Foundation's Edge - Isaac Asimov [177]
Pelorat said hastily, "Let her talk, Golan. Don't snap at her."
Trevize raised his arms in a gesture of impatient surrender. "I will not snap. Speak, lady."
Bliss said, "On the large ship is the ruler of your Foundation. With her--"
Trevize said in astonishment, "The ruler? You mean Old Lady Branno?"
"Surely that is not her title," said Bliss, her lips twitching a little in amusement. "But she is a woman, yes." She paused a little, as though listening intently to the general organism of which she was part. "Her name is Harlabranno. It seems odd to have only four syllables when one is so important on her world, but I suppose non-Gaians have their own ways."
"I suppose," said Trevize dryly. "You would call her Brann, I think. But what is she doing here? Why isn't she back on--I see. Gaia has maneuvered her here, too. Why?"
Bliss did not answer that question. She said, "With her is Lionokodell, five syllables, though her underling. It seems a lack of respect. He is an important official of your world. With them are four others who control the ship's weapons. Do you want their names?"
"No. I take it that on the other ship there is one man, Munn Li Compor, and that he represents the Second Foundation. You've brought both Foundations together, obviously. Why?"
"Not exactly, Trev--I mean, Trevize--"
"Oh, go ahead and say Trev. I don't give a puff of comet gas."
"Not exactly, Trev. Compor has left that ship and has been replaced by two people. One is Storgendibal, an important official of the Second Foundation. He is called a Speaker."
"An important official? He's got mentalic power, I imagine."
"Oh yes. A great deal."
"Will you be able to handle that?"
"Certainly. The second person, on the ship with him, is Gaia."
"One of your people?"
"Yes. Her name is Suranoviremblastiran. It should be much longer, but she has been away from me / us / rest so long."
"Is she capable of holding a high official of the Second Foundation?"
"It is not she, it is Gaia who holds him. She / I / we / all are capable of crushing him."
"Is that what she's going to do? She's going to crush him and Branno? What is this? Is Gaia going to destroy the Foundations and set up a Galactic Empire of its own? The Mule back again? A greater Mule--"
"No no, Trev. Do not become agitated. You must not. All three are in a stalemate. They are waiting."
"For what?"
"For your decision."
"Here we go again. What decision? Why me?"
"Please, Trev," said Bliss. "It will soon be explained. I / we / she have said as much as I / we / she can for now."
5.
BRANNO SAID WEARILY, "IT IS CLEAR I HAVE MADE a mistake, Liono, perhaps a fatal one."
"Is this something that ought to be admitted?" muttered Kodell through motionless lips.
"They know what I think. It will do no further harm to say so. Nor do they know less about what you think if you do not move your lips. --I should have waited until the shield was further strengthened."
Kodell said, "How could you have known, Mayor? If we waited until assurance was doubly and triply and quadruply and endlessly sure, we would have waited forever. --To be sure, I wish we had not gone ourselves. It would have been well to have experimented with someone else--with your lightning rod, Trevize, perhaps."
Branno sighed. "I wanted to give them no warning, Liono. Still, there you put the finger on the nub of my mistake. I might have waited until the shield was reasonably impenetrable. Not ultimately impenetrable but reasonably so. I knew there was perceptible leakage now, but I could not bear to wait longer. To wipe out the leakage would have meant waiting past my term of office and I wanted it done in my time--and I wanted to be on the spot. So like a fool, I forced myself to believe the shield was adequate. I would listen to no caution--to your doubts, for instance."
"We may still win out if we are patient."
"Can you give the order to fire on the other ship?"
"No, I cannot, Mayor. The thought is, somehow, not something I can endure."
"Nor I. And if you or I managed to give the