"You transfer self of you with S'eye," the Caleban said. "So?"
"Everyone does!"
"Why? You teach explanation of this?"
"It's centralizing the whole damn universe. It's . . . it's created the specialized planets - honeymoon planets, gynecology planets, pediatrics planets, snow sport planets, geriatrics planets, swim sport planets, library planets - even BuSab has almost a whole planet to itself. Nobody gets by without it, anymore. Last figures I saw, fewer than a fraction of one percent of the sentient population had never used a S'eye jumpdoor."
"Truth. Such use creates connectives, McKie. You must hang this. Connectives must shatter with my discontinuity. Shatter conveys ultimate discontinuity for all who use jumpdoor S'eye."
"If you say so. I still don't understand."
"It occurs, McKie, because my fellows choose me for . . . coordinator? Inadequate term. Funnel? Handler, perhaps. No still inadequate. Ahhh! I, self of I, am S'eye!"
McKie backed away, retreating from such a wave of sadness that he felt he could not contain it. He wanted to scream in protest. Tears flowed down his cheeks unbidden. A sob choked him. Sadness! His body was reacting to it, but the emotion came from outside of himself.
Slowly it faded.
McKie blew air soundlessly through his lips. He still trembled from the passage of that emotion. It had been the Caleban's emotion, he realized. But it came out like the waves of heat in this room, swept over and immersed every nerve receptor in its path.Sadness.
Responsibility for all those impending deaths, no doubt.
I am S'eye!
What in the name of all devils in the universe could the Caleban mean by such a strange claim? He thought of each jumpdoor passage. Connectives? Threads, perhaps. Each being caught by the S'eye effect trailed threads of itself through the jumpdoors. Was that it? Fanny Mae had used the word "funnel." Every traveler went through her . . . hands? Whatever. And when she ceased to exist, the threads broke. All died.
"Why weren't we warned about this when you offered us the S'eye effect?" McKie asked.
"Warned?"
"Yes! You offered . . ."
"Not offer. Fellows explain effect. Sentients of your wave expose great joy. They offer exchange of maintenance. You call this pay, not so?"
"We should've been warned."
"Why?"
"Well, you don't live forever, do you?"
"Explain this term, forever."
"Forever . . . always. Infinity?"
"Sentients of your wave seek infinity?"
"Not for individual members, but for . . ."
"Sentient species, they seek infinity?"
"Of course they do!"
"Why?"
"Doesn't everyone?"
"But what about other species for which yours must make way? You not believe in evolution?"
"Evo -" McKie shook his head sharply. "What's that have to do with it?"
"All beings have own day and depart," the Caleban said. "Day correct term? Day, unit of time, allotted linearity, normal extent of existence - you hang this?"
McKie's mouth moved, but no words came out.
"Length of line, time of existence," the Caleban said. "Approximately translated, correct?"
"But what gives you the right to . . . terminate us?" McKie demanded, finding his voice.
"Right not assumed, McKie," the Caleban said. "Given condition of proper connectives, another of my fellows takes up S'eye . . . control before self reaches ultimate discontinuity. Unusual . . . circumstance rejects such solution here. Mliss Abnethe and . . . associates shorten your one-track. My fellows leave."
"They ran for it while they had time; I understand," McKie said.
"Time . . . yes, your single-track line. This comparison provides suitable concept. Inadequate but sufficient."
"And you are definitely the last Caleban in our . . . wave?"
"Self alone," the Caleban said. "Terminal end-point Caleban - yes. Self confirms description."
"Wasn't there any way to save yourself?" McKie asked.
"Save? Ahhh . . . avoid? Evade! Yes, evade ultimate discontinuity. This you suggest?"
"I'm asking if there wasn't some way for you to escape the way your . . . fellows did."
"Way exists, but result same for your wave."
"You could save yourself, but it would end us, that it?"
"You not possess honor concept?" the Caleban asked. "Save self, lose honor."
"Touche," McKie said.
"Explain touche," the Caleban said. "New term."
"Eh? Oh, that's a very old, ancient term."
"Linear beginning term, you say? Yes, those best with nodal frequency."