Inter Ice Age 4 Read online

  At the entrance, I changed into the straw sandals provided for visitors.

  On my way I looked in at the data room downstairs. The always diligent Kimura, with about four other younger workers, was devotedly working at classifying and marking a mass of miscellaneous materials and data, though they could not know when or for what purpose they would ever be used. This was, as it were, the kitchen that provided sustenance and information for the forecasting machine. They were immersed in factual if monotonous work, which, as long as they believed in facts alone, was satisfying. They were little concerned whether the machine was nourished or given indigestion by such facts. To tel! the truth, I too preferred this kind of work. The examination room was empty.

  The corridor on the second floor, which had a window only at one end, was already dark. I listened, but there were no suspicious sounds, only those from the street. Treading quietly, I arrived at the door to the room and tried to peek through the keyhole, but the view was blocked by the back of someone’s shirt and I could see nothing.

  As I placed my hand on the knob, I repeated quickly to myself what I was going to say: Come, come, what’s going on here? Who approved this, for heaven’s sake? It looks like some sort of meeting. There’s no reason for me to give this room over to a meeting I’ve never even heard about. In the first place I’m under strict government control; every single time I use this forecasting machine myself, I’ve got to report it to the authorities. Now I’d like an explanation. I can’t let you do whatever you want. I don’t know what authority you people have, but this one is sure: I’m the one in charge here.

  Calculating the effectiveness of this sally, I thrust open the door in a single movement. A cool breeze brushed my cheeks and bathed my eyes. But I stood there dumbfounded; not a word of what I intended to say came to my lips. The sight before me was not at all what I had anticipated.

  Four men and a girl were looking intently at me with smiling faces. Al! of them were people I knew well, very well. The tense scene I had imagined was simply nonexistent.

  In two chairs in front of the desk, on the left as I faced them, sat Professor Yamamoto, in charge of the creation of life outside the womb, and Wada Katsuko. In a hollow of the machine stood Tanomogi, facing me. Then there was Aiba, Tanomogi’s favorite. When I spied Tomoyasu, of the programming committee, smiling self-consciously in the corner to the right next to the television screen, I was astounded. I was thoroughly disgusted with my own stupidity in having seen in him merely a bureaucratic servant.

  It was all well enough that the murderer had shown his silhouette in the darkness; the fact that I had not noticed him as we lived our lives together was intolerable. I was at a loss. I had no notion how best to cope with the situation. Suddenly it occurred to me: The most fearful of monsters is the well-known friend slightly altered.

  “We’ve been expecting you,” said Tanomogi, taking a short step forward and offering me the middle seat that was empty. The others shifted their positions accordingly and expressed their welcome. Instantly my sense of ease returned.

  After first paying my respects to Professor Yamamoto, I looked around at everyone in a lordly manner. “For heaven’s sake, what is this gathering today?” I inquired as I seated myself in the center chair.

  “As you were told on the telephone a little while ago, we have been screening your application for a visiting permit to see the aquan breeding site,” said Wada quickly in her typically overserious tone.

  “Yes,” continued Professor Yamamoto at once, “we’re complying with your request, Professor.” He nodded, an affable smile on his large face as if he had reconciled himself to it.

  At once it clouded over again. Something was wrong, as I had thought. I couldn’t follow this too sudden change in emotion. The expression on my face was set, and my heart sank within me.

  “The formal designation of this gathering,” said Tanomogi, taking over, “might be called the Administrative Committee of the Society for the Exploitation of the Sea Floor-Regular Meeting of the ICT Branch. But that’s too long, and besides it doesn’t really express the point of our work very well. We have consequently decided to name ourselves simply the Branch Committee.”

  “Even though we’re called branch, we’re considered rather important,” injected Aiba.

  “Yes, I’m also on the main committee,” said Professor Yamamoto, swaying intently back and forth. “Since the forecasting-machine branch is very important, I was instructed to attend your meetings as a special observer.”

  “Who gave you permission to use this place?” I murmured softly, lowering my eyes and looking in the vicinity of Tanomogi’s knees beside me.

  At once the speaker of the forecasting machine began to talk: “I did.”

  “Your second self, Professor,” said Tomoyasu, looking up apologetically at the loudspeaker.

  An embarrassed silence reigned; I thought it a blessing. I was overcome with confusion at my seedy appearance.

  Professor Yamamoto struck a match. “Shall we begin?” said Tanomogi softly.

  Aiba switched on the recording machine.

  “Now I think there is no need to adhere to formality.” Tanomogi was manifestly the chairman of the session. “The point of today’s discussion is the screening report on Professor Katsumi’s application for a visiting permit and the action to be taken on it.”

  “The action is the conclusion. It is not a subject for discussion,” interjected the forecasting machine in my voice.

  “It’s true, the action to be taken only has to be carried out,” agreed Wada, winding the hair on her forehead around the end of her finger.

  “Quite true. But the committee have the responsibility of explaining. If this action is not a subject for discussion, then shall we say the first point of order is the defendant’s explanation? Unfortunately we have already concluded that the application for a visitor’s permit is to be rejected. The reason is based on the prevention of a crime, for there is danger that the Professor, with malice aforethought, will commit the heinous crime of infanticide.”

  I swallowed and looked up. But I could find no words to express myself.

  “In order that you may be fully cognizant of the situation,” said Tanomogi soothingly, “we have decided to have the future of the aquans forecast and let you watch the televised results. This is only the resolution of the Branch Committee, but we think that you will understand much better than by actually visiting. Then after that comes ‘the action to be taken’ which we spoke about a while ago. Of course, before that we will fully explain the process that led us to this conclusion. And we will also inform you, perhaps at the same time, of the real facts surrounding the incidents that have occurred in the last few days.”

  “You’re the real criminal,” I shouted in a shrill voice like that of an old man; it surprised even me.

  “It’s going to be a problem if you think you can take the murder case out of context. You’ve got to consider our motives in the total framework.”

  “So,” said Wada, shaking her head in vexation, “shouldn’t we start with what Professor Katsumi is most suspicious of? When and why this second self of his was made.”

  Yes, that indeed was what I wanted most of all to know. But how exasperating this feeling of being seen through. I could not restrain myself when I thought how I had been treated like some ignoramus up to now even by someone the likes of Wada. “Just a minute,” I snapped, brushing her aside. “I prefer to know just what in the name of God this ‘action to be taken’ is.”

  “Ah, well . . .” Tanomogi looked around embarrassedly. Everyone stared at his fingernails in silence. Finally, taking the quietness as perhaps a sign of approbation, he continued reluctantly, running his tongue over his lips. “Our conclusion is-you’re going to have to die.”

  “Die? What a stupid . . .”

  Without thinking, I started to rise; but not being overly uneasy, I uttered a sarcastic laugh.

  “We can now discuss the reasons.”

&
nbsp; “No thanks!”

  I should just stand up and leave at once, ignoring whatever was said to me. What could they do? Nothing would happen. There was no reason for anything to. But when I looked at the fixed, ominous expression on everyone, I was suddenly afraid.

  “But, sir,” said Wada, leaning forward, “don’t give up yet. You’ve got to hold out till the end.”

  Everyone nodded with serious faces.

  “That’s right,” said Tanomogi encouragingly, “the conclusion is after all logical, and logic differs depending on the hypotheses. We intend to exert all our efforts to save you, sir. Don’t give up hope. What we’re hoping for is that now you know the conclusion, you yourself will find premises which might change our resolution. So now I’d like to have you listen.”

  32

  But logic couldn’t commit murder. At least the logic of ordering me to death didn’t hold up. These people were making a terrible mistake. Apparently, my being held there was not to struggle to refute their logic, for I took what they said seriously. Anyway, two people had already been killed without effort, a fetus had been stolen, and furthermore the master assassin had been brought into the picture. Be the logic what it may, if they wanted to they could easily arrange my killing. Actually it was humiliating just listening to them. But somehow I was unable to stomp out of the room. I had the feeling that time itself was standing still with my motionlessness.

  “Now let me explain things in the right order,” continued Tanomogi restlessly, as if fearing an interruption. “I learned about the existence of this organization in September of last year. Yes, just about the time the forecasting machine was almost completed, and we were able to demonstrate breaking the water glass on the picture tube. Perhaps you remember. Wada had been recommended by Professor Yamamoto of Central Welfare and had come to work at the Institute. I was first told about the organization by Wada.”

  Wada’s gaze swept over me searchingly. “But I didn’t tell you right away; it was only after rather carefully testing you,” she said to Tanomogi.

  “Yes, I know.” He nodded at her obliquely. “It was a very hard test. So much so that at first I was confused and wondered if she really wanted me. Anyway she told me, one after the other, fantastically romantic tales about our future that the machine might describe. I was convinced she was a poet. I took her rather offhandedly, while all the time she was testing me.”

  “It was a test to see to what point he could tolerate a future cut off from the past. We were trying to find out which he was more interested in, forecasts or the forecasting machine. Of course, we ran a provisional test on you too, sir. I wonder if you remember?”

  Now that she spoke of it, I had the feeling I did. I could not recollect anything concrete, but I did recall thinking it curious that the girl was talking utter nonsense. I tried to answer, but no matter how I forced my tongue the words would simply not come out.

  “But you failed, Professor. You manifestly didn’t even try to consider the possibility that the future might be at odds with the present. How shall I say? If the forecasting machine doesn’t receive a question, it can’t produce an answer. I mean it can’t think up a question by itself. So in order for the machine actually to function, it’s a question of the questioner’s competence. In that capacity we consider you quite deficient in the necessary qualities.”

  “You’re wrong. The most important thing is facts,” I rasped. “Forecasting is not telling fairy tales. It’s the logical conclusion that proceeds from facts, always facts! What do you mean by this nonsense? It’s utter rot.”

  “I wonder. I wonder if the machine can react to facts alone. Isn’t it necessary to convert these facts into the form of questions?”

  “That’s enough. Let me remind you that I’m a mere technician, not a philosopher.”

  “Quite true. So your method of choosing subjects always takes a set pattern.”

  “What do you mean saying things like that?” I tried to speak firmly, leaning forward and placing one arm on the back of the chair; but my breath reversed and the words stuck deep in my throat “I don’t care what you say, Tanomogi, it’s you. You’re the murderer. And you, Wada, you’re the ringleader who spirited my child away. I consider you all mad. And you, Tomoyasu, I’m astonished at your duplicity. You had no scruples about double-crossing me. I don’t know what to say!”

  “I don’t know about the rest, but as far as I’m concerned, I didn’t want to aggravate the situation,” said Tomoyasu, looking down at the floor as if wanting help.

  “That’s true,” continued Professor Yamamoto, holding up an open hand as if to push me back. “Mr. Tomoyasu was in a very difficult situation. Since he wanted to keep this double-layered organization from being conspicuous, he adopted what at first glance might be an equivocal attitude.”

  “A double-layered organization?”

  “Well, just a minute. Let’s start at the beginning,” said Tanomogi, passing beside me. In front of the door he turned around and stood resting the knuckles of his fingers on the corner of the worktable. “Of course, I think you may have had a general idea, but some time ago we started secretly operating the forecasting machine for the benefit of the Society for the Exploitation of the Sea Floor. No, the meter’s not correct. We were able to turn it back any time we wanted with the reversing device.”

  “Whoever gave you permission to act on your own authority like that?”

  “I was put in charge of this secret organization by the authorities. I was against it at first, of course. No matter how much they claimed that their mandate exceeds the government’s, I regretted being appointed without your permission. But it was an urgent request from the Society. It was overeager, you see, even though it knew that the trend toward the development of submarine colonies was irreversible. It was apprehensive, because it didn’t see clearly what the future would bring. When it heard the rumor that the forecasting machine had been completed, it rushed right over. But it was out of the question to make an offer publicly, because the organization was absolutely secret. Then they sent Wada to sound me out; and as she said I was suitable, I was given the appointment. But I refused. I wanted to prevail on you to take charge, and so did the responsible men behind the organization. It was disagreeable since we were working together. And I had real misgivings too that you would see through the information that was going into the machine. Of course, with your strong sense of duty, you would absolutely never have operated the machine without the permission of the programming committee.”

  “You see, sir,” interrupted Wada in an irritated tone, “you were a lot more interested in the machine than concerned about the future.”

  “Come, come. Let’s not talk like that,” said Tanomogi, cutting her off. “Now, anticipating this, the Society, through Tomoyasu, deliberately devised a way to freeze the committee. But it was not a question of leaving them in such an unnatural state too long. If somehow things were not brought to a conclusion ...”

  “Oh yes, and then you decided to kill me, I suppose.”

  “Not at all. It was not until much later that we realized there was no other choice but to have you die. Even Wada, who spoke the way she did, was very worried about you. The Society were earnestly planning legal steps for your expulsion, but we were not in agreement. We simply couldn’t do anything so cruel. We knew how important forecasting machine was to you. It was Wada herself who proposed that we analyze you, put you on the machine and try to predict your future. We didn’t get very good results with the test; it was a little irresponsible to reach conclusions with such approximative methods. More precisely, we decided to have the machine predict what action you would take in the event you had specific knowledge concerning the development of submarine colonies.”

  “And what happened?”

  “Ah . . . ” faltered Tanomogi, his lips pursed. He drew a number of little squares side by side on the corner of the table.

  “What’s that? Ah earthquake?” cried Aiba suddenly, looking up at the c
eiling. As he spoke I was aware of the little round movements of an earthquake moving up my legs to my knees. It lasted about four seconds and then suddenly stopped.

  “And then what?” I urged, but Tanomogi nodded at me in confusion.

  “Well, then ... the results, I am sure you realize, were bad.”

  “What was bad about them?”

  “To put it simply, sir, you couldn’t stand the future that was predicted. In other words, you're able to envisage the future only as a continuation of day-in, day-out life. With that limitation, though you placed such great expectations on the forecasting machine, you were unable to accept a rapidly evolving future, one which may well destroy, deny the present —a severed future. As far as programming is concerned, you are perhaps the greatest specialist we have, but programming is simply the operation of reducing the qualitative to the quantitative. If you don’t once again synthesize quantitative into qualitative you’ll never really grasp the future. It’s self-evident, but you were an optimist on this point. You could only consider the future as a mechanical extension of quantitative facts. As a result you were able, conceptually, to take great interest in forecasting the future, but you were quite incapable of standing the real future.”

  “I don’t understand. What are you trying to say? I don’t understand at all.”

  “Just a minute. I’ll explain in concrete terms. Later I plan to show you on television. Not only did you take an openly hostile position, but ultimately you even began to doubt the competency of the machine to predict.”

  “I don’t know why the past tense is used like this.”

  “It can’t be helped. The forecasting machine has made the prediction. In order to obstruct the materializing of the future, you broke your promise; that is to say, you were half decided a few hours ago to expose the secret of the organization.”

  “What difference does it make? There’s nothing wrong in opposing submarine colonies that use aquans. Even my opposition is a part of any eventual future, one that would be a second forecast based on a set of new conditions. I believe that there is value in using the forecasting machine to prevent such a ridiculous future before it occurs.”