9G remained unfederated, the company or companies engaged in mining or other business under local license could continue to operate in almost any way they chose as long as they kept the local officials happy. They could strip the whole area of its mineral resources, pile up incredible fortunes, and leave the native worlds with nothing. But if 9G became a member of the Federation, Federation law would immediately step in, and Federation enforcement of same, and if there were any abuses of native rights, the people responsible would suffer for it.
Postulate a company. Postulate a connection between it and Hawtree. Postulate and postulate.
At around three hundred miles an hour the taxi plunged into the twilight zone. Light sprang on automatically. Outside it became dark very swiftly, and the darkness roared, and glittered with a million lamps.
"Who," asked Durham, "is principally against your two worlds uniting so that the treaty can go through?"
"All of us," said Wanbecq fiercely. "Shall we give up our rights, our independence, our human institutions, everything our race has stood for—"
Wanbecq-ai cried out, "We will never unite, never! No one can force us to betray our species!"
Susan began to cry.
"Please," said Durham. "Baby. You're all right."
"You hit me."
"I had to. I'll apologize later. Be quiet now, Susan, please." He turned back to the Wanbecqs. "Everybody on Nanta Dik feels that way?"
"There are traitors everywhere," said Wanbecq darkly. "Some of them, unfortunately, are in positions of power."
"They won't be for long," said Wanbecq-ai. "Look here, Mr. Durham, you're going to Nanta Dik with a message. We aren't the only ones who want to know what it is. Jubb has sent a darkbird for you. Take my advice. Tell us your message and go back to The Hub."
Susan said in a nasty muffled voice, "You're insane. Nobody would trust him with a message to the milkman. He lost his job because he couldn't be trusted."
Without rancor, Durham said, "You're absolutely right, darling. And wouldn't it be strangely fitting if that's why I got my job back again?" He said to the Wanbecqs, "Somebody tipped you off about me. Who?"
"We know him only as a friend of humanity."
"Somebody must have sent you here from Nanta Dik."
"On our world there are many friends of humanity. Think of them, Mr. Durham, when you kiss the Bitter Star."
* * * * *
The taxi slowed, strongly, smoothly. The blurred panorama of lights and ships became separable into individual shapes. Durham stared out ahead. There was the squat form of a freighter, ugly and immensely powerful, on a landing apron only partially lighted. The Margaretta K.
Durham asked, "Who owns her?"
"Universal Minerals."
"And who owns Universal Minerals?"
"Several people, I think, all Earthmen."
"Who speaks for Universal Minerals on Nanta Dik?"
A little reluctantly, Wanbecq said "There is a man named Morrison."
The name rang no bell in Durham's mind. It brought no visible reaction to Susan's face either, though he was watching it closely.
"And how," he asked, "does Morrison feel about humanity?"
"Ask the Bitter Star," said Wanbecq, and the taxi slid to a halt beside the platform on which Durham now saw that several men were standing. Wanbecq and Wanbecq-ai hunched forward expectantly.
"No," said Durham. "I'm getting out, but you're not." He nudged Susan. "Get ready."
The doors slid open automatically. Susan scrambled out. Durham went right behind her, twisted like a cat in the opening, and splashed a brief warning blast off the floor at the feet of the Wanbecqs, who had raised a frantic cry and were trying to follow.
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