Alexander Laing

“ When about fifteen, Laing went to Newcastle, where for six months he filled the situation of assistant to Mr. Bruce, a teacher in that city; he then returned to Edinburgh, and entered upon a similar duty under his father, a situation for which he was singularly qualified.
It appears strange that a young man, quietly, and, at the same time, eagerly, pursuing the laborious profession of a schoolmaster, should have afterwards adopted another line of life forming a perfect contrast to that in which he had been previously employed. ”

“ The two women walked past them toward the airboat. Kennon turned to look at them and noticed with surprise that they weren’t human. The long tails curled below their spinal bases were adequate denials of human ancestry.
“Humanoids!” he gasped. “For a moment I thought-”
“Gave you a start-eh?” Alexander chuckled. “It always does when a stranger sees a Lani for the first time. Well—now you’ve seen some of the livestock what do you think of them?”
“I think you should have hired a medic.”
Alexander shook his head. “No—it wouldn’t be reason able or legal. You’re the man for the job.” ”

“ At this moment Arthur Laing entered the room. His brow was clouded. He had searched his purse, his cigar-case, the lining of his hat—in fact every depository where a careful man would be likely to bestow documents whose existence he wished to remember; as no careful man would put such things in the pocket of his ‘blazer’, he had not searched there; thus the telegrams had not appeared, and the culprit was looking forward, with some alarm, to the reception which would await him when he ‘turned up’ to lunch with his friends, as he had promised to do. ”

“ All of these weapons Alexander can command. Don’t you realize he’s an entrepreneur?—one of the most powerful men in this sector?”
Copper shook her head. “No,” she said in a small voice. “I know nothing about these things.”
“And do you think forty generations of absolute obedience to men can be overcome because one Lani says she is pregnant by a man?”
Copper frowned. “You put that in a different way. You talk as if it were my belief rather than the truth.”
“What is truth?” Kennon said heavily. “Who would believe you? There are hundreds of others with child.
“Sure you’re human. ”

“ Kennon felt an odd sympathy for the entrepreneur. It wasn’t a nice feeling, he suspected, to have the beliefs of a lifetime ripped apart and sent to the disposal chute.
“So the Lani are a human variant,” Alexander said dully.
“The proof is here,” Kennon said, “and the supporting evidence is conclusive.”
“Which makes me—what? A murderer? A slaver? A tyrant?” Alexander clutched his head with lean-fingered hands. “What am I?”
“An innocent victim of circumstances,” Kennon said. “You didn’t know. None of us knew. And we still wouldn’t know if the Lani weren’t of Betan extraction.” ”

“ Kennon said. “Neither the Brotherhood nor I could settle this affair. It is a matter only you can handle. There is no sense in killing Outworld or throwing Kardon into centuries of litigation. The Lani never were numerous enough to lay claim to an entire world. I’ll admit the club is there, but I’ll never use it unless it’s necessary.”
“Why not?—it’s sound business practice.”
“I’m a professional—not a businessman. And besides, I haven’t the moral right to return evil for good. You have not been a bad boss.”
“Thanks,” Alexander said glumly. “I’ve always considered myself civilized.” ”

“ I wish you, sir, to break the business to her; meanwhile, I will lodge at the Old Inn, Mrs. Laing's, at Anstruther, and await your return."
I agreed (continued the parson of Kilrenny) to wait upon the widow; and to see, in fact, how the wind set, in regard to "first love." I found her, as I expected, neatly clad in her habiliments of widowhood, and employed in making some dresses for a sister's marriage. I asked and obtained a private interview, when I detailed, as cautiously as I could, the particulars of Thomas Laing's history. ”

“ Then you may learn of love.
“Love,” the old voice was soft in Copper’s ears. “The word is almost a stranger to us now, known only to the few who serve our masters. It was not always so. The Old Ones knew love before Man Alexander came. And our young were the fruit of love rather than the product of our masters’ cunning. But you may know the flower even though you cannot bear its fruit. You may enter that world of pleasure-pain the Old Ones knew, that world which is now denied us.
“But remember always that you are a Lani. A man may be kind to you. He may treat you gently. ”

“ Brainard nodded. “We’re no more courageous than any other civilization. We have no desire to borrow trouble. We are content to leave things alone.”
“That’s the trouble,” Kennon said. “We’re all content to leave things alone. If I hadn’t found the spaceship I’d not have been able to lay aside my moral conditioning. And if I had not, Copper would not have become pregnant and forced me into these drastic actions. It’s even possible that I would have done nothing.” He grimaced. “And when I left Alexander’s employment mnemonic erasure would have removed all memory of the Lani’s human origin.” ”

“ There’s five of them here now.”
“That isn’t in the contract,” Kennon said. He was appalled at Alexander. Civilized people didn’t speak of others that way, even to intimates.
“It can’t be helped. You must meet them. It’s part of the job.” Alexander’s voice was grim. “Mother, Cousin Anne, Douglas, and Eloise like to play lord of the manor. Cousin Harold doesn’t care—for which you should be grateful.”
The door dilated, and Alexander ushered Kennon into the room. The Lani sitting on the couch opposite the door leaped to her feet, her mouth opening in an O of surprise. ”

“ Alexander said. “I’m always opposed to senseless cruelty and waste—particularly when it’s dangerous. Docked Lani are the height of stupidity. Just because someone wants a pet that is an exact duplicate of a human being is no reason to risk a court action. Those Lani, and a few others whose tails have been docked, could be a legal bombshell if they ever left Flora.”
Kennon was jolted. He had been thinking of mental mutilation and Alexander had been talking physical. Naturally they would be dangerous property. ”

“ Actually there is a good possibility that the race would ultimately have died out if Old Alexander hadn’t enslaved them and instituted a controlled breeding program. There are more Lani alive today than there were at the height of their power. So in a way Old Alexander did them a favor. He kept their race alive. All we can expect is a fair and just settlement. ”

“ He considered him a person of sterling worth, with a quiet, inoffensive, unobtrusive character, though at the same time not deficient in decision, but never once suspected him to be a person of so much importance and influence as he all at once discovered him to be. ”

“ And within a century or two we will have a new group of the human race—and then we can tell the Brotherhood.”
Kennon looked inquiringly at Copper. She smiled and nodded. “It would cause less trouble that way,” she said. “It would be more sure—and there are never too many old ones.”
Kennon shuddered, thinking of the euthanasia chambers on Otpen One. “There will be more from now on,” he said.
“Outworld can afford it. It’ll bend us a little but we won’t break—and besides, the Lani will need our help for some time to come.” Alexander looked at Kennon. ”

“ In the large common drawing-room, adorned with pictures, book-cases, and all those various things which constitute the peculiar little world of a beautiful room intended for social enjoyment, sat two of the old ladies at their work. Mrs. Laing was received by all as one receives a messenger of joy. The old ladies evidently regarded her as one of their best friends. They were anxious to prove to her that they were well and full of the energy of life. For she had made them understand that no greater trouble could happen to her than that they should die ”

“ Alexander crossed his legs and settled back in his chair. “Shocks you, doesn’t it?”
Kennon nodded. “Yes,” he admitted. “It does.”
“I know. You can’t help it. Most of our new employees think the Lani are human—at first. They learn better, but adjustment is always a strain. They keep confusing external appearances with the true article. But remember this—Lani are not human. They’re animals. And on this island they’re treated as what they are—no more, no less. They are a part of our economics and are bred, fed, and managed according to sound livestock principles. ”

“ I’m going back to Kardon and give Alexander a chance to make restitution. I think he is an honorable man. Slavery may be as revolting to him as it is to any civilized human. He deserves a chance to rectify his grandfather’s error.”
“That is reasonable—and in the best traditions of the Brotherhood.”
“Furthermore, it’s practical,” Kennon said. “Alexander is the only one fully qualified to handle the problems of enfranchisement. He’s known the Lani all his life, and he is an executive type. A Brotherhood committee would probably botch the whole affair. ”

“ Persons must have had their foreheads, as well as their consciences, “seared with a hot iron,” before they could publish such things to the world as facts. Yet Laing’s book was approved, and declared worthy of publication, by two doctors of the university of Paris. Its grossest slanders against the Scottish reformers were literally copied, and circulated through the continent as undoubted truths, by Reginaldus, Spondanus, Julius Breigerus, and many other foreign popish authors. ”

“ He was tolerably well educated and possessed good natural abilities, but his erratic temperament precluded his advancement. For some years previous to his death he was employed as a book canvasser and flying stationer, in allusion to which he was commonly known in the country as ‘Stashie Laing.’ The first of Laing's antiquarian writings, ‘The Caledonian Itinerary, or a Tour on the Banks of the Dee, with Historical Notes from the best Authorities,’ appeared at Aberdeen in 1819. ”

“ Sir Roger read his gruesome narrative with much emphasis, and as he laid down the paper he observed:
“Well, I hope I’m not more of a coward than most men, but in face of dynamite—ugh!” and he shuddered realistically.
“I should make for the door,” said Laing.
“Yes, but in this case the bomb was at the door!”
“Then,” said Laing, “I should exit by the window.”
“But this poor man,” remarked Mary Travers, “stayed to rescue the woman he loved,” and her eyes rested for an instant in confident affection on Charlie Ellerton.
“We should all do as much, I trust,” said John, glancing at Dora Bellairs. ”

“ They tried to prolong Lani life and met with failure. Our plants are mutant forms.”
“Just as we are a mutant race,” Brainard said, “or partly mutant.” He sighed. “You have brought us a great deal of trouble, Kennon. You are bringing matters to a head. If our investigations prove your statements, we are morally bound to open the Lani question. And if those people are of Betan origin—that fellow Alexander will have plenty to answer for.” ”

“ In 1867 Laing was reappointed chairman of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway (a post which he held down to 1894) , and his position as a railway magnate introduced him to the city. Laing's connections with the financial world were not unimportant. During his tenure of the chair at the board of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway, that company gradually became highly prosperous, and he contributed to the result not only by his business capacity, but by his skill in choosing and supporting good subordinates. ”

“ What job wouldn’t be with a bunch of goofballs like these I’ve got working on it.
“I can’t keep a Lani here for two weeks without having her throw a catfit, and the superstitious idiots are affecting the men—who ought to know better! I wish I’d never have opened my big mouth to Alexander! As far as I’m concerned he can take this job and—”
“Hey—take it easy, man!” Blalok said. “You’re heading straight for a nervous breakdown.”
“And why shouldn’t I?” Kennon asked. “Nothing goes right. There’s always trouble. I order materials—they don’t arrive. ”

“ Douglas accepted the statement at face value, a fact which failed to surprise Kennon. “You know,” he said, “I’ve been around Lani all my life. And I know that they’re not human. No self-respecting human would take a tenth of what they put up with.”
“Their ancestors didn’t,” Kennon said. “They fought to the end. But your Grandfather was a smart man even though he was a Degrader.”
“He wasn’t!” Douglas exploded. “No Alexander is a Degrader.”
“He realized,” Kennon went on, “that he’d never succeed in enslaving the Lani unless he separated the sexes. ”

“ Kennon murmured.
“It should be,” Blalok replied. “It furnishes all of our Lani for replacement and export. It can turn out over a thousand a year at full capacity. Of course we don’t run at that rate, or Flora would be overpopulated. But this is a big layout, like you said. It can maintain a population of at least forty thousand. Old Alexander had big ideas.”
“I wonder what he planned to do with them?” Kennon said.
“I wouldn’t know. The Old Man never took anyone into his confidence.”
Jordan came up as the jeep settled to the ground. ”

“ Kennon hid a smile. Alexander had a weak spot. He was squeamish. That was a good thing to know.
CHAPTER VI
Jordan opened the door of the two-story building below Blalok’s house. “This is it,” he said, “just outside your front door. Convenient—no?”
“Too convenient,” Kennon said, “also too quiet. Isn’t anyone on duty?”
“I wouldn’t know. Old Doc never kept the place open at night.”
There was a stir of movement in the darkness, the lights flashed on, and a sleepy-eyed Lani blinked at them in the sudden glare. She looked blankly at Kennon and then brightened as she saw Jordan. ”