Retief-Ambassador to Space by Keith Laumer Read Free Book Online Page B

sabotaged!"
     
     "Sabotage?"
Treadwater surveyed the Groaci Ambassador as haughtily as his sodden puce
cutaway would allow. "I think you are as aware as I that import of
explosives to an emergent planet like Skweem is quite impossible, but for
certain industrial types allocated to massive engineering projects."
     
     "You
suggest that Groaci detonants were employed in this dastardly fashion? Why, the
very idea ..." Shish fell sulkily silent.
     
     "Confidentially,
Retief," Magnan whispered behind his hand, "Just what do you
supposed'd happen to the dam?"
     
     "Possibly
someone got their wires crossed," Retief murmured.
     
     "Now,
Mr. Ambassador," Treadwater said. "I fear I shall have to expropriate
your conveyance for official CDT use. I find it necessary to remove to my hill station
at once to prepare my dispatches." He broke off as a muddy scarecrow
faintly recognizable as the Agricultural Attache splashed up to join the group.
     
     "Did
you notice the current change, Mr. Ambassador?" he cried gaily. "The
water's draining off into the river bed now—and the new channel cut by the
flood is just this side of the border. I fancy we'll have no more interference
from these meddlesome Groaci—oh, Ambassador Shish," he nodded to the
sodden dignitary. "Nice night Your Excellency."
     
     "Bah,"
Shish replied.
     
     The
attache was rubbing his hands together. "My preliminary study seems to
indicate that the inundation has deposited a good six inches of new topsoil
over a large portion of South Skweem. All scoured off Northern Skweem, of
course, but then, they will allow defective dams to be built on
their land ..." His voice trailed off. He pointed across the rapidly
receding waters. Amid much splashing, a large party of Skweemans was
approaching at a rapid clip.
     
     "Gad!"
Colonel Pluckwyn boomed. "We're being invaded!"
     
     "Here,
do something!" Treadwater turned to Shish. "They're your allies! Tell
them to go along quietly and we'll see about a handsome CDT reparation for any
inconvenience—"
     
    -
     
     "I
claim sanctuary!" Shish whistled in agitation. "Treadwater, it's your
duty to protect me and my chaps from these soreheads!"
     
     "They do appear somewhat irate." Magnan began backing away. "Don't
lose your heads, gentlemen!" Treadwater croaked. "We'll demand the
privileges of honorable prisoners of war—"
     
     "We
haven't lost, yet," Retief pointed out.
     
     "An
excellent point, Mr. Retief." The Ambassador reached for the Groaci raft.
"I hereby appoint you as a special committee to meet with these fellows
and study their grievances. If you can drag the talks out for an hour, the rest
of us will go for help."
     
     "Quite
an honor, my boy," Colonel Pluckwyn said, as he tumbled a faintly
protesting Groaci over the side. "And you merely a Second Secretary."
     
     "I
don't think we should do anything hasty," Retief said. "Now that the
North Skweemans have had a taste of Groaci sponsorship, they may be ready for
our program."
     
     Councillor
Lith, showing signs of wear and tear, surfaced beside Retief, having been
replaced by a Terran aboard the raft. "Some day, Terry, the truth of this
affair will out," he hissed in faint Groaci ferocity.
     
     "Why
be pessimistic?" Retief responded. "If you play your cards right, the
North Skweemans may never learn that the dam was placed so that when the basin
was full you could open the flood gates and wipe out their capital along with
anything that might have been left of South Skweem, leaving an open field for a
Groaci take-over."
     
     "What?
Are you suggesting—"
     
     "I'd
suggest dawn as a reasonable deadline," Retief went on. "If you wade
along with Ambassador Treadwater, you can get off a 'gram and have a ship in
here to pick you up by then. I can't guarantee that I can keep it quiet much
longer than that."
     
     "Hey!"
Dimplick shouted suddenly. "Look at the placard they're waving!"
Retief glanced toward the approaching North Skweemans, coming up