Dave.
Dave: If I have to sign and share responsibility for an action, I feel entitled to have some share in planning it. If you don’t like the word “reserve,” call it “safety factor.” Whatever you call it, it is only eight percent, and it is a provision that seems vital to me. How can you or anyone else predict that nothing unexpected will happen on VI? I realize you are anxious to get up as much ore as you can. So am I. But if you have to cut potential production slightly to create a workable margin of safety, it seems to me we had better do it.
Matt.
Matt: I don’t know how else to get it across to you, so let me tell you a story: Two men in a small town each had a thousand dollars. One put all his in a checking account where he could get at it. The other—just to have a little reserve—put eighty dollars of his money in a savings account where he had to give thirty days notice to get his money out. A chance came up to buy a local business. Both men wanted it, but the man who could put up a thousand dollars cash got it, because he could offer eighty dollars more than the other man. The business prospered. The man who bought it got rich. The other man soon spent what he had, and ended up worthless. All for what? For eight percent held back.
Dave.
Crandall read the last message three times, and loosened his collar.
Dave: I certainly do appreciate your care in explaining it all to me so carefully. Let me just ask you about one little point: What happens if the business goes bust?
Matt.
Matt: Colonel, will you or won’t you let me do this thing my way? This is my field, not yours.
Dave.
Dave: It seems to me your field and mine come together at this point. Evidently the people who framed Section 67b thought so, too.
Matt.
Matt: Will you or won’t you?
Dave.
Dave: We need twenty-four suits in reserve.
Matt.
Matt: Let me offer one final compromise. I will consent, freely, to hold two—or, if you insist—even up to four of these suits “in reserve.” But I positively, definitely, and flatly refuse to keep two dozen of the latest and most advanced delGrange suits floating around in cold storage for a whole month because of your fossilized notion of a military “reserve.” This is not a military matter. This is not your field. You are not competent to meddle in it. The signature that you are so concerned about is a mere formality, and Section 67b is well-known to be merely a sop to military pride. Whether things go right or wrong here is up to me, not you. You won’t be investigated if things go wrong. I will. But this planet has been checked and rechecked, and this whole affair has been planned with a precision you cannot appreciate. I flatly refuse to jeopardize Earth by doing as you say. Don’t intrude where you aren’t fitted to operate. I very strongly suggest to you, colonel, that you sign the original papers without further delay.
Dave.
Crandall walked across the room, came back and tapped out an answer:
Dave: I am very sorry that we can’t seem to adjust this matter quietly. No doubt you have your reasons, but I have mine, too. I cannot read the intent of Section 67b, or any other part of that section, as any other than what is written there. I have to follow it implicitly, and it is as binding on you as it is on me. I fail to see what enrages you at the thought of keeping eight percent of these mechanical suits as a reserve against emergency. But I cannot fail to observe the meaning of your sentence beginning: “But I positively, definitely, and flatly refuse to keep two dozen of the latest and most advanced delGrange suits . . .” Considering Section 67b, this is not a matter of choice on your part, yet you “flatly refuse” to carry it out. I am sorry, Dave, but you haven’t left me a great deal of choice.
Matt.
* * *
Space Force H.Q. Cygnes III to G.H.Q. Space Forces, Terra Staff:
Pursuant Section 67c rpt 67c a State of Emergency is rpt is hereby declared throughout Cygnes System.
Matthew Crandall, Colonel,
Space Force, Commanding.
Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III to Planetary Development H.Q. Cygnes VI m 4 Staff:
You are hereby notified that pursuant to Section 67c rpt 67c, a State of Emergency has been declared throughout Cygnes System.
Matthew Crandall, Colonel,
Space Force, Commanding.
Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III to Planetary Development H.Q. Cygnes VI m 4
Personal: To D. L. Paley, Chief
Sir: You are rpt are hereby required and directed to retain twenty-four rpt twenty-four latest model delGrange mechanical suits as emergency reserve, as outlined in preceding correspondence. You are rpt are hereby warned that failure to do so will be cause for summary suspension from office pursuant to Section 67d. You are hereby directed to state your intention to comply with this order.
Matthew Crandall, Colonel,
Space Force, Commanding.
Planetary Development H. Q. Cygnes VI m 4 to Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III
Personal: To Col. Matthew Crandall.
Sir: I positively, flatly, definitely, and finally refuse rpt REFUSE to obey any order, directive, proclamation or ukase that requires me or any of my organization to hold two dozen of the latest model delGrange suits in a state of futile lassitude while Terra hungers for ore. That is final.
David L. Paley, Chief, Planetary
Development Authority, Cygnes.
* * *
Colonel Matthew Crandall leaned back and studied the message with a sensation almost of suspended animation. He found himself turning the message over to look at the blank reverse side of the sheet. He asked himself what, exactly, was so bad about keeping twenty-four pressure suits in storage for a month? He reread the message, shook his head, and tapped out:
Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III to Planetary Development H.Q. Cygnes VI m 4
Personal: To D. L. Paley
Sir: Pursuant to Section 67d, you are hereby suspended from office.
Matthew Crandall, Colonel,
Space Force, Commanding.
* * *
Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III to Planetary Development H.Q. Cygnes VI m 4 Staff:
Pursuant to Section 67d of the Interservice Code, David L. Paley is rpt is hereby suspended from office. His successor is hereby required and directed to either: a) retain twenty-four rpt twenty-four latest model delGrange mechanical suits as emergency reserve, as outlined in preceding correspondence with D. L. Paley, former Chief; or b) clearly state reasons why this should not be done. His successor is hereby directed to state his intention to comply with this order.
Matthew Crandall, Colonel,
Space Force, Commanding.
Planetary Development H.Q. Cygnes VI m 4 to Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III
Personal: To Col. Matthew Crandall.
Sir: I hereby state my intention to refuse rpt refuse to obey your order to retain twenty-four latest model delGrange suits as “emergency reserve.” You are perfectly free to suspend me and choose the next man in line as new Chief. You may, if you want, go all the way down the line in this fashion. Upon inquiring of the person directly under me, I have been informed that all Planetary Development personnel who have expressed an opinion on this topic unanimously resent your high-handed approach to a situation you are incompetent to judge. I advise you to rescind your silly order before you make a complete fool of yourself.
Peyton B. Jones, Acting Chief,
Planetary Development Authority, Cygnes.
Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III to G.H.Q. Space Forces, Terra Staff:
Pursuant Section 68a rpt 68a, martial law is rpt is hereby established throughout Cygnes System.
Matthew Crandall, Colonel,
Space Force, Commanding.
* * *
Space Forces H.Q., Cygnes III to Space Forces Cygnes Staff:
Effective immediately rpt immediately carry out Schedule Three rpt Three, Deployment for Sabotage Control. Any or all Terran or other ships attempting to evade or oppose this order are to be boarded, their personnel confined to locked quarters, and their officers removed and held under guard. Any ship attempting to escape is to be warned, and if it does not promptly submit, you are hereby directly ordered to destroy rpt destroy it.
Matthew Crandall, Colonel,
Space Force, Commanding.
Planetary Development H.Q. Cygnes VI m 4 to Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III
Personal: To Col. Matthew Crandall.
Matt: Good God are you out of your head? You can’t shoot at our men. This is just a jurisdictional matter. You don’t understand. Try and be reasonable. The press will have your head if you start any shooting.
David L.. Paley, Chief (Suspended),
Planetary Development Authority, Cygnes.
Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III to Planetary Development H.Q., Cygnes VI m 4 Staff:
You are hereby notified that pursuant to Section 68a, martial law has been established throughout Cygnes System. Pursuant to Section 67d, Peyton B. Jones is rpt is hereby suspended from office. His successor’s name is to be sent to Space Force H.Q., Cygnes III, immediately.