“We are habermans in the flesh. We are cut apart, brain and flesh. We are ready to go to the Up and Out. All of us have gone through the Haberman Device.”
“We are habermans then?” Vomact’s eyes flashed and glittered as he asked the ritual question.
Again the chorused answer was accompanied by a roar of voices heard only by Martel: “Habermans we are, and more, and more. We are the Chosen who are habermans by our own free will. We are the Agents of the Instrumentality of Mankind.”
“What must the others say to us?”
“They must say to us, ‘You are the bravest of the brave, the most skilful of the skilled. All mankind owes most honor to the Scanner, who unites the Earths of Mankind. Scanners are the protectors of the habermans. They are the judges in the Up-and-Out. They make men live in the place where men need desperately to die. They are the most honored of Mankind, and even the Chiefs of the Instrumentality are delighted to pay them homage!’ ”
Vomact stood more erect: “What is the secret duty of the Scanner?”
“To keep secret our law, and to destroy the acquirers thereof.”
“How to destroy?”
“Twice to the Overload
, back and Dead
.”
“If habermans die, what the duty then?”
The Scanners all compressed their lips for answer. (Silence was the code.) Martel, who—long familiar with the code—was a little bored with the proceedings, noticed that Chang was breathing too heavily; he reached over and adjusted Chang’s Lung-control and received the thanks of Chang’s eyes. Vomact observed the interruption and glared at them both. Martel relaxed, trying to imitate the dead cold stillness of the others. It was so hard to do, when you were cranched.
“If others die, what the duty then?” asked Vomact.
“Scanners together inform the Instrumentality. Scanners together accept the punishment. Scanners together settle the case.”
“And if the punishment be severe?”
“Then no ships go.”
“And if Scanners not be honored?”
“Then no ships go.”
“And if a Scanner goes unpaid?”
“Then no ships go.”
“And if the Others and the Instrumentality are not in all ways at all times mindful of their proper obligation to the Scanners?”
“Then no ships go.”
“And what, O Scanners, if no ships go?”
“The Earths fall apart. The Wild comes back in. The Old Machines and the Beasts return.”
“What is the known duty of a Scanner?”
“Not to sleep in the Up-and-Out.”
“What is the second duty of a Scanner?”
“To keep forgotten the name of fear.”
“What is the third duty of a Scanner?”
“To use the wire of Eustace Cranch only with care, only with moderation.” Several pair of eyes looked quickly at Martel before the mouthed chorus went on. “To cranch only at home, only among friends, only for the purpose of remembering, of relaxing, or of begetting.”
“What is the word of the Scanner?”
“Faithful though surrounded by death.”
“What is the motto of the Scanner?”
“Awake though surrounded by silence.”
“What is the work of the Scanner?”
“Labor even in the heights of the Up-and-Out, loyalty even in the depths of the Earths.”
“How do you know a Scanner?”
“We know ourselves. We are dead though we live. And we Talk with the Tablet and the Nail.”
“What is this Code?”
“This Code is the friendly ancient wisdom of Scanners, briefly put that we may be mindful and be cheered by our loyalty to one another.”
At this point the formula should have run: “We complete the Code. Is there work or word for the Scanners?” But Vomact said, and he repeated:
“Top emergency. Top emergency.”
They gave him the sign, Present and ready!
He said, with every eye straining to follow his lips:
“Some of you know the work of Adam Stone?”
Martel saw lips move, saying: “The Red Asteroid. The Other who lives at the edge of Space.”
“Adam Stone has gone to the Instrumentality, claiming success for his work. He says that he has found how to Screen Out the Pain of Space. He says that the Up-and-Out can be made safe for ordinary men to work in, to stay awake in. He says that there need be no more Scanners.”
Beltlights flashed on all over the room as Scanners sought the right to speak. Vomact nodded to one of the older men. “Scanner Smith will speak.”
Smith stepped slowly up into the light, watching his own feet. He turned so that they could see his face. He spoke: “I say that this is a lie. I say that Stone is a liar. I say that the Instrumentality must not be deceived.”
He paused. Then, in answer to some question from the audience which most of the others did not see, he said:
“I invoke the secret duty of the Scanners.”
Smith raised his right hand for Emergency Attention:
“I say that Stone must die.”
III
Martel, still cranched, shuddered as he heard the boos, groans, shouts, squeaks, grunts and moans which came from the Scanners who forgot noise in their excitement and strove to make their dead bodies talk to one another’s deaf ears. Beltlights flashed wildly all over the room. There was a rush for the rostrum and Scanners milled around at the top, vying for attention until Parizianski—by sheer bulk—shoved the others aside and down, and turned to mouth at the group.
“Brother Scanners, I want your eyes.”
The people on the floor kept moving, with their numb bodies jostling one another. Finally Vomact stepped up in front of Parizianski, faced the others, and said:
“Scanners, be Scanners! Give him your eyes.”
Parizianski was not good at public speaking. His lips moved too fast. He waved his hands, which took the eyes of the others away from his lips. Nevertheless, Martel was able to follow most of the message:
“… can’t do this. Stone may have succeeded. If he has succeeded, it means the end of the Scanners. It means the end of the habermans, too. None of us will have to fight in the Up-and-Out. We won’t have anybody else going under-the-Wire for a few hours or days of being human. Everybody will be Other. Nobody will have to Cranch, never again. Men can be
