The Philip K. Dick Megapack by Philip K Dick Read Free Book Online Page B

stopped close by the men, looking them up and down.
    “I’m Franks of Security. We came from undersurface in order to—”
    “This in incredible,” one of the leadys interrupted him coldly. “You know you can’t live up here. The whole surface is lethal to you. You can’t possibly remain on the surface.”
    “These suits will protect us,” Franks said. “In any case, it’s not your responsibility. What I want is an immediate Council meeting so I can acquaint myself with conditions, with the situation here. Can that be arranged?”
    “You human beings can’t survive up here. And the new Soviet attack is directed at this area. It is in considerable danger.”
    “We know that. Please assemble the Council.” Franks looked around him at the vast room, lit by recessed lamps in the ceiling. An uncertain quality came into his voice. “Is it night or day right now?”
    “Night,” one of the A-class leadys said, after a pause. “Dawn is coming in about two hours.”
    Franks nodded. “We’ll remain at least two hours, then. As a concession to our sentimentality, would you please show us some place where we can observe the Sun as it comes up? We would appreciate it.”
    A stir went through the leadys.
    “It is an unpleasant sight,” one of the leadys said. “You’ve seen the photographs; you know what you’ll witness. Clouds of drifting particles blot out the light, slag heaps are everywhere, the whole land is destroyed. For you it will be a staggering sight, much worse than pictures and film can convey.”
    “However it may be, we’ll stay long enough to see it. Will you give the order to the Council?”
    * * * *
    “Come this way.” Reluctantly, the two leadys coasted toward the wall of the warehouse. The three men trudged after them, their heavy shoes ringing against the concrete. At the wall, the two leadys paused.
    “This is the entrance to the Council Chamber. There are windows in the Chamber Room, but it is still dark outside, of course. You’ll see nothing right now, but in two hours—”
    “Open the door,” Franks said.
    The door slid back. They went slowly inside. The room was small, a neat room with a round table in the center, chairs ringing it. The three of them sat down silently, and the two leadys followed after them, taking their places.
    “The other Council Members are on their way. They have already been notified and are coming as quickly as they can. Again I urge you to go back down.” The leady surveyed the three human beings. “There is no way you can meet the conditions up here. Even we survive with some trouble, ourselves. How can you expect to do it?”
    The leader approached Franks.
    “This astonishes and perplexes us,” it said. “Of course we must do what you tell us, but allow me to point out that if you remain here—”
    “We know,” Franks said impatiently. “However, we intend to remain, at least until sunrise.”
    “If you insist.”
    There was silence. The leadys seemed to be conferring with each other, although the three men heard no sound.
    “For your own good,” the leader said at last, “you must go back down. We have discussed this, and it seems to us that you are doing the wrong thing for your own good.”
    “We are human beings,” Franks said sharply. “Don’t you understand? We’re men, not machines.”
    “That is precisely why you must go back. This room is radioactive; all surface areas are. We calculate that your suits will not protect you for over fifty more minutes. Therefore—”
    The leadys moved abruptly toward the men, wheeling in a circle, forming a solid row. The men stood up, Taylor reaching awkwardly for his weapon, his fingers numb and stupid. The men stood facing the silent metal figures.
    “We must insist,” the leader said, its voice without emotion. “We must take you back to the Tube and send you down on the next car. I am sorry, but it is necessary.”
    “What’ll we do?” Moss said nervously to Franks. He touched his