K-Pax (44 page)
"An
d
ho
w
d
o
yo
u
kno
w
whethe
r
the
y
ar
e
happ
y
o
r
not?"
"I
f
yo
u
don'
t
kno
w
that
,
dr
.
b
,
yo
u
can'
t
b
e
muc
h
o
f
a
psychiatrist."
"Al
l
right
.
Yo
u
sai
d
ther
e
ar
e
n
o
countrie
s
an
d
n
o
government
s
o
n
K-PAX
.
I
deduc
e
fro
m
thi
s
that
ther
e
ar
e
n
o
armie
s
o
r
militar
y
weapon
s
anywher
e
o
n
you
r
world-i
s
tha
t
right?"
"Heave
n
forbid."
"Tel
l
me-wha
t
happen
s
i
f
K-PA
X
i
s
attacke
d
b
y
inhabitant
s
o
f
anothe
r
planet?"
"
A
contradictio
n
i
n
terms
.
An
y
being
s
wh
o
woul
d
destro
y
anothe
r
WORL
D
alway
s
destroy
themselve
s
first."
"The
n
wha
t
abou
t
you
r
interna
l
affairs
?
Wh
o
keep
s
order?"
"K-PA
X
i
s
alread
y
orderly."
"Bu
t
yo
u
als
o
sai
d
ther
e
ar
e
n
o
law
s
o
n
you
r
planet
.
Correct?"
"Kee-reck."
"Withou
t
laws
,
ho
w
doe
s
on
e
kno
w
wha
t
i
s
righ
t
an
d
wha
t
i
s
wrong?"
"Th
e
sam
e
wa
y
huma
n
being
s
do
.
You
r
childre
n
don'
t
stud
y
law
,
d
o
they
?
Whe
n
the
y
make
mistakes
,
thes
e
ar
e
pointe
d
ou
t
t
o
them."
"Wh
o
decide
s
wha
t
a
`mistake
'
is?"
"Everyon
e
knows."
"How
?
Wh
o
create
d
th
e
origina
l
behavio
r
codes?"
"N
o
one
.
The
y
jus
t
becam
e
obviou
s
ove
r
a
perio
d
o
f
time."
"Woul
d
yo
u
sa
y
ther
e
i
s
som
e
mora
l
basi
s
fo
r
thes
e
codes?"
"Depend
s
o
n
you
r
definitio
n
o
f
`moral.
'
I
presum
e
yo
u
ar
e
thinkin
g
abou
t
religion."
"Yes."
"A
s
I
sai
d
before
,
w
e
hav
e
n
o
religion
s
o
n
K-PAX
,
than
k
god."
"God?"
"Tha
t
wa
s
a
joke.
"
pro
t
entere
d
somethin
g
int
o
hi
s
notebook
.
"Hav
e
yo
u
n
o
sens
e
o
f
humo
r
o
n
this
PLANET?"
"The
n
yo
u
don'
t
believ
e
i
n
God?"
"Th
e
ide
a
wa
s
kicke
d
aroun
d
fo
r
a
fe
w
hundre
d
cycles
,
bu
t
i
t
wa
s
soo
n
rejected."
"Why?"
"Wh
y
ki
d
ourselves?"
"Bu
t
i
f
i
t
give
s
comfort..."
"
A
fals
e
hop
e
give
s
onl
y
fals
e
comfort."
"D
o
al
l
K-PAXian
s
shar
e
thi
s
view?"
"
I
imagine
.
It'
s
no
t
somethin
g
that'
s
discusse
d
ver
y
much."
"Wh
y
not?"
"Ho
w
ofte
n
d
o
yo
u
discus
s
dragon
s
an
d
unicorns?"
"Wha
t
sort
s
o
f
thing
s
ar
e
discusse
d
o
n
you
r
planet?"
"Information
.
Ideas."
"Wha
t
sort
s
o
f
ideas?"
"Ca
n
on
e
trave
l
forwar
d
i
n
time
?
I
s
ther
e
a
fourt
h
spatia
l
dimension
?
Ar
e
ther
e
othe
r
UNIVERSES?
Stuf
f
lik
e
that."
"On
e
mor
e
thin
g
befor
e
w
e
mov
e
o
n
t
o
somethin
g
else
.
Wha
t
happens-
I
kno
w
thi
s
i
s
rare-bu
t
what
happen
s
whe
n
someon
e
break
s
on
e
o
f
you
r
behavio
r
codes
?
Refuse
s
t
o
conform?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"W
e
reaso
n
wit
h
hi
m
o
r
her."
"That'
s
all?"
"Yes."
"Wha
t
i
f
h
e
kill
s
someone?"
Somewha
t
agitated
:
"Wh
y
woul
d
an
y
bein
g
d
o
a
thin
g
lik
e
that?"
"Bu
t
wha
t
i
f
someon
e
did?"
"W
e
woul
d
tr
y
t
o
avoi
d
hi
m
o
r
her."
"Bu
t
i
s
ther
e
n
o
compassio
n
fo
r
th
e
perso
n
h
e
ha
s
killed
?
O
r
fo
r
hi
s
nex
t
victim?"
pro
t
wa
s
starin
g
a
t
me
,
disgustedl
y
i
t
appeared
,
o
r
perhap
s
i
n
disbelief
.
"You'r
e
makin
g
a
mountain
ou
t
o
f
a
molehill
.
Being
s
don'
t
kil
l
othe
r
being
s
o
n
K-PAX
.
Crim
e
i
s
les
s
popula
r
tha
n
sex
,
even
.
There's
simpl
y
n
o
nee
d
fo
r
it."
