Hardy persisted with questions about subsidiary techniques -tooth budding, growth inhibiting, hormone therapy, many others-until King came to Rodney’s rescue by pointing out that the prime purpose of the visit was to arrange details of the return of the Families to Earth.
Rodney nodded. “I think we should get down to business. As I understand it, Captain, a large proportion of your people are now in reduced-temperature somnolence?”
(“Why can’t he say ‘cold-rest’?” Lazarus said to Libby.)
“Yes, that is so.”
“Then it would be no hardship on them to remain in that state for a time.”
“Eh? Why do you say that, sir?”
Rodney spread his hands. “The administration finds itself in a somewhat embarrassing position. To put it bluntly, there is a housing shortage. Absorbing one hundred and ten thousand displaced persons can’t be done overnight.”
Again King had to hush them. He then nodded to Zaccur Barstow, who addressed himself to Rodney. “I fail to see the problem, sir. What is the present population of the North American continent?”
“Around seven hundred million.”
“And you can’t find room to tuck away one-seventieth of one per cent of that number? It sounds preposterous.”
“You don’t understand, sir,” Rodney protested. “Population pressure has become our major problem. Co-incident with it, the right to remain undisturbed in the enjoyment of one’s own homestead, or one’s apartment, has become the most jealously guarded of all civil rights. Before we can find you adequate living room we must make over some stretch of desert, or make other major arrangements.”
“I get it,” said Lazarus. “Politics. You don’t dare disturb anybody for fear they will squawk.”
“That’s hardly an adequate statement of the case.”
“It’s not, eh? could be you’ve got a general election coming up, maybe?’
“As a matter of fact we have, but that has nothing to do with the case.”
Lazarus snorted.
Justin Foote spoke up. “It seems to me that the administration has looked at this problem in the most superficial light. It is not as if we were homeless immigrants. Most of the Members own their own homes. As you doubtless know, the Families were well-to-do; even wealthy, and for obvious reasons we built our homes to endure. I feel sure that most of those structures are still standing.”
“No doubt,” Rodney conceded, “but you will find them occupied.”
Justin Foote shrugged. “What has that to do with us? That is a problem for the government to settle with the persons it has allowed illegally to occupy our homes. As for myself, I shall land as soon as possible, obtain an eviction ørder from the nearest court, and repossess my home.”
“It’s not that easy. You can make omelet from eggs, but not eggs from omelet. You have been legally dead for many years; the present oácupant of your house holds a good title.”
Justin Foote stood up and glared at the Federation’s envoy, looking, as Lazarus thought, “like a cornered mouse.” “Legally dead! By whose act, sir, by whose act? Mine? I was a respected solicitor, quietly and honorably pursuing my profession, harming no one, when I was arrested without cause and forced to flee for my life. Now I am blandly told that my property is confiscated and my very legal existence as a person and as a citizen has been taken from ,me beckuse of that sequence of events. What manner of justice is this? Does the Covenant still stand?”
“You misunderstand me. I-”
“I misunderstood nothing. If justice is measured out only when it is convenient, then the Covenant is not worth the parchment it is written on. I shall make of myself a test case, sir, a test case for every Member of the Families. Unless my property is returned to me in full and at once I shall bring personal suit against every obstructing official. I will make of it a cause celebre. For many years I have suffered inconvenience and indignity and peril; I shall not be put off with words. I will shout it from the housetops.” He paused for breath.
“He’s right, Miles,” Slayton Ford put in quietly. “The government had better find some adequate way to handle this- and quickly.”