Brain World

Ronny slumped down on the couch, feeling exhaustion in spite of the brief period of the action. He said, “We fought six of them. The dogs threw them off balance. Dorn and I, and Plotz, survived.”

The voice of the one they identified as a Brahmin came to them in their minds. It said: Ronald Bronston, Dorn Horsten, Plotz—you have triumphed in the arena. By our traditions, you are free to leave. Reassure yourselves; the planets of your origin are not endangered by us, since you have won survival, and if we destroyed them, we would destroy you as well. However, in the future if other representatives of your race attempt to land on one of our worlds, the spacecraft carrying them will be destroyed and all occupants.

Ronny said grimly, “Thanks. What about Lee Chang Chu and Rosemary?”

By our traditions, they must be sacrificed on the Sacred Altar Stone. There is no traditional means by which they can redeem themselves.

Rosemary moaned.

The voice went on: We were astonished by your success. We assumed, particularly in view of the fact that you were not acquainted with the weapons of the Kshatriya caste, that you would die in the arena and the problem of your knowing of the location of our worlds would die with you. We then planned to destroy the spacecraft you have in orbit about this planet. But now you have won your freedom and hence the spacecraft cannot be destroyed or you would have no means of leaving us. We have been highly impressed by the conduct of your war dogs, and particularly Plotz, who confounded our Kshatriyas.

A quick inspiration came to Ronny Bronston. He said, “She is yours.”

We do not understand.

“By tradition, on the planet of her birth, Einstein, if one admires a possession, the owner gives it to him.”

There was a long silence. Finally the telepathic voice said, Probing your mind tells us that what you have said is true. We are a race that is fully aware of the importance of tradition. We accept the gift.

“Hey,” Plotz said in protest. “Are you humans selling me down the river?”

The Brahmin’s voice said, A gift for a gift, Ronald Bronston, it is one of our own traditions. What do you request ?

Ronny said evenly, “The lives of our two women.”

Lee Chang said quickly, “Wait a minute, Ronny. The matter converter, or the anti-gravity. They’d revolutionize technology in United Planets. We’re only two persons. This involves billions of people.”

Ronny shook his head. “What the Brahmin told Rosemary and her colleagues was correct. The human race isn’t ready as yet for matter converters, anti-gravity, personal travel through underspace, and so forth. When we’re ready, we’ll discover them. It’s the old story. When there was a need, in turn, for the steamship, the railroad, the automobile, the airplane, the spaceship, they were discovered.”

Correct, the mind-voice said. And now you are free to leave.

Ronny nodded wearily and said, “The dog is pregnant. She will have young. You will be able to reproduce her species indefinitely.”

Yes. We are aware of this. And now, farewell.

The mental presence was suddenly gone. How they knew, they couldn’t know. But it was gone.

Ronny looked at Plotz. He said, “I don’t know if I’m sorry or not. It became instantly clear when the Brahmin admired you—and Boy—that if I presented you to him, he would be obligated to give something in return. It was the one way to save Lee Chang and Rosemary.”

The dog put out her tongue and gave a few quick pants and said, “Yes, I’ve figured that out by now and I agree. Besides, it’s not as bad as all that. My pups… ” she hesitated a moment before adding, “and Boy’s, will spread all over these worlds. We’re the equivalents of Adam and Eve—in a canine sort of way. Who knows what the future holds? I heard you explaining once that these Dawnworlders aren’t really intelligent. All they’ve got is accumulated knowledge. Well, we Einstein Vizslas are smart.” She hesitated a moment and then added, “Besides, we’re Magyar war dogs and they killed Boy.”

“Holy Ultimate,” Dorn said.

A door opened and Boy walked in, an elaborate bandage on his back and looking exhausted.

“Hello, everybody,” he said, and slumped down.

They ogled him.

“You’re dead!” Ronny blurted. “That man severed your spine.”

“Don’t write me off so easy. Boss,” Boy panted. “I was dead for only a few minutes. They liked my style, so they went to work on me. I guess they’ve got pretty advanced medicine.”

Rosemary blurted, “But Gil, Roy, David, Charles… ”

Boy looked at her. “Sorry,” he said. “I guess the Dawnmen didn’t like their style.” He gave a weary double pant. “Asa matter of fact, it was pretty bad. I watched the whole thing after I took my hit. Plotz and the Boss and Dorn were the only ones that counted.”

Aftermath

 Ronny didn’t get in touch with the Octagon, to report, until after they had returned to the Alexander Hamilton and to a relieved Captain John Fodor. There hadn’t been any difficulty. The five of them, including Boy, had taken their leave of Plotz and left the house, the door of which had automatically opened. Dorn carried Boy. They had walked about a half kilometer and then Ronny raised the space cruiser with his communicator and called for that craft’s skipper to pick them up.

As soon as they were in space, Lee Chang went to her cabin, secured her star chart, still sealed, and returned with it to the bridge. As before, the officers and crew on watch were dismissed and she set the course for a return to Earth.

Afterwards, she and Ronny went to the ship’s officer’s mess and rejoined the others.

Ronny looked at Rosemary and Lee Chang and said, “Well, now there are three of us that know the navigational coordinates of the Dawnworlds. That’s three too many.”

But Rosemary shook her head. “I don’t. Gil and Roy were the navigators. I don’t know anything about navigation.”

Ronny said thoughtfully, “Is there anybody else, back on Einstein that knows the coordinates?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Wizard. I’d better get in touch with the Old Man.” He brought out his communicator and went through the usual routine. Ross Metaxa was again not available, so Sid Jakes faded in.

He grinned. “Still with us, eh? I told you that you’d make it.”

Ronny looked at him sarcastically. “Mission accomplished. We had to fight it out in an arena for our freedom. The four men from Einstein were killed. Dorn and I survived and were able to make a deal with the Brahmin who communicated with us, for Lee Chang and Rosemary. We also were told that the next time a human ship landed on a Dawnworld it would be destroyed. I’ll give you more details when I get back. Meanwhile, I resign. I’m going to join a nunnery. It’s a safer way of making a living.”

Sid Jakes ignored the latter. “Great,” he said. “How’d the new agent work out?”

“What new agent?”

Sid Jakes scowled at him and said, “Why the one you reported recruiting on Einstein. Buoy, or something like that.”

“Oh,” Ronny said vaguely. “He worked out fine. He saved my life in the fight.”

“Wizard,’’ the other said. “Make him a probationary agent. And we’ll put him through the Section G courses when you get back.” His face faded from the communicator screen.

Ronny turned and looked at Boy, who gave him the old double wag of the bobbed tail, and said, “Would you like to be a Section G agent?”

Lee Chang and Dorn had been laughing but Lee Chang knocked it off and stared at Ronny. She said, “Have