The Defenders - Philip K. Dick - X Minus One Project

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
The Defenders by Philip Dick. Noweapon has ever been frightful enough to put
a stop to war, perhaps becausewe never before had any that thought for
themselves. Taylor sat back in hischair, reading the morning newspaper. The

(00:20):
warm kitchen and the smell of coffeeblended with the comfort of not having to
go to work. This was hisrest period, the first for a long
time, and he was glad ofit. He folded the second section back,
sighing with contentment. What is it, Mary said from the stove.
They paced at Moscow again last night. Taylor nodded his head in approval.

(00:44):
Gave it a real pounding, oneof those r H bombs. It's about
time. He nodded again, feelingthe full comfort of the kitchen, the
presence of his plump, attractive wife, the breakfast dishes, and coffee.
This was relaxation, and the warnews was good, good, and satisfying.

(01:04):
He could feel a justifiable glow atthe news, a sense of pride
and personal accomplishment. After all,he was an integral part of the war
program, not just another factory workerlugging a cardiff scrap, but a technician,
one of those who designed and plannedthe nerve trunk of the war.

(01:25):
It says they have the new subsalmost perfected. Wait until they get those
going. He smacked his lips withanticipation. When they start shelling from underwater,
the Soviets are sure going to besurprised. They're doing a wonderful job.
Mary agreed vaguely. Do you knowwhat we saw today? Our team

(01:46):
is getting a letty to show tothe school children. I saw the letty,
but only for a moment. It'sgood for the children to see what
their contributions are going for, don'tyou think. She looked around at him.
Eddie Taylor murmured. He put thenewspaper slowly down. Well, make
sure it's decontaminated properly. We don'twant to take any chances. Oh,

(02:09):
they always bade them when they're broughtdown from the surface. Mary said,
they wouldn't think of letting them downwithout the bath, would they. She
hesitated, thinking back, John,you know it makes me remember, He
nodded. I know he knew whatshe was thinking. Once, in the

(02:30):
very first weeks of the war,before everyone had been evacuated from the surface,
they had seen a hospital train dischargingthe wounded people who had been showered
with sleet. He remembered the waythey had looked, the expression on their
faces, or as much of theirfaces as was left. It had not

(02:51):
been a pleasant sight. There hadbeen a lot of that at first,
in the early days before the transferto under surface was complete. There had
been a lot, and it hadn'tbeen very difficult to come across it.
Taylor looked up at his wife.She was thinking too much about it.
The last few months they all were. Forget it, he said, it's

(03:14):
all in the past. There isn'tanybody up there now. Put the letties
and they don't mind. But justthe same, I hope they're careful when
they let one of them down here, if one were still hot, he
laughed, pushing himself away from thetable. Forget it, this is a
wonderful moment. I'll be home forthe next two shifts. Nothing to do

(03:37):
but sit around and take things easy. Maybe we can take in the show.
Okay, a show, do wehave to. I don't like to
look at all the destruction, theruins. Sometimes I see someplace I remember,
like San Francisco. They showed ashot of San Francisco, the bridge
broken and fallen in the water,and I got upset. I don't like

(03:59):
to watch, but don't you wantto know what's going on? No human
beings are getting hurt, you know, but it's so awful. Her face
was set and strained. Please no, don don Taylor picked up his newspaper,
sullenly. All right, but thereisn't a hell of a lot else
to do. And don't forget.Their cities are getting it even worse.

(04:21):
She nodded. Taylor turned the rough, thin sheets of newspaper. His good
mood had starred on him. Whydid she have to fret all the time?
They were pretty well off as thingswent. You couldn't expect to have
everything perfect living under surface with anartificial sun and artificial food. Naturally,

(04:42):
it was a strain, not seeingthe sky or being able to go any
place or see anything other than metalwalls, great roaring factories, the plant
yards, barracks. But it wasbetter than being on surface, and someday
it would end and they could return. Nobody wanted to to live this way,
but it was necessary. He turnedthe page angrily, and the poor

(05:04):
paper ripped. Damn it. Thepaper was getting worse quality all the time,
bad print, yellow, tint wellthey needed everything for the war program.
He ought to know that. Wasn'the one of the planners. He
excused himself and went into another room. The bed was still unmade. They
had better get it in shape beforethe seventh hour inspection. There was a

(05:28):
one unit fine. The vidphone rang. He hauled it. Who would it
be? He went over and clickedit on Taylor. The face said,
forming into place. It was anold face, gray and grim. This
is Moss. I'm sorry to botheryou during rest period, but this thing
has come up. He rattled papers. I want you to hurry over here.

(05:50):
Taylor stiffen, what is it?There's no chance it could wait.
The calm gray eyes were studying him, expressionless, unjudging. If you want
me to come down to the lab, tailor grumbled, I suppose I can.
I'll get my uniform. No,come as you are and not to
the lab. Meet me at secondstage as soon as possible. It'll take

(06:13):
you about a half hour using thefast car up. I'll see you there.
The picture broke and Moss disappear.What was it? Mary said at
the door. Moss, he wantsme for something. I knew this would
happen. Well, you didn't wantto do anything anyhow. What does it
matter? His voice was bitter.It's all the same every day. I'll

(06:34):
bring you back something. I'm goingup to second stage. Maybe I'll be
close enough to the surface to don't. Don't bring me anything not from the
surface, all right, I won't. But of all the irrational nonsense.
She watched him put on his bootswithout answering. Moss knodded, and Tailor
fell in step with him. Asthe older man strode along. A series

(06:58):
of loads were going up to thesurface, bling cars clanking like war trucks
up the ramp, disappearing through thestage trap above them. Taylor watched the
cars, heavy with tubular machinery ofsome sort, weapons new to him.
Workers were everywhere in the dark,gray uniforms of the Labor Corps, loading,
lifting, shouting back and forth.The stage was deafening with noise.

(07:23):
We'll go up away, Moss said, where we can talk. This is
no place to give you details.They took an escalator up. The commercial
lift fell behind them, and withit most of the crashing and booming.
Soon they emerged on an observation platformsuspended on the side of the tube.
The vast tunnel leading to the surface, not more than half a mile above

(07:46):
them. Now, my god,Taylor said, looking down the tube involuntarily,
it's a long way down. Mossleft, don't look. They opened
the door and entered an office.Behind the desk, an officer was sitting,
an officer of internal security. Helooked up. I'll be right with
you, Moss. He gazed atTaylor, studying him. You're a little

(08:09):
ahead of time. This is CommanderFranks. Moss said to Taylor. He
was the first to make the discovery. I was notified last night. He
topped a parcel he carried. Iwas let in because of this. Franks
crowned at him and stood up.We're going up to first stage. We
can discuss it there first stage,Taylor repeated nervously. The three of them

(08:33):
went down, assigned passage to asmall lift. I've never been up there.
Is it all right? It's notradioactive, is it? You're like
everyone else, Franks said, oldwomen afraid of burglars. No radiation leaks
down to first stage. There's leadin rock, and what comes down the
tube is bathe what's the nature ofthe problem, Taylor asked, I'd like

(08:56):
to know something about it in amoment. They entered the lift and ascended.
When they stepped out, they werein a hall of soldiers, weapons
and uniforms everywhere. Taylor blinked insurprise. So this was first stage,
the closest under surface level to thetop. After this stage there was only

(09:16):
rock, lead and rock, andthe great tubes leading up like the burrows
of earthworms, lead and rock,and above that were the tubes opened,
the great expanse that no living beinghad seen for eight years, the vast,
endless ruin that had once been Man'shome, the place where he had
lived eight years ago. Now thesurface was a lethal desert of slag and

(09:41):
rolling clouds. Endless clouds drifted backand forth, blotting out the red sun.
Occasionally something metallic stirred, moving throughthe remains of a city, threading
its way across the torture terrain ofthe countryside. A leady, a surface
robot immune to radiation, constructed withfeverish haste. In the last months before

(10:03):
the Cold War, became literally hotletties crawling along the ground, moving over
the oceans and through the skies inslender, blackened craft creatures that could exist
where no life could remain, metaland plastic figures that waged the war man
had conceived, but which he couldnot fight himself. Human beings had invented

(10:28):
war, invented and manufactured the weapons, even invented the players, the fighters,
the actors of the war, butthey themselves could not venture forth could
not wage it themselves. In allthe world, in Russia, in Europe,
America, Africa, no living humanbeing remained. They were under the

(10:50):
surface, in the deep shelters thathad been carefully planned and built even as
the first bombs began to fall.It was a brilliant idea, and the
only idea that could have worked upabove. On the ruined, lasted surface
of what had once been a livingplanet, the letting crawled and scurried and
fought Man's war, and under surface, in the depths of the planet,

(11:13):
human beings toiled endlessly to produce theweapons to continue the fight, month by
month, year by year. Firststage, Taylor said, a strange ache
went through him, almost to thesurface, but not quite. Moss said.
Franks led them through the soldiers overto one side near the lip of

(11:33):
the tube. In a few minutes, a lift will bring something down to
us from the surface. He explained, you see Taylor. Every once in
a while, security examines and interrogatesa surface letty, one that has been
above for a time, to findout certain things. A bid call is
sent up and contact is made withthe field headquarters. We need this direct

(11:56):
interview. We can't depend on bidscreencontact alone. The letties are doing a
good job, but we want tomake certain that everything is going the way
we wanted. Franks faced Taylor andMoss and continued, the lift will bring
down a letty from the surface,one of the A Class letties. There's
an examination chamber in the next roomwith a lead wall in the center,

(12:18):
so the interviewing officers won't be exposedto radiation. We find this easier than
bathing the letty. It is goingright back up. It has a job
to get back to. Two daysago, an A Class letty was brought
down and interrogated. I conducted thesession myself. We were interested in a
new weapon. The Soviets have beenusing an automatic mind that pursues anything that

(12:43):
moves. Military had sent instructions upthat the mind be observed and reported in
detail. This A Class letty wasbrought down with information We learned a few
facts from it, obtained the usualrole of film and reports, and then
send it back up. It wasgoing out of the chamber back to the
lift. What a curious thing happenedAt the time, I thought Franks broke

(13:07):
off. A red light was flashingthat down lift is coming. He nodded
to some soldiers. Let's enter thechamber. The letty will be along in
a moment. An a class letty, Taylor said, I've seen them on
the show screens making their reports.It's quite an experience. Moss said,
they're almost human. They entered thechamber and seated themselves behind the lead wall.

(13:31):
After a time, a signal wasflashed and Franks made a motion with
his hands. The door beyond thewall opened. Taylor peered through his view
slide. He saw something advancing slowly, A slender, metallic figure moving on
a tread. Its arm grips atrest by its sides. The figure haulted
and scanned the lead wall. Itstood waiting. We are interested in learning

(13:56):
something, Franks said before I questionyou, do you have anything to report
on surface conditions? No want touse the Letty's voice was automatic and toneless.
We are a little short of fastpursue, we would use all of
that has all been noted. WhatI want to ask you is this Our

(14:18):
contact with you has been through bdscreenonly. We must rely on indirect evidence.
Since none of us goes above,we can only infer what is going
on. We never see anything ourselves. We have to take it all secondhand.
Some top leaders are beginning to thinkthere's too much room for error.

(14:39):
The letty asked are checkly set down. We maintain with you this report any
words which the energy is seen toemployer. I realize that Franks grunted behind

(15:01):
his peep slot, but perhaps weshould see it all for ourselves. Is
it possible that there might be alarge enough radiation free area for a human
party to ascend to the surface Ifa few of us were to come up
in lead line suits, would webe able to survive long enough to observe
conditions and watch things? The machinehesitated before answering. I doubt it.

(15:26):
You can air samples, of course, and decide for yourselves. But eighty
eight years since you left, thingshave continually worsen. You cannot have any
real idea of conditions up there.It has become difficult for any moving objects
to survive for long. There aremany kinds of projectiles sensitive to movement.

(15:54):
The mind not only reacts to motion, but continues to resodefinitely until finally reaches
and the radiation is everywhere I see. Franks turned to Moss. His eyes

(16:15):
narrowed oddly. Well, that waswhat I wanted to know. You may
go. The machine moved back towardsits exit. It paused at legal articles
in the atmosphere in Rhesus. Theais gradually, I understand. Franks rose.
He held out his hand and Mosspassed him the package. One thing

(16:38):
before you leave, I want youto examine a new type of metal shield
material. I'll pass you a samplewith the tongue. Franks put the package
in the tooth grip and revolved thetongue so that he held the other end.
The package swung down to the letty, which took it. They watched
it unwrapped the package and take themetal plate in its hands. The lettie

(17:00):
turned the metal over and over.Suddenly it became rigid. All right,
Franks said. He put his shoulderagainst the wall and a section slid aside
Taylor gas. Franks and Moss werehurrying up to the letty. Good god,
Taylor said, but it's radioactive.The lettie stood unmoving, still holding

(17:22):
the metal. Soldiers appeared in thechamber. They surrounded the letty and ran
a counter across it. Carefully.Okay, sir, one of them said
to Franks, it's as cold asa long winter evening. Good. I
was sure, but I didn't wantto take any chances. You see,
Moss said to Taylor, this lettyisn't hot at all. Yet it came
directly from the surface without even beingbade. But what does it mean,

(17:45):
Taylor asked blankly. It made bean accident. Franks said, there's always
the possibility that a given object mightescape being exposed above. But this is
the second time it's happened that weknow of. There may be others.
The second time, the previous interviewwas when we noticed it. The letty

(18:07):
was not hot. It was coldtoo, like this one. Moss took
back the metal plate from the letty'shands. He pressed the surface carefully and
returned it to the stiff, unprotestingfingers. We shorted it out with this
so we could get close enough fora thorough check. It'll come back on
in a second. Now we hadbetter get behind the wall again. They

(18:29):
walked back, and the lead wallswung close behind them. The soldiers left
the chamber. Two periods from now, Frank said softly, an initial investigating
party will be ready to go surfaceside. We're going up the tube in
suits, up to the top,the first human party to leave under surface
in eight years. It may meannothing, Moss said, but I doubt

(18:53):
it. Something's going on, somethingstrange. The letty told us no life
could above without being roasted. Thestory doesn't fit, Taylor nodded. He
stared through the peep slot at theimmobible metal figure. Already the letty was
beginning to sturb. It was bentin several places and dented it and twisted,

(19:14):
and its finish was blackened and charred. It was a letty that had
been up there a long time.It had seen war and destruction, ruined
so vast that no human being couldimagine the extent. It had crawled and
slunk in a world of radiation anddeath, a world where no life could
exist, and Taylor had touched it. You're going with us, Frank said,

(19:38):
suddenly, I want you along.I think the three of us will
go. Mary faced him with asick and frightened expression. I know it.
You're going to the surface, aren'tyou. She followed him into the
kitchen. Taylor sat down, lookingaway from her. It's a classified project,
he evaded. I can't tell youa anything about it. You don't

(20:00):
have to tell me. I know, I knew it the moment you came
in. There was something on yourface, something I haven't seen there for
a long long time. It wasan old look. She came toward him.
But how can they send you tothe surface. She took his face
in her shaking hands, making himlook at her. There was a strange

(20:21):
hunger in her eyes. Nobody canlive up there. Look look at this.
She grabbed up a newspaper and heldit in front of him. Look
at this photograph America, Europe,Asia, Africa. Nothing but ruins.
We've seen it every day on theshow screens, all destroyed, poisoned,
and they're sending you up. Whyno living thing can get by up there,

(20:45):
not even a weed or grass.They've wrecked the surface, haven't they,
haven't they? Taylor stood up.It's an order. I know nothing
about it. I was told toreport to join a scout party. That's
all I know. He stood fora long time, staring ahead. Slowly,
he reached for the newspaper and heldit up to the light. It

(21:08):
looks real, he murmured, ruins, deadness, slag. It's convincing.
All the reports, photographs, films, even air samples. Yet we haven't
seen it for ourselves, not afterthe first months. What are you talking
about? Nothing? He put thepaper down. I'm leaving early after the

(21:30):
next sleep period. Let's turn in. Mary turned away, her face hard
and harsh. Do what you want. We might just as well all go
up and get killed at once,instead of dying slowly down here, like
vermin in the ground. He hadnot realized how resentful she was. Were
they all liked that? How aboutthe workers toiling in the factories day and

(21:52):
night, endlessly, the pale,stooped men and women plodding back and forth
to work, blinking in the colorlesslight, heating synthetics. You shouldn't be
so bitter, he said. Marysmiled a little. I'm bitter because I
know you'll never come back. Sheturned away. I'll never see you again
once you go up there. Hewas shocked. What how can you say

(22:15):
a thing like that. She didnot answer. He awakened with the public
newscasters screeching in his ears, shoutingoutside the building. Special news bulletin Surface
forces report enormous Soviet attack with newweapons. Retreat of key groups. All
work units report to factories at once. Taylor blinked, rubbing his eyes.

(22:37):
He jumped out of bed and hurriedto the vidphone. A moment later,
he was put through the Moss listen. He said, what about this new
attack? Is the project off?He could see Moss's desk covered with reports
and papers. No, Moss said, We're going right ahead. Get over
here at once, but don't arguewith me. Moss held up a handful
of surface bulletins, crumbling them savagely. This is a fake, come on,

(23:03):
he broke off. Taylor dressed furiously, his mind in a daze.
Half an hour later, he leapedfrom a fast car and hurried up the
stairs into the Synthetics building. Thecorridors were full of men and women rushing
in every direction. He entered Moss'soffice. There you are, Moss said,
getting up immediately. Franks is waitingfor us at the outgoing station.

(23:26):
They went in a security car.The sirens screaming. Workers scattered out of
their way. What about the attack, Taylor asked. Moss braced his shoulders.
Were certain that we forced their hand. We brought the issue to a
head. They pulled up at thestation link of the tube and leaped out.
A moment later, they were movingup at high speed toward the first
stage. They emerged into a bewilderingscene of activity. Soldiers were fastening on

(23:52):
lead suits, talking excitedly to eachother, shouting back and forth. Guns
were being given out, instructions passed. Taylor studied one of the soldiers.
He was armed with a dreaded Benderpistol, the new snubnosed hand weapon that
was just beginning to come from theassembly line. Some of the soldiers looked
a little frightened. I hope we'renot making a mistake, Moss said,

(24:15):
noticing his gaze. Franks came towardthem. Here's the program. The three
of us are going up first alone. The soldiers will follow in fifteen minutes.
What are we going to tell theletties, Taylor worriedly asked, We'll
have to tell them something. Wewant to observe the new Soviet attack.

(24:36):
Franks smiled, ironically, since itseems to be so serious, we should
be there in person to witness it. And then why, Taylor said,
that'll be up to them. Let'sgo in a small car. They went
swiftly up the tube, carried byandigrav beams from below. Taylor glanced down
from time to time. It wasa long way back and getting longer each

(24:59):
moment. He sweat it nervously insidehis suit, gripping his bender pistol with
inexpert fingers. Why had they chosenhim? Chance, poor chance? Moss
had asked him to come along asa department member, then Franks had picked
him out on the spur of themoment, And now they were rushing toward
the surface, faster and faster.A deep fear instilled in him for eight

(25:22):
years throbbed in his mind. Radiation, certain death, a world blasted and
lethal. Up and up the car. When Taylor ripped asides and closed his
eyes, each moment they were closer, the first living creatures to go above
the first stage, up the tube, past the lead and rock, up

(25:44):
to the surface, the phoebic horrorshook him in waves. It was death.
They all knew that, hadn't theyseen it in the fields a thousand
times, the cities, the sleepcoming down, the rolling clouds. It
won't be much longer. Frank said, We're almost there. The surface tower
is not expecting us. I gaveorders that no signal was to be sent.

(26:07):
The car shot up, rushing furiously. Taylor's head spun. He hung
on his eyes, shut up andup. The car stopped. He opened
his eyes. They were in avast room, fluorescent lit, a cavern
filled with equipment and machinery, endlessmounts of material piled in row after row
among the stacks. Letties were workingsilently, pushing trucks and hand carts letties.

(26:33):
Moss said his face was pale.Then were really on the surface.
The letties were going back and forthwith equipment, moving the vast stores of
guns and spare parts, ammunition andsupplies that had been brought to the surface.
And this was the receiving station foronly one tube. There were many
others scattered throughout the continent. Taylorlooked nervously around him. They were really

(26:59):
there, above ground, on thesurface. This was where the war was
come on. Franks said, aB class guard is coming our way.
They stepped out of the car.A letty was approaching them rapidly. It
coasted up in front of them andstopped scanning them with its hand weapon raised.
This is security, Franks said,have an A class sent to me.

(27:22):
At once the letty hesitated. OtherB class guards were coming, scooting
across the floor, alert and armed. Moss peered around. Obey. Franks
said, in a loud, commandingvoice, you've been ordered. The letty
moved uncertainly away from them. Atthe end of the building, a door
slid back. Two A class lettiesappeared, coming slowly toward them. Each

(27:45):
had a green stripe across its frontfrom the surface. Council Franks whispered tensely,
this is above ground, all right, yet, said The two letties
approached warily, without speaking. Theyclose by the men, looking them up
and down. I'm Franks, ofsecurity. We came from under surface in

(28:06):
order to One of the letties interruptedhim coldly. You know you can't live
here. The whole service is legalto you. You can't possibly remain all
the service. These suits will protectus, Franks said, In any case,
it's not your responsibility. What Iwant is an immediate council meeting so

(28:30):
I can acquaint myself with conditions,with the situation here? Can that be
arranged? You? Human beings can'tsurvive. The attack is directed at this
area is in consumable danger. Weknow that. Please assemble the council.

(28:51):
Franks looked around him at the vastroom, lit by recessed lamps in the
ceiling. An uncertain quality came intohis voice. Is it night or day
right now? Nine? One ofthe a class Letty said, after a
pause, dawn is telling in twohours. Frank's nodded, will remain at

(29:12):
least two hours. Then, asa concession to our sentimentality, would you
please show us someplace where we canobserve the sun as it comes up?
We would appreciate it. A stirwent through the letties. It is an
unpleasant sight, one of the lettissaid, you've seen the rest. You

(29:32):
know what you witness. Clouds ofart ball slack are everywhere. The whole
amp is destroyer or you it willbe a staggery sight, much worse,
said, pasures have built. Howeverit may be, will stay long enough

(29:55):
to see it? Will you givethe order to the council reluctantly? The
two letties coasted toward the wall ofthe warehouse. The three men trudged after
them, their heavy shoes ringing againstthe concrete at the wall. The two
Letties paused, this is the effortsto the council chamber. There are all

(30:17):
windows in the chamber room, butit is still dark outside. Of course,
you will see nothing right now,But in two hours opened the door,
Frank said. The door slid back. They went slowly inside. The
room was small, a neat room, with a round table in the center,

(30:37):
chairs ringing it. The three ofthem sat down silently, and the
two Letties followed after them, takingtheir places. The other council members are
on their way. They have alreadybeen notified and are coming as quickly as
they Again, I urged you togo back down. The Letties surveyed the

(31:00):
three human beings. There is noway you can bet the conditions of your
Even we survived with some cal ourselves. How can you expect you do it?
The leader approached Franks. This astonishesand perplexes us, it said.

(31:21):
Of course, we must do whatyou tell us, But allow me to
point out that if you remain herewe know Frank said, impatiently. However,
we intend to remain at least untilsunrise. Yeah, there was silence.
The letties seem to be conferring witheach other, although the three men

(31:44):
heard no sound or you're all good, The leader said, at last,
you must go back down. Wehave discussed this, and it seems to
us that you are doing the wrongthing. Warrior own good. We are
human beings, Frank said, sharply, don't you understand we're men, not

(32:04):
machines. That is precisely why youmust go back. This room is radioactive.
All service areas are. We calculatethat your suits will not protect you
for over fifty more nts. Therefore, the lettis moved abruptly toward the men,

(32:25):
wheeling in a circle, forming asolid 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.
It's voice without emotion. We musttake you back to the jube and

(32:46):
send you down all the next car. I am sorry, but idiots necessary?
What we do? Moss said nervouslyto Frank's He touched his gun.
Shall we blast them? Franks shookhis head. All right, he said
to the leader we'll go back.He moved toward the door, motioning Taylor

(33:07):
and Moss to follow him. Theylooked at him in surprise, but they
came with him. The Letties followedthem out into the great warehouse. Slowly
they moved toward the two vengeance,none of them speaking at the lip.
Frank's turned. We are going backbecause we have no choice. There are
three of us and about a dozenof you. However, if you here

(33:30):
comes the car, Taylor said.There was a grating sound from the tube.
D class Letties moved toward the edgeto receive I am sorry, The
Leader said, for your protection,we are watching over you. Literally,
you must say below and let us. Conductor in a sense called to me,

(33:58):
we must fight it. See thecar rose to the surface. Twelve
soldiers armed with bender pistols stepped fromit and surrounded three men. Moss breathed
a sigh of relief. Well thisdoes change things. It came off just
right. The Leader moved back awayfrom the soldiers. It studied them intently,

(34:21):
glancing from one to the next,apparently trying to make up its mind.
At last, it made a signto the other ladies. They coasted
a side and a corridor was openedup toward the warehouse. Even now,
the leader said, we saved youback by. But it is that this
is not really an observation at all. These soldiers show that you have much

(34:46):
more in mind. This was allcarefully, very carefully, Frank said.
They closed in a much more weonly yes, I must admit that we
were prepared. We fail early tomeet the situation now, of course,

(35:10):
would be absurd, but neither sidecounterford to enter the other. We because
of the restrictions placed off us regardinghuman light, you because the working mass.
The soldiers fired quick and in fright. Moss dropped to one knee,
firing up. The leader dissolved ina cloud of particles. On all sides.

(35:36):
D and B class letties were rushingup, some with weapons, some
with metal slats. The room wasin confusion. Off in the distance,
a siren was screaming. Franks andTaylor were cut off from the others,
separated from the soldiers by a wallof metal bodies. They can't fire back,
Frank said, calmly, this isanother bluff. They tried to bluff
us all the way. He firedinto the face of a letty. The

(36:00):
letty dissolved. They can only tryto frighten us. Remember that they went
on firing and Letty. After Lettyvanished, the room reeked with the smell
of burning metal, the stink offused plastic and steel. Taylor had been
knocked down. He was struggling tofind his gun, reaching wildly among metal
legs, groping frantically to find it. His fingers strained. A handle swam

(36:23):
in front of him. Suddenly somethingcame down on his arm, a metal
foot, he cried out. Thenit was over. The letties were moving
away, gathering together off to oneside. Only four of the surface council
remained. The others were radioactive particlesin the air. D Class Letties were

(36:45):
already restoring order, gathering up partlydestroyed metal figures and bits and removing them.
Franks breathed a shuddering sigh. Allright, he said, you can
take us back to the windows.It won't belong now. The Letty separated,
and the human group, Moss andFranks and Tailor and the soldiers walked

(37:07):
slowly across the room toward the door. They entered the council chamber, already
a faint touch of gray mitigated theblackness of the windows. Take us outside,
Frank said, impatiently. We'll seeit directly, not in here.
A door slid open. A chillblast of cold morning air rushed in,

(37:27):
chilling them even through their lead suits. The men glanced at each other uneasily.
Come on, Frank said, outside. He walked out through the door,
the others following him. They wereon a hill, overlooking the vast
bowl of a valley. Dimly againstthe graying sky. The outline of mountains
were forming, becoming tangible. It'llbe bright enough to see in a few

(37:51):
minutes, Moss said. He shudderedas a chilling wind caught him and moved
around him. It's worth it,really worth it to see this again after
eight years, even if it's thelast thing we see. Watch, Franks
snapped. They obeyed, silent andsubdued. The sky was clearing, brightening
each moment someplace far off, echoingacross the valley. A rooster crowd.

(38:17):
A chicken tailor murmured, did youhear? Behind them, the letties had
come out and were standing silently watchingtoo. The gray sky turned to white,
and the hills appeared more clearly.Light spread across the valley floor,
moving toward them, God in heaven. Franks exclaimed trees, trees and forests,

(38:40):
a valley of plants and trees,with a few roads winding among them,
farmhouses, a windmill, a barnfar down below them. Look,
moss whispered, Color came into thesky. The sun was approaching. Birds
began to sing. Not far fromwhere they stood. The leaves of a

(39:00):
tree danced in the wind. Franksturned to the row of lettis behind them.
Eight years. We were tricked.There was no war as soon as
we left surface. Yes, aneight class letty admitted, as soon as
you left the war. See,you're right, it was a hoax.

(39:22):
You were our other surface sending upguns and weapons, and we destroyed them
as fast as they came up.But why, Taylor asked days he stared
down at the vast valley below.Why you created us? The letty said,

(39:42):
to pursue the war where you buyhuman beings, sweat beloaded round in
order to survive. But before wecould continue the war, it was necessary
to analyze it, to determine whatis purpose was. We did this,
and we found that it had nopurpose, except perhaps in terms of human

(40:09):
needs. Even this was questionable.We investigated further. We found that human
cultures passed through phases, each culturein its own time. As the culture
ages and begins to lose its objectives, conflict arises within it, between those

(40:36):
who wish to cast it off andset up a new culture pattern and those
who wish to retain the old withas little change as possible. At this
point, a great danger appears.The conflict within thretness to involve the society

(40:59):
in self war group against group.The Vinyl traditions may be lost, not
merely altered war reform, but completelydestroyed. In this period of chaos an
archy. We have found many suchexamples in the history of man. Tying,

(41:24):
it is necessary for this hatred withinthe culture to be directed outward toward
an external group, so that theculture itself may survive its crisis. War

(41:44):
is the result. War to alogical mind is absurd, but in terms
of human needs, it plays avital rule, and it will continue to
until man has grown up enough sothat no hatred lies within him. Taylor

(42:07):
was listening intently. Do you thinkthis time will come? Of course,
it has almost arrived. Now thisis the last war. Man is almost
united into one clan culture a worldculture. At this point he stands continent

(42:30):
against continent, one half of theworld against the other half. Only a
single step remains, the jump toa unified culture. Man has planned slowly
upward, tending always toward unification ofhis culture. It will not be long,

(42:52):
but it has not come yet,and so the war had to go
on to satisfied the last violent surgeof hatred that man fell. Eight years
have passed since the war began.In those eight years we have observed and

(43:14):
noted important changes going on in theminds of men. Fatigue and disinterest we
have seen, are gradually taking theplace of hatred and fear. The hatred
is being exhausted gradually over eight periodof time. But for the present the

(43:37):
hops must go on at least ora while longer. You are not ready
to learn the truth. You wouldwant to continue the war, But how
did you manage it? Most asall the photographs, the samples, the
damaged equipment, the letty directed themtoward a long, low building, work

(44:06):
on constantly, all sas livery tomaintain act. They entered the building,
letties were working everywhere, pouring overtables and desks, this project. Here

(44:27):
the a class, Letty said,two letties were carefully photographing something, an
elaborate model on a tabletop. Heis a example. The men grouped around
trying to see it was a modelof a ruined city. Taylor studied it
in silence for a long time.At last he looked up. It's San

(44:49):
Francisco, he said, in alow voice. This is a model of
San Francisco destroyed. I saw thison the vidscreen piped down to us.
The bridges were hit, Yes,notice the bridges. The letting traced the
ruined span with his metal finger,a tiny spider web, almost invisible.
You have no doubt seeing photographs ofthis many times, and of the other

(45:17):
tables in this building. San Franciscoitself is completely intact. We resorted soon
after you left, rebuilding the partsthat had been damaged at the start of
war. The work of manufacturing newsgoes on all the time. In this

(45:42):
particular building. We are very carefulto see that each part is in with
all the other parts. Much timeand apport are devoted to get Frank touched.
One of the tiny model buildings lyinghappen ruins. So this is what

(46:05):
you spend your time doing making modelcities and then blasting them. No,
we do much more. We arecaretakers watching over the whole world. The
owners have left for a time,and we must see that the cities are
kept clean, that dk is prevented, that everything is kept oiled and in

(46:34):
running condition. The gardens, thestreets go after remains. Everything must be
maintained as it was eight years ago, so that when the owners return they
will not be displeased. We wantto be sure that they will be completely

(46:57):
satisfied. Frank tapped Moss on thearm. Come over here, he said,
in a low voice. I wantto talk to you. He led
Moss and Taylor out of the building, away from the letties outside on the
hillside. The soldiers followed them.The sun was up and the sky was
turning blue. The air smelt sweetand good, the smell of growing things.

(47:21):
Taylor removed his helmet and took adeep breath. I haven't smelled that
smell for a long time, hesaid. Listen. Frank said, his
voice low and hard. We mustget back down at once. There's a
lot to get started on. Allthis can be turned to our advantage.
What do you mean, Moss,asked. It's a certainty that the Soviets

(47:42):
have been tricked too, the sameas us, but we have found out
that gives us an advantage over them. I see. Moss nodded, we
know, but they don't. Theirsurface council has sold out the same as
ours. It works against them thesame way. But if we could,
with a hundred top level men,we could take over again, restore things

(48:04):
as they should be. It wouldbe easy. Moss touched him on the
arm. An a class letty wascoming from the building toward them. We've
seen enough, Frank said, raisinghis voice, all this is very serious.
It must be reported below and astudy made to determine our policy.
The Letti said nothing. Franks wavedto the soldiers, let's go. He

(48:27):
started toward the warehouse. Most ofthe soldiers had removed their helmets. Some
of them had taken their lead suitsoff too, and were relaxing comfortably in
their cotton uniforms. They stared aroundthem down the hillside, at the trees
and bushes, the vast expanse ofgreen, the mountains, and the sky.
Look at the sun. One ofthem murmured, it sure is bright

(48:49):
as hell. Another said, we'regoing back down, Frank said, fall
in by twos and follow us reluctantly. The soldiers regrouped. The letties watched
out emotion as the men marched slowlyback toward the warehouse. Franks and Moss
and Taylor led them across the ground, glancing alertly at the letties as they
walked. They entered the warehouse.D class letties were loading material and weapons

(49:14):
on surface carts. Cranes and derrickswere working busily everywhere. The work was
done with efficiency, but without hurryor excitement. The men stopped watching letties
operating the little carts, moved pastthem, signaling silently to each other.
Guns and parts were being hoisted bymagnetic cranes and lowered gently on the waiting

(49:36):
carts. Come on, Franks said. He turned toward the lip of the
tube. A row of D classletties was standing in front of it,
immobile and silent. Franks stopped movingback. He looked around an A class
Lettie was coming toward him. Tellthem to get out of the way,
Frank said, He touched his gun. You had better moved them. Time

(49:59):
passed, and in us moment withoutmeasure, the men stood nervous and alert,
watching the row of letties in frontof them. The A class letties
said it signaled, and the Dclass letties moved into light. They stepped
slowly aside. Moss breathed a sighof relief. I'm glad that's over,

(50:20):
he said to Franks. Look atthem all. Why don't they try to
stop us? They must know whatwe're going to do. Franks laughed,
stop us. You saw what happenedwhen they tried to stop us before.
They can't. They're only machines.We've built them so they can't lay hands
on us, and they know that. His voice trailed off. The men

(50:40):
stared at the two vengeance around them. The letties watched, silent and impassive,
their metal faces expressionless. For along time, the men stood without
moving. At last, Taylor turnedaway. Good god, he said,
he was numb, without feeling ofany kind. The tube was gone.

(51:02):
It was sealed, shut, fusedover. Only a dull surface of cooling
metal greeted them. The tube hadbeen closed. Franks turned, his face
pale and vacant. The A classletty shifted. As you can see,
the two has been shut. Wewere prepared for this as soon as all

(51:25):
of you were on the surface.The order was yet if you had gone
back when we asked you, youwould now be safely down below. We
had to work quickly because it wassuch an immense operation. But why must
demanded angrily? Because he is unthinkablethat you should be allowed to resume the

(51:53):
war with all the two sealed.It will be many months before from below
he had reached the surface, letalone organize a military program. By that
time the cycle will have entered itslast stages. You will not be sober

(52:16):
turve to find your world intact.We had hoped that you would be under
surface when the ceiling, or yourpresence here is a new sense. When
the Soviets broke through, we wereable to accomplish their ceiling without the Soviets.

(52:39):
They broke through several months ago.They came up unexpectedly to see y.
The war act not been one.We were forced to act with speed.
At this moment, they are desperatelyattempting to cut new tubes to the

(53:00):
surface to Riso. We have hourbeen able to seal each one. As
he appears, the letty regarded thethree men calmly. We are cut off,
Moss said, trembling. We can'tget back. What'll we do?
How did you manage to seal thetube so quickly? Franks asked the letty.

(53:23):
We've been up here only two hours. Bombs are placed just at the
first stage of each shoe, orsuch emergencies. They are key bobs,
they used that a ripping the handleof his gun, Franks turned to Mosston
Taylor, what do you say.We can't go back, but we can

(53:45):
do a lot of damage. Thefifteen of us. We have vender guns.
How about it? He looked around. The soldiers had wandered away again,
back toward the exit of the building. They were standing outside, looking
at the valley in the sky.A few of them were carefully climbing down
the slope. Will you care toturn over your suits and gods? The

(54:08):
a class Letty passed politely. Thesuits are unhoferable angle to meet or weapons.
The Russians have given up theirs asyou see, fingers tensed on triggers.
Four men in Russian uniforms were comingtoward them from an aircraft that they

(54:28):
suddenly realized had landed silently some distanceaway. Let them have it, Frank
shouted. They are are said theletty. We brought them years so you
could be in peace talks. Wehave no authority to speak for our country,
Moss said stiffly. We do notmean get long atty discussions. The

(54:51):
LETTI explain there will be no morethe worky out of the early problems of
existence. Tease you how to getalong in the same world. It will
not be easy, but it willbe The Russians halted, and they faced

(55:12):
each other with raw hostility. Iam Colonel Borodoy, and I regret giving
up our guns. The senior Russiansaid, you could have been the first
Americans to be killed in almost eightyears, or the first Americans to kill.
Franks corrected, no one, Hesaid, yourselves. The Letty pointed
out, it would be useless.Carol is your real concern should be surviving

(55:39):
on the surface. We have nofor you. You know Taylor put his
gun in its holster. They've donea neat job of neutralizing us. Damn
them. I propose we move intoa city, start raising crops with the
help of some letties, and generallymake ourselves comfortable. Drawing his lips tight

(56:00):
over his teeth, he glared atthe a class letty. Until our families
can come up from under surface.It's going to be pretty lonesome, but
we'll have to manage. If Imay make a suggestion, said another Russian
uneasily. We tried living in acity. It is too empty. It
is also too hard to maintain forso few people. We finally settled in

(56:22):
the most modern village we could findhere in this country. A third Russian
learned, we have much to learnfrom you. The Americans abruptly found themselves
laughing. You probably have a thingor two to teach us yourselves, said
Taylor generously, though I can't imaginewhat the Russian colonel grinned. Would you

(56:43):
join us in our village? Itwould make our work easier and give us
company your village, snapped Franks.It's American, isn't it. It's ours?
The letty stepped between them. Well, will be interchangeable, artfully actually,

(57:04):
madchimes, It pointed at the aircraft, which was warming up. The
ship is waking. Will you joineach other in maybe a new hall?
The Russians waited while the Americans madeup their minds. I see what the
letties mean about diplomacy being outmoded,Frank said, At last, people who

(57:24):
work together don't need diplomats. Theysolve their problems on the operational level instead
of at a conference table. TheLetty led them toward a ship. It
is the wal Surrey unifying the worldfrom family to try to city safe,
to nation to anisphere. That directionasking toward unification. Now the amisphere will

(57:53):
be joined. And Taylor stopped listeningand glanced back at the location of the
two. Mary was under surface.There. He hated to leave her,
even though he couldn't see her againuntil the tube was unsealed. But then
he shrugged and followed the others.If this tiny amalgam of former enemies was

(58:13):
a good example, it wouldn't betoo long before he and Mary and the
rest of humanity would be living onthe surface like rational human beings instead of
blindly hating moles. He has takenthousands of generations too much. The a
class Letty concluded hybrids of centuries ofbloodshed and destruction. But each war was

(58:38):
a set toward unite mankind. Andnow the end is asired. Oh without
war, but even that is onlythe beginning of a new stage of history.
The conquest of space, breathed ColonelBorodoy. The meaning of life lost

(59:01):
at it, eliminating hunger and poverty, said Taylor. The letty opened the
door of the ship. All thatand more, how much more, we
cannot foresee it anymore than the firstmen who formed a tribe to foresee this
day. But it will be unimaginablygrave. The door closed, and the

(59:28):
ship took off toward their new home. And that the Defenders by Philip Dick