Dixon sat down silently. Harriman went on, “Aren’t you even going to congratulate me? Man, this is a great dayl”
Dixon said, “D.D., why are you going?”
“Huh? Don’t ask foolish questions. This is what I ~have been working toward.”
“It’s not a foolish question. I asked why you were going. The four colonists have an obvious reason, and each is a selected specialist observer as well. LeCroix is the pilot. Coster is the man who is designing the permanent colony. But why are you going? What’s your function?”
“My function? Why, I’m the guy who runs things. Shucks, I’m going to run for mayor when I get there. Have a cigar, friend—the name’s Harriman. Don’t forget to vote.” He grinned.
Dixon did not smile. “I did not know you planned on staying.”
Harriman looked sheepish. “Well, that’s still up in the air. If we get the shelter built in a hurry, we may save enough in the way of supplies to let me sort of lay over until the next trip. You wouldn’t begrudge me that, would you?”
Dixon looked him in the eye. “Delos, I can’t let you go at all.”
Harriman was too startled to talk at first. At last he managed to say, “Don’t joke, Dan. I’m going. You can’t stop me. Nothing on Earth can stop me.”
Dixon shook his head. “I can’t permit it, Delos. I’ve got too much sunk in this. If you go and anything happens to you, I lose it all.”
“That’s silly. You and George would just carry on, that’s all.”
“Ask George.”
Strong had nothing to say. He did not seem anxious to meet Harriman’s eyes. Dixon went on, “Don’t try to kid your way out of it, Delos. This venture is you and you are this venture. If you get killed, the whole thing folds up. I don’t say space travel folds up; I think you’ve already given that a boost that will carry it along even with lesser men in your shoes. But as for this venture—our company—it will fold up. George and I will have to liquidate at about half a cent on the dollar. It would take sale of patent rights to get that much. The tangible assets aren’t worth anything.”
“Damn it, it’s the intangibles we sell. You knew that all along.”
“You are the intangible asset, Delos. You are the goose that lays the golden eggs. I want you to stick around until you’ve laid them. You must not risk your neck in space flight until you have this thing on a profit-making basis, so that any competent manager, such as George or myself, thereafter can keep it solvent. I mean it, Delos. I’ve got too much in it to see you risk it in a joy ride.”
Harriman stood up and pressed his fingers down on the edge of his desk. He was breathing hard. “You can’t stop me!” he said slowly and forcefully. “Not all the forces of heaven or hell can stop me.”
Dixon answered quietly, “I’m sorry, Delos. But I can stop you and I will. I can tie up that ship out there.”
“Try it! I own as many lawyers as you do—and better ones!”
“I think you will find that you are not as popular in American courts as you once were-not since the United States found out it didn’t own the Moon after all.”
“Try it, I tell you. I’ll break you and I’ll take your shares away from you, too.”
“Easy, Delos! I’ve no doubt you have some scheme whereby you could milk the basic company right away from George and me if you decided to. But it won’t be necessary. Nor will it be necessary to tie up the ship. I want the flight to take place as much as you do. But you won’t be on it, because you will decide not to go.”
“I will, eh? Do I look crazy from where you sit?”
“No, on the contrary.”
“Then why won’t I go?”
“Because of your note that I hold. I want to collect it.”
“What? There’s no due date.”
“No. But I want to be sure to collect it.”
“Why, you dumb fool, if I get killed you collect it sooner than ever.”