Honesty is the best policy. Gordon John

Gordon John

John GORDON

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY

Tagobar Larniskulus Wharf Borgax Fenigvisnoka. It was long name and an important title, and he was proud of them. The title meant something like "High Sheriff, Admiral of Fenigwisnok", and Fenigwisnok was a wealthy and significant planet in the Del empire. The title and name looked impressive on the documents, and there were a lot of documents to sign.

Tagobar himself was an excellent example of his breed, the embodiment of strength and pride. Like turtles on Earth, it had both an outer and an inner skeleton, though that was all that made it look like turtles. He looked like a man, a cross between a medieval knight in armor and a stocky rugby player dressed to go out on the field. He had the color of a well-cooked crab, and at the joints of the external skeleton it turned into a dark purple. The clothes consisted only of a short skirt, embroidered with intricate patterns and studded with sparkling precious stones. The insignia of his office was engraved in gold on the front and back armor, so that he could be recognized when he entered and when he left.

In short, he was a rather imposing figure, despite being only five feet two inches tall. As commander of his own starship, the Wharf, he had to seek out and explore planets suitable for colonization by the Del people. He's been working hard on this already. long years, following the Common Instruction exactly as a good leader should do.

And it was worth it. At one time, he found several good planets, and this was the tidbit of all.

Looking at the magnifying screen, he rubbed his hands in satisfaction. His ship orbited smoothly high above the newly discovered planet. And the screen was aimed at the area below. No Delal ship had yet been to this part of the galaxy, and it was good to find a suitable planet so quickly.

Magnificent planet! - he said. - Amazing planet. Look how green! And the blue of these seas! He turned to Lieutenant Pelkves. - How do you think? Isn't it wonderful?

Of course, wonderful, your magnificence! Pelkves replied. - You will receive another reward for it.

Tagobar started to say something, but suddenly stopped. His hands darted to the controls and clutched the switches; the ship's powerful engines roared in overload as the ship hung motionless relative to the planet below. The landscape on the magnifying screen stopped. Tagobar adjusted the magnification, and the image began to grow.

Here! - said the commander. - Pelkwesh, what is it?

The question was purely rhetorical, the image, obscured by rippling currents in two hundred and something miles of atmosphere, barely flickered on the screen, but there was no doubt that it was a city of some kind. Lieutenant Pelkvesch said so.

Plague take it! said Tagobar. - A busy planet. Cities are built only by rational beings.

Exactly, the lieutenant agreed.

Both of them didn't know what to do. Only a few times in all long history the dels they discovered intelligent beings, but under the dominion of the empire they gradually died out. None of these races, by the way, was particularly intelligent.

We'll have to ask for the General Instructions," said Tagobar at last. He moved to another screen, turned it on, and began dialing in the numbers of the code.

Deep in the bowels of the ship, the Common Instruction robot slowly came to life. In his vast memory lurked 10,000 years of accumulated and ordered facts, 10,000 years of imperial experience, 10,000 years of final decisions on every issue. It was more than an encyclopedia, it was a way of life.

Robot for the most strict rules logician tested his memory until he found the answer to Tagobar's request; then it passed the data to the screen.

Hmmm, said Tagobar. - Yes. General Instruction 333953216a, MMCMH chapter 9, paragraph 402, "After detection of sentient or semi-intelligent life, take a random sample for examination. Avoid other contact until the sample has been examined in accordance with Psychological Directive 659-B, Section 888 077e, under the direction of the Chief Psychologist. Check the data with the General Instructions If accidental contact has already occurred, consult OD 472-678-R-S, head of MMMCC, paragraph 553. Samples should be taken accordingly.."

He finished reading the General Instruction and then turned to the lieutenant.

Pelkwesh, get the support boat ready to take the sample. I'll notify the psychologist Zendoplit to get ready.

Ed Magruder took a deep breath of the spring air and closed his eyes. The air was beautiful, it was saturated with spicy aromas and juicy smells, although alien, but for some reason seemed familiar - more familiar than earthly ones.

Ed was tall and thin, with dark hair and sparkling brown eyes that seemed to squint in hidden laughter.

He opened his eyes. The city was still awake, but darkness was falling fast. Ed loved his evening walks. But wandering in the fields after dusk was dangerous in New Hawaii, even now. There were little creatures of the night, fluttering softly through the air and biting without warning. There were also larger predators. Ed headed back to the town of New Hilo, built on the site where man first set foot on the new planet.

Magruder was a biologist. Over the past ten years, he'd scoured half a dozen worlds, collecting specimens, carefully dissecting them, and recording the results in notebooks. Slowly, link by link, he made a scheme - a scheme of life itself. He had many predecessors, up to Karl Liney, but none of them understood what they were missing. They had only one type of life at their disposal - earthly life. And all earthly life is ultimately homogeneous. Of all the planets he had seen, New Hawaii was his favorite. It was the only planet besides Earth where a man could walk without any protective clothing, at least the only one so far discovered.

Ed heard a faint whistle overhead and looked up. It's too early for night creatures.

And then he saw that it was not a night creature at all, it was some kind of ball like a metal and ...

A greenish glow flashed across the surface of the ball, and for Ed Magruder, everything vanished.

Tagobar Werf watched dispassionately as Lieutenant Pelkwesh carried the insensible sample into the biological testing section. The sample was strange looking- a parody of Living being with soft skin, like a slug, pale, swarthy pinkish. With disgusting moldy growths on the head and elsewhere.

The biologists accepted the sample and began working on it. They took pieces of his skin for examination, some of his blood, and took electrical readings from his muscles and nerves.

Zendoplit, the chief psychologist, stood next to the commander, supervising the procedure.

For biologists it was Standard procedure; they worked in the same way as with any other sample that came to them. But Zendoplit had a job ahead of him that he hadn't had to do until now. He had to work with the brain of a rational being.

But he didn't worry: everything was written in the manual, every little detail of Standard Procedure. There was nothing to worry about.

As with all other samples, Zendoplit had to decipher the basic reaction scheme. Each given organism is capable of reacting only in a certain, very large, but limited number of ways, and these ways can be reduced to the Basic Scheme. To destroy any breed of creatures, you only need to find their Basic Scheme and then set them a task that they cannot solve according to this scheme. It was all very simple, and everything is written in the Manual.

Tagobar turned to the Zendoplit.

Do you really think he can learn our language?

The beginnings of it, your magnificence, - answered the psychologist. Our language is, after all, very complicated. Of course, we will try to teach him the whole system of the language, but I doubt that he will be able to learn a significant part. Our language is based on logic, just as thought itself is based on logic. Some of the lower animals are capable of rudimentary logic, but most are unable to understand it.

Okay, we'll do our best. I'll interrogate him myself.

The Zendoplier was surprised.

But, your magnificence, all questions are written in detail in the Guide!

Tagobar Werf frowned.

As you please, your splendor, - the Psychologist agreed.

When the biologists finished working with Ed Magruder, he was placed in the Language Bunker. Spotlights were placed over his eyes focused on his retinas, acoustic devices were inserted into his ears, various electrodes were attached all over his body, and a thin wire mesh was placed over his skull. Then he was injected into the blood with a special serum invented by biologists. All this was done with impeccable accuracy. Then the bunker was closed and the switch was turned on.

I read this story as a child, in a collection, which I then gave to read to I don’t remember who. For many years I could not find it, because I did not remember either the author or the keywords, and in general it seemed that this text did not exist on the Web. Now he has appeared, but information about him is still scarce - even only the last name is known about the author. But the story is good, I recommend it.

John Gordon "Honesty is the best policy"

Tagobar Larniskulus Wharf Borgax Fenigvisnoka. It was a long name and an important title, and he was proud of it. The title meant something like "High Sheriff, Admiral of Fenigwisnok", and Fenigwisnok was a wealthy and significant planet in the Dal Empire. The title and name looked impressive on the documents, and there were a lot of documents to sign. Tagobar himself was an excellent example of his breed, the embodiment of strength and pride. Like turtles on Earth, it had both an outer and an inner skeleton, although that was all that made it look like turtles. He looked like a man, a cross between a medieval knight in armor and a stocky rugby player dressed for the field. It had the color of a well-cooked crayfish, and at the joints of the external skeleton it turned into a dark purple. The clothes consisted only of a short skirt, embroidered with intricate patterns and studded with sparkling precious stones. The insignia of his office was engraved in gold on the front and back armor, so that he could be recognized when he entered and when he left. In short, he was a rather imposing figure, despite being only five feet two inches tall. As commander of his own starship, the Wharf, he had to seek out and explore planets suitable for Dal colonization. He had been diligently doing this for years, following the Common Instruction exactly as a good commander should. Looking at the magnifying screen, he rubbed his hands in satisfaction. His ship orbited smoothly high above the newly discovered planet. And the screen was aimed at the area below. No Delal ship had yet been to this part of the galaxy, and it was good to find a suitable planet so quickly.
- Great planet! - he said. - Amazing planet.
Look how green! And the blue of these seas! He turned to Lieutenant Pelkves.
- How do you think?
Isn't it wonderful?
“Of course, wonderful, your magnificence!” Pelkves replied. You will receive another reward for it. Tagobar started to say something, but suddenly stopped. His hands darted to the controls and clutched the switches; the ship's powerful engines roared in overload as the ship hung motionless relative to the planet below. The landscape on the magnifying screen stopped. Tagobar adjusted the magnification, and the image began to grow.
- Here! the commander said. – Pelkwesh, what is it? The question was purely rhetorical, the image, obscured by rippling currents in two hundred and something miles of atmosphere, barely flickered on the screen, but there was no doubt that it was a city of some kind. Lieutenant Pelkvesch said so.
"Plague take him!" said Tagobar. - A busy planet. Cities are built only by rational beings.
"That's right," agreed the lieutenant. Both of them did not know what to do. Only a few times in the long history of the dels sentient beings were discovered by them, but under the dominion of the empire they gradually died out. None of these races, by the way, was particularly intelligent.
"We'll have to ask for the Common Instruction," said Tagobar at last. He moved to another screen, turned it on, and began dialing in the digits of the code. Deep in the bowels of the ship, the Common Instruction robot slowly came to life. In his vast memory lurked 10,000 years of accumulated and ordered facts, 10,000 years of Empire Experience, 10,000 years of final decisions on every issue. It was more than an encyclopedia - it was a way of life.
“Hmmm,” said Tagobar. - Yes. General Instruction 33395321 ba, chapter MMCMH 9 paragraph 402, "After the discovery of intelligent or semi-intelligent life," take a randomly selected sample for research. Avoid other contact until the specimen has been examined in accordance with Psychological Directive 659-B, Section 888 077e, under the direction of the Chief Psychologist. Check the data with the General Instruction. If accidental contact has already occurred, consult OH 472-678-R-S, MMMAA chapter, paragraph 553. Samples should be taken accordingly..."
He finished reading the General Instruction and then turned to the lieutenant.
“Pelkvash, prepare an auxiliary boat to take a sample. I'll notify the psychologist Zendoplit to get ready.

Gordon John Honesty is the best policy

John Gordon

John GORDON

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY

In short, he was a rather imposing figure, despite being only five feet two inches tall. As commander of his own starship, the Wharf, he had to seek out and explore planets suitable for colonization by the Del people. He had been diligently doing this for many years, following the Common Instruction exactly as a good commander should do.

And it was worth it. At one time, he found several good planets, and this was the tidbit of all.

Magnificent planet! - he said. - Amazing planet. Look how green! And the blue of these seas! He turned to Lieutenant Pelkves. - How do you think? Isn't it wonderful?

Of course, wonderful, your magnificence! Pelkves replied. - You will receive another reward for it.

Here! - said the commander. - Pelkwesh, what is it?

Plague take it! said Tagobar. - A busy planet. Cities are built only by rational beings.

Exactly, the lieutenant agreed.

Both of them didn't know what to do. Only a few times in the long history of the Dels have they discovered intelligent beings, but under the dominion of the empire they gradually died out. None of these races, by the way, was particularly intelligent.

We'll have to ask for the General Instructions," said Tagobar at last. He moved to another screen, turned it on, and began dialing in the numbers of the code.

The robot, according to the strictest rules of logic, tested its memory until it found the answer to Tagobar's request; then it passed the data to the screen.

He finished reading the General Instruction and then turned to the lieutenant.

Pelkwesh, get the support boat ready to take the sample. I'll notify the psychologist Zendoplit to get ready.

Ed was tall and thin, with dark hair and sparkling brown eyes that seemed to squint in hidden laughter.

Ed heard a faint whistle overhead and looked up. It's too early for night creatures.

And then he saw that it was not a night creature at all, it was some kind of ball like a metal and ...

A greenish glow flashed across the surface of the ball, and for Ed Magruder, everything vanished.

Tagobar Werf watched dispassionately as Lieutenant Pelkwesh carried the insensible sample into the biological testing section. The specimen was strange looking, a parody of a soft-skinned creature, like a slug, of a pale, swarthy pinkish complexion. With disgusting moldy growths on the head and elsewhere.

The biologists accepted the sample and began working on it. They took pieces of his skin for examination, some of his blood, and took electrical readings from his muscles and nerves.

Zendoplit, the chief psychologist, stood next to the commander, supervising the procedure.

For biologists, this was Standard Procedure; they worked in the same way as with any other sample that came to them. But Zendoplit had a job ahead of him that he hadn't had to do until now. He had to work with the brain of a rational being.

But he didn't worry: everything was written in the manual, every little detail of Standard Procedure. There was nothing to worry about.

Tagobar turned to the Zendoplit.

Do you really think he can learn our language?

Okay, we'll do our best. I'll interrogate him myself.

The Zendoplier was surprised.

But, your magnificence, all questions are written in detail in the Guide!

Tagobar Werf frowned.

As you please, your splendor, - the Psychologist agreed.

Magruder felt vaguely that he was emerging from somewhere in the darkness. He saw strange, lobster-like creatures moving around him, and sounds whispered and bubbled into his ears.

Gradually he began to understand. He was taught to associate sounds with objects and actions.

Ed Magruder sat in a small room, four feet by six feet, naked as a worm, and stared through a transparent wall at the six strangers he had seen so often outside. Lately.

He had no idea how long he had been taught the language; he was in a fog.

"Well," he thought, "I got a lot of good samples, and now I myself got into the samples." He wake...

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Gordon John

Honesty is the best policy