Impact
Page 3
stream, a placewhere natives were apparently working to build up the bank againsterosion. In contrast to the beauty that surrounded it, the bare earth wasindescribably ugly, like a livid scar in a woman's face. In his mind Lordsaw this scar multiplied a thousand times--no, a million times--when themachines of the galaxy came to rip out resources for the trade cities.He envisioned the trade cities that would rise against the horizon, theclutter of suburban subdivisions choking out the forests; he saw the pallof industrial smoke that would soil the clean air, the great machinesclattering over asphalt streets.
For the first time he stated the problem honestly, to himself: this worldmust be saved exactly as it was. But how? How could Lord continue torepresent Hamilton Lord, Inc., as a reputable trade agent, and at thesame time save Niaga's people from the impact of civilization?
It was sunset when he returned to the _Ceres_. On the clearing thefestivities were still going on, but at a slower pace. Ann Howard waswaiting for Lord at the door of his cabin. She registered her officialdisapproval of the revelry, which Lord had expected, and then she added,
"We can't make a treaty with them; these people have no government withthe authority to deal with us."
"You're wrong, Ann; there's a council of elders--"
"I beg to differ, Mr. Lord." Her lips made a flat, grim line against herteeth. "This afternoon I made a point of talking to every native in theclearing. Their idea of government is something they call the law ofhumanity. Whether it is written down or not, I have no way of knowing;but certainly they have no such thing as a central authority. Thisrather indicates a teacher trusteeship for the planet, I believe."
"You've made a mistake, Ann; I'll have to check for myself."
Lord and Ann Howard moved together through the clearing and he began totalk to the natives. In each case he elicited the same information thatAnn had given him. The mention of a governing council seemed to amuse thesavages. Lord and Ann were still conducting their puzzling inquest whenNiaga returned from the village. She said that the council had beencalled and would meet within a week.
"There seems to be some difference of opinion," Ann told her coldly,"between you and your people."
"Yes," Lord added uncertainly, "I've been asking about the council and--"
"But you didn't phrase your question clearly," Niaga put in smoothly."We're not quite used to using your words yet with your definitions."To make her point, she called the same natives whom Ann and Lord hadquestioned, and this time, without exception, they reversed theirtestimony. Lord was willing to believe the language had caused thedifficulty. Niaga's people were entirely incapable of deception; whatreason would they have had?
* * * * *
From that hour, the clearing was never altogether free of native guests.They deluged Lord's crew with kindness and entertainment. Lord never leftthe ship, day or night, without having Niaga slip up beside him and puther arm through his. Because Ann Howard had made her objections so clear,the native women, in an effort to please the teacher, had taken to wearingmore clothing than they were accustomed to. But they rejected the sack-likeplastics which Ann dispensed in the schoolroom and put on the mist-like,pastel-colored netting which they used normally to decorate their homes.If anything, the addition of clothing made the women more attractivethan ever.
The scientists among Lord's men analyzed the planetary resources and foundthe planet unbelievably rich in metals; the botanists determined that theseeds for the exotic fruits and flowers were exportable. All told, Niaga'sworld could develop into the richest franchise in the Federation.
Niaga took Lord to visit the villages which were close to the landingsite. Each town was exactly like its neighbors, a tiny cluster of small,yellow-walled, flat-roofed houses nestled among the tall trees close toa cleared farmland which was worked co-operatively by everyone in thevillage. No single town was large, yet judging from the number that hesaw, Lord estimated the planetary population in the billions.
Continuously Niaga tried to persuade him to stay and build a colony inthe new world. Lord knew that the other natives were being as persuasivewith the rest of the crew. And the temptation was very real: to trade theenergetic, competitive, exhausting routine that he knew for the quietpeace and relaxation here.
As the days passed the rigid scheduling of exploratory activities, alwayspracticed by a trade mission, began to break down. The charming savages ofthis new world put no monetary value on time, and something of their spiritbegan to infect Lord's crew. They stopped bucking for overtime; most ofthem applied for accumulated sick leave--so they could walk in the forestwith the native women, or swim in the forest pools. Even Lord found timeto relax.
One afternoon, after a swim with Niaga, they lay in the warm sun on thegrassy bank of a stream. Niaga picked a blue, delicately scented waterlily, and gently worked it into his hair. Slowly she bent her face closeuntil her lips brushed his cheek.
"Must you really go away when the treaty is made?"
"I'm a Lord, Niaga."
"Does that matter? If you like it here--"
"Niaga, I wish--I wish--" He shrugged his shoulders helplessly.
"Why is it so important for you to build your trade cities?"
As he sought for words to answer her question, the spell of her presencewas broken. He saw her for what she was: an extremely beautiful woman,sensuously very lovely, yet nonetheless a primitive--a forlorn childwithout any conception of the meaning of civilization. "We keep our unionof planets economically sound," he explained patiently, "and at peace byconstantly expanding--"
"I have visited the schoolroom your teacher has put up beside the ship. Ihave seen her models of the many machines your people know how to build.But why do you do it, Martin Lord?"
"The machines make our lives easier and more comfortable; they--"
"More comfortable than this?" She gestured toward the stream and thecultivated forest.
"Your world moves at the pace of a walk, Niaga; with our machines, youcould rise above your trees, reach your destination in minutes--when nowit takes you days."
"And miss all the beauty on the way. What point is there in savingtime, and losing so much that really matters? Do your machines give youanything--you as a person, Martin Lord--that you couldn't have herewithout them?"
* * * * *
The question was unanswerable. It symbolized the enormous gulf that laybetween Niaga and himself. More than that, Lord saw clearly that thetrade cities would destroy her world utterly. Neither Niaga nor her wayof life could survive the impact of civilization. And the exotic charm,the friendly innocence was worth saving. Somehow Lord had to find a wayto do it.
* * * * *
Lord was by no means surprised when the first three men jumped ship andwent to live in one of the quiet villages. Subconsciously he envied them;subconsciously he wished he had the courage to make the same decision.Although Ann Howard demanded it, Lord couldn't seriously consider takingmeasures to stop further desertions.
When Don Howard jumped ship, he brought the issue to a head. Ann maneuveredLord so that he would have to take a stand. What and how, he didn't know.
It was the first time since the landing that Niaga had not been waitingoutside the ship for Lord. At his request she had gone to the villageto find what progress had been made in calling the council of elders.Lord knew where to find her, but after his talk with Ann he walked slowlyalong the forest path. He stopped to dip his face into the stream wherehe had first met Niaga. Anything to put off the showdown. Lord wastrying desperately to understand and evaluate his own motivation.
He accepted the fact that he had not stopped the desertions because, ifenough men jumped ship, the _Ceres_ would be unable to take off again. Lordcould then have embraced Niaga's temptation without having to make thedecision for himself. But that was a coward's way out and no solution.There would always be people like Ann Howard who would not accept thesituation. They would eventually make radio co
mmunication with theFederation, and the location of Niaga's world would no longer be a secret.
Fundamentally that was the only thing that counted: to preserve this worldfrom the impact of civilization.
Then suddenly, as he listened to the music of the stream, Lord saw how thatcould be done. Ann Howard had offered him a deal; she would keep her word.Everything hinged on that.
Don Howard had to be brought back--if persuasion failed, then by force.
Martin Lord ran back to the clearing. From a supply shed he took a pair ofdeadly atomic pistols. Their invisible, pin-point knife of exploding energycould slice through eighteen feet of steel, transform a mountain into acloud of radioactive dust.
He ran through the forest to the village. As usual, the children wereplaying games on the grass, while the