F Paul Wilson - LaNague 02 by Wheels Within Wheels (v5.0) Page A

takes to make it in the free
market, so he will try to persuade the government to use its coercive power to
help him gain an advantage over his competitors: a special sanction, an import
quota, a right of way, et cetera. The politician will find that if he complies
he will grow richer in power and/or material wealth. The colluding business will
aim for a monopoly over a particular market while the politician will aim in
turn for further extension of political influence into the marketplace by
controlling that monopoly. They both wind up winners. The losers: everybody
else.
                “So I still
say, government should have no influence in the economy and business should
have no influence in government. And that’s the way it’s been under the LaNague
Charter. You, don’t see any lobbyists at Fed Central because the Federation has
denied itself any and all economic power. Nobody’s getting any special favors
and I want to keep it that way. And the only way for me to do that is to meet a
few politicos head-on.”
                Jo drummed
her fingers on the desk and studied the old man. His concern was genuine. And
despite the conspiratorial overtones of his suspicions, Jo had an uneasy
feeling that he could be right. The Restructurists had been rather quiet of
late. Maybe something was brewing after all.
                But a
secret plot to trigger the emergency clause of the Federation charter?
Unlikely. But then again… Old Pete had never been known to be prone to
hysteria, nor to paranoia. He was getting on in years, true, but not that far
on. He and her grandfather had possessed two of the shrewdest minds in the
interstellar market in their day and she sensed that Pete’s was still sharp. If
he thought there was something in the wind that threatened IBA, then it might
be wise to give him the benefit of the doubt.
                Jo withheld
complete acceptance. She’d help, even if it meant continued close contact with
Pete, but she’d keep an eye on him. If he was wrong and his suspicions had no
basis in fact, then little was lost except some time and personal aggravation.
If he happened to be right, however… well, IBA was her home and her family.
Anything that threatened it, threatened her.
                “I’ve
always found conspiracy theories titillating,” she said after a long pause,
“though rarely verifiable. But if it’s in IBA’s interest, I’ll do what I can.”
                Old Pete’s
body relaxed visibly as he heard this. “Good! You can help me dig. I’ve already
got someone checking out this fellow on Dil. We’ll have to keep a watch on all
the Restructurist eminentoes to see if anything else is about to break.”
                Jo nodded.
“I can see to that. I’ll also send someone of my own to Dil to see what can be
uncovered there.” She rose to her feet, anxious to end the meeting. “In the
meantime…”
                Old Pete
sat where he was and held up his hand. “Not so fast.”
                “What’s the
matter?”
                “If we’re
going to be working together on this thing,” he said, “let’s get one thing
settled: Why do you hate me?”
                Jo’s voice
rose half an octave. “I don’t hate you.”
                “Yes, you
do. And I’d like an explanation. You owe me that much, at least.”
                She
wondered at times if she owed him anything; then at other times she felt she
owed him everything. But always, when she thought of him, old hatreds rose to
the surface. She hesitated.
                “I’m
waiting,” Old Pete said patiently.
                Jo shook
herself and made ready the reply that was as unpleasant for her to say as it
was going to be for Old Pete to hear.
                “If it
hadn’t been for you,” she said slowly and distinctly, “my father would be