The Universe — or Nothing by Meyer Moldeven
Chapter FOURTEEN
President Narval invited all INOR ambassadors tomeet with him in his conference suite; the subjectwas not announced in advance. The ambassadorssought guidance from their home governments. Inresponse, they were instructed to attend, make nocommitments, and report back immediately on theproceedings.
As the appointed time neared, the PresidentialSecurity Guard, augmented by a detachment ofheavily armed police, moved into the conferencearea. They took up positions at doors leadingfrom the President's Suite, along the connectingcorridors, and inside the Conference Room. Allrooms, corridors and exterior approaches leading tothe meeting site were physically and electronicallysearched, and the identity disks of all individualspassing through the area scrutinized and verified.
Shortly before the meeting, the President's Councilentered and took seats along the wall, leaving thechairs around the table for the guests. A lackeyscampered about, lifted the lids of beakers, peeredin, made minute changes in the alignment of goblets,and scuttled out.
A view tank rose from a well at the front of theroom, glowed, and cleared to show the SpecialZone. Charon and its background of stars had beendimmed to reduce the clutter. In the foreground,the Slingshot Logistics Depot and its maze of ships,tugs, articulated cranes and flex-conveyers wereportrayed busily engaged in loading and unloadingthe moored vessels, and the new arrivals thatwaited for their turn.
A flurry rippled through the room as a door panelslid back into its slot and the Ambassadors strodein from an anteroom. They were men and womenof varying appearance: tall and short, slenderand rotund, and cadaverous and fleshy. More thanhalf wore the military uniforms and ranks of theirnation, and the rest were in the colorful robes oftheir offices and governments.
Mostly in their middle years, they had the hard,arrogant look of ruthless power, survivors of craftand intrigue. Faces suspicious and wary, they tookplaces around the table. None spoke.
A brusque announcement cut the silence. "ThePresident of Planet Pluto."
President Narval, haughty in appearance and adornedin red-black robes of office, entered to the soundof sliding chairs and rustling garments as allpresent rose to their feet. Narval's massivebody, pear-shaped and tapering into short legs anddiminutive feet, shuffled forward in top-heavy gait.
Drummer entered behind Narval and moved to standsilently beside a lectern adjacent the view tank.
Sunken between ponderous shoulders, Narval'shairless head was small and neckless, his facesmooth-pale with thin-lipped mouth and a stumpynose. Cold, deep-embedded eyes constantly shiftedfocus and direction. His small hands, fingers ladenwith rings, appeared to drip from his sleeves.
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Lumbering to his raised chair at the head ofthe table, Narval laboriously stepped up andsat, lifted his hand to his mouth and nibbled ata fingernail. Finally, satisfied, he held the fingerup, examined it and redirected his attention tohis audience.
President Reen Narval had earned the fear andrespect that he enjoyed. A victor of scoresof battles for control of the planet's criminalsyndicates and political machinery, Narval had lefta trail of blood and broken bones behind him as awarning to challengers. Challengers to his rule didnot survive.
A man of many talents, Narval had migrated toPlanet Pluto from an independent colony orbitingCallisto. He had accepted expulsion from theplace of his birth as the alternative to the court'ssentence of labor in Callisto's encapsulatedsubsurface mines.
Educated and trained to practice law in the OuterRegion's inter-satellite and interplanetary courtshe had, instead, become a serious liability to hisgovernment and to his community.
At his disbarment, the investigating officer ofthe Callisto Ethical Practices Board had presentedirrefutable evidence of Narval's numerous conflictsof interests, extortions, frauds and other crimesin the performance of his responsibilities as anofficer-of-the-court. Removed from the judicialarena, he was proven to have also cheated in theCallisto gambling halls, swindled citizens of soundrepute, and twice convicted of murder.
Callisto and its orbiting colonies were wide open,but Reen Narval was too much for them. He wastold to quickly depart Callisto's jurisdiction ortake the consequences.
He left gracelessly, found a haven on Planet Pluto,and applied his many talents with vigor. OrganizingColdfield's fragmented criminal elements, he ruledwith an iron fist. Solidly entrenched, he imposedtactics of terror on the population and encounteredlittle resistance. He rose to the top, balanced ona mound of cracked skulls and crushed bodies.
Soon after INOR came into being, Narval proclaimedPlanet Pluto's independence, with himself asPresident. Despite the UIPS urgent need for PlanetPluto to support Slingshot, the newly formed,but weakened government of the Inner Regionwas unable to influence a populace under the fistof a ruthless despot.
"I will govern well, and we shall prosper,"President Narval glibly promised the Plutoniancitizenry. "I have studied and practicedinterplanetary law for many years. I shall demandjustice for our planet and for all our people. Wewill not be slaves to the imperialists of the InnerRegion."
The new President organized a brotherhood with likemorals, and bestowed on them ministries of greatpersonal influence and profit. A bureaucracy roseand flourished; the spoils systems and corruptionmatched those of ancient Earth.
Reen Narval, President of Planet Pluto, was caughtin a dilemma.
Slingshot construction was approaching completion.The Terminals and Planet Pluto would come to aparting of the ways before the end of the century.Employment and extortionate profits from Slingshotservices and industries would plummet as PlanetPluto continued outbound along its eccentric orbitinto interstellar space. The economy would wither,and the inhabitants move elsewhere.
Narval had to provide for himself. For the moment,he held a good hand, and the stakes made the gameworthwhile, providing it was himself that shuffledthe deck and dealt the cards.
Leaning back in his chair, Narval scanned the facesat the table.
"I have dispatched a message to the Presidentof the United Inner Planetary System," heannounced solemnly. "It will open a new and betterrelationship between INOR and the UIPS."
The Ambassadors stared at him, aghast. Severalrose partially out of their seats, looked at othersat the table, reconsidered, sat, and glared grimlystraight ahead rather than toward the head of thetable. Narval smirked. A bombshell, indeed.
"Until now we have played children's games with theUIPS," he continued, raising his voice to the leveland tone of a despot's traditional bellow to repelan imagined enemy. "That time is past. We mustmove on to a strategy that is more aggressivethan petty raids on UIPS shipping or to merelydestroy a few of their insignificant patrols.
"The build-up of INOR's military forces hasreached the level at which, together, we have thestrength to influence the final stages of Slingshotconstruction. That includes the launch schedule ofthe Extractor station to Alpha Centauri. We mustuse this new power to benefit all nations in theOuter Region. In short, the warships and weaponsin Planet Pluto's military fleet, along with those ofyour governments, are a force that the UIPS cannot ignore."
Narval motioned to Drummer.
"The Proclamation."
Bringing his hand close, he inspected its palm andfingers.
Selecting a fingernail, he commenced nibbling atit, giving the task his full attention.
Drummer rose to his feet, drew a scrolleddocument from the sleeve of his robe and unrolledit. Holding the scroll low so that his listenerscould see his face, he read from the scroll withouthesitation or inflection.
"The President of Planet Pluto sends greetings tothe President of the United Inner Planetary Systemand to all citizens of the Inner Region.
"I, President Reen Narval, hereby declare andproclaim that Planet Pluto, as an independent andproperly constituted member of the IndependentNations of the Outer Region (INOR), has the legaland inalienable right to use and to defend INORterritory under my jurisdiction consistent withtime-honored custom and interplanetary law.
"The Government of Planet Pluto, now andhenceforth, assumes for itself as lawful alldominant rights of independent nations to possessand control all territory, properties, materials,supplies and all other resources on and beneaththe surface of Planet Pluto. Such rights extendoff-planet to national boundaries established inconformance with treaties in effect for delineatingplanetary and satellite jurisdictions in near andcontiguous space.
"Through this Proclamation, we, the Governmentof Planet Pluto, exercise our rights and imposeour legitimate authority.
"On the other hand, we are realists. It is notpossible for us, at this stage of Plutoniannational and industrial development, to assume theoperation and servicing of vital life and communitysupport systems, nor has the Planet Pluto Governmentthe technical skills and facilities at this time toproduce and deliver infrastructure and commoditiesessential for a self-sustaining economy."
Drummer raised his eyes and quickly scanned theINOR ambassadors seated along each side of theconference table. His voice raised slightly foremphasis.
"We, therefore," he intoned, "conditionally grantto the Government of the United Inner PlanetarySystem license to install, operate, and service alllife and general infrastructure support systemsin Coldfield, and in all posts, camps and stationson the surface of Planet Pluto, its satellite Charonand throughout its contiguous space.
"We are, furthermore, gracious hosts. We herewithgrant conditional permission for all spaceports,landing pads and mooring towers, and theirassociated technical accoutrements and equipment,to remain open to UIPS traffic. This conditionalpermission is granted providing qualified UIPStechnicians and administrators under the oversightof Plutonian citizens staff these facilities. ThePlutonian overseers will be afforded training bythe UIPS to qualify them to assume the primary'soperational and management responsibilities in allfunctions within two Earth years from the date ofthis Proclamation. The Government of Planet Pluto,as sovereign, will provide for station security andwill exercise oversight and offer guidance throughits appointed administrators.
"The Government of Planet Pluto hereby leviesan inventory tax on all materials and productsarriving in Plutonian territories from the UIPS.The tax base includes all raw materials, partialand fully fabricated structures, technicalequipment, and components thereof which are oryet to be committed to Slingshot. The SlingshotLogistics Depot, which occupies space withinPlutonian jurisdiction, and all UIPS cargotransports entering Plutonian space, are subjectto this inventory tax.
"Our inventory tax is merely an extension ofthe passage tax on ships intruding on INOR'sjurisdictions and which is currently beingnegotiated by the UIPS and INOR governments.We anticipate the successful completion tothese negotiations.
"This Decree is in effect. Your cooperation iswelcomed."
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Drummer released the lower end of the scrolland watched it curl up. He finished rolling thedocument, bound it with a ribbon, and tucked itinto his sleeve. He stood silent, eyes on Narval.
Narval rose as he spoke slowly, his tonedisdainful. "I suggest that you communicate withyour Governments concerning my message toPresident Camari. Add my expression of trustthat they appreciate the advantages of presentinga common front."
Waddling toward the door, he beckoned Drummerto follow.