Morgan spread his fingers and smiled. “Lady, we’re the only show in town. No other ethnos group has the strength and resilience to pull the world out of the hole it’s in. And it’s in that hole because we haven’t had our act together… because we’ve let ourselves be ruled by the policies of the liberals for the last century rather than those of the Party. Outram’s been good for the United States, but he’s only the first step. He’s local. We… the Party of Humankind… have international scope.”
The girl shook her head. “Your success means subjugation, perhaps extinction, for other… what do you call them?… ethnos groups.”
“Larger and more viable ethnos groups will exist… separately… at least, for a while. Smaller groups probably will go the way of the dodo; their members will gradually meld into the groups around them. It’s been that way throughout history: creative evolution in action. It happened to the American Indians, to the Hawaiians, to the Celts and the Picts and the Mundari tribes of India.”
“That’s cold. Callous.”
“I disagree. It’s realistic. It’s ‘tough love,’ as the social psychologists call it. Anything else is hypocrisy.”
“What about your own minorities, the ones who live here now?”
“No problem with foreign residents, visitors, students, and people who are not of us but who want to live and work in peace with us. We’ll keep their numbers in check, of course. Somewhere around one per cent of the population would be an absolute maximum for all of the minorities together. What we won’t allow are groups that live in our country, enjoy the fruits of our labor, and yet refuse to cooperate… or that try to dominate us or undermine our policies. Minorities will not be ‘second-class citizens,’ but neither will we let them tell us, the majority, what to do. We expect the same when we visit the territory of some other ethnos group. We’re serious about democracy. To us it means majority rule and not just lip-service while somebody else drives the bus.”
Jameela sighed. Wrench had shut his eyes, and Lessing was watching the afternoon sunlight transform the stained-glass windows into visions of medieval — or at least art-deco — glory.
“All right,” the girl said at length. Her fingers were icy and hard upon Lessing’s. “You haven’t convinced me. The Third World will never believe your promises of ‘no imperialism.’ We’ve seen too much of it. But I’ll stay, and I’ll do what you’re hiring me for. Maybe I can help prevent your American prejudices from wrecking this planet any more than it’s wrecked now.” She faced Morgan squarely. “The real reason I’m staying is Alan, as all of us here know. You understand? Alan Lessing. Remember that”
“Hey, I’m only hired security,” Lessing grinned to defuse the tension. “I can turn in my gun and badge any time!”
“You want to go live in some muddy mere bivouac in Russia?” Jameela asked silkily.
“Sure. Why not?”
“You’re spoiled, my darling. It’s exciting, being close to the hub of power, rubbing shoulders with President Outram and Herman Mulder. You’ve learned to enjoy the good life, the luxuries, the banners, the pomp, and your play-soldiers in their black uniforms snapping off salutes. Oh, yes!”
“Like I told you, I’m hired security… a jumped-up drill sergeant!”
“The Party pays you, and you serve its purposes.” She softened. “As I must, too, Alan, since I am going to stay. I will not… I cannot… go away from you again.”
“Good,” Wrench muttered muzzily. “Now if we’ve settled the terms of your employment, Miss Husaini, how ‘bout some lunch?”
“Fine. The menu, please.”
Afterward, as they left the restaurant, Lessing overheard Wrench talking to Morgan: “Liese has to work some more on her Dorn book. Shce-it, you saw how its arguments flunked with Jameela! Instant conversion? More like instant cow-flop!”
“She debates like a liberal lawyer!”
“*S ‘matter? Thought you liked sharpy women! She really gave you a run for your money.”
“Do I look worried?” Morgan answered easily. “She’ll come
around. And she’s too good for the likes of Lessing ” The rest
of his remark was lost in the babble of the lobby.
Lessing found himself holding Jameela’s hand. He had already proposed to her. Now he was going to marry her. Tomorrow. Before another day passed. Son of a bitch if he didn’t!
Morgan came back to them. “You busy tomorrow?”
“We planned to take care of some private matters,” Lessing answered. “Why?”
“Got a problem. Grant Simmons, the new president of the Congress of Americans for Personal Freedom is coming in tomorrow morning at 11:40. If Wrench’s hangover doesn’t kill him, he’ll have to show the gubber around.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Wrench and I were supposed to meet a man. Now Wrench won’t be able to go. It’d be nice if you came along. Add weight and,” Morgan grinned facetiously, “military authority.”
“Who ‘re you meeting?”
“You may not have heard of him. A Black Muslim leader named Khalifa Abdullah Sultani… a.k.a. Thomas Bowler, once a government meat inspector in Portland, Oregon. His Community of Allah Almighty is the biggest Black Islamic sect on the West Coast, maybe in the country.”
“An American Black Muslim?” Jameela inquired. “May I go too?”
Lessing shook his head. “You’re staying here. You just arrived, and you’re tired.”
“Not at all! In India we hear of the Black Muslims, but we don’t see many. I’m curious.”
“Why not?” Morgan gave her a winning smile. “You won’t be in the way.”
“Too dangerous!” Lessing stated curtly. “No.”
“On the contrary. More guns than World War II, but really nothing to worry about. The Khalifa’s given us safe-conduct, and my sources say he never breaks his word.”
“I don’t like it!”
“Use your charms on him, lady,” Morgan urged. “Your Mr. Lessing is a survival from the past: a male chauvinist, as outdated as bearskin underwear.”
Wrench added, “I’ll send along my magic decoder ring: a modem to Eighty-Five. If you get into trouble you just holler for Super-Wrench!”
“Go take a nap, Wrench. Mr. Simmons expects the grand tour.” The set of Morgan’s jaw showed that he was more annoyed than amused.
“What time tomorrow, Mr. Morgan?” asked Jameela. “Call me Sam. Outside the hotel main entrance at nine-thirty.” “We’ll be there.” She took Lessing’s protesting arm and turned toward the elevators.
The Japanese are a people that can manufacture a product of uniformity and superior quality, because the Japanese are a race of completely pure blood, not a mongrelized race as in the United States.
The Japanese have been doing well for as long as 2,000 years, because there are no foreign races (in our country).
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Friday, September 18, 2043
The next morning they were up by 0700 hours, finished with breakfast by nine, and outside awaiting the transport Morgan had arranged by 0915. Lessing paced back and forth at the top of the sweeping, windy staircase leading down to the open plaza in front of the old hotel, while Jameela huddled in her grey, Kashmiri shawl by the concrete balustrade. It was chilly for California, something the locals stoically blamed on the brief but terrible Vietnamese-Chinese War of 2010.