Chapter 15

Ankor Jael  blinked at Mallow out of a haggard face.  The last two days hadbeen mad, sleepless ones.
"Mallow, you've  put on a beautiful show, so don't  spoil it by jumping toohigh. You  can't seriously consider running for  mayor. Mob enthusiasm is apowerful thing, but it's notoriously fickle.""Exactly!" said Mallow, grimly,  "so we must coddle it, and the best way todo that is to continue the show.""Now what?""You're to have Publis Manlio and Jorane Sutt arrested?
"What!""Just what you hear.  Have the mayor arrest them! I don't care what threatsyou use.  I control  the mob, 杅or today,  at any rate. He  won't dare facethem.""But on what charge, man?""On  the obvious  one. They've  been inciting  the priesthood of  the outerplanets to  take sides in the factional  quarrels of the Foundation. That'sillegal, by  Seldon. Charge them with 'endangering  the state.' And I don'tcare about  a conviction any more  than they did in  my case. Just get themout of circulation until I'm mayor.""It's half a year till election.""Not too  long!" Mallow was on his feet, and his  sudden grip of Jael's armwas tight. "Listen, I'd seize the government by force if I had to ?the waySalvor Hardin  did a  hundred years ago.  There's still that  Seldon crisiscoming up, and when it comes I have to be mayor and high priest. Both!"Jael's brow  furrowed. He  said, quietly, "What's  it going to  be? Korell,after all?"Mallow  nodded, "Of  course.  They'll declare  war, eventually,  though I'mbetting it'll take another pair of years.""With nuclear ships?""What  do you  think? Those  three merchant  ships we  lost in  their spacesector  weren't knocked  over  with compressed-air  pistols. Jael,  they'regetting ships from the  Empire itself. Don't open your mouth like a fool. Isaid the  Empire! It's still there,  you know. It many  be gone here in thePeriphery but  in the Galactic center  it's still very much  alive. And onefalse move means that  it, itself, may be on our neck. That's why I must bemayor and high priest. I'm the only man who knows how to fight the crisis."Jael swallowed dryly, "How? What are you going to do?""Nothing."Jael smiled uncertainly, "Really! All of that!"But Mallow's  answer was incisive,  "When I'm boss of  this Foundation, I'mgoing to do nothing. One hundred percent of nothing, and that is the secretof this crisis."