Antagonist - Childe Cycle 11 (80 page)

He
paused
for
a
longer
period.
He
wanted
to
let
them
think,
to let
his
message
sink
in.

"Remember
this,"
he
said
finally:
"the
real
battle
now,
and
to come,
is
between
two
different
mind-sets.
It's
a
battle
of
attitudes and
beliefs.
We
can't
hope
to
make
them
adopt
ours.
Never
in
history has
that
been
possible;
we'll
never
be
able
to
impose
our
mind-set on
them.
What
we
have
to
do
is
expose
our
mind-set
to
them,
until they
begin
to
find—"
he
paused,
apparently
groping
for
the
right words,
"—elements,
yes,
in
it,
that
are
attractive
or
useful
to
them."

"You
make
it
sound
as
if
we're
all
going
to
become
philosophers, and
teachers,"
Prosper
Fulton
said.

"It's
unavoidable,"
Bleys
said,
nodding.
"Because
you—each and
every
one
of
you—either
already
are
a
leader,
on
your
planets, or
will
be
soon.
Leaders
always
teach
things
to
their
followers,
even if
unconsciously.
You'll
be
teachers
simply
because
those
who
follow
you
will
be
looking
at
you,
watching
what
you
do
and
thinking about
what
you
say—every
single
thing
you
do
or
say
will
be
a
lecture,
a
lesson."

"I
don't
know
if
I'm
ready
for
this,"
Sami
DeLong
said
softly.

"But
how
did
you
think
you
were
going
to
help
lead
your
planet?" Bleys
asked
her,
his
voice
low
and
quiet.
"Surely
you
didn't
think you'd
simply
give
the
occasional
order,
and
it
would
be
obeyed
without
anyone
being
changed
in
any
way?"

"No,"
she
said,
softly.
"No,
I
guess
not
...
I
just
hadn't
thought about
it
that
way."

"But
you
don't
feel
ready
to
be
an
example,"
Ameena
Williams said,
looking
across
the
circle
at
Sami.

"Of
course
she
doesn't,"
Bleys
said.
"I
wouldn't
want
her
to
feel otherwise.
That's
the
path
of
arrogance;
it's
dangerous
and
leads
to major
mistakes."
He
shook
his
head.

"We're
not
prophets,"
he
went
on.
"We're
just
particularly
gifted human
beings
trying
to
make
life
better
for
everyone
else.
I
don't want
you
to
tell
people
they
should
be
something
else
that's
better than
what
they
are
now.
They
should
be
whatever
they
are
now, whatever
they've
chosen
to
be—but
a
better,
stronger,
more
capable
version
of
it.
And
they
should
find
their
own
ways
to
reach
out to
that
chosen
state."

He
leaned
back
in
his
chair
once
more,
looking
at
the
ceiling.

"You
asked
me,
Ameena,
about
my
own
'personal
vision,'
as
you called
it,
for
the
future:
if
it
were
possible
in
this
present
time,
when we're
spread
over
a
number
of
worlds
widely
separated
among
the stars,
I'd
like
to
see
you
all
go
forth
in
a
robe
with
a
begging
bowl
in your
hand,
and
wander
with
that
message,
as
individuals
once
wandered
across
the
face
of
Old
Earth
in
those
pre-space
travel
days.

"Remember,
we
won't
suggest
they
change,
that
they
make
themselves
different.
We
wish
them
to
stay
as
they
are
and
improve
into a
better
version
of
themselves,
continuing
as
whatever
identity they've
picked
out
in
life.
Whatever
role
they've
chosen,
in
society, in
life—they
should
stay
in
that
role.
Provided
it's
the
role
they want.
If
it's
not,
they
should
seek
the
role
they
want
and
grow
into it,
improve
into
it—headed
toward
a
state
in
which
they'll
be
more powerful
and
more
responsible,
and
will
have
effort
and
mind
and body
and
strength
left
over
for
helping
all
others
be
better
in
their roles,
in
turn."

Shortly
after
that
Toni
appeared,
making
the
noises
a
hostess makes
to
politely
herd
her
guests
to
the
door;
and
the
group,
with thoughtful
looks
on
their
faces,
gave
their
thanks
and
left,
talking quietly.
Bleys
knew
a
few
of
them,
at
least,
would
gather
elsewhere, to
discuss
among
themselves
what
he
had
said.

As
Bleys
had
expected,
the
assembled
Others
were
enthusiastic over
the
prospect
of
greater
power
and
influence,
not
only
on
their own
planets,
but
within
the
Others'
organization.
As
with
any
group of
people,
however,
their
motivations
and
views
varied
widely,
and it
took
weeks
to
hammer
out
a
pattern
for
the
future
workings
of the
organization.
Always,
up
to
now,
they
had
simply
followed
orders,
whether
from
Dahno
or
Bleys,
or
from
the
nominal
superiors appointed
by
Dahno
and
Bleys;
suddenly
thrust
into
the
position
of having
much
more
of
a
voice
in
the
workings
of
the
organization,
almost
every
one
of
them
found
an
opinion,
or
two.

It
was
necessary,
if
tedious,
Bleys
supposed;
they
were
having
to grow
into
new
roles.

Bley
s
did
not
tell
them
he
and
Dahno
could
no
longer
do
it
all themselves;
rather,
he
told
them,
in
essence,
that
they
had
graduated
to
the
next
level,
that
they
were
coming
into
their
kingdom.