Mack Reynolds - Amazon Planet

“Confound it, shut up, Penthesileia,” the authoritive voice said. “Go back to this Section G organization, Hippo.”

The original inquisitor’s voice said, “What is Section G?”

“A department of the Bureau of Investigation of the Department of Justice.”

“But what is its purpose?”

“To help overthrow the politico-economic systems of planets on which progress is being held up by restrictive governments.”

There was a shocked hush. Someone muttered, “The rumors we heard were correct.”

“But that is in direct conflict with Articles One and Two of the United Planets Charter.”

Ronny Bronston said nothing.

“Were you sent to Amazonia to help the Sons of Liberty overthrow the present socioeconomic system.”

“No.”

“Why were you sent to Amazonia?”

“To investigate the situation and discover if the present socioeconomic system was holding up progress.”

“Have you come to any conclusion?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“That the present socioeconomic system is holding up progress by preventing half the population from utilizing its full abilities.”

“If you made this report, would Section G then take measures to subvert our government?”

“It is most probable.”

“Are there any other Section G operatives on Amazonia?”

“It is improbable. If there were, I would most likely have been informed.”

They squabbled some more in the background.

Finally the demanding voice came again. “Why does the Department of Justice concern itself with the internal affairs of member planets of United Planets?”

“It wishes to institute socioeconomic systems which will lead to the fastest progress of which the planet is capable.”

“Progress in which sense?”

“Scientific progress, industrial progress, progress in education, in freeing the individual from any restriction that prevents him from realizing his abilities.”

The voice had an impatient edge. “Why does the Department of Justice think it its business to force its version of progress upon sovereign member planets of UP?”

“It believes such progress is necessary to prepare the human race for its eventual confrontation with the aliens.”

“What aliens?”

“The intelligent aliens first discovered by the Space Forces over a century ago.”

“Discovered where ?”

“A space scout came upon a derelict which had obviously been crisped in an interplanetary fight. Its pilot was small but obviously intelligent. The craft was more sophisticated than any we are capable of building.”

“Why were not the member planets immediately informed of this?”

“The UP heads decided that the human race must go into all-out preparation for the eventual confrontation with the aliens. Even though the aliens may be peaceful, the stronger the human race the better bargaining position it will be in, whatever the issues that arise upon our two life forms meeting.”

The authoritive voice which had, thus far, done none of the questioning, said, “But why were the member planets not informed so that they could unite more strongly in the face of the mutual danger and thus progress together?”

“It was decided by the UP that a common danger does not necessarily unite the human race. The member planets include almost every race and color, socioeconomic system, religion and political governmental form that man has developed over the ages. Many of these, if not all, would reject progress if it threatened their institutions. For instance, a planet with a feudalistic social system would reject any attempts to have a system of free enterprise foisted upon it, no matter what such a change might mean in the way of progress. Another example is the early days of nuclear weapons on Earth. The whole world was faced with destruction, but that did not stop the rush toward war on the part of conflicting socioeconomic systems. Both sides would rather have pulled the whole race down, rather than give up its institutions. Better dead than red, was the slogan on one side, and the opposing side had slogans as strong or stronger. Mutual danger does not necessarily unite the race.”

The voice said musingly, “Then the Department of Justice and its cloak-and-dagger arm, Section G, does not believe that Amazonia would necessarily give up its own institutions in the face of a common danger to the race.”

It was not exactly a question. Ronny Bronston said nothing.

Somebody said, “We’ve already got more information than we need to bring this to the immediate attention of the Hippolyte.”

The authoritive voice rapped, “Put this man under tight guard. Everyone present in this room is to consider herself bound by top priority security. Under no circumstances can anything revealed here be spread. Is that clear?”

There were murmers of earnest assent.

Ronny felt himself being lifted, mattress, arm, leg and head clamps and all from the table onto a hospital operating room cart. He still stared at the ceiling, uncaringly.

He felt himself pushed through the door into the corridor. He could sense the warriors about him, but didn’t care their number or where they were taking him.

They were taking him to what seemed a very ordinary hospital room. He was lifted from the cart and placed on a bed.

“Should we undress him and put him under the sheets?” one of the guards said.

“Why?” another said impatiently. “This boy isn’t going to do any sleeping for a good long while. If you ask me, the Hippolyte, the full council and half the scientists in Paphlagonia will be ripping over here within the half hour. Then they’ll have our boy here stuck like a pin cushion with more Scop and Come-Along. He’ll be lucky if they take time out in the next forty-eight hours to give him some nourishment.”

“We shouldn’t be talking in front of him.”

“Why not?”

“Well, we shouldn’t.”

“He’s not going to repeat anything to anybody.”

“How do you know? Did you hear what Marpesia called him? The triggerman of Sidney Jakes. Maybe he doesn’t look like much, but that Section G sounds like a rugged outfit and he’s evidently one of their top trouble-shooters.”

“So what?”

“So we shouldn’t talk in front of him. Some day he might get away from us, or be freed for one reason or the other.”

The other snorted contempt of that opinion.

“Well, let’s go out in the hall and talk. I’m bursting with all this. I’ve got to discuss it with somebody.”

“Leave him here alone?”

“In the name of Artimis, what could possibly happen to him? He’s got clamps an elephant couldn’t break. Besides that, he’s full of Come-Along and Scop, and neither will wear off for hours, He’ll obey anybody’s orders until the stuff wears off.”

A face bent over him.

“Ronald Bronston, don’t you move from this bed, understand?”

“Yes.”

He heard the door open and close and assumed he was alone. He had spilled enough of the inner workings of Section G and the ultimate purpose of United Planets to tear down the work of tens of thousands of dedicated men.

There was small comfort in the fact that as yet they hadn’t quite drained him of the secrets his mind held. For one thing, they’d got an inadequate picture of the threat of the aliens. They hadn’t asked enough questions to bring out all the ramifications. However, there was no reason to believe that in the immediate future he wouldn’t spill every bean.

He had no doubts whatsoever that within days Amazonia would broadcast his revelations. Then every member planet in the confederation which feared interference with its institutions would drop away from United Planets. The work of centuries would be ended within within weeks. And all because of Ronald Bronston.