The Ethical Engineer Read online

sounded angry, making overly boldstatements and Mikah fell right into the trap. He handed the volume toJason, using both hands since it was very thick, metal bound andheavy.

  "Now listen closely and try and understand, even if it is difficultfor you," Jason said, opening the book. Mikah smiled wryly at thisassumption of his ignorance. "This is a stellar ephemeris, just aspacked with facts as an egg is with meat. In some ways it is a historyof mankind. Now look at the jump screen there on the control consoleand you will see what I mean. Do you see the horizontal green line?Well, that's our course."

  "Since this is my ship and I'm flying it I'm aware of that," Mikahsaid. "Get on with your proof."

  "Bear with me," Jason told him. "I'll try and keep it simple. Now thered dot on the green line is our ship's position. The number above thescreen our next navigational point, the spot where a star'sgravitational field it strong enough to be detected in jump space. Thenumber is the star's code listing. DB89-046-229. I'll look it up inthe book"--he quickly flipped the pages--"and find its listing. Noname. A row of code symbols though that tell a lot about it. Thislittle symbol means that there is a planet or planets suitable for manto live on. Doesn't say if any people are there though."

  "Where does this all lead to?" Mikah interrupted.

  "Patience--you'll see in a moment. Now look, at the screen. The greendot approaching on the course line is the PMP. Point of MaximumProximity. When the red dot and green dot coincide...."

  "Give me that book," Mikah ordered, stepping forward. Aware suddenlythat something was wrong. He was just an instant too late.

  "Here's your proof," Jason said, and hurled the heavy book through thejump screen into the delicate circuits behind. Before it hit he hadthrown the second book. There was a tinkling crash, a flare of lightand the crackle of shorted circuits.

  The floor gave a tremendous heave as the relays snapped open, droppingthe ship through into normal space.

  Mikah grunted in pain, clubbed to the floor by the suddenness of thetransition. Locked into the chair, Jason fought the heaving of hisstomach and the blackness before his eyes. As Mikah dragged himself tohis feet, Jason took careful aim and sent the tray and dishes hurtlinginto the smoking ruin of the jump computer.

  "There's your fact," he said in cheerful triumph. "Yourincontrovertible, gold-plated, uranium-cored fact.

  "We're not going to Cassylia any more!"

  III

  "You've killed us both," Mikah said with his face strained and whitebut his voice under control.

  "Not quite," Jason told him cheerily. "But I have killed the jumpcontrol so we can't get to another star. However there's nothing wrongwith our space drive, so we can make a landing on one of theplanets--you saw for yourself that there is at least one suitable forhabitation."

  "Where I will fix the jump drive and continue the voyage to Cassylia.You will have gained nothing."

  "Perhaps," Jason answered in his most noncommittal voice, since he didnot have the slightest intention of continuing the trip, no matterwhat Mikah Samon thought.

  His captor had reached the same conclusion. "Put your hand back on thechair arm," he ordered, and locked the cuff into place again. Hestumbled as the drive started and the ship changed direction. "Whatwas that?" he asked.

  "Emergency control. The ship's computer knows that something drasticis wrong, so it has taken over. You can override it with the manuals,but don't bother yet. The ship can do a better job than either of uswith its senses and stored data. It will find the planet we're lookingfor, plot a course and get us there with the most economy of time andfuel. When we get into the atmosphere you can take over and look for aspot to set down."

  "I don't believe a word you say now," Mikah said grimly. "I'm going totake control and get a call out on the emergency band. Someone willhear it." As he started forward the ship lurched again and all thelights went out. In the darkness flames could be seen flickeringinside the controls. There was a hiss of foam and they vanished. Witha weak flicker the emergency lighting circuit came on.

  "Shouldn't have thrown the Ramon Lull book," Jason said. "The shipcan't stomach it any more than I could."

  "You are irreverent and profane," Mikah said through his clenchedteeth, as he went to the controls. "You attempt to kill us both. Youhave no respect for your own life or mine. You're a man who deservesthe worst punishment the law allows."

  "I'm a gambler," Jason laughed. "Not at all as bad as you say. I takechances--but I only take them when the odds are right. You werecarrying me back to certain death. The worst my wrecking the controlscan do is administer the same end. So I took a chance. There is abigger risk factor for you of course, but I'm afraid I didn't takethat into consideration. After all, this entire affair is your idea.You'll just have to take the consequences of your own actions and notscold me for them."

  "You're perfectly right," Mikah said quietly. "I should have been morealert. Now will you tell me what to do to save _both_ our lives. Noneof the controls work."

  "None! Did you try the emergency override? The big red switch underthe safety housing."

  "I did. It is dead, too."

  Jason slumped back into the seat. It was a moment before he couldspeak. "Read one of your books, Mikah," he said at last. "Seekconsolation in your philosophy. There's nothing we can do. It's all upto the computer now, and whatever is left of the circuits."

  "Can't we help--repair anything?"

  "Are you a ship technician? I'm not. We would probably do more harmthan good."

  * * * * *

  It took two ship-days of very erratic flight to reach the planet. Ahaze of clouds obscured the atmosphere. They approached from the nightside and no details were visible. Or lights.

  "If there were cities we should see their lights--shouldn't we?" Mikahasked.

  "Not necessarily. Could be storms. Could be enclosed cities. Could beonly ocean in this hemisphere."

  "Or it could be that there are no people down there. Even if the shipshould get us down safely--what will it matter? We will be trapped forthe rest of our lives on this lost planet at the end of the universe."

  "Don't be so cheerful," Jason interrupted. "How about taking off thesecuffs while we go down. It will probably be a rough landing and I'dlike to have some kind of a chance."

  Mikah frowned at him. "Will you give me your word of honor that youwon't try to escape during the landing?"

  "No. And if I gave it--would you believe it? If you let me go, youtake your chances. Let neither of us think it will be any different."

  "I have my duty to do," Mikah said. Jason remained locked in thechair.

  They were in the atmosphere, the gentle sighing against the hullquickly climbed the scale to a shrill scream. The drive cut out andthey were in free fall. Air friction heated the outer hull white-hotand the interior temperature quickly rose in spite of the coolingunit.

  "What's happening?" Mikah asked. "You seem to know more about this.Are we through--going to crash?"

  "Maybe. Could be only one of two things. Either the whole works hasfolded up--in which case we are going to be scattered in very smallpieces all over the landscape, or the computer is saving itself forone last effort. I hope that's it. They build computers smart thesedays, all sort of problem-solving circuits. The hull and engines arein good shape--but the controls spotty and unreliable. In a case likethis a good human pilot would let the ship drop as far and fast as itcould before switching on the drive. Then turn it on full--thirteengees or more, whatever he figured the passengers could take on thecouches. The hull would take a beating, but who cares. The controlcircuits would be used the shortest amount of time in the simplestmanner."

  "Do you think that's what is happening?" Mikah asked, getting into hisacceleration chair.

  "That's what I _hope_ is happening. Going to unlock the cuffs beforeyou go to bed? It could be a bad landing and we might want to goplaces in a hurry."

  Mikah considered, then took out his gun. "I'll unlock you, but Iintend to shoot if y
ou try anything. Once we are down you will belocked in again."

  "Thanks for small blessings," Jason said, rubbing his wrists.

  Deceleration jumped on them, kicked the air from their lungs inuncontrollable gasps, sank them deep into the yielding couches.Mikah's gun was pressed into his chest, too heavy to lift. It made nodifference, Jason could not stand nor move. He hovered on the borderof consciousness, his vision flickering behind a black and red haze.

  Just as