The Old Man stared at his First Mate and son-in-law sadly. "You, too,
Lancelot? I'm disappointed in you, my boy. I never thought _you'd_ fall
in line with--"
Biggs' uncle said, "You are a very impetuous person, Captain Hanson. If
you will let me continue--"
"I don't want to hear no more," growled Hanson. "Go 'way and leave me
alone!"
"But let Uncle Prenny tell you, Dad!" pleaded Biggs.
"The hell with--"
"He can tell _me_," I broke in. "And if there's not a quick change of
theme, I'm going to do a little snoot-poking before I leave--with the
skipper. Go ahead, Mr. Biggs."
"You are _two_ very impetuous men," decided Prendergast Biggs, "and
I am surprised that you could think your employers would--but never
mind. Let me assure you that we have no intention of dealing with these
criminals on a friendly basis. On the contrary, we are going to do our
utmost to break their grip on the suffering citizens of Iris.
"As Sparks has already commented, there is one thing the usurpers of
Iris _cannot_ legally do. That is, forbid the right of free trade and
commerce between other planets and the captive Irisians.
"On the other hand, they _can_ forbid the establishment of any
community, outpost, or permanent trading-station upon their planetoid.
They can prevent unwanted outsiders from becoming citizens of their
base. In short, strangers may _visit_ Iris, but they cannot stay there."
"Then, why--?" began the Old Man.
"However," continued the Vice-president, "there is a loophole they have
overlooked. That is the clause in interplanetary law which reads: '_Any
person or group of persons who discover, create or otherwise develop
a hitherto undeveloped industry dependent upon the natural resources
of any planet in the system are granted the privilege of establishing
settlement upon that body for a period not to exceed thirty-five Solar
years._'"
He smiled at us. "That, gentlemen, is the entering-wedge with which
we plan to crack the defenses of these tyrants who hold Iris in their
grip!"