Part 12 (1/2)

Since he never volunteered any information about his own past, they privately concluded that he was just a psychopathic personality.

”Strong regressive and seclusive tendencies,” Ba.s.sett explained, solemnly.

”Sure,” Nick Kendrick nodded, wisely. ”You mean a Mouldy Fig, like.”

”Creeping Meatball,” muttered cultist Januzki. Not being religious fanatics, the others didn't understand the reference. But gradually they came to accept Harry's isolationist ways as the norm--at least, for him. And since he never quarreled, never exhibited any signs of dissatisfaction, he was left to his own pattern.

Thus it was all the more surprising when that pattern was rudely and abruptly shattered.

Harry remembered the occasion well. It was the day the Leff Law was officially upheld by the Supremist Courts. The whole business came over the telescreens and there was no way of avoiding it--you couldn't avoid it, because everybody was talking about it and everybody was watching.

”Now what do you think?” Emil Grizek demanded. ”Any woman wants a baby, she's got to have those shots. They say kids shrink down into nothing. Weigh less than two pounds when they're born, and never grow up to be any bigger than midgets. You ask me, the whole thing's plumb loco, to say nothing of psychotic.”

”I dunno.” This from Big Phil. ”Reckon they just about have to do something, the way cities are filling up and all. Tell me every spot in the country, except for the plains states here, is busting at the seams. Same in Europe, Africa, South America. Running out of s.p.a.ce, running out of food, all over the world. This man Leffingwell figures on cutting down on size so's to keep the whole shebang going.”

”But why couldn't it be done on a voluntary basis?” Ba.s.sett demanded.

”These arbitrary rulings are bound to result in frustrations. And can you imagine what will happen to the individual family constellations?

Take a couple that already has two youngsters, as of now. Suppose the wife submits to the inoculations for her next child and it's born with a size-mutation. How in the world will that child survive as a midget in a family of giants? There'll be untold damage to the personality--”

”We've heard all those arguments,” Tom Lowery cut in. ”The Naturalists have been handing out that line for years. What happens to the new generation of kids, how do we know they won't be mentally defective, how can they adjust, by what right does the government interfere with private lives, personal religious beliefs; all that sort of thing. For over ten years now the debate's been going on. And meanwhile, time is running out. s.p.a.ce is running out. Food is running out. It isn't a question of individual choice any longer--it's a question of group survival. I say the Courts are right. We have to go according to law.

And back the law up with force of arms if necessary.”

”We get the message,” Januzki agreed. ”But something tells me there'll be trouble. Most folks need a midget like they need a monkey on their backs.”

”It's a ga.s.ser, pardners,” said Nick Kendrick. ”Naturalists don't dig this. They'll fight it all along the line. Everybody's gonna be all shook up.”

”It is still a good idea,” Lobo insisted. ”This Dr. Leffingwell, he has made the tests. For years he has given injections and no harm has come. The children are healthy, they survive. They learn in special schools--”

”How do you know?” Ba.s.sett demanded. ”Maybe it's all a lot of motivationalist propaganda.”

”We have seen them on the telescreens, no?”

”They could be faking the whole thing.”

”But Leffingwell, he has offered the shots to other governments beside our own. The whole world will adopt them--”

”What if some countries don't? What if our kids become midgets and the Asiatics refuse the inoculations?”

”They won't. They need room even more than we do.”

”No sense arguing,” Emil Grizek concluded. ”It's the law. You know that. And if you don't like it, join the Naturalists.” He chuckled.

”But better hurry. Something tells me there won't be any Naturalists around after a couple of years. Now that there's a Leff Law, the government isn't likely to stand for too much criticism.” He turned to Harry. ”What do you think?” he asked.

Harry shrugged. ”No comment,” he said.

But the next day he went to Grizek and demanded his pay in full.

”Leaving?” Grizek muttered. ”I don't understand. You've been with us almost five years. Where you going, what you intend to do? What's got into you all of a sudden?”