Esrov looked down at his folded hands. At last he said quietly: "Yes, I
sent a message to the Senator--in our mutual interests."
"Was it your own idea? Or did someone else suggest it?"
"The basic thought came from a most unexpected source. It was, we
might say, one of those happy breaks of industry. The dispatcher at
Acme had the sense to cooperate with us. He gave me certain otherwise
unavailable information, and--"
"What was his name?"
"I don't--oh, yes, it was Swenson."
"You ... you fool ... _idiot_!"
Neinfort-Whritings handed Lesquallan the Special Message he had taken
from Esrov. It was the one from Swenson, which began: "Nuts, Esrov."
Lesquallan read the message. Then he said slowly: "I've dealt with that
clown Swenson before--over minor matters. I never thought he had that
much brains." He looked at Esrov. "Or insight. Swenson's a smart man.
Therefore, he must be eliminated."
"I still maintain," Rovance said, "that the basis of the matter is the
strangling of free enterprise."
"I agree," said Lesquallan. "What right has Acme to interfere with free
enterprise? They haven't a dollar to our million."
"What shall we do?" Neinfort-Whritings murmured.
"Follow Swenson's suggestion. We're going to the PCC--and we're going
to our top contacts. They owe us plenty."
"Shall we dictate a memo?" Esrov put in.
"Call the PCC," Lesquallan ordered. "We're not dictating anything. And
we're not sending any messages to anybody. Let the PCC send them!"
* * * * *
No employee of Acme Interplanetary Express had left the smoke-dense
office when the ship-calling light went on: "Number 5 to Swenson.
Verbold speaking."
"Dispatcher to Number 5. Go ahead."
"Uproar under control. I followed your instructions. A crew that's
laughing won't mutiny. The crew sends thanks and their most pious
wishes for the distress of Moulton. The men expect shares of the
proceeds, if any, in the lawsuit. But they insist on being paid on
Mars."
"They will be, Captain Verbold. Now I've got to keep this beam clear.
Good luck." Swenson turned to Mister Cerobie. "I presume you can at
least find enough cash for the back pay?"
Mister Cerobie did not answer. He was staring at a Special Message
which had just been handed to him. He dropped it on Swenson's desk.
_Acme Interplanetary Express_
_147 Z Street_
_New York_
_Because of your violation of Space Regulations and unprecedented
effrontery, your ships Numbers 7 and 4 are hereby ordered to return
to the Moon. There they will be impounded. A police patrol escort
has been dispatched to insure your compliance with our order._
_Planetary Commerce Commission_
Swenson read the message and looked up.
"Well?" asked Mister Cerobie.
The murmur of voices died. The dispatcher's office of Acme
Interplanetary Express was a silent, isolated world. Swenson wrote an
astrogram and handed it to the Chairman of the Board.
"Shall I code it?"
Mister Cerobie read the astrogram. He read it a second time and his
perplexity vanished.
"But will it work?" he asked.
Swenson shrugged. "It ought to. Remember what happened when Solar
System Freight lost that chemical load? We're stratosphering over New
York. Anyway, he wouldn't dare take the chance. Shall I code it, Mister
Cerobie?"
"Absolutely!"
* * * * *
The men and women of Acme crowded and squirmed for a look at the
astrogram on Swenson's desk. O'Toole realized first and yelled. Slowly,
as understanding came, other voices took it up, until the office was a
chaos of sound. Bottles appeared from nowhere. O'Toole raised one of
them: "Sure and St. Patrick would have loved it!"
Calmly, Swenson coded:
SENATOR HIRAM C. HIGBY
ACME INTERPLANETARY EXPRESS
LUNA CITY
ONLY TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE OUR SHIP NOW IN EARTH STRATOSPHERE
ABOVE NEW YORK WITH CARGO SNUFF. WILL DISPATCH THIS SHIP SPECIAL
TO MOON FOR YOUR DISPOSAL. HOWEVER MUST JETTISON CARGO TO LIGHTEN
SHIP. WILL NOTIFY AIR POLLUTION AND PCC. ONLY ALTERNATIVE COMPLETE
CLEARANCE BY PCC OUR SHIPS NUMBERS 7 AND 4. WILL THEN DISPATCH ONE
OF THEM TO PICK YOU UP. ORDER TO JETTISON WILL BE GIVEN IN HALF AN
HOUR UNLESS WE RECEIVE WORD FROM YOU. HAVE YOU ANY INFLUENCE WITH
THE PCC? SEND REACTION AT ONCE. URGENCY OBVIOUS.