"Exactly. Truth is inhabited. The inhabitants look much like us,
and they're very highly developed technologically, though there is
no sign that they use space travel in any form. The problem is that
Galactic's cargo ships will pass close enough to Truth so that the
inhabitants--call them Truthians--will eventually detect them and may
or may not like the idea. Galactic's worry is that after sinking a lot
of money into the development of Triax, and just as it's about to make
a profit on the planet, these Truthians may blossom out with a fleet of
commerce raiders, or else claim sovereignty over all contiguous space
and land Galactic in a big court fight." Kielgaard glanced at Dan with
a smile. "Suppose you were running Galactic and had this problem. What
would you do?"
"Try to vary the route. But subspace being what it is, a mild variation
of the starting point can produce an abrupt shift in the place where
they come out."
Kielgaard nodded. "There's probably a usable route, but there's no
telling when they'll find it. Meanwhile, the development license only
runs so long before Galactic has to show proof of progress."
"What's this Truth look like?"
"Earth-type, with cities and towns scattered over its surface at
random, some of the cities remarkably advanced, some antique, with
forest and wilderness in between, and only haphazard communications
between cities."
Dan frowned. "Well, then, I'd set down an information team, brain-spy
some of the inhabitants, and ease agents into key cities and towns. At
the same time, I'd go on looking for a new route, and do enough work on
Triax to keep the development license. When things clear up on Truth,
I'd develop Triax further."
Kielgaard nodded. "A sound and sensible plan. That is exactly what
Galactic did. And after a slow start, things began to straighten out
very nicely, too. The more Truth cleared up, the more Galactic invested
in Triax. And then, one day, this photograph came in."
Kielgaard held out a photograph showing a busy street corner in a city
at night. A brightly clothed crowd was walking along the sidewalk past
store windows showing a variety of merchandise.
Kielgaard said, "Look down that street. You see a low building, part
way down the block, with a wide chimney?"
"Yes," said Dan, "I see it."
"Look just above the top of the chimney."
"You mean this arrow-shaped constellation?"
Kielgaard nodded. "There is no such arrow-shaped constellation visible
from Truth."
"Then this photo is a fake?"
"They're all fakes. What apparently happened is that someone managed
to get a spy into Galactic's planning division, and through him found
out when and where Galactic's agents were to be set down. They grabbed
the agents one by one soon after each agent landed. Since then, they've
sent back reports to build up a purely synthetic picture of the planet.
The only reports Galactic can rely on are the original impressions of
the information team they set down to begin with."
Dan whistled. "So someone is working Galactic into position to jerk the
rug out from under it."
"Exactly."
"What's Galactic doing?"
"They're trying hard to keep this quiet. But meanwhile, no one knows
for sure who the spy is."
"A nice situation," said Dan. "What do we do about this planet Truth?"
* * * * *
"Well," said Kielgaard, "the first thing we do is set a man down and
let him get the lay of the land. We get more agents ready to move in
right behind him. We intend to use the best men available, and nothing
but the latest and best equipment. If things turn out as we intend
them to, whatever organization started this will come out slit up the
middle, stuffed, roasted, and with an apple in its mouth."