"Umm.... Let us not act too hurriedly. Are you aware that the man you have brought in is Secretary to, the High Minister of Earth, one of their Ancients and a very important man to them?"
"Perfectly"
"And yet you say that he is a prime mover in this conspiracy you mention."
"He is."
"Your evidence?"
"You will understand me, I am sure, when I say that I cannot discuss that with anyone but the Procurator."
The colonel frowned and regarded his fingernails. "Do you doubt my competency in the case?"
"Not at all, sir. It is simply that only the Procurator has the authority to take the decisive action required this case."
"What decisive, action do you refer to?"
"A certain building on Earth must be bombed and totally destroyed within thirty hours, or the lives of most, or all, of the inhabitants of the Empire will. be lost."
"What building?" asked the colonel wearily.
Arvardan snapped back, "May I be connected with the Procurator, please?"
There was a, pause of deadlock. The colonel said stiffly, "You realize that in forcibly kidnapping an Earthman you have rendered yourself liable to,- trial and punishment by the Terrestrial authorities? Ordinarily the government will protect its citizens as a matter of principle and insist upon a Galactic trial. However, affairs on Earth are delicate and I have strict instructions to risk no avoidable clash. Therefore, unless you answer my questions fully, I will be forced to turn you and your companions over to the local police."
"But that would be a death sentence! For yourself too! . . . Colonel, I am a citizen of the Empire, and I demand an audience with the Pro"
A buzzer on the colonel's desk interrupted him. The colonel turned to it, closing a contact. "Yes?"
"Sir," came the clear voice, "a body of natives have encircled the fort. It is believed they are armed."
"Has there been any violence?"
"No, sir."
There was no sign of emotion on the colonel's face. This, at least, was what he was trained for. "Artillery and aircraft are to be made ready-all men to battle stations. Withhold all fire except in self-defense. Understood?"
"Yes, sir. An Earthman under flag of truce wishes audience."
"Send him in. Also: send the High Minister's Secretary here again."
And now the colonel glared coldly at the archaeologist. "I trust you are aware of the appalling nature of what you have, caused."
"I demand to) be present at the interview," cried Avardan, nearly incoherent with fury, "and I further demand the reason for your allowing me to rot under guard here, for hours while you closet yourself with a native traitor. I tell you that I am not ignorant that you interviewed him before speaking with me."
"Are you making any accusations, sir?" demanded the colonel, his, own voice ascending the scale. "If so, make them plainly. "
"I make no accusations. But I will remind you that, you will be accountable for your actions hereafter, and that you may well be, known in the future, if you have a future, as the destroyer, by your stubbornness, of your people."
"Silence! I am not accountable to you, at any rate. We will conduct affairs, henceforward, as I choose. Do, you understand?"
chapter 20 the deadline that was reached
The Secretary passed through the door held open by a soldier. On his purpling, swollen lips there was a brief, cold smile. He bowed to the colonel and remained completely unaware, to all appearance, of the presence of Arvardan.
"Sir," said the colonel to the Earthman, "I have communicated to, the High Minister the details of your presence here and the manner in which it came about. Your detention here is, of course, entirely-uh-unorthodox,
and it is my purpose to, set you free as soon as I can. However, I have here a gentleman who, as you probably know, has lodged against you a very serious accusation; one which, under the circumstances, we must investigate -"
"I understand, Colonel," said the Secretary calmly. "However, as I have already explained to you, this man has been on Earth, I believe, only a matter of two months or so, so that his knowledge of our internal politics is nonexistent. This is a flimsy basis, indeed, for any accusation."
Arvardan retorted in anger, "I am an archaeologist by profession, and one who has specialized of late on Earth and its customs. My knowledge of its politics is far from nonexistent. And in any case, I am not the only one who makes the accusation."
The Secretary did not look at the archaeologist either now or later. He spoke exclusively to the colonel. He said, "One of our local scientists is involved in this; one who, approaching the end of his normal sixty years, is suffering from delusions of persecution. Then, in addition, there is another man, one of unknown antecedents and a history of idiocy. All three could not raise a respectable accusation among them."
Arvardan jumped to, his feet. "I demand to, be heard
"Sit down," said the colonel coldly and unsympathetically. "You have refused to discuss the matter with me. Let the refusal stand. Bring in the man with the flag of truce.
It was another member of the Society of Ancients. Scarcely a flicker of the eyelid betrayed any emotion on his part at the sight of the Secretary. The colonel rose from his chair and said, "Do you speak for the men outside?"
"I do, sir."
"I assume, then, that this riotous and illegal assembly is, based upon a demand for the return of your fellow countryman here?"
"Yes, sir. He must be immediately freed."
"Indeed! Nevertheless, the interest of law and order and the respect due His Imperial Majesty's representatives on this world require that the, matter cannot possibly be discussed while men are gathered in armed rebellion against us. You must have, your, men disperse."
The Secretary spoke up pleasantly. "The colonel is perfectly correct, Brother Cori, Please calm the, situation. I am perfectly safe here, and there is no danger-for anybody. Do, you understand? For anybody. It is my word as, an Ancient. "
"Very well, Brother. I am thankful you are safe."
He was ushered out.
The colonel said curtly, "We will see, that you leave here safely as soon as matters in the city have returned to, normal. Thank you for your co-operation in this matter just concluded."
Arvardan was again on his feet. "I forbid it. You will let loose this would-be murderer of the human race while forbidding me an interview with the Procurator when that would be simply in accord with my rights as a Galactic citizen." Then, in a paroxysm of frustration, "Will you show more consideration to an Earthman dog than you will to me?"
The Secretary's voice sounded over that last near-incoherent rage. "Colonel, I will gladly remain until such time as my case is heard by the, Procurator, if that is what this man wants. An accusation of treason is serious, and the, suspicion of it-however farfetched-may be sufficient to, ruin my usefulness to, my people. I would really appreciate the opportunity to, prove to, the Procurator that none is more loyal to the Empire than myself."
The colonel said stiffly, "I admire your feelings, sir, and freely admit that were I in your place my attitude would be quite different. You are a credit to, your race, sir. I will attempt contact with the Procurator."
Arvardan said nothing more until led back to his cell.
He avoided the, glance of the others. For a long time he sat motionless, with a knuckle pinched between gnawing teeth.
Until Shekt said, "Well?"
Arvardan shook his, head. "I just about ruined everything.,'
"What did you do?"
"Lost my temper; offended the, colonel; got nowhere I'm no diplomat, Shekt."
He felt riven with the sudden urge for self-defense. "What could I do?" he cried. "Balkis had already been to the colonel, so that I couldn't trust him. What if he'd been offered his life? What if he's been in on the plot all, along? I know it's a wild thought, but I couldn't take the chance. It was too, suspicious. I wanted to see Ennius himself."
The physicist was on hi
s feet, withered hands clasped behind his back. "Well, then-is Ennius coming?"
"I suppose so. But it is only at Balkis's own request, and that I don't understand."
"Balkis's own request? Then Schwartz must be right."
"Yes? What has Schwartz been saying?"
The plump Earthman was sitting on his cot. He shrugged his shoulders when the eyes turned to him and spread out his hands in a helpless gesture. "I caught the Secretary's Mind Touch when they took him past our room just now. He's definitely had a long talk with this officer you talked to."
"I know."
"But there's no, treason in that officer's mind."
"Well," miserably, "then I guessed wrong. I'll eat worms when Ennius comes. What about Balkis?"
"There's no worry or fear in his mind; only hate. And now it's mostly hate for us, for capturing him, for dragging him here. We've wounded his vanity horribly, and he intends to, square it with us. I saw little daydream pictures in his mind. Of himself, singlehanded, preventing the entire Galaxy from doing anything to stop him even while we, with our knowledge, work against him. He's giving us the odds, the trumps, and then he'll smash us anyway and triumph over us."
"You mean that he will risk his plans, his dreams of Empire, just to vent a little spite at us? That's mad."
"I know," said Schwartz with finality. "He is mad."
"And he thinks he'll succeed?"
"That's right."
"Then we must have you, Schwartz. We'll need your mind. Listen tot me-"
But Shekt was shaking his head. "No, Arvardan, we couldn't work that. I woke Schwartz when you left and we discussed the matter. His mental powers, which he can describe only dimly, are obviously not under perfect control. He can stun a man, or paralyze him, or, even kill him. Better than that, he can control the larger voluntary muscles even against the subject's will, but no more than that. In the case of the Secretary, he couldn't make the man talk, the small muscles about the vocal cords being beyond him. He couldn't co-ordinate motion well enough to, have the Secretary drive a car; he even balanced him while walking only with difficulty. Obviously, then, we couldn't control Ennius, for instance, to, the point of having him issue an order, or write one. I've thought of that, you see Shekt shook his head as his voice trailed away.
Arvardan felt the desolation of futility descend upon him. Then, with a sudden pang of anxiety, "Where's Pola?"
"She's sleeping in the alcove."
He would have longed to, wake her-longed- Oh, longed a lot of things.
Arvardan looked at his watch. It was, almost midnight, and there were only thirty hours left.
He slept for a while after that, then woke for a while, as it grew light again. No one approached, and a man's very soul grew haggard and pale.
Arvardan looked at his watch. It was almost midnight, and there were only six hours left.
He looked about him now in a dazed and hopeless way. They were all here now-even the Procurator, at last. Pola was next to him, her warm little fingers on his wrist and that look of fear and exhaustion on her face that more than anything else infuriated him against all the Galaxy.
Maybe they all deserved to die, the stupid, stupidstupid
He scarcely saw Shekt and Schwartz. They sat on his left. And there was Balkis, the damnable Balkis, with his lips still swollen, one cheek green, so that it must hurt like the devil to talk-and Arvardan's own lips stretched into a furious, aching smile at the thought and his fists clenched and writhed. His own bandaged cheek ached less at the thought.
Facing all of them was Ennius, frowning, uncertain, almost ridiculous, dressed as he was in those heavy, shapeless, lead impregnated clothes.
And he was stupid, too. Arvardan felt a thrill of hatred shoot through him at the thought of the Galactic trimmers who wanted only peace and ease. Where, were the conquerors of three centuries, back? Where? . . .
Six hours, left
Ennius had received the call from the, Chica garrison some eighteen hours before and he had streaked half around the planet at the summons. The motives that led him to that were obscure but nonetheless forceful. Essentially, he told himself, there was nothing to the matter but a regrettable kidnapping of one of those green-robed curiosities, of superstitious, hagridden Earth. That, and these wild and undocumented accusations. Nothing, certainly, that the colonel on the spot could not have handled.
And yet there was Shekt-Shekt was in this- And not as the accused, but as an accuser. It was, confusing.
He sat down facing them, thinking, quite conscious that his. decision in this case might hasten a rebellion, perhaps weaken his own position at court, ruin his chances at advancement- As for Arvardan's long speech. just now about virus strains and unbridled epidemics, how seriously could he take it? After all, if he took action of the basis of it, how credible would the matter sound to, his, superiors?
And yet Arvardan was an archaeologist of note.
So he postponed the matter in his mind by saying to the Secretary, "Surely you have something to say in this, matter?"
"Surprisingly little," said the Secretary with easy confidence. "I would like to, ask what evidence exists for supporting the accusation?"
"Your Excellency," said Arvardan with snapping patience, "I have already told you that the man admitted it in every detail at the time of our imprisonment day before yesterday."
Perhaps," said the Secretary, "You choose to, credit that, Your Excellency, but, it is simply an additional unsupported statement. Actually the only facts to, which outsiders can bear witness to are that I was the one violently taken prisoner, not they; that it was my life that was in peril, not theirs. Now I would like my accuser to, explain how he could find all this out in the, nine weeks that he, has been on the planet, when you the Procurator, of service here, have found nothing to my disadvantage?"
"There is reason in what the Brother says," admitted Ennius heavily. "How do you know?"
Arvardan replied stiffly, "Prior to the accused's confession I was informed of the conspiracy by Dr. Shekt."
"Is that so, Dr. Shekt?" The Procurator's glance shifted to the physicist.
"That is so, Your Excellency."
"And how did you find out?"
Shekt said, "Dr. Arvardan was admirably thorough and accurate in his description of the use to which the Synapsifier was put and in his remarks concerning the dying statements of the bacteriologist, F. Smitko. This Smitko was a member of the conspiracy. His remarks were recorded and the recording is available."
"But, Dr. Shekt, the dying statements of a man known to be in dehrium-if what Dr. Arvardan said is truecannot be of very great weight. You have nothing else?"
Arvardan interrupted by striking his fist on the arm of his chair and roaring, "Is this a law court? Has someone been guilty of violating a traffic ordinance? We have no time to weigh evidence on an analytical balance or measure it with micrometers. I tell you we have till six in the morning, five and a half hours, in other words, to wipe out this enormous threat.... You knew Dr. Shekt previous to this time, Your Excellency. Have you known him to be a liar?"
The Secretary interposed instantly, "No one accused Dr. Shekt of deliberately lying, Your Excellency. It is only that the good doctor is aging and has, of late, been greatly concerned over his approaching sixtieth birthday.
I am afraid that a combination of age and fear have induced slight paranoiac tendencies, common enough here on Earth. Look at him! Does, he seem to you quite normal?"
He did not, of course. He was drawn and tense, shattered by what had passed and what was to come.
Yet Shekt forced his voice into normal tones, even into calmness. He said, "I might say that for the last two months I have been under the continual watch of the Ancients; that my letters have been opened and my answers censored. But it is obvious that all such complaints would be attributed to the paranoia spoken of. However,, I have here Joseph Schwartz, the man who volunteered as a subject for the Synapsifier one day when you were visiting me at the
Institute."
"I remember." There was a feeble gratitude in Ennius's mind that the, subject had, for the moment, veered. "Is that the man?"
"Yes."
"He looks none the worse for the experience."
"He is far the better. The exposure to the, Synapsifier was uncommonly successful, since he had a photographic memory to begin with, a fact I did not know at the time. At any rate, he now has a mind which is, sensitive, to the thoughts of others."
Ennius, leaned far forward in his chair and cried in a shocked amazement, "What? Are you telling me he, reads minds?"
"That can be demonstrated, Your Excellency. But I think the Brother will confirm the statement."
Asimov, Isaac - Foundation 08 - Pebble In The Sky Page 22