he does have energy, determination, actual courage and foresight of
sorts.
“I went to his office to learn his intentions. When he told me, I agreed
to go along because–well–
“If the Imperial bureaucrats were offered Wayland, they wouldn’t know
what to do with it. Probably they’d stamp its existence Secret, to avoid
making any decisions or laying out any extra effort. If nothing else, a
prize like that would make ‘conciliation and consolidation’ a wee bit
difficult, eh?
“Ammon, though, he’s got a personal profit to harvest. He’ll go in to
stay. His enterprise will be a human one. He’ll make it pay off so
well–he’ll get so much economic and thereby political leverage from
it–that he can force the government to protect his interests. Which
means standing fast on Irumclaw. Which means holding this border, and
even extending control a ways outward.
“In short,” Flandry concluded, “as the proverb phrases it, he may be a
son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch.”
He stubbed out the cigarette with a violent gesture and turned back to
the girl, more in search of forgetful-ness than anything else.
Strangely, in view of the fellow-feeling she had just shown him, she did
not respond. Her hands fended him off. The blue glance was troubled upon
his. “Please, Nicky. I want to think … about what you’ve told me.”
He respected her wish and relaxed in his seat, crossing shank over knee.
“I daresay I can contain myself for a bit.” The sight of her mildened
the harshness that had risen in him. He chuckled. “Be warned, it won’t
be a long bit. You’re too delectable.”
Her mouth twitched, but not in any smile. “I never realized such things
mattered to you,” she said uncertainly.
Having been raised to consider idealism gauche, he shrugged. “They’d
better. I live in the Terran Empire.”
“But if–” She leaned forward. “Do you seriously believe, Nicky, Wayland
can make that big a difference?”
“I like to believe it. Why do you ask? I can’t well imagine you giving a
rusty horntoot about future generations.”
“That’s what I mean. Suppose … Nicky, suppose, oh, something happens
so Leon doesn’t get to exploit Wayland. So nobody does. How’d that
affect us–you and me?”
“Depends on our lifespans, I’d guess, among other items. Maybe we’d see
no change. Or maybe, twenty-thirty years hence, we’d see the Empire
retreat the way I was talking about.”
“But that wouldn’t mean its end!”
“No, no. Not at once. We could doubtless finish our lives in the style
to which we want to become accustomed.” Flandry considered. “Or could
we? Political repercussions at home … unrest leading to upheaval …
well, I don’t know.”
“We could always find ourselves a safe place. A nice offside colony
planet–not so offside it’s primitive, but–”
“Yes, probably.” Flandry scowled. “I don’t understand what’s gnawing
you. We’ll report to Ammon and that will finish our part. Remember, he’s
holding the rest of our pay.”
She nodded. For a space they were both silent. The stars in the
viewscreen made an aureole behind her gold head.
Then craftiness came upon her, and she smiled and murmured: “It wouldn’t
make any difference, would it, if somebody else on Irumclaw–somebody
besides Leon–got Wayland. Would it?”
“I guess not, if you mean one of his brother entrepreneurs.” Flandry’s
unease waxed. “What’re you thinking of, wench? Trying to rake in more
for yourself, by passing the secret on to a competitor? I wouldn’t
recommend that. Bloody dripping dangerous.”
“You–”
“Emphatically not! I’ll squirrel away my money, and for the rest of my
Irumclaw tour, you won’t believe what a good boy I’ll be. No more Old
Town junkets whatsoever; wholesome on-base recreation and study of naval
manuals. Fortunately, my Irumclaw tour is nearly done.”
Flandry captured her hands in his. “I won’t even risk seeing you,” he
declared. “Nor should you take any avoidable chances. The universe would
be too poor without you.”
Her lips pinched together. “If that’s how you feel–”
“It is.” Flandry leered. “Fortunately, we’ve days and days before we
arrive. Let’s use them, hm-m-m?”
Her eyes dropped, and rose, and she was on his lap embracing him, warm,