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〃But instead of oars they are grinding away at gears or some such； to turn the wheels。〃
〃No plaints；〃 Steengo said； sipping at his wine。 〃Not after the Chariots of Fire。〃
We rolled ponderously between the buildings； nodding at the bystanders and occasionally giving a royal flick of the hand at some of our cheering fans。 We moved on through what appeared to be a residential quarter and beyond it into a park…like countryside。 Our road wove between the trees； past a row of ornamental fountains to ponderously stop before an immense glass…walled building。 A party of elegantly dressed ancients awaited us。 Led by the most ancient of them all； white…clad and standing firmly erect。 But his face was wrinkled beyond belief。 I clambered down the ladder and dropped before him。
〃Do I address the noble Heimskur？〃
〃You do。 And of course you are Jim of the Rats。 Wele； wele all。〃
There was plenty of handshaking and glad cries of joy before Heimskur broke off the reception and led me into the glass building。
〃Wele；〃 he said； 〃doubly wele。 To the College of Knowledge from whence all good things flow。 If you will follow me I will explain our labors to you。 Since you gentlemen e from the surging； mongrel worlds outside our peaceful boundaries you will surely appreciate how the application of intelligence makes our society such a happy and peaceful world。 No strife； no differences； a place for everyone and everyone in their place。 Down this way are the Phases of Physics； the Caverns of Chemistry。 There the Avenues of Agriculture； next to them the Meadows of Medicine； while just beyond is the Museum of Mankind。〃
〃Museum？〃 I inquired offhandedly。 〃I simply love museums。〃
〃Then you must see ours。 It charts the difficulties through which we passed before ing here； a rite of passage and of cleansing； before we found safe haven on this world。 Here we grew and prospered and the record is clear for all to see。〃
And pretty boring if not just downright preposterous。 Cleaner than clean； whiter than white。 The only thing missing were the halos on the saints who had acplished so much good。
〃Inspirational；〃 I said when we finally reached the end of the exhibition。
〃It is indeed。〃
〃And down this way？〃
〃The museum for students。 Biologists can examine the plant life of our planet； geologists the strata and the schist。〃
〃Archeologists？〃
〃Alas； very little。 The crudest of artifacts left by the long…dead indigenes who first settled here。〃
〃May we？〃
〃By all means。 You see…fire sticks and crude pottery。 A hand ax； a few arrow points。 Scarcely worth preserving were we not so faithful to our role as recorders and archivists。〃
〃Nothing more？〃
〃Nothing。〃
I dug the photograph from an inside pocket； took a deep breath…and passed it over。
〃You may have heard that the warders in the Pentagon promised us favors if we helped them find this？〃
〃Did they indeed？ I would believe nothing they said。〃
He took the photograph and blinked at it； handed it back。 〃Just like them to lie and cause trouble for no reason。〃
〃Lie？〃
〃About this。 It was brought here。 I examined it myself。 Not indigenous at all； couldn't possibly be。 Probably something broken off an old spaceship。 Meaningless and worthless。 Gone now。〃
〃Gone？〃 I fought to keep the despair from my voice。
〃Discarded。 Gone from Paradise。 Non…existent。 Men have no need of such rubbish therefore it is gone forever。 Forget the worthless item Jim and we shall talk of far more interesting things。 Music。 You must tell me…do you write your own lyrics 。 。 。 ？〃
CHAPTER 17
We were very silent on our return trip； scarcely aware of the manifold pleasures that rode with us in our Transport of Delight。 Only behind the closed doors of our quarters did we let go。 I nodded appreciatively as I listened while Floyd swore blasphemously and scatologically； he had a fine turn of phrase and went on for a long time without repeating himself。
〃And I double that；〃 I said when lack of breath forced him to subside。 〃We have indeed been hard done by。〃
〃We have；〃 Steengo agreed。 〃But we have also been lied to。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I mean that Heimskur was selling us a line of old camel cagal。 More than half of his so…called history of science and nature was pure propaganda for the troops。 If we can't believe him about that…how can we believe him when he shovels a lot of bushwah about the artifact？ Do you remember his last words？〃
〃No。〃
〃Neither do I。 But I hope someone does。 I imagine that you didn't notice it…but I was doing a lot of head…scratching and nose…picking while we were doing that tour。〃
Floyd wasn't being bright today and gaped at the news。 I smiled and put my index finger into my ear。 〃e in ear in the sky。 Do you read me？〃
〃No but I hear you；〃 Captain Tremearne said through my fingernail。
〃Good。 But more important…did you listen in to our guided tour？〃
〃All of it。 Very boring。 But I recorded it anyway； the way you asked。〃
〃The way Steengo asked…credit where credit is due。 Would you be so kind as to play back the last speech about the artifact。〃
〃ing up。〃 After some clattering and high…pitched voices whizzing by our aged guide sounded forth。
〃Discarded。 Gone from Paradise。 Non…existent。 Men have no need of such rubbish therefore it is gone forever。〃
I copied it down and got it right after a couple of repeats。 〃That's it。 Thanks。〃
〃There；〃 Steengo said； tapping the paper。 〃Weasel wording。 That tricky old devil was playing with us； knowing that we had some reason to be interested in the thing。 He never said destroyed； not once。 Discarded？ That means it might be still around someplace。 Gone from Paradise…could be anywhere else on this planet。 But I particularly like the bit about men having no need for the thing。〃 He smiled a smile like a poker player laying down five Aces。
〃If men have no need for it…what about women？〃
〃Women？〃 I felt my jaw hanging open and closed it with a clack。 〃What about them？ There are only men here？〃
〃How right you are。 And right on the other side of the town wall is…what？ I'm betting on women。 Either that or an awful lot of cloning is going on in this place。 I'll bet on nature and some kind of connection through the wall。〃
My jawphone buzzed and Tremearne's voice echoed inside my sinuses。 〃I agree with Steengo。 And so does Madonette。 She's already on her way along the wall to the city and will report as soon as she finds out anything。 〃
I started to protest； realized the futility； kept my mouth shut。 〃It figures；〃 I said。 〃The gang in charge here lie about everything else…so lying about the artifact just es naturally。 We'll have to wait 。 。 。〃
I shut up as Veldi knocked quietly； then opened the door。 〃Good news！〃 he announced； eyes glowing with passion。 〃Iron John has chosen to speak to The Stainless Steel Rats…in the Veritorium itself。 An honor above all other honors。 Hurry； gentlemen。 But first brush your clothing and； with the exception of heroically…bearded Floyd； diple the five o'clock shadow now gracing your musical jaws。 What pleasures do await you！〃
Pleasures better lived without。 But this was a royal mand and no way to get around it。 I took a bit of diple…fast and rubbed my jaw smooth； bed my hair and tried not to scowl at myself in the mirror。 I was the last to emerge and we boarded the Transport of Delight in silence； rolled ponderously to our destiny。
〃I wonder why all three of us？〃 Steengo said； sipping his glass of chilled wine。 〃Last time it was you alone at the training…film session； wasn't it； Jim？〃
〃I have no idea；〃 I said； wanting to change the subject。 Nor was I too pleased with his light…hearted attitude。 I tried to think about Madonette going in alone to the other city； but my thoughts kept trundling back to Iron John。 What was going to happen now？
When we entered the Veritorium I was surprised at how big it really was。 It was better lit now and I saw that rows of seats reached up in a semicircle。 They were all filled now with the oldest collection of Paradisians I had seen so far。 Bald heads and gray hair； wrinkles and toothless jaws。
Iron John himself stepped forward to greet us。 〃You are all truly wele here…and these seats are for you。〃 They were thr