The cause of the Central Sun’s nacreous light was now clearly visible. The great star was shrouded in an envelope of gas which softened its radiation and gave it its characteristic color. The surrounding nebula could only be seen indirectly, and it was twisted into strange shapes that eluded the eye. But it was there, and the longer one stared the more extensive it seemed to be.
«Well, Alvin,» said Hilvar, «we have a good many worlds to take our choice from. Or do you hope to explore them all?»
«It’s lucky that won’t be necessary,» admitted Alvin. «If we can make contact anywhere, we’ll get the information we need. The logical thing would be to head for the largest planet of the Central Sun.»
«Unless it’s too large. Some planets, I’ve heard, were so big that human life could not exist on them-men would be crushed under their own weight.»
«I doubt if that will be true here, since I’m sure this system is entirely artificial. In any case, we’ll be able to see from space whether there are any cities and buildings.»
Hilvar pointed to the robot.
«Our problem has been solved for us. Don’t forget-our guide has been here before. He is taking us home and I wonder what he thinks about it?»
That was something that Alvin had also wondered. But was it accurate-did it make any sense at all-to imagine that the robot felt anything resembling human emotions now that it was returning to the ancient home of the Master, after so many aeons?
In all his dealings with it, since the Central Computer had released the blocks that made it mute, the robot had -never shown any sign of feelings or emotion. It had answered his questions and obeyed his commands, but its real personality had proved utterly inaccessible to him. That it had a personality Alvin was sure; otherwise he would not have felt that obscure sense of guilt which afflicted him when he recalled the trick he had played upon it-and upon its now dormant companion.
It still believed in everything that the Master had taught it; though it had seen him fake his miracles and tell lies to his followers, these inconvenient facts did not affect its loyalty. It was able, as had many humans before it, to reconcile two conflicting sets of data. Now it was following its immemorial memories back to heir origin. Almost lost in the glare of the Central Sun was a vale spark of light, with around it the fainter gleams of yet smaller worlds. Their enormous journey was coming to it end; in a little while they would know if it had been in vain.
Twenty
The planet they were approaching was now only a few million miles away, a beautiful sphere of multicolored light. There could be no darkness anywhere upon its surface, for as it turned beneath the Central Sun, the other stars would march one by one across its skies. Alvin now saw very clearly the meaning of the Master’s dying words: «It is lovely to watch the colored shadows on the planets of eternal light.»
Now they were so close that they could see continents an oceans and a faint haze of atmosphere. Yet there was som thing puzzling about its markings, and presently they realiz that the divisions between land and water were curious regular. This planet’s continents were not as Nature had le them-but how small a task the shaping of a world mu have been to those who built its suns!
«Those aren’t oceans at all!» Hilvar exclaimed suddenly «Look-you can see markings in them!»
Not until the planet was nearer could Alvin see clear what his friend meant. Then he noticed faint bands and lines along the continental borders well inside what he had take to be the limits of the sea. The sight filled him with a sudden doubt, for he knew too well the meaning of those lines. had seen them once before in the desert beyond Diaspar, they told him that his journey had been in vain.
«This planet is as dry as Earth,» he said dully. «Its water has all gone-those markings are the salt beds where seas have evaporated.»
«They would never have let that happen,» replied Hilvar «I think that, after all, we are too late.»
His disappointment was so bitter that Alvin did not trust himself to speak again but stared silently at the great world ahead. With impressive slowness the planet turned benea the ship, and its surface rose majestically to meet them. No they could see buildings-minute white incrustations eve where save on the ocean beds themselves.
Once this world had been the center of the Universe. Now it was still, the air was empty and on the ground were no of the scurrying dots that spoke of life. Yet the ship was still sliding purposefully over the frozen sea of stone-a sea which here and there had gathered itself into great waves that challenged the sky.
Presently the ship came to rest, as if the robot had at last traced its memories to their source. Below them was a column of snow-white stone springing from the center of an immense marble amphitheater. Alvin waited for a little while; then, as the machine remained motionless, he directed it to land at the foot of the pillar.
Even until now, Alvin had half hoped to find life on this planet. That hope vanished instantly as the air lock opened. Never before in his life, even in the desolation of Shalmirane, had he been in utter silence. On Earth there was always the murmur of voices, the stir of living creatures, or the sighing of the wind. Here were none of these, nor ever would be again.
«Why did you bring us to this spot?» asked Alvin. He felt little interest in the answer, but the momentum of his quest still carried him on even when he had lost all heart to pursue it further.
«The Master left from here,» replied the robot.
«I thought that would be the explanation,» said Hilvar. «Don’t you see the irony of all this? He fled from this world in disgrace now look at the memorial they built for him!»
The great column of stone was perhaps a hundred times the height of a man, and was set in a circle of metal slightly raised above the level of the plain. It was featureless and bore no inscription. For how many thousands or millions of years, wondered Alvin, had the Master’s disciples gathered here to do him honor? And had they ever known that he died in exile on distant Earth?
It made no difference now. The Master and his disciples alike were buried in oblivion.
«Come outside,» urged Hilvar, trying to jolt Alvin out of his mood of depression. «We have traveled halfway across the Universe to see this place. At least you can make the effort to step outdoors.»
Despite himself, Alvin smiled and followed Hilvar through the air lock. Once outside, his spirits began to revive a little. Even if this world was dead, it must contain much of interest, much that would help him to solve some of the mysteries of the past.
The air was musty, but breathable. Despite the many suns in the sky, the temperature was low. Only the white disc of the Central Sun provided any real heat, and that seemed to have lost its strength in its passage through the nebulous haze around the star. The other suns gave their quota of color, but no warmth.
It took only a few minutes to make sure that the obelisk could tell them nothing. The stubborn material of which was made showed definite signs of age; its edges were rounded, and the metal on which it was standing had bee worn away by the feet of generations of disciples and visitors. It was strange to think that they might be the last many billions of human beings ever to stand upon this spot.
Hilvar was about to suggest that they should return the ship and fly across to the nearest of the surrounding buildings when Alvin noticed a long, narrow crack in th marble floor of the amphitheater. They walked along it for a considerable distance, the crack widening all the time until presently it was too broad for a man’s legs to straddle. A moment later they stood beside its origin. The surface of the arena had been crushed and splintered into an enormous shallow depression, more than a mile long. No intelligence,no imagination was needed to picture its cause. Ages ago though certainly long after this world had been deserted immense cylindrical shape had rested here, then lift once more into space and left the planet to its memories.