‘What do you mean?’ asked Pirenne.
‘This world is just about empty and the unoccupied land is probably fertile. There are many of the nobility on Anacreon that would like an addition to their estates.’
‘You can’t propose any such—’
‘There’s no necessity for looking so alarmed, Dr Pirenne. There’s plenty for all of us. If it comes to what it comes, and you co-operate, we could probably arrange it so that you lose nothing. Titles can be conferred and estates granted. You understand me, I think.’
Pirenne sneered: ‘Thanks!’
And then Hardin said ingenuously: ‘Could Anacreon supply us with adequate quantities of plutonium for our atomic-power plant? We’ve only a few years’ supply left.’
There was a gasp from Pirenne and then a dead silence for minutes. When haut Rodric spoke it was in a voice quite different from what it had been till then:
‘You have atomic power?’
‘Certainly. What’s unusual in that? I imagine atomic power is fifty thousand years old now. Why shouldn’t we have it? Except that it’s a little difficult to get plutonium.’
‘Yes … yes.’ The envoy paused and added uncomfortably: ‘Well, gentlemen, we’ll pursue the subject tomorrow. You’ll excuse me—’
Pirenne looked after him and gritted through his teeth: ‘That insufferable, dull-witted donkey! That—’
Hardin broke in: ‘Not at all. He’s merely the product of his environment. He doesn’t understand much except that “I got a gun and you ain’t”.’
Pirenne whirled on him in exasperation. ‘What in Space did you mean by the talk about military bases and tribute? Are you crazy?’
‘No. I merely gave him rope and let him talk. You’ll notice that he managed to stumble out with Anacreon’s real intentions – that is, the parcelling up of Terminus into landed estates. Of course, I don’t intend to let that happen.’
‘You don’t intend. You don’t. And who are you? And may I ask what you meant by blowing off your mouth about our atomic-power plant? Why, it’s just the thing that would make us a military target.’
‘Yes,’ grinned Hardin. ‘A military target to stay away from. Isn’t it obvious why I brought the subject up? It happened to confirm a very strong suspicion I had.’
‘And that was what?’
‘That Anacreon no longer has an atomic-power economy. If they had, our friend would undoubtedly have realized that plutonium, except in ancient tradition is not used in power plants. And therefore it follows that the rest of the Periphery no longer has atomic power either. Certainly Smyrno hasn’t, or Anacreon wouldn’t have won most of the battles in their recent war. Interesting, wouldn’t you say?’
‘Bah!’ Pirenne left in fiendish humour, and Hardin smiled gently.
He threw his cigar away and looked up at the outstretched Galaxy. ‘Back to oil and coal, are they?’ he murmured – and what the rest of his thoughts were he kept to himself.
When Hardin denied owning the Journal, he was perhaps technically correct, but no more. Hardin had been the leading spirit in the drive to incorporate Terminus into an autonomous municipality – he had been elected its first mayor – so it was not surprising that, though not a single share of Journal stock was in his name, some 60 per cent was controlled by him in more devious fashions.
There were ways.
Consequently, when Hardin began suggesting to Pirenne that he be allowed to attend meetings of the Board of Trustees, it was not quite coincidence that the Journal began a similar campaign. And the first mass meeting in the history of the Foundation was held, demanding representation of the City in the ‘national’ government.
And, eventually, Pirenne capitulated with ill grace.
Hardin, as he sat at the foot of the table, speculated idly as to just what it was that made physical scientists such poor administrators. It might be merely that they were too used to inflexible fact and far too unused to pliable people.
In any case, there was Tomaz Sutt and Jord Fara on his left; Lundin Crast and Yate Fulham on his right; with Pirenne, himself, presiding. He knew them all, of course, but they seemed to have put on an extra special bit of pomposity for the occasion.
Hardin half dozed through the initial formalities and then perked up when Pirenne sipped at the glass of water before him by way of preparation and said:
‘I find it very gratifying to be able to inform the Board that since our last meeting, I have received word that Lord Dorwin, Chancellor of the Empire, will arrive at Terminus in two weeks. It may be taken for granted that our relations with Anacreon will be smoothed out to our complete satisfaction as soon as the Emperor is informed of the situation.’
He smiled and addressed Hardin across the length of the table. ‘Information to this effect has been given to the Journal.’
Hardin snickered below his breath. It seemed evident that Pirenne’s desire to strut this information before him had been one reason for his admission into the sacrosanctum.
He said evenly: ‘Leaving vague expressions out of account, what do you expect Lord Dorwin to do?’
Tomaz Sutt replied. He had a bad habit of addressing one in the third person when in his more stately moods.
‘It is quite evident,’ he observed, ‘that Mayor Hardin is a professional cynic. He can scarcely fail to realize that the Emperor would be most unlikely to allow his personal rights to be infringed.’
‘Why? What would he do in case they were?’
There was an annoyed stir. Pirenne said, ‘You are out of order,’ and, as an afterthought, ‘and are making what are near-treasonable statements, besides.’
‘Am I to consider myself answered?’
‘Yes! If you have nothing further to say—’
‘Don’t jump to conclusions. I’d like to ask a question. Besides this stroke of diplomacy – which may or may not prove to mean anything – has anything concrete been done to meet the Anacreonic menace?’
Yate Fulham drew one hand along his ferocious red moustache. ‘You see a menace there, do you?’
‘Don’t you?’
‘Scarcely’ – this with indulgence. ‘The Emperor—’
‘Great Space!’ Hardin felt annoyed. ‘What is this? Every once in a while someone mentions “Emperor” or “Empire” as if it were a magic word. The Emperor is fifty thousand parsecs away, and I doubt whether he gives a damn about us. And if he does, what can he do? What there was of the imperial navy in these regions is in the hands of the four kingdoms now and Anacreon has its share. Listen, we have to fight with guns, not with words.
‘Now, get this. We’ve had two months’ grace so far, mainly because we’ve given Anacreon the idea that we’ve got atomic weapons. Well, we all know that there’s a little white lie. We’ve got atomic power, but only for commercial uses, and darn little at that. They’re going to find that out soon, and if you think they’re going to enjoy being jollied along, you’re mistaken.’
‘My dear sir—’
‘Hold on: I’m not finished.’ Hardin was warming up. He liked this. ‘It’s all very well to drag chancellors into this, but it would be much nicer to drag a few great big siege guns fitted for beautiful atomic bombs into it. We’ve lost two months, gentlemen, and we may not have another