Chapter Seven

 

 

The Global Alliance had it headquarters in the convention hall multi-block on the ground level of Megalopolis One. Also here were the courts, the offices of the elected of the megalopolises, the boardrooms of committees set up to study problems on the planet, the departments that oversaw the land and fish farms and the forests, the science laboratories, and various other sections of the governing bodies.

Gwin stepped off the commute-train in front of the multi-block. She went through the archway and once in the centre area looked up at the sixth floor windows of Mikk’s laboratory. She’d hoped to have lunch with him today but he’d said he’d be too busy.

She walked to the auditorium where the Assembly of the Global Alliance was to be held. Outside, protestors who were holding signs and chanting, stopped her. As they paced in front of her, she read:

Save our Prisoners!

Stop the Banishment!

Reform Rather Than Remove!

When there was an opening she rushed through, up the steps, and into the building. She paused at the side doorway of the meeting room and scanned the audience in the raised rows of seats. They were representatives from various groups with concerns on the topics to be discussed, and most of them were reading a report made of several metal sheets which she could see had been placed on each seat. She saw Royd sitting in the third row. She was almost at the row when she recognized the person next to him. He was from the Taproom on Pidleon. She hesitated but Royd had seen her. Gwin picked up the report and sat.

They exchanged greetings and when Royd didn’t introduce her to his companion, Gwin opened the report titled Habitable Planets by Exploratory Captain Royd. She thumbed through it remembering the statistics on each of the five planets they had found. When she reached the fifth one and read the recommendations Royd had made on it, she grimaced.

“Something wrong?” Royd asked.

“I guess I was just hoping you wouldn’t have singled out this one so much.”

“Why not? It is the best of the five.”

“I know but it’s so beautiful. Why can’t we just leave it alone?”

“It was our job to check the planets and give a detailed report. The ultimate choice of the planet isn’t ours.”

“Will the meeting please come to order,” the moderator called.

He stood at a podium on one end of the stage in front of the audience. Beside him, the men and women leaders of the Global Alliance sat in order of rank. Leader One, the lowest in status, was on the far left with Leader Nine on the far right. Each wore a red robe and faced the audience, ready to listen to their opinions.

The moderator banged the tapper again. “Will this meeting please come to order.”

Slowly, silence descended on the large room as everyone turned to the speaker.

“We have a long agenda,” he began. “So I advise that we quickly begin this first day of the last tri annual assembly of the Global Alliance for the year.” He looked at the audience and when no one objected, he continued. “First, the city manager of Megalopolis Three would like to apply for a permit to begin construction on a fifth down level.”

The moderator stepped back as the city manager of Megalopolis Three climbed the podium and began speaking.

A fifth level down, Gwin thought. It would be the first in any of the megalopolises. She listened as the city manager explained that within the six years it would take to complete the fifth level down there would be the beginning of a housing shortage in Megalopolis Three. He wanted to prevent that from happening.

“What are your thoughts?” the moderator asked the Leaders.

“Since we have decided to expand into the Fringes rather than continue to build up or down, I think the request should be tabled until the prisoner relocation has taken place,” Leader Nine said.

The other Leaders nodded in agreement.

This was the first assembly that Gwin had attended and she listened attentively to an application to begin organizing a celebration for the three hundredth anniversary of the Great Change and a request to add another distance train to the two already operating at Megalopolis Two. More trains were needed for the country visits to farms. Both were approved.

“It’s now lunch time,” the moderator said, looking at his watch. “We will adjourn for an hour.”

When Mikk couldn’t have lunch with her, Gwin had thought maybe Royd would, but after a brief smile and nod he left with the Pidleonian. Gwin followed the signs to the cafeteria and ordered a bowl of soup. She sat at a table in the corner and when the hour was up returned to her seat.

There were three more items on the agenda to be taken care of before the moderator announced. “And now we come to the results of search for a planet for the Prisoner Relocation Program. I’d like to present Exploratory Captain Royd who was in charge of finding such a planet. Each one of you should have a report on his findings.”

Royd stood and walked to the podium. He cleared his throat. “Before my companion and I started our journey, we went over all the data we could find on previously explored planets that weren’t already inhabited. None of them gave us the right combination of air, water and soil, so we selected five, as yet, unexplored ones. On each of them we ran through our tests. Two planets were totally unsuitable, two came close to meeting our needs, but the fifth one was almost an exact copy of what we know ours was like hundreds of years ago. That would be the last planet in the report.”

A few moments passed as everyone flipped to the last section and read the findings.

“It’s a lot further than the other two planets,” Leader Three pointed out.

“That’s true,” Royd nodded. “But when you look at the better growing conditions, it makes sense to travel that extra distance.”

“Travelling that extra distance also means more expense. I think we’ve already spent enough on our prisoners.”

“That money should be spent on providing them with a better life here,” a woman shouted in the audience behind Gwin. There was a smattering of applause from the people around her. Gwin turned to see the group of protestors seated a few rows up.

The moderator banged his gavel. “There will be no outbursts from the audience. If you have something to say, wait until discussion time.” He turned to Royd, who continued.

“Travel to that one will be easy,” Royd said. “There are two inhabited planets on the way where the fleet can fuel up and purchase supplies. I believe a colony’s best chance would be on that one.”

“Does anyone have anything to say on this matter?” The moderator asked the audience.

The protestor stood. “I am Lizz and I represent the Association for the Ethical Treatment of Prisoners. We believe that they should be given a chance to become contributing members of our society again.”

“We discussed that at the last meeting,” Leader Five said. “It has been tried before and has failed. Plus the poll taken shows that most of the residents on the megalopolises don’t want the prisoners returned to commit crimes again.”

“But some of their crimes are minor. A university student stealing food to live gets sent to the Fringe. Then, when he tries to get back in to see his family, he is sentenced to the space prisons. Banishing him to a distant planet is punishment that hardly fits his crime.”

“I think that we have gotten away from the subject,” the moderator said. “We’re discussing the suitability of a planet for our convicts, not their punishment.”

“They know nothing about survival.”

“Since the decision was made to look for a planet, scientists have been devising tools for them,” the moderator said. “They have also drawn plans for shelters, gathered seeds for planting, and chosen the types of animals to send. Plus, there will be farmers and builders and other craftspeople to teach them how to look after themselves.”

“This is the only solution to our planet’s problems,” Leader Eight said. “The prisons are too full and it is costing us too much money to feed them. I don’t imagine they are very happy in the cramped ships. It is for their own good, as well was ours, that we send them somewhere where they have to take responsibility for themselves.”

“You are treating them like the animals of this planet that were killed so we could survive.”

“We are not killing them. We are merely providing them with a place so they can build a new life for themselves.”

“How long do you plan to send them for?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, is there any hope for them to come back in a year or five years? Are you giving them something to work towards, like the knowledge that if they are good they will be able to return home?”

The Leaders looked at each other. “We’ve been discussing that,” Leader Nine replied. “And we’ve decided that if they conduct themselves in an admirable fashion and prove to be productive members of the society set up there, than they can apply for to return home after their original sentences are up.”

“Their sentences? That’s no incentive.”

“They have to prove themselves again.”

Gwin shuddered. A long ways out in space there was a serene planet whose destiny was about to be changed. Without warning, anger bubbled up in her. Anger that a few people in this room were so carelessly deciding its future.

She stood. “I’d like to object to sending the prisoners to that planet.”

There was a sharp intake of breath from the Pidleonian. She saw the look of astonishment on Royd’s face. She heard the clapping from the Association for the Ethical Treatment of Prisoners group.

“Who are you?” the Moderator asked.

“I am Exploratory Officer Gwin. I was with Exploratory Captain Royd on the probe.”

“And why do you object?”

Gwin hesitated. She could feel the Pidleonian glaring at her. She saw the anger on Royd’s face. She turned to the puzzled faces at the table. How was she going to convince them with just words?

“It’s too lovely a place for us to spoil,” Gwin began. “It’s like our planet must have been before we overran it. Forests full of different plants, clear running rivers, animals, large open plains, a sun that you don’t have to be afraid of.” She spread her hands, appealing to them to understand. “It’s just so hard to describe the beauty, the peacefulness, the quiet.”

“And you think that just because it’s a pretty place, we shouldn’t go there?” Leader Six asked.

“There’s more to what I’m trying to say than that. It’s an untouched planet. I don’t think any other spaceship has landed there and I don’t think the planet’s evolution has been disturbed. If we go there, it will be. I know our history and we had pretty much destroyed this planet with our unrestrained consumption of land, water, and natural resources even before the asteroid hit us. We shouldn’t ruin another.”

“So which planet do you recommend?”

Gwin felt a glimmer of hope. “Either of the other two that could support our species.”

“And what’s the difference between them and this other planet you seem to be so fond of? Why are you willing to sacrifice one of them?”

“I think the question is, why is that planet more important than our convicts?” Lizz interrupted. “Why does she want to send the prisoners to a second rate planet where their chance of survival is not as good?”

“Yes. Why?” her group chanted. “Why? Why? Why?”

Gwin remained silent. It was no use trying to answer any of the questions until the chanting ended. The moderator banged the tapper. The room grew quiet again. “It appears our time for today is up. We will have to resume this discussion tomorrow.”

Leader Six stood. “Before anyone goes, I want to make the comment that we are not out to change the natural development of another planet. If Exploratory Officer Gwin thinks that sending our convicts to that planet would be detrimental to its evolution, then I want to hear her reasons.” She looked at Gwin. “I am looking forward to listening to your arguments tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you,” Gwin said.

The moderator banged the tapper and the meeting was over. Gwin noticed the Pidleonian gesturing to Royd as she sat down on shaky legs. The excitement of the moment was over and with that came the realization of what she had done. She was not only surprised at her own boldness in speaking up, but also that someone actually wanted to hear her opinions.

 

* * *

 

“We can’t let her speak tomorrow,” Zudo whispered angrily to Royd.

“I made some very good points in the report on why that planet is the best. I don’t think she’ll be able to persuade the assembly to vote for a different one,” Royd replied.

“We can’t take that chance. Our future prosperity depends on them picking that planet. She has to be stopped.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Royd followed Gwin out of the room. He grabbed hold of her arm. “What was that about?”

“I felt I had to say something,” Gwin said, shaking her arm loose.

“Why? What does it matter? It’s just another planet.”

Gwin shrugged. “I don’t expect you to agree with me and maybe it is just another planet, but there is life on it whose course we are going to alter.”

“But we didn’t see any signs of intelligent life.”

“I saw that being on the edge of the forest as we were leaving. It was standing upright like we do.”

Royd watched the Pidleonian walk up to them. He saw the anger on his face replaced by a pleasant smile. When Zudo was beside them, he introduced Gwin.

“Would you like to have a drink with us and discuss this?” Zudo asked. His voice was soft and controlled.

Gwin’s lip curled as she answered. “No, thank you.”

“I think we should talk some more,” Royd said. “This is a very important subject.”

“I don’t have time,” Gwin said. “I’m going to the Hub with a friend tonight.” She walked away.

“She’s going to the Hub tonight,” Zudo said watching her go out the front door. “I know some people there and I’ll arrange for something to happen.”

“Something? What do you mean, something?”

“Something that will shut her up.”

“You mean, kill her?”

“I don’t see any other solution.”

“You can’t do that!” Killing someone had never been part of Royd’s plans.

“Why can’t I?”

“Because she’s … because I’ve known her….”

“Aren’t you the one who wants to get back at the Space Organization for not promoting you?”

“Yes.”

“And aren’t you the one who wants to retire early but can’t on what you are making now?”

“Yes.”

“And aren’t you the one who approached me with a plan so you could do both?”

“Yes, but no one was supposed to get killed.”

“It’s a little late to worry about that now. Besides, are you ready to throw away all our plans and your future because of her?”

“No, but….”

“But what?”

“Isn’t there another way?”

“What do you suggest then?”

“Well, she did tell me one time that she would like to holiday on that planet.”

“That would be taking a big chance.”

“I know, but I don’t like the idea of killing her.”

“Okay. I’ll see what my acquaintances can do. But you’re going to owe me for it.”

 

* * *

 

As she left the room, Gwin began planning her speech, the speech she hoped would convince the Assembly to leave her planet alone. Outside the auditorium the protestors waited. As each leader came out they shouted their slogan at him or her.

“Reform Rather Than Remove!”

“Reform Rather Than Remove!”

When Gwin came out Lizz went up to her. “For a while there, I thought you were on our side, but I see that a planet is more important to you than our convicts.”

Gwin turned away, but Lizz stepped in front of her. ““Why don’t you want to give the prisoners a fair chance?”

“I thought you didn’t want them sent anywhere.”

Lizz shrugged. “We’re not stupid enough to think that the Leaders would consider anything we say. They’d already made up their minds to send them to another planet when they sent you out. We just want them to know that there are still people who have the guts to oppose their decisions.”

“Well, I admire you for that.”

“But since you’ve spoken, we have to change our stand.”

“Why?”

“Because we have to make sure the prisoners are sent to the best possible planet so they will survive. And that seems to be the one you like.”

“They’d survive on one of the other two mentioned in the report.”

“Not as well.”

“Why do you care?”

Lizz hesitated. “My sister is on one of the orbiting prisons.”

“I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. “Well, she deserves to be there. It’s just that I hate to think of her being sent so far away.”

“There’s nothing I can do about that.”

“You can give her and the others the best chance by not showing up tomorrow.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“I wish you would think it over.”