"Of course not."
"Has the man no patriotism?"
"Look, Shamar," she said in exasperation, "you once asked me why the
people in the street aren't upset about Earth. I'm beginning to see the
way you think. What you mean is, aren't we _afraid_ of Earth? Aren't
we afraid Earth would, oh, do something like invade us or something?
That's what you mean."
"Of course it is."
"Once upon a time," she said, "when we first got space flight, the
Party got all shook up about the possibility of some hostile force
out there developing an interstellar drive and coming along and doing
their will with us. They asked the computers about it. Invading and
conquering a planet is such a vast technological undertaking that the
mind just boggles at it. Don't forget, we've got a warning network out
there. They're not very alert, or you wouldn't have gotten through,
but they wouldn't miss an invasion fleet. There's computer-controlled
chemical rockets in orbit, and we've got a few sited on Itra that can
blast down anything that slows up to try to land. It wouldn't take
one-hundredth, it wouldn't take one-thousandth of the technological
resources required to defend Itra that it would to attack her. Earth
just simply can't afford to attack us. They'd go broke trying. Every
million dollars you spent to get here, we'd spend a thousand to keep
you from landing.
"Oh, I suppose if Earth wanted to, they might figure out some way to
blow up Itra. But where's the profit in that? We're not bothering you.
Why spend all that money when it's not going to get you one damn thing
in return?"
* * * * *
The following day, Shamar called on the lawyer, Counselor Freemason.
Counselor Freemason inquired politely as to the state of his financial
reserves. Shamar replied reassuringly.
"Good, good. That's most encouraging. Most encouraging indeed. We need
not place any limit on our ingenuity, then.
"I've been thinking about your case, Mr. Worker. The thing first to do,
in my opinion, is to stir up public sympathy in your favor. It's almost
an ideal case. It has no real political overtones. It's not as if
you're accused of anything serious. Well, I believe I can interest some
friends of mine who are always deeply concerned with cases involving
the infringement of an individual's liberty--provided, of course,
there are no political overtones. I can think of several good people
who would be willing to head up a Defense Committee. The fact that we
have and I'm talking now about as much as, oh, one hundred thousand
dollars?" He paused interrogatively.
"I'm prepared to pay," Shamar said.
"Maybe even more," Councilman Freemason continued quickly. "We can come
to that later. The important thing right now is to get down to work on
your case."
"Counselor Freemason, now, obviously I'm not a lawyer," Shamar said,
"and I know it's bad business to tell a professional how to run
his job. But I believe Miss Germadpoldlt explained the, ah, rather
unusual delicacy of my own position. It would seem to me that the less
publicity we got, the better."
Counselor Freemason shook a pen at him. "A very good point, Mr.
Worker. It shows you're thinking, and I'm glad of the opportunity to
explain the reasons for this recommendation. If I brazenly parade you
before them, you see, by implication it means we're not afraid of your
background being examined. We have nothing to hide. Consequently, they
will not look for anything. If, on the other hand, I'm cautious,
fearful, defensive, they'll ask themselves, 'What's Counselor Freemason
trying to hide?' And they'll start digging into your past.
"Now, I hope that clears that matter up to your satisfaction? Good.
Good. I'll get right to work on your case. Do you have anything else?
Miss Germadpoldlt explained rather nicely, I think, yesterday. As
far as anyone knows, you're a man without papers. You've never paid
any taxes but they have no proof you owe taxes. You won money in the
lottery. You collected anonymously; lots of people do for perfectly
valid reasons. Let them prove you didn't win. The Party can't be very
interested in a man like that.
"So, I'll raise an issue. Maybe we'll suggest that any lottery winner
is likely to be persecuted. The Party wants things to go smoothly. The
lottery makes the people feel as if, you know, they actually own a
piece of things. And too many people don't have papers.
"My job is to take the specific and convert it to a vague general
principle that a number of people feel deeply about. The Party
will take the easy way out: they're not dumb. They've learned from
experience. You're not worth that much trouble to them. Otherwise,
there'll be a period of aggravation, people without papers beating up
police and things like that."
* * * * *
Three days later, Shamar met with the newly formed Committee of One
Hundred for Justice to Shamar the Worker.
There were five members of the Committee and Counselor Freemason in
attendance. They briefed him on their initial activities.
They had printed letterheads and were circulating letters to people
known to be friendly, with a hastily printed booklet giving the facts
of the case.
"As you can see," Counselor Freemason said, "we're off to a very
fast start. Um, the question naturally arises as to finances. I have
advanced a certain amount out of my own pocket.... We will need
more than I can conveniently scrape together at the moment, and I'm
reluctant to--ah--impose on the Committee for a loan insofar as--"
"I took the liberty of bringing along some cash," Shamar said. "For
current expenses and, of course, your retainer."
They looked relieved. "Excellent, excellent. I might suggest, Mr.
Worker, that we appoint one of the Committee as treasurer--perhaps Mrs.
Freetle, here--" the lady smiled--"to take these financial worries
off your mind. This will leave you free to devote yourself fully to
activities defense."
"Now that that's out of the way," one of the male Committee members
said, "let's get right down to business. As you can see, we're moving
fast. Our overall strategy is this. We must first establish a public
image for you, Mr. Worker, an image the average man can identify with.
Counselor Freemason has described your case to us. I simply don't
know what the Party's coming to to permit a man like Von Stutsman to
persecute you this way. Oh, I tell you, it makes my blood boil, Mr.
Worker!"
Others of the Committee chimed in and the sentiment passed heatedly
among them.
"Well," said Counselor Freemason, "I guess that about winds it up for
the moment. You all know where to reach me. Any time, day or night. I
guess, Mr. Worker, if you'll just turn the money over to Mrs. Freetle.
And I think, Mr. Hall, if you'd hire that speech writer--what's his
name? McGoglhy?--to work with Mr. Worker on his speeches."
"Speeches?" Shamar asked.
"You're going to be our featured speaker at all the rallies, of
course," Mrs. Freetle said. "I know you will do splendidly, just
splendidly! Your accent is so captivating. I've never heard anything
quite like it."