The World of Null-A

XXVII

On a cliff of metal on the planet of beasts, the League, ambassador landed. He walked slowly over to the parapet of that vast building and stared uneasily down at the jungle four miles below.

“I suppose,” he thought, “I'll be expected to go hunting with the”–he paused, searched for the right word, then grimly–“extroverts who build hunting lodges as big as this.”

A voice behind him murmured, “This way, Your Excellency. The hunting party will leave in an hour, and Enro the Red will confer with you en route.”

“Tell His Excellency, the foreign minister of the Greatest Empire,” the ambassador began firmly, “that I have just arrived, and that–”

He stopped, the refusal unspoken. No one, least of all League agents, turned down the invitations of the reigning overlord of an empire of sixty thousand star systems, especially when one's purpose required considerable tact. The ambassador finished quietly, “-and that I will be ready in time.”

It was a bloodthirsty business. There were guns for each type of beast, carried by noiseless machines, one machine for each hunter. The robots were always at hand, holding out just the right weapon, yet they never got in the way. The most dangerous animals were held off by energy screens while the hunters maneuvered for firing position.

There was one long, sleek, powerful, hoofed animal, gray in color, which realized after one burst of effort that it was trapped. It sat down on its haunches and began to cry. Enro the Red himself put a bullet through its nearest eye. It pitched over and lay sobbing and writhing for a minute, then grew still. Afterward, on the way back to that gigantic combination hunting lodge and alternate foreign office, the red-haired giant came over to the League ambassador.

“Great sport, eh?” he growled. “Though I notice you didn't shoot much.”

“This is my first time,” apologized the other. “I was fascinated.”

That was true enough, if you thought of it in a certain way. Fascinated, horrified, shocked, disgusted. He saw that the great man was staring at him sardonically.

“You League men are all the same,” Enro said. “A bunch of cowardl–” He stopped. He seemed to think better of his harsh indictment. “Peaceable!” he said.

“You must remember,” the ambassador said coolly, “that the League was organized by the nineteen galactic empires at a time when they were destroying each other in futile and indecisive wars. Peace is the trade of the League, and, like all institutions, it has gradually created men who actually think peace.”

“Sometimes,” said Enro proudly, “I believe I prefer war, however destructive.”

The League officer said nothing, and presently Enro ceased chewing on his lower lip and said curtly, “Well, what is it you wish?”

The ambassador began diplomatically, “We have recently discovered that your transportation ministry has been overzealous.”

“In what way?”

“The case to which I refer is that of a sun system called Sol by its dominant inhabitants.”

“The name does not strike a memory chord,” Enro said coldly.

The ambassador bowed. “It will undoubtedly be on record in your department, and the problem is very simple. A transit base was established there by your transport department about five hundred years ago without permission from the League. Sol is one of the systems discovered after the agreements were signed respecting the exploration and exploitation of new-found stars.”

“Hm-m!” The red one's gaze was even more sardonic, and the ambassador thought, Enro did know about Sol! Enro said, “And are you going to give us permission to keep the base there?”

“It must be dismantled and removed,” the League man said firmly, “as prescribed by the articles of the League charter.”

“It seems a very minor affair,” said Enro thoughtfully. “Leave a memorandum with my transport secretary and I will have it looked into.”

“But the base will be dismantled?” said the ambassador determinedly.

Enro was cool. “Not necessarily. After all, if it's been there a long time, it might cause considerable dislocation to the transport department to have it removed. If that is so, we will take the matter up with the League and seek confirmation of our position there. Such incidents are bound to happen in vast stellar organizations. They must be handled in a progressive and elastic fashion.”

It was the smaller man's turn to be sardonic. “I'm sure Your Excellency would be the first to protest if some other empire accidentally added a star system to its possessions. The League attitude is very clear. Those who made the mistake must rectify it.”

Enro was scowling. “We will take the matter up at the next League session.”

“But that is a year away.”

Enro seemed not to hear. “I seem to remember something about this system now. Very bloodthirsty inhabitants, if my memory serves me correctly. Disorder or war of some kind going on there right now.”

He smiled grimly. “We shall ask permission to reestablish order. I am sure that the League delegates will not object to that.”