Beth seemed ready to go into spontaneous combustion.
“Yes,” Martin said quickly, “unless we are able to provide forms of assistance which you cannot.”
When the First spoke it was obvious that he had been testing Martin, trying to see just how far the off-worlder could be pushed, because there was no argument. He said, “We and our organizations are agreed, then. I shall begin by speaking to Group Eleven-twenty-seven,” he went on, “which is progressing like a beheaded cretsil with one leg…”
During the three hours which followed Beth and Martin had nothing to do but watch the sensor data flashing onto the big surveillance screen and listen while the First did all the talking with, occasionally, a little help from the doctor. In the time they saw, with very mixed feelings, an increasing number of the Immediate Attention tights flicker from red to orange, and the orange downgrade to the yellow or green denoting refugee groups which, barring accidents, would make it to their assigned centers in time or had already reached them. A few of the lights persisted in burning red, but the Keidi leader was working hard on those groups, in turn bullying, threatening, encouraging, and, wherever possible, sending Estate vehicles and draught animals to speed them along. Much as Martin hated to admit it, the First was doing a fine job.
Beth’s angry voice made him realize that he had been thinking aloud again.
“I can admire the job he’s doing,” she said, “but I most definitely do not admire him! He deserves to be lynched for what he did, and instead he’s going to end up as the apparent savior of all Keida. You’ve handed him exactly what he’s always wanted, the whole damned planet, and without even trying to reduce his demands.”
Martin looked from her to the main screen and said quietly, “Bargaining might have satisfied my pride, wasted time, and lost a lot of Keidi lives which the First is busy saving. In the circumstances I couldn’t afford to be proud.
“Pride, independence, self-reliance,” he went on, “are considered more important among the Keidi than I had realized, even though there were clear indications of how they felt during that Keidi-Surreshon contact in the World. They’ll need Federation help, food, fuel, insulated housing and so on, to resettle, but they don’t want too much outside help. The First is saving their pride as well as their lives, and, even though the motive is self-aggrandizement, I think he also has the ultimate good of the Keidi at heart.”
“If he has one,” Beth said. “But what bothers me is that there is nothing we can do to save people like the doctor, potential Federation Citizens, from people like the First. I can’t see him allowing anyone to try for citizenship under the new set up…Oh, no, this is all we need!”
“What is it?” Martin asked.
“Seismic activity along a fault line which runs thirty miles south of the missile arsenal,” she said. “A delayed reaction to that subsurface detonation in the crater, 1 should think. The shockwaves are moving in both directions along the line, which diagonally bisects the continent. Our sound sensors are beginning to pick it up and within a few minutes the nearest refugee groups will feel as well as hear it. I’m flagging the areas at immediate risk on the screen. We’d better tell the First what’s happening…”
The Keidi leader reacted quickly, rerouting his groups where necessary to avoid them having to travel through forested areas where the severe shocks would be certain to bring down trees with consequent death, injury, and reduced mobility. Martin was still talking to the First when Beth interrupted him.
“More bad news,” she said quickly. “This isn’t a simple plate movement along a fault line. The sensors in the crater have been reporting the levels of radioactive dust expected after a large, subsurface detonation. But now they are showing increasing amounts of steam, hydrogen sulphide, and other sulphur combinations indicative of an active volcano. The deep probes show a massive pressure buildup centered under the arsenal site where the old lava plug sealing the conduit which opens the crater to the underlying magma has been fractured and severely weakened by the detonation. We can expect a major eruption as well as earthquakes which are, in fact, the advance warning of the volcanic activity to come. The computer is predicting severe and continuing shocks all along the fault line, and it keeps reminding me that the induction centers are not proof against major earthquakes and that their matter transmission equipment is delicately tuned, sensitive, and susceptible to vibration damage.
“The good news,” she added dryly, “is that the matter transmitters should remain operative for at least two hours after the last few groups are due to reach shelter, but it would be safer to transport all refugees to centers on the north and south continents as soon as they come in.”
While she was speaking Martin had kept his eyes on the Keidi leader. He said, “Did you hear that?”
“I heard, off-worlder,” said the First. “The Keidi are a stubborn race. The more obstacles are placed in our path, the harder we try to surmount them. They will reach your centers in time. My obligation will be discharged. I remind you of yours.”
“I have not forgotten,” Martin said angrily. “But surely you are being overconfident? We still have red lights on groups Seven-eighteen and Twelve-twenty-one, Both are large, widely scattered groups. What are you doing for them?”
“Seven-eighteen will go orange very soon and will reach shelter in time,” the First replied. “The other group is encamped in thickly forested mountains on my western border and would have been difficult to move even without this latest complication. I am particularly sorry about them, but in an operation of this magnitude and complexity a certain level of casualties must be accepted.”
“There is no acceptable level of casualties,” Martin said firmly. “If you can’t help them, maybe I can.”
Not for the first time Martin wished that he was able to read those alien features as the First said, “It is a large training establishment, staffed by aged Keidi who make their experience available to very young trainees. The isolation and hostile environment aids the development of strong character. The camp instructors know of you and will not listen to or accept help from a Galactic, and the trainees will follow without question the orders of their superiors, whose minds lack the flexibility to adapt to the present situation.
“The loss of this group saddens me, off-worlder,” the Keidi ended, “but this part of my obligation, you must agree, is impossible for me to discharge.”
“If they won’t accept help from an off-worlder,” Martin persisted, “they might listen to you or the doctor. Can you spare him if he will come with me?”
“I will come,” the doctor said. The First remained silent.
“Don’t worry,” Martin said impatiently, “we won’t criticize you in any way. I won’t even mention your name.”
“In that camp,” said the First, “your words of criticism would not be believed. You may have the doctor, off-worlder, and I wish you success.”
Chapter 29
THE two newly fabricated transports, which had the capacity to evacuate all of the training camp personnel in a single trip, were ready to leave within the hour. The delay had been due to the special equipment which had to be taken along: remote-controlled vehicles, life sensors, restraints and handling devices for injured, unconscious, or actively uncooperative refugees, as well as the external PA and translation systems. Ever since the original detonations, Beth had foreseen a probable need for a wide range of disaster medication tailored/ to die Keidi life form, and this had been synthesized in quantity-including, in case of dire need, enough anesthetic gas to stop a small war.