guilt in this. Fish are there for your use, and they feel very little pain.
“You will become part of this world, and if ever people came to harm it you would take up weapons to defend it. In that, you might kill, and you would not have guilt. But if ever you had to take up weapons, you would be trained, and the governor would tell you.
“You will work because you are strong and because your work is very important. You will have a right to be very proud of what you do, and when it is all done well, you will be closer to being born-men.
“The government which holds your contract is very pleased with you. You’re learning very well. Soon you will get born-man tapes teaching you the nature of the world, and in very little time you will step out on your land. Through all the difficulties you will experience you can find occasion for pride that you will overcome them all. Every difficulty will make you stronger and wiser, and you will fit more and more perfectly into the world. Be happy. Not everything will be pleasant, but every difficulty will give the pleasure of its solution, and the confidence that you are as intelligent and as fine as the promise of your gene-set. The government believes in you. The born-men will take care of you and you will take care of them, because where they are wiser than you, you are very strong and you have the capacity to become wise. Love the land. Love the world. Care for the born-men, and expect their care for you. You have every right to be proud and happy…”
Jin lay relaxed, dissolved in the pleasure of approval—stirred, as much as anything moved him in this time, with the anticipation of his becoming. There had never been such azi as themselves, he was persuaded, and he had only believed he was ordinary because no one had ever pointed out to him his uniqueness. He saw his descendants in vast numbers, his genetic material, and Pia’s, who was quite as wonderful, ultimately mixed with all the other specially chosen material. They were made of born-man material: he had never realized this until the tape told him. The capacity was in them, and it was awakening.
He thought on this, having a capacity for sustained concentration that could knit together the most complex of problems. This capacity could be turned to pure reason. He had never had it called upon in quite this way. In fact, it was discouraged, because an azi’s understanding was full of gaps which could mislead. But this special capacity which born-men lost in the distractions of their sense-overloaded environments—could make him very wise as the total sum of his knowledge increased. Of this too, he was proud, knowing that a 9998 was extraordinarily capable in this regard. It would make him loved, and secure, and born-men would never give him bad tape.
“Highest life native to the world are the Calibans,” the tape told him. “And if you understand them, they will do you no harm…”
ix
T42 days MAT
Venture log
“…arrival Gehenna system 1018 hours 34 minutes mission apparent time. US Swift and US Capable to follow at one hour intervals…”
“…estimate Cyteen elapsed time: 280 days; dates will be revised on recovery of reliable reference.”
“…confirm arrival US Swift on schedule.”
“…confirm arrival US Capable on schedule.”
“…insert into orbit Gehenna II scheduled 1028 hours 15 minutes mission apparent time. All systems normal. All conditions within parameters predicted by Mercury probe. System arrival now determined to be possible within narrower margin to be calculated for future use. Systemic positions were accurately predicted by Mercury probe data. Venture will make further observations during exit from Gehenna system…”
x
T42 days MAT
US Venture
Office of Col. James A. Conn
It was there, real and solid. The world. Gehenna II, the designation was; Newport, he reckoned to record the name. Their world. Conn sat at his desk in front of the viewer with his hands steepled in
“You will become part of this world, and if ever people came to harm it you would take up weapons to defend it. In that, you might kill, and you would not have guilt. But if ever you had to take up weapons, you would be trained, and the governor would tell you.
“You will work because you are strong and because your work is very important. You will have a right to be very proud of what you do, and when it is all done well, you will be closer to being born-men.
“The government which holds your contract is very pleased with you. You’re learning very well. Soon you will get born-man tapes teaching you the nature of the world, and in very little time you will step out on your land. Through all the difficulties you will experience you can find occasion for pride that you will overcome them all. Every difficulty will make you stronger and wiser, and you will fit more and more perfectly into the world. Be happy. Not everything will be pleasant, but every difficulty will give the pleasure of its solution, and the confidence that you are as intelligent and as fine as the promise of your gene-set. The government believes in you. The born-men will take care of you and you will take care of them, because where they are wiser than you, you are very strong and you have the capacity to become wise. Love the land. Love the world. Care for the born-men, and expect their care for you. You have every right to be proud and happy…”
Jin lay relaxed, dissolved in the pleasure of approval—stirred, as much as anything moved him in this time, with the anticipation of his becoming. There had never been such azi as themselves, he was persuaded, and he had only believed he was ordinary because no one had ever pointed out to him his uniqueness. He saw his descendants in vast numbers, his genetic material, and Pia’s, who was quite as wonderful, ultimately mixed with all the other specially chosen material. They were made of born-man material: he had never realized this until the tape told him. The capacity was in them, and it was awakening.
He thought on this, having a capacity for sustained concentration that could knit together the most complex of problems. This capacity could be turned to pure reason. He had never had it called upon in quite this way. In fact, it was discouraged, because an azi’s understanding was full of gaps which could mislead. But this special capacity which born-men lost in the distractions of their sense-overloaded environments—could make him very wise as the total sum of his knowledge increased. Of this too, he was proud, knowing that a 9998 was extraordinarily capable in this regard. It would make him loved, and secure, and born-men would never give him bad tape.
“Highest life native to the world are the Calibans,” the tape told him. “And if you understand them, they will do you no harm…”
ix
T42 days MAT
Venture log
“…arrival Gehenna system 1018 hours 34 minutes mission apparent time. US Swift and US Capable to follow at one hour intervals…”
“…estimate Cyteen elapsed time: 280 days; dates will be revised on recovery of reliable reference.”
“…confirm arrival US Swift on schedule.”
“…confirm arrival US Capable on schedule.”
“…insert into orbit Gehenna II scheduled 1028 hours 15 minutes mission apparent time. All systems normal. All conditions within parameters predicted by Mercury probe. System arrival now determined to be possible within narrower margin to be calculated for future use. Systemic positions were accurately predicted by Mercury probe data. Venture will make further observations during exit from Gehenna system…”
x
T42 days MAT
US Venture
Office of Col. James A. Conn
It was there, real and solid. The world. Gehenna II, the designation was; Newport, he reckoned to record the name. Their world. Conn sat at his desk in front of the viewer with his hands steepled in
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