Page 6 - Extraterrestrials, Foreign and Domestic

Remains to be Seen

“You have been lucky. Vomisans are very volatile. One wrong
rumor and the whole political system is at risk. We’ve got to act
fast. Get that chamber welded back together and returned to its
original spot. Now.”
“But—but, why? It’s evidence.”
Bauser refused to elaborate until he and the watch commander
had seen the crudely-fashioned steel box lifted out of police
headquarters in the grip of an Agency hovercraft. Then he
gathered up his belongings and headed for the spaceport, a
puzzled Soznizot at his side.
“There are two more things you must do,” said Bauser, his eyes
roving over the Vomisans they passed on the street. “First, send a
message to the king that the warrant for the Beater’s arrest is
cancelled. Then find a local constable you can trust. Send him out
on his beat with a counter-rumor. Something about the king
miraculously healing the new Beater of whatever disease is
currently the rage. Also make up something about the tomb: have
him say it was examined by the Agency and found to be totally
impervious, stronger than any cutting tool or solvent we had—so
we therefore acknowledge its supernatural qualities.”
“Tomb?”
“That’s right. Had you relied on a local counterpart to keep you
informed, you would never have touched it. If you survive this
incident—and the report I must file concerning it—you will have
learned a good lesson. The king here has a sacred monopoly on
metals; the economy is based on his collecting and dispensing
them. Scavvies are a necessary part of the recycling: as long they
continue to bring the remnants of worn-out tools and mechanisms
to the royal scrap yard, the whole thing works. Their high priest is
the Beater, who must beat the Big Gong once a day to signify all is
well in the cosmos. He also provides the Scavvies with food and
shelter. When the Beater attains a certain age, he is ritually
murdered by his successor and entombed in steel. The king cannot
interfere in the affairs of the priesthood; it’s a delicate balance of
power. You were on the verge of upsetting it: the king could not
afford to lose his new Beater, and the Scavvies would not bring in
scrap metal without their priest presiding over the yard. It

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