Dalish ud Klavan sat easily in his chair opposite Marlowe. He rested one
digit on his notebook and waited.
"Ud Klavan," Marlowe said amiably, "you're undoubtedly aware by now that
your opposite number on Dovenil has been charged with a civil crime and
deported."
The Dovenilid nodded. "An unfortunate incident. One that I regret
personally, and which I am sure my own people would much rather not have
had happen."
"Naturally." Marlowe smiled. "I simply wanted to reassure you that this
incident does not reflect on your own status in any way. We are
investigating our representative, and will take appropriate action, but
it seems quite clear that the fault is not with your people. We have
already forwarded reparations and a note of apology to your government.
As further reparation, I wish to assure you personally that we will
coöperate with your personal observations in every possible way. If
there is anything at all you wish to know--even what might, under
ordinary conditions, be considered restricted information--just call on
us."
Ud Klavan's crest stirred a fraction of an inch, and Marlowe chuckled
inwardly. Well, even a brilliant spy might be forgiven an outward
display of surprise under these circumstances.
The Dovenilid gave him a piercing look, but Marlowe presented a
featureless facade of bulk.
The secretary chuckled in his mind once more. He doubted if ud Klavan
could accept the hypothesis that Marlowe did not know he was a spy. But
the Dovenilid must be a sorely confused being at this point.
"Thank you, Marlowe," he said finally. "I am most grateful, and I am
sure my people will construe it as yet another sign of the Union's
friendship."
"I hope so, ud Klavan," Marlowe replied. Having exchanged this last
friendly lie, they went through the customary Dovenilid formula of
leave-taking.
* * * * *
Marlowe slapped his interphone switch as soon as the alien was gone. "Uh
... Mary, what's the latest on Holliday?"
"His shuttle lands at Idlewild in half an hour, sir."
"All right, get Mr. Mead. Have him meet me out front, and get an
official car to take us to the field. I'll want somebody from Emigration
to go with us. Call Idlewild and have them set up a desk and chairs for
four out in the middle of the field. Call the Ministry for Traffic and
make sure that field stays clear until we're through with it. My
Ministerial prerogative, and no back-talk. I want that car in ten
minutes."
"Yes, sir."
Mary's voice was perfectly even, without the slightest hint that there
was anything unusual happening. Marlowe switched off and twisted his
mouth.
He picked up the GenSurv on the Dovenil area and began skimming it
rapidly.
* * * * *
He kept his eyes carefully front as he walked out of his office, past
the battery of clerks in the outer office, and down the hall. He kept
them rigidly fixed on the door of his personal elevator which, during
the day, was human-operated under the provisions of the Human Employment
Act of 2302. He met Mead in front of the building and did not look into
the eyes of Bussard, the man from Emigration, as they shook hands. He
followed them down the walk in a sweating agony of obliviousness, and
climbed into the car with carefully normal lack of haste.
He sat sweating, chewing a candy bar, for several minutes before he
spoke. Then, slowly, he felt his battered defenses reassert themselves,
and he could actually look at Bussard, before he turned to Mead.
"Now, then," he rapped out a shade too abruptly before he caught
himself. "Here's the GenSurv on the Dovenil area, Chris. Anything in it
you don't know already?"
"I don't think so, sir."
"O.K., dig me up a habitable planet--even a long-term False-E will
do--close to Dovenil, but not actually in their system. If it's at all
possible, I want that world in a system without any rich planets. And I
don't want any rich systems anywhere near it. If you can't do that,
arrange for the outright sale of all mineral and other resource rights
to suitable companies. I want that planet to be habitable, but I want it
to be impossible for any people on it to get at enough resources to
achieve a technological culture. Can do?"