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"I'm sorry," I managed, "but that is impossible. I can't go with ... "
"I am afraid that you must. It is absolutely necessary," he said.
"No," I said, panicking, fighting against fading before I could settle this. "No-you can't."
"I believe a similar concept exists in your own jurisprudence. You call it ‘protective custody.' "
"What about Article 7224, Section C?" I blurted out, feeling my speech slip over into a slur as my eyes fell closed.
"What did you say?"
"You heard me," I remember muttering. "Seven ... two ... two ... four. Sec ... tion ... C ... That's why ... "
And then, again, nothing.
The cycles of awareness bore me back-to consciousness or within spitting distance of it-several times more before I stuck at something approaching full wakefulness and filled it with California-watching. It was by degrees that I became aware of the argument that filled the air, obtaining its content in a detached, academic sort of way. They were upset over something that I had said.
Oh yes ...
Article 7224, Section C. It had to do, I gathered, with the removal of intelligent creatures from their home planets without their consent. Part of a galactic treaty to which my rescuers' worlds were signatory, it was the closest thing to an interstellar constitution that they had. There was, however, sufficient ambiguity in the present situation to make for a debatable issue, in that there was also provision for removal without consent for a variety of overriding causes, such as quarantine for species protection, non-military reprisal for violations of certain other provisions, a kind of sensitive catchall for "interstellar security" and several more along these lines, all of which they discussed and rediscussed at great length. I had obviously touched on a delicate area, especially in light of the recency of their initial contact with Earth. Ragma kept insisting that if they chose one of the exceptions as controlling and removed me on that basis, their legal department would back them up. If it ever actually came to a point where an adjudication became necessary and they were reversed, he felt that he and Charv would not be held especially liable for their interpretation of the law, in that they were field operatives rather than trained legal perso
It was not until much later that Charv interrupted things with a question that had been bothering me all along: "Where did he learn about Article 7224, anyway?"
They repaired to the sling, interrupting my view of storm patterns off Cape Hatteras. Seeing that my eyes were open, they nodded and gestured in what I believe they intended as a pantomime of good will and concern.
"Have you been resting well?" Charv inquired.
"Quite."
"Water?"
"Please."
I drank some, then: "Sandwich?" he asked.
"Yes. Thanks."
He produced one and I began eating.
"We have been quite concerned over your well-being-and about doing the right thing in your case."
"That is good of you."
"We have been wondering about something that you said a while back, dealing with our offer to provide you with sanctuary during a fairly routine investigation we will be conducting on your planet. It seemed as if you cited a section of the Galactic Code just before you dropped off to sleep last time. But you mumbled somewhat and we could not be certain. Was this the case?"
"Yes."
"I see," he said, adjusting his sunglasses. "Would you mind telling us how you became acquainted with its provisions?"
"Such things travel quickly in academic circles," I offered, which was the best response I could locate in my supply of misleading statements.
"It is possible," said Ragma, dropping back into whatever they had been speaking earlier. "Their scholars have been working on translations. They may be completed by now and circulating about their universities. It is not my department, so I ca
"And if somebody has put together a course on the subject, this one has probably taken it," said Charv. "Yes. Unfortunate."
"Then you must be aware," Charv continued, switching back to English and aiming it in my direction, "that your planet is not yet signatory to the agreement."
"Of course," I replied. "But then, my concern is really with your own actions under its provisions."
"Yes, of course," he said, glancing at Ragma.
Ragma moved nearer, his unblinking wombat eyes holding something like a glare.
"Mister Cassidy," he said, "let me put it as simply as possible. We are law officers-cops, if you like-with a job to do. I regret that we ca
"I'm sorry," I said.
"Then perhaps," he went on, "I may appeal to your venality as well as your much-lauded primate adventuresomeness. A trip like this would probably cost you a fortune if you could arrange it yourself, and you would have an opportunity to see sights none of your kind has ever witnessed before."
It did get through to me, that. At any other time I would not have hesitated. But my feelings had just then sorted themselves out. It went without saying that something was amiss and that I was a part of it. But it was more than the world that was out of whack. Something that I did not understand had happened/was happening to me. I grew convinced that the only way I could discover it and remedy or exploit it was to stay home and do my own investigating. I was doubtful that anyone else's would serve my ends as I would have them served.
So: "I am sorry," I repeated.
He sighed, turned away, looked out the port and regarded the Earth.
Finally: "Yours is a very stubborn race," he said.
When I did not respond, he added, "But so is mine. We must return you if you insist. But I will find a way to achieve the necessary results without your cooperation."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"If you are lucky," he said, "you may live to regret your decision."