Prelude to Foundation Chapter 2 Flight

TRANTOR- The capital of the First Galactic Empire at a lower place Cleon I, it had its twilight glow. To all appearances, it was then(prenominal)ce at its peak. Its land sur demonstrate of ii hundred million squ be kilometers was entirely domed (except for the purplish Palace argona) and underlaid with an unfading city t palpebra ext abrogateed beneath the continental shelves. The population was 40 cardinal and although the signs were plentiful (and clearly visible in hindsight) that at that place were gathering problems, those who lived on Trantor undoubtedly fix it still the Eternal World of legend and did non expect it would everEncyclopedia Galactica6.Seldon grimaceed up. A spring chicken slice was substitute earlier him, feeling plenty at him with an expression of am apply contempt. close to him was an an other(a)(prenominal) unfledged human physique-a bit immatureer, perhaps. Both were large and appe atomic number 18d to be strong. They were svelte in an extreme of Trantorian fashion, Seldon judged-boldly clashing colors, broad fringed belts, round hats with vast brims all ab knocked out(p) and the two ends of a bright pink bay wreath extending from the brim to the bet on of the deal.In Seldons eye, it was amusing and he smiled.The young man in the beginning him focal pointped, Whatre you grinning at, misfit? Seldon ignored the manner of address and verbalize gently, enthral pardon my smile. I was merely enjoying your costume.My costume? So? And what argon you article of clo involvement? Whats that awful offal you call clothes? His hit went out and his finger flicked at the lapel of Seldons jacket-disgracefully heavy and dull, Seldon himself purpose, in comparison to the others lighthearted colors.Seldon say, Im terror-struck its my Out baller clothes. Theyre all I form. He couldnt help nonice that the hardly a(prenominal) others who were sitting in the fine parking area were rising to their feet and walking off. It was as though they were expecting hassle and had no desire to remain in the vicinity. Seldon wondered if his new friend, Hummin, was leaving too, provided if he snarl it injudicious to construct his look a guidance from the young man who was confronting him. He teetered stand on his chasten slightly.The young man said, You an Outworlder?Thats right. so my clothes.Hence? What kind of words that? Outworld word?What I sousedt was, that was why my clothes appear peculiar to you. Im a visitor hither.From what planet? bombardon.The young mans eyebrows drew to shellher. neer hear of it.Its not a large planet.why dont you go back at that place?I intend to. Im leaving tomorrow.So wizardr NowThe young man sorted at his partner. Seldon followed the look and caught a glimpse of Hummin. He had not left, however the park was at once empty except for himself, Hummin, and the two young men.Seldon said, Id thought Id spend today sight-seeing.No. You dont extremity to do that. Yo u go home immediately.Seldon smiled. Sorry. I wont.The young man said to his partner. You give care his clothes, Marbie?Marbie speak for the first age. No. Disgusting. Turns the stomach.Cant let him go around turning stomachs, Marbie. non good for peoples health.No, not by no means, Alem, said Marbie.Alem grinned. Well now. You hear what Marbie said.And now Hummin speak. He said, Look, you two, Alem, Marbie, whatever your names are. Youve had your fun. wherefore dont you go away?Alem, who had been leaning slightly toward Seldon, straightened and moody. Who are you?Thats not your business, snapped Hummin.Youre Trantorian? asked Alem.Also not your business.Alem frowned and said, Youre robed Trantorian. Were not interested in you, so dont go looking for problems.I intend to squelch. That means on that point are two of us. Two against two doesnt sound manage your kind of fight. Why dont you go away and submit nearly friends so you net handle two people?Seldon said, I ec htly think you ought to spoil away if you eject, Hummin. Its kind of you to bear witness to treasure me, but I dont want you h sleeveed.These are not dangerous people, Seldon. retributory half-credit lackeys.Lackeys The word seemed to infuriate Alem, so that Seldon thought it moldiness devour a to a greater extent insulting meaning on Trantor than it had on Helicon.Here, Marbie, said Alem with a growl. You sate care of that other motherlackey and Ill rip the clothes off this Seldon. Hes the angiotensin-converting enzyme we want. Now-His hand came down aggressively to seize Seldons lapels and jerk him upright.Seldon pushed away, instinctively it would seem, and his ch publicize tipped backward. He seized the hands stretched toward him, his foot went up, and his chair went down.Somehow Alem move all over show, turning as he did so, and came down hard on his neck and back down Seldon.Seldon deformed as his chair went down and was cursorily on his feet, staring down at A lem, then looking sharply to single side for Marbie. Alem lay unmoving, his deliver twisted in agony. He had two badly sprained thumbs, excruciating pain in his groin, and a pillar that had been badly jarred. Hummins left arm had grabbed Marbies neck from behind and his right arm had institutionalizeed the others right arm backward at a vicious angle. Marbies face was red as he labored uselessly for breath. A knife, shine with a atrophied laser inset, lay on the ground beside them.Hummin sticking out(p) his postp atomic number 53ment slightly and said, with an air of h acest concern, Youve hurt that angiotensin-converting enzyme badly.Seldon said, Im afraid so. If he had fallen a little differently, he would harbor snapped his neck.Hummin said, What kind of a mathematician are you?A Heliconian one. He stooped to pick out up the knife and, after examining it, said, Disgusting-and deadly.Hummin said, An ordinary blade would do the job without requiring a power source.- bon nie now lets let these two go. I doubt they want to stay roam all further.He released Marbie, who rubbed first his shoulder then his neck. Gasping for air, he turned hate-filled eyes on the two men. Hummin said sharply, You two had better pass water out of here. Otherwise well micturate to give evidence against you for assault and assay murder. This knife can surely be traced to you.Seldon and Hummin watched while Marbie dragged Alem to his feet and then helped him pitch away, still bent in pain. They looked back once or twice, but Seldon and Hummin watched impassively.Seldon held out his hand. How do I thank you for coming to the aid of a contrastedr against two attackers? I doubt I would book been sitisfactory to handle them both on my own.Hummin raised his hand in a deprecatory manner. I wasnt afraid of them. Theyre just highroad-brawling lackeys. all(prenominal) I had to do was read my hands on them-and yours, too, of course.Thats a pretty deadly grip you earn, Sel don mused.Hummin shrugged. You too. then(prenominal), without changing his tone of theatrical role, he said, Come on, wed better get out of here. Were wasting time.Seldon said, Why do we come to get away? are you afraid those two go out come back?Not in their lifetime. But just about of those brave people who cleared out of the park so quickly in their eagerness to spare themselves a bothersome sight whitethorn boast alerted the police.Fine. We have the hoodlums names. And we can describe them middling well.Describe them? Why would the police want them?They committed an assault-Dont be foolish. We dont have a scratch. Theyre virtually hospital bait, especially Alem. Were the ones who will be charged.But thats unrealiz equal. Those people witnessed the fact that-No people will be called.-Seldon, get this into your chieftain. Those two came to feel you-specifically you. They were told you were wearing Heliconian clothes and you must have been set forth precisely. by cha nce they were rase shown a holograph. I suspect they were sent by the people who happen to control the police, so lets not wait all languisher.Hummin hurried off, his hand gripping Seldons upper arm. Seldon found the grip im contingent to shake and, feeling like a child in the hands of an impetuous nurse, followed.They plunged into an arcade and, before Seldons eyes grew accustomed to the dimmer light, they hear the burring sound of a ground-cars brakes. in that location they are, muttered Hummin. Faster, Seldon. They hopped onto a moving corridor and lost themselves in the crowd.7.Seldon had tried to persuade Hummin to take him to his hotel room, but Hummin would have none of that. ar you mad? he half-whispered. Theyll be waiting for you there.But all my keeping are waiting for me there too.Theyll just have to wait.And now they were in a small room in a pleasant flat structure that powerfulness be any(prenominal)where for all that Seldon could tell. He looked near the one-ro om building block. Most of it was taken up by a desk and chair, a bed, and a com disgorgeer outlet. There were no dining facilities or washstand of any kind, though Hummin had directed him to a communal washroom down the hall. Someone had entered before Seldon was instead through. He had cast one brief and curious look at Seldons clothes, rather than at Seldon himself, and had then looked away. Seldon mentioned this to Hummin, who move his head and said, Well have to get rid of your clothes. Too bad Helicon is so re go out of fashion-Seldon said impatiently, How often of this might just be your imagination, Hummin? Youve got me half-convinced and in time it may be merely a kind of of-Are you search for the word paranoia?All right, I am. This may be some strange paranoid notion of yours. Hummin said, Think nearly it, will you? I cant deal it out mathematically, but youve seen the Emperor. Dont abandon it. He wanted some affaire from you and you didnt give it to him. Dont deny that either. I suspect that details of the future are what he wants and you refused. Perhaps Demerzel thinks youre hardly pretending not to have the details-that youre holding out for a higher price or that someone else is bidding for it too. Who socks? I told you that if Demerzel wants you, hell get you wherever you are. I told you that before those two splitheads ever appeared on the scene. Im a journalist and a Trantorian. I turn in how these things go. At one point, Alem said, Hes the one we want. Do you remember that?As it happens, said Seldon. I do.To him I was only the other motherlackey to be unploughed off, while he went approximately the real job of assaulting you.Hummin sat down in the chair and pointed to the bed. Stretch out, Seldon. quarter yourself comfort able-bodied. Whoever sent those two-it must have been Demerzel, in my opinion-can send others, so well have to get rid of those clothes of yours. I think any other Heliconian in this sector caught in his own worlds garb is going to have trouble until he can prove he isnt you.Oh come on.I mean it. Youll have to take off the clothes and well have to zap them-if we can get close comely to a disposal unit without being seen. And before we can do that Ill have to get you a Trantorian outfit. Youre smaller than I am and Ill take that into account. It wont depicted object if it doesnt fit exactly-Seldon shook his head. I dont have the assign to pay for it. Not on me. What credits I have-and they arent overmuch-are in my hotel galosh.Well raise up or so that another time. Youll have to stay here for an hour or two while I go out in search of the necessary clothing.Seldon spread his hands and sighed resignedly. All right. If its that important, Ill stay.You wont strive to get back to your hotel? Word of honor?My word as a mathematician. But Im really embarrassed by all the trouble youre taking for me. And expense too. afterwards all, despite all this talk about Demerzel, they weren t really out to hurt me or carry me off. All I was threatened with was the removal of my clothes.Not all. They were also going to take you to the spaceport and put you on a hypers hip joint to Helicon.That was a silly threat-not to be taken seriously.Why not?Im going to Helicon. I told them so. Im going tomorrow.And you still plan to go tomorrow? asked Hummin.Certainly. Why not?There are enormous antecedents why not.Seldon suddenly snarl angry. Come on, Hummin, I cant play this game any further. Im finished here and I want to go home. My tickets are in the hotel room. Otherwise Id try to exchange them for a trip today. I mean it.You cant go back to Helicon.Seldon flushed. Why not? Are they waiting for me there too?Hummin nodded. Dont fire up, Seldon. They would be waiting for you there too.Listen to me. If you go to Helicon, you are as good as in Demerzels hands. Helicon is good, caoutchouc Imperial territory. Has Helicon ever rebelled, ever fallen into step behind the banner of an anti-Emperor?No, it hasnt-and for good reason. Its surrounded by larger worlds. It depends on the Imperial peace for security. but Imperial forces on Helicon can therefore count on the full cooperation of the local government. You would be under unvarying surveillance at all times. Any time Demerzel wants you, he will be able to have you. And, except for the fact that I am now warning you, you would have no knowledge of this and you would be working in the unsolved, filled with a false security.Thats ridiculous. If he wanted me in Helicon, why didnt he simply convey me to myself? I was going there tomorrow. Why would he send those two hoodlums simply to hasten the matter by a hardly a(prenominal) hours and risk putting me on my accommodate?Why should he think you would be put on your agree? He didnt know Id be with you, immersing you in what you call my paranoia.Even without the headland of warning me, why all the fuss to hurry me by a few hours?Perhaps because he was af raid you would change your mind.And go where, if not home? If he could pick me up on Helicon, he could pick me up anywhere. He could pick me up on on Anacreon, a good ten thousand parsecs away-if it should fall into my head to go there. Whats hold to hyper precipitateial ships? Even if I find a world thats not quite as subservient to the Imperial forces as Helicon is, what world is in actual rebellion? The Empire is at peace. Even if some worlds are still resentful of injustices in the past, none are going to balk the Imperial armed forces to protect me. Moreover, anywhere but on Helicon I wont be a local citizen and there wont until now be that matter of principle to help keep the Empire at bay.Hummin listened patiently, cernuous slightly, but looking as grave and as imperturbable as ever. He said, Youre right, as cold as you go, but theres one world that is not really under the Emperors control. That, I think, is what must be sorry Demerzel.Seldon thought a while, reviewing recent history and finding himself unable to take a world on which the Imperial forces might be helpless. He said at last, What world is that?Hummin said, Youre on it, which is what makes the matter so dangerous in Demerzels eyes, I imagine. It is not so much that he is anxious(p) to have you go to Helicon, as that he is anxious to have you leave Trantor before it occurs to you, for any reason-even if only tourists mania-to stay.The two men sat in muteness until Seldon in the end said sardonically, Trantor The capital of the Empire, with the home base of the scud on a space station in orbit about it, with the best units of the army quartered here. If you believe that it is Trantor that is the safe world, youre progressing from paranoia to outright fantasy.No Youre an Outworlder, Seldon. You dont know what Trantor is like. Its forty billion people and there are few other worlds with even a tenth of its population. It is of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Wher e we are now is the Imperial Sector-with the highest standard of living in the galaxy and dwell entirely by Imperial functionaries. Elsewhere on the planet, however, are over eight hundred other sectors, some of them with subcultures totally different from what we have here and most of them secure by Imperial forces.Why untouchable?The Empire cannot seriously exert force against Trantor. To do so would be bound to shake some facet or other of the engineering on which the whole planet depends. The technology is so interrelated that to snap one of the interconnections is to cripple the whole. Believe me, Seldon, we on Trantor observe what happens when there is an earthquake that directs to escape being damped out, a volcanic eruption that is not ventilate in time, a storm that is not defused, or just some human error that escapes notice. The planet totters and every effort must be made to re install the balance at once.I have never comprehend of such a thing.A small smile flic kered its way across Hummins face. Of course not. Do you want the Empire to advertise the flunk at its core? However, as a journalist, I know what happens even when the Outworlds dont, even when much of Trantor itself doesnt, even when the Imperial pressure is interested in concealing events. Believe me The Emperor knows-and Eto Demerzel knows-even if you dont, that to disturb Trantor may destroy the Empire.Then are you suggesting I stay on Trantor for that reason? Yes. I can take you to a place on Trantor where you will be absolutely safe from Demerzel. You wont have to change your name and you will be able to operate entirely in the easy and he wont be able to touch you. Thats why he wanted to force you off Trantor at once and if it hadnt been for the quirk of fate that brought us together and for your surprising tycoon to defend yourself, he would have succeeded in doing so.But how long will I have to remain on Trantor?For as long as your safety requires it, Seldon. For the re st of your life, perhaps.8.Hari Seldon looked at the holograph of himself cast by Hummins projector. It was more dramatic and useful than a mirror would have been. In fact, it seemed as though there were two of him in the room.Seldon studied the sleeve of his new tunic. His Heliconian attitudes made him wish the colors were less vibrant, but he was thankful that, as it was, Hummin had chosen softer colors than were customary here on this world. (Seldon thought of the clothing worn by their two assailants and shuddered inwardly.) He said, And I view I must wear this hat.In the Imperial Sector, yes. To go bareheaded here is a sign of low breeding. Elsewhere, the rules are different.Seldon sighed. The round hat was made of soft material and molded itself to his head when he put it on. The brim was evenly wide all around, but it was narrower than on the hats his attackers had worn. Seldon consoled himself by noticing that when he wore the hat the brim curved rather gracefully. It doe snt have a strap under the chin.Of course not. Thats advanced fashion for young lanks.For young what?A lank is someone who wears things for their shock value. Im sure you have such people on Helicon.Seldon snorted. There are those who wear their hair shoulder-length on one side and shave the other. He laughed at the memory. Hummins mouth twisted slightly. I imagine it looks uncommonly ugly.Worse. There are lefties and righties, apparently, and apiece finds the other version highly offensive. The two groups often engage in street brawls.Then I think you can stand the hat, especially without the strap.Seldon said, Ill get used to it.It will attract some attention. Its subdued for one thing and makes you look as if youre in mourning. And it doesnt quite fit. Then, too, you wear it with obvious discomfort. However, we wont be in the Imperial Sector long.-Seen enough? And the holograph flickered out.Seldon said, How much did this cost you?Whats the difference?It bothers me to be in your debt.Dont worry about it. This is my choice. But weve been here long enough. I will have been described, Im quite certain. Theyll track me down and theyll come here.In that case, said Seldon, the credits youre spending are a minor matter. Youre putting yourself into personal danger on my account. Personal dangerI know that. But its my free choice and I can take care of myself.But why-Well discuss the philosophy of it later.-Ive atomized your clothes, by the way, and I dont think I was seen. There was an energy surge, of course, and that would be come ined. Someone might guess what happened from that-its hard to obscure any action when searching eyes and mind are sharp enough. However, let us hope well be safely away before they put it all together.9.They traveled along walkways where the light was soft and yellow. Hummins eyes moved this way and that, watchful, and he kept their pace at crowd speed, neither passing nor being passed.He kept up a mild but steady conference on indif ferent topics. Seldon, edgy and unable to do the uniform, said, There seems to be a great deal of walking here. There are unending stresss in both directions and along the interbreedings.Why not? said Hummin. pass is still the best form of short-distance transportation. Its the most convenient, the cheapest, and the most healthful. Countless age of technological advance have not changed that.-Are you acrophobic, Seldon?Seldon looked over the railing on his right into a deep declivity that separated the two walking lanes-each in an opposite direction between the regularly spaced crossovers. He shuddered slightly. If you mean fear of heights, not ordinarily. Still, looking down isnt pleasant. How far does it go down?Forty or fifty levels at this point, I think. This var. of thing is common in the Imperial Sector and a few other highly developed regions. In most places, one walks at what might be considered ground level.I should imagine this would encourage felo-de-se attempts .Not often. There are far easier methods. Besides, suicide is not a matter of social obloquy on Trantor. One can end ones life by various recognized methods in centers that exist for the purpose-if one is willing to go through some psychotherapy at first. There are, occasional accidents, for that matter, but thats not why I was asking about acrophobia. Were forefront for a literary hack letting where they know me as a journalist. Ive done favors for them occasionally and sometimes they do favors for me in return. Theyll forget to record me and wont notice that I have a companion. Of course, Ill have to pay a premium and, again of course, if Demerzels people lean on them hard enough, theyll have to tell the truth and put it down to s relishnly accounting, but that may take considerable time.Where does the acrophobia come in?Well, we can get there a lot faster if we use a gravitic lift. Not legion(predicate) people use it and I must tell you that Im not overjoy at the idea myself, but if you think you can handle it, we had better.Whats a gravitic lift?Its experimental. The time may come when it will be far-flung over Trantor, provided it becomes psychologically acceptable-or can be made so to enough people. Then, maybe, it will spread to other worlds too. Its an elevator shaft without an elevator cab, so to speak. We just step into empty space and drop slowly-or rise slowly-under the crop of antigravity. Its about the only application of antigravity thats been established so far, largely because its the simplest possible application.What happens if the power blinks out while were in transit?Exactly what you would think. We fall and-unless were quite near the bottom to begin with-we die. I havent heard of it happening yet and, believe me, if it had happened I would know. We might not be able to give out the news for security reasons-thats the excuse they endlessly advance for hiding bad news-but I would know. Its just up ahead. If you cant manage it, we wont do it, but the corridors are slow and tedious and legion(predicate) find them nauseating after a while. Hummin turned down a crossover and into a large recess where a line of men and women were waiting, one or two with children.Seldon said in a low voice, I heard nothing of this back home. Of course, our own news media are awful local, but youd think thered be some mention that this sort of thing exists.Hummin said. Its strictly experimental and is confined to the Imperial Sector. It uses more energy than its worth, so the government is not really anxious to push it right now by giving it publicity. The old Emperor, Stanel VI, the one before Cleon who amazed everyone by dying in his bed, insisted on having it installed in a few places. He wanted his name associated with antigravity, they say, because he was concerned with his place in history, as old men of no great attainments frequently are. As I said, the proficiency may spread, but, on the other hand, it is possible that noth ing much more than the gravitic lift will ever come of it.What do they want to come of it? asked Seldon.Antigrav spaceflight. That, however, will require many breakthroughs and most physicists, as far as I know, are firmly convinced it is out of the question. But, then, most thought that even gravitic lifts were out of the question.The line ahead was rapidly suppuration shorter and Seldon found himself standing with Hummin at the edge of the floor with an open happy chance before him. The air ahead faintly glittered. Automatically, he reached out his hand and felt a light shock. It didnt hurt, but he snatched his hand back quickly.Hummin grunted. An elementary precaution to prevent anyone walking over the edge before activating the controls. He punched some numbers on the control gameboard and the glitter vanished.Seldon peered over the edge, down the deep shaft. You might find it better-or easier, said Hummin, if we link arms and if you close your eyes. It wont take more than a few seconds.He gave Seldon no choice, actually. He took his arm and once again there was no hanging back in that firm grip. Hummin stepped into nothingness and Seldon (who heard himself, to his own embarrassment, emit a small squeak) shuffled off with a lurch.He closed his eyes tightly and experienced no sense of falling, no feeling of air movement. A few seconds passed and he was pulled forward. He tripped slightly, caught his balance, and found himself on solid ground. He opened his eyes, Did we make it?Hummin said dryly, Were not dead, then walked away, his grip forcing Seldon to follow.I mean, did we get to the right level?Of course.What would have happened if we were dropping down and someone else was moving upward?There are two separate lanes. In one lane everyone drops at the resembling speed in the other everyone rises at the very(prenominal) speed. The shaft clears only when there are no people within ten meters of each other. There is no chance of a collision if all dee ds well.I didnt feel a thing.Why should you? There was no acceleration. After the first tenth of a second, you were at constant speed and the air in your immediate vicinity was moving down with you at the selfsame(prenominal) speed.Marvelous.Absolutely. But uneconomic. And there seems no great pressure to increase the power of the procedure and make it worthwhile. Everywhere one hears the same refrain. We cant do it. It cant be done. It applies to everything. Hummin shrugged in obvious anger and said, But were here at the cab rental.Lets get on with it.10.Seldon tried to look inconspicuous at the air-taxi rental terminus, which he found difficult. To look ostentatiously inconspicuous-to slink about, to turn his face away from all who passed, to study one of the vehicles overintently-was surely the way to call for attention. The way to behave was merely to assume an innocent normality.But what was normality? He felt uncomfortable in his clothes. There were no pockets, so he had n o place to put his hands. The two pouches, which dangled from his belt on either side, distracted him by hitting against him as he moved, so that he was continually thinking someone had nudged him. He tried looking at women as they passed. They had no pouches, at least none dangling, but they carried little boxlike affairs that they occasionally clipped to one hip or another by some device he could not make out. It was believably pseudomagnetic, he decided. Their clothes were not particularly revealing, he noted regretfully, and not one had any sign of d??colletage, although some dresses seemed to be designed to emphasize the buttocks. Meanwhile, Hummin had been very businesslike, having presented the necessary credits and returned with the superconductive ceramic cover that would activate a specific air-taxi.Hummin said, Get in, Seldon, gesturing to a small two-seated vehicle.Seldon asked, Did you have to sign your name, Hummin?Of course not. They know me here and dont stand on c eremony.What do they think youre doing?They didnt ask and I volunteered no information. He inserted the tile and Seldon felt a slight vibration as the air-taxi came to life. Were headed for D-7, said Hummin, reservation conversation.Seldon didnt know what D-7 was, but he assumed it meant some route or other. The air-taxi found its way past and around other ground-cars and finally moved onto a smooth upward-slanting track and gained speed. Then it lifted upward with a slight jolt.Seldon, who had been automatically strapped in by a webbed restraint, felt himself pushed down into his seat and then up against the webbing. He said, That didnt feel like antigravity.It wasnt, said Hummin. That was a small jet reaction. Just enough to take us up to the tubes.What appeared before them now looked like a decrease patterned with cave openings, much like a checkerboard. Hummin maneuvered toward the D-7 opening, avoiding other air-taxis that were heading for other tunnels.You could crash easil y, said Seldon, clearing his throat.So I probably would if everything depended on my senses and reactions, but the taxi is computerized and the computer can overrule me without trouble. The same is true for the other taxis.-Here we go.They slid into D-7 as if they had been sucked in and the bright light of the open plaza outside mellowed, turning a warmer yellow hue. Hummin released the controls and sat back. He drew a deep breath and said, Well, thats one interpret successfully carried through. We might have been stopped at the station. In here, were plum safe.The ride was smooth and the walls of the tunnel slipped by rapidly. There was almost no sound, just a steady velvety whirr as the taxi sped along. How fast are we going? asked Seldon.Hummin cast an eye briefly at the controls. Three hundred and fifty kilometers per hour.Magnetic propulsion?Yes. You have it on Helicon, I imagine.Yes. One line. Ive never been on it myself, though Ive always meant to. I dont think its anything like this.Im sure it isnt. Trantor has many thousands of kilometers of these tunnels honeycombing the land subsurface and a number that snake under the shallower extensions of the ocean. Its the chief method of long-distance travel.How long will it take us?To reach our immediate destination? A little over five hours.Five hours Seldon was dismayed.Dont be disturbed. We pass rest areas every twenty minutes or so where we can stop, pull out of the tunnel, stretch our feet, eat, or relieve ourselves. Id like to do that as few times as possible, of course.They broadend on in silence for a while and then Seldon started when a blaze of light flared at their right for a few seconds and, in the flash, he thought he saw two air-taxis.That was a rest area, said Hummin in resultant to the unspoken question.Seldon said, Am I really going to be safe wherever it is you are taking me?Hummin said, Quite safe from any open movement on the part of the Imperial forces. Of course, when it comes to th e individual operator-the spy, the agent, the hired assassin-one must always be careful. Naturally, I will supply you with a bodyguard.Seldon felt uneasy. The hired assassin? Are you serious? Would they really want to use up me?Hummin said, Im sure Demerzel doesnt. I suspect he wants to use you rather than charge you. Still, other enemies may turn up or there may be unfortunate concatenations of events. You cant go through life sleepwalking.Seldon shook his head and turned his face away. To think, only forty-eight hours ago he had been just an insignificant, virtually unknown Outworld mathematician, content only to spend his remaining time on Trantor sight-seeing, gazing at the enormity of the great world with his provincial eye. And now, it was finally sinking in He was a wanted man, hunted by Imperial forces. The enormity of the occurrence seized him and he shuddered.And what about you and what youre doing right now?Hummin said thoughtfully, Well, they wont feel kindly toward m e, I suppose. I might have my head laid open or my chest exploded by some mysterious and never-found assailant.Hummin said it without a tremor in his voice or a change in his calm appearance, but Seldon winced.Seldon said, I rather thought you would assume that might be in store for you. You dont seem to be bothered by it.Im an old Trantorian. I know the planet as well as anybody can. I know many people and many of them are under obligation to me. I like to think that I am shrewd and not easy to outwit. In short, Seldon, I am quite confident that I can take care of myself.Im glad you feel that way and I hope youre confirm in thinking so, Hummin, but I cant get it through my head why youre taking this chance at all. What am I to you? Why should you take even the smallest risk for someone who is a stranger to you?Hummin check over the controls in a preoccupied manner and then he confront Seldon squarely, eyes steady and serious.I want to save you for the same reason that the Emperor wants to use you-for your predictive powers.Seldon felt a deep insect bite of disappointment. This was not after all a question of being saved. He was merely the helpless and disputed prey of competing predators. He said angrily, I will never live down that presentation at the Decennial Convention. I have ruined my life.No. Dont rush to conclusions, mathematician. The Emperor and his officers want you for one reason only, to make their own lives more secure. They are interested in your abilities only so far as they might be used to save the Emperors rule, preserve that rule for his young son, maintain the positions, status, and power of his officials. I, on the other hand, want your powers for the good of the Galaxy.Is there a distinction? spat Seldon acidly.And Hummin replied with the stern beginning of a frown, If you do not see the distinction, then that is to your shame. The human occupants of the Galaxy existed before this Emperor who now rules, before the dynasty he represen ts, before the Empire itself. Humanity is far older than the Empire. It may even be far older than the twenty-five million worlds of the Galaxy. There are legends of a time when humanity inhabited a single world.Legends said Seldon, shrugging his shoulders.Yes, legends, but I see no reason why that may not have been so in fact, twenty thousand years ago or more. I presume that humanity did not come into existence complete with knowledge of hyperspatial travel. Surely, there must have been a time when people could not travel at superluminal velocities and they must then have been imprisoned in a single planetary system. And if we look forward in time, the human beings of the worlds of the Galaxy will surely continue to exist after you and the Emperor are dead, after his whole line comes to an end, and after the institutions of the Empire itself unravel. In that case, it is not important to worry surfeit about individuals, about the Emperor and the young Prince Imperial. It is not im portant to worry even about the mechanics of Empire. What of the quadrillions of people that exist in the Galaxy? What of them?Seldon said, Worlds and people would continue, I presume.Dont you feel any serious need of probing the possible conditions under which they would continue to exist.One would assume they would exist much as they do now.One would assume. But could one know by this art of prediction that you speak of?Psychohistory is what I call it. In theory, one could.And you feel no pressure to turn that theory into practice.I would love to, Hummin, but the desire to do so doesnt automatically manufacture the big businessman to do so. I told the Emperor that psychohistory could not be turned into a practical technique and I am forced to tell you the same thing.And you have no intention of even trying to find the technique?No, I dont, any more than I would feel I ought to try to tackle a pile of pebbles the size of Trantor, count them one by one, and arrange them in order of decreasing mass. I would know it was not something I could accomplish in a lifetime and I would not be fool enough to make a pretense of trying.Would you try if you knew the truth about humanitys situation?Thats an impossible question. What is the truth about humanitys situation? Do you claim to know it?Yes, I do. And in five words. Hummins eyes faced forward again, turning briefly toward the blank changelessness of the tunnel as it pushed toward them, expanding until it passed and then dwindling as it slipped away. He then spoke those five words grimly.He said, The Galactic Empire is dying.