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diff --git a/58744-0.txt b/58744-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..55c6ad5 --- /dev/null +++ b/58744-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1156 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 58744 *** + + + + + + + + + + + + + Money Is the Root of All Good + + BY PATRICK WILKINS + + _Urgent! Class AA emergency for Universal Relief! + Stock market crash on planet Lyrane, where people live + by economy based on good deeds. Cause unknown. Suspect + galactical manipulators of watering stock._ + + [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from + Worlds of If Science Fiction, October 1954. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that + the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + +Kalgor, capital of the Galactic Empire, is not, as one would expect, +one solid city. As a matter of fact, it is more suburban and rural than +many farming planets. + +The reason is obvious if but considered. The galactic government and +the equally large galactic businesses are so immense that they must be +distributed throughout the whole galaxy, with only the very cream of +the hierarchy located on Kalgor. Thus, each company would have only one +small building--but with a communication web that enfolded macroscopic +enterprises. + +Universal Relief Incorporated was typical of this arrangement. +Although its warehouses and offices throughout the Empire could form a +megalopolis in themselves, the fountainhead on Kalgor was a two story +building. + +In that building there was excitement. People were rushing +frantically--the teletypes chattered in a frenzy--the air was static +with urgency. It manifested itself in the quick jerky motions, in the +voices held just below the cracking point. + +Universal Relief served the function that used to be handled by the Red +Cross. They were disaster rectifiers, succor and reconstruction was +their business. But they were a business--declaring annual, taxable +profits and dividends and, in general, a profit-seeking firm. + +They received regular payments from planetary governments, much like +premiums with insurance, and in case of emergency they were to provide +complete relief as swiftly as possible. There was no chance for graft +in their business, for they were closely checked by the government and +competing organizations like Galactic Aid, their closest rival. + +This business was now apparently faced with a crisis and its staff was +feverishly trying to cope with it. + +Roald Gibbons, President of Universal Relief, was the only person not +affected--at least not apparently. His indolent posture, his quiet grey +eyes reflected nothing of the hectic activity. + +This made Kim Roger nervous. + +"I don't think you comprehend the seriousness of it, Mr. Gibbons," he +was saying. + +"I am not thinking of the seriousness of it. I just want the facts." + +"Very well, sir. Two days ago, the Lyranian stock market crashed." + +"You will have to go back further than that. I can't possibly know the +history of all the planets in the Empire. That's what I pay you for. +Give me some background." + +This little speech made Kim lose his clutching hold on his patience. +Roald Gibbons had just taken office after the death of his father, who +had managed the galactic firm for twenty years. By merely being the +boss's son, Roald had achieved the reputation of being an ignorant, +careless playboy. His professed ignorance of the planets confirmed, in +Kim's mind, this reputation. + +With an effort, Kim resumed. "The planet of Lyrane, the only habitable +one in the system of Lyrane--Copernicus sector--was colonized by a +socio-economic sect for the purpose of testing its slightly radical +beliefs. + +"This sect maintained that an individual should not be paid on the +basis of the work he did, but for the good deeds, or good thoughts +he had. A small stipend was paid for actual work or production, to +establish a workable basic economy and trade. This stipend was enough +to cover all the basic wants of the individual. + +"To procure luxuries, a citizen had to use the money he received for +his good deeds or thoughts. Every time a man helped an old lady across +the street, or came up with a bit of philosophical wisdom, he could +record it with a central office and receive his luxury pay from the +government. + +"The purpose of the system was to make people emphasize virtue and +quality in their lives. Instead of concentrating on profit for profit's +sake, they would have to consider the inherent rightness and beauty of +what they were doing." + +"In such a system," Roald asked, "how could such a thing as a stock +market possibly develop?" + +"Very simple, sir. This luxury pay, issued in a different currency +than the commodity pay, could be used in any way a person saw fit. +Some people naturally developed the idea of investing stock in a +particularly virtuous or intelligent person. Every time that person did +a good deed, the stockholders received a dividend from his luxury pay. +All of the scientists and philosophers, therefore, became corporations +in themselves, with as many as five thousand people holding stock in +one man." + +"Sorry, Kim, but I don't get it. How could these incorporated +individuals get any luxury pay for themselves if they had to hand it +out to their stockholders?" + +"The administration would allow for that. A person received luxury +pay in proportion to the number of stockholders that he claimed. The +government had to do this since they indirectly were investing in these +corporation-men--but I'll explain that later. + +"The corporation-man lived off the original investments of +stockholders, with some of the stock solvent for sales. In this way, +the individual would profit from "good-doing" by receiving many new +investments." + +"What is the social makeup of this Lyrane? It seems to me it would be +a lunatic fringe de luxe, with every hack writer, thaumaturgist, or +evangelist climbing aboard the gravy train." + +"On the contrary, it is a social structure of the finest minds in the +galaxy. The rest are all weeded out. Although the motives of the system +are idealistic, they are enforced with a rigid practicality. They +demand quality and truth, and gauge it with the revealing yardstick of +public consumption and approval as measured in sales and polls." + +Roald gazed out at the pastoral countryside surrounding this vital +little nub of a billion-credit business. He swung back to Kim, and +said, "But the basic difficulty would be determining just what a good +deed or thought is. How in God's name could they determine that, +when every act or word that anyone ever commits or utters is open to +judgment by so many different standards. For instance, what about the +case of the man who trespasses to save a person's life. How are you +going to rate that sort of thing?" + +"Mr. Gibbons, I am an economist, not a philosopher. It is the wonder of +the galaxy that these people did establish and maintain this system, in +spite of obstacles such as you mentioned." + +"All right, we'll discount the philosophical angle. I still don't +understand it. How about big business? How could that develop with this +system? They certainly need it to support a planet." + +"That's the easiest part of it. People would use their luxury pay to +establish businesses. At these businesses men could work their five +hours a day to get their commodity pay. It was not only possible, but +mandatory that such businesses develop. There were two types: mass +production of commodities, with a regulated profit in commodity pay; +or specialization and production of fine merchandise that was sold at +cost, but which the government paid for in luxury pay in proportion to +its quality as thoroughly tested. + +"However--all big businesses were closely controlled by the +government. They would grant franchises so that there would be no +cutthroat competition, and supply was regulated to meet demand. +Therefore, business itself was stable, and there was no opportunity +for speculating in its stock market. That left only the variable +corporation-men for actual stock market trading--and that is what +crashed. + +"Let's take a writer, for example. He writes a book, and a publishing +house prints it. The people buy it--spending luxury pay. The publishing +house has to convert that luxury pay to commodity pay to cover costs +and payroll. They make no profit, the book being sold at cost. + +"That book has to sell so many thousand copies to receive luxury pay +from the government. Then both the author and the publisher receive +luxury pay in proportion to its sales, which is the indication of its +merit. The luxury pay that the publisher receives goes in the pockets +of the executives. The luxury pay that the author receives--which is +much larger--goes to his stockholders. + +"Since the author is the source of this transaction, the people invest +in him and not the publisher, for they can't get any great return from +investing in the publisher, but they can from the author. + +"Actually, what the whole thing amounts to is a complete shift of +emphasis from big business and its speculations--which is what we've +always known--to individuals and the intangibles and variables of their +ideas and deeds." + +"There is only one question left," Roald said. "The government doles +out all this luxury pay. Pray tell, where do they get it?" + +"There are two parts to the government. There is the actual +administration, with its members drawing set salaries and unable to +draw luxury pay, to prevent graft; and then there is the Economics +Commission, which controls luxury pay. + +"This Economics Commission is a business. They invest in galactic +corporations, such as ours, and make a profit. That's part of their +money. Then--and here's the secret--any time a book is written, or +fine merchandise produced, it must be sold on Lyrane at cost. But the +government sells it throughout the galaxy for a profit, and keeps that +profit to redistribute in luxury pay to Lyranian citizens. + +"Anyway, the system finally blew up, and now we're holding a messy bag." + +"But how could it? Why?" + +"That's just it. Nobody knows what brought it about, but suddenly the +men who were corporations just stopped producing. They stopped doing +good deeds, stopped writing, stopped research, and what-not and, +consequently, stopped drawing luxury pay. + +"Naturally, their stockholders got mad and wanted to sell, but +incorporated men couldn't liquidate and the values of the stocks +dropped to zero, along with the value of the luxury pay. The result was +a depression and a lot of angry people." + +"A planetary depression is not such an outstanding emergency that it +should cause Universal Relief to be in such an uproar. I believe that +it is merely a Class B emergency, with complete regulations on proper +handling." + +Kim was so earnest in his reply that he leaned over and almost rubbed +noses with his superior. "On the contrary, sir. There are other +factors, so it's not so simple. This Lyranian system has been working +for ten years now, and the Lyranians want desperately for it to +succeed. They are almost fanatics on it, trying to prove the value of +their system so that other planets will adopt it--which God forbid. + +"Naturally, the resentment against the corporation-men for betraying +them has turned into hatred, with murder, riots and a civil war in +the offing. Yes, their politics were unitary and stable until this +emergency, but you'd be surprised at the number of political factions +that can be formed and develop hostilities in a period of crisis." + +"Could it be an attempt by some faction to seize power?" + +"Impossible. The way it was set up, political power was not desirable, +being unprofitable and mostly drudgery. If they upset the apple-cart, +the balance was so fine only chaos would result and there would be +nothing to take power over. The only reason parties have developed now +is due to differing views on how to rectify the situation, and blaming +different things for being responsible. But no power motive." + +"Very well then, the situation is a Class A emergency, but we've +handled them before." + +Kim allowed one fleeting sigh of despair. He had thought for a while +that this Roald could take hold, could be competent, but-- + +"If you have ever consulted our financial records, sir," he said with +heavy sarcasm, "you would find that our largest contribution comes +from Lyrane. They have established our organization as tops in the +good-deeds field, and nearly every person on Lyrane has stock in us, +along with a sizable payment since we threw a high premium at them, +fearing just this eventuality." + +Roald appeared thoughtful, then said, "Well, continue with standard +procedures for a Class A emergency. I'll see what can be done." + +Kim made one last desperate appeal. "I firmly believe that this should +be a Class AA emergency!" + +"Your field of specialization is overriding your business sense, Kim. +You are fascinated, as an economist, by this Lyrane system, and you +would like to see us put it back on its feet so you economists would +have a live experiment to observe. I'm sorry, but it isn't practical. +You know how fantastically expensive a Class AA is, and no one planet +is about to get it." + +Kim cowered mentally. This wasn't the indolent playboy, but the Old +Man, giving him a good dressing down. He left the office with restored +faith, but a faith that was interlaced with doubt in regard to Roald +Gibbons. + +Roald appeared to Kim to be uninformed and incompetent; but on the +contrary, he had learned the business thoroughly from his father. There +was one division of the company that he knew especially well. + +This division was known to only a few people in the company, and no +one outside knew it existed. Roald managed this special division, and +left the rest of the management to the routine procedures and junior +executives. + +While the rest of the company was in a state of organized hysteria, +with great ships loading from the massive warehouses of food, medicine, +and other relief supplies, and heaving into the sky bound for Lyrane, +Roald was having a quiet conference with the members of his special +division. + +Roald's father had known that the cheapest way to relieve an emergency +was to alleviate the causes behind it, unless it were a natural +disaster. For this reason, he had organized a corps of special agents +to penetrate behind the scenes to straighten out the causes and cut +short the emergencies that Universal Relief had to pay for. + +"Apparently there is a definite force operating on Lyrane," Roald was +saying to his elite corps, "that caused these men, who had been living +by the standards of that civilization and becoming rich from it, to +cease the activity which they had profited by." + +"Could it be a religious doctrine?" one of them asked. + +"Possibly. It could be anything. The fact is we don't know--and we +should. So we're going to Lyrane. For the Main Office, this is a Class +A; but for us it is a Class AA!" + + * * * * * + +Erol Garbin sat on the cool stone terrace of the mountain lodge, gazing +out over the small valley with the golden orange sun of Lyrane setting +behind the mountains. The cool evening breeze gently rearranged his +white hair and brushed over the creased forehead and the worried eyes. + +He looked up to see his daughter come out on to the terrace. She was a +comely young woman of slight build and apparently sensitive nature as +vivified in her piquant features. He gave her a wistful smile, at which +she rushed into his arms and buried her head in his shoulder, which was +still powerful despite his age. Her body quivered with muffled sobs. + +"Yma, my dearest Yma," he said tenderly. "Why didn't you marry, so +that you would have none of this? You could be leading your own life, +instead of bearing my burden." + +"You are no burden, Father. You are my life. And now that your life is +threatened--" + +He knew what had upset her. He had heard the newscasts too--yes, the +video still operated, controlled by the people. He had heard the names +of his old friends--Fredrikson, Tomlin, Masschau--all dead by violence. + +"Why do you keep silent?" his daughter asked with a little child's +pleading. "Where is the protection you were offered? Why don't you +tell the people?" The world was mad and destructive in the eyes of the +child--the woman who was a child in the face of this dilemma. + +He gently quieted her with a large, steady hand that pressed her head +to him. + +"It would do no good. Arnson tried it." + +She looked up with hope in her eyes. + +"He spoke to a special meeting of his stockholders and tried to tell +them. They scorned it as a wild fantasy to excuse his betrayal. They +issued him an ultimatum--work! He said that they would have to believe +him; he couldn't work. They killed him." + +The hope slid away and her eyes assumed the depths of despair and +bitterness. + +Despair for the future, and bitterness for the past. And she thought of +the past--for she dared not think of the future. + +Where does violence start, she wondered. Trace it to its roots; what's +its source, what's its manifestation? + +It starts with one man and an idea. Many men may have had the same +idea, but it takes one man to express it at the right time, to apply +it. Then the planning, by many or by one. + +And, finally, the last step is persuasion. The man who had the original +idea must convince others. He must indoctrinate them with this new +concept so that they believe. No more. + +For once a man, who has been a stable entity in a stable organization, +develops and believes a strange and contradictory idea--the result is +inevitable. Misunderstanding, resentment, hate, violence. The cycle +carries on from there with its own momentum. + +And the people who are swept up in it, and that may include anyone +from the most innocent to the perpetrator himself, are as helpless to +control its outcome as are the atoms helpless to control the nova they +started in a sun. + +So this violence on Lyrane had begun, with one man, then a group of +men, and then had come the misunderstanding, resentment, hate, violence +cycle. It manifested itself in the offices of Universal Relief as a +logical study in sociology and economics. + +But to Yma Garbin and her father, it was pure hell. + +When had it all started, and when would it end? + +Did it start that first day when an orphanage in the capital city +burned to the ground, and not one of the many philanthropists made a +move or an offer to aid or restore? + +Yes, that was when it started for the public, but it had really started +in midnight conversations in locked rooms. Words, an idea, then the +act--and who is to say which is more real? + +But there was no questioning the reality of what she had seen at +Tomlin's house. That was yesterday. + +Tomlin, the greatest living biochemist in the empire, was nothing but a +sad, huddled corpse. His beautiful mansion was slashed and looted, and +then fired to the ground. The air was filled with the odor of burning, +of death--but especially the mentally sickening, defeating odor of +violence. + +This was true of the whole planet, especially in the cities. The great +houses beseiged by furious mobs, shattered. Night full of stray shots +and casual death. Every man with that cold gleam in his eye when he +looked at even his best friend. + +"Did you cause it?" + +Yma lay in her father's arms, her mind reeling through this wax works +of personal horror and death. + +This scene was interrupted by a gyro landing on the lawn. + + * * * * * + +Erol watched it curiously; his daughter, tensely. A man emerged and +strode towards them. He was a young man, with good and intelligent +features, and Erol felt no fear. + +"Dr. Garbin," the man addressed him, "I'm delighted to find you. I +tried to see others--I was always too late." He paused, then said, "If +anyone should be able to tell me what has happened, you should." + +A slight suspicion showed in Erol's face while Yma looked as wary as an +animal. + +"If I can help you in any way, sir, I shall be delighted," Erol said. + +The young man sat down. His eyes told of bewilderment and horror, and +Erol guessed that he had been in the cities. + +"My name is Florin Brite," the man said after a long silence. "I was a +student of Tomlin, the biochemist, who was, I believe, your friend. I +left over a year ago to study at the Institute of Klynos. I heard of +trouble here and grabbed the first ship home. + +"I never dreamed I'd find such violence. + +"When I tried to find out what happened, I only found that all the +great men that I knew were murdered, or in hiding." + +"How did you find where I was?" Erol asked. + +"I talked to one of Tomlin's servants, an old fellow--scared silly--but +he remembered me and he told me." + +Erol seemed to accept this. "What do you want to know?" + +"Sir, I just want to know what happened. Why do the people feel they +have been deceived, and by whom? Why are all the incorporated men in +danger of their lives?" + +"It is the corporation-men who have deceived the public." It was a +flat statement by Erol, without rancor or sympathy. "They are, in +consequence, subject to the wrath of the people who relied upon them." + +The bewilderment in the young man's eyes deepened. "How could they +deceive the public? Why? They had everything to gain from earning +luxury pay for their stockholders. Why did they stop?" + +As if at a signal, Erol relaxed and his weariness became evident. Yma +relaxed somewhat but remained alert. + +"Why they did," Erol replied, "is a private matter that only each of +those men knows. The fact is that they, myself included, did--and now +we must pay." + +"You sir? But you were always such an eminent figure. I've admired +you from childhood as being one of the best of the planet's many +scientists. Your researches in sociology have led the empire. Why +should you suddenly stop your writing?" + +"Fine flattery, son, but it will not avail you. I also see that you are +not completely in the dark. You must have been investigating or you +wouldn't know that I have a half-finished book that never got to the +publisher on time. + +"Anyway, the reasons are inconsequential, now. It is done, and we must +consider the consequences. And we must consider you. What do you intend +to do, return to Klynos, or stay here?" + +"You don't get out of it that easily," Florin said. "Yes, consider me. +Consider me as a citizen of this planet, a believer in its principles. +I am no idiot that can't understand or won't accept the truth. + +"You are a sociologist. Here we have one of the most paradoxical +sociological situations imaginable on our planet. There obviously are +many unknown factors. You know them--you must. Just consider me a +student and explain the functionings of these phenomena." + +"You try my patience, Mr. Brite. I am accepting you at face value, but +you are a stranger to me. What I wish to keep to myself is entirely my +business. As I say, I am accepting you, and trying to help you--as we +all must do in this mess. Now what do you intend to do?" + +With a fatalistic shrug, Florin replied, "I cannot go back to Klynos. +My education was paid for by my stock in corporation-men here. That is +now, as you know, worthless." + +Yma spoke to him for the first time. "Then don't you feel resentment +towards the men who--who betrayed you?" Her eyes awaited his answer. + +Florin smiled. "I do not feel that I have been betrayed. I know that +the corporation-men, representing the most intelligent element of +Lyrane, wouldn't do this thing without a sound reason." + +Erol said, "Apparently you wish to throw in your lot with us, rather +than the mob." + +"My loyalty to my teacher and his associates compels me to do so. It is +also my personal desire." + +"You won't get any luxury pay for that loyalty," Yma snapped. + +"That's unfair. You know Tomlin always advocated proper living from a +moral obligation rather than for mercenary reward." + +Their conversation was interrupted by a faint humming. Out over the +valley three gyros were approaching at a low altitude. + +Bitterly, Yma said, "Apparently Tomlin's servant has talked to other +people--or perhaps Mr. Brite here--." + +Florin shrugged again. "I have no defense except to say that I talked +to no one. Either you believe me or you don't." + +Erol chimed in, "You'll have to excuse my daughter; she's upset. I +expected them to discover me long before this. This abandoned hunting +lodge was too well known." + +Yma's mind jumped on that. Yes, she thought, How well it is known--to +me. My childhood is stuffed full of memories of this place, all +pleasant. I know the woods around here better than the streets of the +city. Now it will be the scene of this furtive hiding, suspense, and +God knows what new violence. + +While she was thinking, Erol was still talking. "I will ask you, since +you are young and more adept in this sort of emergency. What shall we +do?" + +Florin glanced at Yma, and saw that the bitterness had left her in the +face of danger. She too looked anxiously to him for help. + +"If we stay here," he said, "we will be killed without question. I +have no doubt that those ships are part of the mob. Even if it is the +police, and I doubt there are any left after the rioting, they will +imprison us." + +Erol said, "This is a hunting lodge. There are some weapons here. We +have nothing but your gyro to escape in, and it's too slow. I can see +that those are police gyros." + +"Then we'll fight," Yma declared and rushed inside, with Florin and +Erol following her. + +"This place is not much for defense," Florin said while they rummaged +for rifles, for nothing more deadly was allowed outside the hands of +the Galactic Patrol. "I suggest we make it seem peaceful and surprise +them." + +"Good idea, boy," Erol said. "If you want, I'll sit outside as a decoy." + +"That's great!" Florin said quickly, ignoring Yma's protest. "If they +see you, they will probably land and talk; but if nobody's in sight, +they might bomb us." + +The three worked well together, swiftly and efficiently. Erol sat on +the veranda, in the open, with a pistol under a lap robe, while Yma and +Florin stationed themselves inside. + +The three gyros approached cautiously. They were the large black type +used by the planetary police, but from the inexpert way they were +handled all three at the lodge knew they were not bearing police. +They carried bombs, the one weapon allowable to planetary police by +the Galactic Patrol, but the men in them would have nothing more than +firearms. Therefore it was imperative to get them on the ground. + +They circled over the lodge, with two finally landing and one remaining +aloft. Florin padded over to Yma, and whispered for her to station +herself in some bushes by the lodge. He told her to try to shoot down +the gyro above when firing began. + +Men piled out of the ships which had landed, and approached the lodge. +They spread out and swiftly encircled the building. They all carried +rifles. Florin estimated that there were about twenty of them. Three of +them approached Erol. + +"Are you Erol Garbin?" + +"Yes. What can I do for you?" + +"We are arresting you." + +"What for?" + +"For betraying the confidence of the people." + +"May I see your warrant?" + +"We don't need a warrant. We are a people's committee, come to take you +to a people's court, where you will undoubtedly be found guilty and +executed." + +"And what if I refuse to recognize your authority?" + +"We will have to kill you. Resisting arrest--" + +What happened next surprised Florin with its swiftness. Erol flipped +the gun from under the robe and with three snap shots dropped all three +men. + +Florin did not let surprise hamper him, for Erol's shots were echoed by +his own rifle, which caught two men who were further away. + +As the rest of the attackers dove for cover, Florin was pleased to hear +the blast of a rifle from the side of the lodge, and the whine of a +shattered blade as the gyro plummeted to the ground. + +Yma had done well, hitting where he told her, at the base of the props. +The moment of victory was rudely shattered by a volley of fire from the +men around the lodge. + +As Erol sprang from his chair and dove towards the door, he was hit and +fell outside. Ignoring his wound he kicked over a table and used it +as a shield, returning fire. Florin's thought of rescuing him was cut +short by Erol's yell, "Get to the back of the lodge. They may rush it." + +Florin made a dash for it, finding Erol's words true. The attackers +were moving in. He still heard firing from the front and side, so he +felt reassured. + +He was lost in the blind ritual of firing at moving objects. His whole +mind was devoted to the problems of loading clips, changing windows +to keep everything covered, and trying to stay out of the path of the +viciously whining bullets. + +This was adventure and excitement. There was the crash of the rifles, +the nasty whistle of ricochets, the moving bodies, sometimes jerking +ludicrously when hit. Yet, to Florin, it was just a job, as it always +is in the face of danger with every man. Just a specialized job with a +very high incentive. + +Staying alive. + +Florin was surprised when he realized that he had disposed of all the +attackers on his side. Despite their numbers, they were no match for +the trio in the lodge. Florin was an expert marksman, and Erol and Yma +had done enough hunting to be quite proficient. On the other side of +the ledger, the people's committee were completely new to the business, +some of them never having held a gun, and certainly not used to combat +in woods. + +When he went up front, he found that Erol had done a magnificent +job despite his wound, beating back several attacks, and killing or +wounding all his men. But he had received two more wounds and he was +lying on the flagstone terrace in a litter of blood and cartridge +cases. + +The firing from the bushes at the side had stopped too, and Yma came +rushing up, to kneel beside her father. She screamed at Florin to get +bandages, but it was too late. + +In the pastoral woods, men had fought and died, and now they felt +tragedy. But the sky was still blue, and in a nearby dale, a bird +warbled freely. + + * * * * * + +Late that night, Florin and Yma stopped at a small cabin in the +mountains, finding it deserted. They had been travelling on foot since +the fight, leaving the gyros as too obvious a method of travel. + +Yma was still upset over her father's death, and Florin had remained +quiet in consideration. The mountain paths were rocky and steep, and +they were both exhausted. After a cold meal, they sat in the gathering +darkness in the cabin and talked. + +"I know it's inconsiderate of me to talk of it," Florin said, "but +don't you feel resentment against the men who killed your father?" + +She shook her head and said, "I can't feel resentment, I know that it +was just circumstances. Those men felt justified in what they did--and +maybe they were." + +"How can you be so cold-blooded?" he said half-angrily. "Killing is +never justified, and ignorance and violence against intelligent and +kindly men are the supreme injustice." + +"Why bother discussing the right and wrong of it," she said wearily. +"It is all over with, all so meaningless--and easily forgotten." + +"That's just it," Florin said earnestly. "You've got to think about it, +decide who was right and who was wrong. You've got to decide so that +you can base your future actions and attitudes on that. You can't just +mark it off the books, for it will still be in your head, all jumbled +emotion and no sense." + +He was trying desperately to bring her out of apathy. He knew that +the incident and all of its contributing factors must be clinically +analyzed, for both their sakes. + +Again she shook her head. "No, they were right, they were betrayed. +Some of those people had their life's saving of luxury pay invested in +the corporation-men, and when those men failed them, they lost their +savings and their futures. Poverty is a treacherous catalyst, it makes +men do weird and horrible things. Common tricks of psychology added +to that, make the whole mess into a primitive society of revenge and +hatred." + +Florin saw he had her on the right track, but ran his hand through his +hair in bewilderment as he asked, "But why? We can see the result, but +nobody is willing to tell the cause. I've got to know." + +She looked at him, barely discernable in the dark cabin, then said, +"Why are you so interested? Why did you help us?" + +"I told you. I was a student of Tomlin, and a believer in the +principles of this planet. I saw it produce a society where +intelligence and virtue were manifest--whether for mercenary or other +reasons is inconsequential. It worked, and it made a wonderful world. I +wanted to do my part in that world--my world. + +"Now I want to know _why_ my world has crumbled into a screaming +madhouse of violence." + +"Yes, I can understand all too well how you feel. It's really horrible +when you have grown up in a society, learned about its every intricacy, +its principles, and come to have faith in it--then see it suddenly +disintegrate. + +"You come to think of your society as the universe, nothing else is as +permanent as your world, your people. You make plans and move through +that society, believing in it with a faith stronger than any religious +faith--for you can see and understand it constantly. + +"Then something like this happens. The familiar still exists, but +palled with suffering and horror. People you have known suddenly become +beasts. Your world has collapsed. And even if you know the reason, it +doesn't seem possible, the reason is out of a textbook and unreal, but +the disillusionment and despair are all too real. + +"And from such a disintegration, you learn one important thing--how +abysmally ignorant you are of the society that you've lived in, and of +people in general." + +There was a long silence. + +Finally she said, "I believe in you, and I believe you should know the +reason." + +It was a strange scene as the two people, dirty and tired, sat in the +crude cabin by the moonlight and discussed the fate of a world. + +"When this planet was colonized," Yma began, "everyone laughed at +us, and said that our radical socio-economic system couldn't work. +All types of people started here. Some were merely looking for a +final refuge, some were criminals and confidence men out to 'take' +this 'starry-eyed flock of crackpots'. Most of them, though, were +solid citizens, who believed that this system of paying a man for his +intelligence and virtue on a carefully regulated basis was the proper +compromise between reality and altruism to achieve a Utopia. + +"As you know, it did produce a peaceful, cultural world that has few +if any equals in the galaxy. There was one dangerous element in the +plan though. Men were paid for their ability and it was money that was +used; and wherever there is money there is dishonesty and greed. We had +security and precautions against such things disrupting us internally, +but we never counted on outside interference. + +"We joined that galactic company known as Universal Relief. Our +government maintained that it performs the highest type of good +deeds, they do it for profit, nevertheless it was still a beneficial +organization. Its motive of meritorious work for profit was quite +similar to our own economic structure, so we invested heavily in the +company, both on an individual and a governmental level. We also gave +them a large premium, because of our--well, our eccentricity. We were +considered unstable, and I guess the company knew what it was talking +about." The last comment was with a wry bitterness that stung Florin. + +"Anyway, in the last few years a rival company has sprung up. This +company, Galactic Aid, has made great strides and is a serious +competitor to Universal Relief. + +"--The managers of Galactic Aid thought that if they could take our +account and investment from Universal, Galactic Aid would have a +distinct advantage and eventually break their competitor. They tried +salesmanship first, but we were loyal to the original company. + +"Then they tried other means." + +Until then her story had been told in the dispassionate voice of a +mechanical reader, but when she continued, there was vehemence. + +"In a galactic company there is inconceivable power, and inconceivable +greed. They are willing, and able, to go to any lengths to gain an +economic advantage over a rival. The fate of one planet, more or less, +is irrelevant. + +"Galactic Aid's method of destroying us for that advantage was very +crude and very simple; but effective because of its simplicity. + +"As you know, the ratio of corporation-men to citizens here is +very disproportionate, and the economy of the planet is vested in +comparatively few individuals. These few people were the ones Galactic +Aid attacked. + +"They sent their agents to the corporation-men, my father included, +and told them to stop research, writing, art, or whatever they were +doing to earn their luxury pay. They promised protection if they were +threatened by the people, and also promised full re-instatement after +normalcy had returned, plus a sizeable bonus for co-operating. The ones +who refused this offer, were threatened, each one personally and their +families. It was mass terrorization, and they actually killed a few to +prove their seriousness. + +"Because of our social structure, this plan could, and did work. There +are only 224 corporation-men with over a hundred stockholders. These +people are, of course, quite clannish and have little actual contact +with the masses. Therefore, this mass threat was heightened by the +unity of the small group that it affected. + +"You know the rest. Under this pressure the incorporated men stopped +producing, the economy crumbled, and the riots began. + +"We have developed a peaceful, cultural society, but no matter how +civilized and stabilized a society is, once you knock out the financial +props, the populace is going to go mad. + +"The corporation-men didn't receive the promised protection. They soon +realized that they had been tricked, but it was too late. Galactic Aid +wanted them destroyed by the mob; they wanted murder and riots; and +they wanted a Class AA emergency which would drain Universal Relief's +resources. + +"They wanted an economic debacle on Lyrane, thus cutting off a large +source of Universal's income. + +"When the corporation-men tried to tell the people the truth, the mobs +called them liars and killed them." + +Yma appeared to be more relaxed after she had relieved her burdened +mind. Florin, however, was stunned. + +"I know it's terrible," she said, "but what can we do? What can anyone +do? Their plan has succeeded, and the planet is too far into chaos to +patch up things. + +"There is nothing that can be done, so we have only individual +survival to consider." + +Florin said, "I don't know what your personal plans are, but I've got +to go back to the cities. I've got work to do." She didn't question him. + +The next morning, after a solid night's sleep, they separated. Yma +headed through the mountains to some relatives, while Florin struck out +for the capital. + + * * * * * + +The office of the new, self-appointed Planetary Governor of Lyrane was +quite busy. It was the disorganization of a new office, set up during +an emergency. And yet, it was an office, a recognizable political +mechanism. + +Considering the murderous imbroglio that this planet had been facing, +such an office, even in disorganized form, was quite surprising. + +Due to the confusion and a knack for bluffing, Florin Brite was able +to gain admittance to the Secretary-Governor's office. This official, +a former municipal police chief, was obviously impressed with his new +position. He was quite brusque to Florin. + +"What is it man? I hope that it's important--don't want my time wasted. +We're frightfully busy." + +"I can see that, sir. I merely wished to establish my classification in +the new administration." + +"Good grief man!" the Secretary-Governor exploded. "We've published +classification lists. Do I have to tell every man, woman and child +their classification? Are you blind--or just too lazy to read?" + +"My classification isn't listed," Florin said mildly. + +"Isn't listed? What classification is that?" + +"A scientist--and a former corporation-man." + +Years of police work and interrogation had steeled the official. There +was no surprise shown. "We handle those cases directly, Mr. ah--ah--" + +"Florin Brite." + +"Mr. Brite, there is a feeling of--uh--well, touchiness about such +individuals so we handle their cases in confidence. I'm glad you came +here--" + +"Yes, you're quite delighted," Florin was no longer mild. "You're also +quite amazed--for you had no idea that there were any corporation-men +left after the 'purge', a very thorough purge, I might add." + +"Now, see what I mean about touchiness? We were not responsible, not +even involved in that mess. This new government is composed of citizens +who merely wish stability and sanity. Co-operation is our keynote--" + +"Cut it. I don't need the party platform, I've read your handbills. I +just want to know, what about me?" + +"Well, you will undoubtedly have to be put under some sort of +protective custody. There is still strong feeling--" + +Their tete a tete was interrupted by a rushing clerk shouting wildly. + +"They did it! Universal Relief finally declared it a Class AA!" + +The clerk was brandishing a sheet of paper, which he proffered to the +Secretary, who took it with an expression of pleasure. His reading was +interrupted by Florin's voice. + +"It seems highly unnecessary that we be declared Class AA now. You +people have done such a marvelous job of organizing an emergency +government that everything seems to be well under control." + +"Nonsense man," the Secretary declared. "There is still isolated +fighting and rioting, even murder is not unusual." + +"I merely wished to congratulate you on your speedy action. It was +almost as if this government was waiting to spring into existence." The +irony was very thinly veiled. + +The Planetary Governor himself had entered the office while Florin was +speaking. + +There was ice in his voice as he said, "What do you mean by that, sir?" + +Florin turned and bowed to him. When he spoke again, the veil was torn +off and the irony was as flagrant as a dead rat--and as fragrant. + +"Good day sir. I'm delighted to meet you. I was merely commenting to +your Secretary on your efficiency and speed which has so helped this +planet in its hour of need." + +The Governor's eyes ossified. "Just words. What do you want?" + +The irony disappeared, and Florin's voice transmuted to a tone of +accustomed authority. "I want to find out just how you were able to +organize and take over so quickly in this emergency. With this planet's +economy completely shot after the corporation-men quit producing and +with stocks down to nothing, I am fascinated by the problem of how you +got financial backing." + +"That is none of your business." + +"On the contrary, it is very much my business. You left your offices in +rather a turmoil in your rush to take control. Since you haven't had +the time to security screen your governmental employees, the files were +as open as if they'd been set on the sidewalks. + +"From those files, my agents have procured some interesting items, +such as--" and he paused to pull out a sheaf of papers--"cancelled +checks made out to officials of your new government from Titanic Food +Distributors, a subsidiary of Galactic Aid. + +"Also a detailed plan of organization for this government, outlining +each step for acquisition of power during the emergency. This plan is +dated two years ago and is initialed 'CRS', which, I believe, are the +initials of the president of Galactic Aid Incorporated. Hand-writing +analysts will sew that one up. + +"The plan is quite fascinating. It gives the procedure for your present +establishment: the vigilantes gradually converted to city councils, +local governments, consisting of confused and unprepared citizens +gullible to the suggestions of agent provocateurs, regional then +international conventions to formulate the new government. And at every +turn, every election, guided by citizen-agents who would never have +seen political power under the old status quo. + +"The future of this plan is even more fascinating--putting Lyrane on an +industrialized economy, when Lyrane has never had industrial potential, +gumming up the works with embargoes and tariffs; and a bureaucratic, +leech-like government that will sop up everything in taxes. + +"It's a masterpiece of planning--of planning the permanent financial +and moral destruction of a planet." + +The planetary officials had suddenly been confronted by a master +duelist, this stranger was a swords-man with complete command of +riposte, parry and thrust. All they could do was try a few clumsy +lunges. + +"Just who the hell are you to take charge this way and say these +preposterous things?" the Governor asked. + +Florin replied. "You, I know, are a minor executive of one of Galactic +Aid's subsidiaries. I happen to be Roald Gibbons, head of Universal +Relief. + +"And since you want the cards on the table--here they are. + +"We have this evidence that I have mentioned, and much more, all +under lock and key now. We will use that evidence to prove that this +planetary government was and is sponsored by Galactic Aid for the +purpose of exploiting this planet in a negative sense and thereby +removing it from the accounts of Universal Relief. + +"We also have a solid case to prove that you, or some of your cohorts, +incited the original treason and violence that caused this whole +mess. My special investigators have unearthed the cobra nest of your +government, while I personally had the satisfaction of gathering proof +of your hand in the corporation-men purge." + +From a casual administrative difficulty, Florin had turned the +conversation, since he entered, into a venomous attack. Florin had +remained standing, but the two officials had retired to chairs. As +opposition, they were discouragingly silent, but Florin had more than +enough to carry the conversation alone. + +The two governors were just listening, appalled, but as all men do +when they watch their world crumbling, figuring angles, escapes, +explanations. But Florin, or rather Roald, was smashing angles faster +than they could think of them. + +"Furthermore," he continued to the silent men, "if you will read that +bulletin declaring this planet under Class AA emergency, you will find +some interesting facts. As you may or may not know, when a planet is +declared Class AA by a relief company, that company is empowered by +galactic law to have several controls. + +"Those controls consist of complete administration of the planet until +status quo is resumed, establishment of martial law with the right to +arrest and confiscate any persons or things that may have caused the +emergency, confiscation of all planetary currency to be retained and +re-issued at face value when normalcy returns and, of course, the right +to bring charges in Galactic Court against individuals or organizations +that have caused the emergency. + +"On that last point, we, Universal Relief that is, have many charges +to bring against Galactic Aid and its agents on this planet. First +there is the charge of coercion, readily proved by the testimony of +the corporation-men ... yes, there are some left. _We_ protected them. +Other charges will include inciting planetary revolution, establishing +a false government through outside sources, and--oh, just lots of +others. + +"Since you are an executive in Galactic Aid's organization, I will +speak for your benefit now." Roald moved over and faced the Governor. + +"You were pulled in from some desk job to handle this fledgling +government. You had your orders, and for you it was mostly a paper +operation. You understand what I have just been talking about, because +you know galactic law. + +"But now, let's talk about something you aren't familiar with. Let's +talk about violence, death, and a sick planet--the things that your +company planned and executed. + +"For that your company will stand trial and be found guilty. It will +probably be outlawed, and certainly bankrupt once fines and reparations +are paid. Meanwhile, this planet, under the guidance of Universal +Relief, will be helped to recuperate and the people will be informed of +the gross injustice they have suffered. I am sure they will then desire +to return to their previous system. + +"But so much for the future. What about the past? Do you fully realize +the enormity of the crime that your company has committed? + +"Of course you don't. You weren't with me when I saw a nice old +gentleman, one of the most brilliant minds of the age, blasted down +with primitive rifles and even more primitive rage. You haven't heard +the screams at night, have you? You weren't around, and neither was I, +thank God, when Gerta Robin, that beautiful woman physicist was caught +by the mob. + +"Friend against friend, and the old hunting guns polished up for more +deadly and constant shooting--is that a story that belongs in galactic +history? Is it for this that great galactic corporations work--to turn +peaceable planets into charnel houses for a stinking profit? + +"That's the charge that you, and the rest of your workers, will have to +answer to--not in courts, but to the people of the Galaxy. + +"And, most important--to yourselves!" + +With that, he strode out. + + * * * * * + +Kim Rogers was again in the presence of Roald Gibbons, and he was angry +again. + +"And don't look so smug. I know what you did. I worked with your father +long enough to know about his special agents--but don't think the +operation was all your doing. + +"What do you think happened here when you sent that spacegram tipping +us off that it was Galactic Aid behind the mess, and that we were to +declare it a Class AA. It was a madhouse! + +"It accomplished the desired result," Roald said. "When the Governor +and the Secretary read that Class AA bulletin--and it took careful +planning and timing to get into their office just when it was +delivered--with me there to pound it home, they sort of faded about the +gills. + +"They came running to me in a few minutes. Now they are Honor Witnesses +at Galactic Court, with more than enough testimony to sew up Galactic +Aid." + +Roald had a hard time keeping his mind on the present conversation. He +was due to blast to Lyrane in a few hours. His company was proceeding +with rehabilitation ahead of schedule, with the natural zealousness of +the Lyranians for their old system helping them along. + +Roald had not forgotten the piquant beauty of Erol Garbin's daughter. +He had a hard time keeping his mind on the conversation. + +"If anyone else had read that Class AA bulletin," Kim said, "we would +have been sewed up. You know perfectly well we don't have the powers +you had us state in that bulletin. It was a galactic offense to even +print such a thing. What if the Governor had known that?" + +"I counted on him not knowing it. Even though he was an executive of +Galactic Aid, Class AA emergencies are so rare that very few people are +familiar with their actual provisions. + +"Certainly, it was a risky bluff. But when you're dealing with that +sort of power, you have to bluff fast and hard. We didn't have enough +evidence to actually stop Galactic. We needed inside testimony. When +you rescinded the Class AA order, two hours later, the confession was +already signed." + +Exasperation was now Kim's mood. "One of these times your bluff won't +work, and all your secret agents won't do you a bit of good. Empire law +is nothing to tamper with." + +Roald smiled. "I think that Galactic Aid found that out." + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Money is the Root of All Good, by Patrick Wilkins + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 58744 *** |