Daneel shook his head in the human fashion, indicating polite disagreement.
“It is a tempting notion. But the drawbacks are fatal. Number one, to impose this union of spirits by mechanical means would create tremendous First Law conflict among many robots, whose circuits would interpret it as ‘harm.’ I have tried out this idea on several of your peers, and their reactions vary from enthusiasm, such as yours, all the way to outrage and revulsion.
“Clearly, such a peremptory action would reignite the robotic civil wars.”
Zun quailed at the notion. “I assume you erased all memory of this idea from the robots that rejected it?”
“I took that precaution, yes. And if your reaction had been different, I would have done the same to you, Zun. My apologies.”
“No apology is required where necessity and the good of humanity are concerned,” Zun said, dismissing Daneel’s concern with the wave of one hand. “And your other reason~”
“Human variability. In recent millennia, small but significant numbers have grown immune to nearly all of the stabilizing influences that we have used to stave off chaos. They are also extremely resistant to mentalic suasion. Imagine how these individuals would react if they abruptly saw their friends, neighbors, and loved ones becoming ‘meditation masters’ overnight!
“No, that understates it, Zun. Suppose we do manage to draw a majority of humans into a macro-consciousness, abandoning individuality to unite in a single mentation-stream. How will the remnant minority react to being left out?
“Would they go mad? Or feel abandoned?
“Or might they misinterpret what they see happening, and imagine that some alien force has turned their loved ones into zombies, compelling them to think identical rigid thoughts, all at the same time?
“Don’t forget, these exceptional ones are often ingenious. They would throw all their energies into uncovering and fighting thatoutside alien force.
“They would find us. They would wage a war against us.”
Zun Lurrin envisioned the scene as Daneel described it, and understood at once the farseeing wisdom of the Immortal Servant.
“This new breakthrough-this new way of human life-it must be introduced at the right time, under appropriate circumstances. All robots must see it as necessary. All humans must view it as an improvement.”
Daneel nodded.
“And so it cannot happen yet. It must not be brought about by artificial means. We shall have to wait until a large enough population of human mentalics is ready. Until the empire has collapsed, and humanity roils in suffering. Then as they yearn for something to unify and save them, that will be the time to offer themGaia.”
Zun turned to look at Daneel. “Gaia?”
“An ancient term for a spirit that covers an entire planet. A gentle, loving goddess who knows when every sparrow falls, because each bird of the air, all the fish of the sea, and every living human, will be an integral part of her.”
The Immortal Servant’s voice grew distant as Daneel’s eyes seemed to focus on a far horizon, one filled with majesty and beauty.
“And after each planet has its Gaia, then we may see something even greater. Something all-encompassing. Galaxia.”
His voice softened further.
“And that is when…perhaps…I shall find some peace.”
2.
Two mysterious ship traces led away from the Thumartin Nebula, heading in opposite directions from the site where a million archives and terraforming machines had recently exploded into sparkling clouds of ionized memory. It was decided that Dors would follow one of the departing trails. Lodovic’s Calvinian friends would follow the other one in their own speedy craft.
That was fine by Dors, who felt a strong hunch which direction Hari had been taken.
Unfortunately, Lodovic Trema agreed with her choice. After briefly introducing Dors to his new allies, he threw a carryall over his shoulder and crossed the tunnel connecting both airlocks, making himself right at home aboard her ship!
“Zorma and her friends have less need of me than you do,” he explained.
“Then their need is less than zero!” she retorted. He only smiled, appearing disinclined to argue. But Dors was having none of that.
“This is going to be a full and complete exchange of information, Trema. Or else you can get out and walk the rest of the way. Start by telling me about these allies of yours. You know how I feel about fanatics who deny the Zeroth Law.”
Just a couple of years ago, one small Calvinian cult based on Trantor had decided it was time to attack Daneel Olivaw where it could hurt him most-by wrecking the Seldon Plan. If the Immortal Servant cared about Hari and psychohistory, then that group of rejectionist robots was determined to interfere. They nearly tricked a human mentalic into messing with Hari’s mind. Only good luck and quick intervention had foiled the plot, in the nick of time.
“This group is different,” Lodovic assured her. “You even met Zorma once before, back on Trantor, when she wore a male body and argued against the plan to sabotage Hari.”
Dors recalled. The Calvinian had seemed reasonable at the time. Still, she shook her head.
“That’s hardly a basis for trusting fanatics.”
“According to some, the real fanatics and heretics are Zeroth Law robots,” Lodovic replied. “You’ve replayed the memories of R. Giskard Reventlov. You know how slender a thread he and Daneel were pulling when they replaced our old religion with a new one.”
“The civil wars are over, Lodovic. A vast majority of surviving robots accept the Zeroth Law, while the Old Believers break up into dozens of little sects, hiding and conspiring in dark comers of the galaxy. Tell me, what do your new friends believe? What funny little notions have they picked up during their long, frustrated diaspora?”
Constellations flickered and shifted subtly outside, each time her ship performed another hyperspatial jump. Lodovic smiled.
“Their creed is odd all right-that our masters should be consulted about their own destiny.”
Dors nodded. Trema had been drifting toward this apostasy ever since his accident. Why else would he give her Giskard’s head in the first place?
“That’s fine in principle. But howpractical is it?”
“You refer to chaos,” Lodovic replied. “Indeed, Zorma and her compatriots must be careful which humans they reveal themselves to. But surely, you’ve seen the figures from Daneel’s humanics studies? Over two percent of the population is already resistant to both Olivaw’s damping factorsand to the seductions of chaos. It’s one reason why Hari Seldon theorized that a foundation, based on Terminus, might evolve enough social and psychological strength to burst past the threshold that has so far proved lethal to every other-”
Dors lifted a hand to cut him off.
“This is all very interesting, Lodovic: Normally, I’d love to meet thesemature humans your Calvinian pals choose to confide in. But right now I’m only interested in finding Hari Seldon! Do you know anything about the group that has him?”
Lodovic nodded.
“You’re right, Dors. The old religion did break up into many little cults. They never had a charismatic leader, like Daneel, to weld them together. Those Calvinians on Trantor-led by poor old Plussix-were embarrassingly simpleminded. You’ll recall that Zorma tried to talk them out of their foolish plan. She also sought to dissuade the group that has kidnapped Hari.”
Her emotion-simulation programs crafted a chill of horror along her spine.
“Do you know what the kidnappers want?”
“Alas, no. They are a strange group, more sophisticated than the ones on Trantor, with some weirdly original ideas they’ve cooked up over the centuries. Zorma’s intelligence about them is limited. But it appears that some of their leaders were once allied with Daneel, then parted with him under unpleasant circumstances.