Happiness: A Planet (29 page)

“And if,” Nero said, “Tevor Cade has, as yet, no results, you’ll proceed anyway?”

“We must,” Tulla said. “Time is not on our side. If we miss this opportunity we may not have another. I cannot be certain of their time of arrival on Happiness. I have allowed seven days before the blocking of transmissions and the disappearance of the moon. Trails are laid 82 days after their arrival.  That leaves us twelve days optimum. Two days to get there, ten days in which to do the work. Of course we could have much longer. Depends how long after the moon was removed that the seas became habitable for them. If, however, they began colonisation before the removal of the moon then we may have no time to spare whatsoever. Therefore, if you agree, I propose that we leave immediately after this meeting for Happiness.”

“We?” Nero said.

“I have no authority to order the removal of those mountains,” Tulla said. “One of you will have to accompany me.”

Jorge asked to be taken over the arguments again. Tulla returned to the map of Happiness, to the projected possible routes of the slime trails. Jorge sought clarification of several points. Tulla patiently reiterated her reasoning, her provisos. Jorge asked if there were any other means of contacting the Nautili. Tulla said,

“They operate in space as well as, if not better than, we do. They have now acquired the ability to make themselves undetectable by us. How can we lead them to fresh planets if we can’t see them? We have to build trust first. Then they might allow us to see them, to lead them.”

“And what,” Nero said, “if we make them this trail, and they use it, and we make them more trails on other planets, and they still do not co-operate? They could end up just using us, and laughing at us.”

“That conclusion, with all due respect,” Tulla smiled apologetically at Nero, “says more about you than it does about the Nautili. To be trusted we first have to trust. Look at our own species. It is accepted, it is axiomatic, that if you treat people like savage beasts then they will act like savage beasts. Treat them like irresponsible schoolchildren and they will act like irresponsible schoolchildren. But, and our civilisation is proof of it, treat people with trust and intelligence, and nine times out of ten they will return that trust and intelligence. We must treat with the Nautili on that same basis. This could be our one chance to see if we can truly co-exist.”

“Why this close to the city?”

“The universe is finite Nero. We’ve got to learn somewhere, one day.”

“But why now? Why here?” Nero in half-humorous self-mockery dropped his head into his hands, “Why me?”

Jorge asked Nero to check on the availability of earth-moving equipment on Happiness. Nero and Tulla swapped seats. From Nero’s figures Jorge estimated that they would have machines enough to do the job. He had been to planets before. On his first being posted as Director of Substation Liaison he had made it his business to visit the two planets within his Department, acquaint himself with his responsibilities. Nero, although his career too had at one time necessitated in his being a Director of Substation Liaison, had never set foot on a planet.

While questioning Tulla about other possible courses of action, Jorge asked her the name of the inland sea.

“The Teardrop Ocean,” Tulla told him.

“Struth!” Jorge said. Thus was recorded the only laughter at that meeting.

Finally Jorge conceded that, as they had no alternative plan, he and Tulla should proceed to Happiness accompanied by the police ship. Nero, for the record, methodically enumerated his protests. Jorge overrode them, told Nero to keep Inspector Eldon Boone abreast of all developments. On the police ship’s return with news of events on Happiness, that news too was to be dispatched immediately to Inspector Eldon Boone on Torc. Sergeant Alger Deaver and Constable Drin Ligure were told to hold themselves in readiness.

*  *  *  *  *

An hour later, when the two ships left XE2, Hambro Harrap was on his way to address the Happiness Senate.

In the police ship the two policemen, this being their fourth trip to the planet and used now to the journey, soon had their sleeping roster arranged, spent their mutual waking time grumbling quietly to one another. While, in the hired freighter, Tulla Yorke and Jorge Arbatov fed all of Tulla’s research into the Service machines, began their compilation of a film to explain their plans to the inhabitants of Happiness. Neither considered sleeping while the work was unfinished.

*  *  *  *  *

So, once again, out of a series of blunders, by mischance rather than merit, our civilisation fortuitously managed to find the right people at the right time. But were those two remarkable individuals the right people? Indeed have they ever, in our entire history, been the right people? That all such individuals did alter the course and shape of our civilisation there can be no doubt; and, because we live in the civilisation that they were instrumental in creating, we naturally regard them as heroes and heroines. Elevating them to heroic status, though, is to presuppose that civilisation is better for what they did. What if they hadn’t? Would civilisation be any the worse? Or would it be simply different? Imponderables.

So, for the moment, let us not yet, beyond acknowledging their earnest endeavours, promote Jorge Arbatov and Tulla Yorke to legend. Because the contribution of every person thus far mentioned in this story is equally valid, even those whose efforts have appeared misguided and purely negative. Nor must we overlook the fact that most people’s contribution to this drama, if only as counterweights, are those of the institutions they represent.

It would be reasonably safe to say that other men or women, in their position, might well have acted the same as Munred Danporr, as Hambro Harrap, as Eldon Boone, even as Jorge Arbatov; because, although untypical of Service personnel, Jorge Arbatov was tolerated within that institution and can therefore be regarded as representing a certain aspect of it. Even, also, in the case of Hambro Harrap: another politician so clandestinely informed might have gone to the Executive; although, had that politician done so, events would probably not have turned out that much differently. No, only one person, and one alone, can be said to have made a contribution entirely and uniquely her own — Tulla Yorke.

Her happening to be on that particular station at that particular time is an exemplary demonstration of how one lone individual can affect the course of history.

Sergeant Alger Deaver docked the police ship at the planetary police headquarters in Happiness’s capital. Two thousand kilometres away, at
approximately the same time, Jorge Arbatov docked the hired freighter at the Spokesman’s farm.

The Spokesman met Jorge and Tulla at the foot of the ramp. In effecting the introductions Jorge gave Tulla the title of Professor. Jorge, though scornful of such titles himself, was not unaware of others’ veneration for them, nor was he above employing such titles to impress those he believed so foolishly impressionable. Tulla, however, snorted at the erroneous title, and the Spokesman grinned with her. The joke shared, an immediate fellowship established, Jorge smiling said,

“Your office?”

The third visit of the police ship had appraised the Spokesman of Jorge Arbatov’s taking over as Director, of his open record policy, and thus of Tulla Yorke’s interest in the disappearance of their moon. Although Jorge’s recorded opinions, implicit and explicit, of planetary inhabitants were not in the least flattering, his outspokenness made no attempt to hide from reality. After the tact and wishing-it-would-go-away thinking of Munred Danporr, after the self-deluding deviousness of Hambro Harrap, the Spokesman was therefore disposed to look kindly upon Jorge Arbatov and Tulla Yorke.

As they walked towards the low office building Jorge asked the Spokesman,

“I take it Hambro Harrap and Tevor Cade arrived safely?”

“They did.”

“You therefore know that there are Nautili here?”

“We do.”

“Have they made contact?”

“In a manner of speaking,” the Spokesman held the office door open for them.

Once all were seated the rotund Spokesman related to Jorge and Tulla what the Senate Member for South Five had yesterday told him — of the Nautili response, of their destruction of all but one of the buoys, of how this had happened before.

“On Ram, Elysia and Valask,” Tulla said.

“They are still at the research station?” Jorge asked the Spokesman.

“The cameraman and Tevor Cade, yes. Hambro Harrap borrowed a ship and left that same day. That is the afternoon before last.”

Jorge and Tulla had happened to be looking at one another. Tulla lowered her eyes.

“Damn fool,” Jorge said.

“You think they...” the Spokesman began.

“He might’ve made it,” Jorge dismissively shrugged. “I’ll have the police check when they return to XE2. Now,” he opened his case, “as from this moment a State of Emergency exists on this planet. On my authority.” He handed the Spokesman the filmstick, “This, I hope, will explain why.”

The film showed the expansion of the Nautili, described their criteria for habitable planets, predicted the dearth of planets the Nautili would encounter in eighty years time. Jorge’s dry voice had been used to explain the diagrams and charts, referring the viewer often, for further details, to page and number of the open records of all meetings held on XE2 concerning the Nautili. The film ended with the map of Happiness and the possible routes of the slime trail between the two seas, and with Tulla’s proposal to remove the mountains between the two seas to make it easier for the Nautili to lay their slime trail.

While the Spokesman was watching the film Tulla and Jorge flicked through the records of Happiness. On reading Hambro Harrap’s address to the Senate Jorge grunted but one word,

“Humbug.”

When the film finished the Spokesman scanned the records of the meetings on XE2
.
Jorge and Tulla watched him and waited. The Spokesman read most of the records with pursed lips, snorted contemptuously once, guffawed once. Finally he turned to Jorge and Tulla with a smile,

“Facts at last.”

“Largely conjecture,” Tulla hastened to tell him.

“But honest,” the Spokesman assured her.

Not only did the film’s lack of artistry bespeak sincerity, that sincerity was reinforced by his being allowed access to the reasoning whereby the decisions had been reached.

Even though the Spokesman may not have been enamoured by many of the views expressed in the Service records about planetary dwellers he, like most other of Happiness’s inhabitants, knew those derogatory views to exist, knew how to comport themselves in the face of such prejudice; and knowing that antagonism to exist they could make allowances for it in their own reckonings.

“We made the film so that you could show it to your Senate,” Jorge said. “Save us having to go over the same ground again and again. Of course I’ll be available to answer, if I can, any questions. But time is short.” The Spokesman held up his hand to halt Jorge.

“First,” he said, “I’d like to say that I am pleased that a State of Emergency has been declared. If for no other reason than it removes the responsibility from me. We also all know now exactly where we stand. Let me also say that I am inclined to trust you. Neither of you have come here to cash in on our misfortune. If I have your permission I propose broadcasting this film to the whole planet.”

“Good idea,” Jorge said.

“Concerning the film, there’s one thing I don’t understand. I can see many reasons for the Nautili isolating our planet, but I still don’t understand exactly why they had to remove our moon.”

“To control their environment,” Tulla answered him. “Remove a variable. Make it more stable. As we’ve talked for years of controlling planetary weather.”

“That,” the Spokesman smiled, “I can understand. There’s just one other question I want to ask now. How do we know that the Nautili won’t think, as I think you suggested, that we’re cutting a canal through those mountains and deliberately spoiling this planet for them? In which case they might attack us.”

“We don’t,” Jorge said. “But I will have all available police planes standing by in case of attack. At,” he forestalled Tulla’s objection, “a discreet distance.”

“But,” the Spokesman said, “you said a moment ago that you were sending your police ship back. And we have only planes here.”

“Which are armed. And Nautili have little manoeuvrability within this atmosphere. Those planes should prove sufficient should we be attacked.”

“What if they attack the townships?”

“Logically they should attack us where they think we’re damaging them most.”

‘‘Nautili have been known to take reprisals.”

“It’s a risk your people will have to take.”

The Spokesman made a face at that, but accepted it,

“You will requisition the equipment you need here?”

“Under the powers granted me by the State of Emergency.”

“Who will bear the cost?”

“The Department. Not this planet.”

“Hambro Harrap mentioned the possibility of compensation. For those killed?”