War World X: Takeover Read Online Free PDF Page B

make some deals in Kenny Camp One or Hell’s-A-Comin’. Who knows?”
    “You understand, I shall be bringing my, ah, employees too?”
    “I knew that,” Makhno smiled, not prettily.
    “Aha.” DeCastro guessed that he understood Makhno’s precautions now. “Come, let us go sign the papers in front of everybody.”

     
    Brodski paced slowly up to the gate of the Harmony enclave, noting with approval that the log walls had been raised to an effective height. Wilgar self-importantly rang the bell and pulled himself up a little taller. The tiny barred window in the gate opened, and a suspicious eye showed in the space.
    “Brother Wilgar and Cousin Brodski, come to see the Choirmaster,” the boy announced.
    The window slammed shut. A moment later the gate creaked open.
    “You might want to put a small wheel under the leading edge of that gate,” Brodski noted. “Keep the gate from dragging on the ground and pulling on the hinges. It’ll move a lot easier and last a lot longer.”
    The brown-robed gatekeeper gave him an owlish look and said nothing, but closed the gate behind them. Wilgar led the way to the main house, then into the famed library.
    Charles Castell, sitting behind the desk, looked older and wearier than the last time Brodski had seen him, which wasn’t that many turns ago. He barely raised his eyes as Brodski paced to the front of his desk and took one of the facing chairs without waiting to be told. “Friend Brodski,” he asked, “Have you returned to teach Harmonious Defense to more of our brethren?”
    “In more ways than you expected,” Brodski replied. “Besides Aikido and Tai Chi, I’d like to teach you something of strategy, too.”
    Castell only raised a suspicious eyebrow.
    Nothing for it but to plow ahead. “Are you aware,” said Brodski, “That the CoDo government is plotting to take Haven away from you?”
    Castell blinked. “I am very much aware of it,” he said grimly, “And I confess that I have not found a Harmonious way to prevent this theft.”
    “Ultimately, you can’t.” Brodski leaned closer. “What the government wants, the government gets—so long as the only real opposition is a small bunch of folks insisting on their rights. It takes really massive numbers, all of them armed with some kind of real power, to make a government change course—which is what elections used to be about. You don’t have that kind of numbers, or anything like that kind of power.”
    “Have you nothing better to tell me?” Castell asked.
    “Yes. You can slow down the takeover. Slow it down while you gain the power to hold off the worst of their control. Are you interested?”
    Castell rattled his fingers on the desk. “I do not see a Harmonious way of gaining or using the power you describe,” he said slowly. “Can you enlighten me on this subject?”
    Brodski smiled. “First, you must extend a Harmonious unity to all the people on Haven. In other words, make everybody your allies—everybody who isn’t a CoDo agent or corporate manager. Are you willing to do that?”
    “Everybody?” Castell blinked. “Amoral settlers, and sin-loving miners, and…and….”
    “Everybody,” Brodski said firmly. “Give up your isolation or give up your world. Those are the choices you have.”
    Castell thought for a long moment, his face crumpling as if it were aging suddenly. Finally he said: “Tell me how you think this unity can be accomplished.”
    “First,” said Brodski, holding up one finger, “Get involved in the economy of Docktown. Trade directly with the settlers, the miners, and everyone else who isn’t a company man. Encourage trade: barter, or local trade-standard or any kind of money you can lay your hands on.
    “Second, don’t antagonize the Marines in any way; that means not leaning on the bars, bordellos or anything else they find amusing. Just smile and ignore them.
    “Third, send out more beadles and deacons to throw the real troublemakers out of town. I can