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Updated: June 24, 2025
"They simply can't imagine anybody not being either a slave or a slave-owner," Erskyll was saying. "That must mean that there is no free non-slave-holding class at all. Universal slavery! Well, we'll have to do something about that. Proclaim total emancipation, immediately." "Oh, no; we can't do anything like that. The Constitution won't permit us to.
He was tempted to remind young Obray of Erskyll that there were no such things as fundamental laws of socio-economics; merely usually reliable generalized statements of what can more or less be depended upon to happen under most circumstances. He resisted the temptation. Count Erskyll had had enough shocks, today, without adding to them by gratuitous blasphemy.
On the interstellar exchange, these stellies have a crown value of precisely zero-point-zero." "You know what would happen if these ci-devant Masters got hold of Imperial crowns," Erskyll said. "They'd only squander them back again for useless imported luxuries. This planet needs a complete modernization, and this is the only way the money to pay for it can be gotten."
No, I think it's better, for the present, to tell them that this freedom business is just a lot of Masterly funny-talk, and that things aren't really being changed at all. It will effect a considerable saving of his Imperial Majesty's ammunition, for one thing." He dropped Erskyll at his apartment and sent the hall-car back from his own. Lanze Degbrend was waiting for him when he entered.
"Nifflheim, no! This government doesn't need revenue. This government supports itself by counterfeiting. When the Mastership needs money, they just have Ridgerd Schferts print up another batch. Like everybody else." "Then the money simply isn't worth anything!" Erskyll was horrified, which was rapidly becoming his normal state. "Who cares about money, Obray," he said.
I'd thought of that." "Nonsense!" Erskyll declared. "Who ever heard of slaves rebelling against freedom?" Freedom was a Good Thing. It was a Good Thing for everybody, everywhere and all the time. Count Erskyll knew it, because freedom was a Good Thing for him.
He was still standing at present arms when Trevannion blanked the screen. "That still doesn't excuse a wanton and unprovoked aggression!" Erskyll was telling Shatrak, his thin face flushed and his voice quivering with indignation. "We came here to help these people, not to murder them." "We didn't come here to do either, Obray," he said, turning to face the younger man.
Who will pay them, now?" "Why, the Mastership, of course," Ridgerd Schferts said. "My Management my Lord-Employer's, I mean will issue the money to pay them." "You may need a new printing-press," Lanze Degbrend said. "And an awful lot of paper." "This planet will need currency acceptable in interstellar trade," Erskyll said. Everybody looked blankly at him. He changed the subject: "Mr.
"The Commonwealth will be very definite about recognizing that sapient beings cannot be property. But all the rest of the property will belong to the Commonwealth. Remember that remark of Chmidd's: 'It will belong to everybody, but somebody will have to take care of it for everybody. That will be you and me." Erskyll frowned. "I remember that. I didn't like it, at the time. It sounded...."
"Count Erskyll" he finished, "is doing the best possible under circumstances from which I myself would feel inclined to shrink. If not carried to excess, perhaps youthful idealism is not without value in Empire statecraft. I understand that Commodore Shatrak, who is also coping with some very trying problems, is requesting troop reenforcements.
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