Current File : //data/sci-fi/Dick Philip K/We Can Remember It For You Wholesale.rtf
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\viewkind4\uc1\pard\cf1\lang1033\b\f0\fs20 VERSION 0.5 DTD 032600\par
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\cf0\b0\f1\fs24\par
\i\fs16 The\i0 \i science\i0 \i fiction\i0 \i writers\i0 \i of\i0 \i this\i0 \i world\i0 \i are\i0 \i resolutely\i0\par
\pard\li25\sl45\slmult0\i differentfrom\i0 \i mankind\i0 \i and\i0 \i from\i0 \i each\i0 \i other-except\i0 \i that\i0\par
\pard\li20\sl50\slmult0\i Philip\i0 \i K.\i0 \i Dick\i0 \i is\i0 \i more\i0 \i different.\i0 \i He\i0 \i goes\i0 \i his\i0 \i own\i0 \i way,\i0\par
\pard\li5\sl50\slmult0\i writing\i0 \i his\i0 \i own\i0 \i kind\i0 \i of\i0 \i book,\i0 \i irrespective\i0 \i of\i0 \i changing\i0 \i moods\i0\par
\pard\li20\sl40\slmult0\i and\i0 \i styles,\i0 \i true\i0 \i unto\i0 \i himself\i0 \i and\i0 \i his\i0 \i own\i0 \i inner\i0 \i vision.\i0 \i He\i0\par
\pard\li15\sl45\slmult0\i produces\i0 \i steadily,\i0 \i but\i0 \i never\i0 \i badly,\i0 \i and\i0 \i won\i0 \i a\i0 \i well-deserved\i0\par
\pard\li20\sl50\slmult0\i Hugo\i0 \i for\i0 \i his\i0 \i "Man\i0 \i in\i0 \i the\i0 \i High\i0 \i Castle."\i0 \i Here\i0 \i he\i0 \i is\i0 \i at\i0 \i his\i0\par
\pard\li15\sl30\slmult0\i deep-probing\i0 \i best,\i0 \i keeping\i0 \i the\i0 \i reader\i0 \i on\i0 \i the\i0 \i run,\i0 \i exploring\i0\par
\pard\li10\sl50\slmult0\i levels\i0 \i of\i0 \i consciousness\i0 \i and\i0 \i worryingbut\i0 \i worrying\i0 \i wellthe\i0\par
\pard\li20\sl50\slmult0\i SF\i0 \i worrying-tooth\i0 \i of\i0 \i "what\i0 \i is\i0 \i reality?"\i0\par
\pard\fs24\par
\f2\fs22 WE CAN REMEMBER IT\par
\pard\li20\sl135\slmult0 FOR YOU WHOLESALE\par
\pard\f1\fs24\par
\f2\fs22 Philip K. Dick\par
\f1\fs24\par
\pard\li10\fs18 He awokeand wanted Mars. The valleys, he thought. What\par
\pard\li15\sl15\slmult0 would it be like to trudge among them? Great and greater yet:\par
\pard\li10\sl30\slmult0 the dream grew as he became fully conscious, the dream and\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 the yearning. He could almost feel the enveloping presence of\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 the other world, which only Government agents and high\par
officials had seen. A clerk like himself? Not likely.\par
\pard\li215\sl30\slmult0 "Are you getting up or not?" his wife Kirsten asked\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 drowsily, with her usual hint of fierce crossness. "If you are,\par
\pard\sl30\slmult0 push the hot coffee button on the darn stove."\par
\pard\li220\sl20\slmult0 "Okay," Douglas Quail said, and made his way barefoot\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 from the bedroom of their conapt to the kitchen. There,\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 having dutifully pressed the hot coffee button, he seated\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 himself at the kitchen table, brought out a yellow, small tin of\par
\pard fine Dean Swift snuff. He inhaled briskly,, and the Beau Nash\fs24\par
\pard\li10\fs18 mixture stung his nose, burned the roof of his mouth. But still\par
\pard\sl35\slmult0 he inhaled; it woKe him up and allowed his dreams, his\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 nocturnal desires and random wishes, to condense into a\par
\pard\sl20\slmult0 semblance of rationality.\par
\pard\li185\sl50\slmult0 I will go, he said to himself. Before I die I'll see Mars.\par
\pard\li205\sl35\slmult0 It was, of course, impossible, and he knew this even as he\par
\pard\sl30\slmult0 dreamed. But the daylight, the mundane noise of his wife now\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 brushing her hair before the bedroom mirroreverything\par
conspired to remind him of what he was. A miserable little\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 salaried employee, he said to himself with bitterness. Kirsten\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 reminded him of this at least once a day and he did not blame\par
\pard\li5\sl35\slmult0 her; it was a wife's job to bring her husband down to Earth.\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 Down to Earth, he thought, and laughed. The figure of speech\par
\pard\li15\sl15\slmult0 in this was literally apt.\par
\pard\li225\sl45\slmult0 "What are you sniggering about?" his wife asked as she\par
\pard\li20\sl45\slmult0 swept into the kitchen, her long busy-pink robe wagging after\par
\pard\li20\sl10\slmult0 her. "A dream, I bet. You're always full of them."\par
\pard\li230\sl40\slmult0 "Yes," he said, and gazed out the kitchen window at the\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 hovercars and traffic runnels, and all the little energetic people\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 hurrying to work. In a little while he would be among them.\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 As always.\par
\pard\li245\sl45\slmult0 "I'll bet it has to do with some woman," Kirsten said\par
\pard\li25\sl20\slmult0 witheringly.\par
\pard\li230\sl50\slmult0 "No," he said. "A god. The god of war. He has wonderful\par
\pard\li25\sl45\slmult0 craters with every kind of plant-life growing deep down in\par
\pard\li25 them."\par
\pard\li230\sl45\slmult0 "Listen." Kirsten crouched down beside him and spoke\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 earnestly, the harsh quality momentarily gone from her voice.\par
\pard\li20\sl30\slmult0 "The bottom of the ocean\i our\i0 ocean is much more, an\par
\pard\li25\sl20\slmult0 infinity of times more beautiful. You know that; everyone\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 knows that. Rent an artificial gill-outfit for both of us, take a\par
\pard\li20\sl30\slmult0 week off from work, and we can descend and live down there\par
\pard\li40\sl40\slmult0 at one of those year-round aquatic resorts. And in addition"\par
\pard\li30 She broke off. "You're not listening. You should be. Here is\par
\pard\li40\sl30\slmult0 something a lot better than that compulsion, that obsession\par
\pard\li30\sl65\slmult0 you have about Mars, and you don't even listen!" Her voice\par
\pard\li30\sl30\slmult0 rose piercingly. "God in heaven, you're doomed, Dougl\par
\pard\li30 What's going to become of you?"\par
\pard\li235\sl50\slmult0 "I'm going to work," he said, rising to his feet, his break-\par
\pard\li30\sl25\slmult0 fast forgotten. "That's what's going to become of me."\par
\pard\li240\sl45\slmult0 She eyed him. "You're getting worse. More fanatical every\par
\pard day. Where's it going to lead?"\fs24\par
\pard\li205\fs18 "To Mars," he said, and opened the door to the closet to\par
\pard\li5\sl50\slmult0 get down a fresh shirt to wear to work.-\par
\pard\li205 Having descended from the taxi Douglas Quail slowly\par
\pard\sl30\slmult0 walked across three densely-populated foot runnels and to the\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 modern, attractively inviting doorway. There he halted, im-\par
peding mid-morning traffic, and with caution read the shift-\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 ing-color neon sign. He had, in the past, scrutinized this sign\par
\pard\li10\sl30\slmult0 before... but never had he come so close. This was very\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 different; what he did now was something else. Something\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 which sooner or later had to happen.\par
\pard\li1380\sl215\slmult0 REKAL, INCORPORATED\par
\pard\li215\sl260\slmult0 Was this the answer? After all, an illusion, no matter how\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 convincing, remained nothing more than an illusion. At least\par
\pard\li25\sl20\slmult0 objectively. But subjectivelyquite the opposite entirely.\par
\pard\li235\sl25\slmult0 And anyhow he had an appointment. Within the next five\par
\pard\li35\sl30\slmult0 minutes.\par
\pard\li240\sl225\slmult0 Taking a deep breath of mildly smog-infested Chicago air,\par
\pard\li35\sl35\slmult0 he walked through the dazzling poly-chromatic shimmer of\par
\pard\li25\sl20\slmult0 the doorway and up to the receptionist's counter.\par
\pard\li230\sl20\slmult0 The nicely-articulated blonde at the counter, bare-bosomed\par
\pard\li40\sl25\slmult0 and tidy, said pleasantly, "Good morning, Mr. Quail."\par
\pard\li245\sl20\slmult0 "Yes," he said. "I'm here to see about a Rekal course. As I\par
\pard\li50\sl70\slmult0 guess you know."\par
\pard\li245 "Not 'rekal' but recall," the receptionist corrected him. She\par
\pard\li45\sl25\slmult0 picked up the receiver of the vidphone by her smooth elbow\par
\pard\li55\sl25\slmult0 and said into it, "Mr. Douglas Quail is here, Mr. McClane.\par
\pard\li55\sl30\slmult0 May he come inside, now? Or is it too soon?"\par
\pard\li260\sl10\slmult0 "Giz wetwa wum-wum wamp," the phone mumbled.\par
\pard\li265\sl30\slmult0 "Yes, Mr. Quail," she said. "You may go on in; Mr.\par
\pard\li55\sl20\slmult0 McClane is expecting you." As he started off uncertainly she\par
called after him, "Room D, Mr. Quail. To your right."\par
\pard\li250\sl30\slmult0 After a frustrating but brief moment of being lost he found\par
\pard\li60\sl25\slmult0 the proper room. The door hung open and inside, at a big\par
\pard\li55\sl15\slmult0 genuine walnut desk, sat a genial-looking man, middle-aged,\par
\pard\li55\sl25\slmult0 wearing the latest Martian frog-pelt gray suit; his attire alone\par
\pard\li45\sl25\slmult0 would have told Quail that he had come to the right person.\par
\pard\li260\sl25\slmult0 "Sit down, Douglas," McClane said, waving his plump\par
\pard\li50\sl30\slmult0 hand toward a chair which faced the desk. "So you want to\par
\pard\li60\sl25\slmult0 have gone to Mars. Very good."\par
\pard Quail seated himself, feeling tense. "I'm not so sure this is\fs24\par
\pard\li10\fs18 worth the fee," he said. "It costs a lot and as far as I can see I\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 really get nothing." Costs almost as much as going, he\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 thought.\par
\pard\li210\sl30\slmult0 "You get tangible proof of your trip," McClane disagreed\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 emphatically. "All the proof you'll need. Here; I'll show you."\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 He dug within a drawer of his impressive desk. "Ticket stub."\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 Reaching into a manila folder he produced a small square of\par
embossed cardboard. "It proves you wentand returned.\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 Postcards." He laid out four franked picture 3-D full-color\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 postcards in a neatly-arranged row on the desk for Quail to\par
\pard\li20\sl70\slmult0 see. "Film. Shots you took of local sights on Mars with a\par
\pard\li15 rented movie camera." To Quail he displayed those, too.\par
\pard\li15\sl30\slmult0 "Plus the names of people you met, two hundred poscreds\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 worth of souvenirs, which will arrivefrom Marswithin\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 the following month. And passport, certificates listing the\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 shots you received. And more." He glanced up keenly at\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 Quail. "You'll know you went, all right," he said. "You won't\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 remember us, won't remember me or ever having been here.\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 It'll be a real trip in your mind; we guarantee that. A full two\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 weeks of recall; every last piddling detail. Remember this: if\par
\pard\li25\sl45\slmult0 at any time you doubt that you really took an extensive trip to\par
\pard\li25\sl5\slmult0 Mars you can return here and get a full refund. You see?"\par
\pard\li240\sl25\slmult0 "But I didn't go," Quail said. "I won't have gone, no matter\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 what proofs you provide me with." He took a deep, unsteady\par
\pard\li25\sl20\slmult0 breath. "And I never was a secret agent with Interplan." It\par
\pard\li30\sl25\slmult0 seemed impossible to him that Rekal, Incorporated's extra-\par
factual memory implant would do its jobdespite what he\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 had heard people say.\par
\pard\li235\sl20\slmult0 "Mr. Quail," McClane said patiently. "As you explained in\par
\pard\li30\sl70\slmult0 your letter to us, you have no chance, no possibility in the\par
\pard\li30 slightest, of ever actually getting to Mars; you can't afford it,\par
\pard\li40\sl25\slmult0 and what is much more important, you could never qualify as\par
\pard\li35\sl65\slmult0 an undercover agent for Interplan or anybody \i -else.\i0 This is the\par
\pard\li30 only way you can achieve your, ahem, life-long dream; am I\par
\pard\li40\sl45\slmult0 not correct, sir? You can't be this; you can't actually do this."\par
\pard\li40\sl5\slmult0 He chuckled. "But you can \i have\i0 \i been\i0 and \i have\i0 \i done.\i0 We see\par
\pard\li40\sl45\slmult0 to that. And our fee is reasonable; no hidden charges." He\par
\pard\li45 smiled encouragingly.\par
\pard\li250\sl25\slmult0 "Is an extra-factual memory that convincing?" Quail asked.\par
\pard\li255\sl25\slmult0 "More than the real thing, sir. Had you really gone to Mars\par
\pard\li55\sl70\slmult0 as an Interplan agent, you would by now have forgotten a\par
\pard\li55 great deal; our analysis of true-mem systemsauthentic rec-\par
\pard ollections of major events in a person's lifeshows that a\fs24\par
\fs18 variety of details are very quickly lost to the person. Forever.\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 Part of the package we offer you is such deep implantation of\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 recall that nothing is forgotten. The packet which is fed to\par
\pard\li5\sl70\slmult0 you while you're comatose is the creation of trained experts,\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 men who have spent years on Mars; in every case we verify\par
\pard\li5 details down to the last iota. And you've picked a rather easy\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 extra-factual system; had you picked Pluto or wanted to be\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 Emperor of the Inner Planet Alliance we'd have much more\par
\pard\sl20\slmult0 difficulty . . . and the charges would be considerably greater."\par
\pard\li210\sl25\slmult0 Reaching into his coat for his wallet, Quail said, "Okay. It's\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 been my life-long ambition and I can see I'll never really do\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 it. So I guess I'll have to settle for this."\par
\pard\li215\sl25\slmult0 "Don't think of it that way," McClane said severely.\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 "You're not accepting second-best. The actual memory, with\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 all its vagueness, omissions and ellipses, not to say distortions\par
that's second-best." He accepted the money and pressed a\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 button on his desk. "All right, Mr. Quail," he said, as the door\par
\pard\li10\sl30\slmult0 of his office opened and two burly men swiftly entered.\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 "You're on your way to Mars as a secret agent." He rose,\par
\pard\li5\sl60\slmult0 came over to shake Quail's nervous, moist hand. "Or rather,\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 you have been on your way. This afternoon at four-thirty you\par
\pard\li5 will, urn, arrive back here on Terra; a cab will leave you off at\par
\pard\li5\sl65\slmult0 your conapt and as I say you will never remember seeing me\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 or coming here; you won't, in fact, even remember having\par
\pard\li10 heard of our existence."\par
\pard\li210\sl25\slmult0 His mouth dry with nervousness, Quail followed the two\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 technicians from the office; what happened next depended on\par
\pard\li15\sl30\slmult0 them.\par
\pard\li215\sl20\slmult0 Will I actually believe I've been on Mars? he wondered.\par
\pard\li15\sl30\slmult0 That I managed to fulfill my lifetime ambition? He had a\par
\pard\li20\sl40\slmult0 strange, lingering intuition that something would go wrong.\par
\pard\li20\sl10\slmult0 But just whathe did not know.\par
\pard\li220\sl20\slmult0 He would have to wait to find out.\par
\pard\li220\sl230\slmult0 The intercom on McClane's desk, which connected him\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 with the work area of the firm, buzzed and a voice said, "Mr.\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 Quail is under sedation now, sir. Do you want to supervise\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 this one, or shall we go ahead?"\par
\pard\li220\sl25\slmult0 "It's routine," McClane observed. "You may go ahead,\par
\pard\li20\sl30\slmult0 Lowe; I don't think you'll run into any trouble." Program-\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 ming an artificial memory of a trip to another planetwith or\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 without the added fillip of being a secret agentshowed up\par
\pard on the firm's work-schedule with monotonous regularity. In\fs24\par
\pard\li15\fs18 one month, he calculated wryly, we must do twenty of these\par
\pard\li25\sl85\slmult0 ... ersatz interplanetary travel has become our bread and\par
\pard\li20 butter.\par
\pard\li225\sl45\slmult0 "Whatever you say, Mr. McClane," Lowe's voice came,\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 and thereupon the intercom shut off.\par
\pard\li210\sl25\slmult0 Going to the vault section in the chamber behind his office,\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 McClane searched about for a Three packettrip to Mars\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 and a Sixty-two packet: secret Interplan spy. Finding the two\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 packets, he returned with them to his desk, seated himself\par
comfortably, poured out the contentsmerchandise which\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 would be planted in Quail's conapt while the lab technicians\par
busied themselves installing the false memory.\par
\pard\li205\sl30\slmult0 A one-poscred sneaky-pete side arm, McClane reflected;\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 that's the largest item. Sets us back financially the most. Then\par
\pard\li25\sl70\slmult0 a pellet-sized transmitter, which could be swallowed if the\par
\pard\li15 agent were caught. Code book that astonishingly resembled\par
\pard\li10\sl5\slmult0 the real thing... the firm's models were highly accurate:\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 based, whenever possible, on actual U.S. military issue. Odd\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 bits which made no intrinsic sense but which would be woven\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 into the warp and woof of Quail's imaginary trip, would\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 coincide with his memory: half an ancient silver fifty cent\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 piece, several quotations from John Donne's sermons written\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 incorrectly, each on a separate piece of transparent tissue-\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 thin paper, several match folders from bars on Mars, a stain-\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 less steel spoon engraved PROPERTY OF DOME-MARS\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 NATIONAL KIBBUZIM, a wire tapping coil which\par
\pard\li205\sl25\slmult0 The intercom buzzed. "Mr. McClane, I'm sorry to bother\par
\pard\li10\sl65\slmult0 you but something rather ominous has come up. Maybe it\par
\pard\li5 would be better if you were in here after all. Quail is already\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 under sedation; he reacted well to the narkidrine; he's com-\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 pletely unconscious and receptive. But"\par
\pard\li210\sl20\slmult0 "I'll be in." Sensing trouble, McClane left his office; a\par
\pard\sl45\slmult0 moment later he emerged in the work area.\par
\pard\li205\sl5\slmult0 On a hygienic bed lay Douglas Quail, breathing slowly and\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 regularly, his eyes virtually shut; he seemed dimlybut only\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 dimlyaware of the two technicians and now McClane\par
\pard\sl20\slmult0 himself.\par
\pard\li205\sl30\slmult0 "There's no space to insert false memory-patterns?"\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 McClane felt irritation. "Merely drop out two work weeks;\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 he's employed as a clerk at the West Coast Emigration\par
\pard\sl35\slmult0 Bureau, which is a government agency, so he undoubtedly has\par
\pard\li10\sl60\slmult0 or had two weeks vacation within the last year. That ought to\par
\pard do it." Petty details annoyed him. And always would.\fs24\par
\pard\li220\fs18 "Our problem," Lowe said sharply, "is something quite\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 different." He bent over the bed, said to Quail, "Tell Mr.\par
\pard\li20\sl30\slmult0 McClane what you told us." To McClane he said, "Listen\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 closely."\par
\pard\li235\sl30\slmult0 The gray-green eyes of the man lying supine in the bed\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 focussed on McClane's face. The eyes, he observed uneasily,\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 had become hard; they had a polished, inorganic quality, like\par
\pard\li15\sl15\slmult0 semi-precious tumbled stones. He was not sure that he liked\par
\pard\li15\sl35\slmult0 what he saw; the brilliance was too cold. "What do you want\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 now?" Quail said harshly. "You've broken my cover. Get out\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 of here before I take you all apart." He studied McClane.\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 "Especially you," he continued. "You're in charge of this\par
\pard\li10\sl15\slmult0 counter-operation."\par
\pard\li210\sl45\slmult0 Lowe said, "How long were you on Mars?"\par
\pard\li215\sl25\slmult0 "One month," Quail said gratingly.\par
\pard\li215\sl15\slmult0 "And your purpose there?" Lowe demanded.\par
\pard\li205\sl30\slmult0 The meager lips twisted; Quail eyed him and did not speak.\par
\pard\li10\sl30\slmult0 At last, drawling the words out so that they dripped with\par
\pard\sl15\slmult0 hostility, he said, "Agent for Interplan. As I already told you.\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 Don't you record everything that's said? Play your vid-aud\par
\pard\li10\sl55\slmult0 tape back for your boss and leave me alone." He shut his\par
\pard\sl40\slmult0 eyes, then; the hard brilliance ceased. McClane felt, instantly,\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 a rushing splurge of relief.\par
\pard\li205 Lowe said quietly, "This is a tough man, Mr. McClane."\par
\pard\li215\sl25\slmult0 "He won't be," McClane said, "after we arrange for him to\par
\pard\sl20\slmult0 lose his memory-chain again. He'll be as meek as before." To\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 Quail he said, "So \i this\i0 is why you wanted to go to Mars so\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 terribly badly."\par
\pard\li205\sl25\slmult0 Without opening his eyes Quail said, "I never wanted to go\par
\pard\li10\sl40\slmult0 to Mars. I was assigned itthey handed it to me and there I\par
\pard\li10\sl50\slmult0 was: stuck. Oh yeah, I admit I was curious about it; who\par
\pard wouldn't be?" Again he opened his eyes and surveyed the\par
\pard\sl30\slmult0 three of them, McClane in particular. "Quite a truth drug\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 you've got here; it brought up things I had absolutely no mem-\par
\pard\li10\sl65\slmult0 ory of." He pondered. "I wonder about Kirsten," he said, half\par
\pard\li10\sl10\slmult0 to himself. "Could she be in on it? An Interplan contact\par
\pard\li10 keeping an eye on me ... to be certain I didn't regain my\par
\pard\li5\sl15\slmult0 memory? No wonder she's been so derisive about my wanting\par
\pard\li5\sl60\slmult0 to go there." Faintly, he smiled; the smileone of under-\par
\pard\li20 standingdisappeared almost at once.\par
\pard\li215\sl50\slmult0 McClane said, "Please believe me, Mr. Quail; we stumbled\par
\pard\li20\sl55\slmult0 onto this entirely by accident. In the work we do"\par
\pard "I believe you," Quail said. He seemed tired, now; the drug\fs24\par
\pard\li20\fs18 was continuing to pull him under, deeper and deepef. "Where\par
\pard\li25 did I say I'd been?" he murmured. "Mars? Hard to remember\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 1 know I'd like to see it; so would everybody else. But\par
me" His voice trailed off. "Just a clerk, a nothing clerk."\par
\pard\li215\sl40\slmult0 Straightening up, Lowe said to his superior, "He wants a\par
\pard\li10\sl30\slmult0 false memory implanted that corresponds to a trip he actually\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 took. And a false reason which is the real reason. He's telling\par
\pard\li10\sl30\slmult0 the truth; he's a long way down in the narkidrine. The trip is\par
\pard\li5\sl65\slmult0 very vivid in his mindat least under sedation. But apparent-\par
\pard\li15 ly he doesn't recall it otherwise. Someone, probably at a\par
\pard\li10\sl50\slmult0 government military-sciences lab, erased his conscious mem-\par
\pard\li5 ories; all he knew was that going to Mars meant something\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 special to him, and so did being a secret agent. They couldn't\par
\pard\li5\sl70\slmult0 erase that; it's not a memory but a desire, undoubtedly the\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 same one that motivated him to volunteer for the assignment\par
\pard\li10 in the first place."\par
\pard\li210\sl40\slmult0 The other technician, Keeler, said to McClane, "What do\par
\pard\sl65\slmult0 we do? Graft a false memory-pattern over the real memory?\par
\pard\li10 There's no telling what the results would be; he might\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 remember some of the genuine trip, and the confusion might\par
bring on a psychotic interlude. He'd have to hold two oppo-\par
\pard\li10\sl30\slmult0 site premises in his mind simultaneously: that he went to Mars\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 and that he didn't. That he's a genuine agent for Interplan\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 and he's not, that it's spurious. I think we ought to revive him\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 without any false memory implantation and send him out of\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 here; this is hot."\par
\pard\li230\sl45\slmult0 "Agreed," McClane said. A thought came to him. "Can\par
\pard\li15\sl65\slmult0 you predict what he'll remember when he comes out of\par
\pard\li20 sedation?"\par
\pard\li225\sl45\slmult0 "Impossible to tell," Lowe said. "He probably will have\par
\pard\li20\sl60\slmult0 some dim, diffuse memory of his actual trip, now. And he'd\par
\pard\li15 probably be in grave doubt as to its validity; he'd probably\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 decide our programming slipped a gear-tooth. And he'd\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 remember coming here; that wouldn't be erasedunless you\par
\pard\li20\sl40\slmult0 want it erased."\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 "The less we mess with this man," McClane said, "the\par
\pard\li25\sl30\slmult0 better I like it. This is nothing for us to fool around with;\par
\pard\li15\sl40\slmult0 we've been foolish enough toor unlucky enough toun-\par
\pard\li15\sl80\slmult0 cover a genuine Interplan spy who has a cover so perfect that\par
\pard\li15\sl50\slmult0 up to now even he didn't know what he wasor rather is."\par
\pard\li20\sl5\slmult0 The sooner they washed their hands of the man calling\par
\pard himself Douglas Quail the better.\fs24\par
\pard\li205\fs18 "Are you going to plant packets Three and Sixty-two in his\par
\pard\sl20\slmult0 conapt?" Lowe said.\par
\pard\li210\sl25\slmult0 "No," McClane said. "And we're going to return half his\par
\pard\li15\sl35\slmult0 fee."\par
\pard\li215\sl10\slmult0 "Half! Why half?"\par
\pard\li220\sl30\slmult0 McClane said lamely, "It seems to be a good compromise."\par
\pard\li215\sl250\slmult0 As the cab carried him back to his conapt at the residential\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 end of Chicago, Douglas Quail said to himself, It's sure good\par
\pard\li20\sl45\slmult0 to be back on Terra.\par
\pard\li220 Already the month-long period on Mars had begun to\par
\pard\li30\sl70\slmult0 waver in his memory; he had only an image of profound\par
\pard\li20 gaping craters, an ever-present ancient erosion of hills, of\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 vitality, of motion itself. A world of dust where little hap-\par
pened, where a good part of the day was spent checking and\par
\pard\li30\sl20\slmult0 rechecking one's portable oxygen source. And then the life\par
\pard\li25\sl35\slmult0 forms, the unassuming and modest gray-brown cacti and\par
\pard\li30\sl50\slmult0 maw-worms.\par
\pard\li235 As a matter of fact he had brought back several moribund\par
\pard\li35\sl15\slmult0 examples of Martian fauna; he had smuggled them through\par
\pard\li40\sl50\slmult0 customs. After all, they posed no menace; they couldn't\par
\pard\li35 survive in Earth's heavy atmosphere.\par
\pard\li245\sl20\slmult0 Reaching into his coat pocket he rummaged for the con-\par
\pard\li45\sl35\slmult0 tainer of Martian maw-worms\par
\pard\li250\sl20\slmult0 And found an envelope instead.\par
\pard\li240\sl20\slmult0 Lifting it out he discovered, to his perplexity, that it\par
\pard\li40\sl20\slmult0 contained five hundred and seventy poscreds, in 'cred bills of\par
\pard\li55\sl40\slmult0 low denomination.\par
\pard\li250\sl10\slmult0 Where'd I get this? he asked himself. Didn't I spend every\par
\pard\li50\sl30\slmult0 'cred I had on my trip?\par
\pard\li250\sl30\slmult0 With the money came a slip of paper marked: \i one-half\i0 \b\i fee\b0\i0\par
\pard\li40\sl20\slmult0\i ret'd.\i0 \i By\i0 \i McClane.\i0 And then the date. Today's date.\par
\pard\li260\sl15\slmult0 "Recall," he said aloud.\par
\pard\li260\sl25\slmult0 "Recall what, sir or madam?" the robot driver of the cab\par
\pard\li60\sl25\slmult0 inquired respectfully.\par
\pard\li255\sl35\slmult0 "Do you have a phone book?" Quail demanded.\par
\pard\li265\sl10\slmult0 "Certainly, sir or madam." A slot opened; from it slid a\par
\pard\li55\sl35\slmult0 microtape phone book for Cook County.\par
\pard\li285\sl25\slmult0 "It's spelled oddly," Quail said as he leafed through the\par
\pard\li60\sl65\slmult0 pages of the yellow section. He felt fear, then; abiding fear.\par
\pard\li60 "Here it is," he said. "Take me there, to Rekal, Incorporated.\par
\pard\li65\sl20\slmult0 I've changed my mind; I don't want to go home."\par
\pard "Yes sir, or madam, as the case may be," the driver said. A\fs24\par
\fs18 moment later the cab was zipping back in the 'opposite\par
\pard\li10 direction.\par
\pard\li210\sl30\slmult0 "May I make use of your phone?" he asked.\par
\pard\li215\sl25\slmult0 "Be my guest," the robot driver said. And presented a shiny\par
\pard\li15\sl60\slmult0 new emperor 3-D color phone to him.\par
\pard\li215 He dialed his own conapt. And after a pause found himself\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 confronted by a miniature but chillingly realistic image of\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 Kirsten on the small screen. "I've been to Mars," he said to\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 her.\par
\pard\li220\sl30\slmult0 "You're drunk." Her lips writhed scornfully. "Or worse."\par
\pard\li225\sl20\slmult0 " 'S god's truth."\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 "When?" she demanded.\par
\pard\li230\sl30\slmult0 "I don't know." He felt confused. "A simulated trip, I\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 think. By means of one of those artificial or extra-factual or\par
\pard\li20\sl30\slmult0 whatever it is memory places. It didn't take."\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 Kirsten said witheringly, "You \i are\i0 drunk." And broke the\par
\pard\li30\sl25\slmult0 connection at her end. He hung up, then, feeling his face\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 flush. Always the same tone, he said hotly to himself. Always\par
\pard\li30\sl25\slmult0 the retort, as if she knows everything and I know nothing.\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 What a marriage. Keerist, he thought dismally.\par
\pard\li245\sl30\slmult0 A moment later the cab stopped at the curb before a\par
\pard\li30\sl15\slmult0 modern, very attractive little pink building, over which a\par
\pard\li30\sl30\slmult0 shifting, polychromatic neon sign read: REKAL, INCORP-\par
\pard\li35\sl25\slmult0 ORATED.\par
\pard\li240\sl25\slmult0 The receptionist, chic and bare from the waist up, started\par
\pard\li30\sl20\slmult0 in surprise, then gained masterful control of herself. "Oh\par
\pard\li35\sl30\slmult0 hello Mr. Quail," she said nervously. "H-how are you? Did\par
\pard\li35\sl65\slmult0 you forget something?"\par
\pard\li250 "The rest of my fee back," he said.\par
\pard\li255\sl25\slmult0 More composed now the receptionist said, "Fee? I think\par
\pard\li40\sl60\slmult0 you are mistaken, Mr. Quail. You were here discussing the\par
\pard\li45 feasibility of an extrafactual trip for you, but" She\par
\pard\li35\sl25\slmult0 shrugged her smooth pale shoulders. "As I understand it, no\par
\pard\li40\sl20\slmult0 trip was taken."\par
\pard\li250\sl30\slmult0 Quail said, "I remember everything, miss. My letter to\par
\pard\li40\sl25\slmult0 Rekal, Incorporated, which started this whole business off. I\par
\pard\li40\sl30\slmult0 remember my arrival here, my visit with Mr. McClane. Then\par
\pard\li45\sl20\slmult0 the two lab technicians taking me in tow and administering a\par
drug to put me out." No wonder the firm had returned half\par
\pard\li40\sl25\slmult0 his fee. The false memory of his "trip to Mars" hadn't taken\par
\pard\li40\sl45\slmult0 at least not entirely, not as he had been assured.\par
\pard\li255\sl10\slmult0 "Mr. Quail," the girl said, "although you are a minor clerk\par
\pard you are a good-looking man and it spoils your features to\fs24\par
\fs18 become angry. If it would make you feel any better, I might,\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 ahem, let you take me out . . ."\par
\pard\li205\sl30\slmult0 He felt furious, then. "I remember you," he said savagely.\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 "For instance the fact that your breasts are sprayed blue; that\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 stuck in my mind. And I remember Mr. McClane's promise\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 that if I remembered my visit to Rekal, Incorporated I'd\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 receive my money back in full. Where is Mr. McClane?"\par
\pard\li210\sl25\slmult0 After a delayprobably as long as they could managehe\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 found himself once more seated facing the imposing walnut\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 desk, exactly as he had been an hour or so earlier in the day.\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 "Some technique you have," Quail said sardonically. His\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 disappointmentand resentmentwere enormous, by now.\par
\pard\li30\sl30\slmult0 "My so-called 'memory' of a trip to Mars as an undercover\par
\pard\li35\sl45\slmult0 agent for Interplan is hazy and vague and shot full of\par
\pard\li30 contradictions. And I clearly remember my dealings here with\par
\pard\li30\sl65\slmult0 you people. I ought to take this to the Better Business Bureau."\par
\pard\li40 He was burning angry, at this point; his sense of being\par
\pard\li35\sl15\slmult0 cheated had overwhelmed him, had destroyed his customary\par
\pard\li45\sl25\slmult0 aversion to participating in a public squabble.\par
\pard\li235\sl20\slmult0 Looking morose, as well as cautious, McClane said, "We\par
\pard\li40\sl25\slmult0 capitulate. Quail. We'll refund the balance of your fee. I fully\par
\pard\li35\sl30\slmult0 concede the fact that we did absolutely nothing for you." His\par
\pard\li45\sl50\slmult0 tone was resigned.\par
\pard\li260 Quail said accusingly, "You didn't even provide me with\par
\pard\li50\sl25\slmult0 the various artifacts that you claimed would 'prove' to me I\par
had been on Mars. All that song-and-dance you went intoit\par
hasn't materialized into a damn thing. Not even a tick-et stub.\par
\pard\li60\sl30\slmult0 Nor postcards. Nor passport. Nor proof of immunization\par
\pard\li65\sl25\slmult0 shots. Nor"\par
\pard\li260\sl20\slmult0 "Listen, Quail," McClane said. "Suppose I told you" He\par
\pard\li65\sl20\slmult0 broke off. "Let it go." He pressed a button on his intercom.\par
\pard\li85\sl25\slmult0 "Shirley, will you disburse five hundred and seventy more\par
\pard\li70\sl30\slmult0 'creds in the form of a cashier's check made out to Douglas\par
\pard\li80\sl20\slmult0 Quail? Thank you." He released the button, then glared at\par
\pard\li75\sl20\slmult0 Quail.\par
\pard\li275\sl25\slmult0\fs16 Presently the check appeared; the receptionist placed it\par
\pard\li75\sl50\slmult0 before McClane and once more vanished out of sight, leaving\par
\pard\li75\sl45\slmult0 the two men alone, still facing each other across the surface\par
\pard\li80\sl40\slmult0 of the massive walnut desk.\par
\pard\li285\sl45\slmult0 "Let me give you a word of advice," McClane said as he\par
\pard\li80\sl45\slmult0 signed the check and passed it over, "Don't discuss your,\par
\pard\li95\sl45\slmult0 ahem, recent trip to Mars with anyone."\par
\pard "What trip?"\fs24\par
\pard\li335\fs18 "Well, that's the thing." Doggedly, McClane said, "The trip\par
\pard\li120\sl60\slmult0 you partially remember. Act as if you don't remember;\par
\pard\li115 pretend it never took place. Don't ask me why; just take my\par
\pard\li110\sl25\slmult0 advice: it'll be better for all of us." He had begun to perspire.\par
\pard\li110\sl15\slmult0 Freely. "Now, Mr. Quail, I have other business, other clients\par
\pard\li105\sl50\slmult0 to see." He rose, showed Quail to the door.\par
\pard\li310\sl5\slmult0 Quail said, as he opened the door, "A firm that turns out\par
\pard\li95\sl25\slmult0 such bad work shouldn't have any clients at all." He shut the\par
\pard\li100\sl20\slmult0 door behind him.\par
\pard\li295\sl30\slmult0 On the way home in the cab Quail pondered the wording of\par
\pard\li85\sl15\slmult0 his letter of complaint to the Better Business Bureau, Terra\par
\pard\li85\sl30\slmult0 Division. As soon as he could get to his typewriter he'd get\par
\pard\li85\sl35\slmult0 started; it was clearly his duty to warn other people away\par
\pard\li80\sl15\slmult0 from Rekal, Incorporated.\par
\pard\li285\sl50\slmult0 When he got back to his conapt he seated himself before\par
\pard\li80\sl20\slmult0 his Hermes Rocket portable, opened the drawers and rum-\par
\pard\li70\sl25\slmult0 maged for carbon paperand noticed a small, familiar box.\par
\pard\li65\sl25\slmult0 A box which he had carefully filled on Mars with Martian\par
\pard\li65\sl20\slmult0 fauna and later smuggled through customs.\par
\pard\li275\sl50\slmult0 Opening the box he saw, to his disbelief, six dead maw-\par
\pard\li60\sl60\slmult0 worms and several varieties of the unicellular life on which\par
\pard\li50 the Martian worms fed. The protozoa were dried-up, dusty,\par
\pard\li50\sl25\slmult0 but he recognized them; it had taken him an entire day\par
\pard\li45\sl25\slmult0 picking among the vast dark alien boulders to find them. A\par
\pard\li45\sl30\slmult0 wonderful, illuminated journey of discovery.\par
\pard\li250\sl45\slmult0 But I didn't go to Mars, he realized.\par
\pard\li245\sl45\slmult0 Yet on the other hand\par
\pard\li240\sl40\slmult0 Kirsten appeared at the doorway to the room, an armload\par
\pard\li30\sl25\slmult0 of pale brown groceries gripped. "Why are you home in the\par
\pard\li35\sl20\slmult0 middle of the day?" Her voice, in an eternity of sameness,\par
\pard\li30\sl65\slmult0 was accusing.\par
\pard\li235\sl10\slmult0\i "Did\i0 \i I\i0 \i go\i0 \i to\i0 \i Mars?"\i0 he asked her. "You would" know."\par
\pard\li240\sl40\slmult0 "No, of course you didn't go to Mars; \i you\i0 would know\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 that, I would think. Aren't you always bieating about going?"\par
\pard\li225\sl50\slmult0 He said, "By God, I think I went." After a pause he added,\par
\pard\li20\sl15\slmult0 "And simultaneously I think I didn't go."\par
\pard\li225\sl50\slmult0 "Make up your mind."\par
\pard\li225\sl45\slmult0 "How can I?" He gestured. "I have both memory-tracks\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 grafted inside my head; one is real and one isn't but I can't\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 tell which is which. Why can't I rely on you? They haven't\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 tinkered with you." She could do this much for him at least\par
\pard even if she never did anything else.\fs24\par
\pard\li210\fs18 Kirsten said in a level, controlled voice, "Doug, if you don't\par
\pard\li25\sl30\slmult0 pull yourself together, we're through. I'm going to leave you."\par
\pard\li255\sl25\slmult0 "I'm in trouble." His voice came out husky and coarse.\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 And shaking. "Probably I'm heading into a psychotic episode;\par
I hope not, butmaybe that's it. It would explain everything,\par
\pard\li30\sl20\slmult0 anyhow."\par
\pard\li215\sl30\slmult0 Setting down the bag of groceries, Kirsten stalked to the\par
\pard\li40\sl20\slmult0 closet. "I was not kidding," she said to him quietly. She\par
\pard\li20\sl30\slmult0 brought out a coat, got it on, walked back to the door of the\par
\pard\li35\sl40\slmult0 conapt. "I'll phone you one of these days soon," she said\par
\pard\li20\sl5\slmult0 tonelessly. "This is goodbye, Doug. I hope you pull out of this\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 eventually; I really pray you do. For your sake."\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 "Wait," he said desperately. "Just tell me and make it\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 absolute; I did go or I didn'ttell me which one." But they\par
\pard\li10\sl65\slmult0 may have altered your memory-track also, he realized.\par
\pard\li220 The door closed. His wife had left. Finally!\par
\pard\li215\sl25\slmult0 A voice behind him said, "Well, that's that. Now put up\par
\pard\li15\sl65\slmult0 your hands, Quail. And also please turn around and face this\par
\pard\li25 way."\par
\pard\li215\sl30\slmult0 He turned, instinctively, without raising his hands.\par
\pard\li240\sl25\slmult0 The man who faced him wore the plum uniform of the\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 Interplan Police Agency, and his gun appeared to be UN\par
\pard\li25\sl30\slmult0 issue. And, for some odd reason, he seemed familiar to Quail;\par
\pard\li30\sl15\slmult0 familiar in a blurred, distorted fashion which he could not pin\par
\pard\li30\sl30\slmult0 down. So, jerkily, he raised his hands.\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 "You remember," the policeman said, "your trip to Mars.\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 We know all your actions today and all your thoughtsin\par
\pard\li25\sl20\slmult0 particular your very important thoughts on the trip home\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 from Rekal, Incorporated." He explained, "We have a telep-\par
\pard\li30\sl20\slmult0 transmitter wired within your skull; it keeps us constantly\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 informed."\par
\pard\li205\sl25\slmult0 A telepathic transmitter; use of a living plasma that had\par
\pard\li25\sl20\slmult0 been discovered on Luna. He shuddered with self-aversion.\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 The thing lived inside him, within his own brain, feeding,\par
listening, feeding. But the Interplan police used them; that\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 had come out even in the homeopapes. So this was probably\par
\pard\li15\sl40\slmult0 true, dismal as it was.\par
\pard\li220\sl10\slmult0 "Why me?" Quail said huskily. What had he doneor\par
\pard\sl15\slmult0 thought? And what did this have to do with Rekal, Incorpo-\par
\pard\li10\sl30\slmult0 rated?\par
\pard\li215\sl25\slmult0 "Fundamentally," the Interplan cop said, "this has nothing\par
\pard\li10\sl45\slmult0 to do with Rekal; it's between you and us." He tapped his\par
\pard right ear. "I'm still picking up your mentational processes by\fs24\par
\pard\li40\fs18 way of your cephalic transmitter." In the man's ear \b Quail\b0 saw\par
\pard\li45\sl20\slmult0 a small white-plastic plug. "So I have to warn you: anything\par
\pard\li35\sl20\slmult0 you think may be held against you." He smiled. "Not that it\par
\pard\li35\sl5\slmult0 matters now; you've already thought and spoken yourself into\par
\pard\li30\sl5\slmult0 oblivion. What's annoying is the fact that under narkidrine at\par
\pard\li35\sl25\slmult0 Rekal, Incorporated you told them, their technicians and the\par
\pard\li40\sl60\slmult0 owner, Mr. McClane, about your trip; where you went, for\par
\pard\li30 whom, some of what you did. They're very frightened. They\par
\pard\li30\sl20\slmult0 wish they had never laid eyes on you." He added reflectively,\par
\pard\li40\sl25\slmult0 "They're right."\par
\pard\li235\sl20\slmult0 Quail said, "I never made any trip. It's a false memory-\par
\pard\li25\sl30\slmult0 chain improperly planted in me by McClane's technicians."\par
\pard\li30\sl30\slmult0 But then he thought of the box, in his desk drawer, containing\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 the Martian life forms. And the trouble and hardship he had\par
had gathering them. The memory seemed real. And the box\par
\pard\li20\sl30\slmult0 of life forms; that certainly was real. Unless McClane had\par
\pard\li25\sl20\slmult0 planted it. Perhaps this was one of the "proofs" which\par
\pard\li25\sl30\slmult0 McClane had talked glibly about.\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 The memory of my trip to Mars, he thought, doesn't\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 convince mebut unfortunately it has convinced the Inter-\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 plan Police Agency. They think I really went to Mars and\par
they think I at least partially realize it.\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 "We not only know you went to Mars," the Interplan cop\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 agreed, in answer to his thoughts, "but we know that you now\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 remember enough to be difficult for us. And there's no use\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 expunging your conscious memory of all this, because if we\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 do you'll simply show up at Rekal, Incorporated again and\par
\pard\li10\sl50\slmult0 start over. And we can't do anything about McClane and his\par
\pard\li10\sl5\slmult0 operation because we have no jurisdiction over anyone except\par
\pard\sl55\slmult0 our own people. Anyhow, McClane hasn't committed any\par
\pard\li15 crime." He eyed Quail. "Nor, technically, have you. You\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 didn't go to Rekal, Incorporated with the idea of regaining\par
\pard\li20\sl65\slmult0 your memory; you went, as we realize, for the usual reason\par
\pard\li5 people go therea love by plain, dull people for adventure."\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 He added, "Unfortunately you're not plain, not dull, and\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 you've already had too much excitement; the last thing in the\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 universe you needed was a course from Rekal, Incorporated.\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 Nothing could have been more lethal for you or for us. And,\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 for that matter, for McClane."\par
\pard\li205\sl20\slmult0 Quail said. "Why is it 'difficult' for you if I remember my\par
\pard\li20\sl35\slmult0 tripmy alleged tripand what I did there?"\par
\pard\li225\sl20\slmult0 "Because," the Interplan harness bull said, "what you did is\par
\pard not in accord with our great white all-protecting father public\fs24\par
\pard\li170\fs18 image. You did, for us, what we never do. As you'll presently\par
\pard\li160\sl10\slmult0 rememberthanks to narkidrme. That box of dead worms\par
\pard\li180\sl35\slmult0 and algae has been sitting in your desk drawer for six months,\par
\pard\li170\sl70\slmult0 ever since you got back. And at no time have you shown the\par
\pard\li180 slightest curiosity about it. We didn't even know you had it\par
\pard\li170\sl25\slmult0 until you remembered it on your way home from Rekal; then\par
\pard\li185\sl65\slmult0 we came here on the double to look for it." He added,\par
\pard\li175 unnecessarily, "Without any luck; there wasn't enough time."\par
\pard\li370\sl45\slmult0 A second Interplan cop joined the first one; the two briefly\par
\pard\li185\sl25\slmult0 conferred. Meanwhile, Quail thought rapidly. He did re-\par
\pard\sl160\slmult0 . member more, now; the cop had been right about narkidrine.\par
\pard\li180 TheyInterplanprobably used it themselves. Probably? He\par
\pard\li180\sl45\slmult0 knew darn well they did; he had seen them putting a prisoner\par
\pard\li190\sl65\slmult0 on it. Where would \i that\i0 be? Somewhere on Terra? More\par
\pard\li185 likely Luna, he decided, viewing the image rising from his\par
\pard\li180\sl15\slmult0 highly defectivebut rapidly less somemory.\par
\pard\li385\sl45\slmult0 And he remembered something else. Their reason for\par
\pard\li190\sl30\slmult0 sending him to Mars; the job he had done.\par
\pard\li385\sl40\slmult0 No wonder they had expunged his memory.\par
\pard\li395\sl40\slmult0 "Oh god," the first of the two Interplan cops said, breaking\par
\pard\li195\sl30\slmult0 off his conversation with his companion. Obviously, he had\par
\pard\li195\sl15\slmult0 picked up Quail's thoughts. "Well, this is a far worse problem,\par
\pard\li190\sl70\slmult0 now; as bad as it can get." He walked toward Quail, again\par
\pard\li200 covering him with his gun. "We've got to kill you," he said.\par
\pard\li200\sl25\slmult0 "And right away."\par
\pard\li395\sl40\slmult0 Nervously, his fellow officer said, "Why right away? Can't\par
\pard\li205\sl65\slmult0 we simply cart him off to Interplan New York and let\par
\pard\li205 them"\par
\pard\li405\sl45\slmult0\i "He\i0 knows why it has to be right away," the first cop said;\par
\pard\li200\sl15\slmult0 he too looked nervous, now, but Quail realized that it was for\par
\pard\li210\sl75\slmult0 an entirely different reason. His memory had been brought\par
\pard\li200 back almost entirely, now. And he fully understood the\par
\pard\li210\sl25\slmult0 officer's tension.\par
\pard\li415\sl50\slmult0 "On Mars," Quail said hoarsely, "I killed a man. After\par
\pard\li210\sl20\slmult0 getting past fifteen bodyguards. Some armed with sneaky-pete\par
\pard\li210\sl65\slmult0 guns, the way you are." He had been trained, by Interplan,\par
\pard\li215\sl25\slmult0 over a five year period to be an assassin. A professional killer.\par
\pard\li205 He knew ways to take out armed adversaries . . . such as these\par
\pard\li205\sl55\slmult0 two officers; and the one with the ear-receiver knew it, too.\par
\pard\li410\sl25\slmult0 If he moved swiftly enough\par
\pard\li410\sl45\slmult0 The gun fired. But he had already moved to one side, and\par
\pard at the same time he chopped down the gun-carrying officer. In\fs24\par
\pard\li60\fs18 an instant he had possession of the gun and was covering the-\par
\pard\li50 other, confused, officer.\par
\pard\li95\sl155\slmult0 . "Picked my thoughts up," Quail said, panting for breath.\par
\pard\li40 "He knew what I was going to do, but I did it anyhow."\par
\pard\li245\sl25\slmult0 Half sitting up, the injured officer grated, "He won't use\par
\pard\li45\sl25\slmult0 that gun on you, Sam; I pick that up, too. He knows he's\par
\pard\li45\sl20\slmult0 finished, and he knows we know it, too. Come on, Quail."\par
\pard\li40\sl30\slmult0 Laboriously, grouting with pain, he got shakily to his feet. He\par
\pard\li40\sl20\slmult0 held out his hand. "The gun," he said to Quail. "You can't use\par
\pard\li35\sl35\slmult0 it, and if you turn it over to me I'll guarantee not to kill you;\par
\pard\li35\sl20\slmult0 you'll be given a hearing, and someone higher up in Interplan\par
\pard\li30\sl25\slmult0 will decide, not me. Maybe they can erase your memory once\par
\pard\li30\sl65\slmult0 more; I don't know. But you know the thing I was going to\par
\pard\li35 kill you for; I couldn't keep you from remembering it. So my\par
\pard\li30\sl65\slmult0 reason for wanting to kill you is in a sense past."\par
\pard\li235 Quail, clutching the gun, bolted from the conapt, sprinted\par
\pard\li30\sl25\slmult0 for the elevator. If you follow me, he thought, I'll kill you. So\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 don't. He jabbed at the elevator button and, a moment later,\par
\pard\li35\sl25\slmult0 the doors slid back.\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 The police hadn't followed him. Obviously they had picked\par
\pard\li25\sl60\slmult0 up his terse, tense thoughts and had decided not to take the\par
\pard\li25 chance.\par
\pard\li225\sl30\slmult0 With him inside the elevator descended. He had gotten\par
\pard\li35\sl20\slmult0 awayfor a time. But what next? Where could he go?\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 The elevator reached the ground floor; a moment later\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 Quail had joined the mob of peds hurrying along the runnels.\par
His head ached and he felt sick. But at least he had evaded\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 death; they had come very close to shooting him on the spot,\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 back in his own conapt.\par
\pard\li210\sl25\slmult0 And they probably will again, he decided. When they find\par
\pard\li15\sl65\slmult0 me. And with this transmitter inside me, that won't take too\par
\pard\li15 long.\par
\pard\li220\sl20\slmult0 Ironically, he had gotten exactly what he had 'asked Rekal,\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 Incorporated for. Adventure, peril, Interplan police at work, a\par
\pard\li25\sl45\slmult0 secret and dangerous trip to Mars in which his life was at\par
\pard\li10 stakeeverything he had wanted as a false memory.\par
\pard\li215\sl25\slmult0 The advantages of it being a memoryand nothing more\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 could now be appreciated.\par
\pard\li230\sl235\slmult0 On a park beach, alone, he sat dully watching a flock of\par
\pard\li15\sl45\slmult0 perts' a semi-bird imported from Mars' two moons, capable\par
\pard\sl10\slmult0 of soaring flight, even against Earth's huge gravity.\par
\pard Maybe I can find my way back to Mars, he pondered. But\fs24\par
\pard\li145\fs18 then what? It would be worse on Mars; the political Organiza-\par
\pard\li150\sl30\slmult0 tion whose leader he had assassinated would spot him the\par
\pard\li155\sl35\slmult0 moment he stepped from the ship; he would have Interplan\par
\pard\li160\sl5\slmult0 and \i them\i0 after him, there.\par
\pard\li340\sl25\slmult0 Can you hear me thinking? he wondered. Easy avenue to\par
\pard\li155\sl15\slmult0 paranoia; sitting here alone he felt them tuning in on him,\par
\pard\li150\sl25\slmult0 monitoring, recording, discussing . . . he shivered, rose to his\par
\pard\li170\sl40\slmult0 feet, walked aimlessly, his hands deep in his pockets. No\par
\pard\li155\sl35\slmult0 matter where I go, he realized. You'll always be with me. As\par
\pard\li170\sl15\slmult0 long as I have this device inside my head.\par
\pard\sl140\slmult0 -~ I'll make a deal with you, he thought to himselfand to\par
\pard\li165 them. Can't you imprint a false-memory template on me\par
\pard\li175\sl15\slmult0 again, as you did before, that I lived an average, routine life,\par
\pard\li170\sl70\slmult0 never went to Mars? Never saw an Interplan uniform up close\par
\pard\li180 and never handled a gun?\par
\pard\li375\sl30\slmult0 A voice inside his brain answered, "As has been carefully\par
\pard\li180\sl15\slmult0 explained to you: that would not be enough."\par
\pard\li380\sl20\slmult0 Astonished, he halted.\par
\pard\li390\sl35\slmult0 "We formerly communicated with you in this manner," the\par
\pard\li195\sl15\slmult0 voice continued. "When you were operating in the field, on\par
\pard\li185\sl30\slmult0 Mars. It's been months since we've done it; we assumed, in\par
\pard\li195\sl35\slmult0 fact, that we'd never have to do so again. Where are you?"\par
\pard\li400\sl10\slmult0 "Walking," Quail said, "to my death." By your officers'\par
\pard\li205\sl75\slmult0 guns, he added as an afterthought. "How can you be sure it\par
\pard\li200 wouldn't be enough?" he demanded. "Don't the Rekal tech-\par
\pard\li200\sl30\slmult0 niques work?"\par
\pard\li425\sl25\slmult0 "As we said. If you're given a set of standard, average\par
\pard\li210\sl15\slmult0 memories you getrestless. You'd inevitably seek out Rekal\par
\pard\li215\sl80\slmult0 or one of its competitors again. We can't go through this a\par
\pard\li220 second time."\par
\pard\li410\sl20\slmult0 "Suppose," Quail said, "once my authentic memories have\par
\pard\li215\sl40\slmult0 been cancelled, something more vital than standard memories\par
\pard\li225\sl55\slmult0 are implanted. Something which would act to satisfy my\par
\pard\li215 craving," he said. "That's been proved; that's probably why\par
\pard\li215\sl65\slmult0 you initially hired me. But you ought to be able to come up\par
\pard\li220 with something elsesomething equal. I was the richest man\par
\pard\li220\sl80\slmult0 on Terra but I finally gave all my money to educational\par
\pard\li230 foundations. Or I was a famous deep-space explorer. Any-\par
\pard\li235\sl35\slmult0 thing of that sort; wouldn't one of those do?"\par
\pard\li435\sl20\slmult0 Silence.\par
\pard\li435\sl25\slmult0 "Try it," he said desperately. "Get some of your top-notch\par
\pard\li250\sl25\slmult0 military psychiatrists; explore my mind. Find out what my\par
\pard most expansive daydream is." He tried to think. "Women," he\fs24\par
\pard\li15\fs18 said. "Thousands of them, like Don Juan had. An interplane-\par
\pard\li25\sl55\slmult0 tary playboya mistress in every city on Earth, Luna and\par
\pard\li25\sl5\slmult0 Mars. Only I gave that up, out of exhaustion. Please," he\par
\pard\li15\sl15\slmult0 begged. "Try it."\par
\pard\li220\sl30\slmult0 "You'd voluntarily surrender, then?" the voice inside his\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 head asked. "If we agreed to arrange such a solution? \i If\i0 it's\par
possible?"\par
\pard\li225\sl30\slmult0 After an interval of hesitation he said, "Yes." I'll take the\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 risk, he said to himself. That you don't simply kill me.\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 "You make the first move," the voice said presently. "Turn\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 yourself over to us. And we'll investigate that line of possibil-\par
\pard\sl20\slmult0 ity. If we can't do it, however, if your authentic memories\par
\pard\li5\sl35\slmult0 begin to crop up again as they've done at this time, then"\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 There was silence and then the voice finished, "We'll have to\par
\pard\li20\sl15\slmult0 destroy you. As you must understand. Well, Quail, you still\par
\pard\li15\sl55\slmult0 want to try?"\par
\pard\li215 "Yes," he said. Because the alternative was death now\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 and for certain. At least this way he had a chance, slim as it\par
\pard\li10\sl60\slmult0 was.\par
\pard\li225 "You present yourself at our main barracks in New York,"\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 the voice of the Interplan cop resumed. "At 580 Fifth\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 Avenue, floor twelve. Once you've surrendered yourself\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 we'll have our psychiatrists begin on you; we'll have\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 personality-profile tests made. We'll attempt to determine your\par
\pard\li15\sl30\slmult0 absolute, ultimate fantasy wishand then we'll bring you\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 back to Rekal, Incorporated, here; get them in on it, fulfilling\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 that wish in vicarious surrogate retrospection. Andgood\par
\pard\li30\sl20\slmult0 luck. We do owe you something; you acted as a capable\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 instrument for us." The voice lacked malice; if anything, they\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 the organizationfelt sympathy toward him.\par
\pard\li220\sl20\slmult0 "Thanks," Quail said. And began searching for a robot cab.\par
\pard\li220\sl240\slmult0 "Mr. Quail," the stern-faced, elderly Interplan psychiatrist\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 said, "you possess a most interesting wish-fulfillment dream\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 fantasy. Probably nothing such as you consciously entertain\par
\pard\li15\sl65\slmult0 or suppose. This is commonly the way; I hope it won't upset\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 you too much to hear about it."\par
\pard\li230 The senior ranking Interplan officer present said briskly,\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 "He better not be too much upset to hear about it, not if he\par
\pard\li10\sl45\slmult0 expects not to get shot."\par
\pard\li230\sl5\slmult0 "Unlike the fantasy of wanting to be an Interplan under-\par
\pard\li25\sl65\slmult0 cover agent." the psychiatrist continued, "which, being rela-\par
\pard tively speaking a product of maturity, had a certain plausibil-\fs24\par
\pard\li10\fs18 ity to it, this production is a grotesque dream of your\par
\pard\sl10\slmult0 childhood; it is no wonder you fail to recall it. Your fantasy\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 is this: you are nine years old, walking alone down a rustic\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 lane. An unfamiliar variety of space vessel from another star\par
\pard\li15\sl40\slmult0 system lands directly in front of you. No one on Earth but\par
\pard\li10\sl45\slmult0 you, Mr. Quail, sees it. The creatures within are very small\par
\pard\li15 and helpless, somewhat on the order of field mice, although\par
\pard\li15\sl30\slmult0 they are attempting to invade Earth; tens of thousands of\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 other such ships will soon be on their way, when this advance\par
\pard\li15\sl40\slmult0 party gives the go-ahead signal."\par
\pard\li215\sl20\slmult0 "And I suppose I stop them," Quail said, experiencing a\par
\pard\li10\sl30\slmult0 mixture of amusement and disgust. "Single-handed I wipe\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 them out. Probably by stepping on them with my foot."\par
\pard\li220\sl40\slmult0 "No," the psychiatrist said patiently. "You halt the inva-\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 sion, but not by destroying them. Instead, you show them\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 kindness and mercy, even though by telepathytheir mode of\par
\pard\li20\sl15\slmult0 communicationyou know why they have come. They have\par
\pard\li25\sl80\slmult0 never seen such humane traits exhibited by any sentient\par
\pard\li30 organism, and to show their appreciation they make a cove-\par
\pard\li20\sl55\slmult0 nant with you."\par
\pard\li235\sl20\slmult0 Quail said, "They won't invade Earth as long as I'm alive."\par
\pard\li235\sl35\slmult0 "Exactly." To the Interplan officer the psychiatrist said,\par
\pard\li40\sl40\slmult0 "You can see it does fit his personality, despite his feigned\par
\pard\li40\sl15\slmult0 scorn."\par
\pard\li240\sl40\slmult0 "So by merely existing," Quail said, feeling a growing\par
\pard\li35\sl30\slmult0 pleasure, "by simply being alive, I keep Earth safe from alien\par
\pard\li35\sl25\slmult0 rule. I'm in effect, then, the most important person on Terra.\par
\pard\li50\sl20\slmult0 Without lifting a finger."\par
\pard\li250\sl45\slmult0 "Yes indeed, sir," the psychiatrist said. "And this is bedrock\par
\pard\li50\sl25\slmult0 in your psyche; this is a life-long childhood fantasy. Which,\par
\pard\li50\sl20\slmult0 without depth and drug therapy, you never would have\par
\pard\li55\sl20\slmult0 recalled. But it has always existed in you; it went underneath,\par
\pard\li50\sl25\slmult0 but never ceased."\par
\pard\li250\sl45\slmult0 To McClane, who sat intently listening, the senior police\par
\pard\li60\sl25\slmult0 official said, "Can you implant an extra-factual memory\par
\pard\li50\sl45\slmult0 pattern that extreme in him?"\par
\pard\li255\sl25\slmult0 "We get handed every possible type of wish-fantasy there\par
\pard\li55\sl25\slmult0 is," McClane said. "Frankly, I've heard a lot worse than this.\par
\pard\li65\sl15\slmult0 Certainly we can handle it. Twenty-four hours from now he\par
\pard\li75\sl50\slmult0 won't just \i wish\i0 he'd saved Earth; he'll devoutly believe it\par
\pard\li70\sl45\slmult0 really happened."\par
\pard The senior police official said, "You can start the job, then.\fs24\par
\pard\li50\fs18 In preparation we've already once again erased the memory in.\par
\pard\li40\sl20\slmult0 him of his trip to Mars."\par
\pard\li250\sl25\slmult0 Quail said, "What trip to Mars?"\par
\pard\li245\sl25\slmult0 No one answered him, so, reluctantly, he shelved the\par
\pard\li65\sl25\slmult0 question. And anyhow a police vehicle had now put in its\par
\pard\li50\sl60\slmult0 appearance; he, McClane' and the senior police officer\par
\pard\li40 crowded into it, and presently they were on their way to\par
\pard\li35\sl20\slmult0 Chicago and Rekal, Incorporated.\par
\pard\li245\sl30\slmult0 "You had better make no errors this time," the police\par
\pard\li30\sl20\slmult0 officer said to heavy-set, nervous-looking McClane.\par
\pard\li240\sl30\slmult0 "I can't see what could go wrong," McClane mumbled,\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 perspiring. "This has nothing to do with Mars or Interplan.\par
\pard\li30\sl20\slmult0 Single-handedly stopping an invasion of Earth from another\par
\pard\li35\sl35\slmult0 star-system." He shook his head at that. "Wow, what a kid\par
\pard\li30\sl20\slmult0 dreams up. And by pious virtue, too; not by force. It's sort of\par
\pard\li35\sl25\slmult0 quaint." He dabbed at his forehead with a large linen pocket\par
\pard\li25\sl20\slmult0 handkerchief.\par
\pard\li235\sl30\slmult0 Nobody said anything.\par
\pard\li230\sl20\slmult0 "In fact," McClane said, "it's touching."\par
\pard\li230\sl25\slmult0 "But arrogant," the police official said starkly. "Inasmuch\par
\pard\li40\sl65\slmult0 as when he dies the invasion will resume. No wonder he\par
\pard\li40 doesn't recall it; it's the most grandiose fantasy I ever ran\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 across." He eyed Quail with disapproval. "And to think we\par
\pard\li15\sl40\slmult0 put this man on our payroll."\par
\pard\li215\sl10\slmult0 When they reached Rekal, Incorporated the receptionist,\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 Shirley, met them breathlessly in the outer office. "Welcome\par
\pard\li15\sl30\slmult0 back, Mr. Quail," she fluttered, her melon-shaped breasts\par
\pard\li15\sl25\slmult0 today painted an incandescent orangebobbing with agita-\par
tion. "I'm sorry everything worked out so badly before; I'm\par
\pard\li15\sl65\slmult0 sure this time it'll go better."\par
\pard\li215 Still repeatedly dabbing at his shiny forehead with his\par
\pard\li10\sl25\slmult0 neatly-folded Irish linen handkerchief, McClane said, "It\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 better." Moving with rapidity he rounded up Lowe and\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 Keeler, escorted them and Douglas Quail to the work area,\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 and then, with Shirley and the senior police officer, returned\par
\pard\li5\sl45\slmult0 to his familiar office. To wait.\par
\pard\li210\sl10\slmult0 "Do we have a packet made up for this, Mr. McClane?"\par
\pard\li10\sl20\slmult0 Shirley asked, bumping against him in her agitation, then\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 coloring modestly.\par
\pard\li230\sl25\slmult0 "I think we do." He tried to recall; then gave up and\par
\pard\li5\sl25\slmult0 consulted the formal chart. "A combination," he decided\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 aloud, "of packets Eighty-one, Twenty, and Six." From the\par
\pard vault section of the chamber behind his desk he fished out the\fs24\par
\pard\li205\fs18 appropriate packets, carried them to his desk for inspection.\par
\pard\li210\sl30\slmult0 "From Eighty-one," he explained, "a magic healing rod given\par
\pard\li205\sl20\slmult0 himthe client in question, this time Mr. Quailby the race\par
\pard\li210\sl35\slmult0 of beings from another system. A token of their gratitude."\par
\pard\li415\sl25\slmult0 "Does it work?" the police officer asked curiously.\par
\pard\li420\sl25\slmult0 "It did once," McClane explained. "But he, ahem, you see,\par
\pard\li215\sl25\slmult0 used it up years ago, healing right and left. Now it's only a\par
\pard\li215\sl35\slmult0 memento. But he remembers it working spectacularly." He\par
\pard\li220\sl5\slmult0 chuckled, then opened packet Twenty. "Document from the\par
\pard\li220\sl35\slmult0 UN Secretary General thanking him for saving Earth; this\par
\pard\sl25\slmult0 _isn't precisely appropriate, because part of Quail's fantasy is\par
\pard\li220\sl25\slmult0 that no one knows of the invasion except himself, but for the\par
\pard\li230\sl25\slmult0 sake of verisimilitude we'll throw it in." He inspected packet\par
\pard\li225\sl30\slmult0 Six, then. What came from this? He couldn't recall; frowning,\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 he dug into the plastic bag as Shirley and the Interplan police\par
\pard\li230\sl15\slmult0 officer watched intently.\par
\pard\li440\sl15\slmult0 "Writing," Shirley said. "In a funny language."\par
\pard\li445\sl30\slmult0 "This tells who they were," McClane said, "and where they\par
\pard\li240\sl75\slmult0 came from. Including a detailed star map logging their flight\par
\pard\li240 here and the system of origin. Of course it's in \i their\i0 script, so\par
\pard\li240\sl25\slmult0 he can't read it. But he remembers them reading it to him in\par
\pard\li250\sl25\slmult0 his own tongue." He placed the three artifacts in the center of\par
the desk. "These should be taken to Quail's conapt," he said\par
\pard\li255\sl45\slmult0 to the police officer. "So that when he gets home he'll find\par
\pard\li250\sl5\slmult0 them. And it'll confirm his fantasy. SOPstandard operating\par
\pard\li255\sl15\slmult0 procedure." He chuckled apprehensively, wondering how\par
\pard\li260\sl50\slmult0 matters were going with Lowe and Keeler.\par
\pard\li460\sl5\slmult0 The intercom buzzed. "Mr. McClane, I'm sorry to bother\par
\pard\li265\sl25\slmult0 you." It was Lowe's voice; he froze as he recognized it, froze\par
\pard\li270\sl30\slmult0 and became mute. "But something's come up. Maybe it would\par
\pard\li275\sl25\slmult0 be better if you came in here and supervised. Like before,\par
\pard\li265\sl15\slmult0 Quail reacted well to the narkidrine; he's unconscious, relaxed\par
\pard\li280\sl30\slmult0 and receptive. But"\par
\pard\li480\sl10\slmult0 McClane sprinted for the work area.\par
\pard\li475\sl40\slmult0 On a hygienic bed Douglas Quail lay breathing slowly and\par
\pard\li265\sl15\slmult0 regularly, eyes half-shut, dimly conscious of those around\par
\pard\li275\sl30\slmult0 him.\par
\pard\li485\sl25\slmult0 "We started interrogating him," Lowe said, white-faced.\par
\pard\li285\sl25\slmult0 "To find out exactly when to place the fantasy-memory of\par
\pard\li275\sl25\slmult0 him single-handedly having saved Earth. And strangely\par
\pard\li290\sl15\slmult0 enough"\par
\pard\li495\sl35\slmult0 "They told me not to tell," Douglas Quail mumbled in a\par
\pard dull drug-saturated voice. "That was the agreement. I wasn't\fs24\par
\fs18 even supposed to remember. But how could I forget an event\par
\pard\li5 like that?"\par
\pard\li200\sl30\slmult0 I guess it would be hard, McClane reflected. But you did\par
\pard\li5\sl20\slmult0 until now.\par
\pard\li205\sl20\slmult0 "They even gave me a scroll," Quail mumbled, "of grati-\par
\pard\li5\sl30\slmult0 tude. I have it hidden in my conapt; I'll show it to you."\par
\pard\li225\sl25\slmult0 To the Interplan officer who had followed after him,\par
\pard\li15\sl20\slmult0 McClane said, "Well, I offer the suggestion that you better not\par
\pard\li15\sl30\slmult0 kill him. If you do they'll return."\par
\pard\li220\sl20\slmult0 "They also gave me a magic invisible destroying rod,"\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 Quail mumbled, eyes totally shut, now. "That's how I killed\par
\pard\li15\sl30\slmult0 that man on Mars you sent me to take out. It's in my drawer\par
\pard\li20\sl25\slmult0 along with the box of Martian maw-worms and dried-up plant\par
\pard\li20\sl20\slmult0 life."\par
\pard\li220\sl15\slmult0 Wordlessly, the Interplan officer turned and stalked from\par
\pard\li20\sl35\slmult0 the work area.\par
\pard\li220\sl25\slmult0 I might as well put those packets of proof-artifacts away,\par
\pard\li25\sl15\slmult0 McClane said to himself resignedly. He walked, step by step,\par
\pard\li25\sl25\slmult0 back to his office. Including the citation from the UN Secre-\par
\pard\li30\sl50\slmult0 tary General. After all\par
\pard The real one probably would not be long in coming.\par
}
Mini Shell