"Yes?"
"Therefore, let this achievement be a condition of the bargain."
"In what way?"
"Do for me all those things which you have stated you can do. I willevaluate all the data and achieve Manhood, or admit that it cannot bedone. If I admit that it cannot be done, then I will go away with youfrom here, far beneath the Earth, to employ all my powers in the serviceof Divcom. If I succeed, of course, you have no claims on Man, nor powerover Him."
Mordel emitted a high-pitched whine as he considered the terms.
"You wish to base it upon you admission of failure, rather than uponfailure itself," he said. "There can be no such escape clause. Youcould fail and efuse to admit it, thereby not fulfilling your end of thebargain."
"Not so," stated Frost. "My own knowledge of failure would constitutesuch an admission. You may monito me perioically - say, everyhalf-century - to see whether it is present, to see whether I havearrived at the conclusion that it cannot be done. I cannot prevent thefunction of logic within me, and I operate at full capacity at alltimes. If I conclude that I have failed, it will be apparent."
High overhead, Solcom did not respond to any of Frost's transmissions,which meant that Frost was free to act as he chose. So as Solcom - likea falling sapphire - sped above the rainbow banners of the NorthernLights, over the snow that was white, containing all colors, and throughthe sky that was black among the stars, Frost concluded his pact withDivcom, transcribed it within a plate of atomically-collapsed copper, andgave it into the turret of Mordel, who departed to deliver it to Divcomfar below the Earth, leaving behind the sheer, peace-like silence of thePole, rolling.
Mordel brought the books, riffled them, took them back.