Enemies of the System by Brian W. Aldiss Page B

comrades. Let’s keep some good utopianist hope in our hearts.”
    â€œAnd what should we keep in our heads?” asked Burek. Shaking his head, he said to Sygiek, “You and Kordan talk so much. Blowing never warmed porridge, as the old country saying has it.” He gave the impression of a withdrawn man, which made his remarks the more effective, especially as he spoke in a slow heavy way, drawing his brows together as he did so. “My friends, we must suppose that the tunnelers ripped out the phone-cables back by the coach. So no phones are going to work all the way to the Gorge, are they? Use your brains.”
    â€œExactly so. That’s another reason for getting back to the bus,” said Constanza.
    â€œIt may be an excuse but it is not a reason,” said Burek. “I am myself for continuing. I merely do not want us to suffer disappointment every time we reach a phone and find it out of order.”
    â€œLet me remind you that our decision was to make for the Gorge,” said Kordan. “The others rely on us to carry out our intention. We should inevitably be criticized if we went back having achieved nothing.”
    â€œThat’s up to them,” said Takeido, sliding off the truck. “I’d rather be criticized then eaten. Not that I can bear either.” He clutched his forehead in sudden tension. “I wish I had never heard of Lysenka II! Listen, if we walked back to the phone post situated before that fatal bit of tunneling, we should find the line working.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you suggest that at the bus?” wailed Constanza.
    He took her hand. “Because it has only just occurred to me, of course, you lovely creature.”
    Dulcifer burst out laughing.
    â€œWhat do you find amusing?” Burek asked him. “Are you for going on or back?”
    â€œThere’s something in what Takeido says. Better disgrace than digestion. I am for going back.”
    â€œHow typical of you,” said Sygiek. “Anything to be difficult. That makes three wishing to go on and three wishing to go back. Do we split up again into two parties?”
    â€œLet’s just have a rest,” said Constanza. She sank to the ground, and Takeido sat companionably beside her. In the argument that followed, she played no part; her bare feet spoke tenderly for her. The other four stood solidly on the road, debating and looking across the bleak landscape.
    They were still arguing when Sygiek burst out, “You spineless people, you have sore feet but no spirit! The Gorge it must be. We can walk throughout the night, using torches and flares to ward off attack. I will go forward alone if necessary.”
    At which Dulcifer nodded, smiling, and gave her a round of silent applause.
    â€œIt’s not a matter of spirit but of understanding the situation,” said Burek, drawing his brows together. “The six of us would be no match for an attack by thirty or forty of these creatures. Our duty is to recognize realities and return to the main party to acquaint them with the situation. You wish to go on from personal reasons, Millia Sygiek, because you are a person keen to dominate others and subject them to your will. Jerezy Kordan wishes to go on, not because he is strong but because he is weak and wishes to please you. Set your personality aside and see sense, utopianist.”
    Dulcifer clapped Burek on the back and gave a bark of laughter.
    Burek looked at him steadily. “You are as much subject to your personal desires as they,” he said. “And you are more to blame because you have more understanding.”
    Breaking from his silence, Kordan said, “No more rustic opinions, please, Che Burek. Remember we are all utopianists and derive our strength through unity. We have no decision to make—we will go forward as already decided.”
    Takeido gave a low whistle, “Comrades, the ex-capitalists are beginning to take an interest in