human
Hello,
gpt
Hello, hell! Cercy growled.
human
What kept you?
gpt
On the way over, Darrig said,
human
I read the Ambassador's philosophy. It's quite a work.
gpt
Is that what took you so long?
human
Yes. I had the driver take me around the park a few times, while I was reading it.
gpt
Skip it. How about--
human
I can't skip it, Darrig said, in a strange, tight voice.
gpt
I'm afraid we were wrong. About the aliens, I mean. It's perfectly right and proper that they should rule us. As a matter of fact, I wish they'd hurry up and get here.
human
It's hard to explain, he said.
gpt
Everything became clear as soon as I started reading it. I saw how stupid we were, trying to be independent in this interdependent Universe. I saw--oh, look, Cercy. Let's stop all this foolishness and accept the Ambassador as our friend.
human
Calm down! Cercy shouted at the perfectly calm physicist.
gpt
You don't know what you're saying.
human
It's strange, Darrig said.
gpt
I know how I felt--I just don't feel that way any more. I think. Anyhow, I know _your_ trouble. You haven't read the philosophy. You'll see what I mean, once you've read it.
human
It doesn't matter, Darrig said.
gpt
I've got it memorized. Just listen. Axiom one. All peoples--
human
Those words must be semantically keyed, Malley said.
gpt
They're designed to set off certain reactions in us, I suppose. All the Ambassador does is alter the philosophy to suit the peoples he's dealing with.
human
Look, Malley, Cercy said.
gpt
This is your job now. Darrig knows, or thought he knew, the answer. You have to get that out of him.
human
That won't be easy, Malley said.
gpt
He'd feel that he was betraying everything he believes in, if he were to tell us.
human
I don't care how you get it, Cercy said.
gpt
Just get it.
human
Even if it kills him?
gpt
Even if it kills you.
human
Help me get him to my lab,