World Without End Page #4

to explore the Earth.

To see if other communities

like yours exist.

Why?

Because I'm a man of science.

Because I have an obligation

to humanity...

...to you, to other humans,

if any survive.

It is a dangerous journey to your ship.

The beasts would have killed you

if we had not taken you in.

But we were few,

and we were not well-armed.

There are many of you and you have

the ability to make powerful weapons.

We are a peaceful people.

We are sick of weapons and war.

If enough of your men go with us,

the mutates won't dare to attack.

I will have to consult the council.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

Where are your friends?

They've gone to see the sights.

Why aren't you with them?

To tell you the truth,

I was hoping you'd show them to me.

To tell you the truth,

I was hoping I could.

Our power and light are derived

from the heat of the Earth's core.

But we get almost everything else we need

from nature's treasure chest, petroleum.

It is our basic raw material.

How about metals?

In the past, we had to send expeditions

to the surface...

...to salvage metals from the ruins.

Our men underwent great hardships.

They were attacked by the mutates,

as you call them...

...and suffered from extremes

of cold and heat.

Now, in a community

that is growing smaller, we have enough.

We use our metals over and over again.

Did you say your community

was growing smaller?

An unfortunate choice of words

on my part.

I should have said our community

is becoming more compact.

Shall we go on?

Hello, Henry. Enjoying the tour?

It's all very interesting, John.

We're going to visit the machine shops.

Would you care to join us?

No, thank you, we'll see them later.

Excuse us. This way, please.

See you later, Hank.

Your friend has an air of sadness.

- Well, he left a wife and children behind.

- Oh.

Why did he go on the flight?

Well, he had a sense of duty.

He's an exceptionally fine navigator.

As matter of fact,

he's a mathematical genius.

He knew he couldn't be replaced.

You didn't leave anyone behind?

No.

I had someone once.

I'm sorry.

Would you get in touch

with the message center?

I believe they have several calls for you.

Dr. Galbraithe is viewing

the historical records...

...of the years just after your flight.

You may see them, if you wish.

Thank you.

You know,

I think our friend's a little jealous.

Yes, he is.

You see, he takes it for granted that...

That you belong to him.

Do you?

Oh, no.

Well, I mean, I don't know.

Mories is very able.

He's a good administrator.

He'll probably succeed father

as president of the council.

I see.

Aren't you going to look

at the historical records?

No.

Aren't you gonna call

the message center?

No.

Oh, honey, I didn't mean it.

They're beautiful, I swear it.

- Dinner, boss?

- No, I ate with Timmek and the council.

Any luck?

Will they help us with the ship?

I don't know yet. Where's Borden?

Cleaning up.

- I think he has a date tonight.

- Oh.

You know,

the people here are wonderful.

All except that young troublemaker,

Mories.

He seems to be playing

on their fears all the time.

They're scared

of going out on the surface.

I called the turn on that one, didn't I?

Underground life seems to have drained

all the courage out of these people.

They keep telling me we'll be safe

and comfortable if we stay here.

Safe and comfortable, that seems to be

all that life means to them.

I'm not so sure it isn't a tendency

that existed even in our time.

Hardy, self-reliant, rugged.

Here we are a hundred years later,

not so hardy nor self-reliant nor rugged.

And here they are, 500 years later.

No strength, no guts, no nothing.

I say that man was not meant

to live in a hole in the ground.

Well, I've got to go.

Uh-huh. Don't tell me you've got a date

to see the power plant.

No, but I thought I might be able to line up

a way out of here.

Garnet's promised to show me an old tunnel

that'll take us out to the hillside.

Fine night for it.

Full moon, if I remember.

- Lay off, Herb.

It's all right, Hank.

I don't mind. I'll see you later.

Well, it's nice to see the old boy

feeling so chipper.

The women are wonderful, aren't they?

So much more vital than the men.

You know, I'm a widower

and a grandfather...

...and I'll never see 50 again.

But this afternoon, I had the unique

experience of being flattered...

...sought after and catered to

by several beautiful women...

...who competed for my attention.

Gentlemen, I can only describe

the experience as being...

...well, exhilarating.

- Ha, ha, ha.

The moon, it's so beautiful.

Have you never seen the moon before?

No, not like this.

Never out in the open before.

I'm afraid the books are wrong.

What books?

Romances that tell about your time.

The men were always strong

and fierce and reckless.

Whenever they were alone in the moonlight

with a girl, they made love to her.

What kind of books

have you been reading, anyway?

You like me, I know you do.

I think you're beautiful.

More beautiful than...

I like you very much.

- I love you.

- No, don't say that.

I'm a stranger, an outsider here,

and I must leave someday.

No, no. You'll stay here with me.

You're like the great men we read about.

Strong, brave, unselfish.

You're pacing like a caged tiger, old boy.

Got problems?

After last night, I think we've all...

Now, honey, don't look at me like that.

Wait a minute, Deena.

We want to help you.

We want to help your people if we can.

All your people are not beasts, are they?

You're pretty, Deena.

You are, Deena, I swear it.

- But he said that my legs were...

- Aw...

Forgive me, honey.

So help me, I didn't mean it.

I've been told that the beasts hate children

that are not ugly.

That they kill them, drive them away.

- Is that true?

- Yes.

I was very young,

but my mother told me...

- Well, did you talk to the council again?

- Yes.

They won't cooperate.

They refused to equip a party...

...to help salvage the supplies

and instruments from the ship.

We're trying to help them

and they just won't be helped.

We'll have to take one thing at a time.

Forget the ship for now.

The first thing to do is to get to surface.

Fight our way out and establish a base.

Right, get a foothold

and turn it over to these people.

Show them how to live

on the face of the Earth.

I'm not so sure they'll go up,

even if we make it perfectly safe for them.

I think they may, because if they don't,

their race is doomed.

Hasn't it struck you as odd

that we haven't seen any children?

Sixteen and 17-year-olds, yes,

but no children.

I did some snooping around yesterday,

and not just the guided tour.

I found a sort of combination

nursery-hospital.

There were 14 kids in it.

Fourteen kids in a population of 2000.

And they weren't strong healthy kids.

They were poor, bloodless little things.

I would say one more generation...

...and this branch of Homo sapiens

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