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The discussion generated a growing respect for the natural order of the Universe that we felt should never be tempered with. As a decaying civilization collapses within itself, it looses its technological capabilities. The result is that its range of influence becomes progressively restricted to the point where it completely isolates itself from the Universe. In this way, no damage can be done outside itself. The process of collapse assures that the insanity that led to it becomes self-quarantined.
"But if this quarantine were to be broken," I say during the discussions.
"God help the Universe!" Odessa replies.
We all agree with her.
"Us letting this happen, would be insanity itself," Jill suggests.
Heisenberg suggests that such a thing might, at one point, have happened to the civilization of the Gorans.
As it was, we all had something to say on the issue, though none of us dared to address what really lay at our hearts, what we were thinking about every waking moment from the time this question was raised. Would there ever be a chance for us to get together again with our families? Would it be possible to start a new life on earth, perhaps under a new name, in a new country where one would never ever be tempted to even once take advantage of the technology we had learned to use? If one person found out about us, the whole secret could become unraveled. Going back simply appeared too risky. We had become too sensitive to allow this to happen.
Cira and Mahesh swore they would never go back to their Gamma planet.
Another question was frequently asked. "Could mankind benefit at all from the new knowledge that we have gained?"
"Suppose we would return to planet 'O' and continue our in-depth investigation," says Olaf, "would anyone on Earth be able to use this knowledge? Certainly we could tell them about the vast networks of nuclear power plants that we have seen, which breed their own fuel, and about hydrogen fusion applications in mineral reduction plants that use nothing but ordinary rock as feed-stock to produce any base element one cares to name. We could also tell them about the 'O' people's advances in nuclear biology and medicine, and laser applications in surgery that we have seen. We could tell humanity also about the 'O' people's bacteriological technologies, and their engineering technologies for the construction of special viruses for healing. We could tell them about all these things, even about their political systems of local democracies that are operating without coercion and bickering. We could tell them also about the 'O' people's use of the National Credit Society Principle, which America had likewise developed, but which America had then scrapped at the bidding of empire. We could tell them also about their moral attitudes in which dignity, the protection and the respect for the needs of individual people are of central importance."
He turns to me, "You could tell them wondrous tales back home, but would you tell them anything they didn't already know? The fact is, every technology the 'O' people have, is known on Earth. The difference is that on Earth most technologies have been filed away as impractical, too costly, or too dangerous to imperial domination.
"What could they profit if we gave them what they already have?" Olaf asks. "Even if we told them that those technologies had been profitably applied, they would laugh at us. They might tell us that you can't compare planet 'O' with the Earth, and they would be right! Just try it!" he says to me. "Go to Berlin, go to the great university there and register a lecture of how to defeat oligarchism. You'll be lucky if you get a half a dozen signing up. Then tell them that oligarchism is the only disease they need to worry about, and tell them how this kind of disease was defeated on planet 'O' when the people there faced a mortal crisis which they might not have survived otherwise. Tell them also about your fight with the captain, which you didn't quite win, but were on the right track towards an eventual victory. If you taught this at the university, you wouldn't have a single student left after two weeks. Do you understand what I am saying?"
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