Inferno: A Chronicle of a Distant World (The Galactic Comedy) by Mike Resnick Page A
Book: Inferno: A Chronicle of a Distant World (The Galactic Comedy) by Mike Resnick
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Authors: Mike Resnick
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was a visionary, capable of great things. The only difference between us is that he was hounded to his death, while in this enlightened age I have been elected the president of my planet." Labu grinned again. "I realize that you are moved to silence by this act of brotherhood, but this should be a joyous occasion. The spirit of Conrad Bland lives again."
He nodded to the leader of his soldiers, who barked a command, and this time all but three men and a woman got to their feet and cheered unenthusiastically. The four who remained seated were immediately taken away by the soldiers, and Cartright lost sight of them.
Shortly thereafter, Labu's vehicle carried him away, the soldiers moved the humans back onto their buses, and things slowly went back to normal. The moles began returning to their shops, a few Men went about their business, jasons crowded around the statue and read the inscription at its base.
"He's insane!" said Cartright, sitting back down on the floor. "He's absolutely certifiable."
"No, my friend," answered Oglipsi. "He is not insane, and if you hope to oppose him, you must understand that."
"You think his actions are those of a rational being?" demanded Cartright.
"His actions are those of a barbarian, which indeed he is," answered Oglipsi, "but not a mad barbarian, which he is not. He calculates every move very carefully. Never forget that, friend Arthur."
"Just what kind of calculation goes into erecting a statue of Conrad Bland?" asked Cartright.
"It is obvious that Labu wants all Men to leave the planet. Most of them have already left Faligor, but a few thousand diehards like yourself remain. If he starts slaughtering you, he is afraid that the Republic will come here in force—and while they may not help the jasons, or reappropriate the human property that was stolen, there is every likelihood that a widespread massacre of humans will indeed bring the Navy here." Oglipsi paused. "So what does he do? He unveils a statue of the greatest killer in history and claims that it is his hero. There are twelve thousand humans currently on Faligor. How many do you think will be here next week?"
"I see your point," said Cartright.
"I do not think you see it in its entirety," said Oglipsi.
"What do you mean?"
"I told you: he has a reason for everything he does."
"I know. And the reason he put up the statue was to encourage humans to leave the planet."
"You are missing the point."
"I am?"
"This is a barbarian, brought up to hate not just the Enkoti, but all tribes that are not his own. Why do you think he wants all Men to leave the planet?"
Cartright simply stared at Oglipsi.
"Yes," said the jason. "The worst is yet to come."
11.
Cartright was dreaming that he was a child again, going fishing with his father on a clear blue lake, when he became aware of an insistent prodding. He moaned, tried to roll over, and pulled his blanket over himself, but the prodding became harder, and suddenly he sat up.
"You!" said a uniformed jason who had been poking him with the barrel of a sonic rifle. "Up!"
The jason turned to Oglipsi, who was huddled in a corner of the cell. "You too!"
The two of them, terrified, got to their feet, and were half-marched, half-dragged down a corridor to a staircase. They descended to ground level, and were taken to a small room where Cartright was sure they were to be tortured and killed. Instead, they were met by an overweight jason in a colonel's uniform who sat behind a scarred, battered desk.
"Arthur Cartright, Reverend James Oglipsi, all charges against you have been dropped and you are free to leave," announced the colonel.
For just an instant Cartright thought that Labu had been overthrown, but a glance through the window assured him that the military was still going about its business.
"I thank you," Oglipsi said.
"Do not thank me. If I had my way, you would have been executed the day you arrived. You owe your gratitude to the ruler you have so unfairly
He nodded to the leader of his soldiers, who barked a command, and this time all but three men and a woman got to their feet and cheered unenthusiastically. The four who remained seated were immediately taken away by the soldiers, and Cartright lost sight of them.
Shortly thereafter, Labu's vehicle carried him away, the soldiers moved the humans back onto their buses, and things slowly went back to normal. The moles began returning to their shops, a few Men went about their business, jasons crowded around the statue and read the inscription at its base.
"He's insane!" said Cartright, sitting back down on the floor. "He's absolutely certifiable."
"No, my friend," answered Oglipsi. "He is not insane, and if you hope to oppose him, you must understand that."
"You think his actions are those of a rational being?" demanded Cartright.
"His actions are those of a barbarian, which indeed he is," answered Oglipsi, "but not a mad barbarian, which he is not. He calculates every move very carefully. Never forget that, friend Arthur."
"Just what kind of calculation goes into erecting a statue of Conrad Bland?" asked Cartright.
"It is obvious that Labu wants all Men to leave the planet. Most of them have already left Faligor, but a few thousand diehards like yourself remain. If he starts slaughtering you, he is afraid that the Republic will come here in force—and while they may not help the jasons, or reappropriate the human property that was stolen, there is every likelihood that a widespread massacre of humans will indeed bring the Navy here." Oglipsi paused. "So what does he do? He unveils a statue of the greatest killer in history and claims that it is his hero. There are twelve thousand humans currently on Faligor. How many do you think will be here next week?"
"I see your point," said Cartright.
"I do not think you see it in its entirety," said Oglipsi.
"What do you mean?"
"I told you: he has a reason for everything he does."
"I know. And the reason he put up the statue was to encourage humans to leave the planet."
"You are missing the point."
"I am?"
"This is a barbarian, brought up to hate not just the Enkoti, but all tribes that are not his own. Why do you think he wants all Men to leave the planet?"
Cartright simply stared at Oglipsi.
"Yes," said the jason. "The worst is yet to come."
11.
Cartright was dreaming that he was a child again, going fishing with his father on a clear blue lake, when he became aware of an insistent prodding. He moaned, tried to roll over, and pulled his blanket over himself, but the prodding became harder, and suddenly he sat up.
"You!" said a uniformed jason who had been poking him with the barrel of a sonic rifle. "Up!"
The jason turned to Oglipsi, who was huddled in a corner of the cell. "You too!"
The two of them, terrified, got to their feet, and were half-marched, half-dragged down a corridor to a staircase. They descended to ground level, and were taken to a small room where Cartright was sure they were to be tortured and killed. Instead, they were met by an overweight jason in a colonel's uniform who sat behind a scarred, battered desk.
"Arthur Cartright, Reverend James Oglipsi, all charges against you have been dropped and you are free to leave," announced the colonel.
For just an instant Cartright thought that Labu had been overthrown, but a glance through the window assured him that the military was still going about its business.
"I thank you," Oglipsi said.
"Do not thank me. If I had my way, you would have been executed the day you arrived. You owe your gratitude to the ruler you have so unfairly
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