Equality: In the Year 2000

receiving the first radio signals from intelligent life forms from another star, another planetary system.”

Julian stared at him. “And…”

“The signals will be understandable… and hostile. This other life form is aggressive to the point of paranoia. They cannot accept the idea of another intelligent life form. They have been receiving our radio signals for some years and hence have been able to decipher our language, so it is possible for them to communicate with us. For the past ten years, they have been building a military space fleet. They are on the way to attack.”

“Jesus!” Julian exclaimed.

“They aim to destroy the whole world.”

Julian looked from Harrison to Woolman. “The plan is to fake it, obviously. But aren’t there other radio telescopes that could check up on you, refute your claims?”

Woolman shook his head. “We’re the only one on Luna. The others don’t have a fraction of our power and freedom from interference.”

Julian went back to Harrison. “And then?”

“And then our organization begins an all-out clamor for a revived military machine. Uniting the country to mobilize for defense. The appointment of a strong man to lead us. We expect that overnight millions will flock to our banner. After a few days, according to how things go, how fast the avalanche develops, we will set up a cry for you to be appointed supreme head of the mobilization.”

Julian said negatively, “There are thousands of men still alive who held down higher ranks than I did and who saw at least as much combat as I did.”

“They are in their sixties, seventies, or even older. However, many of them are already members of the Society. You will appoint them as your deputies, your assistants. There are other organization members ready to step into your ranks.”

“Then what happens?”

“At first we will basically retain the present socioeconomic system. As we become stronger and dominate the economy and the government, we will begin to whittle away at it in the name of defense against the alien attackers. To a great extent we will have to play it by ear. But when we are through, we will hold the country in an iron grip.”

“I suppose we would be for an eventual world government?”

Harrison shook his head. “Certainly not. That is one of Leete and his group’s least desirable goals. Man makes his greatest progress under the stimulation of international disagreements, including war. Just look at World War Two. Under its pressure were developed such things as nuclear fission, jet aircraft, the German V2, the first spacecraft. Besides, having rival nations puts you in a position to control the people. If they become restive, you stir up a bit of trouble abroad and unite them behind you. It’s an old Roman adage.”

Julian snorted. “So you’re all ready to go, and I’m to be your man of charisma.” He paused. “It’s the most harebrained scheme I’ve ever heard and it won’t work.”

Sean O’Callahan flushed in surprised anger. “It’ll work whether or not you come in, West. You’re not indispensable to the plan.”

“No, but I sure as hell can throw a monkey wrench into it.” Julian brought out his transceiver from his pocket. It was open for transmission and had been since he had entered the apartment.

He said, “Observe the latest in electronic bugs, although that’s not what they had in mind when it was invented. This thing has been set to record everything that has been said in this room in the International Data Banks. When we put it into the news tomorrow. Academician Leete and I, the whole world will have a good laugh at your scheme to bollix up the observatory and claim messages from the phony alien intelligent life.”

Harrison snapped, “Fredric!”

Fredric Ley was seated directly across from Julian about twenty feet away. His right hand had already disappeared beneath his coat during the last few minutes of conversation. Now he brought out a revolver and directed it at Julian.

Julian contemplated him for a moment before unbuttoning his jacket so that the others could see that he, too, bore a gun.

He said conversationally to Ley, “I had already figured you for Harrison’s bodyguard. You said that you were in Vietnam…”

Ley rapped out, “Sean. Go get his gun.”

Julian shifted his gaze to Sean O’Callahan, who definitely looked uncomfortable. Julian said, “Don’t move, Sean, or you’re a dead man. God forgive me, I have enough dead men on my hands.”

Ley rasped, “I’ve got you covered, wise guy. We have some of our people in the data banks; we can have that tape wiped. And we’ve got you and can find a place to hold you for as long as necessary.”

Julian sighed and said, “If you were in ’Nam you probably stocked PX shelves. For one thing, that revolver you’re carrying is a thirty-two-caliber Colt. No combat man would ever carry one. I’ve been hit various times by more gun than that. Besides, I suspect you’re a lousy shot. I’m betting I can get this gun out and finish you before you can finish me, Ley. So any time you want to start shooting, go ahead.”

Dave Woolman said in horror, “You’re mad!”

Harrison ordered, “Take him, Fredric.”

Julian grinned confidently, seemingly completely at ease.

There were blisters of cold sweat on the bodyguard’s forehead and his face was pale. His gun hand trembled slightly.

Julian said conversationally, “You’re yellow, Ley. Either start shooting or drop that gun. I’m going to count to five. One… two… three…”

The pistol dropped with a thud to the carpet. Fredric Ley’s face was slack with fear.

Julian said pleasantly, “Any of you boys want to pick it up?”

Harrison alone even looked at the weapon.

Julian stood up and looked around at each of them in turn.

Finally, he let his eyes rest on their leader. He said, “I looked up some of those people of charisma, the great leaders that you said the computers would never have chosen for their Aptitude Quotient. Catherine the Great was only great in bed; she was a slob. Hitler was insane, and proved it; you’re right that the computers wouldn’t have chosen him—and shouldn’t have. Alexander the Great conquered Persia because his father, Philip, who would have been chosen by the computers, had built up an army that was the best and most experienced in the world; his son Alexander was a drunk. Grant was a second-rate general and a worse president. The North should have won that war in half the time considering their economy and larger population. Lee kept the fighting going a couple of years after it shouldn’t have been possible any longer. Lee, by the way, graduated top man in his West Point class and undoubtedly would have been chosen by the computers. Lincoln and Edison were both geniuses and self-educated. As Leete mentioned, they would have surfaced in any society.”

Suddenly he was tired. “The hell with it,” he said. “I’ll take the computer’s choices any day compared to you characters.”

He turned and left, knowing very well that none of them would go for the gun when his back was turned.

Aftermath

The mechanical educator could impress on the brain in a matter of a few minutes, knowledge and skills which might otherwise take a lifetime to acquire… Impressing information directly onto the brain, so that we can know things without ever learning them, seems… impossible today … Yet the mechanical educator—or some technique which performs similar functions—is such an urgent need that civilization cannot continue for many more decades without it. The knowledge of the world is doubling every ten years—and the rate is itself increasing. Already, twenty years of schooling are insufficient; soon we will have died of old age before we have learned to live, and our entire culture will have collapsed owing to its incomprehensible complexity.

—Arthur C. Clarke