Prelude to Foundation - Isaac Asimov [144]
"Not perhaps exactly tike that, but some way of getting rid of him might exist if that should prove necessary."
"Then we have a revolutionary movement in which the principal players must be ready to betray each other, with each simply waiting for the opportunity. h sounds like a recipe for chaos."
"You will not help us, then?" said Davan.
Seldon, who had been listening to the exchange between Davan and Dors with a puzzled frown on his face, said, "We can't put it that simply. We would like to help you. We are on your side. It seems to me that no sane man wants to uphold an Imperial system that maintains itself by fostering mutual hatred and suspicions. Even when it seems to work, it can only be described as metastable; that is, as too apt to fall into instability in one direction or another. But the question is: How can we help? If I had psychohistory, if I could tell what is most likely to happen, or if I could tell what action of a number of alternative possibilities is most likely to bring on an apparently happy consequence, then I would put my abilities at your disposal. -But I don't have is I can help you best by trying to develop psychohistory."
"And how long will that take?"
Seldon shrugged. "I cannot say."
"How can you ask us to wait indefinitely?"
"What alternative do I have, since I am useless to you as I am? But I will say this: I have until very recently been quite convinced that the development of psychohistory was absolutely impossible. Now I am not so certain of that."
"You mean you have a solution in mind?"
"No, merely an intuitive feeling that a solution might be possible. I have not been able to pin down what has occurred to make me have that feeling. It may be an illusion, but I am trying. Let me continue to try. -Perhaps the will meet again."
"Or perhaps," said Davan, "if you return to where you are now staying, you will eventually find yourself in an Imperial trap. You may think that the Empire will leave you alone white you struggle with psychohistory, but I am certain the Emperor and his toady Demerzel are in no mood to wait forever, any more than I am."
"It will do them no good to hasten," said Seldon calmly, "since I am not on their side, as I am on yours. -Come, Dors."
They turned and left Davan, sitting alone in his squalid room, and found Raych waiting for them outside.
76.
Raych was eating, licking his fingers, and crumpling the bag in which the food-whatever it was-had been. A strong smell of onions pervaded the air-different somehow, yeast-based perhaps.
Dors, recreating a little from the odor, said, "Where did you get the food from, Raych?"
"Davan's guys. They brought it to me. Davan's okay."
"Then we don't have to buy you dinner, do we?" said Seldon, conscious of his own empty stomach.
"Ya owe me somethin'" said Raych, looking greedily in Dors's direction. "How about the lady's knife? One of 'em."
"No knife," said Dors. "You get us back safely and I'll give you five credits."
"Can't get no knife for five credits," grumbled Raych.
"You're not getting anything but five credits," said Dors.
"You're a lousy dame, lady," said Raych.
"I'm a lousy dame with a quick knife, Raych, so get moving."
"All right. Don't get all perspired." Raych waved his hand. "This way."
It was back through the empty corridors, but this time Dors, looking this way and that, stopped. "Hold on, Raych. We're being followed."
Raych looked exasperated. "Ya ain't supposed to hear 'em."
Seldon said, bending his head to one side, "I don't hear anything."
"I do," said Dors. "Now, Raych, I don't want any fooling around. You tell me right now what's going on or I'll rap your head so that you won't see straight for a week. I mean it."
Raych held up one arm defensively. "You try it, you lousy dame. You try it. -It's Davan's guys. They're just taking care of us, in case any knifers come along."
"Davan's guys?"
"Yeah. They're goin' along the service corridors."
Dors's right hand shot out and seized Raych by the scruff of his upper garment.