Anderson, Poul Time Patrol 04 The Shield of Time

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wheel, their dictatorship would be no more transitional than that of any other
revolutionary group. They d have to stay on top for a while, simply to assure
themselves their world arrangement was working out okay. And of course it
wouldn t new institutions always go off on unforeseen tangents so they d shoot
some people and tinker with the machinery and wait again. Meanwhile it d be
necessary to proceed against those of their fellow citizens who couldn t stomach
dictatorship. This implies a secret police a good deal stronger than MS is right now.
And such an organization soon becomes a power in its own right; look at the history
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of every repressive government for proof. No, when you try to force the whole
world, beginning with your own country, into the rigid framework of an ideology,
you have to be an utterly ruthless tyrant. There s no other way.
Quarles wouldn t let them!
What d he have to say about it? He s only a well-meaning theorist. If he saw
the truth and protested to Gannoway, they d simply play the Grand Inquisitor scene
over again.
I don t know why I m talking so abstractly, though, Trembecki finished.
You need only ask yourself how far anybody can be trusted who s willing to
achieve his ends by the means Gannoway spelled out to us.
Stillness fell on the room. Koskinen sat down and stared at his generator. Why
did I bring it back? he wondered. Why was I born?
A noise recalled him to awareness. Vivienne s bedroom door had slid open. She
came out in nightgown and robe. The light gleamed on her tousled hair.
I thought I heard you talking, she said.
When d you get in? Trembecki asked.
Around midnight. I couldn t take any more. Besides, I d learned as much as I
probably would be able to.
Like what?
She took a cigarette from a box on the table and lit it before saying tonelessly:
I played the part of a gang boss, or rather the female partner of a gang boss, come
here for some gambling and so forth and, on the side, to make discreet inquiries
about possible business deals. A very natural thing; every place like this has
underworld connections, and with Zigger gone, others will want to take over his
territories. I got companionable with one or two of the girls who have been here long
enough to know quite a bit. And frankly, I flirted with the night manager, with an
implication that we might get still friendlier if he obliged me. What it boils down to
is that I found out who really owns the Zodiac.
Well?
An unregistered corporation of which the major stockholder, under a different
name, is one Carson Gannoway.
What? Koskinen leaped to his feet.
Trembecki was not surprised. I rather thought so, he said. This place is laid
out and operated so very conveniently for the Equals. Obviously, they don t want it
so much for a headquarters as a source of funds. Financing is the big problem of
every revolutionary organization.
Oh, no, no, no, Koskinen shuddered.
Decision sprang up in him, tight and cold. We re leaving, he said. Get
dressed, Vee.
Are you that shocked? she asked.
No, this only clinches the matter for him, Trembecki said. Go on, make
yourself ready. I ll explain meanwhile.
He did so, curtly. Koskinen paced the floor, back and forth, his palms and
armpits chill with sweat. Where to go? What to do? Was it possible to get back to
Abrams s home? Trembecki believed not, and he should know. Besides, to
compromise Leah was unthinkable.
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Wait...hadn t Vee once mentioned an upstate hideaway of Zigger s? Yes, he
remembered now. It should serve for a while, at least, give a breathing spell in
which they could think of something better. He .told Trembecki about it, and the
Pole agreed: We can probably get a cab yet, even if the alarm is out. If we take a
zigzag route, changing pretty often, I d say we have a fair chance of making it. Are
you ready, Vee? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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