“You must begin to face reality. All you can see is everlasting war. You must begin to realize that you can treat the causes of this war and end it forever!”
The meaning penetrated, the shock of the words draining away Kerk’s anger. He dropped back into the chair, an almost ludicrous expression on his face. “What the devil do you mean? You sound like a bloody Grubber!”
Jason didn’t ask what a Grubber was, but he filed the name.
“You’re talking nonsense,” Kerk said. “This is just an ‘alien world that must be battled. The causes are self-obvious facts of existence.”
“No, they’re not,” Jason insisted. “Consider for a second. When you are away for any length of time from this planet, you must take a refresher course. To see how things have changed for the worse while you were gone. Well that’s a linear progression. If things get worse when you extend into the future, then they have to get better if you extend into the past. It is also good theory-though I don’t know if the facts will bear me out-to say that if you extend it far enough into the past you will reach a time when mankind and Pyrrus were not at war with each other.”
Kerk was beyond speech now, only capable of sitting and listening while Jason drove home the blows of inescapable logic.
“There is evidence to support this theory. Even you will admit that I, if I am no match for Pyrran life, am surely well versed in it. And all Pyrran flora and fauna I’ve seen have one thing in common. They’re not functional. None of their immense armory of weapons is used against each other. Their toxins don’t seem to operate against Pyrran life. They are good only for dispensing death to homo sapiens. And that is a physical impossibility. In the three hundred years that men have been on this planet, the life forms couldn’t have naturally adapted in this manner.”
“But they have done it!” Kerk bellowed.
“You are so right,” Jason told him calmly. “And if they have done it, there must be some agency at work. Operating how, I have no idea. But something has caused the life on Pyrrus to declare war, and I’d like to find out what that something is. What was the dominant life form here when your ancestors landed?”
“I’m sure I wouldn’t know,” Kerk said. “You’re not suggesting, are you,
that there are sentient beings on Pyrrus other than those of human descent? Creatures who are organizing the planet to battle us?”
“I’m not suggesting it-you are. That means you’re getting the idea. I have no idea what caused this change, but I would sure like to find out. Then see if it can be changed back. Nothing promised, of course. You’ll agree, though, that it is worth investigating.”
Fist smacking into his palm, his heavy footsteps shaking the building, Kerk paced back and forth the length of the room. He was at war with himself. New ideas fought old beliefs. It was so sudden-and so hard not to believe.
Without asking permission, Jason helped himself to some chilled water from the bottle and sank back into the chair, exhausted. Something whizzed in through the open window, tearing a hole in the protective screen. Kerk blasted it without changing stride, without even knowing he had done it.
The decision didn’t take long. Geared to swift activity, the big Pyrran found it impossible not to decide quickly. The pacing stopped and he looked steadily at Jason.
“I don’t say you have convinced me, but I find it impossible to find a ready answer to your arguments. So until I do, we will have to operate as if they are true. Now what do you plan to do, what can you do?”
Jason ticked the points off on his fingers. “One, I’ll need a place to live and work that is well protected. So instead of spending my energies on just remaining alive I can devote some study to this project. Two, I want someone to help me-and act as a bodyguard at the same time. And someone, please, with a little more scope of interest than my present watchdog. I would suggest Meta as the person most suited for this job.”