Talents, Incorporated, Page 2

  Chapter 2

  At the spaceport, carefully selected persons filed onto the space-liner_Vestis_. It was not officially believed that the other three greatchartered ships would arrive before the Mekinese fleet. It was, in fact,rather likely that none of the information given by Talents,Incorporated was ever believed until the event confirmed the prediction.In the case of the first liner, those who went on board had been chosenby a strict principle of priority. Men who would merely be imprisonedwhen Mekin took over had no privilege of escape. Not yet. Those who weredestined for execution as soon as a quisling government was formed, werealso not entitled to depart on the liner. But those who hadconspicuously supported King Humphrey in his resistance to intimidation;those who had encouraged others to object to concessions which couldonly be forerunners of other concessions; those who had spoken andwritten and labored to spread information about the facts of life underMekin, would not merely be imprisoned or executed. They would betortured. So they were entitled to first chance at escape.

  The space-liner blasted off some six hours after its arrival. Itvanished blessedly into overdrive where it could not be intercepted. Itheaded for the far-away world of Trent, where its passengers would beallowed to land as refugees and where, doubtless, they would speakbitterly about Mekin for all the rest of their lives. But the governmentof Mekin would not care.

  Mekin was a phenomenon so improbable that only those who were studentsof past civilizations could really believe it. There were innumerablereferences to such regimes in the histories of ancient Earth. There was,for example, Napoleon, said people informed about such matters. With afraction of a fraction of one per cent of the French people activelycooperating, he overawed the rest and then took over a nation which wasnot even his own. Then he took over other nations where less than afraction of a fraction of one per cent concurred. Then he took soldiersfrom those second-order conquests to make third-order conquests, andthen soldiers from the third to make fourth.

  There was Mussolini, said the learned men. He had organized a group ofrowdies and gangsters, and began by levying protection-money ongambling-houses and even less reputable resorts, and with the moneyincreased his following. He had murdered those who opposed him andpresently he collected protection money from even the great businesscorporations of his country, financing more political gangsterism untilhe ruled his nation for himself and his confederates.

  And there was Hitler, said the historically-minded. In the beginning hisfollowers never dared show themselves in the uniforms they adopted,because their fellow-countrymen hated everything they stood for. Butbefore the end came they worshipped him. They murdered millions at hiscommand, but they died because of him, too.

  There was Lenin, and there was Stalin. Specialists in history could talkvery learnedly about the developments on Mekin which paralleled thecabals headed by Lenin, and later, Stalin. Theirs was a much moredurable organization than those of Napoleon and Mussolini and Hitler.

  The ruling clique on Mekin had begun in this manner.

  Mekin had once had a cause to which all its officials paid lip-serviceand some possibly believed in. Because of this cause it was theorganization and not the individual who was apotheosized. Therefore,there could be fierce battles among members of the ruling class. Therecould be conspiracies. The last three dictators of Mekin had beenmurdered in palace revolutions, and the current dictator was moreelaborately protected from his confreres than any mere hereditary tyrantever needed to be. But Mekin remained a strong and dynamic world,engaged in the endless subjugation of other worlds for a purpose nobodyreally remembered any more.

  Against such a society, a planet like Kandar was helpless. Mekin couldnot be placated nor satisfied with less than the subjugation and theruin of its neighbors. For a time, Kandar had tried to arm for its owndefense. It had a space-fleet which in quality was probably equal toMekin's, but in quantity was hopelessly less. Also it had a defensivepolicy. It did not dream of any but a defensive war. And no war was everwon by mere defense. There could be no defense against the building-upof tensions, the contriving of incidents, the invention of insults. Ithad been proved often enough. Eventually there was an ultimatum, andthere was surrender, and then the installation of a puppet governmentand the ruthless bleeding of another captured planet for the benefit ofthe rulers of Mekin.

  The process was implacable. There was nothing to be done but submit,flee or die. Various parts of Kandar's population chose one or anothercourse. Four great liners would carry away those who could be helped toflee. The mass of the people must submit, the fighting forces savagelymade ready to die.

  But in the cabinet meeting after the destruction of the hidden enemycruiser, the tone was set by highly practical men. Bors was present atthe meeting. He'd destroyed the cruiser. He was to be questioned aboutit. He had Morgan standing by to explain the part of Talents,Incorporated if required.

  King Humphrey said heavily, "This is probably the last cabinet meetingbefore the coming of the Mekinese. I do not think oratory is called for.I put the situation as it stands. A fleet will come from Mekin for ouranswer to their ultimatum. Our space-fleet will not surrender. Our airforce is openly mutinous at the idea of submission. It has been saidthat if we fight, our planet will be bombed from space until all its airis poison, so that every living creature here will die. If this is true,I do not think that even we who plan to fight have the right to bringsuch a bombing about. But I doubt if that is true. There has been oneincident. Whether one likes it or not, it has happened. Captain Bors hasreason to hope that the space-fleet, by fighting to the death, canactually benefit the rest of our people."

  Bors spoke, excitement coloring his words.

  "It's perfectly simple. There are only two kinds of people, slaves andfree men. Slaves can be tortured and killed without concern. With freemen a bargain has always to be struck. If there is no resistance to theMekinese, they will despise us. We will be worse off than if we fight.Because if we fight, at least our people will be respected. They may beoppressed because they are conquered, but they won't be treated withthe contempt and doubled oppression given to slaves."

  A bearded man said querulously, "That's theory. It's psychology. It evensmacks of idealism! Let us be realistic! As a practical man, I amconcerned with getting the best possible terms for our population. Afterall, the dictator of Mekin must be a reasonable man! He must be apractical man! I believe that we should negotiate until the very lastinstant."

  Bors said indignantly, "Negotiate? You haven't anything to negotiatewith! I am not a citizen of Kandar, though I serve in its fleet. I amstill a national of Tralee. But I have talked to the officers of thefleet. They won't surrender. You can't negotiate for them to do so. Youcan't negotiate for them to go quietly away and pretend that nothing hashappened and that there never was a fleet. When the Mekinese arrive, thefleet will fight. It doesn't hope to win; it doesn't expectanything--except getting killed honorably when its enemy would like tohave it grovel. But it's going to fight!"

  King Humphrey said doggedly, "My influence does not extend to thedisgrace of our fighting forces. The fleet will fight. I believe itunwise. But since it will fight I shall be in the flagship and it _willnot surrender_."

  There was a pause. The bearded man said peevishly, "But it should fighton its own! It should not compromise Kandar!"

  There was a murmur. King Humphrey looked about him from under loweredbrows.

  "That can be arranged," he said heavily. "I will constitute a caretakergovernment by royal proclamation. I will appoint you," he lookedsteadily at the bearded man, "to be head of it and make such terms asyou can. If you like, when the Mekinese come you can warn them that thefleet has mutinied under me, its king, and may offer battle, but thatyou are ready to lead the people of Kandar in--"

  "In licking the boots of all Mekinese," said Bors in an icy tone.

  There was a small rumble of protest. Bors stood up.

  "I'd better leave," he said coldly. "I'm not entitled to speak. If youwant me, I can be re
ached."

  He strode from the council-chamber. As the door closed behind him, heground his teeth. The stout man, Morgan, of the space-yacht _Sylva_,paced up and down the room where he waited to be called. His daughtersat tranquilly in a chair. She smiled pleasantly at Bors when he camein. Morgan turned to face him.

  "Here's some Talents, Incorporated information," he said zestfully. "Thecabinet is scared. A few are willing to fight, but most are alreadytrying to think how they can make terms with the Mekinese."

  Bors opened his mouth to swear, then checked himself.

  "Gwenlyn," said Morgan, "will pardon an expression of honestindignation. It's a dirty shame, eh?"

  "If I were a native of Kandar," said Bors bitterly, "I'd be even moreashamed than I am as a native of Tralee. The people of Traleesurrendered, but they didn't realize what they were getting into. Thesemen do!"

  The girl Gwenlyn said quietly, "I'm sorry for King Humphrey."

  "He's miscast," said Morgan briskly. "He should be king of a calm andpeaceful world in calm and peaceful times. You're going to have troublewith him, Captain Bors!" Then he said; "Perhaps we can work out a planor two, eh? While you're waiting for the cabinet to call you back?"

  "I've no authority," said Bors. "My uncle's the Pretender of Tralee, andI was originally commissioned in the fleet as a sort of courtesy to him.I can't speak for anybody but myself."

  "You can speak for common sense," said Gwenlyn. "After all, you knowwhat the people really want. You could try to arrange things so that thefleet can fight well."

  "It'll fight well," said Bors curtly. "It'll give a good account ofitself! But that won't do any good!"

  Morgan struck an attitude, beaming.

  "Ah! But you've got Talents, Incorporated on your side! You don'trealize yet, Captain, what a difference that can make! While there'slife and Talents, Incorporated, there's hope!"

  Bors shrugged. Suddenly he found that he, too, drearily accepted defeat.There was no more hope of accomplishment. There was nothing to beachieved. He would serve no purpose by straining against the impossible.

  He said tiredly, "I'll agree that Talents, Incorporated cost theMekinese one cruiser."

  "A trifle," said Morgan, waving his hand, "mere soupcon ofaccomplishment. We're prepared to do vastly more."

  It occurred to Bors to be curious.

  "Why? You're risking your life and your daughter's by staying here. IfMekin ever finds out about its cruiser on the sea bottom and your sharein that affair, you'll be in a fix! And certainly you can't expect tomake a profit here? We couldn't even pay you for what you've alreadydone!"

  "I'm right now," said Morgan placidly, "quite as rich as I want to be.I've another ambition--but let's not go into that. I want to show youwhat Talents, Incorporated can do in the four days--" he looked at hiswatch--"three hours and some odd minutes that remain before the Mekinesefleet turns up. You've checked up on Talents, Incorporated?"

  "My uncle says," Bors told him, "that you kept Phillip of Norden frombeing assassinated by a fission-bomb at a cornerstone laying. He alsosays you wouldn't accept a reward, only a medal."

  "I collect them," said Morgan modestly. "You'd be surprised how manyorders and decorations a man can acquire by industry andorganization--and Talents, Incorporated."

  Gwenlyn said, "Four days, three hours and some odd minutes--"

  "True," said Morgan. "Let's get at it. Captain Bors, have you ever heardof a lightning calculator--a person who can do complicated sums in hishead as fast as he can hear or read the numbers involved?"

  "Yes," said Bors. "It's quite phenomenal, I believe."

  "It's a form of genius," said Morgan. "Only I call it a talent becauseit tends to make itself useless. Have you ever heard of a dowser?"

  "If you mean a man who finds places for wells, and locates mines bymeans of a hazel twig--"

  "The hazel twig is immaterial," Morgan told him. "The point is thatyou've heard of them, and you know that they can actually do suchthings. Right?"

  Bors frowned. "It's not proven," he said. "At least I think it isn'tconsidered proven because it isn't understood. But I believe it'sconceded that such things are done. I believe, in fact, that dowsing hasbeen done on photographs and maps, in an office, and not on the spot atall. I admit that that seems impossible. But I'm told it happens."

  Morgan nodded rapidly, very well pleased.

  "One more. Have you heard of precognition?"

  Bors nodded. Then he shrugged.

  "I have a Talent," said Morgan. "I have a man in my employ with a talentfor precognizing when ships are going to arrive. His gift is strictlylimited. He used to work in a spaceport office. He always knew when aship was coming in. He didn't know how he knew. He doesn't know now. Buthe always knows when a ship will arrive at the planet where he is."

  "Interesting," said Bors, only half listening.

  "He was discharged," Morgan went on, "because he allowed a maintenancecrew to disassemble, for repair, a vital relay in a landing-grid on thevery day when three space-ships were scheduled for arrival. There waspandemonium, of course, because nothing could have landed there. So whenmy Talent let the relay be dismantled, with three ships expected.... Butone ship was one day late, another two days, and the third, four. Heknew it. He didn't know how, but he knew! He was discharged anyway."

  Bors did not answer. The cabinet meeting in the other room went on.

  "He told me," said Morgan, matter-of-factly, "that four ships wouldarrive on Kandar, and when. One of them has arrived. The others willcome as predicted. He knows that a fleet will get here two days afterthe last of the four. One can guess it will be the Mekinese fleet."

  Bors frowned. He was interested now.

  "I've another Talent," pursued Morgan. "He ought to be a paranoiac. Hehas all the tendencies to suspicion that a paranoid personality has. Buthis suspicions happen to be true. He'll read an item in a newspaper orwalk past, oh, say a bank. Darkly and suspiciously, he guesses that thenewspaper item will suggest a crime to someone. Or that someone willattempt to rob the bank in this fashion or that, at such-and-such atime. And someone does!"

  "He'd be an uncomfortable companion," Bors observed wryly.

  "I found him in jail," said Morgan cheerfully. "He'd been warning thepolice of crimes to come. They happened. So the police jailed him anddemanded that he name his accomplices so they could break up thecriminal gang whose feats he knew in advance. I got him out of jail andhired him as a Talent in Talents, Incorporated."

  Bors blinked.

  "Before we landed here," said Morgan, "I'd told him about the politicalsituation, the events you expect. He immediately suspected that theMekinese would have a ship down somewhere, to blast the fleet of Kandarif it should dare to resist. In fact, he said positively that such acruiser was waiting word to fire fusion-bombs."

  Bors blinked again.

  "And I spread out maps," said Morgan, "and my dowser went over them--notwith a hazel twig, but something equally unscientific--his instinct--andhe assured me that the cruiser was under water five milesnorth-north-east magnetic from Cape Farnell. The map said the depththere was fifty fathoms. Then my paranoid Talent observed that there'dbe spies on shore with means to signal to the submerged cruiser. Mydowser then found a small shack on the map where a communicator to theship would be. With the information about the arrival of the liners, andthe facts about the cruiser--and I had other information too--I went tothe Ministry for Diplomatic Affairs and told you. As you know, theinformation I gave you was accurate."

  Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head. This was ridiculous! He'dhunted for the space-cruiser under the sea because the prediction of theliner's arrival was so uncannily correct. He'd helped plan and carry outthe destruction of that warship because its existence and location wereverified by a magnetometer. But if he'd known how the information wasobtained, if he'd known it was guessed at by a discharged spaceportemployee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig orsomething similar.... If he'd known that, he
'd never have dreamed ofaccepting it. He'd have flatly dismissed the ship-arrival prediction!

  But, if he hadn't trusted the information enough to check on it, why,the small space-fleet of Kandar would vanish in atomic flame when ittried to take off to fight. With it would vanish Bors, and his uncle,and the king and many resolute haters of Mekin.

  Gwenlyn said, "You're perfectly right, Captain."

  "What's that?" asked Bors, numbly.

  "It is stark-raving lunacy," said Gwenlyn pleasantly. "Just like itwould have seemed stark-raving lunacy, once upon a time, to think ofpeople talking to each other when they were a thousand miles apart. Likeit seemed insane to talk about flying machines. And again when they saidthere could be a space-drive in which the reaction would be at a rightangle to the action, and especially when somebody said that a way wouldbe found to drive ships faster than light. It's lunacy, just like thosethings!"

  "Y-yes," agreed Bors, his thoughts crowding one another. "It's all ofthat!"

  Morgan nodded his head rapidly.

  "I felt that way about it," he observed, "when I first got the idea offinding and organizing Talents for practical purposes. But I said tomyself, 'Lots of great fortunes have been made by people assuming thatother people are idiots.' In some ways they are, you know. And then Isaid to myself, 'Possibly a fortune can be made by somebody assumingthat _he_ is an idiot.' So I assumed it was idiotic to doubt somethingthat visibly happened, merely because I couldn't understand it. AndTalents, Incorporated was born. It's done quite well."

  Bors shook his head as if to clear it.

  "It seems to have worked," he admitted. "But if I'd known--" He spreadout his hands. "I'll play along! What more can you do for us?"

  "I've no idea," said Morgan placidly. "Such things have to workthemselves out, with a little prodding, of course. But one of my Talentssays the lightning-calculator Talent is the one who'll do you the mostgood soonest. I'd suggest--"

  There was a murmur of voices from the cabinet room. The door opened andKing Humphrey came out. He looked baffled, which was not unusual. But helooked enraged, which was.

  "Bors!" he said thickly. "I've always thought I was a practical man! Butif being practical means what some members of my cabinet think, I wouldrather be a poet! Bors, do something before my cabinet dethrones me andtricks the fleet into disbanding!"

  He stumbled across the room, not noticing Morgan or Gwenlyn. Bors cameto attention.

  "Majesty," he said, not knowing whether he spoke in irony orbewilderment, "I take that as an order."

  The king did not answer. When the door on the other side of the roomclosed behind his unregal figure, Bors turned to Morgan.

  "I think I've been given authority," he said in a sort of baffled calm."Suppose we go, Mr. Morgan, and find out what your lightning calculatorcan do in the way of mental arithmetic, to change the situation of thekingdom?"

  "Fine!" said Morgan cheerfully. "D'you know, Captain Bors, he can solvea three-body problem in his head? He hasn't the least idea how he doesit, but the answer always comes out right!" Then he said exuberantly,"He'll tell you something useful, though! That's Talents, Incorporatedinformation!"