Double Star

He had the sense not to laugh again. «I see. You thought it was a job about like food taster for a Middle Ages king. Well, we'll have to try to straighten you out; I don't suppose it helps your acting to think that you are about to be burned down where you stand. Look, I've been with the Chief for six years. During that time I know he has never used a double ... Nevertheless, I was present on two occasions when attempts were made on his life — one of those times I shot the hatchet man. Penny, you've been with the Chief longer than that. Has he ever used a double before?»

She looked at me coldly. «Never. The very idea that the Chief would let anybody expose himself to danger in his place is — well, I ought to slap your face; that's what I ought to do!»

«Take it easy, Penny,» Dak said mildly. «You've both got jobs to do and you are going to have to work with him. Besides, his wrong guess isn't too — silly, not from the outside. By the way, Lorenzo, this is Penelope Russell. She is the Chief's personal secretary, which makes her your number-one coach.»

«I am honored to meet you, mademoiselle.»

«I wish I could say the same!»

«Stow it, Penny, or I'll spank your round fanny — at two gravities. Lorenzo, I concede that doubling for John Joseph Bonforte isn't as safe as riding in a wheel chair — shucks, as we both know, several attempts have been made to close out his life insurance. But that is not what we are afraid of this time. Matter of fact, this time, for political reasons you will presently understand, the laddies we are up against won't dare to try to kill the Chief — or to kill you when you are doubling for the Chief. They are playing rough — as you know ! — and they would kill me, or even Penny, for the slightest advantage. They would kill you right now, if they could get at you. But when you make this public appearance as the Chief you'll be safe; the circumstances will be such that they can't afford to kill.»

He studied my face. «Well?»

I shook my head. «I don't follow you.»

«No, but you will. It is a complicated matter, involving Martian ways of looking at things. Take it for granted; you'll know all about it before we get there.»

I still did not like it. Thus far Dak had told me no outright lies that I knew of — but he could lie effectively by not telling all that he knew, as I had learned the bitter way, I said, «See here, I have no reason to trust you, or to trust this young lady — if you will pardon me, miss. But while I haven't any liking for Mr. Bonforte, he does have the reputation for being painfully, even offensively, honest. When do I get to talk to him? As soon as we reach Mars?»

Dak's ugly, cheerful face was suddenly shadowed with sadness. I'm afraid not. Didn't Penny tell you?»

'Tell me what?»

«Old son, that's why we've got to have a double for the Chief. They've kidnapped him.»

My head ached, possibly from the double weight, or perhaps from too many shocks. «Now you know,» Dak went on. «You know why Jock Dubois didn't want to trust you with it until after we raised ground. It is the biggest news story since the first landing on the Moon, and we are sitting on it, doing our damnedest to keep it from ever being known. We hope to use you until we can find him and get him back. Matter of fact, you have already started your impersonation. This ship is not really the Go For Broke; it is the Chief's private yacht and traveling office, the Tom Paine. The Go For Broke is riding a parking orbit around Mars, with its transponder giving out the recognition signal of this ship — a fact known only to its captain and comm officer — while the Tommie tucks up her skirts and rushes to Earth to pick up a substitute for the Chief. Do you begin to scan it, old son?»

I admit that I did not. «Yes, but — see here, Captain, if Mr. Bonforte's political enemies have kidnapped him, why keep it secret? I should expect you to shout it from the housetops.»

«On Earth we would. At New Batavia we would. On Venus we would. But here we are dealing with Mars. Do you know the legend of Kkkahgral the Younger?»

«Eh? I'm afraid I don't.»

«You must study it; it will give you insight into what makes a Martian tick. Briefly, this boy Kkkah was to appear at a certain time and place, thousands of years ago, for a very high honor — like being knighted. Through no fault of his own (the way we would look at it) he failed to make it on time. Obviously the only thing to do was to kill him — by Martian standards. But because of his youth and his distinguished record some of the radicals present argued that he should be allowed to go back and start over. But Kkkahgral would have none of it. He insisted on his right to prosecute the case himself, won it, and was executed. Which makes him the very embodiment, the patron saint, of propriety on Mars.»

«That's crazy!»

«Is it? We aren't Martians. They are a very old race and they have worked out a system of debts and obligations to cover every possible situation — the greatest formalists conceivable. Compared with them, the ancient Japanese, with their giri and gimu, were outright anarchists. Martians don't have “right” and “wrong” — instead they have propriety and impropriety, squared, cubed, and loaded with gee juice. But where it bears on this problem is that the Chief was about to be adopted into the nest of Kkkahgral the Younger himself. Do you scan me now?»

I still did not. To my mind this Kkkah character was one of the more loathsome items from Le Grand Guignol. Broadbent went on. «It's simple enough. The Chief is probably the greatest practical student of Martian customs and psychology. He has been working up to this for years. Comes local noon on Wednesday at Lacus Soli, the ceremony of adoption takes place. If the Chief is there and goes through his paces properly, everything is sweet. If he is not there — and it makes no difference at all why he is not there — his name is mud on Mars, in every nest from pole to pole — and the greatest interplanetary and interracial political coup ever attempted falls flat on its face. Worse than that, it will backfire. My guess is that the very least that will happen is for Mars to withdraw even from its present loose association with the Empire. Much more likely there will be reprisals and human beings will be killed — maybe every human on Mars. Then the extremists in the Humanity Party would have their way and Mars would be brought into the Empire by force — but only after every Martian was dead. And all set off just by Bonforte failing to show up for the adoption ceremony ... Martians take these things very seriously.»

Dak left as suddenly as he had appeared and Penelope Russell turned on the picture projector again. It occurred to me fretfully that I should have asked him what was to keep our enemies from simply killing me, if all that was needed to upset the political applecart was to keep Bonforte (in his proper person, or through his double) from attending some barbaric Martian ceremony. But I had forgotten to ask — perhaps I was subconsciously afraid of being answered.

But shortly I was again studying Bonforte, watching his movements and gestures, feeling his expressions, subvocalizing the tones of his voice, while floating in that detached, warm reverie of artistic effort. Already I was «wearing his head.»

I was panicked out of it when the images shifted to one in which Bonforte was surrounded by Martians, touched by their pseudo limbs. I had been so deep inside the picture that I could actually feel them myself — and the stink was unbearable. I made a strangled noise and clawed at it.«Shut it off!»

The lights came up and the picture disappeared. Miss Russell was looking at me. «What in the world is the matter with you?»

I tried to get my breath and stop trembling. «Miss Russell — I am very sorry — but please don't turn that on again. I can't stand Martians.»

She looked at me as if she could not believe what she saw but despised it anyhow. «I told them,» she said slowly and scornfully, «that this ridiculous scheme would not work.»

«I am very sorry. I cannot help it.»

She did not answer but climbed heavily out of the cider press. She did not walk as easily at two gravities as Dak did, but she managed. She left without another word, closing the door as she went.

She did not return. Instead the door was opened by a man who appeared to be inhabiting a giant kiddie stroller. «Howdy there, young fellow!» he boomed out. He was sixtyish, a bit too heavy, and bland; I did not have to see his diploma to be aware that his was a «bedside» manner.

«How do you do, sir?»

'Well enough. Better at lower acceleration.» He glanced down at the contrivance he was strapped into. «How do you like my corset-on-wheels? Not stylish, perhaps, but it takes some of the strain off my heart. By the