Read Online Tales of the Flying Mountains by Poul Anderson - Free Book Online Page B

pouring billions and billions of dollars into space, while overpopulation produced crying needs in America’s back yard,” Chung said. “We know that much, even in the Belt. We know the appropriations are due to be cut, now the Essjays are in. So what?”
    â€œWe don’t need a subsidy any longer,” Blades remarked. “It’d help a lot, but we can get along without if we have to, and personally, I prefer that. Less government money means less government control.”
    â€œSure,” Avis said. “There was more than that involved, however. The Essjays were complaining about the small return on the investment. Not enough minerals coming back to Earth.”
    â€œWell, for Jupiter’s sake,” Blades exclaimed, “what do they expect? We have to build up our capabilities first.”
    â€œThey even said, some of them, that enough reward never would be gotten. That under existing financial policies, the Belt would go in for its own expansion, use nearly everything it produced for itself and export only a trickle to America. I had to explain to several of my parents’ friends that I wasn’t really a socially irresponsible capitalist.”
    â€œIs that all the information you have?” Chung asked when she fell silent.
    â€œI … I suppose so. Everything was so vague. No dramatic events. More of an atmosphere than a concrete thing.”
    â€œStill, you confirm my own impression,” Chung said. Blades jerked his undisciplined imagination back from the idea of a Thing, with bug eyes and tentacles, cast in reinforced concrete, and listened as his partner summed up:
    â€œThe popular feeling at home has turned against private enterprise. You can hardly call a corporate monster like Systemic Developments a private enterprise! The new President and Congress share that mood. We can expect to see it manifested in changed laws and regulations. But what has this got to do with a battleship parked a couple of hundred kilometers from us?”
    â€œIf the government doesn’t want the asterites to develop much further—” Blades bit hard on his pipestem. “They must know we have a caviar mine here. We’ll be the only city in this entire sector.”
    â€œBut we’re still a baby,” Avis said. “We won’t be important for years to come. Who’d have it in for a baby?”
    â€œBesides, we’re Americans, too,” Chung said. “If that were a foreign ship, the story might be different—Wait a minute! Could they be thinking of establishing a new base here?”
    â€œThe Convention wouldn’t allow it,” said Blades.
    â€œTreaties can always be renegotiated, or even denounced. But first you have to investigate quietly, find out if it’s worth your while.”
    â€œHoo hah, what lovely money that’d mean!”
    â€œAnd lovely bureaucrats crawling out of every file cabinet,” Chung said grimly. “No, thank you. We’ll fight any such attempt to the last lawyer. We’ve got a good basis too, in our charter. If the suit is tried on Ceres, as I believe it has to be, we’ll get a sympathetic court as well.”
    â€œUnless they ring in an Earthside judge,” Avis warned.
    â€œYeah, that’s possible. Also, they could spring proceedings on us without notice. We’ve got to find out in advance, so we can prepare. Any chance of pumping some of those officers?”
    â€œâ€™Fraid not,” Avis said. “The few who’d be in the know are safely back on shipboard.”
    â€œWe could invite ’em here individually,” said Blades. “As a matter of fact, I already have a date with Lieutenant Ziska.”
    â€œWhat?” Avis’ mouth fell open.
    â€œYep,” Blades said complacently. “End of the next watch, so she can observe the Pallas arriving. I’m to fetch her on a scooter.” He blew a fat smoke ring. “Look. Jimmy,