"That was the idea from the start," said Dahno.
"But not with the odds as they were when you knew you were likely to lose, one way or another," said Bleys; "not with the idea that there'd have to be someone to take the blame, if your Hounds failed."
He paused again. This time Dahno said nothing, only stared at him with eyes that almost glittered.
"Once the militia started investigating, they'd find the training center of your Hounds," said Bleys; "they'd make the connection with Norton Brawley. But you didn't trust Norton if they began to question him the way the Friendly militia do. You knew he'd come apart, like a piece of plastic paper with acid poured on it. So you had to prevent that. And that prevention was living right there in your apartment, had an office in your office, someone at whom Norton could point the finger and say, 'I didn't realize but it must have been him.' Him—me."
"I didn't mean—" began Dahno, and stopped abruptly.
"No," said Bleys, "Big Brother, consciously you never look in any direction where you don't like the view of things. You look someplace else. With your eyes turned the other way, you left Association early; and left me in line to take the blame for the whole thing if the Hounds tried the assassination and failed. And you could have known what was going to happen ahead of time—you may have known much earlier than I did. Maybe you knew that McKae already had strong backing in the rest of the Chamber. So you made sure you took off first, for Earth and alone. If I could survive to reach you, well and good. If I didn't, at least McKae would be dead, you thought; and you could go back to Association."
He stopped and waited for Dahno to speak. But Dahno just looked at him and shook his head.
"No. I know," said Bleys, "you deliberately didn't look far enough to see the worst that could happen, if I took the blame. If you had, you'd have seen that, because of our relationship, Association would be closed to you. The Five Sisters and the other Chamber members would never trust you again. Now, tonight, the Vice-Chairmen are meeting here. They've been dealing with me, not you—though they thought they were merely dealing with you through me. But in any case they want the future I offered them. You knew what they were when you set them up as the leading Vice-Chairmen of each out-world unit. They're ambitious on their own, as well as for anyone else. I showed them a greater future. By this time the changes are already under way. They're recruiting Others all over then-individual planets. They can't wait to get started getting solid chokeholds on the government of their particular planet. And what about you, Dahno?"
He waited a moment and then asked the question again.
"What about you?"
Dahno stood where he was. But the dangerousness had gone out of him. Instead there was an incredible weariness.
"All right," he said finally. "All right—once I was here, I saw the dangers back there. But it was too late to change things then. In any case, I'll just have to start on some new world, fresh."
"If that's what you want, fine," said Bleys. "But you're tired, Dahno. You're dead tired, if you'll only admit it. Your personal involvement in Chamber politics carried you too deep into it. You ended being the doctor on twenty-four-hour call for all of your clients."
He looked at Dahno with sympathy.
"Let me offer you something better than starting again on a world that hasn't had an Other organization on it yet. Though, as I say, you can have that if you want."
Dahno looked at him and for a moment the old smile came back. He chuckled, if still wearily.
"What could you offer me, Little Brother?" he asked. "What is there for you to offer me? Nothing."
"No, I think I've got something you'll like," said Bleys.
Dahno chuckled again, sadly, shaking his head.
"I'm not trying to talk you into anything you don't freely want," said Bleys. "Remember how you told me you wanted me to choose to work with you, if I was going to, of my own free will?"
"I remember," said Dahno.
"Well, I'm saying the same thing to you now. You see, I believe you've got a real affection for me," said Bleys, "in spite of the situation you left me in on Association. You've got more of a kinship feeling with me than with anyone else. You like me. But also—under certain circumstances, to survive— you'll always put yourself first. I understand that. You can't help it. It's the way you're built. Remember our mother?"
Dahno's face showed sudden anger.
"Don't tell me I'm like her!" he said. "Never tell me that!"
"Of course you are," said Bleys. "So am I. But I found something large enough to lose the similarity in. You might too, if you go along with me."
"I won't take that, Bleys," said Dahno. He was dangerous again. "I'm not like her."
"You needn't be," said Bleys. "As I say, listen to me. Listen tonight, and see if you want to join me of your own free will. See if it doesn't suit you, if it doesn't free you and you don't like it!"
"All right," said Dahno, "let's hear it again now, then."
"I'm going to do what I told you earlier I was going to do," said Bleys. "I'm going to use the New Worlds to move the human race back to Earth and start it out once more to grow into what it should be—the kind of society where you and I'd be the norm, instead of the exception. It can be done."
"And you're that sure?" said Dahno.
"I'm sure," said Bleys, "I've got the vision and the plan. Also I know the opposite side of the coin. The Others can offer improvements to the race. But one-by-one and even in our organization, they aren't that superior to other people. But as a united force to influence politics scattered on the various planets, we can triumph. Only, though, if you and I lead them. Together, we can show them the way to take over Earth; and return to Earth those who belong there. The other new planets will be left to die in their own way."
"And how does this help me any?" asked Dahno.
"We'd work together—as I just told you," said Bleys, "you'll be what you always have. More so. We'll let the Vice-Chairmen know that it's you that's running this new organization of Others, and I'm simply your executive. Only, gradually, I'll come to be more and more present to them, and they'll come to think of you and I together, as equal parts."
"What you're really offering me," said Dahno, "is the chance to be your second-in-command."
"No," said Bleys, "the plan's mine; but what I'm offering is the chance for you to build the organization and control it—so it'll succeed."
"It won't work," said Dahno. "The two of us trying to operate together that way."
"Yes, it will," Bleys said, "the fact is, I need freedom to operate quietly. With you in visible charge, I would be. We just have to stick to my plan. That's all I ask."
"That's all!" said Dahno bitterly. "You still haven't told me why you need me, except to get things started. Once they're started, you won't have any use for me, and you'll get rid of me."
"No, I won't," said Bleys, urgently. He took a step toward
Dahno and put one hand on a massive forearm. "The need for you will always be there. You can convince anyone of anything. I can't do that. I trained myself to stand up on a platform and impress people. I can juggle events to force a peg into a hole. But you can charm it into that same hole; and your way of doing it causes no one to pay attention; while my way often attracts too much attention. I need you and I want you, Dahno. I want you also because you're my brother. I feel the same closeness to you, you felt to me. The only difference between us is, you can always count on me. I won't suddenly leave you out on a limb. I won't, because that's what I am. That's what I was to begin with; and that's what's been made in me by what I've become. If I say anything, you can trust it."
He stopped speaking. Dahno said nothing.
"Well?" asked Bleys. "Do you trust me?"
For a moment Dahno did not move, then he nodded slowly. He glanced at his wrist monitor.
"The other Vice-Chairmen will be arriving here anytime in the next half hour or so," Bleys said. "Time is short. But I want you to tell me if you're
going along with me. If you say it, I'll know you mean it. Or, tell me if you can't. If you do, I'll still take care of you, the way you would have taken care of Henry and Joshua—but in the style you're accustomed to, rather than in their style. Remember, you can always change your mind. Dahno, I need an answer!"
Dahno looked at him and slowly his face lit up again. The twinkle was back in his eyes.
"I trust you, Bleys," he said. "You know I trust you. I trusted you the first time I drove into Henry's farmyard; and never stopped after that. If what you say proves out, maybe we'll do all right together with this wild, enormous plan of yours. If it doesn't work, then I'm no worse off than if I tried starting up something new on some new world. Yes, I'll go along with you. I was up to my ears in Association. There was too much to handle; and you're quite right. I'm tired. If I have to—can I lean on you then, Brother?"
"Always," said Bleys; and laughed. "So you're with me—at least unless the other Vice-Chairmen give you reason not to be. Right?"
"Other Vice-Chairmen, hell!" said Dahno. "I'll even help you convince them tonight, if you want. We'll debut our new act together."
Their eyes met.
"You know," said Bleys, smiling himself, "I think it'll work like a phase-shift!"
Dahno opened his mouth to answer, but before any words came out a doorbell chimed all through the house.
"One of our lesser Vice-Chairmen is early," he said, as they both lifted their heads at the sound. "Shall I go meet him for you, Mr. Co-Chairman, or shall we wait for him here?"
"Let's wait for him here," said Bleys, "both of us."
Gordon R. Dickson, Young Bleys - Childe Cycle 09
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