Tyranopolis, page 19
It sounded like a joke - almost. A slightly startled Orlo said, ‘Before you go, would you like to hear my political theories?’
‘Not really. But go ahead, if you wish.’
‘We had constitutional monarchies and democracies, not because they are such great ideas, but because dictators -and dictator potentials like you and me (said Orlo Thomas, addressing Megara) - insist on it. If we trust for even one day that a “good” absolute king would just not do anything “bad,” we discover that the king’s cunning aide has chosen that day to exterminate everybody who might be threatening him in his control of the king’s body and the king’s ear. All the dictator potentials (like you and me, said Orlo to everybody) in a democracy, when they get elected are soon under pressure from their wives, their mistresses, their relatives, their friends, the business people in their constituency, and of course occasionally the people, that what they presently do is suspiciously similar to what a de jure dictator does. Only - in a democracy - naturally the law says they can’t do it; And so the majority of them keep compromising with their natural impulse to act the role of king
Megara sneered at that point, ‘One thing Lilgin and I are in total agreement on: Democracy, the most thoroughly exploded political idea that ever was. A swindle on the people from the day it was conceived. The final refuge of the Imperialist-Capitalists.’
Orlo smiled, inclined his head courteously, and went on, ‘Those people who belong to the five per cent of the leader group all have an ideal. We have just heard a part of yours. Now, here’s mine, which, of course, I cherish as being “the answer”. When discussing an ideal, we do not ask, is it rational? We just feel it. I feel that what we need in this world are two economic systems under on& government. As I would enforce this - and, being an idealist, naturally, I would enforce it - it would begin with the reinstatement of the small proprietor system.
‘I visualize a government-sponsored Second Economic System - and that will be its official name. Their businesses will eventually be everywhere. They can buy land adjacent to land owned by the First Economic System. To belong to System Number Two, you must sign a release of your rights in Number One for two years at a time. Thereafter, you pay when you travel, pay for hotel and other services. We may even require that in the early stages of its development, the people in this Second System associate entirely with others like themselves by way of linked computer systems.
‘Criminals in both Economic Systems will, when identified, be connected to a unitary segment of the Pervasive System, which will thereafter follow their every movement, and report to a watching computer system - which will alert the police when necessary … Well -‘ with a smile ‘- Mr. Megara, what do you think of my ideal?’
‘I doubt if Lilgin will be interested in it.’
‘So far as I can see, he’s already modifying his behaviour. And so are you. Suddenly, you seem to want to be back in Lilgin’s good graces. And - suddenly - you’re on my side, and are willing to have him continue as leader.’
‘I’m a practical man. He looks to me like he’s figured out how to handle this whole situation.’
‘What did he do that was so convincing to you?’
‘He has different smiles. I know the winning smile; and he had it now, but not this morning.’
‘In spite of our salvaging that woman whom he passes off as his wife?’
‘In spite of it.’
Orlo pursed his lips. Then shook his head. ‘My ideal -which, of course, I presume, derives from Professor Higenroth - says that total communication cannot be defeated.’
‘Dream on, kid. He’s got it figured. Right, Jodell?’
‘Right.’
‘That smile, right?’
‘Right.’ Jodell, having spoken so positively, looked over at Orlo. ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Thomas, but I have to agree. We two know this man. And that smile - unmistakable.’
‘What do you suggest I do?
I think you’d better take your scientists and make a run for it tonight.’
There was a stirring in one corner of the room, where several scientists lay on the floor. Ishkrin raised himself to a sitting position. ‘We’re not going. After all, here in Communications City is the only place that we’re authorized to be.’
He climbed to his feet, and came over. ‘Well, kid,’ he said, ‘it was fun while it lasted.’
‘But -‘ Orlo protested ‘- everybody was so brave this morning. Now, I can only see cowardice to every horizon.’
‘Orlo - that’s an astoundingly bright guy up there. He’s figured out an answer to total communication in about eight hours. Goodbye.’
The men began to leave, one by one. At first, Orlo was merely unbelieving. But when Yuyu came up and held out his hand, the youth said in an incredulous tone, ‘How do you expect to survive, after what you and Mcintosh did, except through me?’
The big black was calm. ‘Take it easy, son. This is still Lilginland, but I have a feeling things will be different; and that Mac and I may not even be noticed during that transformation. So we’ll just hold our breath - and hope.’
‘Listen,’ yelled Orlo, ‘there is no answer to total communication except total perfection of character.’
The Afro kept his cool. ‘Oh, he’ll live with that for a while. And there may even be a few people out there who’ll keep watching him every day. You heard that giveaway line, didn’t you?’
‘What? -‘ Baffled.
‘About it maybe becoming a two-way look and listen?’
‘That’s impossible. He can’t watch three billion people.’
‘We know that, kid. But those people out there are strange. They used to believe that there was a big man up there in the sky that was keeping his eye and his ear peeled for everything they did and said. And I have a feeling that’s what Lilgin has in mind for hinlself. The omnipotent, the omniscient. And if we here in Communications City ever break that Pervasive secret, well, my friend, I want you to visualize banks of computers doing the watching for him. And the listening.’
‘I thought you scientists had decided not to work on this project for Lilgin.’
‘That was yesterday. Today -‘ he spread his hands, expansively ‘- survival lies in a different direction. You keep forgetting, boy. In Lilginland you survive one day at a time.’ I guess I had forgotten it for a minute,’ said Orlo. He realized he was bracing himself in the old accepting way. He frowned. ‘What about our little secret? How is that affected?’
‘Today, okay. Tomorrow - who knows? Goodbye for now, or forever. I can’t quite figure what’s going to happen to you and that girl. But I wish you good luck.’ He started for the door.
‘And I,’ said Orlo, ‘can’t quite decide what’s going to happen to you -‘
He stopped. He was talking to an empty room. After a while Sheeda came in. ‘All the women,’ she said anxiously, ‘who were crowded into that wonderful bedroom attached to this office, suddenly got up and departed. Did I miss something?’
Orlo drew a deep breath. ‘They finally agreed with me,’ he said slowly, ‘that Lilgin should remain as The Boss. But somehow or other the way they did it isn’t the way it should have been.’
‘What are we going to do?’ Uneasily. The handsome youth stared for a long time at the girl with the face of an angel, who suddenly had tears in her eyes. At last: ‘We’re back to living one day at a time.’
He stretched. Pounded his chest jokingly. And said with a smile, ‘It doesn’t really feel all that bad.’
Orlo and Sheeda spent the night at a Rest over of The Hills. Their host was a chunky man in his early forties, named James Baijlton. He was puzzled as to how they had suddenly gotten into his library; but then, presumably, his was a dangerous role. After they retired, he reported his suspicions to someone in the Secret Police.
The information was passed on to Bureski. ‘Orlo Thomas!’ said that individual. ‘And did you say the girl’s name is Sheeda something?’
His eyes narrowed. It wasn’t too often that girls as pretty as Sheeda passed his way; not these days. So he was one of the three top men in his organization who had raped her.
He decided he was vaguely amused by what was now happening. ‘Okay,’ he said, ‘I get the picture. Leave them alone while I think about it.’
But he was also puzzled. ‘How did he get ‘way out there?’ Nearly eight thousand miles!
What he did, he called Lilgin. And he did all the talking, asking only for a yes or no to each question.
‘… How did we get here?’ asked Sheeda in the darkness, after they had made love.
‘It’s a field phenomenon,’ Orlo explained. ‘Don’t worry your non-scientific little head about it.’
‘But where are we?’
‘We’re in a Restover.’
‘And what is that?’
Orlo explained about the phony government-controlled rebel organization called The Hills. ‘You’ve heard of that, surely?’
‘Yes, but isn’t this dangerous?’
In the almost darkness, Orlo smiled. ‘Well, yes. In fact, I wouldn’t be too surprised if Lilgin, right now, already knows where we are. That’s why I gave our real names.’
‘Oh, my God!’
He turned in the bed to face her. ‘Listen, my dear -‘ earnestly ‘- something is going to happen tomorrow. My own belief: Lilgin is going to get rid of most of those people. Nothing can save them. That’s why I thought we’d better be out of the way.’
‘B-but - if he knows where you are he’ll kill you first.’
‘There’s a rationale about that which I’ll tell you some time. Now, go to sleep!’
TWENTY-SEVEN
At 8 a.m. Lilgin stood beside one of those delicate miniature tables that made him look imposing and powerful. And he said in a grave voice:
‘My friends and comrades: I have to report to you that my worst fears have been realized. I am being held a prisoner in the palace by the persons who persuaded me to launch upon this experiment in public exposure. My principal hope is that my small forces up here on the fourth floor have erected barricades. And that before those barricades are broken down, you, my good people and friends, will come in large numbers and rescue me …’
It was estimated afterwards that a mob of five million gathered in the streets during the course of that day. And that at least a million of them were at one time or another inside the palace itself.
Or rather, in what was left of it.
Within minutes after the speech, Orlo was doing his field to field pervasive interaction with his private office in Communications City. By that means he got Lidla, and the other girls, and even Mr. Bylol. But none of the scientists would budge.
‘It goes something like this,’ said Joe Ambers, lazily, as he lolled back in a chair in the library, ‘this man operates on Jesuitic logic. If he thinks he needs us, he’ll already have made some provision for saving us. But if he doesn’t need us, then brother, there’s no place on this earth that can hold us for even one day longer. Right, gentlemen?’
Several scientists who were standing by smiled their goodhumoured agreement.
‘Look, you nuts!’ argued Orlo, ‘the character who just said that, Dr. Joe Ambers, is the person most of you believe to be a government spy. If that’s even half true, then his job may be to hold you for the kill.’
No one moved. The smiles remained unchanged. Later, when the mobs were already there, he fought his way to the library again. And through other portions of Communications City. He saw no one that he knew. Even the dead bodies that people were still stepping on had been trampled on so often that nothing recognizable remained.
Shortly after noon, an awed James Baillton came into where the refugees were gathered, and said to Orlo, ‘Sir, General Bureski is on the phone.’
Bureski said, ‘Listen, my friend, The Boss is going to call you in a few minutes. Here’s how you talk to him . ..’ It was the question, and the yes and no, technique.
‘But what can he want?’ whispered a white-faced Sheeda, after Bureski broke contact. ‘You’ve done him all that damage.’
‘That’s the whole point,’ said Orlo. ‘I can’t do any worse to him than I’ve already done. So, now he needs me.’ ».
‘He’ll just torture you -‘ tearfully ‘- until you say the code word that ends the images.’
‘No. That’s why I brought us eight thousand miles in what appeared to be a few minutes - but was of course actually no-time. He knew last night there’s a matter transmitter field situation here - and that I can escape any torture with another code word. Darling, in doing all that I lived up to my own theory of total communication. Lilgin now knows everything about me. Frankly, I think he has to keep me alive.’
During the phone call, Lilgin presently departed from the yes and no ritual and made a statement heard by all the people of earth.
He said, with his great smile, ‘Orlo, these are changing times. I should tell you that I like what I have heard of your Second Economic System. I believe that it answers a need which has been becoming more apparent each passing year. I would like you to be my number one administration assistant with the task of putting such a system into effect.
‘Come to see me as soon as this current turmoil subsides. You may not be aware, way up there in the mountains, that we’ve been having serious trouble. My two principal aides, Megara and Jodell - it turns out - have been plotting against me; for what reason I don’t know. They were like brothers to me.
‘Well -‘ smiling ‘- goodbye for now!’
Orlo stood up; and - he couldn’t help it - he glittered.
‘I’m going to act,’ he said, ‘as if that is the absolute truth, and -‘
Orlo stopped, took a second look at something he had suddenly noticed on the wall images from the corner of his eyes. He said, abruptly, sharply, ‘Who’s that?’
A colourfully dressed individual had suddenly appeared in the room where the dictator was still sitting at his work desk. Several guards had followed him in. But evidently they were uncertain, and one of them said something to Lilgin.
As these matters developed, a vague memory was coming to Orlo … Of course, he thought, Krosco - that first night at the Praesidium dinner. The surprise arrival of such a figure had startled at the moment. And then vanished from his mind as completely as if it had never happened.
Presumably, Kroseo should have been one of the people they should have thought of the day before when they were straining to recall who else should be advised of the conspiracy. He also would be worrying about his future.
On the wall, the dictator was waving the guards away. He seemed astonished rather than disturbed. ‘Where have you been?’ he asked. ‘How did you get away from what happened downstairs?’
Kroseo did a little dance. ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘nobody kills a clown. They just laughed, and thought I was one of ‘em, and pushed past me. But it bothered me, you not warning me!’
Lilgin leaned back in his chair. He seemed undecided for a moment. But it was clear from his next words that he was remembering that, historically, the Court Fool had occasionally been used to transmit messages. ‘Did anybody send you?’ he asked. ‘And, if so, what do they want?’
Kroseo who had brought a cap gun and a papiermachi sabre, pointed the gun and fired it directly at the dictator’s face. Since it was the kind of madly sensible thing that a Fool does - matching the exact fear in the victim - the Great Man jumped. And then as he realized it really was a cap pistol, he started to laugh hysterically. He was still laughing when the papiermache sabre - which turned out to be razor-sharp metal alloy - swung through the air and sliced off his head.
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