The dark planet - (v1.0), page 6
Janotek smiled condescendingly. “There’s no fight in this, and I won’t try to make one where there isn’t one. That would be too dangerous for me. I’ve pulled myself up tooth and nail, and I won’t jeopardize my position for anything as petty as this.”
Now was the time to use emotion. Nathan said disdainfully, “I should have known. Your Venna landscape is more important to you than a world full of people. Any Federation which would allow germ warfare obviously doesn’t care about the desires of decent people.”
He expected a rebuff, but Janotek was suddenly interested. “What germ warfare? What are you talking about?”
“It’s in the petition,” Nathan said. “It has been there every year, and if you had paid attention, you’d know it.”
Janotek unfolded the petition again and quickly read the last of it—the grievance against the Cobs for the use of germ warfare.
“Your sarcasm is unfounded,” Janotek said. “This part of your petition has never been presented to the Council.” At Nathan’s blank denial, he explained. “It’s easy enough to see why. Germ warfare—unfair advantage of any kind—is against Federation law. This is quite interesting. It gives your petition a little something extra that sets it apart.”
“I can’t believe it! We were never told that germ warfare was against your laws. Never! Are you certain?”
“I don’t appreciate your doubts when it comes to a thing like this.” Janotek’s tone was sharp. “I never talk unless I know what I’m talking about.”
“But, surely, in the seven years that Paul Houseman has been presenting this petition, someone—some Councilor—would have told him about the law that concerns it.”
“It doesn’t surprise me that he was never told. It’s not the sort of thing that you tell. It’s the sort of thing you keep secret.”
“But it’s a violation of law! It would stand up as a serious charge. Don’t you see, it gives Earth a real reason to protest—it puts teeth in what you’ve called a flimsy petition.”
“Sit down and let me explain.” Janotek sighed with impatience. “This frantic emotion will do you no good.” Nathan Cory complied as Janotek spoke in an exasperating tone of explanation. “In the first place, any Councilor who read this charge to the Council would need absolute proof that the deed had been done, or he would most certainly forfeit his career. A charge like this would raise hell in all the Federation worlds. It’s much simpler to side-step it. Besides, a Councilor—let me use myself as an example. … I have to think ahead, and consider the future. Maybe the Cobellans could do me a favor some day, and suppression of this charge would give me a hold on them. I wouldn’t want to close that door. And I wouldn’t relish laying myself and my home planet open for close investigation. Someone would do it— some friend of the Cobellans. Internal matters such as this—and you are an internal matter, so far as the Cobellans are concerned—should remain internal matters. The Federation must stand together, and colony worlds are too small to quibble over. There are enough big problems that threaten to break our unity.”
“Those aren’t reasons. They’re just a coward’s way out.”
Janotek went to the bookcase which covered one wall and took down a thick, closely printed book. He thumbed through it quickly. “Then look at this.” Nathan sat beside him and peered at the fine print. “This is the official record of the worlds. And here is the entry for Earth. The Cobellans claim that Earth was conquered by the sheer force of superior weapons, and superior strategy and intelligence against a low-order peasant people, who were only in the feeble beginnings of their own space age. This is the information the Council has, and the information they will believe without concrete proof against it. Anyone who tried to oppose it, would be committing career-suicide.”
“I understand what I see,” Nathan Cory answered. “A Council which stands together as a dominating force that calls itself a Federation of civilized worlds.”
“And now you’ve touched on the problem. The Federation isn’t a tightly bound entity. It is hard put to stay together, even without charges like this one. The balance of power in the Council is a thin line. There are the liberals, the conservatives, and
the uncommitted middle planets who insist on stay
“And how am I faring in the news?” Janotek asked.
AVALON SCIENCE FICTION
the uncommitted middle planets who insist on staying in the middle for power’s sake. I admit”—he smiled wisely—“I’m one of these. The Federation either stands together solidly, or it falls. One thing like this could break the balance of power. It could be done, if a man were smart enough to manipulate the strings, but destruction of the balance would mean galactic war. All of the suppressed angers and differences of the past would pour out, and the war which followed would be a horror beyond comprehension. Our rule is to help each other, and never hinder. We settle each other’s differences, but we’re always toeing the edge of the chasm. Now, do you understand?”
Nathan absorbed the words in silence. He had learned from his studies that any group of governments behaved that way. But there was one chink in Janotek’s speech. “You said it could be done, if a man was smart enough to manipulate. Aren’t you suddenly underestimating yourself? Aren’t you that man?”
“That’s pure flattery, but frankly, I might be able to do it—to unbalance the Council just enough to make them face the choice of war or accepting my conditions—which would be your freedom. Yes, there’s challenge in it, but that’s all. Risk—no reward.”
“The gratitude of a world isn’t enough reward?”
“Hardly.” Janotek went to the side door, calling, “Tass! We’ll be too late.” He looked at his watch.
“We are, already. Well, Mr. Cory, you’ve just lost me the landscape, but maybe I can salvage something. … Look, I’ll present your petition—minus the last part. I can’t do anything more; I’m sorry.”
He was waiting for the delegate to leave; that was obvious. But there had to be one more move; Nathan had to find some way of turning this man’s power-hunger to Earth advantage. And there was bitterness in him as he realized how it had to be done.
“What if there were something big in it for you, Councilor? What if the reward, the advantages were great?”
The dark eyes darted to Nathan’s face. “Don’t try to prolong this with dramatics, Mr. Cory.” His eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong? You look pale?”
Nathan knew he shouldn’t have let the emotion through, but it was too big to contain. Worse was the thought that, with experience, some day he might be able to betray without emotion. He answered weakly, “If you will listen, there is protection for you, and reward for the risk you will be taking. But this must be in strict confidence, you understand? I believe there is a law about what I tell you…
Janotek came back. “Yes. There is a law. What you tell me goes no farther.”
“This petition is not so unimportant as you think. It is the only bulwark between the Federation and death.” He told the Marikan of the long struggle to find the virus, the success, and then Nathan began to fabricate. The real truth could not possibly be enough to serve this purpose. One vial of virus was too petty.
“So you see, Councilor, we have this virus poised and ready to kill. Enough to wipe out every Federation world. It is our secret, and ours alone.” He changed his tone to one of helplessness. “I’m nothing but a go-between. I have no power over the scientists. The only way I can stop them from releasing this poison on your civilization, is by getting my petition granted. The rockets which carry the virus are ready —some may already be in place, I don’t know about that. I only know that Earth is ready to strike, and win or not, we will take millions down with us.”
Janotek paced up and down, but Nathan couldn’t read the thoughts that echoed across his face. At last, the Marikan challenged, “Do you actually expect me to believe that your people could do a thing like that? Could kill millions of helpless and unprepared people out of simple vengeance?”
“Is that so hard to understand?” Nathan was on the offensive now. He said coldly, “My people feel that any organized group of so-called civilized beings who could allow the Cobellans to do such a thing to ms, deserves nothing less than the same measure of death in return. My people are angry, Councilor; they are not a soft, decadent people, as most of yours are. We are young and vital, and we fight with no compunctions. We will give you the chance to deal justly with us, but we will be free—one way or another.”
In the quiet that followed, a rustle of silk announced Tass’ return. She came from the next room, dressed for the street, her hair piled elegantly on top of her head. “Are you ready, Jan?”
“No!” he growled, and Nathan was glad to see his frustration.
“But I thought you were in such a hurry. I have better things to do than sit around here and wait all afternoon.”
“Then go and do them!” he commanded.
She didn’t move, her glance hotly angry on Nathan, and he smiled to himself. He had offered something that Janotek valued more than his woman, and she would have to make the best of it.
“Go on to the auction,” Janotek told her again, “or —buy yourself something. I don’t care—just get out for a while.”
“Maybe I will just get out,” she answered in kind, then changed quickly as she saw his agitation. “What about tonight? We’re supposed to attend that dinner …”
“We’ll worry about that tonight. Be here in time.”
She said no more. She went to the door in her curious, undulating step, then called back, “Good-bye, Mr. Cory. I hope you didn’t get into something you’ll regret.”
The door closed as Janotek let out his breath in an alien word that Nathan assumed was Marikan.
“Now, Mr. Cory, you’ve told me this great tale and I don’t know what you expect of me. Am I supposed to tremble? Or to run and give warning?”
“I told it in confidence, remember,” Nathan said firmly. “If the Cobs heard of our virus, they would search it out and destroy it, and the people of Earth along with it.”
“That’s obvious. But you said that it would benefit me in some way. What way?”
Nathan was surprised that it wasn’t obvious to this man. “With this information, you have something to back your stand against the Cobellans. Of course, the virus must be kept a secret, but you can go before the Council and make your charge against the Cobs, telling them just enough so they know that Earth is dangerous. Make them see that we can hurt the Federation, and are ready to hurt it. The charge alone will unbalance the Council—you said so yourself.” “That may be true,” Janotek agreed, “but it’s still dangerous. And I don’t see any great reward in it, yet.”
“That comes when you win. After we have won our petition, you can disclose the secret of the virus and take credit for having saved the Federation worlds from destruction. I will see that it is all yours.” Janotek grimaced. “You’re too glib. All of this depends on whether or not I win. If I lose your case, then I’m lost, too, by your reasoning. There has to be more guarantee. I have many enemies, Mr. Cory. I’m thirty-eight years old and a Councilor. How do you think I got where I am? Not by doing kindnesses. The old men on the Council begrudge me my position. They’re just waiting for me to take one step across the line, and this fancy of yours could be that one step.”
“I know,” Nathan sighed, “and this is the part I don’t like. But if it looks as though you’re going to lose, then for your own protection you can break our confidence and tell them about the virus. I couldn’t ask you to do it any other way.”
“And you?” Janotek’s eyes were demanding. “Where would that leave you and your people?”
“No worse off than we are now. The result would be the same whether you disclosed our secret, or we disclosed it ourselves by using the virus. Either way —win or lose—you come out ahead. You can win the adoration of people you saved, or tried to save, and be the biggest man in the Federation. Our people are grateful.”
Janotek resumed his chair, obviously thinking, while Nathan waited, trying to still the violence raging inside him. He had given the secret he’d pledged himself to keep into the least moral hands in the galaxy, trusted a man who was beyond trust, and lied to him in the bargain. One vial of virus—and he had told Janotek there were one hundred!
“What you are saying”—Janotek’s deep voice was soft—“amounts to just another form of bribery. Do you realize that?”
Nathan was still, his stomach clenching in upon itself.
“Don’t look so worried.” This time the smile reached the Marikan’s eyes. “So it’s bribery. We won’t worry about that, will we?”
Nathan sighed in dreadful relief. Then, to cover his true fear, said, “I hoped you would choose the lesser evil. I would prefer not to see millions of others wiped out along with the Cobellans.”
Chapter seven
Nathan returned to Earth to meet a surprise rush of publicity. The spaceport crackled with Cob newsmen, and his picture was prominent in posters and papers. He felt suddenly vulnerable.
He rushed through the forced interviews, committing himself to nothing, then demanded a car to take him home. When it appeared, and he was settled inside, he thought back over the arrival, and one thing stood out clearly in his mind; the absence of any real, human crowd. Paul Houseman had captured great crowds of welcome, but no one cared to greet Nathan Cory. He obviously didn’t have public favor as a proclaimed Rebel.
The welcome at camp was a different thing entirely. Everyone gathered to meet him, afraid to hear his news, and afraid not to hear it. He gazed somberly at their anxious faces and grinned wide. “Janotek has accepted our petition. He’s going to fight for us.”
There was a moment of disbelief, and then he was swamped with backslapping and handshaking. The faces grinned too and the voices were eager.
“You did it,” Houseman said softly. “I’m proud, Nathan. Jealous and proud.”
Nathan laughed and extruded himself from the crowd, walking close to Houseman. “I’ve had to do some things, Paul,” he began reluctantly, afraid that the words would destroy that basis. “I want to talk to you.”
“Not without me,” Abby broke in. “I couldn’t get near you over there and I’m insulted. You didn’t even miss me.”
Nathan answered her with a great hug, breathing in the warmth and sweetness of her, unwillingly comparing it with the jungle-temptation of Tass. Abby came out best.
“What is Janotek like?” Abby asked eagerly. “Is he an ogre? Is he wicked?”
“He’s as wicked a man as you’ll ever want to know,” Nathan teased. “When he comes here you’d better hide. He devours little girls like you.”
“Nathan!” She wriggled out of his grasp, laughing. “You make him sound too fascinating.”
“When he comes here, did you say?” Houseman grasped the graveness behind Nathan’s words.
“He’ll be here tomorrow, or the day after,” Nathan said.
“Isn’t that irregular?”
“He’s going to fight for us, Paul, and he wants to see things for himself. He has to. There can be no secrets when a man like Janotek offers his career as a battleground for our cause.”
Paul Houseman halted, his face blank and white, waiting for Nathan to deny what was in his mind.
“I had to do it, Paul. I was losing him. He was about to dismiss me, just as you feared he would, and I had to use that to bring him back. I told him about the virus and I made it sound big, but I won him over.”
“Oh, Nathan.” The words came out in a groan. “Please understand what I did and give me your help. I’ve got to tell Harris, and I’ve got to keep him from doing anything foolish with that one vial of virus. Without you, I’m defeated before I start.” “But, Nathan, you promised,” Abby said. “Our secret . .
“I couldn’t help it! I did what I had to do as I found the situation. And I was right! Janotek’s acceptance proves that. I want support from you—and from you, Paul. I don’t want arguments!”
Paul Houseman said, “I know what you’ve been experiencing these last few days. I’ve done it myself, remember? You suddenly find that you have a certain degree of power and you try your wings with it and are amazed at how it gets things done. Well, that’s fine. Don’t lose it. This is your plan all the way, and whatever you do has my support. I’ll face Harris with you. So will Abby.”
“Of course, I will.” Abby spoke for herself.
“Just answer one question for me,” Houseman said. “Is Janotek the man to win for us?”
“He is.” Nathan was certain.
“And, one more: Do you trust him?”
Nathan paused, then decided to be entirely truthful. “No.”
Nathan Cory walked in the woods, erasing the sights of Marik from his mind with little success. A man could be tempted by the luxury of a galaxy; yet, here there was peace. But not for long. The committee’s reaction was worse than he expected. They cursed him for a fool, and Harris demanded that he be removed from his position. Houseman defended Nathan’s action to the letter, and forced the rest to accept it.
Then Nathan saw something of what Janotek had been talking about as his own committee split into three camps. Harris had his side—going along with the situation, but completely against it and ready to jump at the first indication of failure. Houseman led another group, doubtful, but willing to go along with Nathan’s judgment. Then there was Jenson, and his followers who were waiting to see which way the action went before they committed themselves. Nathan found himself disliking them.
He took the center of the circle again, drawing the newly found authority close. “One thing I want clearly understood. Janotek will be here soon, and I want him to see a united camp—a people ready to fight the same fight he has mapped out for himself. I want him to be treated with the respect his position demands, and I want his welcome to be civil. I know how you feel about him. Maybe you’re right, but we must either give our best to this fight, or forget about it entirely and let Harris lead us to destruction.”
