Anderson, Poul - Three Worlds to Conquer by Anderson Poul

Author:Anderson, Poul
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

11

Fraser sat for a while staring at the transceiver, until he clenched both fists and brought them down on the panel. The blow rang through silence and shadows. A beam of sunlight pierced the forward view-port, making veins and knobby knuckles stand forth with a certain cruelty. Noticing that reminded him how he still ached from overexertion. Nuts! Forty isn't old. But it can sure feel that way. Oh, stop sniveling. Make yourself present-able. You smell like a dead billy goat.

Stiffly, he got up and moved to the rear of the gannycat. Danny Mendoza had turned it over to him when he said he had to contact Jupiter, so he could use its communica-tion equipment and have room to stretch out between calls. He stripped, drew some water into a basin, and sponged his skin. There wasn't much sense in cleaning up, just to meet a she-quisling-well, morale-and she was attractive in her fashion.

He grinned lopsidedly at himself.

Memory ran back to the hour when she had slipped him the note. That had been in Aurora rather than

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Swayne's battleship headquarters-doubtless to make sure no one came to the conference after a hearty meal of dynamite, and lit a cigar. Fraser had accompanied Sam Hoshi. Lorraine was there too, and a couple of senior Navy officers. Sup-posedly she represented the town. Everyone sat on the edge of chairs, in the bleak, crowded room: except Swayne, be-hind the desk, who overpowered the scene. Not that he shouted, or even scolded; but he had the self-possession of victory.

His hand sliced the air. "Let's stop exchanging swear words," he said. "From my viewpoint, you are insurrec-tionists. You killed and wounded a number of loyal men. Your casualties are less than you deserve."

Hoshi opened his mouth, snapped it shut again, and writhed his fingers together. Two of his sons lay dead outside.

Swayne quirked a smile that went no further than his eyes.

"You, of course, look at it differently," he continue. "No-body's opinion is likely to be changed here and now. Well, I am a professional fighter. I'm willing to admit you're sin-cere, however misguided. The problem is not one of emo-tional attitudes, but of what to do. I'm more interested in getting on with my job than in immediate justice."

"What about justice later on, though, when the political cops arrive?" Fraser demanded. "Why should we give in, if we're to be arrested inside a year, jailed, shot, or brain-washed?"

Lorraine's thick fair brows drew into a frown. "That last is a nasty word, Mark," she said.

"So call it re-education," he answered. "I'd still rather die on my feet."

"I can't give you any absolute guarantees," Swayne con-fessed. "However, think a bit. The restored government will have its hands full on Earth and the inner planets for a long time to come. Why should it waste effort on a bunch of isolated colonists, especially it I put in a good word for you? Cooperate with me, and you have my promise as an officer of the United States Space Force that I will.

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