Retaliation

Retaliation Read Online Free PDF

Book: Retaliation Read Online Free PDF
Author: Bill McCay
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction
Then he remem-bered that the UMC had been using the coins to pay the Nagadan miners.
    “What did he say?” the general demanded of Daniel Jackson. “He said that the decline in the tonnage of quartz going through the StarGate is because there are a lot of people leaving the city of Nagada. And, ironically enough, that’s due to the flood of Susan B. Anthony dollars you’ve sent here.” The muscles in West’s poker face set so hard, they hurt. “Explain,” he said. “In a couple of months you’ve taken Abydos from a slave, barter economy to a coinage-based free market. Speculation has raised its head-and the biggest mar-ket is in food. People are buying up grain, hoarding it-driving up the price. So the city folk are leaving the city for the farming enclaves where the food is.”
    “But these people here are the government of the planet! Can’t they regulate the labor force-“ “That has an unpleasant ring for people who are just up from slavery,” Jackson replied. After a brief discussion with Kasuf, he returned to the general. “Things aren’t as monolithic as they seem,” he said. “There are two tribes on Abydos-the miners and the farmers. Each has its own Council of Elders, and the farmers have their own chief-a guy named Nakeer.” “Nakeer.” Kasuf nodded and repeated the name, then added more in Abydan. “Since times are tough in Nagada, a lot of miners are deciding to become farmers,”
    Jackson translated. ‘They blame the economic dislocations on the inter-vention from Earth.”
    “But we helped them win freedom, we’ve given them the benefits of modern medicine-“ West said in annoyance.
    “Which translates as freedom to starve, while our modern medicine just serves to baffle them. Stick a needle in your arm and you won’t get sick? I’m afraid there haven’t been any miraculous cures. That only happens in the movies. The Abydan in the streets doesn’t see us as wonder workers anymore.” “Wait till they see what we’ve been doing with that quartz back in the labs,” West muttered. He stiffened, glancing from the military officer with him to Jackson. “Forget I said that.”
    The general frowned. “We need to get researchers aboard that ship,” he said.
    “Since our money isn’t any good to the people here, what can we offer?” Jackson transmitted the question. Then it was Kasuf’s turn to frown. He began to talk rapidly, forcefully, leaning forward from the pile of cushions where he half reclined.
    Whatever he’s saying, it’s very important to him, West thought. I hope this won’t turn out to be the deal breaker.
    “As you heard, Kasuf wants a lot of things for his people. But they really break down into two things.
    Health care and education. Kasuf wants his people healthy, especially the children. And since he sees ever more machines coming through the StarGate, he wants his young people trained for the future. That means knowing how to use our technology, how to fix it, and further down the road, how to make it.”
    “I’m willing to guarantee that,” West said promptly.
    Jackson translated, and Kasuf and his colleagues exchanged dubious looks. Are they annoyed because they set too low a price? West wondered. Or is this just suspicion that I gave in too easily? Maybe I should have haggled a bit more.
    One of the other Elders spoke up. He didn’t sound friendly. “Old Tatjenen here thanks you for your quick agreement. But he says words are cheap. For some reason, the Abydans don’t trust you. In fact, the Elders of Nagada have a hard time accepting the word of anyone from Earth.” Daniel Jackson’s voice was cutting.
    “You’re from Earth,” West pointed out.
    “And they know I’ve been straight with them,” Jackson shot back. “So has the colonel here.”
    “You filled the locals’ heads with doubts about UMC,” West continued. “Only after they started screwing over the people here,” Jackson replied. “And I’d say those UMC guys justified
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