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since the emergence
of Earth as a major power. But they had never expected the Earth delegate to go
charging around investigating such worlds as Skorg.
Well,
they had no choice, Catton thought. They had a-greed to accept a delegate from
Earth, and now they were stuck with him.
"Do
you plan to make the trip alone?" Beryaal asked. "Or will you accept
the use of the Commission staff?"
"I could use a few
assistants," Catton said. "Ill need an
interpreter, for one thing—I'm anything but fluent in the Skorg language. Ill
also need an administrative adjutant, and a personal secretary. Three men; that ought to be sufficient."
"Will
you make the necessary travel arrangements yourself?"
"Ill arrange for the passage, yes, out
of my allotted expense fund," said the Earthman. "My passport isn't
validated for Skorg, merely because I wasn't
originally planning to go there, but I'm certain that my colleague eMerikh
will help me make the necessary visa arrangements, and that there'll be no
difficulties on that score."
Catton glanced inquisitively at the Skorg, who nodded
stiffly. Catton was certain that the tortured Morilaru had let
slip something about their source of supply being on Skorg ,
and that Beryaal and eMerikh had agreed between them-
selves to keep that fact from the records. No wonder they
were annoyed at having Catton pop up with the same in-
formation, and, worse, embedding it inextricably in the Com-
mission minutes. It was too late for Beryaal and eMerikh
to do anything but acquiesce, now. Catton had successfully
boxed them in. v
Catton rose.
"Is there any further business to be
discussed at this meeting?" he asked.
"No," Beryaal said. "I merely
wished to present the results of the interrogation."
"Those
results having duly been presented," Catton said, "I intend to leave
now. You can reach me at the Terran Embassy, eMerikh, when you've obtained a
visitor's permit for me."
"I will contact you then," the
Skorg said.
Catton nodded to them, turned, and left the
meeting room. It was late in the day, now. Some of the heat had left the air.
He smiled as he thought of how discomforted his fellow Commission members had
been. But their motives troubled him. Why hide information? Why object to his
going to Skorg? It was a poor prognosis when he couldn't even trust the alleged
forces of crime prevention on these worlds.
He
decided to leave for Skorg on the first available flight. Perhaps, he thought,
the trail might be less muddy there. But he doubted it. He realized that forces
were operating on levels deeper than he suspected; the only thing certain was
that Earth stood to lose in the coming maneuver for galactic power, if these
worlds had their way.
VHI.
Two days
later , a Terran Embassy
autombile deposited Carton at the passenger desk of the Dyelleran Spaceport. In
the Earthman's pocket was a ticket for a first-class passage, round trip from
Morilar to Skorg and back, aboard the Skorg Spacelines vessel, Silver Spear. Two days of feverish preparation had
preceded Catton's arrival at the spaceport.
It
had been necessary to obtain an entry visa for Skorg; some fast subradio
communication had taken care of that matter, with the more or less willing
cooperation of Merikh eMerikh and the local Skorg Ambassador. It had also been
necessary, for Catton's own protection, for him to receive a neural block
inhibiting his sense of smell; the planetary odor of Skorg was something to
make strong men blanch. And, for the same reason and at the same time, he had
received a metabolic booster shot designed to reduce production of the bodily
secretions that made an Earthman's smell so intolerable to a Skorg.
Thus
fortified, Catton was ready to go. Three Morilaru attaches accompanied him, as
he requested. Untroubled by budget restrictions, Catton had lightheartedly
purchased first-class
of Earth as a major power. But they had never expected the Earth delegate to go
charging around investigating such worlds as Skorg.
Well,
they had no choice, Catton thought. They had a-greed to accept a delegate from
Earth, and now they were stuck with him.
"Do
you plan to make the trip alone?" Beryaal asked. "Or will you accept
the use of the Commission staff?"
"I could use a few
assistants," Catton said. "Ill need an
interpreter, for one thing—I'm anything but fluent in the Skorg language. Ill
also need an administrative adjutant, and a personal secretary. Three men; that ought to be sufficient."
"Will
you make the necessary travel arrangements yourself?"
"Ill arrange for the passage, yes, out
of my allotted expense fund," said the Earthman. "My passport isn't
validated for Skorg, merely because I wasn't
originally planning to go there, but I'm certain that my colleague eMerikh
will help me make the necessary visa arrangements, and that there'll be no
difficulties on that score."
Catton glanced inquisitively at the Skorg, who nodded
stiffly. Catton was certain that the tortured Morilaru had let
slip something about their source of supply being on Skorg ,
and that Beryaal and eMerikh had agreed between them-
selves to keep that fact from the records. No wonder they
were annoyed at having Catton pop up with the same in-
formation, and, worse, embedding it inextricably in the Com-
mission minutes. It was too late for Beryaal and eMerikh
to do anything but acquiesce, now. Catton had successfully
boxed them in. v
Catton rose.
"Is there any further business to be
discussed at this meeting?" he asked.
"No," Beryaal said. "I merely
wished to present the results of the interrogation."
"Those
results having duly been presented," Catton said, "I intend to leave
now. You can reach me at the Terran Embassy, eMerikh, when you've obtained a
visitor's permit for me."
"I will contact you then," the
Skorg said.
Catton nodded to them, turned, and left the
meeting room. It was late in the day, now. Some of the heat had left the air.
He smiled as he thought of how discomforted his fellow Commission members had
been. But their motives troubled him. Why hide information? Why object to his
going to Skorg? It was a poor prognosis when he couldn't even trust the alleged
forces of crime prevention on these worlds.
He
decided to leave for Skorg on the first available flight. Perhaps, he thought,
the trail might be less muddy there. But he doubted it. He realized that forces
were operating on levels deeper than he suspected; the only thing certain was
that Earth stood to lose in the coming maneuver for galactic power, if these
worlds had their way.
VHI.
Two days
later , a Terran Embassy
autombile deposited Carton at the passenger desk of the Dyelleran Spaceport. In
the Earthman's pocket was a ticket for a first-class passage, round trip from
Morilar to Skorg and back, aboard the Skorg Spacelines vessel, Silver Spear. Two days of feverish preparation had
preceded Catton's arrival at the spaceport.
It
had been necessary to obtain an entry visa for Skorg; some fast subradio
communication had taken care of that matter, with the more or less willing
cooperation of Merikh eMerikh and the local Skorg Ambassador. It had also been
necessary, for Catton's own protection, for him to receive a neural block
inhibiting his sense of smell; the planetary odor of Skorg was something to
make strong men blanch. And, for the same reason and at the same time, he had
received a metabolic booster shot designed to reduce production of the bodily
secretions that made an Earthman's smell so intolerable to a Skorg.
Thus
fortified, Catton was ready to go. Three Morilaru attaches accompanied him, as
he requested. Untroubled by budget restrictions, Catton had lightheartedly
purchased first-class
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