按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃~'es； Minerva？〃…
〃The published literature makes one option both certain
and safe。 This method can be used to create your twin sister
…identical rather than fraternal； save for sex。 A host mother is indicated； with no forcing to maturity； since the brain would be allowed to develop normally。 Would this meet your standards of newness and interest？ To watch yourself grow up as a woman？ 'Lazuli Long；' you might name her…your f e
male other self。〃…
〃Uh…〃 Lazarus stopped。
I said dryly； 〃Grandfather； I think I've won our second bet。 Something new。 Something interesting。〃
〃Now slow up！ You can't do it； you don't know how。 Nor do I。 And the Director of this madhouse appears to have moral scruples about it…〃
〃We don't know that。 Mere inference。〃
〃Not so 'mere。' And I may have moral scruples。 'Twouldn't interest me unless I stuck around and watched her' grow up
which might send me crazy either through trying to make her grow up just like me…what a fate for any gjrl！…or by trying to keep her from growing up as ornery as I am when that would be her nature。 Nor would I be justified either way； she would be a separate human being； not my slave。 Besides that； I would be her sole parent…no； mother。 I've had one crack at trying to raise a daughter alone…it's not fair to the girl。〃
〃You're inventing objections； Lazar~is。 I'll give long odds that Ishtar would gladly be both host mother and foster mother。 Especially if you promised Ishtar a son Of her own。 Shall I ask her？'
〃You keep your biscuit trap shut； Son！ Minerva； place that on 'pending'…I won't be hurried into a major decision about another person。 Especially one e to tell you about the twins who were no relation to each
other。 But twins。〃…
〃Preposterous。 You're changing the subject。〃
第15节
〃So I am。 Minerva； what else do you have； girl？〃 …
〃Lazarus； I have one program … which involves low hazard and a probability approaching certainty of supplying one…or more…experiences pletely new to you。〃
〃I'm listening。〃
〃Suspended animation…〃
〃What's aew about that？ We had that when I was a kid； hardly two hundred years old。 Used it in the 'New Frontiers。' Didn't attract me then； doesn't now。〃
〃…as a means of time travel。 If you stipulate that in X number of years； something truly new will develop…a certainty based on history…then your only problem is to select whatever span of years will； in your opinion； produce the degree of novelty you seek。 One hundred years； one thousand； ten thousand； whatever you say。 The rest involves nothing but minor de~i~n details。〃
〃Not so 'minor' if Fm going to be asleep and unable to protect myself。〃
〃But you need not go into hibernation until you are satisfied with my design； Lazarus。 A hundred years is obviously no problem。 A thousand years is not much problem。 For ten thousand years I would design an artificial plaoid equipped with fail…safes to insure that you would be revived automatically in case of emergency。〃
〃That e designing； girl。〃
〃I feel confident of my capacity to do it； Lazarus； but you are free to criticize and reject any part of it。 However； there is no point in my submitting preliminary designs until you give me the controlling parameter； namely the time span； which in your opinion will produce something new to you。 Or do you wish my advice on that？〃
〃Uh 。 hold your horses； dear。 Let's assume that you've got me in liquid helium and in free fall and thoroughly pro。 tected against ionizing radiation…〃
〃No problem； Lazarus。〃
〃So I stipulated； …dear； I'm not underrating you。 But sup。 pose some tiny little fail…safe fails null instead and I go on snoozing through the centuries…and millennia…without end。 Not dead。 But not revived； either。〃
〃I can and will design to avoid that。 But let me accept your stipulation。 In such case； how would you be worse off than you would be if you used your termination…option switch？ What do you lose by trying this？〃
〃Why； that's obvious！ If there is anything to this immortality talk…or any sort of afterlife…I'm not saying there is or isn't
…but if there is； then when the 'Roll Is Called Up Yonder；' I won't be there。 I'll be asleep but not dead； somewhere off in space。 I'll miss the last boat。〃
〃Grandfather；〃 I said impatiently； 〃quit trying to wiggle
out。 If you don't want it； just say No。 But Minerva has certainly offered you a way to reach something new。 If there is anything to your argument…which I don't admit…you will ha'~e achieved something really unique： the only human being out of many billions to fail to show up for muster on this hypothetical…and…highly…unlikely Judgment Day。 I wouldn't put it past you； you old scoundrel； you're slippery。〃
He ignored my slur。 〃Why 'highly unlikely'？〃
〃Because it is。 I won't argue it。〃
〃Because you can't argue it；〃 he retorted。 〃There isn't any evidence for or against…so how can you assign even a loose probability e'ither way？ I was pointing out the desirability； if there happens to be anything to it； of playing it kosher。 M inerva； hold that under 'pending；' too。 The idea has everything you claim for it； and I don't doubt your ability as a designer。 But； like testing a parachute； it's a one…way trip with no chance to change my mind after I jump。 So we'll look ovd all other ideas before failing back on that one…even if it takes years。〃
〃I will continue； Lazarus。〃
〃Thanks； Minerva。〃 Lazarus looked thoughtful as he picked his teeth with a thumbnail…we were eating； but I have not mentioned breaks for refreshment； nor will I again。 You may assume any food and rest breaks that make you feel fortable。 Like Scheherazade's tales； the …Senior's anecdotes were chopped up by many irrelevant interruptions。
〃Lazarus…〃
〃Eh； Son？ I was daydreaming 。 。 of a far country and the wench is dead。 Sorry。〃 … …
〃You could help Minerva in this search。〃
〃So？ Seems unlikely。 She's better equipped to conduct a needle…in…a…haystack search than I am…she impresses me。〃
〃Yes。 But she needs data。 There are these great gaps in what we …know about you。 If we knew…if Minerva knew… those fifty…odd professions you've followed； she might be able to cancel several thousand possibility pockets。 For example； have you ever been a farmer？〃
〃Several times。〃
… 〃So？ Now that she knows that； she won't suggest anything relating to agriculture。 While there may be sorts of farming you have never done； none would be novel enough to meet your stringent requirements。 Why not list the things you have done？〃
〃Doubt if I can remember them all。〃
〃That can't be helped。 But listing what you …do remember may call to mind others。〃
？〃Uh。 。 let me think。 One thing I always did every time I reached an inhabited pla was to study law。 Not to practice
…not usually； although for a number of years I was a very cri