going around meeting all those famous--"
Freddy Soligen's face worked. "Look, son. Sure, I meet lots of peopleon top. But the thing is, eventually you're going to become one ofthose people, not just interview them." He began pacing again innervous irritation.
"Sam, those on top want to stay there. Like always. They freeze thingsso they, and their kids, will remain on top. In our case, they've madeit all but impossible for anybody to progress from the caste they wereborn in. Not impossible, but almost. They've got to allow for the manwith extraordinary ability, like, to bust out to the top, if he's gotit on the ball. Otherwise, there'd be an explosion."
"That's not the way they say in school."
"It sure isn't. The story is that anybody can make Upper-Upper if hehas the ability. But the thing is, Sam, you can't make a jerk realizehe's a jerk. If he sees somebody else rise in caste, he can't see whyhe shouldn't. That's why real rising has been restricted to CategoryMilitary and Category Religion. In the military, a man gives up hissecurity, obviously, and if he's a jerk he dies.
"In Category Religion they've got another way to sort out the jerksand make sure they never get further than monk and beyond the caste ofHigh-Lower. Gods always work in mysterious ways and anybody inCategory Religion who doesn't have faith in the wisdom of the God'smysterious choices of who to ordain and who to reject, obviously showsthat he's not really got the _true faith_ which is, of course,essential to a priest, not to speak of bishop or ultra-bishop. Soobviously, the Gods were wise in rejecting him. In simpler words, thewould-be priest who simply hasn't got what it takes, can be given theheave-ho without it being necessary for him, or his family or friends,to understand why. It's all very simple; he lacked the humilityessential in a priest of the Gods, as proven by his rebelliousreaction."
Sam said, unhappily, "I don't get all this."
Freddy Soligen came to a pause before the boy, sat down again abruptlyand patted his son's knee. "You're young, Sam. Too young to understandsome of it. Trust your father. Stick to your studies now. You have toget the basic gobbledygook. But you're on your way up the ladder, son.I've got a deal cooking that's going to give us an in. Can't tell youabout it now, but it's going to mean an important break for us."
It was then that the door announced, "Major Joseph Mauser, calling onFredric Soligen."
IV
Joe Mauser shook hands with the Telly reporter in an abrupt, impatientmanner.
Freddy said, "Major, I'd like to introduce my son, Samuel. Sam, thisis Major Joe Mauser. You don't follow the fracases, but the major'sone of the best mercenaries in the field."
Sam scrambled to his feet and shook hands. "Gee, Joe Mauser."
Joe looked at him questioningly. "I thought you didn't follow thefracases."
Sam grinned awkwardly. "Well, gee, you can't miss picking up somestuff about the fighting. All the other guys are buffs."
Joe said to Freddy, "Could I speak to you alone?"
"Certainly, certainly. Sam, run along the major and I have business."
When the boy was gone, Joe sank into a chair and looked up at theTelly reporter accusingly. He said, "This fancy uniform, I stood stillfor. That idea of picking a song to identify me with and bribing theorchestra leaders to swing into it whenever I enter some restaurant ornightclub, might have its advantages. Getting me all sorts of Tellyinterviews, between fracases, and all those write-ups in the fracasbuff magazines, I can see the need for, in spite of what it's costing.But what in Zen"--his voice went dangerous--"was the idea of stickingthat punch-drunk prizefighter on me in the most respectable nightclubin Greater Washington?"
Freddy grinned ruefully. "Oh, you figured that out, eh?"
"Did you think I was stupid?"
Freddy rubbed his hands together, happily. "He used to be worldchampion, and you flattened him. It was in every gossip column in thecountry, every news reporter, played it up. And hell all it cost uswas five shares of your Vacuum Tube Transport stock."
"Five shares!"
"Why not? He used to be champ. Now, he's so broke he's got to live onstock he isn't allowed to sell. His basic government issue at birth.He was willing to take a dive cheap, if you ask me."
Joe growled at him unhappily. "I've got news for you, Freddy. Yourhired brawler started off as per instructions, evidently, but after acouple of blows had been exchanged his slap-happy brain lost themessage and he tried to take me. We're lucky he didn't splatter me allover the dance floor of the Exclusive Club. He didn't take a dive. Ihad to scuttle him."
Freddy blinked. "Zen!"
"Sure, sure, sure," Joe growled. "Look, next time you decide to spendfive shares of my stock on some deal like this, let me know, eh?"
Freddy walked to the sideboard and got glasses. "Whiskey?" he said.
"Tequila, if you've got it," Joe said. "Look, I'm beginning to havesecond thoughts about this campaign. Where's it got us, so far?"
Freddy brought the fiery Mexican drink and handed it to him, and tooka place in the chair opposite. His voice went persuasive. "It's goingfine. You're on everybody's lips. First thing you know, some of thearmaments firms will be having you indorse their guns, swords, cannon,or whatever."
"Oh, great," Joe growled. "Already my friends are ribbing me aboutthis fancy uniform and all the plugs I've been getting. Theglory-grabber isn't any more popular today among real pros than he'sever been."
"Who gives a damn?" Freddy sneered, cynically. "We're not in this toplease your lame-brain mercenary pals with their soldier-of-fortunecodes of behavior. We're in this for Number One, Joe Mauser, andNumber Two, Freddy Soligen."
Joe put away the greater part of his drink. "Sure, sure, sure. Butwhere are we now? Your campaign has been in full swing for months.What's accomplished?"
The small Telly reporter was indignant. "What's accomplished? We'vegot three Major Joe Mauser buff clubs in full swing and five morestarting up. And next month you're going to be on the cover of the_Fracas Times_."
"And I'm still a major and still Mid-Middle caste. And my stock sharesavailable for bribery are running short."
Freddy twisted his mouth and looked worriedly down into his glass. Hesaid unhappily, "We need a gimmick to climax all this. Some kind ofgimmick to bring you absolutely to the top."
"A gimmick?" Joe demanded. "What do you mean, a gimmick?"
"You're going to have to do something really spectacular. Make you thebiggest Telly hero of them all. We'll have to get you into a realfracas and pull something dramatic. I don't know what, I don't seem tobe able to come up with an angle. But when I do, I'll guarantee thatevery Telly camera covering the fracas will be zeroed in on JoeMauser."
"Great," Joe growled. "I've got just the gimmick. It'll wow them."
The Telly reported looked up, hopefully.
"I'll get killed in a burst of glory," Joe said.
V
A servant took Joe Mauser's cap at the door and requested that Joefollow him. Joe trailed behind on the way to the living room of themansion, somewhat taken aback by the, to him, ostentation of thedisplay of the luxuries of yesteryear. Among them was to be numberedthe butler. Servants, other than military batmen, were simply not inJoe's world. Only the Uppers were in position to utilise the full timeof individuals. Long years past, those tasks which once called forservants had been automated, from automated elevators to automatedbaby-sitters.
The servant announced him and then seemingly disappeared in the briefmoment while Joe was bowing formally over Nadine Haer's hand. Evenwhile murmuring the appropriate banalities, Joe wondered how oneacquired the ability to seemingly disappear, once one's services wereno longer needed. Each man to his own trade, he decided.
He had a date with Nadine, but it turned out that the piquant Upperwas not alone. In fact, it was obvious that she had not as yet gotaround to dressing for her appointment with Joe. He had promised totake her soaring in his sailplane. She was attired, as always, asthose dress who have never considered the cost of clothing. And, asever, when Joe saw her newly, after a period of
a day or more away, hewas taken with her intensity and her almost brittle beauty. What wasit that the aristocrat seemed able to acquire after but a generationor two of what they were pleased to call breeding? That aloof quality,the exquisite gentility.
"Joe," Nadine said, "you'll be pleased to meet Philip Holland,Category Government, Rank Secretary. Phil, Major Joseph Mauser."
The other, possibly forty, shook hands