StarShip City

trouble on a manufactured planet

All devices emitted a loud, annoying buzz.

They then blared out: ”Attention: We interrupt your lives to deliver this important message!”

A video appeared.

Rory McFinn seemed quite pale. He had what looked like

a band-aid over the bridge of his nose.

Broadcast on location from Starship City headquarters, McFinn was standing

on the front steps. Dolores' commercial film crew, in an awkward way, appeared in the background.

"Good morning folks," McFinn began. "Today, I-uh-

is this-are we on? Is this-ah-okay, as I was

saying, this morning I managed to arrive from Earth just in

to hear that this so-called Starship City Assembly was selling us

all down the river, just as I suspected. They were waiting for

me when I landed, but, fortunately, I had foreseen this and

took precautions. They were outguessed. The military and I

have always gotten along well. As you know, Generalissimo

Bernini came with me some four years ago when I first discovered

this fine manufactured planet. When Generalissimo Bernini learned that I

intended to overthrow this new this supposed government run by these

reactionary right and left wing communist radical extremists

and fascists, and I am only using their own words, he

immediately, Bernini that is, rallied to my cause. I had told

him that I intended to throw the whole government open to

elections.

Yes, you are free and independent. It has taken me

a while to accept it, but now I know it can only be like this.

I have struck a bargain with liberty and good conscience.

You must realize how difficult this all is to me. This world

was once mine. It was taken away from me. A place that I

owned--a place I called home. Kicked out of your own home.

How would you like that? And by my own employees. This Starship City

Assembly was not always so autonomous as it has lately affirmed.

It was only my way of running my own business. And I suppose

I took on too great a task. I couldn't run it myself. For

one thing, I hadn't the sufficient interest. And 1 couldn't

prevent people from coming here. These people, you people,

you know on what terms you came.

Some of you people who are now asserting what you claim are vested

interests; you know this is not true.

But the thing is, if I am going to have the rug pulled

out from under me, it isn't going to be by some dictatorship,

some oligarchy. If it, Starship City, I mean, is no longer mine, it

must be no one's. I permitted you to come with no restrictions,

and you know the Earth could have given me the power to prohibit

you if I had asked. Now I am leaving, but not before I see

that this place is not run by some ruthless power, claimed to

be representatives but actually only those people who have

wrested power from me.

There are to be elections. This place is going to be

run as a democracy. I've got a cartographer and a surveyor

who are going to carve out this planet into equal square sections

in a number equal to the total amount of people here, young,

old and in between. This is just for starters. If you want

to stay where you are, that's your problem. You are now going

to find out just as I have, what it means to be truly

free--to really get the rug pulled out from under you. And if you

don't like it--that's tough. Generalissimo Bernini and I

intend to see that this election comes off right. And when

we hand out the land it is going to be done fair and square.

If there are any of you fat cats out there who have gotten rich

off me who don't like it they can join the Starship City Assembly in here

(pointing to the Starship City headquarters). I've got them locked up.

They will not be mistreated. Under the new constitution-oh,

yes, the new constitution. I intend to go into this, perhaps,

tomorrow. Under the new constitution we don't intend to hold

prisoners. Those who violate the constitution and its authorized

laws will be simultaneously buying their ticket out of here.

Only persons to observe other's rights will be permitted the

same in return.

In other words, there are going to be some changes

made around here. But I think it is for the better. Yes, you

are free. Yes, you are independent. I intend to see that

you stay that way. 10-4."

And with that Starship City was transformed from the once taken

away bailiwick of Rory McFinn, to the home of the free and the brave.

It was a somewhat pretentious, pompous and openly sensationalized

speech, and few liked it. They thought McFinn was insane.

And as for this new freedom and independence: They didn't

believe him. The star port was deluged by citizens demanding

to leave the planet, many of whom intended to come back with

armaments and ammunition to re-overthrow McFinn. They were

turned back, however, by Generalissimo Bernini and his forces who had

foreseen their actions and were waiting for them. He declared.

that there was a state of emergency and until the elections

were held civil rights were suspended.

So, at present Starship City was a military dictatorship. It was

now one of those governments that democracies tend to frown

upon and one that would probably not win high marks with the

Galaxy System, not to mention Earth.

"Don't you think it is a little vindictive?" Dolores

asked McFinn when he called, referring to the jailed assemblymen.

"Aren't you afraid you may make them martyrs?

"Don't worry," he said. "Bernini has already released

them. They were let go last night. They have already become

martyrs. Three hours after the broadcast we had a crowd of

people outside the Starship City headquarters clamoring for their release."

"Do you intend to hold on to this?"

"No. Not at all. In fact I'm eager to leave. I'm

not welcome anymore. I don't know how it happened."

"Power generates envy, I suppose."

"Lust for power is perhaps more powerful than

power itself."

"But now have all the power."

"At present."

"You can count on Bernini, can 't you?"

"Sure. Undying support. You know Bernini."

"But his men?"

"Yes, his men. His captains. What they call capitanos.

I don't know where these Italian sounding names came from."

"Bernini."

"Oh, yes. That's right. Bernini's Italian. It's

his idea."

"What is it then, just a matter of time until Bernini

can no longer hold them?"

"Yes. Their allegiance. He's right. They are from

Starship City. They have family, friends. They stand to gain from

the transformation."

"Why don't you just let it go?"

"I would think that irresponsible."

"I suppose."

"Will you help me?"

 

 

 

 

 

THE END