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"You don't have to be a prisoner. You can leave anytime you want. That's one advantage you have over
the rest of the population. Why won't you take it? Why won't you let me go? If you want to stay, I can
understand that. But why must I?"
"The people know you are here. They will also know if you suddenly disappear."
"So what?"
"Explanations would be necessary to avoid a disaster. What explanation could we give them?"
"You, or someone else, could say that you liquefied me, that I had some horrible disease, that I was a
menace to your survival. Anything! I'm sure someone could think of something to explain my
disappearance."
"That's not as far-fetched as it sounds. It could very well be what they might decide to do."
"Who?"
"The Family."
Trisha caught her breath. She didn't dare believe what she was thinking. You mean they may decide to
send me back to the surface after all?"
"No. I mean they may decide to liquefy you for the very reasons you describe."
"They wouldn't dare?"
"Who's to stop them?"
"The Authorities, the Law!"
"They are the Authorities, the Law as you put it. They can do anything they deem necessary for our
survival."
"What you're saying is that my survival depends upon my cooperation with the Family of Kan?"
"Yes."
"That's what you meant when you said there are things I must understand, or I won't be around for very
long."
"Yes."
"Isn't that all the more reason for you to help me escape?"
"Why?"
"Because, if you don't help me, and if you force me to stay here there's no telling what I might do."
"What could you possibly do?"
"I don't know. But I'll think of something."
"And we will know what it is as soon as you think of it."
"I'll tell everyone the High Priests know all the secrets ... ,"
"We could stop you before you uttered a sound."
She looked at him quizzically, and then asked, Why can't you change the exit to an escape hatch."
"What?"
"You can change the molecular structure of things. Why not that? You can make enough equipment for
people to use, and then when the exit is opened, everyone could get out. It wouldn't matter if the Pacific
came flooding in, everyone would be safe."
"All of these people, suddenly and without warning appear on the surface of the planet looking as if they
had arrived from a distant star? Can't you see what would happen? The Terrestrials would think they
were being invaded, and I wouldn't blame them if they did. That is, of course, if all of these people could
get through any exit so devised before the entire energy field collapsed and took them all down with it."
"But they'll have oxygen. You can manufacture oxygen can't you? Maybe all won't survive, but a large
number would. They would all have the same chance. Anything would be better than living here."
"You can say that after seeing this beautiful undersea paradise?"
She stared at the trees lining the road, at the meadows beyond, and at the gray-black water sky above
her and nodded, Yes, most definitely."
"For you Trisha but not for them."
"How do you know? Has anyone ever asked them?"
"What?"
"Has anyone ever asked what they would rather do? Maybe, just maybe, if given a choice the people of
your world would prefer to live in mine."
"There is that possibility. However, they are not going to be given any such choice."
"You can't do that."
"Why do you say such things? You have come among us and interrupted our way of life, such as it is.
You are an uninvited guest, a threat, but do we treat you as such? No."
"But you're denying them the right to choose."
"You don't understand. My people pose no danger to your world, but let one, just one of your world,
idealistic or just plain stupid, stumble into my world, such as you have done, and you can destroy all life
here."
"How?"
"Our people have no immunities to your diseases. Even a common cold is deadly to them. They wouldn't
last one day in your world."
"Then let me go. Or, better still, take me back to the black marbled room, and I will find my own way
out."
He smiled down at the dark-haired creature from the world above and shook his head.
"You know I will, don't you?"
"I know you will try. Whether you succeed or not is another matter."
"Oh, I'll succeed alright. I know the exit has to be in that room somewhere. The marker in the cave has
something to do with it. Sooner or later I'll find what I need to get out of here, and when I do, whether I'll
close the opening behind me, or let it stay open is another matter."
"If I believed that, your existence would end right now."
"There is only one way you can be sure, and that is to come with me, to make certain I do close the exit."
Kan smiled widely, You'll have to find it first."
"I will."
"At least it will keep you out of harm's way for awhile. But if the time does come, we can continue this
discussion. Meanwhile, I'd watch my thoughts in front of the others, especially Myaculi, if I were you."
"Does she know everything you know?"
"No."
"But she can read my mind as well as yours."
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