Birthright

“I don't see anything particularly funny about it!” snapped Rojers.

“No, I don't suppose you would. Yet.”

“What do you mean, yet?” said Rojers. “I've had it. I'm through. Consider my notice given.” “Given, but not accepted,” said Herban. “Sit down and have a cigar.” “Don't you understand?” said Rojers irritably. “I'm quitting.” “Then consider the cigar a going-away present,” said Herban. “Actually, I'm surprised it took you this long. The first time I decided to quit, I'd done only about three hundred experiments. It's all a matter of self-confidence, I suppose. I knew how good I was, and I figured if I couldn't pull the trick off in three hundred tries, I'd never manage it. It took another thirty years to realize that I'd had three hundred successes. You, if my mathematics don't betray me, have had just two shy of eleven hundred successes, give or take a few. Your jaw's hanging open, boy. Why not fill it with a cigar and we'll have a little talk.” Rojers sat down heavily, staring at his mentor. Without thinking, he bit off the tip of his cigar and lit it up. “Ah, but I do like a good smoke,” said Herban, taking a deep puff and uttering a sigh that was as close to ecstasy as he ever got. “I do indeed. You destroyed the body, I presume?” Rojers nodded.

Herban shrugged. “Just as well, I suppose. No sense letting it grow up or we'd all be out of work around here.”

“I don't understand,” said Rojers slowly. “I mean, the thing was a freak, just like all the rest. Minimal intelligence, low reaction to stimuli, legs quite stunted. What exactly are you trying to tell me?” “The truth. With a capital T, not the small t they use around here. It took me more than half a lifetime to stumble upon it, probably because it's so bloody simple. And, of course, all of my predecessors figured it out as well, and kept their mouths shut for the same reason I do. But you're the brightest lad around here, even though you're only in your thirties, and since I plan on retiring in the next few years and blowing my pension on fat cigars and fatter women, it seems only logical that you'll be taking my place—if you decide to withdraw your resignation, that is. Which is why we're having this little talk. No reason to let you stumble around in the dark for years the way I did.” “I assume,” said Rojers coldly, “that there is some part of the Project that I fail to understand.” "Some part!"Herban laughed. “Why, boy, you don't understand the whole damned thing! Now, don't

give me a sour expression like that. You're in good company. Nobody else in the galaxy does either, except me. And even though I'm a goddamn genius, I took almost thirty years to figure it out myself. I often marvel that it didn't dawn on me after the third or fourth experiment.” He took a deep drag on his cigar, opened his mouth slightly, and allowed the smoke to trickle out at its own speed. “But hell, I was young and idealistic and all that sort of nonsense. I suppose I couldn't be blamed for believing in the Project any more than you can.”