Free Planet in Peril by John Christopher Page B

never been considered.”
    Dinkuhl murmured: ‘1 wonder if the fact that the other managerials keep Interplanetary’s vital supplies on rather a hand-to-mouth basis could have anything to do with that?”
    Ellecott ignored him. “We have long been perturbed by the trend of events, and we propose to use our influence to change them. But the immediate and urgent problem is the question of the diamond solar power-source. This can be used as a small portable but very powerful battery, as you know. It can also be used as a weapon, with some minor modifications. There are some managerials who would misuse such a power source and such a weapon. One of those may have either Humayun or Sara Koupal , or both. We need your help, Official Grayner , to enable us to keep abreast of this other, or others. With your help, we can maintain peace. Without it, there is the prospect of a confused and barbarous civil war, and perhaps at last of tyranny. As far as your future status is concerned, it is proposed to confirm you as a Director of this managerial, and a member of the Board. You will be given a free hand in your work, in the first place on Luna City but before too long, we hope, under your own choice of conditions here on Ear th . Once the present crisis has been got under control you will be in charge of scientific development—and it is inevitable, you understand, that Interplanetary will have risen to a commanding position among managerials by that time. I think our offer is a fair one, and not unattractive. I hope you will agree to accept it.”
    "And if I don’t?”
    Ellecott smiled. "As an academic point, we’ll consider that. You will still go to Luna City, of course, because in addition to our major concern of having you work for us, there is the minor concern of making sure you don’t work for anyone else.”
    They didn’t know where Sara was. Doubtless they would promise to get her if he were to co-operate; but they would be putting all their effort into the search for her and Humayun anyway, for their own purposes.
    Charles hesitated. Presumably it was always a good principle to stall an unpromising situation. “Any reason why I shouldn’t have time to consider things?”
    “As long as you like,” Ellecott said. He lifted his finger and looked at it. “Purely as a point of information, this ship blasts in three hours. But of course you will have the whole time of the journey to the Moon in which to think things over.”
    It was Ellecott’s blandness as much as anything else which irritated Charles. They were not going to be budged from the path they had laid out for themselves. And they were certain that, in the end, he would come round.
    He said curtly: “Never mind. I don’t need time. The answer is no. I don’t care for being forced into a membership.”
    Ellecott shook his head and shifted his glance. “ Dinkuhl ,” he said “if I were you I should occupy the next few days in using your well-known arts of persuasion on your friend here. For both your sakes.”
    “If you were me,” Dinkuhl said pleasantly, “you would spit in your eye, given the opportunity.”
    Ellecott was undisturbed, and said: “I propose leaving you alone now. You will be under surveillance, either by me or one of my assistants. You will have food and drink sent along shortly. Anything else?”
    Charles patted the fuller cheeks which he now had. “There seems little point in my continuing to look like someone else. Can you send the fixings for Hiram to get these off me, and wash my hair back to normal?”
    Ellecott laughed briefly, his voice rising approximately an octave when he did so.
    “We’ll have it done for you; we have a good cosmetics staff. I’ll send an escort to pick you up." He smiled. “This arrangement is permanent.”
    When Charles got back from having his make-up removed, Dinkuhl was watching TV. He switched the sound off, but left the pictures flickering on the wall.
    Charles looked at his finger-watch.