Galactic Diplomat by Keith Laumer Read Free Book Online Page B

This should simplify the
meeting in the morning.”
    “Yes,” Magnan said. “Yes, indeed. I think this makes
everything very simple . . .”
    At
0845 Greenwich, Retief stepped into the outer office of the consular suite.
    “ . . . fantastic configuration,”
Leatherwell’s bass voice rumbled, “covering literally acres. My xeno-geologists
are somewhat confused by the formations. They had only a few hours to examine
the site; but it’s clear from the extent of the surface indications that we
have a very rich find here; very rich, indeed. Beside it, 95739-A dwindles into
significance. Very fast thinking on your part, Mr. Consul, to bring the matter
to my attention.”
    “Not at all, Mr. Leatherwell. After all—”
    “Our tentative theory is that the basic crystal fragment
encountered the core material at some time, and gathered it in. Since we had
been working on—that is, had landed to take samples on the other side of the
body, this anomalous deposit escaped our attention completely—”
    Retief stepped into the room.
    “Good
morning, gentlemen. Has Mr. Mancziewicz arrived?”
    “Mr. Mancziewicz is under restraint by the Navy. I’ve had a
call to the effect that he’d be escorted here.”
    “Arrested, eh?” Leatherwell nodded. “I told you these people
were an irresponsible group. In a way it seems a pity to waste a piece of
property like 95739-A on them . . .”
    “I understood General Minerals was claiming that rock,”
Retief said, looking surprised.
    Leatherwell
and Magnan exchanged glances. “Ah, GM has decided to drop all claim to the
body,” Leatherwell said. “As always, we wish to encourage enterprise on the
part of the small operators. Let them keep the property. After all, GM has
other deposits well worth exploiting.” He smiled complacently.
    “What about 2645-P? You’ve offered it to the Sam’s group—”
    “That offer is naturally withdrawn!” Leatherwell snapped.
    “I don’t see how you can withdraw the offer,” Retief said.
“It’s been officially recorded; it’s a bona fide contract, binding on General
Minerals, subject to—”
    “Out
of the goodness of our corporate heart,” Leatherwell roared, “we’ve offered to
relinquish our claim—our legitimate, rightful claim—to asteroid 2645-P; and you
have the infernal gall to spout legal technicalities! I have half a mind to
withdraw my offer to withdraw!”
    “Actually,” Magnan put in, eyeing a corner of the room, “I’m
not at all sure I could turn up the record of the offer of 2645-P. I noted it
down on a bit of scratch paper—”
    “That’s all right,” Retief said, “I had my pocket recorder
going. I sealed the record and deposited it in the consular archives.”
    There was a clatter of feet outside. Miss Gumble’s face
appeared on the desk screen. “There are a number of persons here—” she began.
    The door banged open. Sam Mancziewicz stepped into the room,
a sailor tugging at each arm. He shook them loose, stared around the room. His
eyes lighted on Retief. “How did you get here . . . ?”
    “Look here, Monkeywits or whatever your name is,” Leatherwell
began, popping out of his chair—
    Mancziewicz whirled, seized the stout executive by the shirt
front, and lifted him into his tiptoes. “You double-barreled copper-bottomed
oak-lined son-of-a—”
    “Don’t spoil him, Sam,” Retief said casually. “He’s here to
sign off all rights—if any—to 95739-A. It’s all yours—if you want it.”
    Sam glared into Leatherwell’s eyes. “That right?” he grated.
Leatherwell bobbed his head, his chins compressed into bulging folds.
    “However,” Retief went on, “I wasn’t at all sure you’d still
be agreeable, since he’s made your company a binding offer of 2645-P in return
for clear title to 95739-A.”
    Mancziewicz looked across at Retief with narrowed eyes. He
released Leatherwell, who slumped into his chair. Magnan darted around his desk
to minister to the magnate.