Foundation and Earth

The Minister said, "It is a gravitic ship, Councilman. There cannot be many and even the Foundation must have but a very few. They must regret having assigned one of those very few to you. Perhaps you can persuade them to assign you another and less valuable ship that will nevertheless amply, suffice for your mission. But we must have the ship in which you have arrived."

"No, Minister, I cannot give up the ship. I cannot believe the Foundation asks it of you."

The Minister smiled. "Not of me solely, Councilman. Not of Comporellon, specifically. We have reason to believe that the request was sent out to every one of the many worlds and regions under Foundation jurisdiction or association. From this, I deduce that the Foundation does not know your itinerary and is seeking you with a certain angry vigor. From which I further deduce that you have no mission to deal with Comporellon on behalf of the Foundation-since in that case they would know where you were and deal with us specifically. In short, Councilman, you have been lying to me."

Trevize said, with a certain difficulty, "I would like to see a copy of request you have received from the Foundation government, Minister. I entitled, I think, to that."

"Certainly, if all this comes to legal action. We take our legal forms very seriously, Councilman, and your rights will be fully protected, I assure you. It would be better and easier, however, if we come to an agreement here without the publicity and delay of legal action. We would prefer that, and, I am certain, so would the Foundation, which cannot wish the Galaxy at large to know of a runaway Legislator. That would put the Foundation in a ridiculous light, and, by your estimate and mine, that would be worse than impossible."

Trevize was again silent.

The Minister waited a moment, then went on, as imperturbable as ever. "Come, Councilman, either way, by informal agreement or by legal action, we intend to have the ship. The penalty for bringing in a worldless passenger will depend on which route we take. Demand the law and she will represent an additional point against you and you will all suffer the full punishment for the crime, and that will not be light, I assure you. Come to an agreement, and your passenger can be sent away by commercial flight to any destination she wishes, and, for that matter, you two can accompany her, if you wish. Or, if the Foundation is willing, we can supply you with one of our own ships, a perfectly adequate one, provided, of course, that the Foundation will replace it with an equivalent ship of their own. Or, if, for any reason, you do not wish to return to Foundation-controlled territory, we might be willing to offer you refuge here and, perhaps, eventual Comporellian citizenship. You see, you have many possibilities of gain if you come to a friendly arrangement, but none at all if you insist on your legal rights."

Trevize said, "Minister, you are too eager. You promise what you cannot do. You cannot offer me refuge in the face of a Foundation request that I be delivered to them."

The Minister said, "Councilman, I never promise what I cannot do. The Foundation's request is only for the ship. They make no request concerning you as an individual, or for anyone else on the ship. Their sole request is for the vessel."

Trevize glanced quickly at Bliss, and said, "May I have your permission, Minister, to consult with Dr. Pelorat and Miss Bliss for a short while?"

"Certainly, Councilman. You may have fifteen minutes."

"Privately, Minister."

"You will be led to a room and, after fifteen minutes, you will be led back, Councilman. You will not be interfered with while you are there nor will we attempt to monitor your conversation. You have my word on that and I keep my word. However, you will be adequately guarded so do not be so foolish as to think of escaping."

"We understand, Minister."

"And when you come back, we will expect your free agreement to give up the ship. Otherwise, the law will take its course, and it will be much the worse for all of you, Councilman. Is that understood?"

"That is understood, Minister," said Trevize, keeping his rage under tight control, since its expression would do him no good at all.

18.

IT was a small room, but it was well lighted. It contained a couch and two chairs, and one could hear the soft sound of a ventilating fan. On the whole, it was clearly more comfortable than the Minister's large and sterile office.

A guard had led them there, grave and tall, his hand hovering near the butt of his blaster. He remained outside the door as they entered and said, in a heavy voice, "You have fifteen minutes."

He had no sooner said that than the door slid shut, with a thud.

Trevize said, "I can only hope that we can't be overheard."

Pelorat said, "She did give us her word, Golan."

"You judge others by yourself, Janov. Her so-called 'word' will not suffice. She will break it without hesitation if she wants to."

"It doesn't matter," said Bliss. "I can shield this place."