The irony disappeared, and Florin's voice transmuted to a tone of
accustomed authority. "I want to find out just how you were able to
organize and take over so quickly in this emergency. With this planet's
economy completely shot after the corporation-men quit producing and
with stocks down to nothing, I am fascinated by the problem of how you
got financial backing."
"That is none of your business."
"On the contrary, it is very much my business. You left your offices in
rather a turmoil in your rush to take control. Since you haven't had
the time to security screen your governmental employees, the files were
as open as if they'd been set on the sidewalks.
"From those files, my agents have procured some interesting items,
such as--" and he paused to pull out a sheaf of papers--"cancelled
checks made out to officials of your new government from Titanic Food
Distributors, a subsidiary of Galactic Aid.
"Also a detailed plan of organization for this government, outlining
each step for acquisition of power during the emergency. This plan is
dated two years ago and is initialed 'CRS', which, I believe, are the
initials of the president of Galactic Aid Incorporated. Hand-writing
analysts will sew that one up.
"The plan is quite fascinating. It gives the procedure for your present
establishment: the vigilantes gradually converted to city councils,
local governments, consisting of confused and unprepared citizens
gullible to the suggestions of agent provocateurs, regional then
international conventions to formulate the new government. And at every
turn, every election, guided by citizen-agents who would never have
seen political power under the old status quo.
"The future of this plan is even more fascinating--putting Lyrane on an
industrialized economy, when Lyrane has never had industrial potential,
gumming up the works with embargoes and tariffs; and a bureaucratic,
leech-like government that will sop up everything in taxes.
"It's a masterpiece of planning--of planning the permanent financial
and moral destruction of a planet."
The planetary officials had suddenly been confronted by a master
duelist, this stranger was a swords-man with complete command of
riposte, parry and thrust. All they could do was try a few clumsy
lunges.
"Just who the hell are you to take charge this way and say these
preposterous things?" the Governor asked.
Florin replied. "You, I know, are a minor executive of one of Galactic
Aid's subsidiaries. I happen to be Roald Gibbons, head of Universal
Relief.
"And since you want the cards on the table--here they are.
"We have this evidence that I have mentioned, and much more, all
under lock and key now. We will use that evidence to prove that this
planetary government was and is sponsored by Galactic Aid for the
purpose of exploiting this planet in a negative sense and thereby
removing it from the accounts of Universal Relief.
"We also have a solid case to prove that you, or some of your cohorts,
incited the original treason and violence that caused this whole
mess. My special investigators have unearthed the cobra nest of your
government, while I personally had the satisfaction of gathering proof
of your hand in the corporation-men purge."
From a casual administrative difficulty, Florin had turned the
conversation, since he entered, into a venomous attack. Florin had
remained standing, but the two officials had retired to chairs. As
opposition, they were discouragingly silent, but Florin had more than
enough to carry the conversation alone.
The two governors were just listening, appalled, but as all men do
when they watch their world crumbling, figuring angles, escapes,
explanations. But Florin, or rather Roald, was smashing angles faster
than they could think of them.
"Furthermore," he continued to the silent men, "if you will read that
bulletin declaring this planet under Class AA emergency, you will find
some interesting facts. As you may or may not know, when a planet is
declared Class AA by a relief company, that company is empowered by
galactic law to have several controls.
"Those controls consist of complete administration of the planet until
status quo is resumed, establishment of martial law with the right to
arrest and confiscate any persons or things that may have caused the
emergency, confiscation of all planetary currency to be retained and
re-issued at face value when normalcy returns and, of course, the right
to bring charges in Galactic Court against individuals or organizations
that have caused the emergency.
"On that last point, we, Universal Relief that is, have many charges
to bring against Galactic Aid and its agents on this planet. First
there is the charge of coercion, readily proved by the testimony of
the corporation-men ... yes, there are some left. _We_ protected them.
Other charges will include inciting planetary revolution, establishing
a false government through outside sources, and--oh, just lots of
others.
"Since you are an executive in Galactic Aid's organization, I will
speak for your benefit now." Roald moved over and faced the Governor.
"You were pulled in from some desk job to handle this fledgling
government. You had your orders, and for you it was mostly a paper
operation. You understand what I have just been talking about, because
you know galactic law.
"But now, let's talk about something you aren't familiar with. Let's
talk about violence, death, and a sick planet--the things that your
company planned and executed.
"For that your company will stand trial and be found guilty. It will
probably be outlawed, and certainly bankrupt once fines and reparations
are paid. Meanwhile, this planet, under the guidance of Universal
Relief, will be helped to recuperate and the people will be informed of
the gross injustice they have suffered. I am sure they will then desire
to return to their previous system.
"But so much for the future. What about the past? Do you fully realize
the enormity of the crime that your company has committed?
"Of course you don't. You weren't with me when I saw a nice old
gentleman, one of the most brilliant minds of the age, blasted down
with primitive rifles and even more primitive rage. You haven't heard
the screams at night, have you? You weren't around, and neither was I,
thank God, when Gerta Robin, that beautiful woman physicist was caught
by the mob.
"Friend against friend, and the old hunting guns polished up for more
deadly and constant shooting--is that a story that belongs in galactic
history? Is it for this that great galactic corporations work--to turn
peaceable planets into charnel houses for a stinking profit?
"That's the charge that you, and the rest of your workers, will have to
answer to--not in courts, but to the people of the Galaxy.
"And, most important--to yourselves!"
With that, he strode out.
* * * * *
Kim Rogers was again in the presence of Roald Gibbons, and he was angry
again.
"And don't look so smug. I know what you did. I worked with your father
long enough to know about his special agents--but don't think the
operation was all your doing.
"What do you think happened here when you sent that spacegram tipping
us off that it was Galactic Aid behind the mess, and that we were to
declare it a Class AA. It was a madhouse!
"It accomplished the desired result," Roald said. "When the Governor
and the Secretary read that Class AA bulletin--and it took careful
planning and timing to get into their office just when it was
delivered--with me there to pound it home, they sort of faded about the
gills.
"They came running to me in a few minutes. Now they are Honor Witnesses
at Galactic Court, with more than enough testimony to sew up Galactic
Aid."
Roald had a hard time keeping his mind on the present conversation. He
was due to blast to Lyrane in a few hours. His company was proceeding
with rehabilitation ahead of schedule, with the natural zealousness of
the Lyranians for their old system helping them along.
Roald had not forgotten the piquant beauty of Erol Garbin's daughter.
He had a hard time keeping his mind on the conversation.
"If anyone else had read that Class AA bulletin," Kim said, "we would
have been sewed up. You know perfectly well we don't have the powers
you had us state in that bulletin. It was a galactic offense to even
print such a thing. What if the Governor had known that?"
"I counted on him not knowing it. Even though he was an executive of
Galactic Aid, Class AA emergencies are so rare that very few people are
familiar with their actual provisions.
"Certainly, it was a risky bluff. But when you're dealing with that
sort of power, you have to bluff fast and hard. We didn't have enough
evidence to actually stop Galactic. We needed inside testimony. When
you rescinded the Class AA order, two hours later, the confession was
already signed."
Exasperation was now Kim's mood. "One of these times your bluff won't
work, and all your secret agents won't do you a bit of good. Empire law
is nothing to tamper with."