“Off-worlder,” the First said coldly, “we are surrounded by pictures of the horrifying creatures which you say are Federation Citizens. We cannot sit at a table without three-dimensional displays appearing on it, and literature printed in the principal written languages of Keidi is everywhere. Are you trying to influence, seduce, and divide my family?”
That was exactly what Martin was trying to do, but this was not the time to say so. Instead, he went on, en overcrowding or other factors make it necessary to move your Family, or when we have accurately charted the future progress of the contamination, you will be told which doors to use so that you can be transported to induction centers in safe areas. These will probably be on the north or south continents, where you will be given supplies, shelters, and assistance to resettle.
“When we are not using it to communicate,” Martin continued, “this projection will be enlarged to reproduce the master display of the hypership, so that you will be able to watch and give advice on the overall progress of die evacuation. Have you other questions?”
The Keidi leader was silent for a moment, then he said, “I have many questions which concern the ultimate fate of my people, but I cannot ask them until I have a clearer idea of what is happening. If I were to study your master display for a time, I might learn enough to ask the right questions.”
Whatever else the First was, Martin thought as he broke contact, he was not stupid.
Chapter 28
ANOTHER day of frenetic activity passed. Beyond the borders of the Estate, in spite of the urgings, pleadings, and repeated descriptions of the effects of radiation poisoning, there were areas where the evacuations were not going smoothly. Instead of the First there were many Firsts who, while possessing the authority, were more used to government by committee.
There was little that the doctor could do about this. He had been obeyed without question by his own people. In the towns and settlements where he was known and respected, they obeyed him, reluctantly and with much argument. But in the outlying districts he was just a Keidi voice warning of dreadful things to come-a voice which inspired fear but not always belief.
When Martin tried to intervene in support of the doctor, that caused even more arguments, dissension, and delays. The dislike and distrust felt for Galactics all over Keidi came close to being a planet-wide psychosis. And the dissension was beginning to spread to the hypership.
“Group Eighty-eight has wasted too much time,” said Martin impatiently. “That cloud, as you can see from the figures, is a particularly dirty one. It will cross their path half a day before they are able to reach shelter, enough time to give the very young Keidi a lethal dose and render the adults sterile. They must be redirected to Center Twelve-twenty-seven, now. Even then it will be a very close thing.”
The doctor’s speaking horn swung round angrily. “Off-worlder, I have only just succeeded in getting that group moving, and now you want me to tell them to move in what is nearly the opposite direction! There will be disorganization, argument, and more delay. Twelve-twenty-seven is being threatened by fallout from Burst Five, and the delay will mean that they face the same danger going there.”
“Not if they decide quickly and turn back at once,” Martin said. “I think another nonmaterial show of force is indicated, to help concentrate their thinking.”
“No!” the doctor said. “Give me credit for understanding my people’s thinking better than a meddling off-worlder. Sudden terror could just as easily cause them to scatter in all directions, or not move at all.”
Trying hard to control his anger and impatience, Martin said, “There are five other groups in much the same position as Eighty-eight, but for different reasons. We could lift them out, if the transports are ready.”
He looked at Beth, but before she could reply the doctor said, “Off-worlder, the First tried to explain it to you and now I will try. We do not want, but we are forced to accept, your help. But we must also be allowed to help ourselves. Since the Exodus took away our population and skimmed oft the finest layers of our culture, the Keidi who remained have become a backward, angry, and very proud people. Any attempt, however well meant, to force all but the minimum of assistance on them, or to impress them with the scientific marvels of the Federation, will have negative results. This, the First’s dreams of conquest and unification, the premature detonation of his nuclear devices, and everything that has occurred as a result, is our problem. Do you understand that, off-worlder?”
The Keidi sat within arms reach, but he seemed suddenly to be miles away.
Beth looked worriedly from the doctor to Martin and said, “The first transport is ready to launch. It is untested, but testing is a formality because the fabrication module’s self-inspection system is…”
“But you are a healer,” Martin said, ignoring her. “Surely it is your duty to save lives?”
“Yes,” said the Doctor, “that is why I wanted to help you. But I have found that a patient who wants to survive will aid the healing process, and live longer, than one who has no incentive for continued survival. The loss of pride and self-respect destroys the will to benefit from the healing.”
“I don’t accept that,” Martin said, “especially in the present situation. Pride is no protection against radiation poisoning, and what about your people who are too young to have learned about pride?”
“Don’t be stupid, off-worlder,” the Keidi said. “There are exceptions, naturally. I was simply making the point that too much help can be worse than…”
Beth pointed at the attention light blinking unnoticed on Martin’s console and said, “The First is calling you.” The Keidi leader was staring out of the screen at him, his speaking horn twitching with impatience. The First began speaking without giving Martin time to talk. “Off-worlder, we must negotiate. We have duties and obligations which must be exchanged without delay or misdirection on either side. I shall bind myself, by the continuing respect of my people and by the parental duty of a First Father to his Family, to discharge my obligations fully, without omission or deliberate misunderstanding, to your satisfaction. You must bind yourself and the members of your organization by whatever personal, legal, or nonmaterial authority that you honor, to do likewise.”
“What…” began Martin. “This is not the time for complex negotiations. We’re very busy here right now, as you can see from your repeater screen. If you’re worried about something, don’t be. You are in no danger and the remaining groups of your special family are making good progress toward your center. Please, let’s discuss this later.”
“We will discuss it now,” said the First, “or my remaining family will not join me, and few indeed will be the other Keidi who reach any of their designated centers.”
Beth and the doctor had swung around to stare at the screen. Martin wet his lips and said quietly, “Explain.”
There were many Keidi crowded around and behind the First, but none of them made a sound as he said, “Off-worlder, I have been considering your earlier words to me about overcrowding and your means of relieving it, and the real meaning of these words so far as my Family and myself are concerned. I have decided that you intend to use the center’s matter transmitters to split up my family and organization and scatter it to centers all over the north and south continents.”
Too quietly for the doctor to hear her, Beth said, “So that’s why you weren’t worried about letting his special people into one center. A neat, but nasty, solution.”
“The idea had occurred to me,” Martin said softly.
Concentrating Keida’s proven Undesirables-they had been unknowingly nominated as such by the First- into one center, then scattering them so thinly among the more normal Keidi that their ability to reorganize and regain control would have been lost, had been a very attractive idea. After all, on a planetary scale that had been the primary purpose of the induction centers, as well as to filter out potential non-Citizens like Beth and himself. But it had been a nice, simple, and too uncertain solution which he had been reluctantly obliged to discard.