Why Do Birds

CHAPTER 22

Ablackish rain was falling on Berlin, streaked on buildings and people. Attendants with umbrellas hurried the departing passengers from the plane, but even so, some of them were bespattered, including Stone, Jaekel and Norton. Other attendants wiped them down, with profuse apologies. A limousine took them to their hotel and then to the U.S. Embassy on Albert Einsteinstrasse.

"Mr. Stone," the ambassador said, "you probably know that Herr Rottenstem is a little touchy about his status as head of the European Federation."

"He is? Why?"

"Well, it's all that stuff about Hitler and so on, and I certainly wouldn't refer to it if I were you. But apart from that, I think you'll find him very easy to get along with, very genial. And of course he can be quite helpful if he chooses to."

"Hitler was the one who started the war in thirty-nine?"

"Yes, I believe that's right."

"Well, Rottenstem wasn't even born then, was he? So it couldn't have been his fault."

"That's just how he feels about it. Bear that in mind, and you won't have any trouble at all."

President Rottenstem asked, "Do you know, Mr. Stone, and gentlemen, that before I went into politics, I was a civil engineer?"

"No, I didn't know that. "

"Oh, yes. For many years. So I am interested in this project from a technical standpoint. You know, German engineers and architects are the best in the world. I don't say this just because I am German, but because it is true."

"Yes, sir."

"So I think it is important that this building should be designed and built in Germany. Do you agree?"

"I'll certainly bear that in mind, Your Excellency."

"That's good, Mr. Stone. Now tell me, and you gentlemen also, do you like beer?"

Rome was overcast and cold, with a drizzle out of the northeast. The audience room in the Vatican was a bit drafty, as always, but the Pope was well wrapped up in rochet, mozzetta, gaiters and bootees.

"Mr. Stone," the Pontiff said, "we understand that you have foretold the end of the world."

"Not me, Your Holiness. The aliens told me about it."

"Yes, yes. We are not capable of believing in the existence of alien intelligences. Do you think they might have been something else?"

"Like what, Your Holiness?"

"As, for instance, angels?"

"Honestly, Your Holiness, they didn't look like angels to me. But I guess I don't know what angels look like."

"We ourself have never seen them. In our tradition, however, they are often radiant and have wings."

"They didn't look like that, but I guess they could look like anything."

"We would like to be quite clear about this. You say that you believe you were in a spaceship when this revelation was given to you?"

"Yes, Your Holiness."

"Was it a construction of metal, with portholes and rocket engines and things of that sort?"

"I don't know. I never saw the outside of it. But I knew it had to be a spaceship, because the gravity was so light."

"How is that, our son?"

"When I dropped anything, it took a long time to fall. And if I stood up suddenly, I floated up to the ceiling."

"Ah, I see. That's very interesting, isn't it? And you know nothing about how you got to this place?"

"No, Your Holiness. I went to sleep in Trenton, New Jersey, and when I woke up I was there."

"We think that is significant. And these beings told you that the world would come to an end in twelve years?"

"I think that was what they meant, but I can't be sure."

"We think that is significant also, Mr. Stone. Our Lord told us that no man knows the time or place when He will return."

"Your Holiness, I don't think they're angels."

"Well, well, our son, we can agree to differ. "

Premier Prutkov said, "Mr. Stone, I know you will understand me when I say that this project will be a great work of the human spirit."

"Yes, sir."

"Please call me Kuzma. Well, and I must tell you also that it is a peculiarly Russian idea. Our czars had such grandiose ideas, as for instance constructing the railway in a straight line from Petersburg to Moscow. And of course the Soviet experiment, although it failed according to some, still was a gigantic enterprise, unparalleled, adventurous. So, too, your Cube. Magnificent! You are sure your ancestors were not Russian?"

"They could of been, Kuzma."

"Yes, certainly, because if one is American one never knows! Ha, ha! And besides, you look like a Slav! That is our highest compliment. Tell me, do you like caviar?"

"You are Kalki, come to us to save us from disaster," said Chandralingam. "It has happened many times before; it does not come as a surprise to us."

"Mr. President, I don't think I know who Kalki is."

"He is an aspect of the Lord Vishnu; he is a horse with white wings who comes to destroy the Earth."

"I don't feel like I'm an aspect of Vishnu."

"No, of course not; when you come to Earth you lose all memory of your divine nature, or you could not function as a man, you see. But others can tell. You are Kalki, please believe me, there is no doubt about it."

The Chinese Premier shook hands with Stone and Cooper and offered them tea.

"Mr. Guo," Stone said, "we came to you because we want to talk about our project to put the whole human race in a box."

The translator spoke simultaneously, but with some hesitation and false starts; she seemed to be having trouble putting the sentence into Mandarin. The Premier spoke sharply.

"I don't understand the idea of putting the human race in a box,'' the translator said.

"The idea is, the Earth is going to be destroyed, probably in about twelve years." Another sentence from Guo; the translator said, "How do you know this?"

"The aliens told me. They kidnapped me from nineteen thirty-one and brought me here."

"Is this true?"

"I think it is true."

"What is the purpose of putting the human race in a box?"

"Then the aliens will come and get the box, and take us to another planet."

"You have pictures of this other planet?"

"No, they didn't give me any."

"What is the appearance of these aliens?"

"They're little, and have six legs, and they talk by making something like Chinese characters on their foreheads."

"That is extremely interesting."

"Mr. Guo," Cooper said, "the reason it's so important to talk to you is that we believe the best place for the box is near Shanghai. You see, twenty-one percent of the world population is right here in China, and sixteen percent more is in India. If you look at the logistics, the only thing that makes sense is to concentrate the population here. Anywhere else you put it, there's going to be a larger number of passenger miles. So what we do, we evacuate the outlying areas first, and that means that our lines keep getting shorter. When we clean out an area, we can abandon the infrastructure there. We transfer airplanes, and in some cases rolling stock, to areas farther in. So the farther we go, the easier it gets." The translator, who had been speaking at the same time, came to a stop.

"You have thought this matter out carefully. Have you also thought of the cost of all this?"

"Yes, Mr. Guo. The World Bank and the International Development Association are interested in providing loans, and we already have the support of several European governments."

"I find that I want to do it. I don't know why. Perhaps it is that you are so persuasive. Or perhaps it is national pride. Do you know what our name for our country means, Mr. Stone?"

"No, sir, I don't."

The Premier smiled. "It means 'the middle of the earth,' " the translator said.

Minimata asked, "On this new planet, Mr. Stone, how will the living space be apportioned?"

"I think there'll be room enough for everybody, Mr. Premier. "

"Yes, and will it be divided equally, with so much for each person?"

"I'd think that would be fair, Mr. Premier."

"I also," said Minimata.