X.
At the end of the third decade, the Texcocan delegation was alreadyseated in the _Pedagogue's_ lounge when Jerome Kennedy, Martin Gunther,Peter MacDonald, Fredric Buchwald and three Genoese, Baron Leonar andthe Honorables Russ and Modrin appeared.
The Texcocan group consisted of Barry Watson, Dick Hawkins and NattRoberts to one side of him, Generalissimo Taller and six highlybemedaled Texcocans on the other.
Before taking a seat Barry Watson barked, "Where's Amschel Mayer? I'vegot some important points to cover with him."
"Take it easy," Kennedy slurred. "For that matter, where's JoeChessman?"
Watson glared at the other. "You know where he is."
"That I do," Kennedy said. "He's purged, to use a term of yesteryear. Atthe rate you laddy-bucks are going, there won't be anything left of youby the time our half century is up." He snapped his fingers and aGenoese servant who'd been inconspicuously in the background, hurried tohis side. "Let's have some refreshments here. What'll everybody have?"
"You act as though you've had enough already," Watson bit out.
Kennedy ignored him, insisted on everyone being served before he allowedthe conversation to turn serious. Then he said, slyly, "I see we've beensuccessful in apprehending all of your agents, or you'd know more of ouraffairs."
"Not all our agents," Watson barked. "Only those on your southerncontinent. What happened to Amschel Mayer?"
Peter MacDonald, who, with Buchwald, was for the first time attendingone of the decade-end conferences, had been hardly recognized in his newgirth by the Texcocan team. But his added weight had evidently donenothing to his keenness of mind. He said smoothly, "Our good Amschel isunder arrest. Imprisoned, in fact." He shook his head, his double chinwobbling. "A tragedy."
"Imprisoned! By whom?" Taller scowled. "I don't like this. After all, hewas your expedition's head man."
Barry Watson rapped, "Don't leave us there, MacDonald. What happened tohim?"
MacDonald explained. "The financial and industrial empire he had builtwas overextended. A small crisis and it collapsed. Thousands ofinvestors suffered. In brief, he was arrested and found guilty."
Watson was unbelieving. "There is nothing you could do? The whole team!Couldn't you bribe him out? Rescue him by force and get him back to theship? With all the wealth you characters control--"
Jerry Kennedy laughed shortly. "We were busy bailing ourselves out ofour own situations, Watson. You don't know what international financecan be. Besides, he dug his grave ... uh ... that is, he made his bed."
Kennedy signaled the servant for another drink, said, "Let's cut outthis dismal talk. How about our progress reports?"
"Progress reports," Barry Watson said. "That's a laugh. You have agentson Texcoco, we have them on Genoa. What's the use of having theseconferences at all?"
For the first time, one of the Genoese put in a word. Baron Leonar, sonof the original Baron who had met with Amschel Mayer thirty yearsbefore, was a man in his mid-forties. He said quietly, "It seems to methe time has arrived when the two planets might profit by intercourse.Surely in this time one has progressed beyond the other in this field,but lagged in that. If I understand the mission of the _Pedagogue_ it isto bring us to as high a technological level as possible in half acentury. Already three decades have passed."
The Texcocans studied him thoughtfully, but Jerry Kennedy waved innegation with the hand that held his glass. "You don't get it, Baron.You see, the thing is we wanta find out what system is going to do themost the quickest. If we co-operate with Barry's gang, everything'll getall mixed up."
The Honorable Russ, now a wizened man of at least seventy, but stillsharply alert, said, "However, Texcoco and Genoa might both profit."
Kennedy said happily, "What do we care? You gotta take the long view.What we're working out here is going to be used on half a millionplanets eventually." He tried to snap his fingers. "These two lousyplanets don't count that much." He succeeded in snapping them this time."Not that much."
Barry Watson said, "You're stoned, Kennedy."
"Why not?" Kennedy grinned. "Finally perfected a decent brandy. I'llhave to send you a few cases, Barry."
"How would you go about that, Jerry?" Watson said softly.
"Shucks, man, our space lighter makes a trip to Texcoco every month orso. Gotta keep up with you boys. Maybe throw a wrench or so in the worksonce inna while."
Peter MacDonald said, "Shut up, Jerry. You talk too much."
"Don't talk to me that way. You'll find yourself having one helluva timefloating that loan you need next month. How about another drink,everybody? This party's dead."
Watson said, "How about the progress reports? Briefly, we've all butcompletely united Texcoco. Minor setbacks have sometimes deterred us butthe march of progress goes on. We--"
"Minor setbacks," Kennedy chortled. "Must of had to bump off fivemillion of the poor slobs before that commune revolt was finished with."
Watson said coldly, "We always have a few reactionaries, religiousfanatics, misfits, crackpots, malcontents to deal with. However, theseare not important. Our industrial potential has finally begun to roll.We doubled steel production this year, will do the same next. Ourhydro-electric installations tripled in the past two years. Coalproduction is four times higher, lumber production six times. We expectto increase grain harvest forty per cent next season. And--"
The Honorable Modrin put in gently, "Please, Honorable Watson, yourpercentage figures are impressive only if we know from what basis youstart. If you produced but five million tons of steel last year, thenyour growth to ten million is very good but it is still not aconsiderable amount for an entire planet."
Buchwald said dryly, "If our agents are correct, Texcocan steelproduction is something like a quarter of our own. I assume your otherbasic products are at about the same stage of development."
Watson flushed. "The thing to remember is that our economy continues togrow each year. Yours spurts and stops, jerks ahead a few steps, thengrinds to a halt or even retreats. Everything comes to a pause if youfew on the top stop making a profit; all that counts in your economy ismaking money. Which reminds me, how in the world did you ever get out ofthat planet-wide depression you were in three years ago?"
Peter MacDonald grunted his disgust. "Planet-wide depression, indeed. Asmall recession. A temporary readjustment due to overextension incertain economic and financial fields."
From the other side of the table, Dick Hawkins laughed at him. "Where'dyou pick up that line of gobbledygook, Peter?" he asked.
Peter MacDonald came to his feet. "I don't have to put up with this sortof impudence," he snapped.
Watson lurched to his own feet. "Nor do we have to listen to your snidecracks about the real progress Texcoco is making. We don't seem to begetting anywhere." He snapped to his associates, "Hawkins, Taller,Roberts! Let's go. Ten years from now, there'll be another story totell. Even a blind man will see the difference."
They marched down the _Pedagogue's_ corridor toward their space boat.
Kennedy called after them, "Ten years from now every family on Genoa'llhave a car. Wait'll you see. Television, too. We're introducing TV nextyear. An' civil aviation. Be all over the place in two, three years--"
The Texcocans slammed the spaceport after them.
Kennedy sloshed some more drink into his glass. "Slobs can't stand thetruth," he explained to the others.