Foundation and Earth

A queer look of repugnance flitted over the Solarian's face. He said, "Please address me simply as Bander, if you must use a form of address. Do not address me by any word that includes a sign of gender. I am neither male nor female. I am whole."

Trevize nodded (he had been right). "As you wish, Bander. What, then, is the location of Earth, the world of origin of all of us?"

Bander said, "I do not know. Nor do I wish to know. If I did know, or if I could find out, it would do you no good, for Earth no longer exists as a world. **Ah," he went on, stretching out his arms. "The sun feels good. I am not often on the surface, and never when the sun does not show itself. My robots were sent to greet you while the sun was yet hiding behind the clouds. I followed only when the clouds cleared."

"Why is it that Earth no longer exists as a world?" said Trevize insistently, steeling himself for the tale of radioactivity once again.

Bander, however, ignored the question or, rather, put it to one side carelessly. "The story is too long," he said. "You told me that you came with no intent of harm."

"That is correct."

"Why then did you come armed?"

"That is merely a precaution. I did not know what I might meet."

"It doesn't matter. Your little weapons represent no danger to me. Yet I am curious. I have, of course, heard much of your arms, and of your curiously barbaric history that seems to depend so entirely upon arms. Even so, I have never actually seen a weapon. May I see yours?"

Trevize took a step backward. "I'm afraid not, Bander."

Bander seemed amused. "I asked only out of politeness. I need not have asked at all."

It held out its hand and from Trevize's right holster, there emerged his blaster, while from his left holster, there rose up his neuronic whip. Trevize snatched at his weapons but felt his arms held back as though by stiffly elastic bonds. Both Pelorat and Bliss started forward and it was clear that they were held as well.

Bander said, "Don't bother trying to interfere. You cannot." The weapons flew to its hands and it looked them over carefully. "This one," it said, indicating the blaster, "seems to be a microwave beamer that produces heat, thus exploding any fluid-containing body. The other is more subtle, and, I must confess, I do not see at a glance what it is intended to do. However, since you mean no harm and offer no harm, you don't need arms. I can, and I do, bleed the energy content of the units of each weapon. That leaves them harmless unless you use one or the other as a club, and they would be clumsy indeed if used for that purpose."

The Solarian released the weapons and again they drifted through the air, this time back toward Trevize. Each settled neatly into its holster.

Trevize, feeling himself released, pulled out his blaster, but there was no need to use it. The contact hung loosely, and the energy unit had clearly been totally drained. That was precisely the case with the neuronic whip as well.

He looked up at Bander, who said, smiling, "You are quite helpless, Outworlder. I can as easily, if I so desired, destroy your ship and, of course, you."

Chapter 11 Underground

47.

TREVIZE felt frozen. Trying to breathe normally, he turned to look at Bliss. She was standing with her arm protectively about Pelorat's waist, and, to all appearances, was quite calm. She smiled slightly and, even more slightly, nodded her head.

Trevize turned back to Bander. Having interpreted Bliss's actions as signifying confidence, and hoping with dreadful earnestness that he was correct, he said grimly, "How did you do that, Bander?"

Bander smiled, obviously in high good humor. "Tell me, little Outworlders, do you believe in sorcery? In magic?"

"No, we do not, little Solarian," snapped Trevize.

Bliss tugged at Trevize's sleeve and whispered, "Don't irritate him. He's dangerous."

"I can see he is," said Trevize, keeping his voice low with difficulty. "You do something, then."

Her voice barely heard, Bliss said, "Not yet. He will be less dangerous if he feels secure."

Bander paid no attention to the brief whispering among the Outworlders. It moved away from them uncaringly, the robots separating to let it pass.

Then it looked back and crooked a finger languidly. "Come. Follow me. All three of you. I will tell you a story that may not interest you, but that interests me." It continued to walk forward leisurely.

Trevize remained in place for a while, uncertain as to the best course of action. Bliss walked forward, however, and the pressure of her arm led Pelorat forward as well. Eventually, Trevize moved; the alternative was to be left standing alone with the robots.

Bliss said lightly, "If Bander will be so kind as to tell the story that may not interest us-"

Bander turned and looked intently at Bliss as though he were truly aware of her for the first time. "You are the feminine half-human," he said, "aren't you? The lesser half?"

"The smaller half, Bander. Yes."

"These other two are masculine half-humans, then?"

"So they are."