The Seed of Evil

“The alpha rhythm is quite clear,” Juker commented, peering closer. “Some of the others are a bit scrambled—but that’s probably because we’re getting two or more on one ‘scope.” He started speaking quickly. “Don’t you see what’s happened? It’s Jack! When the current swept through him, it was modulated by the electrical rhythms of his nervous system.” He slapped his hands together excitedly. “It’s just what could happen in a zero-temperature environment!”

“You don’t mean he’s still alive?”

Doubtfully, he shook his head. “That’s going a bit too far—”

Then he cut himself short. The ‘scope waves had suddenly altered, just like they do in electro-encephalography when mental activity changes.

After that there was no help for it. Professor Juker constructed a frequency analyser to differentiate between the various waves, then rigged up a speaker and microphone. It did not take many minutes of ranging through the waveband before we hit on Jack’s speech frequency.

Quavering, I held the microphone in my right hand. “Jack?”

A second or two later, I heard a familiar voice. “Is that you, Bob?” it said uncertainly.

Juker and I looked at one another, shocked beyond expectation. I had no need to ask further questions.

The modulations of the million-volt pulse had been quite complete. Jack’s entire pattern of personality, memory and thought had been transferred to it, and was now humming unimpeded in a continuous circuit of the planet. There was no fragment of Celenthenis that you might break off that was not Jack.

So that was how I continued to be my brother’s keeper. After all, we had planned to take material back to Earth. What else could we do, but take him home with us?

Faintly, I heard the front door open and close as one of the guests left downstairs. I gazed at the chunk of green rock, visible more to the imagination than the eye, amidst Juker’s hydrogen-ice apparatus, and thought of how helpless and quiescent Jack was now.

In all the years we had been together, it was not until those few remaining days on Celenthenis and the journey back to Earth, that I gave consideration to my relationship with Jack.

Did I ever love my brother?

A hard question. I don’t think there is love between brothers. We took each other for granted. There were things I didn’t like about him, but all the hard feelings tended to be of short duration.

On the other hand, whenever I hated my brother I had the sinking feeling that I was exactly like him.

The difference being, that when I cheat I cover my tracks.

As it was, I had come out of it all right. I had Janet, hadn’t I? She wouldn’t even speak to this lump of rock, not once. She married me.

A bitch? You might say so. It might appear odd that I’d still take up with her. But isn’t human nature frail in any case? Take the best and leave the worst.

It’s no use to fret.

We lived fairly comfortably on the proceeds from Celenthenis. As I said, I’ve settled down. It suits me.

Moving closer, I said: “Are you sure everything’s all right, Jack?”

“Well,” he answered. “My mind’s been getting a bit fuzzy lately. I think a trace of heat must be getting through.”

I nodded. That was inevitable. If the temperature rose even a fraction of an appreciable amount, though, the rock would cease to become conductive and that would be the end of Jack.

“For another thing,” he said, “you know the main version of me is still on Celenthenis. I’m a sort of detached fragment.”

“You’re still a complete replica, Jack.”

“I know. But, well—frankly, I sometimes feel an urge to be reunited with myself. Merge with the main current.”

“You want to go back?”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

“Well, Jack,” I said after a moment. “I don’t know. Janet might not think we can afford the cartridges for another trip to Montgomery Cloudbank.”

“You mean you won’t take me?” he said in a piteous voice.

“You know I would, whatever it cost. But there’s still Janet.”

“Bring her up here,” he said eagerly. “I’ll persuade her, Bob, I know I can. We were close once, remember?”

I didn’t need the reminder.

“You know what she’s like. Wild horses wouldn’t drag her up here. She never comes.”

Silence, but I could feel the hurt in it. Eventually Jack spoke again in a strained voice.

“Look, Bob, I … well, I do want to go back to Celenthenis and I’m sure once she speaks with me she’ll agree. But it isn’t just that. I really want to speak to her, you know. It isn’t pleasant the way she ignores me. I know she’s married to you now, but—I just want to say goodbye, that’s all. You can’t begrudge me that.”

I was genuinely touched.

“Please, Bob, please bring her up here. Just once.”

“I’ll try,” I promised.

A faint sigh of relief came from the speaker. “Bring her up here, and that’s the last thing I’ll ever ask of you.”

Turning, I went through the unpainted door, down the rickety stairs, within range of the sounds, light and perfumes of the living-rooms and what remained of our smart society guests. Idly, I calculated the cost of another trip to Celenthenis.