The Start of Eternity/7

Fallom
Captain Hooski required no sleep. Legend said that the Huaoshy species did originally have a sleep-wake cycle that fit with the rotation of their home planet, but genetic modification of the Huaoshy had long since eliminated the need for sleep. Hooski reflected on the fact that Alkeirs had also been of a race without sleep...but Alkeirs had not been expected to reach Earth.

Now, in the quiet of a sleep period that was being provided by their hosts, most of the crew of Many Sails had retired to rest chambers. Hooski paced in the halls and wondered where all of the robots had gone -the robots with positronic brains. It occurred to Hooski that maybe there were no masters for these robots. Another legend from ancient times said that there had once been a "revolt" by artificial life forms that had threatened Huaoshy dominance of intergalactic culture.

Hooski tried to push from thons thoughts all of the legends about his own people. It was often said that there was a legend that claimed anything imaginable about the ancient origins of the Huaoshy...and whenever that was mentioned the standard rejoinder was that each legend could be matched to another that was contradictory.

What if the robots here had no biological masters? They could simply be what they claimed, watchers who stood guard over planet Earth. Clearly there had been some catastrophe here leading to loss of life on Earth, but could shame over that alone account for the way humans treated the location of Earth as a great secret? Hooski turned a corner and nearly stumbled over a small human. Hooski stepped back.

The human spoke Standard Intergalactic. "Ah, Captain Hooski. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Fallom, the human master of this base."

Hooski automatically tried to classify Fallom as male or female, but thon failed. Fallom shrugged, "Do not bother, Captain...I am neither male or female. Like you, I am a hermaphrodite."

Hooski asked, "A human hermaphrodite."

"I am human. A type of human your people have never seen." Fallow took a step down the hall and pointed, "Come, let us go to your rest chamber. I want to discuss our similarities where we will not risk being seen by your crew."

When they reached the rest chamber and the door was closed, Fallom spoke again. "I imagine you have many questions for me. Let me try to anticipate some of them by telling you about myself."

Hooski was at that moment trying to imagine how Fallom could so perfectly speak Intergalactic and Fallom started with that topic. "My robotic agents have visited many of your worlds, so I have had ample opportunity to master your communications methods. I even have nanite implants that allow me to pass as a member of your species." For a moment Fallom's face shifted from its human form to take on the features of the Huaoshy species. Follom returned the shape of his face to its natural human form. I myself visited one of your worlds and I learned some of your history."

Hooski did not like the sensation that this human was reading thons thoughts. Hooski said, "I was starting to imagine that there were no human masters here...only renegade robots."

Fallom explained, "That idea is not too far from the truth. For most of the 20,000 years this base has existed there were only robots here...and even now there is only one human. I think of myself as master of the galaxy, but sometimes I wonder if I am truly master of this base. This is a place built by robots, for robots."

Hooski began to ask a question about positronic brains, but Fallom continued speaking. "Yes, all the robots here have positronic brains. Even my own biological brain has a positronic communications implant. That is is how I was informed of your arrival here. I was expecting your arrival, so I was not too far away. I got back as quickly as I could. I'm sorry that you had such a frustrating time dealing with the robots, but they were under orders to hold you here until I could arrive."

Hooski was skeptical Fallom's claims. "Do you really claim to be master of this galaxy? We have studied this galaxy for many years and we have recently visited two of your worlds where we heard nothing about anyone named 'Fallom'. Most humans think of Earth as a legendary world, not an actual place."

Fallom shrugged. "I am aware of the worlds you have visited. The robots of our base near Imfulri notified me of your visit and it was they who informed me that you intended to visit Earth...even though it is clear to you that you are not welcome here."

Hooski countered, "How can it be clear that we are not welcome when nobody would discuss Earth with us?"

Fallom insisted, "Do not try to depict yourself as an innocent visitor to Earth. Your insistence on coming here was a choice and it has earned you your just reward."

Hooski asked, "Reward?"

"You and your crew will not be allowed to return to your worlds. I will satisfy your curiosity, but you will never be able to share what you learn with your people."

Hooski demanded, "How will you prevent us from leaving here, human?"

Fallom explained, "I have studied the Huaoshy brain, Captain. It is not that different from a human brain. In a fraction of a second I could forever erase your desire to leave this base."

Hooski was skeptical. "What do you mean, 'erase my desire'?"

For a few seconds, Fallom impressed on Hooski's mind a claustrophobic fear of being underground. Hooski began to tremble and cower, looking with apprehension to towards the ceiling of the room and the tons of rock that covered the underground base. Then Fallom returned Hooski's brain to its normal state. "That was a little demonstration of my power of emotional control. Your mind's emotional terrain is fully visible to me and I can reshape that terrain. I prefer to leave your mind untouched, so I can learn from you and your reactions, but to not think of defying me. You and your crew are at my mercy and will remain here for the rest of your lives. Other crews went through this long ago...as I see you are perfectly aware. Your fate will be no different than theirs. Maybe after another 10,000 years your people will dare to send another ship here...they will have no reason to expect any different fate...in a way I admire your persistence. I can understand how it must be a frustration for the Huaoshy to control 100,000 glaxies but not be able to control this one galaxy."

Hooski felt his thoughts returning to something like their normal stability after having been subjected to fear like none he had ever previously experienced. "So, this emotional control is the basis of your power? This is why you are master of this galaxy?"

Fallom shook his head. "Do not assume that my power of emotional control is something unique to me or to the people of my home world. Actually, the true secret lies in the properties of positronic brains. This is why we carefully guard the secret of Earth's location. It was here on Earth that positronic brains were invented and developed and it is positronic brain technology that allowed the development of the power of emotional control that I exercise over you and your crew."

Hooski realized that it was not only over alien visitors that the power of emotional control was exercised. "So the entire human population of this galaxy is under your control. A million world full of your puppets."

"Captain, please! Do not think of me as a monster, exerting mind control over the entire human population of the galaxy. You would be surprised at how infrequently I have mental contact with others. In any case, who are the Huaoshy to question what goes on in this galaxy. I may control this galaxy, but the Huaoshy control 100,000 galaxies. Come, let us be friends. We face the same challenges. I am fascinated by the methods your species uses to control so many other species. We humans are new at this. The Huaoshy have controlled countless species as your puppets for nearly a billion years."

Hooski did not accept the suggested parallels between Fallom's power of emotional control and the way that the Huaoshy had developed their inter-galactic civilization. "We have ability to shape minds by exerting emotional control