Lynn said, wearily, "Everything's right, I think. I've invoked martial
law."
"What!"
"As chief of a division I can do so if I am of the opinion the
situation warrants it. Over my division, I can then be dictator. Chalk
up one for the beauties of decentralization."
"You will rescind that order immediately." Breckenridge took a step
forward. "When Washington hears this, you will be ruined."
"I'm ruined anyway. Do you think I don't realize that I've been set up
for the role of the greatest villain in American history: the man who
let Them break the stalemate. I have nothing to lose--and perhaps a
great deal to gain."
He laughed a little wildly, "What a target the Division of Robotics
will be, eh, Breckenridge? Only a few thousand men to be killed by
a TC bomb capable of wiping out three hundred square miles in one
micro-second. But five hundred of those men would be our greatest
scientists. We would be in the peculiar position of having to fight a
war with our brains shot out, or surrendering. I think we'd surrender."
"But this is impossible. Lynn, do you hear me? Do you understand? How
could the humanoids pass our security provisions? How could they get
together?"
"But they _are_ getting together! We're helping them to do so.
We're ordering them to do so. Our scientists visit the other side,
Breckenridge. They visit Them regularly. You made a point of how
strange it was that no one in robotics did. Well, ten of those
scientists are still there and in their place, ten humanoids are
converging on Cheyenne."
"That's a ridiculous guess."
"I think it's a good one, Breckenridge. But it wouldn't work unless we
knew humanoids were in America so that we would call the conference in
the first place. Quite a coincidence that you brought the news of the
humanoids _and_ suggested the conference _and_ suggested the agenda
_and_ are running the show and know exactly which scientists were
invited. Did you make sure the right ten were included?"
"Dr. Lynn!" cried Breckenridge in outrage. He poised to rush forward.
Lynn said, "Don't move. I've got a blaster here. We'll just wait for
the scientists to get here one by one. One by one we'll X-ray them. One
by one, we'll monitor them for radioactivity. No two will get together
without being checked, and if all five hundred are clear, I'll give
you my blaster and surrender to you. Only I think we'll find the ten
humanoids. Sit down, Breckenridge."
They both sat.