"If Gaia is the Second Foundation and if, for centuries, it has protected itself physically against intruders, protecting all of the Sayshell Union as a broad, deep shield for itself, and if it has even prevented knowledge of itself leaking into the Galaxy - then why has all that protection suddenly vanished? Trevize and Pelorat leave Terminus and, even though you had advised them to go to Trantor, they go immediately and without hesitation to Sayshell and now to Gaia. What is more, you can think of Gaia and speculate on it. Why are you not somehow prevented from doing So?"
Mayor Branno did not answer for a long time. Her head was bent and her gray hair gleamed dully in the light. Then she said, "Because I think Councilman Trevize has somehow upset things. He has done something - or is doing something - that is in some way endangering the Seldon Plan."
"That surely is impossible, Mayor."
"I suppose everything and everyone has its flaws. Even Hari Seldon was not perfect, surely. Somewhere the Plan has a flaw and
Trevize has stumbled upon it, perhaps without even knowing that he has. We must know what is happening and we must be on the spot."
Finally Kodell looked grave. "Don't make decisions on your own, Mayor. We don't want to move without adequate consideration."
"Don't take me for an idiot, Liono. I'm not going to make war. I'm not going to land an expeditionary force on Gaia. I just want to be on the spot - or near it, if you prefer, Liono, find out for me - I hate talking to a war office that is as ridiculously hidebound as one is sure to be after one hundred and twenty years of peace, but you don't seem to mind - just how many warships are stationed close to Sayshell. Can we make their movements seem routine and not like a mobilization?"
"In these piping times of peace, there are not many ships in the vicinity, I am sure. But I will find out."
"Even two or three will be sufficient, especially if one is of the Supernova class."
"What do you want to do with them?"
"I want them to nudge as close to Sayshell as they can - without creating an incident - and I want them sufficiently close to each other to offer mutual support."
"What's all this intended for?"
"Flexibility. I want to be able to strike if I have to."
"Against the Second Foundation? If Gaia can keep itself isolated and untouchable against the Mule, it can surely withstand a few ships now."
Branno said, with the gleam of battle in her eyes, "My friend, I told you that nothing and no one is perfect, not even Hari Seldon. In setting up his Plan, he could not help being a person of his times. He was a mathematician of the days of the dying Empire, when technology was moribund. It followed that he could not have made sufficient allowance in his Plan for technological advance. Gravities, for instance, is a whole new direction of advance he could not possibly have guessed at. And there are other advances, too.
"Gaia might also have advanced."
"In isolation? Come. There are ten quadrillion human beings within the Foundation Federation, from among whom contributors to technological advance can step forward. A single isolated world can do nothing in comparison. Our ships will advance and I will be with them."
"Pardon me, Mayor. What was that?"
"I will be going myself to the ships that will gather at the borders of Sayshell. I wish to see the situation for myself."
Kodell's mouth fell open for a moment. He swallowed and made a distinct noise as he did so. "Mayor, that is - not wise." If ever a man clearly intended a stronger remark, Kodell did.
"Wise or not," said Branno violently, "I will do it. I am tired of Terminus and of its endless political battles, its infighting, its alliances and counteralliances, its betrayals and renewals. I've had seventeen years at the center of it and I want to do something else - anything else. Out there," she waved her hand in a direction taken at random, "the whole history of the Galaxy may be changing and I want to take part in the process."
"You know nothing about such things, Mayor."
"Who does, Liono?" She rose stiffly to her feet. "As soon as you bring me the information I need on the ships and as soon as I can make arrangements for carrying on with the foolish business at home, I will go. - And, Liono, don't try to maneuver me out of this decision in any way or I'll wipe out our long friendship in a stroke and break you. I can still do that."
Kodell nodded. "I know you can, Mayor, but before you decide, may I ask you to reconsider the power of Seldon's Plan? What you intend may be suicide."
"I have no fears on that score, Liono. It was wrong with respect to the Mule, whom it could not anticipate - and a failure to anticipate at one time implies the possibility of failure at another."
Kodell sighed. "Well then, if you are really determined, I will support you to the best of my ability and with complete loyalty."
"Good. I warn you once again that you had better mean that remark with all your heart. And with that in mind, Liono, let us move on to Gaia. Forward!"
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
GAIA-S
Sura Novi now stepped into the control room of the small and rather old-fashioned ship that was carrying Stor Gendibal and herself across the parsecs in deliberate Jumps.
She had clearly been in the compact cleaning room, where oils, warm air, and a minimum of water freshened her body. She had a robe wrapped about her and was holding it tightly to herself in an agony of modesty. Her hair was dry but tangled.
She said in a low voice, "Master?"
Gendibal looked up from his charts and from his computer. "Yes, Novi?"