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host elsewhere in the Cluster. Given the personal situation here, and the urgency of the Amoeba crisis, I think you
had better do that promptly. Sixteen told me of your new theories concerning the Ancients, and I have messaged the
Cluster Council. They will form a new committee to explore the ramifications-"
"Another committee!" Herald exploded.
"Precisely. So if anything is to be done in time, it seems we must still do it ourselves. We must locate the Ancient
source. I did manage to extract information on a highly secret project that may be related. It is not the most
promising source of information, but we are severely hampered by the frustrating blindness of the Council. At least
it will get us away from here, and perhaps-"
Herald made a jet of bemused wonder. "That the salvation of the Cluster should depend on such random factors! I
agree; we must follow up anything that shows promise. Where is this secret project?"
"Galaxy Pinwheel."
"The Blanks? The null-aura species with potential sapience?"
"No, this is a re-creation of the actual Ancient culture. It was hoped that this would lead to insights about-"
"Good notion. Let's go."
Chapter 10 Moderns of Ancients
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X Aural generator manifesting in globular Cluster orbiting third Galaxy. X
& Another generator? Is there an ancient site there? &
X No. X
& Then it must be a special project to develop defensive aural technology on a crash basis. Investigate and take
covert action if necessary. Repeat, covert. We are almost ready for overt action on Cluster scale. Assign one
research and one action unit. &
0 Unit 9 assigned. 0
X Unit S assigned. X
Pinwheel was a quarter the diameter of the major galaxies, so its sapients were somewhat sensitive about its status.
It was indeed a full spiral galaxy, and its two major Spheres were now full members of the Cluster coalition.
The project was set up deep inside a globular Cluster orbiting the center of Pinwheel. This glob was 250 light-years
in diameter, and contained about 100,000 bright red Population II stars. There was very little obscuring dust within
it, few planets-and no black hole, to Herald's relief. It was an entirely ordinary Cluster, and it had been uninhabited
until the special project was organized.
Herald tilted his ring, looking around. He was in a Wheel host whose spherical body rolled freely in any direction
and whose magnetically fixed disk possessed the assorted sensory equipment of the species. Beside him was Hweeh
of Weew, mattermitted once more in his own body at great expense (and protest by the Cluster Council functionary
in charge).
A Pin moved forward: an angular four-legged creature whose sensory organs were on projecting spines.
^Welcome, visitors of the Two Galaxies,^ it clacked.
^I am Prick of Pin, co-supe of this station and your guide for the duration. I hope you are feeling sharp.^ He
extended one rod.
Hweeh quickly formed eye-stalk, horn, and sticklike appendage and used the last to touch Prick's proffered stick.
@Gratitude, graciousness,@ he said formally in his own language, letting the translation units each entity carried
take care of it.
^You have impressive aura!^
@Wait till you touch my companion!@
Prick extended a stick toward Herald. Herald angled his disk to contact it momentarily. Now he felt the Pin's own
aura: a strong one of one hundred. But of course this project would attract strong auras! Pleasure, he said, using
the mode of his host, making the sounds by vibrating his disk. Pleasure, he thought. Cupid and Psyche had a child
named Pleasure....
^Phenomenal! Perhaps your aura is a reversion to that of the Ancients!^
Herald dismissed that promptly. There is no evidence that any modern species relate directly to the Ancients.
Yet what of Psyche!
^Perhaps we shall now procure that evidence.^
And that summed it up; for this was the super-secret Modern of Ancients program, the Cluster's major hope to
comprehend the nature and purposes of the species that had conquered the Cluster three million years ago.
Perhaps, Herald agreed politely. Shall we proceed? We shall proceed-the phrasing of Sixteen's acquiescence to
an affair that had demanded herself and him. Had he been willfully blind in the same way the Cluster Council was
blind to the threat of the Amoeba despite the evidence? At what price could he justify his quest?
Prick showed the way through the station to the enclave. All of it was under cover, for this was an airless planet.
Occasional skylights showed the globular day-night: a thousand bright stars illuminating the surface constantly,
preventing full night from ever descending. The average separation of stars in this region was a quarter of a
lightyear, and they were large stars. The planet seemed to be encased in a glowing shell.
That was the reason the project was here. No outside species could expect to locate the precise planet of the
particular globular Cluster of the particular galaxy that supported it. Only the privileged few even knew of its
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existence. Who would poke about a globular Cluster for anything? Such Clusters were among the oldest unified
structures in the universe; there was nothing new in them. Or so it was generally supposed....
The hall opened out suddenly on a vast domed landscape of such architectural splendor that both Herald and Hweeh
paused, awed. It was an Ancient site as it must have been in its heyday. Rounded buildings rose many floors high,
with spiral ramps servicing them; other ramps spiraled down to lakelike reservoirs. There were no straight lines, no
angles; everything curved in pleasing ratios. There was foliage everywhere, unfamiliar to Herald's prior experience,
though not to his host-mind: Pinwheel trees shading the contours of the parks from the glare of the myriad stars
above, pastel-hued lawns, and fruit-bearing gardens.
@I would like to reside here myself,@ Hweeh murmured.
So would I, Herald agreed.
^So would we all,^ Prick said. ^And so you shall-for a day. We believe we have successfully recreated Ancient
architecture, physique, and culture, and we hope this will enable you to feel and think like Ancients and thereby
comprehend their secrets.^
An ambitious notion, Herald said.
^The Ancients residing in the enclave are androids,^ Prick explained; ^laboratory-manufactured pseudo-life,
directed by operatives. Most are remote-controlled, but some are actually occupied.^
We shall need to occupy them, Herald said, rotating his disk firmly. We are not here merely to observe, but to
experience.
^The Weew could do it; he is small and malleable. But your own Wheel host is far too massive.^
Then I must Transfer to a smaller host. What is available?
^There are service entities of Sculp who occupy the androids for testing and repairs.^
Ah, yes, the Sculps. I am familiar with the species. I will accept such a host.
^As you wish,^ Prick said dubiously.
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