to you. I mustn't forget that."
"The special meaning has come to an end. Their ancestors, long, long ago, inhabited the planet of Aurora. They lived three hundred years and more and were the lords of the Fifty Worlds of the Galaxy. It was an Auroran who first designed and produced me. I don't forget that; I remember it far more accurately-and with less distortion-than their Mycogenian descendants do. But then, long, long ago, I left them. I made my choice as to what the good of humanity must be and I have followed it, as best I could, all this time."
Seldon said with sudden alarm, "Can we be overheard?"
Demerzel seemed amused. "If you have only thought of that now, it is far too late. But fear not, I have taken the necessary precautions. Nor have you been seen by too many eyes when you came. Nor will you be seen by too many when you leave. And those who do see you will not be surprised. I am well known to be an amateur mathematician of great pretensions but of little ability. That is a source of amusement to those at the court who are not entirely my friends and it would not surprise anyone here that I should be concerned about laying the groundwork for the forthcoming Decennial Convention. It is about the convention that I wish to consult you."
"I don't know that I can help. There is only one thing I could possibly talk about at the convention-and I can't talk about it. If I attend at all, it will only be as part of the audience. I do not intend to present any papers."
"I understand. Still, if you would like to hear something curious, His Imperial Majesty remembers you."
"Because you have kept me in his mind, I suppose."