Foundation and Earth

Galaxia would be one large organism, while the Second Galactic Empire would, however great in size and variety, be a mere union of individual organisms of microscopic size in comparison with itself. The Second Galactic Empire would be another example of the kind of union of individuals that humanity had set up ever since it became humanity. The Second Galactic Empire might be the largest and best of the species, but it would still be but one more member of that species.

For Galaxia, a member of an entirely different species of organization, to be better than the Second Galactic Empire, there must be a flaw in the Plan, something the great Hari Seldon had himself overlooked.

But if it were something Seldon had overlooked, how could Trevize correct the matter? He was not a mathematician; knew nothing, absolutely nothing, about the details of the Plan; would understand nothing, furthermore, even if it were explained to him.

All he knew were the assumptions-that a great number of human beings be involved and that they not be aware of the conclusions reached. The first assumption was self-evidently true, considering the vast population of the Galaxy, and the second had to be true since only the Second Foundationers knew the details of the Plan, and they kept it to themselves securely enough.

That left an added unacknowledged assumption, a taken-for-granted assumption, one so taken for granted it was never mentioned nor thought of-and yet one that might be false. An assumption that, if it were false, would alter the grand conclusion of the Plan and make Galaxia preferable to Empire.

But if the assumption was so obvious and so taken for granted that it was never even expressed, how could it be false? And if no one ever mentioned it, or thought of it, how could Trevize know it was there, or have any idea of its nature even if he guessed its existence?

Was he truly Trevize, the man with the flawless intuition-as Gaia insisted? Did he know the right thing to do even when he didn't know why he was doing it?

Now he was visiting every Spacer world he knew about. Was that the right thing to do? Did the Spacer worlds hold the answer? Or at least the beginning of the answer?

What was there on Aurora but ruins and wild dogs? (And, presumably, other feral creatures. Raging bulls? Overgrown rats? Stalking green-eyed cats?) Solaria was alive, but what was there on it but robots and energy-transducing human beings? What had either world to do with Seldon's Plan unless they contained the secret of the location of the Earth?

And if they did, what had Earth to do with Seldon's Plan? Was this all madness? Had he listened too long and too seriously to the fantasy of his own infallibility?

An overwhelming weight of shame came over him and seemed to press upon him to the point where he could barely breathe. He looked at the stars-remote, uncaring-and thought: I must be the Great Fool of the Galaxy.

58.

BLISS'S voice broke in on him. "Well, Trevize, why do you want to see-Is anything wrong?" Her voice had twisted into sudden concern.

Trevize looked up and, for a moment, found it momentarily difficult to brush away his mood. He stared at her, then said, "No, no. Nothing's wrong. I-I was merely lost in thought. Every once in a while, after all, I find myself thinking."

He was uneasily aware that Bliss could read his emotions. He had only her word that she was voluntarily abstaining from any oversight of his mind.

She seemed to accept his statement, however. She said, "Pelorat is with Fallom, teaching it Galactic phrases. The child seems to eat what we do without undue objection. But what do you want to see me about?"

"Well, not here," said Trevize. "The computer doesn't need me at the moment. If you want to come into my room, the bed's made and you can sit on it while I sit on the chair. Or vice versa, if you prefer."

"It doesn't matter." They walked the short distance to Trevize's room. She eyed him narrowly. "You don't seem furious anymore."

"Checking my mind?"

"Not at all. Checking your face."

"I'm not furious. I may lose my temper momentarily, now and then, but that's not the same as furious. If you don't mind, though, there are questions I must ask you."

Bliss sat down on Trevize's bed, holding herself erect, and with a solemn expression on her wide-cheeked face and in her dark brown eyes. Her shoulder-length black hair was neatly arranged and her slim hands were clasped loosely in her lap. There was a faint trace of perfume about her.

Trevize smiled. "You've dolled yourself up. I suspect you think I won't yell quite so hard at a young and pretty girl."

"You can yell and scream all you wish if it will make you feel better. I just don't want you yelling and screaming at Fallom."

"I don't intend to. In fact, I don't intend to yell and scream at you. Haven't we decided to be friends?"

"Gaia has never had anything but feelings of friendship toward you, Trevize."