Mule, Book III: Foundation and Union Chapter 13, a foundation fanfic

"Mule..."

Summary: My AU version of the Asimov tale from his collection of Foundation and Second Foundation tales.

As she consolidates her new Empire, the First Citizen, Magnifica Gigantica, i.e. Bobo the Clown/Musician is one step away from Galactic conquest. But that step requires the locating and defeat of Seldon's hidden Second Foundation.

Book III: "Foundation and Union..."

Part XIII…

"And so my training began in true earnest." Dagobert's projection eyed Magnifica who shrugged…

"So all this…And thank you, it's interesting to receive mentalic projections for once as well as simply project…Is to tell me, my true nemesis is a telepathic humaniform robot?" her projected figure eyed him. "You speak on, like Channis, awaiting help that will never come. Not via your links here on Kalgan. Not on Rossem."

"Not at all…I speak merely to show you how we arrived here. Tell me, child…Why haven't you withdrawn to Kalgan? There's no further need to maintain your link to Captain Merv…"

"Why haven't you, Emperor? If the boy Channis here is of so little merit to your organization. You're the one wasting precious resources. The one is closing in on you, you know that. I will soon isolate you and then…" smile. "That precious training will be wasted."

"As will the millions of lives you just took on Tazenda, child."

"I did what had to be done to free the Galaxy. From Seldon, from this robot overlord of yours…From you and your Second Foundation. Are you claiming now Tazenda was a ploy?"

Lena, in the room, echoing her words…Channis groaning…

Perhaps…Dagobert shifted to mentalic communication now…Both as to my wasted training and Tazenda…

"She knows…She knows…" Channis groaned aloud. "She means to destroy Rossem as well."

And so I do…Your Second Foundation will die…And then so will you, my dear old friend, Magnifica projected coldly. And then…If I must…I will hunt down this "Professor Anton"/Demerzol type/Olivaw and destroy him as well.

And will the Galaxy benefit from losing all alternatives should your scheme fail?

What…Care…I? If you knew anything about me…Magnifica eyed the projection of Dagobert…You'd know none of that matters to me.

"You claim to act in the name of the oppressed. Of my old friend Rox." Dagobert had shifted back to audible speech. "You are here maintaining a draining link to Captain Merv because you feel a duty to protect her. You care for Han Pritcher even if you must control him and you stay to protect him as well. And I believe you intended more than simple conquest or vengeance. You resurrected the Empire in my name to create a structure that would last."

"And have received precious little thanks for it…" Magnifica glared. "Why should I worry about the Galaxy's future when it cares nothing for mine or what I've tried to do?"

"Why did you cherish Rox so?"

"My own concern, Emperor…" she shook her head. "Do not think you can reach me emotionally this way. You're old, not my equal in any sense of the word, and your time is ending. Your link to the others' power is fading. And I am not tiring."

"I sense you are trying to keep yourself hard, child. But let me tell you of my friend Rox and the terrible days of the Fall. We have time…You haven't finished with me quite yet."

…

Three years after my interview with Anton, despite the brief moments of peace…Despite the transitory joy of my wedding and our first and then second child, the Empire began its final spiral to collapse. My father, the Court, his remaining loyal commanders hoped the respite had strengthened the Empire. At a cost, a few systems had been regained or briefly won over back to allegiance.

The darkness however had not been dispelled, merely abated. And we of the Second Foundation saw it plainly, accepted it…Some even welcomed it, though I did not. Not merely because of the pain and real danger to quadrillions along with my own father and family. Even less to my hopes for rule… But because I had doubts for the future. Still I was pledged to a course…And I was now named successor as First Speaker, Anton having put aside any and all opposition to my appointment.

But another saw the coming Fall clearly…Our dear Rox. How could he not? He was constantly on the front lines, fighting with fewer and fewer ships and soldiers. A province defended here, a rebel stopped or even routed there, it all added to diminishing resources and less and less hope to replenish them. Vargos had become a prize the strongest generals in rebellion were fighting for and he could barely hold them off. To help defend Trantor, he'd cut his own resources there to the bone. And yet, brave, starting to age, soul that he was, he still believed, still fought…And still dreamed of his plan to save us.

Finally, one general rose and united several of the rebel groups in a plan to plunder Trantor. Rox defeated him but Gelmer regrouped and came again, constantly diverting his forces by attacking several points at once. Rox's and the few other loyal generals saw their forces steadily ground down…And Father could not support them with the diminishing revenues of the crumbling Empire as more and more provinces saw the writing on the wall and sought to save what they could, for themselves. It was all as Seldon had predicted.

When her home province was invaded, Almya feared for her family but remained true to her pledge to the Second and did not urge any action. We could of course by then have somewhat restrained the rebels, affected their men with panic, the leaders with indecision…Not on your scale of influence of course, First Citizen…But enough to have held them back. We did nothing. Finally with Rox fighting with his last fifty ships to save Vargos, Trantor was attacked by five hundred rebel ships. Only Rox's courageous counter assault, a handful of ships against hundreds gave my father and us a chance to escape to NeoTrantor. Trantor was at Gelmer's mercy…And he had no mercy.

"You did nothing to save your Empire. Or your home world." Magnifica spoke aloud.

"Nothing. Even if we had tried to intervene we could only have held them back a short time at an unthinkable cost. But we did nothing. Except to join the Court's and my father's flight to the agricultural worlds which once supplied Trantor with its food supply. A few ships and troops all that was left. Only that Gelmer quickly fell to other rebel leaders' plotting did we survive until we'd gathered a somewhat motley and rather pathetic defense force to make pursuing us hardly worth the effort."

"As you did nothing to save the First Foundation from me. Or Tazenda." She eyed him.

"There, slightly different. As I told you, we underestimated you. My fault entirely. I thought I was prepared for your coming but you were far more formidable and quick than I expected. Thus I too was betrayed by my complaisant and arrogant assumption that I knew the future and what it held. Though I had tried to prepare for the worst in keeping my own self as unobtrusive and unthreatening as possible and keeping the Second Foundation as hidden as it could be."

"Yet, Elbling Mis found you."

"He did. We couldn't remove all trace of Seldon from the Library without attracting some unnecessary attention but we'd thought there was no possibility of detection given the poor tools available to the First Foundation or you. We'd not counted on your ability or Mis' brilliance."

"And once again, the Seldon Plan is exposed as a fraud." She smiled.

"Dear girl…We both know the Plan is largely a deception. True enough in its ability to make conjectures and predictions but helpless in the face of human individuality. Only those raised during the Empire's rather successful attempt to curb faith in the human spirit as dangerous to stability like Seldon could believe it was true a guide to Humanity's destiny and in fact even he did not. He offered it as a desperate hope to avoid chaos and to that extent it certainly has helped. Giving faith to the Foundation's mission and hope to many across the Galaxy."

"And all a lie. A lie that could have been avoided. You could have stopped it. My Rox…" she paused.

"Yes, Rox fought on, even after the Fall…He gathered what he could, saw to NeoTrantor's defense, and then went on his quest to find Gaia and the Gaians. And instead, he found…You."

"Me." Proud tone.

"And inspired you, as a daughter, to fulfill his dream. To take your own rage and bitter anger and channel it to something rather noble in its way."

"He was kind. He didn't love me when he found me but he was always kind." She noted. "And I …When I learned more about him, after holding him down a bit, afraid he might abandon the strange little stowaway child…Enough!" she waved an impatient hand. "I may act in his name, to some extent, but I am myself, alone. The Mule. The despised, cursed, hated one. The one once abused has broken her chains and risen to be ruler of the Galaxy!"

"Not Empress?"

"Do not mock me, old fool!" she cried. Lena tensing in the room. "Channis is beaten, soon it will be your turn, then your Second Foundation. Surrender now and I might be persuaded to Convert the remaining survivors."

"You loved Rox…First as a young frightened desperate girl who loved a strong, good man, then as a daughter. Even as you love Han Pritcher now. Would he or Pritcher approve of what you're doing?"

"If…" icy look. "You truly knew my father, the only father I have ever known, as you claim. You'd know he hated your Foundations. That he'd consider you a traitor, as I do. Pritcher…Could never forgive me what I've done to him, but his goals are not unlike mine. A free Galaxy, free of Seldon and his Plan and your Foundations."

"I knew Rox hated the Foundations." Dagobert nodded. "But I know he was a good man. And he sincerely wanted to save the Galaxy. And he would have put aside his hate to do so. As, initially, his daughter did."

"Your emotions are, of course," sighed Dagobert, "only the children of your background and are not to be condemned…Merely changed, as you have so often changed them. The destruction of Tazenda was unavoidable. The alternative would have been a much greater destruction generally throughout the Galaxy over a period of centuries after you and your Union destroyed the Second Foundation. We did our best in our limited way. We withdrew as many from Tazenda as we could. We decentralized the rest of the world. Unfortunately, our measures were of necessity far from adequate. It left many millions to die. I believe you regret that. As I believe you have before. I understand the feeling better than you know,child. Because I haven't told you all as yet. Because I've given such orders myself, perhaps with even less cause, in my father's and the Empire's name, and my own...To maintain my deceptions as heir, as Emperor, and as First Speaker. Because I am no more worthy of forgiveness than you, less so really. And yet I regret as I know you do."

"No more than I regret the hundreds of thousands that must die in little more than an hour." She eyed him coldly.

"On Rossem?" said Dagobert, quickly. "You still believe the Second Foundation is here?"

Channis groaned from his spot in the room…Dagobert, or rather his mental projection, turned to Channis who had forced himself into a half¬ sitting posture, and his mind exerted its force. Channis, felt the duel of minds strain over him, and then there was a short snapping of the bond and the words came tumbling out of his mouth: "Sir, I have failed completely. She forced it from me not ten minutes before your arrival. I could not resist her and I offer no excuses. She knows Tazenda was not the Second Foundation. She knows that Rossem is."

And her bonds closed down upon him again.

Cool eyeing…"I wonder if the others have learned of your doubts, First Speaker, through your mentalic links, which are now nearly broken. They must feel betrayed themselves to find you doubt the Plan and even them. The despair of an ideal…Of a cause."

"Not doubt the people, merely the possibilities." Dagobert sighed. "But they are spread out now, busy. So attack Rossem, First Citizen. Kill all you can. You'll kill only the innocent. The Second Foundation is not here."

"What?" Channis stared, trying to lift his head. Then gently collapsing, unconscious.

"Poor silly boy…I believe you really believe what you've told me." Magnifica smiled. "And, I believe you, old man. The Second Foundation is not here. That would only be too easy. But now, I know the truth. You have given it to me, even before I could drain it from you."

Dagobert frowned…"I see. What is it you are planning to do, child?"

"Do you really wonder?" Magnifica leered a bit. "Do you really find it difficult to penetrate the obvious? All this time that you have preached to me of the nature of emotional contact, all this time that you have been throwing words such as megalomania and paranoia and regret at me, all the while you've tried to hold me here, hoping to weaken me with your tales, I have been working. I have been in contact with my Naval Command and the striking fleets of my Union have their orders. In six hours, unless I should for some reason counteract my orders, they are to bombard all of Trantor…With more firepower than it took the Empire to pulverize Gaia to rocks."smile.

"Trantor?" Channis feebly from where he lay…Lena staring as well…

"All of it, especially the Galactic University and the Library complex. Your charming tale. Majesty, has told me all I needed to know. My fleet's ships are to do a thorough job and are then to return to Kalgan to help me sweep us any remnants. For good measure…Just in case any of yours are here on Rossem, my fleet at Tazenda will of course proceed to bombard this planet in one hour. " Expansive wave of hands…Smile.

"So you see, your Majesty…First Speaker…I have won. You have six hours, and in six hours, even if you could summon more mentalic aid, you cannot beat down my mind, nor can you save Trantor or Rossem."

The Mule spread her hands and laughed again while the First Speaker seemed to find difficulty in absorbing this new state of affairs.

He said… "The alternative?"

"Why should there even be an alternative? I can stand to gain no more by any alternative. Is it the lives of a few on Trantor and here on Rossem I'm to be chary of? Perhaps if you allow my ships to land and submit, all of you - all yours of the Second Foundation, to mental control sufficient to suit myself, I may countermand the bombardment orders. It may be worthwhile to put so many of high intelligence under my control. But then again it would be a considerable effort and perhaps not worth it after all, so I'm not particularly eager to have you agree to it. What do you say, your Majesty…Second Foundationer? What weapon have you against my mind which is many times strong as yours alone at least and against my ships which are stronger than anything you have ever dreamed of possessing?"

"What have I?" repeated Dagobert, slowly… "Why nothing…Except a little grain…Such a little grain of knowledge that even yet you do not possess."

"Speak quickly," laughed the Mule, "speak inventively, spin another grand tale. For squirm as you might, you won't squirm out of this."

"Poor child…Now I must speak as First Speaker only…," said Dagobert, "And tell you, I have nothing to squirm out of. Ask yourself…Why was Bail Channis sent to Kalgan as a decoy? Bail Channis, who though young and brave is almost as much your mental inferior as is this sleeping officer of yours, this Han Pritcher. Why did not I challenge you here on Kalgan, or Rossem, or have another of our leaders, who would be more your match? Why not a dozen of us?"

"Perhaps," came the supremely confident reply, "You were not sufficiently foolish, since perhaps none of you are my match. Not even that dozen…Not even the…Hundred?...Linked to you, no more." Shaking head.

"The true reason is more logical. You knew Channis to be a Second Foundationer. He lacked the capacity to hide that from you. And you knew, too, that you were his superior, so you were not afraid to play his game and follow him as he wished you to in order to outwit him later. Had I attacked you on Kalgan, even with aid, you would have killed me for I would have been a real danger, or had I avoided death by continuing to concealing my identity, I would yet have failed in persuading you to follow me into space mentally. It was only known inferiority that lured you on. And had your mind remained on Kalgan, not all the force of the Second Foundation could have harmed you, surrounded as you were by your troops, your machines, and your mental power."

"Please…" Magnifica and Lena glared with the same look. "Do you think I have stopped sweeping Kalgan? You might be able to keep yourself buried. They can't, not in any numbers…And if any are here on my capital and able to keep hidden, the moment they show their slightest ability I will crush them down. And I can sense your links here, to Rossem."

"Not on Kalgan, child. I said I was alone. But while some have indeed been on Rossem and linked to me, there is the Foundation, Sagosa, Trevlon, and hundreds, thousands of other worlds. We have been busy."

She eyed him.

"Channis disabled six of your finest, while off Kalgan and away from you, despite even your network of Listeners. How many more do you think our hundreds can with you occupied like this? You let your grip slip, child. While you stay locked here in your fight with me and holding your link to poor Captain Merv on Rossem, we are infiltrating your fleets and your commands. Your power and your ships and your listener network are formidable but not invincible. You can kill me soon, if you like, I am almost alone. But it's you who are isolated now. You will be alone again, on Kalgan with only those soldiers and ships you can drive us from, totally outnumbered."

"I sense no activity but from you here on Kalgan. And once I crush you. I can overcome any of your followers…Even at this distance I defeated your pathetic Channis."

"But not hundreds, dear. True, it likely will mean a bloody civil war…But that will collapse both our dreams. And you and I will not live to see the outcome."

"You won't." smile. "So…You'd abandon all your noble words and phrases for the Galaxy's salvation, just to stop me? I see…" another cold smile. "You hope to get me to despair. Break through my shielding and reshaped my mind. But you'll failed, old man. I won't lose my faith in myself or my dream. Bring on your civil war…I will win it."

"Then, First Citizen, of nothing... As you yourself said, let the Galaxy choose. Unless you take a different path. One that could, perhaps, fulfill your dream. I'm not your foe, child. " Dagobert eyed her. "Nor do I wish to be or to reshape you. I see much that is good and noble in you, Magnifica…" She eyeing him at the use of her name. "But I would like to help you. And now that we are indeed alone, perhaps I can."

"So, what then do you propose?" Would you and your fellows correct me physically now?" The Mule's thin lips curled, her mind pulsing with hate… "What will you do? Fatten me to womanly form? Restore my fertility? Bring me peace and love for all Humanity?" cold chuckle. "Take away from me my past? Do you regret my sufferings? Do you regret my unhappiness? I have no sorrow for what I did in my necessity. Let the Galaxy try protect itself as best it can, it stirred not a whit for my protection when I needed it. What are we to do, Your Majesty?"

"Save the Galaxy, Magnifica. As you and your father wanted to." He eyed her. "Hear the cries that led you to your quest. Don't follow the old, worn road of the conqueror. Find your own path, as you intended, as you always have."

"Spare the Second Foundation, you mean?"

"Spare yourself and the quadrillions you claim to speak for. The ones whom you have protected, even cherished, both the loyal who heard your message and the friends who may never understand you but you believe share your goals." He eyed her.

"And we accomplish that, how? Make me despair and forget my plans? You underestimate me yet again." she grimly smiled.

"No. We deceive your people and mine. You and I remain at stalemate forever. Or the limited time both of us have." He smiled gently. "But, to see your dream has its chance…That the Foundation has its weapon, Mind Static, a defense against the power of the Second. Yes, I knew of it secretly, alone, even before you used it here on Rossem to cover Captain Merv. And so, we survive you, but have no knowledge that the First Foundation is protected. But to fully deceive my Foundation, you must halt your expansion, consolidate…"

"Die?"

"No, live. And live in such a way that those quadrillions you speak for remember they had a champion. That there is an alternative to the Seldon Plan, the Foundation's repeat of Empire, and the Second Foundation's death grip. And that memory that you offered them a choice may prove decisive, wearing away at the whole structure Seldon created, changing it as the Foundation, the Second Foundation, the whole Galaxy realizes that it cannot be the same old or an even more controlling Empire. That they can choose what direction Humanity will take, not Hari Seldon, not R. Daneel or , or Gaia or various warlords and Emperors. They can. That's the memory you will leave, shining for the future generations. Continue your expansion, carry on your plans, but peacefully. And leave a great legacy."

"Even if I were willing to agree…" Magnifica eyed him. "How would you know I would keep my word the moment I have the upper hand? And, short as my time may be, Your Majesty, I fear yours is the shorter."

"Almost certainly." Smiling nod. "But I trust you. And I believe in your word if you give it. And I will be as guilty of deception as you."

"You'd spare me? To rule? After what I've done here?…On the Foundation?...On Tazenda?" she eyed him.

"My dear…" he sighed. "If you knew all of what I have done, as Prince and Emperor you would not be surprised. As First Speaker I must seem to act to stop you. But as Del, I want you to have your chance, not to destroy all…But to show what you can build."

"So that you and yours can sweep it all away…"

"Time will do that, as it swept away my Empire, and will sweep away the Foundations. But the memory of what you tried to do will linger. And perhaps, you will prove us all wrong." He smiled.

"Why? Why should I?" she shook head.

"Because you want to. Because you are the daughter of a good man. Because you are, in the end, a noble soul, Magnifica." He eyed her. "Be the hero Rox was, save his Galaxy. He's fought all his life for that dream with only one comfort, you."

"And I haven't even that…" she eyed him. "All those I ever tried…Even Bayta…Even Torie…Even he's only loved me from…"

"He loves you. Whatever you did to encourage that, he does. But if he can't be your father now…I have no one either. Almya is dead, my son is dead…My friends who live can never know I'm anything but a doddering fool or First Speaker…You put me on a throne for Rox's sake, child. Let me help you, for his."

She eyed him, staring …Hands raised in her old gesture, as if to ward off another blow.

"My aid is gone…Crush me if you wish. Or call in your soldiers to do it, I can't stop them now. Or, let me help you try to accomplish what you dreamed of."

"And if you can't repair those burned bridges of the past, I can help you can do one thing that might let them, if not forgive you…Think a bit more kindly on you." He eyed her. She staring…

"But first…" he noted.

…

Channis groggly struggled to consciousness…The First still stood, though he sensed all mentalic links to him had been cut by the Mule's gradual effort…The Mule stood facing him. Pritcher unconscious on the ground.

But someone…Something…Missing?

No…The same four. The Mule had come…The First was projecting from Kalgan…

Who else…? No, no one…He shook head desperately…Despair closing in.

He'd failed. The Mule knew. The Mule had broken him and she knew Rossem was the Second Foundation…

But…The First wasn't giving in…What…Was there something? Were the others going to try?

No…The Mule's shield was overwhelming…They couldn't break through. And her ships would be here, soon.

"Truly so, but you are not on Kalgan." The First calmly noted to the Mule. "You are here in the Kingdom of Tazenda, logically presented to you as the Second Foundation…Very logically presented. It had to be so presented, for you are wise, First Citizen, and would follow only logic."

"Correct…" the Mule sneered. "And it was a momentary victory for your side, but there was still time for me to worm the truth from your man, Channis, and still wisdom in me to realize that such a truth might exist."

"And on our side, oh, not-quite-sufficiently-subtle one, was the realization that you might go that one step further and so Bail Channis was prepared for you."

"That he most certainly was not, for this one stripped his brain clean as any plucked chicken. It quivered bare and open before me and when he said Rossem was the Second Foundation, it was basic truth for I had ground him so flat and smooth that not the smidgeon of a deceit could have found refuge in any microscopic crevice." She noted prouldly, firmly.

Yes…Yes… I have failed, Channis groaned.

The First eyed him kindly…A slight wave of hand…

"True enough. So much the better for our foresight. For I have told you already that Bail Channis was a volunteer. Do you know what sort of a volunteer? Before he left our Foundation for Kalgan and you, he submitted to emotional surgery of a drastic nature. Do you think it was sufficient to deceive you? Do you think Bail Channis, mentally untouched, could possibly deceive you? No, Bail Channis was himself deceived, of necessity and voluntarily. Down to the inmost core of his mind, Bail Channis honestly believes that Rossem is the Second Foundation."

"And for three years now, we of the Second Foundation have built up the appearance of that here in the Kingdom of Tazenda, in preparation and waiting for you. And we have succeeded, have we not? You penetrated to Tazenda, and beyond that, to Rossem, but past that, you could not go."

The Mule was upon her feet… "You dare tell me that Rossem also, is not the Second Foundation?"

Channis, from the floor, felt his bonds burst for good, under a stream of mental force on the part of the First Speaker and strained upright. He let out one long, incredulous cry: "You mean Rossem is not the Second Foundation?"

The memories of life, the knowledge of his mind…Everything …Whirled mistily a bout him in confusion.

The First Speaker smiled: "You see. First Citizen, Channis is as upset as you are. Of course, Rossem is not the Second Foundation. Are we madmen then, to lead you, our greatest, most powerful, most dangerous enemy to our own world?

"Oh, no!" he shook head…"Let your Fleet bombard Rossem, First Citizen, if you must have it so. Let them destroy all they can. For at most they can kill only Channis, while you no doubt can kill myself, and that will leave you in a situation improved not in the least."

"For the Second Foundation's Expedition to Rossem which has been here for three years and has functioned, temporarily, as Elders in this village, embarked yesterday and are returning to Union space. They will evade your Fleet, of course, and they will arrive in Kalgan at least a day before you can, which is why I tell you all this. Unless I countermand my orders, when you return, you will find a revolting Empire, a disintegrated realm, and only the men with you in your Fleet here will be loyal to you. They will be hopelessly outnumbered. And moreover, the Second Foundation will be with your Home Fleet and will see to it that you reconvert no one. Your Empire, like mine…." Wry smile. "Is done, my child."

Slowly, the Mule bowed her head, as anger and despair visibly cornered her mind completely, "Yes. Too late-Too late- Now I see it."

"Now you see it," agreed the First Speaker, "and now you don't."

The Mule looked up and said: "Then I shall return to Kalgan?

"Certainly. How do you feel?"

"Excellently well." Her brow puckered… "Who are you?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course not." She dismissed the matter, and touched Pritcher's shoulder. "Wake up, Pritcher, we're going home."

…

It was two hours later that Bail Channis felt strong enough to walk by himself. He said: "She won't ever remember?"

"Never. She retains her mental powers and her Empire…But her motivations are now entirely different. The Second Foundation is now a closed book to her, destroyed on Tazenda and Rossem, and she's at peace and will be a woman of peace. She'll be a far happier woman henceforward, too, for the few years of life left her by her maladjusted physique. While we'll do what we can to see things go peacefully, me, in what time I have. You, Bail, in your time as the next First Speaker. And then, after she is dead Seldon's Plan will go on somehow."

"And it is true," urged Channis, "it is true that Rossem is not the Second Foundation? I could swear. I tell you I know it is. I am not mad."

"You are not mad, Channis, merely, as I have said, changed. Rossem is not the Second Foundation. Come! We'll have them get you home."

He indicated a small group of Elders now entering…

Congratulations, First Speaker. One projected.

"There's no congratulations to be had. Millions are dead. I've merely managed to make a repair in my own grave error." Dagobert shook head. "But forgive me, I must return mentalically to Kalgan at once, I'm weary."

"Well, the Mule is checked. To your credit." The Elder, a middle-aged man, who'd projected, offered a smile. "And allow us to consider it a victory of sorts."

"Certainly…" Dagobert waved a tired hand. "Channis? When I see you again, if I do, I will be a kindly fool Emperor. And you a hero of the Mule's Union, who helped General Pritcher destroy the Second Foundation. But know you have my thanks and my admiration. Well done, lad." He nodded and vanished.

Will they truly believe Lena was me? Magnifica projected to him as he returned to himself, in his residence, as she, weary herself, sat in her office.

Oh, yes…Thanks to you, it made the deception that much easier. The Second Foundation will now rejoice in its triumph. And we can see the First keeps its defense hidden.

If my Union falters…Magnifica, a bit grimly.

If. Dagobert agreed. Now, before we both rest…And I for one am exhausted, dear child. I have a promise to keep to you. And you have a gift to bestow. Let me send you the information you'll need. He concentrated.

Can it truly be done? I thought only Ebling Mis still truly understood Positronics. Her mind replied.

A few others still do. And it can be done. Her brain centers are fixed but a transfer can be made to the new brain. We'll have to arrange a reason to go to NeoTrantor to recover one of the few still there in storage in the Imperial vaults. Perhaps you can humor an old man in visiting his wife's grave? It is time I visited Almya and I would be pleased to introduce you.

Yes…Thank you, Sire. And Mylin'll remember…Everything…?

Almost…Up to the moment she died in the attack on Terminus.

She'll hate me…For Ebling. And for what I did.

Yes…That's unavoidable, child. But think what a joy it will be to your friends. And they will know it was you who revived her. Even if nothing ever is said between you, they'll know.

They'll never forgive me. But they wouldn't be who they are if they did. And perhaps…

Perhaps it will be one good memory for them, he agreed. Good night, First Citizen…My dear child.

…

Bail Channis sat in the small white-tiled room and allowed his mind to relax. He was content to live in the present.

There were the walls and the window and the grass outside. They had no names. They were just things. There was a bed and a chair an books that developed themselves idly on the screen at the foot of his bed. There was the nurse who brought him his food.

At first he had made efforts to piece together the scraps of things he had heard. Such as those two men talking together.

One had said: "Complete aphasia now. It's cleaned out, and I think without damage. It will only be necessary to return the recording of his original brain-wave makeup."

He remembered the sounds by rote, and for some reason they seemed peculiar sounds - as if they meant something. But why bother.

Better to watch the pretty changing colors on the screen at the foot of the thing he lay on.

And then someone entered and did things to him and for a long time, he slept.

And when that had passed, the bed was suddenly a bed and he knew he was in a hospital, and the words he remembered made sense.

He sat up: "What's happening?"

The First Speaker was beside him, "You're on the Second Foundation, and you have your mind back - your original mind."

"Yes! Yes!"Channis came to the realization that he was himself, and there was incredible triumph and joy in that.

"And now tell me," said the First Speaker, "do you know where the Second Foundation is now?"

And the truth came flooding down in one enormous wave and Channis did not answer. Like Ebling Mis before him, he was conscious of only one vast, numbing surprise.

Until he finally nodded, and said: "By the Stars of the Galaxy. Now, I know."

…

"Why should there even be an alternative? I can stand to gain no more by any alternative. Is it the lives of those on Rossem I'm to be chary of? Perhaps if you allow my ships to land and submit, all of you - all the men on the Second Foundation - to mental control sufficient to suit myself, I may countermand the bombardment orders. It may be worthwhile to put so many men of high intelligence under my control. But then again it would be a considerable effort and perhaps not worth it after all, so I'm not particularly eager to have you agree to it. What do you say. Second Foundationer? What weapon have you against my mind which is as strong as yours at least and against my ships which are stronger than anything you have ever dreamed of possessing?"

"What have I?" repeated the First Speaker, slowly: "Why nothing - except a little grain - such a little grain of knowledge that even yet you do not possess."

"Speak quickly," laughed the Mule, "speak inventively. For squirm as you might, you won't squirm out of this."

"Poor mutant," said the First Speaker, "I have nothing to squirm out of. Ask yourself - why was Bail Channis sent to Kalgan as a decoy - Bail Channis, who though young and brave is almost as much your mental inferior as is this sleeping officer of yours, this Han Pritcher. Why did not I go, or another of our leaders, who would be more your match?"

"Perhaps," came the supremely confident reply, "you were not sufficiently foolish, since perhaps none of you are my match."

"The true reason is more logical. You knew Channis to be a Second Foundationer. He lacked the capacity to hide that from you. And you knew, too, that you were his superior, so you were not afraid to play his game and follow him as he wished you to in order to outwit him later. Had I gone to Kalgan, you would have killed me for I would have been a real danger, or had I avoided death by concealing my identity, I would yet have failed in persuading you to follow me into space. It was only known inferiority that lured you on. And had you remained on Kalgan, not all the force of the Second Foundation could have harmed you, surrounded as you were by your men, your machines, and your mental power."

"My mental power is yet with me, squirmer," said the Mule, "and my men and machines are not far off."

"Truly so, but you are not on Kalgan. You are here in the Kingdom of Tazenda, logically presented to you as the Second Foundation - very logically presented. It had to be so presented, for you are a wise man. First Citizen, and would follow only logic."

"Correct, and it was a momentary victory for your side, but there was still time for me to worm the truth from your man, Channis, and still wisdom in me to realize that such a truth might exist."

"And on our side, oh, not-quite-sufficiently-subtle one, was the realization that you might go that one step further and so Bail Channis was prepared for you."

"That he most certainly was not, for I stripped his brain clean as any plucked chicken. It quivered bare and open before me and when he said Rossem was the Second Foundation, it was basic truth for I had ground him so flat and smooth that not the smidgeon of a deceit could have found refuge in any microscopic crevice."

"True enough. So much the better for our foresight. For I have told you already that Bail Channis was a volunteer. Do you know what sort of a volunteer? Before he left our Foundation for Kalgan and you, he submitted to emotional surgery of a drastic nature. Do you think it was sufficient to deceive you? Do you think Bail Channis, mentally untouched, could possibly deceive you? No, Bail Channis was himself deceived, of necessity and voluntarily. Down to the inmost core of his mind. Bail Channis honestly believes that Rossem is the Second Foundation.

The Mule was upon his feet: "You dare tell me that Rossem also, is not the Second Foundation?"

The memories of life, the knowledge of his mind - everything - whirled mistily about him in confusion.

Oh, no!

"Let your Fleet bombard Rossem, First Citizen, if you must have it so. Let them destroy all they can. For at most they can kill only Channis and myself - and that will leave you in a situation improved not in the least.

"For the Second Foundation's Expedition to Rossem which has been here for three years and has functioned, temporarily, as Elders in this village, embarked yesterday and are returning to Kalgan. They will evade your Fleet, of course, and they will arrive in Kalgan at least a day before you can, which is why I tell you all this. Unless I countermand my orders, when you return, you will find a revolting Empire, a disintegrated realm, and only the men with you in your Fleet here will be loyal to you. They will be hopelessly outnumbered. And moreover, the men of the Second Foundation will be with your Home Fleet and will see to it that you reconvert no one. Your Empire is done, mutant."

Slowly, the Mule bowed his head, as anger and despair cornered his mind completely, "Yes. Too late-Too late- Now I see it."

"Now you see it," agreed the First Speaker, "and now you don't."

In the despair of that moment, when the Mule's mind lay open, the First Speaker - ready for that moment and pre-sure of its nature - entered quickly. It required a rather insignificant fraction of a second to consummate the change completely.

The Mule looked up and said: "Then I shall return to Kalgan?

"Certainly. How do you feel?"

"Excellently well." His brow puckered: "Who are you?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course not." He dismissed the matter, and touched Pritcher's shoulder: "Wake up, Pritcher, we're going home."

It was two hours later that Bail Channis felt strong enough to walk by himself. He said: "He won't ever remember?"

"Never. He retains his mental powers and his Empire - but his motivations are now entirely different. The notion of a Second Foundation is a blank to him, and he is a man of peace. He will be a far happier man henceforward, too, for the few years of life left him by his maladjusted physique. And then, after he is dead Seldon's Plan will go on somehow."

"And it is true," urged Channis, "it is true that Rossem is not the Second Foundation? I could swear -1 tell you I know it is.

I am not mad."

"You are not mad, Channis, merely, as I have said, changed. Rossem is not the Second Foundation. Come! We, too, will return home."