The Darkside Of The Sun

strung about with auxiliary equipment. Ropes of cables connected it to the wall. It was smoking a cigar through an extended tube.
    ‘ GREETINGS TO YOU, TOO, HRSH-HGN. ’
    Dom stared at the cigar.
    ‘ NOT PRIMARILY AN AFFECTATION ,’ said the Bank. ‘ THERE IS A CERTAIN SENSUAL PLEASURE, YOU UNDERSTAND. AND IT HELPS TO PUT SOME OF MY MORE NERVOUS VISITORS AT THEIR EASE. A ROBOT IS HUMANOID. WHEN ON TOP OF THAT IT IS SMOKING A CIGAR IT IS FAR MORE RELAXING TO CONVERSE WITH THAN —’
    ‘—a planet-sized computer?’ suggested Dom. ‘Hello, Godfather.’
    ‘ I TRUST YOUR FAMILY IS IN GOOD HEALTH. ’
    ‘Reasonably so, when I left Widdershins,’ said Dom. ‘It’s very good of you to see us.’
    ‘ NOT AT ALL. I ALWAYS HAVE TIME FOR MY GODCHILDREN. AND HRSH-HGN, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE MORE PROMISING AMATEUR STUDENTS OF THE JOKER MYSTERY. ’
    Hrsh-Hgn nodded graciously.
    ‘Godchildren?’ asked Dom, interested despite himself. ‘I ...uh ... thought I was the only one.’
    ‘ I HAVE SEVERAL THOUSAND. IT PLEASES ME TO SEE THEM GROW UP AND MAKE THEIR WAY IN THE UNIVERSE. AND NOW, DOM, THE SUBJECT CONCERNING WHICH YOU NO DOUBT CAME HERE TO CONSULT ME. ’
    The red lights in the wall flared.
    ‘ I REFER TO THE ATTEMPTS ON YOUR LIFE, YOUR FATHER’S PREDICTIONS, AND YOUR CURRENT QUEST. THE FAILED ASSASSINATIONS, FIRST. ’
    Dom told his story. Occasionally the light patterns would change. At last the robot laid down the cigar and the Bank spoke.
    ‘ THERE IS, YOU REALIZE, ONE COMFORTING ASPECT. THESE ATTEMPTS FAILED. THAT SUGGESTS A FALLIBLE AGENT. ’
    Dom sat back. ‘Yes, but the failures weren’t – I mean, they were not natural. Something happened. I feel like a tstame puppet, as if I was being moved about by a couple of players just so that I could fulfil some prediction.’
    ‘ BUT YOU READILY SET OUT TO FIND JOKERS WORLD, WITHOUT FORETHOUGHT. ’
    He tried to think of an intelligent answer. None was forthcoming. Why had he been so ready? He was scared, yes, and wanted to run away. There was most of the galaxy to see. It was an adventure. But he had to admit there was more to it.
    ‘It seemed the right thing at the time. I can’t explain why,’ he said, simply.
    ‘ YOU ACCEPTED FATE. A PHNOBE WOULD SAY “BATER”. A PHILOSOPHIC DROSK WOULD SAY YOU HEARD TODAY’S ECHO OF TOMORROW’S SCREAM. YOU ACTED OUT OF UNCONSCIOUS FOREKNOWLEDGE. ’
    Dom’s shirt moved and Ig poked his head out and blinked at the lights.
    ‘ AS FAR AS WIDDERSHINS IS CONCERNED, I FIND NO REASON WHY YOU SHOULD BE KILLED. AS FAR AS SENIOR PLANETARY MANAGEMENT IS CONCERNED, THERE ARE FAR WORSE IN THE GALAXY .
    ‘ I HAVE BEEN RUNNING A PROBABILITY PROGRAM ON YOU FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. IT APPEARS THAT YOU WILL DISCOVER JOKERS WORLD. NOW THERE IS A GENERAL BELIEF THAT THE JOKER INSTITUTE SEEKS OUT AND KILLS ALL THOSE IT PREDICTS MAY DISCOVER JOKERS WORLD. BUT THAT IS MERE CONJECTURE. ’
    Behind Dom Hrsh-Hgn hissed softly.
    ‘ YOU DON’T SEEM SURPRISED. ’
    He felt the phnobe’s soup-plate eyes on him as he said carefully: ‘I know I will discover Jokers World. I knew when I heard my father say so. I … felt things lock into place. I will discover Jokers World. That’s why I set out. It’s the most important thing that I must do. No one can stop me.’
    He was surprised to hear his voice. But he felt the certainty nestling securely in his mind now.
    And the certainty faded, like a dream. It left him mouthing, blushing. He felt Hrsh-Hgn’s hand on his shoulder. Ig looked up at him, with his head on one side.
    For a few seconds the robot voice-box merely emitted a faint static hiss. Then the Bank spoke kindly in a softer voice.
    ‘ DON’T BET YOUR LIFE ON CERTAINTIES, DOM. BEWARE OF HUBRIS. ’
    Hrsh-Hgn leaned forward. In a voice slightly louder than necessary he said: ‘Reason suggests that if Jokers World exisstss in the life-bubble it would have been found. I know one myth which ssayss they live on the core of Procyon, where even Creapii may not go. What do you say to thiss?’
    ‘ AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS INTERESTED IN YOUR THEORY AS PUT FORWARD IN YOUR RECENT CUBE. ’
    ‘Your theory, Hrsh?’ said Dom. ‘You didn’t tell me!’
    ‘We were interrupted by that tower, remember?’
    ‘ IT WAS A NEAT EXTRAPOLATION ON THE PHRASE “THE DARK SIDE OF THE SUN”. IT WOULD INVOLVE FINDING A BINARY STAR, OF THE EPSILON AURIGAE TYPE ,’ the Bank explained.
    Three minutes later Dom said: ‘I understand the idea.