“In the world-wide culture of Earth, dataflow allows even large governments to respond quickly to the wishes of individuals. Communication between the tiers of the organizations is nearly instantaneous, and constant.”
I said that seemed a bit optimistic.
“Still, plebiscites are rapid. Dataflow encourages humans to be informed and to discuss problems. Augmented by their own enhancements, which will soon be as powerful as thinkers, and by connections with even more advanced thinkers, every tier of the human organization acts as a massive processor for evaluating and determining world policy. Dataflow links individuals in parallel, so to speak. Eventually, human groups and thinkers could be so integrated as to be indistinguishable.
“At that point, such a society exceeds my modeling ability,” Alice concluded.
“Group mind,” I said sardonically. “I don’t want to be there when that happens.”
“It would be intriguing,” Alice said. “There would always remain the choice to simulate isolation as an individual.”
“But then you’d be lonely,” I said, with a sudden hitch in my voice. Perversely, I yearned for some sort of connection with agreement and certainty — to truly belong to a larger truth, a greater, unified effort. My Martian upbringing, my youth and personality, kept me isolated and in constant though not extreme emotional pain, with little sense of belonging. I deeply wished to belong to a just and higher cause, to have people — friends — who understood me. To not be lonely. In a few clumsy, halting sentences, I expressed this to Alice as if she were a confidant and not an examiner.
“You understand the urge,” Alice told me. “Possibly, being younger, you understand it better than Bithras.”
I shuddered. “Do you want to belong heart and soul to something greater, something significant?”
“No,” Alice said. “It is merely a curiosity to me.”
I laughed to relieve my embarrassment and tension. “But for people on Earth…”
“The wish to belong to something greater is an historical force, recognized, sometimes fought against, but regarded by many as inevitable.”
“Scary.”
“For Mars in its present condition, very scary,” Alice agreed. “Earth’s alliances disapprove of our ‘kinks,’ as you call them. They desire rational and efficient partners, of equal social stability, in an economically united Solar System.”
“So they put pressure on us, because we’re a rogue planet… You don’t think Martians want to belong to something greater?”
“Many Martians place a high premium on their privacy and individuality,” Alice said.
“Frontier philosophy?” I asked.
“Mars is remarkably urbanized. Individuals are tightly knit into economic groups across the planet. This does not much resemble families or individuals isolated on a frontier.”
“Have you and Bithras discussed Earth’s goals?”
“That is for him to tell you.”
“All right,” I said. “Then I’ll tell you what I think, all right?”
Alice nodded.
“I think Earth has some greater plan, and autonomy of any part of the Triple stands in their way. Eventually, they’ll want to tame and control Mars as they’ve already done with the Moon. And then they’ll work on the Belters, the asteroids and space settlements… bring us all into the fold, until their central authority controls all the resources in the Solar System.”
“That is close to my evaluation,” Alice said. “Have you spent much time in simulated Earth environment?”
“No,” I confessed.
“There is much to be learned by doing so. You may also wish to put on a simulated Terrestrial personality, just to understand.”
“I’m really not into that much… technical intimacy,” I said.
“May I say this is also typical of Martians? You must understand your counterparts intimately to engage in effective negotiations. I guarantee they will have studied Martian attitudes in detail.”
“If they become us, won’t they think like us?”
“This is a curious misconception, that to understand how someone else thinks is to agree with their thinking. Understanding is not becoming, is not agreeing.”
“All right,” I said. “So what happens if the entire Earth links up and we deal with a group mind? Why should that increase their need for resources?”
“Because the goals of a highly integrated mentality will almost certainly be more ambitious than those of a more disparate organization.”
“Nobody’s ever satisfied with what they have?”
“Not in human experience; not at the level of governments, nations, or planets.”
I shook my head sadly. “What about you?” I asked. “You’re more powerful and integrated than I am. Are you more ambitious?”
“By design, I serve human needs, and am content to do so.”
“But legally you’re a citizen, with rights like me. That should include the right to want more.”
“Equal in law is not equal in nature.”
I worked this over in silence for a moment. Alice ’s image smiled. “I’ve enjoyed our conversation very much, Casseia.”
“Thank you,” I said, suddenly remembering why this meeting had been arranged. I sobered. “It’s been great… fun.”
“That is a compliment to me.”
I itched to ask the obvious question.
“I will relay my evaluation to Bithras.”
“Thank you,” I said meekly.
“There will of course be interviews with humans.”
“Of course.”
“Bithras usually does not interview.”
I had heard that before, and found it odd.
“He places high trust in his associates, and in me, actually,” Alice said, still smiling.
And not much trust in his own judgment? “Oh.”
“We will talk again later,” she said. Her image stood and the provost, Peck, opened the door to the office and entered. I said good-bye.
“How did I do?” I asked Peck as he escorted me out.
“I haven’t grit of an idea,” he said.
I waited anxiously for six days. I remember being more than testy — I was intolerable. Mother defended me before my irritated father; my brother, Stan, simply stayed out of my way. More relatives crowded the warrens, my aunt’s family and her four adolescent children. I tried to hide as much as possible, unable to decide whether I was some sort of social leper or a chrysalis about to become a butterfly.
I spoke once with Diane, now an apprentice instructor at UM Durrey, but didn’t tell her about the interview. I half-believed in jinx. The support of friends and family, I thought, might attract the attention of vicious deities, looking for all-too-fortunate young women who needed to be cut down to size.
On the sixth day, my slate chimed its melody for an official message. I retreated from the hall outside our family quarters to my room, sealed the door, lay on my side on the cot, and pulled the slate from my pocket, propping it up before me. I took a deep breath and scrolled the words.
Dear Casseia Majumdar,
Your application to serve as an apprentice to Syndic Bithras Majumdar of Majumdar BM has been approved. You will act as his assistant on the upcoming journey to Earth. You will meet with Bithras soon. Please prepare your affairs quickly.
(signed)
Helen Dougal
Secretary to the Syndic, Majumdar BM
A shiver took me. I lay back on the bed, wondering whether I would laugh or throw up.
I was spinning right to the center of power, if only to observe.
The other lucky apprentice was an earnest fellow from Majumdar’s station in Vastitas Borealis, Allen Pak-Lee. Allen was two years older than me. I had met him briefly at UMS. He seemed quiet and sincere.
We were also taking a registered copy of Alice . Majumdar BM was paying, at discount, about seven and a half million to ferry the four of us — Alice Two counting as one passenger, though she weighed less than twenty kilos.
As secretary and apprentice negotiator I would spend a lot of time with my third uncle. Bithras, a perpetual bachelor almost three times my age, was legendary for his tendency to seek the female. Our family relationship presented no absolute obstacle to him; I was not blood, and while liaisons within BMs were mildly discouraged, they were common enough. I knew this going into the job — I thought I could handle the situation.