Read Online Fiendish Schemes by K. W. Jeter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: K. W. Jeter
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believed, at the time, had the best chance of succeeding.”
“And in every case,” he replied, “you wagered against Phototrope Limited and its walking lights, and any other corporation that had seen fit to use your father’s creations. And in every case, Phototrope and those others went on to glory, pipping their competitors past the post, as it were. If all you had wanted to achieve was to sneer at your father’s posthumous success, you might easily have found a less costly way than throwing your capital down a betting shop’s gullet!”
I had no desire to debate the matter. The initial flush of my anger had ebbed, and the wind off the ocean resumed setting ice in my flesh.
“This is a useless discussion,” I pointed out. “Whatever the motive or other details of my involvement with the Sea & Light Book, the result is the same. Destitution, simply put. I gambled away every penny of that modest sum, which with modest husbandry might have maintained me to my demise. And somehow you believe that you can inveigle me into some scheme that revolves around more of the same?”
“Ah, but you see, Dower—before, you wagered foolishly. You believed that you had some particular insight, sufficient to make you wiser than the other bettors. In that, you were incorrect.”
“You tell me nothing of which I am not already aware.”
Stonebrake’s sly smile appeared again. “But this time, in league with my associates, you and I would actually be the possessors of that information, which would make sure things of all our wagers. Thus we would decimate the bookmakers, and reap those fortunes that those clever as we deserve.”
“This,” I said, “sounds dishonest.”
“Only to a slight degree, and not one easily discovered. Criminality is in the eye of the beholder.”
“And when the beholders are the police, the consequences can be serious. I speak of imprisonment.”
He dismissed my concerns with a wave of his hand. “Have no fear. My backers are rich and powerful men, who—as with all such—merely wish to become even richer. Your value to them will protect you.”
“And what value would that be?”
“You see? You’re interested, aren’t you? Despite yourself.”
“Merely curious,” I insisted.
“That is how it begins. But allow me to explain. The Sea & Light Book, as you have learned some time ago, accepts wagers on the operations of the various lighthouse corporations, the successes or failures of their various endeavours, and the profits earned or losses suffered thereby. And of course, those operations reflect the lighthouse corporations’ best efforts to anticipate and accommodate the actions of the living, active seas by which we now find ourselves surrounded. Agreed? Very well. Obviously, a lighthouse corporation that could acquire advance knowledge of how and where the oceans might shift would have a competitive advantage over its rivals. If Phototrope Limited or any other lighthouse corporation knew ahead of time that the ocean waters were going to recede from a certain section of the Scottish coast, and flood another area so that passing ships would need navigational assistance, it could have one of its lighthouses immediately uproot itself and head off for the newly desirable location, beating out the other corporations. Similarly, I am confident you would also allow that anyone who knew ahead of time about where the sentient ocean organisms would be shifting and moving, as well as having information about how much the various lighthouse corporations knew about that, would be able to make the seemingly riskiest bets—the type that the bookmakers describe as ‘long shots’— yet be absolutely sure of winning vast sums of money. Such a person would in fact be undertaking no risk at all, for his wagers would be based on that reliably predictive information.”
“If such information existed,” I said. “Which would seem to be the problem.”
“Granted.” Stonebrake gave a nod.
“And in every case,” he replied, “you wagered against Phototrope Limited and its walking lights, and any other corporation that had seen fit to use your father’s creations. And in every case, Phototrope and those others went on to glory, pipping their competitors past the post, as it were. If all you had wanted to achieve was to sneer at your father’s posthumous success, you might easily have found a less costly way than throwing your capital down a betting shop’s gullet!”
I had no desire to debate the matter. The initial flush of my anger had ebbed, and the wind off the ocean resumed setting ice in my flesh.
“This is a useless discussion,” I pointed out. “Whatever the motive or other details of my involvement with the Sea & Light Book, the result is the same. Destitution, simply put. I gambled away every penny of that modest sum, which with modest husbandry might have maintained me to my demise. And somehow you believe that you can inveigle me into some scheme that revolves around more of the same?”
“Ah, but you see, Dower—before, you wagered foolishly. You believed that you had some particular insight, sufficient to make you wiser than the other bettors. In that, you were incorrect.”
“You tell me nothing of which I am not already aware.”
Stonebrake’s sly smile appeared again. “But this time, in league with my associates, you and I would actually be the possessors of that information, which would make sure things of all our wagers. Thus we would decimate the bookmakers, and reap those fortunes that those clever as we deserve.”
“This,” I said, “sounds dishonest.”
“Only to a slight degree, and not one easily discovered. Criminality is in the eye of the beholder.”
“And when the beholders are the police, the consequences can be serious. I speak of imprisonment.”
He dismissed my concerns with a wave of his hand. “Have no fear. My backers are rich and powerful men, who—as with all such—merely wish to become even richer. Your value to them will protect you.”
“And what value would that be?”
“You see? You’re interested, aren’t you? Despite yourself.”
“Merely curious,” I insisted.
“That is how it begins. But allow me to explain. The Sea & Light Book, as you have learned some time ago, accepts wagers on the operations of the various lighthouse corporations, the successes or failures of their various endeavours, and the profits earned or losses suffered thereby. And of course, those operations reflect the lighthouse corporations’ best efforts to anticipate and accommodate the actions of the living, active seas by which we now find ourselves surrounded. Agreed? Very well. Obviously, a lighthouse corporation that could acquire advance knowledge of how and where the oceans might shift would have a competitive advantage over its rivals. If Phototrope Limited or any other lighthouse corporation knew ahead of time that the ocean waters were going to recede from a certain section of the Scottish coast, and flood another area so that passing ships would need navigational assistance, it could have one of its lighthouses immediately uproot itself and head off for the newly desirable location, beating out the other corporations. Similarly, I am confident you would also allow that anyone who knew ahead of time about where the sentient ocean organisms would be shifting and moving, as well as having information about how much the various lighthouse corporations knew about that, would be able to make the seemingly riskiest bets—the type that the bookmakers describe as ‘long shots’— yet be absolutely sure of winning vast sums of money. Such a person would in fact be undertaking no risk at all, for his wagers would be based on that reliably predictive information.”
“If such information existed,” I said. “Which would seem to be the problem.”
“Granted.” Stonebrake gave a nod.
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