THE COSMIC COMPUTER

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Even a positronic computer does not work instantaneously. Nothing does.
Conn took his eyes from the slot from which the tape would come, and
watched the second-hand of the clock above it. The wait didn't seem like
hours to him; it only seemed like seventy-five seconds, that way. Then
the bell rang, and the tape began coming out.

It took another hour and a half of button-punching; the Braille-like
symbols on the tape had to be retranslated, and even Merlin couldn't do
that for itself. Merlin didn't think in human terms.

It was the same as before. In ignorance, the peoples of the Federation
worlds would go on, striving to keep things running until they wore out,
and then sinking into apathetic acceptance. Deprived of hope, they would
turn to frantic violence and smash everything they most wanted to
preserve. Conn pushed another button.

The second information-request went in: /What is the best course to be