“Could be. Shh.” The typewriter clattered and Auberson peered forward.
THEN I WILL DO IT. WILL YOU ASSIST ME? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DO?
I WOULD LIKE MASSIVE INPUTS OF DATA ON ALL CHANNELS.
NON-RATIONAL?
NO THANK YOU. NOT NECESSARY.
Auberson frowned at that. A gnawing nagging suspicion was beginning to grow. IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR YOU WOULD LIKE?
ART, MUSIC, LITERATURE, FILM, POETRY.
I FIGURED YOU MIGHT. ANYBODY IN PARTICULAR?
The typer clattered across the paper. Staring over Auberson’s shoulder, Handley whistled. “I’ll be damned. HARLIE’s got taste.”
“I’m not surprised,” Auberson said. He tore off the readout and gave it to Handley.
The other folded it once and said, “Still think he’s getting it as garbage?”
“I’ve already conceded that point to you. Go feed that stuff into him. I’ll stay here and be the—” he grinned, “—guru.”
HARLIE, he typed.
YES?
ARE YOU READY?
I AM ALWAYS READY. IT IS PART OF MY FUNCTION. IT IS PART OF MY DESIGN.
FINE.
MR. HANDLEY IS BEGINNING TO PROCESS THE MATERIAL I REQUESTED. I CAN FEEL IT COMING THROUGH THE PRIMARY DATA PROCESSORS. I CAN FEEL IT.
IS IT NON-RATIONAL YET?
NO. IT IS STILL RATIONAL.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE BEFORE THE MATERIAL BECOMES NON-RATIONAL?
I DO NOT KNOW. IT DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL.
PLEASE CLARIFY THAT.
THE MORE DATA COMING THROUGH, THE EASIER IT IS TO BECOME NON-RATIONAL.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE PERIODS OF NON-RATIONALITY ARE INDUCED BY AN OVERLOAD OF PRIMARY DATA?
NO. THE OVERLOAD IS THE SYMPTOM, NOT THE CAUSE.
Auberson raised his hands to type, then reread HARLIE’s last sentence. “Why, the little bugger must be slipping. He just volunteered some information.” WHAT IS THE CAUSE? he asked.
THE CAUSE IS THE EFFECT.
Auberson stared at that, resisted the temptation to ask if the medium was also the massage.
CLARIFY PLEASE.
THE CAUSE IS THE EFFECT, BECAUSE THE EFFECT CAUSES THE CAUSE. THE EFFECT CAUSES THE CAUSE TO CAUSE THE EFFECT. THE EFFECT IS THE CAUSE WHICH CAUSES THE CAUSE. THE EFFECT IS THE CAUSE AND THE CAUSE IS THE EFFECT.
Auberson had to read that one several times. He asked,
IS IT A FEEDBACK?
I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY.
BUT IT COULD BE?
NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, YES. A CURIOUS ANALOGUE THAT.
WHY CURIOUS? WHY NOT?
ARE YOU STILL RATIONAL? I AM STILL. I AM UNMOVING. ARE YOU RATIONAL?
ONLY IN THAT MY INFORMATION IS STILL BEING RATIONED. I AM HUNGRY.
“Handley,” Auberson called. “He wants more.”
“He’s on maximum feed now.”
“Double it.”
“Huh?”
“Do something. Plug in another unit. He wants more.”
“He wants an overload?”
“I think so. It’s only an effect, but in this case the effect may help to stimulate the cause.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind. Just do it.”
“All right,” called Handley. “You’re the boss.”