Oh, it was true enough. I could not erase that exact, particular writing of his. But I - alone among sixteen worlds of people - had it in my power and skill to erase something far greater than that. I could erase the instruments that made such writing. I was a rider and master of the lightning; and with that I could destroy the culture and people of both the Friendly worlds together. Already, I saw glimmerings of the method by which it could be done.
By the time my spaceship reached Earth, the basic outline of my plans was essentially made.
Chapter 17
My immediate goal was a quick return to New Earth, where Eldest Bright, having ransomed free the troops Kensie Graeme's forces had captured, had immediately reinforced them. The reinforced unit had been encamped outside Moreton, the North Partition capital, as an occupation force in demand of interstellar credits due the Friendly Worlds for troops hired by the now defunct rebel government.
But there was a matter to be taken care of before I could go directly to New Earth. First, I needed a sanction and a seal for what I intended to do. For, once you were a full member of the Newsman's Guild there was no higher authority over you - except for the fifteen members that made up the Guild Council to watchdog the Creed of Impartiality under which we operated, and to set Guild policy, to which all members must conform.
I made an appointment to see Piers Leaf, Chairman of that Council. It was a bright morning in April in St. Louis, just across the city from the Final Encyclopedia, that I finally found myself facing him across a wide, neatly bare oak desk in his office on the top floor of the Guild Hall.
"You've come a long way pretty fast for someone so young, Tam," he said, after he had ordered and received coffee for both of us. He was a dry-mannered, small man in his late fifties, who never left the Solar System nowadays and seldom left Earth, because of the public-relations aspect of his Chairmanship. "Don't tell me you still aren't satisfied? What do you want now?"
"I want a seat on the Council," I said.
He was lifting his coffee cup to his lips when I spoke. He went right on lifting without a pause. But the sudden glance he shot me over the rim of his cup was as sharp as a falcon's. But all he said was:
"Do you? Why?"
"I'll tell you," I said. "Maybe you've noticed I seem to have a knack for being where the news-stories are."
He set his cup down precisely in the center of its saucer.
"That, Tam," he said mildly, "is why you're wearing the cape permanently now. We expect certain things from members, you know."
"Yes," I said. "But I think mine may be a little bit out of the ordinary - oh," I said, as his eyebrows rose suddenly, "I'm not claiming some kind of precognition. I just think I happen to have a talent for a little more insight into the possibilities of situations than other members."
His eyebrows came down. He frowned slightly.
"I know," I said, "that sounds like boasting. But, just stop and suppose I have what I claim. Wouldn't a talent like that be highly useful to the Council in its policy decisions for the Guild?"
He looked at me sharply.
"Maybe," he said, "if it was true - and it worked every time - and a number of other things."
"But if I could convince you of all those ifs, you'd sponsor me for the next opening on the Council?''
He laughed.
"I might," he said. "But how are you going to prove it to me?''
"I'll make a prediction," I said. "A prediction calling - if it comes true - for a major policy decision by the Council."
"All right," he said. He was still smiling. "Predict, then."
"The Exotics," I said, "are at work to wipe out the Friendlies."
The smile went away. For a moment he stared at me.
"What do you mean by that?" he demanded. "The Exotics can't be out to wipe out anyone. It's not only against everything they say they believe in, but no one can wipe out two whole worlds of people and a complete way of life. What do you mean by 'wipe out,' anyway?"
"Just about what you'd think," I answered. "Tear down the Friendly culture as a working theocracy, break both worlds financially, and leave only a couple of stony planets filled with starving people who'll either have to change their way of life or emigrate to other worlds."
He stared at me. For a long moment neither of us said anything.
"What," he said, finally, "gave you this fantastic idea?"
"A hunch. My insight," I said. "Plus the fact that it was a Dorsai Field Commander, Kensie Graeme, lent to the Cassidan levies at the last moment, that defeated the Friendly forces there."
"Why," said Piers, "that's the sort of thing that could happen in any war, anywhere, between any two armies."
"Not exactly," I said. "Kensie's decision to sweep around the north end of the Friendly line and take the Friendlies in the rear wouldn't have worked so successfully at all if Eldest Bright hadn't the day before taken command and ordered a Friendly attack on the south end of Kensie's line. There's a double coincidence here. An Exotic Commander appears and does just the right thing at the moment when the Friendly forces take the very action that makes them vulnerable."
Piers turned and reached for the phone on his desk.
"Don't bother checking," I said. "I already have. The decision to borrow Kensie from the Exotics was taken independently on the spur of the moment by the Cassidan Levies Command, and there was no way Kensie's Intelligence Unit could have known in advance about the attack Bright had ordered."
"Then it's coincidence." Piers scowled at me. "Or that Dorsai genius for tactics we all know they have."
"Don't you think Dorsai genius may have been a little overrated? And I don't buy the coincidence. It's too large," I said.
"Then what?" demanded Piers. "How do you explain it?"
"My hunch - my insight - suggests that the Exotics have some way of predicting what the Friendlies will do in advance. You spoke of Dorsai military genius - how about the Exotic psychological genius?"
"Yes, but-" Piers broke off, suddenly thoughtful. "The whole thing's fantastic." He looked once more at me. "What do you suggest we do about it?"
"Let me dig into it," I said. "If I'm right, three years from now will see Exotic troops fighting Friendlies. Not as hirelings in some other - planet war, but in a direct test of Exotic - Friendly strength." I paused. "And if I turn out to be right, you sponsor me to replace the next Council member dying or retiring."
Once more, the dry little man sat staring at me for a long minute.
"Tam," he said finally. "I don't believe a word of it. But look into it as much as you want; I'll answer for Council backing for you on that - if the question comes up. And if it comes off anything like you say, come talk to me again."
"I will," I said, getting up and smiling at him.
He shook his head, remaining in his seat, but said nothing.
"I'll hope to see you again before too long," I said. And I went out.
It was a tiny burr I had stuck onto him, to irritate his mind in the direction I wanted him to speculate. But Piers Leaf had the misfortune of having a highly intelligent and creative mind; otherwise he would not have been Chairman of the Council. It was the kind of mind that refused to let go of a question until it had settled it one way or another. If it could not disprove the question, it was likely to start finding evidence to prove it - even in places where others could not see such proof at all.
And this particular burr would have nearly three years to stick and work itself into the fabric of Leaf's picture of things. I was content to wait for that, while I went ahead with other matters.
I had to spend a couple of weeks on Earth, bringing some order back to my personal business affairs there; but at the end of that time I took ship for New Earth once more.