Project Pope

'How about security? asked Te

'My crew, or rather the original Decker crew, said Decker, 'was scared off by a psychological weapon. A sense of terror was broadcast and I honestly can't tell you how it was done, the terror mixed with a booming voice that told them, though they couldn't understand the words, to get the hell out. The crew was so scared and so was I that no one made a move to veer off; they simply ran in terror, anything to escape. The ship crashed fifty miles beyond this place. Even your Listener, Mary, was effectively scared off. I didn't know about this until you told me, but it's apparent to me that she was frightened off. Even if she was not in the flesh, she still was detected. Somewhere in our files there is some data on her. Nothing done with it yet, I would imagine. Probably it didn't seem all that important.

'It brought us here, said Jill.

'Yes, it did. How much are you going to tell the Bubblies?

'We've told it all to you.

'Yes, of course you have. And I'll tell it to Smoky. Is there anything in particular you'd like me to say nothing about?

'Not a thing, said Te

'My best advice, said Decker, 'is to make an open breast of it. The Bubblies will be intrigued enough that they will start some digging. I doubt there is anything to fear from them. They're really fairly decent, even by human standards. Alien as all hell, of course, and hard at times to figure, but they're definitely not ogres. This is the first time in all their history that anyone has sneaked up on them. That is guaranteed to catch their attention. These equation folk of yours must have plenty on the stick.

'They're good at what they do, said Jill.

'I would guess that from the interest Smoky showed in them they're new to the Bubblies. Have you any idea where they are located?

'Not the faintest, Te

'You mean that, not knowing their location, you still could contact them?

'That's exactly right.

'But how?

'Look, Decker, we've told you almost everything. Leave us one trade secret.

'That's fair enough. It seemed to me that I saw a Duster with you. Could that be correct?

'Duster?

'A Duster. A fuzzy ball of glitter.

'One came along with us, said Jill. 'He seems to have disappeared.

'Could he have had something to do with it?

'Decker, I said one secret, didn't I? asked Te

'Yes, you did. I'm sorry.

'How about the equation folk? asked Jill. 'Do you know where they are?

'They're clustered in Smoky's parking lot, said Decker. 'All bunched up together and the equations and diagrams flickering so fast you can barely see them. But, now, I'll have to say good night. You people want to get some rest. And I have work to do tomorrow.

'You have a job?

'Certainly. Almost everyone does. You are allowed to pick what you want to do — that is, if you're qualified. My specialty is interpreting. Strangely enough, I found that I had an ear for alien tongues. I can manage with quite a lot of them. But basically I'm a sort of curator. I make a valiant effort to classify all the junk from distant worlds that finds its way into this place.

'You know, of course, said Jill, 'that we don't intend to stay long?

'Protocol, if nothing else, said Decker, 'demands that you talk with Smoky and perhaps some of the other Bubblies. They'd take it rather badly if you didn't. I would guess they have a lively interest in you. I'll go along with you to act as interpreter.

Fifty-five

Plopper kept flopping all about, making his squishy liver sounds. Plop, he went, plop, plop, plop.

'Can't he rest awhile? asked Haystack. 'Can't he stop that hopping all about? Can't he sit and rest awhile?

Plop, went Plopper, plop, plop, plop….

'Leave him alone, said Smoky. 'You're always after him. You're always criticizing.

'He drives me nuts, said Haystack.

'Decker doesn't mind him, said the Bubbly. 'He never complains about him.

'Decker's not with him all the time, said Haystack. 'Decker's not as close to you as I am. I'm your constant companion. At your eternal beck and call. Decker runs around a lot. If Decker had to live with Plopper, the way I do…

Plop, went Plopper.

'He never quits it, day or night, said Haystack. 'He's hopping all the time. We are supposed to be a triad, aren't we? Where does he fit in? All the rest are three; how come we are four?

'We are a triad, said Smoky. 'Don't try to get cute with me. Don't say things that aren't true, thinking you can catch me in a lie. You know Plopper is not one of us. He is nothing but a pet. Perhaps if you weren't grumbling all the time and Decker spent more of his time with us, I wouldn't need a pet. But I have found a pet and have grown fond of him and —

Haystack grumbled without saying anything.

'What was that? Speak up.

'I said you were more than fond of him. You put up with him, which is more than I am able to do, and Decker too. Decker runs around so much because he can't stand all the plopping. Plop, plop, plop all the blessed time. Not a moment's peace.

'He'll bring us good luck, said Smoky. 'He is more than a simple pet. He is a talisman, a good-luck charm….

'You have no need of a good-luck charm, said Haystack. 'I tell you and I tell you and you keep on pushing. You don't let up a minute. Everyone is sore at you; you haven't got a friend in all of Center. You're pushing too hard, and when I try to tell you, you pay no attention to me. Once you have control of Center, what will you do with it?

'It's not only Center, Haystack. It's much more than that. You and Decker stick with me and —

'There you go again, said Haystack. 'I don't know why I put up with you. You're heading straight for trouble. You and your impossible dreams. If Decker didn't go along with you…

'Decker has vision, said Smoky. 'He sees eye to eye with me. While you —

'Decker may have vision, but I have common sense. I know what's possible; Decker doesn't.

Plop, plop, plop went Plopper.

'No one has ever dared to reach out for Center, Haystack said. 'You're sneaky about it, of course. You move in devious ways. You think you're being smart. But the others know. They are waiting until you make a tiny slip, then they'll be down on you. They'll crush you without mercy, without a second thought.

'When three beings form a triad, said Smoky, 'which is the logical condition of our way of life and which from observation has proved to be the best mode of existence, they are loyal to one another. They do not bicker among themselves. They do not —

'I am being loyal to you, said Haystack, 'the best way that I know. I am trying my level best to keep us out of trouble. Why don't you listen to me?

'I do listen to you, Haystack. I listen endlessly.

'You listen but you pay no attention. You are maddened by your dream of glory. You've reached a point where you recognize no reason. Even now you are plotting how you'll use these new arrivals to the best advantage. Don't tell me that you aren't.

'It takes so long to reconstruct them, complained Smoky. 'It would seem there should be a faster method.

'The procedure is long, said Haystack, 'because there are so many factors that must be considered and worked with. There can be no mistakes, and in almost all of them that one might want to use, there are revisions to be made.

'I had given thought to making use of the originals, said Smoky, 'and not waiting for the recreations. But that could be dangerous. The others, the cubes, I know not of, but the humans are hair-triggered creatures. It is strange that after all this time, with Decker being the only one we have, two more humans should show up. Any yet I am tempted…