"I should think that they'd be dangerous folk and quick with their weapons."
"Sometimes they are, but we have techniques to deal with them. Sensors warn us that intruders are present. Our first step is to locate and disable their vehicles, to prevent their escape. Then with our loud-hailer we warn them against violence, and instruct them to surrender. Usually that's all there is to the matter."
"What happens next?"
"If they surrender at once, they'll serve three years or so on the Cape Journal Roadway. If they use weapons and resist, they are killed on the spot."
Sunje gave an exaggerated shudder.
"The Bureau B personnel seem very brisk. You allow your prisoners no representation, no legal process, no rights of appeal?"
"Our rules are widely known. The legal processes you mention are automatically raised, argued and denied, in a single brief sentence. It is something like an all-inclusive hotel bill. To bring these points again would be redundant. If the bandits find our rules unacceptable, they can go elsewhere."
Sunje asked in a metallic voice: "Have you killed any of these bandits yourself--knowing that they might be ignorant of your rules?"
Glawen smiled a small wry smile.
"When bandits try to kill us, our compassion is quickly lost. We don't even wonder whether they might be ignorant."
Dame Clytie said coldly: "Let me ask you this, since the subject has been broached: what of the Yips whom you capture along the Foreshore? Do you kill them with the same careless ease?"
Glawen showed a faint smile.
"I cannot answer your question directly, since the Yips almost always surrender without offering violence."
"So then: what is their fate?"
"It has changed over the years. At first, they were merely tattooed for identification and sent back to the Lutwens.
This policy dissuaded no one, so for a period trespassers were sent to Cape Journal to work on the road, until we could absorb no more. We now use a new technique, which seems to work very well!"
"And how do you operate this new technique?"
"The Yips no longer serve time at Cape Journal; instead they are sent off-world, to Soumjiana or Moulton's World, where they are indentured into suitable employment for a term of one or two years. The proceeds pay all our expenses; after the indenture is satisfied, the Yip finds himself employed and free to do as he likes, except return to Cadwal. He has in effect become an emigrant from Yipton off-world, which is. our goal. Everyone is happy except, conceivably, the porn- phaw, who prefers to work out his own indentures."
Egon Tamm looked up and down the table.
"Are there any more
questions? Or have we studied the work of Bureau B in sufficient detail?"
Dame Clytie said grimly: "I have learned even more than I wanted to know."
Dame Cora glanced at the sky.
"I believe that the breeze has come up, and it's a trifle boisterous. Shall we go indoors?"
The company made its way to the parlor. Dame Cora called out for attention.
"All are now free to relax as they please.
Etrune and I are going to look at some of my leaf block-prints. They are truly exquisite, and as the textbook asserts they 'seem to vibrate with the essence of vegetation." Clytie, would you care to join us? And Sunje?"
Sunje smilingly shook her head. Dame Clytie said: "Thank you, Cora, but I am not at all in a vegetative mood."
"As you wish. Milo, you might show Sunje and Glawen the secret rock pool you found the other day."
"Then it wouldn't be secret any longer," said Milo.
"They can go seek it out themselves, if they want to. Meanwhile I'll show Julian our new encyclopedia of combat devices."
"In the name of precious Gaea herself," gasped Dame Clytie, "whatever for?"
Milo shrugged.
"Sometimes it's more convenient to kill opponents than to argue with them, especially if you happen to be late for an appointment."
Dame Cora compressed her lips.
"Milo, your humor approaches the bizarre and might even be considered tasteless."
Milo bowed.
"I accept your judgment and retract everything!
Come, Julian, I'll show you the rock pool."
"Not quite so soon after lunch," said Julian.
