“By the time the real intention of Wembling and Company becomes apparent, it’ll be too late for legal action.”
“We must test the situation on the basis of the known facts, Submaster Jarnes. Wembling and Company’s project is a vacation resort. I suppose it is perfectly in order for people on vacation to play golf, and Higher Court has affirmed that the charter provision allowing Wembling and Company to develop the world’s natural resources can legally cover the construction and operation of a resort. Precisely what new question are you raising, if any?”
“Two questions, Your Eminence. First, whether the charter permits golf courses; and second, if it does, whether it permits golf courses in this irrational number and on this unreasonable scale. The golf courses require the clearing of vast stretches of forest, Your Eminence. In other words, these golf courses, which Wembling and Company presumes to build under a charter permitting the development of natural resources, are resulting in the irrational destruction of natural resources.”
“Have you searched it?”
“Yes, Your Eminence. I find no ruling that would apply.”
“Then I would have to view the golf courses as adjunct to the vacation resort and thus properly covered by the charter. Believe me, my sympathy is with the natives, but I cannot make law to succor them. You’d have to apply directly to Higher Court for your injunction, and I doubt that it would hear you.”
“Yes, Your Eminence. I will weigh that. Would you then consider enjoining Wembling and Company from further disruption of the ecology of the world of Langri?”
The justice stared for a moment. Then he smiled. “Very ingenious, Submaster Jarnes. Tell me frankly. At this stage is there any aspect of Wembling and Company’s activities that could be continued without further disruption of the ecology of the world of Langri?”
“We would request the injunction only as concerns new activities, Your Eminence.”
“Such as golf courses?”
Jarnes said feebly, “Well—”
“Ecology is such a large word, Submaster Jarnes. It covers so many things—among them things already granted to Wembling and Company by Higher Court. Should I enjoin Wembling and Company from further disruption of the world’s ecology, would I not be infringing upon rights already granted? If a tourist takes a deep breath, doesn’t that alter the ecology? The breathed portion of the atmosphere has been converted from oxygen prime to carbon dioxide prime. No, Submaster Jarnes. Higher Court has affirmed the right of Wembling and Company to build and use resorts on the world of Langri, and that right is now beyond my power of enjoinment. Those poor natives—but of course I must observe the law and the decisions of Higher Court. Are there any promising possibilities on the political front?”
“It is very uncertain, Your Eminence. Too many politicians are interested in injustice only when they can make political capital of it.”
“To be sure,” the justice said sympathetically. “There’s one comforting thing about the law. When asked it will answer. It may say it doesn’t know, but at least it speaks.”
“Nevertheless, the law permits the destruction of an entire world population so that Wembling and Company can have a prosperous resort.”
The justice frowned and then regarded him perplexedly. “Mmm—a charter to develop natural resources should not permit the extermination of human life. If you can put that in the form of a legal petition I will grant you relief immediately.”
“I’ve been trying for months, Your Eminence. It can’t be done.”
“And unfortunately, there’s no way I or any other justice can rule on a petition you cannot present. Most unfortunate, but true. Those poor natives—”
19
Admiral Ernst Dallman stood at the window, as he had so often since Wembling gave him office space in this completed wing of the resort, and stared at the specks of color on the horizon. They were native hunting boats, and he kept a pair of binoculars at hand to use when he wanted to study them.
His intercom rasped, “The Spolon has landed, sir. Captain Protz is on his way down.”
Dallman thanked the intercom over his shoulder and reflected again that he would have to fire the young man who served as desk ensign. He had tested well, but with each passing day he sounded more raspy. Such an unpleasant voice, abruptly intruding upon a commanding officer’s most intimate thoughts, could reduce his efficiency by fifty per cent.
He raised his binoculars and watched the hunting boats until he heard voices in the corridor. The desk ensign asked, “Have a nice leave, sir?” Captain Protz responded, “The usual.” Then Protz entered through the open door and dropped it shut behind him. Dallman stepped to meet him; Protz saluted, and then they touched hands.
“What’s ‘the usual’?” Dallman asked.
“The usual? Oh, you mean—yes. The usual leave. Crowded, with dreary treks to visit relatives.”
Dallman seated himself at his desk and indicated a chair for Protz, and the captain dropped into it wearily. “Well, I did it,” he said. “I planted copies of the treaty and of Vorish’s reports and yours with every opposition politician and with all the major news and political commentary services. I’m not hopeful, though. When I talked with the natives’ attorneys, I found they’d already done something like that. Still—if it’s said often enough, someone might start believing it.”
“Our hitting them with it a second time might possibly convince someone,” Dallman agreed. “Unfortunately, when the explosion comes, if it does come, it’ll be much too late. Have the attorneys run out of ideas? Wembling wasn’t hit with an injunction all the time you were away.”
“They didn’t confide in me. Maybe the natives have run out of money. So that’s why Wembling got so much done. That and his flimsy building techniques. I stopped to watch on the way over. They roll the film on, spray it, and suddenly it’s as solid as metal-the foreman claimed. It still looked like film to me. At this rate, Wembling will be open for business in a few weeks. Still, if some politician has the guts—”
Dallman shook his head soberly. “It’s got to happen now, or he’ll be too late. Look here.”
He went to the window, and Protz joined him there. “See those hunting boats off the point?” Dallman asked.
“What about them?”
“They don’t catch anything. I’ve watched them for hours. Every day they’re there, patiently searching back and forth, but they never catch anything. The natives are starving.”
“Can’t we make Wembling feed them?” Protz asked.
“We still haven’t found a food they can or will eat. They’re a proud people, Protz, and they don’t want handouts. Especially they don’t want handouts from Wembling. The perplexing thing is that they’re so cheerful. They’re confident they have a Plan to blast Wembling and his resort right off the planet.”
“Have you found out what it is?”
Dallman shook his head. “I only hope that when it fails, as it must, they don’t lose their heads and attack us. It’ll be a sad day for the navy if we have to slaughter starving natives to protect the corrupt interests of a Wembling.”
The desk ensign’s voice rasped, “Mr. Wembling is on his way up, sir.”
Protz turned away. “Excuse me. I haven’t unpacked yet.”
“Go ahead,” Dallman said. “I wish I could go somewhere and unpack something.”
Protz dropped the door open and went out. Dallman heard Wembling’s voice outside. “Oh, hello, Captain. Have a nice leave?” And Protz’s answer, “Very nice, thank you.”