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"Yes," Stevens said softly, "but at what price?" Plekhanov turned on him. "At any price!" he roared. "In one generation they left behind the China of famine, flood, illiteracy, war lords and all the misery that had been China's throughout history." Stevens said mildly, "Whether in their admitted advances they left behind all the misery that had been China's is debatable, sir."
Kennedy passed drinks around for everyone save Mayer, who shook his head in distaste. If only for a brief spell, some of the tenseness left the air while the men from Earth sipped their beverages. Jerry Kennedy said, "Well, you've heard our report. How go things on Texcoco?" "According to plan," Plekhanov rumbled. Mayer snorted.
Kennedy looked at the screen, not expecting to see anything and accomplishing just that. "Still on their marathon argument." Joe Chessman grunted. Just to be saying something, Kennedy said, "How do you stand in the big debate?" "I don't know. I suppose I favor Plekhanov.
He said with impatience, "There are two planets, at different ethnic periods it is true, but not so far apart as all that. Fine, eight of us will take Genoa and eight Texcoco." Plekhanov rumbled, "Fine, indeed. But which group will have the use of the Pedagogue with its library, its laboratories, its shops, its weapons?"
Admittedly, when this expedition left Terra City you were the ranking officer. Now, however, we've divided at your suggestion, please remember. Now there are two independent groups and you no longer have jurisdiction over mine." "Indeed!" Mayer barked. "And suppose I decide to withhold the use of the Pedagogue's libraries and laboratories to you? I tell you, Plekhanov "
"Well now ..." Chessman began. "Prove that!" Plekhanov insisted loudly. "Your so-called free economy countries such as England, France and the United States began their industrial revolution in the early part of the nineteenth century. It took them a hundred years to accomplish what the Soviets did in fifty, in the next century." "Just a moment, now," Mayer simmered.
Reif and the three Earthlings were bent over a military map depicting the area. Barry Watson traced with his finger. "There are only two major passes into this valley. We have this one, they dominate that." Plekhanov was scowling, out of his element and knowing it. "How many men has Mynor been able to get together?" Watson avoided looking into the older man's face.
Reif's ten-year-old son came up next to him and peered down at the map. "What's that child doing here?" Plekhanov snapped. Reif looked into the other's face. "This is Taller Second, my son. You from First Earth have never bothered to study our customs. One of them is that a Khan's son participates in all battles his father does. It is his training."
Yes, sir, I have some ideas." Plekhanov pursed his heavy lips. "From the beginning we're going to need manpower on a scale never dreamed of locally. We'll adopt a policy of expansion. Those who join us freely will become members of the State with full privileges. Those who resist will be made prisoners of war and used for shock labor on the roads and in the mines.
"Down with the ten capitalistic ministers," and "All power to the Soviets." Of placards expressing confidence in the coalition government there were but three one from a cossack regiment, another from the Plekhanov group, and the third from the Petrograd organization of the Bund, composed mostly of non-proletarian elements.
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