Chapter 5

Commdor Asper  was a man of the  people, by self-acclamation. His remainingback-fringe of gray hair  drooped limply to his shoulders, his shirt neededlaundering, and he spoke with a snuffle.
"There is no ostentation  here, Trader Mallow," he said. "No false show. Inme,  you see  merely the first  citizen of  the state. That's  what Commdormeans, and that's the only title I have."He seemed inordinately pleased  with it all, "in fact, I consider that factone of the strongest bonds between Korell and your nation. I understand youpeople enjoy the republican blessings we do.""Exactly,  Commdor," said  Mallow gravely,  taking mental exception  to thecomparison, "an  argument which  I consider strongly in  favor of continuedpeace and friendship between our governments.""Peace! Ah!"  The Commdor's  sparse gray beard twitched  to the sentimentalgrimaces of  his face. "I don't think there is  anyone in the Periphery whohas so near  his heart the ideal of Peace, as I  have. I can truthfully saythat  since I  succeeded  my illustrious  father to  the leadership  of thestate, the  reign of Peace has  never been broken. Perhaps  I shouldn't sayit"  杊e  coughed  gently? "but I   have  been  told  that  my people,  myfellow-citizens   rather,   know    me   as   Asper,   the   Well-Beloved."Mallow's eyes wandered over  the well-kept garden. Perhaps the tall men andthe  strangely-designed  but   openly-vicious  weapons  they  carried  justhappened to be lurking  in odd comers as a precaution against himself. Thatwould be  understandable. But the lofty,  steel-girdered walls that circledthe  place had quite  obviously been  recently strengthened ? an unfittingoccupation for such a Well-Beloved Asper.
He said,  "It is fortunate that I have you to  deal with then, Commdor. Thedespots and  monarchs of  surrounding worlds, which haven't  the benefit ofenlightened  administration, often  lack  the qualities  that would  make aruler well-beloved.""Such as?" There was a cautious note in the Commdor's voice.
"Such  as a concern  for the best  interests of  their people, You,  on theother hand, would understand,"The Commdor kept his  eyes on the gravel path as they walked leisurely, Hishands caressed each other behind his back.
Mallow  went on  smoothly, "Up to  now, trade  between our two  nations hassuffered  because  of the  restrictions  placed  upon our  traders by  yourgovernment. Surely, it has  long been evident to you that unlimited trade?
"Free Trade!" mumbled the Commdor.
"Free Trade, then. You  must see that it would be of benefit to both of us.
There are  things you have that we want, and things  we have that you want.
It  asks only  an exchange  to bring  increased prosperity.  An enlightenedruler such as yourself,  a friend of the people ?I might  say, a member ofthe  people ? needs  no elaboration  on that  theme.  I won't  insult yourintelligence by offering any.""True! I  have seen  this. But what  would you?" His voice  was a plaintivewhine. "Your people have  always been so unreasonable. I am in favor of allthe trade  our economy  can support, but not  on your terms. I  am not solemaster here." His voice  rose, "I am only the servant of public opinion. Mypeople will not take commerce which carries with it a compulsory religion."Mallow drew himself up, "A compulsory religion?""So it  has always been in  effect. Surely you remember  the case of Askonetwenty years  ago. First  they were sold  some of your goods  and then yourpeople asked  for complete freedom  of missionary effort in  order that thegoods might  be run properly; that  Temples of Health be  set up. There wasthen  the establishment  of  religious schools;  autonomous rights  for allofficers of  the religion and with  what result? Askone is  now an integralmember  of the  Foundation's system  and the  Grand Master cannot  call hisunderwear his  own. Oh,  no! Oh, no!  The dignity of  an independent peoplecould never suffer it.""None  of what  you speak  is at  all what  I suggest,"  interposed Mallow.
"No?""No.  I'm a Master  Trader. Money is  my  religion. All this  mysticism andhocus-pocus  of the  missionaries  annoy me,  and  I'm glad  you refuse  tocountenance it. It makes you more my type of man."The Commdor's laugh was  high-pitched and jerky, "Well said! The Foundationshould have sent a man of your caliber before this."He laid  a friendly hand upon the trader's  bulking shoulder, "But man, youhave told me only half. You have told me what the catch is not. Now tell mewhat it is.""The  only catch,  Commdor, is  that you're  going to  be burdened  with animmense quantity of riches.""Indeed?" he snuffled. "But what could I want with riches? The true wealthis the love of one's people. I have that.""You can  have both,  for it is possible  to gather gold with  one hand andlove with the other.""Now that,  my young  man, would be  an interesting phenomenon,  if it werepossible. How would you go about it?""Oh, in a number of ways. The difficulty is choosing among them. Let's see.
Well,   luxury    items,   for   instance.   This    object   here,   now?
Mallow drew gently out  of an inner pocket a flat, linked chain of polishedmetal. "This, for instance.""What is it?""That's got to be  demonstrated. Can you get a woman? Any young female willdo. And a mirror, full length.""Hm-mmm. Let's get indoors, then."The  Commdor  referred to  his  dwelling  place as  a  house. The  populaceundoubtedly would  call it  a palace. To Mallow's  straightforward eyes, itlooked  uncommonly  like a  fortress.  it  was built  on  an eminence  thatoverlooked the capital. Its walls were thick and reinforced. Its approacheswere guarded, and its architecture was shaped for defense. Just the type ofdwelling,   Mallow   thought   sourly,   for   Asper,   the   Well-Beloved.
A young girl was  before them. She bent low to the Commdor, who said, "Thisis one of the Commdora's girls. Will she do?""Perfectly!"The  Commdor watched  carefully while  Mallow snapped  the chain  about thegirl's waist, and stepped back.
The Commdor snuffled, "Well. Is that all?""Will you draw the curtain, Commdor. Young lady, there's a little knob justnear the  snap. Will  you move it  upward, please? Go ahead,  it won't hurtyou."The  girl did so,  drew a sharp  breath, looked  at her hands,  and gasped,"Oh!"From  her  waist  as  a  source  she  was  drowned  in  a  pale,  streamingluminescence of shifting color that drew itself over her head in a flashingcoronet of  liquid fire. It was  as if someone had  tom the aurora borealisout of the sky and molded it into a cloak.
The girl stepped to the mirror and stared, fascinated.
"Here, take  this." Mallow handed her  a necklace of dull  pebbles. "Put itaround your neck."The  girl did  so, and  each pebble,  as it  entered the  luminescent fieldbecame an  individual flame that  leaped and sparkled in  crimson and gold.
"What do  you think  of it?" Mallow  asked her. The girl  didn't answer butthere was adoration in  her eyes. The Commdor gestured and reluctantly, shepushed  the knob  down,  and the  glory died.  She  left ? with  a memory.
"It's yours, Commdor," said  Mallow, "for the Commdora. Consider it a smallgift from the Foundation.""Hm-mmm.'  The Commdor  turned the belt  and necklace  over in his  hand asthough calculating the weight. "How is it done?"Mallow shrugged, "That's a  question for our technical experts. But it willwork   for  you   without   ? mark   you,    without  ?  priestly  help.""Well, it's  only feminine frippery after  all. What could you  do with it?
Where would the money come in?""You   have   balls,  receptions,   banquets   ? that   sort  of   thing?""Oh, yes.""Do you realize what  women will pay for that sort of jewelry? Ten thousandcredits, at least."The Commdor seemed struck in a heap, "Ah!""And since the power unit of this particular item will not last longer thansix months,  there will be  the necessity of frequent  replacements. Now wecan sell as many of these as you want for the equivalent in wrought iron ofone  thousand  credits.  There's  nine  hundred percent  profit  for  you."The  Commdor plucked  at  his beard  and seemed  engaged in  awesome mentalcalculations, "Galaxy, how they  would fight for them. I'll keep the supplysmall and let  them bid. Of course, it wouldn't do to  let them know that Ipersonally?
Mallow said,  "We can  explain the workings  of dummy corporations,  if youwould like.  朤hen, working  further at random,  take our complete  line ofhousehold gadgets. We have  collapsible stoves that will roast the toughestmeats to the desired tenderness in two minutes. We've got knives that won'trequire sharpening. We've got the equivalent of a complete laundry that canbe packed  in a  small closet and  will work entirely  automatically. Dittodish-washers.    Ditto-ditto    floor-scrubbers,    furniture    polishers,dust-precipitators,  lighting fixtures  ?oh,  anything you like.  Think ofyour increased popularity,  if you make them available to the public. Thinkof your increased quantity of, uh, worldly goods, if they're available as agovernment monopoly  at nine hundred percent profit.  It will be worth manytimes the  money to them, and  they needn't know what  you pay for it. And,mind you,  none of it will require  priestly supervision. Everybody will behappy.""Except you, it seems. What do you get out of it?""Just what  every trader gets by Foundation law. My  men and I will collecthalf of whatever  profits we take in. Just you buy all  I want to sell you,and we'll both make out quite well. Quite well."The Commdor  was enjoying his thoughts, "What did you  say you wanted to bepaid with? Iron?""That, and  coal, and  bauxite. Also tobacco,  pepper, magnesium, hardwood.
Nothing you haven't got enough of.""It sounds well.""I think so. Oh,  and still another item at random, Commdor. I could retoolyour factories.""Eh? How's that?""Well, take your steel foundries. I have handy little gadgets that could dotricks  with  steel that  would  cut  production costs  to  one percent  ofprevious marks. You could cut prices by half, and still split extremely fatprofits with the manufacturers. I tell you, I could show you exactly what Imean, if  you allowed  me a demonstration.  Do you have a  steel foundry inthis city? It wouldn't take long.""It  could be arranged,  Trader Mallow.  But tomorrow, tomorrow.  Would youdine with us tonight?""My men? began Mallow.
"Let them  all come,"  said the Commdor, expansively.  "A symbolic friendlyunion  of  our nations.  It  will give  us  a chance  for further  friendlydiscussion. But  one thing,"  his face lengthened  and grew stem,  "none ofyour  religion. Don't  think that  all this  is an  entering wedge  for themissionaries.""Commdor," said Mallow, dryly,  "I give you my word that religion would cutmy profits.""Then  that  will do  for  now.  You'll be  escorted  back  to your  ship."