Finlayson reflected on his,next words. "It's hard not to feel a bit sorry for Alyeska. They were pretty cruelly pilloried. Sure, they bore the responsibility for a remarkable amount of waste, and incurred vast cost overruns, but they did complete an impossible job in impossible conditions and, what's more, brought it in on schedule. Best construction company in North America at the time. Brilliant engineering and brilliant engineers ― but the brilliance stopped short of their PR people, who might as well have been operating in downtown Manhattan for all they knew about Alaskans. Their job should have been to sell the pipeline to the people. All they succeeded in doing was in turning a large section of the population solidly against the line and the construction company."
He shook his head. "You had to be truly gifted to get it as wrong as they did. They sought to protect the good name of Alyeska, but all they did, by blatant cover-ups ― it was alleged ― and by deliberate lying, was to bring whatever good name there was into total disrepute."
Finlayson reached into a drawer, took out two sheets of paper and gave them to Dermott and Mackenzie. "Photostats of a classic example of the way they handled those under contract to them. One would assume they learned their trade in one of the more repressive police states. Read it. You'll find it instructive. You'll also understand how by simple thought transference we're not in line for much public sympathy."
The two men read the photostats.
Alyeska Pipeline Supplement No. 20
Service Company Revision No. 1
Pipeline and Roads April 1, 1974
Job Specification Page 2004
C. IN NO EVENT SHALL CONTRACTOR OR ITS PERSONNEL REPORT A LEAK OR AN OIL SPILL TO ANY GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY. Such reporting shall be the sole responsibility of ALYESKA. CONTRACTOR shall emphasize this to all its supervisory personnel and employees.
D. Further, IN NO EVENT SHALL CONTRACTOR OR ITS PERSONNEL DISCUSS, REPORT, OR COMMUNICATE IN ANY WAY WITH NEWS MEDIA whether the news media be radio, television, newspapers or periodicals. Any such communication by CONTRACTOR shall be deemed to be a material breach of CONTRACT by CONTRACTOR. All contracts with news media — regarding leaks or oil spills shall be made by ALYESKA. If news media people contact CONTRACTOR or CONTRACTOR'S personnel, they shall refer news media to ALYESKA without further discussing, reporting or communicating. CONTRACTOR shall emphasize the aforementioned ALYESKA news media requirements to all its supervisory personnel and employees.
Dermott rested the photostat on his knee. "An American wrote this?"
"An American of foreign extraction," Mackenzie said, "who obviously trained under Goebbels."
"A charming directive," Dermott said. "Hush-up, cover-up or lose your contract. Toe the line or you're fired. A shining example of American democracy at its finest. Well, well." He glanced briefly at the paper, then at Finlayson. "How did you get hold of this? Classified information, surely?"
"Oddly enough, no. What you would call the public domain. Editorial page, All-Alaska Weekly, July 22, 1977. 1 don't question it was classified. How the paper got hold of it, I don't know."
"Nice to see a little paper going against the might of a giant company and getting away with it. Restores one's faith in something or other."
Finlayson picked up another photostat. "The same editorial also made a despairing reference to the 'horrendous negative impact of the pipeline on us.' That's as true now as it was then. We've inherited this horrendous negative impact, and we're still suffering from it. So there it is. I'm not saying we're entirely friendless, or that the authorities wouldn't move in quickly if there were any overt violations of the law, but, because votes are important, those in charge of our destinies rule from behind. They sense the wind of public opinion, then enact acceptable legislation and adopt correspondingly safe attitudes. Whatever happens, they're not going to antagonize those who keep them in power. They are not, with the public's eye on both them and us, going to come and hold our hands because of any anonymous threat by some anonymous crackpot."
Mackenzie said, "So it amounts to this. until actual sabotage occurs, you can expect no outside help. So far as preventive measures are concerned, you're dependent solely upon Bronowski and his security teams. In effect, you're on your own."
"It's an unhappy thought, but there it is."
Dermott stood up and walked back and forth. "Accepting this threat as real, who's behind it and what does he want? Not a crackpot, that's sure. If it were, say, some environmentalist running amok, he'd go ahead and do his damnedest without any prior warning. No, could be with a view to extortion or blackmail, which do not have to be the same thing. Extortion would be for money; blackmail could have many different purposes in mind. Stopping the flow of oil is unlikely to be that primary purpose. More likely, it'll be a stoppage for another and more important purpose. Money, politics ― local or international ― power, misguided idealism, genuine idealism or just crackpot irresponsibility. Well, I'm afraid speculation will have to wait on developments. Meantime, Mr. Finlayson, I'd like to see Bronowski as soon as possible."
"I told you, he has business to finish. He'll be flying up in a few hours."
"Ask him to fly up now, please."
"Sorry. Bronowski's his own man. Overall, he's answerable to me, but not in field operations. He'd walk out if I tried to usurp his authority. Unless he had the power to act independently, he'd be effectively hamstrung. You don't hire a dog and bark yourself."
"I don't think you quite understand. Mr. Mackenzie and I have not only been promised total co-operation, we've been empowered to direct security measures if, in our judgement, such extreme measures are dictated by circumstances."
Finlayson's Yukon beard still masked his expression, but there was no mistaking the disbelief in his voice. "You mean, take over from Bronowski?"
"If, again in our judgement, he's good enough, we just sit by the sidelines and advise. If not, we will exercise the authority invested in us."
"Invested by whom? This is preposterous. I will not, I cannot permit it. You walk in here and imagine ― no, no way. I have received no such directive."
"Then I suggest you seek such a directive, or confirmation of it, immediately."
"From whom?"
"The grand panjandrums, as you call them."
"London?" Dermott said nothing. "That's for Mr. Black."
Dermott remained silent.
"General manager, Alaska."
Dermott nodded at the three telephones on Finlayson's desk. "He's as far away as one of those."
"He's out of state. He's visiting our offices in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. At what times and in what order I don't know. I do know he'll be back in Anchorage at noon tomorrow."
"Are you telling me that is the soonest you can ― or will ― contact him?"
"Yes."
"You could phone those offices."
"I've told you, I don't know where he'd be. Ht could be at some other place altogether. Like as not, he's in the air."
"You could try, couldn't you?" Finlayson remained silent and Dermott spoke again. "You could call London direct."
"You don't know much about the hierarchy in oil companies, do you?"
"No. But I know this." Now Dermott's customary geniality was gone. "You're a considerable disappointment, Finlayson. You are, or very well may be, in serious trouble. In the circumstances, one does not expect an executive in top management to resort to stiff outrage and wounded pride. You've got your priorities wrong, my friend ― the good of the company comes first, not your feelings or protecting your ass."