We're Friends, Now Part 12

COUNSELOR: Thank you, sir! It will be so noted. And now--(_Makes a pretense of scanning his brief._) Now we come to an area of vital interest--an area demanding our most urgent attention, inasmuch as it gives indication of threatening our basic fundamental of cybernetic detection; believe me, I cannot place enough emphasis here; I refer, of course, to Mr. Beardsley's process of manipulation of ECAIAC, and this strange business of "Ellery Sherlock." (_Pause._) Mr. Jeff Arnold, if you please. I believe you were to be ready with some observations today?

ARNOLD: Yes, sir. But more than observation, I am glad to report. We have _solved_ the "Ellery Sherlock" equate.

COUNSELOR: This is wonderful! Will you proceed, sir?

ARNOLD: A strange thing ... and yet so simple! We began by resurrecting a huge number of "Summaries"; we dredged into Dead File for at least three years back, re-ran them under a synapse intensifier. It's all there, you know, every minute particle of every case that has gone through ECAIAC; almost subliminal, some of it, but--

COUNSELOR: One moment, sir. This reference to "synapse." Could you--ah--clarify?

ARNOLD: Why, a synapse is the primary adjunct to memory! The human brain has billions of them, neuronically linked--sort of pathways that get grooved deeper and deeper with constant repet.i.tion of thought, until after a while they become completely permanent, retentive and self-functioning. ECAIAC is similarly equipped--not to the degree of the human brain, as yet, but amazingly.

COUNSELOR (_dazed_): Ah--yes. Please continue, sir.

ARNOLD: As I said, we revived a number of the old cases. And what we discovered, was that Beardsley--for years past, mind you--had been utilizing his capacity as Chief of Coordinates to introduce extraneous material to ECAIAC _via_ the tapes! In each and every case that came before him! Oh, you can believe me, he was clever, he went about it by slow and subtle degrees! And the substance of this material, sir--(_Pauses, gulps and shakes his head, unable to go on._)

COUNSELOR: Please control yourself, sir! The substance of this extraneous material?

ARNOLD (_again gulps_): De-detective fiction!

COUNSELOR (_leans forward sharply_): Do I understand you correctly, Mr.

Arnold? You did say _detective fiction_?

ARNOLD: Of two types. Ellery Queen and Sherlock Holmes--I presume it was Beardsley's random choice. But there was nothing random about his purpose! Don't you see, don't you see, it all fits! It explains the trouble we were having in recent months in getting total synaptic clearance! (_His voice borders on the frantic._) I remember, now, I even mentioned this to Beardsley--and oh, the smug way he took it. He knew, d.a.m.n him, he knew! He was getting there, he was reaching the synaptic, a bit of fiction here and a bit there, ECAIAC was being conditioned, unable to distinguish the real from the unreal--

COUNSELOR: Mr. Arnold! If you please, sir! (_Waits for Arnold to subside._) I can appreciate how this discovery distresses you, both--ah--personally and in your official capacity, but be a.s.sured that your findings will be of inestimable value to future security. In fact (_smiles slightly_) Council has not been idle in its own pursuit of Mr.

Beardsley's vagaries! (_Rises, removes a small screen to reveal a towering pile of tomes._) And now, Mr. Beardsley. I must really ask you to cooperate; I believe you fully capable. Are these your books?

BEARDSLEY (_adjusts his gla.s.ses, smiles at his books_): Yes.

COUNSELOR: And these charts, these graphs that we found plastered to every wall of your home. Obviously they are also yours.

BEARDSLEY (_adjusts his gla.s.ses, smiles at his graphs_): Yes.

COUNSELOR: Thank you, Mr. Beardsley. That's fine. And, Mr. Beardsley, what did you use them for? These books, these graphs?

BEARDSLEY (_groping, bewildered_): I--I--

COUNSELOR (_sees the futility of it_): Gentlemen, I believe we can proceed on the grounds of self-evidence. Let me read you a few t.i.tles from these books. "The Cybernetic Principle: Advanced Theory" ... "The Synapse in Function" ... and here we have "Synaptics: Pattern and Flux."

There are more, many more in similar vein. (_Turns abruptly._) Mr.

Arnold. I'm sure you are familiar with most of these volumes. On the basis of the content, would you say that you could duplicate Beardsley's feat?

ARNOLD (_aghast_): No! I would not presume to say that, sir.

COUNSELOR (_frowns; it was not the answer he wanted_): Very well, then.

Dr. Trstensky ... would you come forward, please? Dr. Trstensky ... you are head of the Department of Advanced Cybernetics at Cal Tech. You have had opportunity to study these graphs and charts in minutest detail--

TRSTENSKY: Oh, yes-s. Fascinating!

COUNSELOR: I put the question: would it be possible for you to duplicate the grotesque feat that Beardsley performed on ECAIAC?

TRSTENSKY: Yes-s, possibly. No, I will say definitely. You mean, of course, cold, from the beginning? Yes-s ... but it would take me approximately three-to-four years.

COUNSELOR: Yes, Mr. Beardsley? What is it? You would like to make a pertinent statement?

BEARDSLEY (_abashed_): Oh. It--I only wanted to say it took me longer.

Four-to-five years.

COUNSELOR (_wearily--just waits for laughter to subside_): Gentlemen, I think we may safely wrap it up now. Our function here is Disposition.

Our choice is two-fold. One: the subject is sane, in which case he will pay the supreme penalty for murder which he has freely admitted. Or two: he is obviously insane, in which case he will be subjected to Psychic Probe as provided by law, thus restoring a measure of normalcy sufficient to place him again in society--restricted, of course--

DR. DOEBLER: Sir, one moment, if you please! I simply do not understand your language, and even less can I condone your haste! _Safely_ wrap it up, you said. What do you mean by that? Safe for whom? And "obviously"

insane--was that a slip of the tongue, sir, or are you trying to force an issue here?

COUNSELOR (_coldly_): I must remind you that we already have competent reports on subject's status. Add to that the facts presented here; they are overwhelming; the man's own admission and att.i.tude are substantiation. It is my considered opinion, and I'm sure the opinion of Council, that the man is insane. Subjection to Psychic Probe will restore him to--

DOEBLER: Oh, yes, the Psychic Probe. I have no quarrel there. _But suppose you were wrong?_ Have you ever considered the effects of Probe on the _sane_ mind? Have you ever seen it? Once I saw it, only once. It is worse than disaster--it is horrible--it results in a sort of psychic tearing that heals and then tears and then heals in continuous perpetuation. It--is indescribable. It is sub-human. Compared to that, death or even insanity is a blessed relief. Now, gentlemen, listen! I implore you not to be in error! True, it was my opinion that Beardsley acted in fulfillment of the self-destructive impulse, but the man is _sane--sane_, I tell you, and ent.i.tled to a humanitarian death! My professional judgment--

COUNSELOR (_again coldly, glancing around_): Is welcome, but does not bear final weight, sir.

Silence closed down like a pall. Doebler's plea by its very impa.s.sioned nature had gotten through. It was a moment of embarra.s.sment and indecision in which each man weighed his conscience, and found it wanting ... in which every member of Council looked to his neighbor for solution or solace, and finding neither, turned back to himself, aghast.

Only one person looked to the true source and saw the solution as it would be, as it had to be. Pederson. Heartsick with the knowing, he observed Raoul Beardsley and remembered! This funny little man ... this ridiculous man ... this proud man who had seized his fate and shoved it through because it had to be done, because he obeyed the dictates, because he had reached his Time of a.s.sertion. Oh, Pederson remembered!

And most of all he remembered Beardsley there at the last, in that final moment when ECAIAC had reached the wailing heights of sentience and grief ... and how could he ever forget Beardsley's soundless whisper that seemed to say, "_No, no ... don't you understand? ... we're friends now!_"

Pederson remembered. He remembered, and looking up saw that Council had reached equitable agreement, and his heart was sick and his soul was sick as he realized this was final, there could be no appeal. For the last time he looked upon Beardsley's face and saw that the man was fully cognizant.... Beardsley also knew.... Deobler had been right. Pederson turned his face away.

COUNSELOR: Now we are agreed, gentlemen? (_waits for general approval._) Be it p.r.o.nounced, then. Inasmuch as there exists a general area of doubt as to Disposition; and inasmuch as it is agreed that further deliberation would be prolonged and pointless; and inasmuch as our faith in the ultimate function of ECAIAC remains inestimable, despite recent vagaries which shall never occur again: be it therefore resolved, that the problem pending shall be taped in all its detail and submitted to ECAIAC for Final Disposition.

THE END