Stranger in a Strange Land

«Just a moment, Mike. Well, Mr. Secretary? Your men have broken into my house — I hear them pounding on my study door.» Jubal turned his head. «Larry, open the door.» He put a hand on Mike. «Don't get excited, lad.»

«Yes, Jubal. That man. I have know him.»

«And he knows you.» Over his shoulder Jubal called out, «Come in, Sergeant.»

An S.S. sergeant stood in the doorway, mob gun at ready. He called out, «Major! Here they are!»

Douglas said, «Let me speak to the officer commanding them, Doctor.»

Jubal was relieved to see that the major showed up with his sidearm holstered; Mike had been trembling ever since the sergeant's gun had come into view — Jubal lavished no love on these troopers but he did not want Smith to display his powers.

The major glanced around. «You're Jubal Harshaw?»

«Yes. Come here. Your boss wants you.»

«None of that. Come along. I'm also looking for — »

«Come here! The Secretary General wants a word with you.»

The S.S. major looked startled, came into the study, and in sight of the screen — looked at it, snapped to attention and saluted. Douglas nodded. «Name, rank, and duty.»

«Sir, Major C. D. Bloch, Special Service Squadron Cheerio, Enclave Barracks.»

«Tell me what you are doing.»

«Sir, that's rather complicated. I — »

«Then unravel it. Speak up, Major.»

«Yes, sir. I came here pursuant to orders. You see — »

«I don't see.»

«Well, sir, an hour and a half ago a flying squad was sent here to make several arrests. When we couldn't raise them by radio, I was sent to find them and render assistance.»

«Whose orders?»

«Uh, the Commandant's, sir.»

«And did you find them?»

«No, sir. Not a trace.»

Douglas looked at Harshaw. «Counsellor, did you see anything of another squad?»

«It's not my duty to keep track of your servants, Mr. Secretary.»

«That is hardly an answer to my question.»

«You are correct, sir. I am not being interrogated. Nor will I be, other than by due process. I am acting for my client; I am not nursemaid to these uniformed, uh, persons. But I suggest, from what I have seen, that they could not find a pig in a bath tub.»

«Mmm… possibly. Major, round up your men and return.»

«Yes, sir!» The major saluted.

«Just a moment!» Harshaw interrupted. «These men broke into my house. I demand to see their warrant.»

«Oh. Major, show him your warrant.»

Major Bloch turned red. «Sir, the officer ahead of me had the warrants.»

Douglas stared. «Young man… are you telling me that you broke into a citizen's home without a warrant?»

«But — Sir, you don't understand! There are warrants. Captain Heinrich has them. Sir.»

Douglas looked disgusted. «Get on back. Place yourself under arrest. I'll see you later.»

«Yes, sir.»

«Hold it,» Harshaw demanded. «I exercise my right to make citizen's arrest. I shall have him placed in our local lockup. “Armed breaking and entering”.»

Douglas blinked. «Is this necessary?»

«Ithink it is. These fellows seem awfully hard to find — I don't want this one to leave our local jurisdiction. Aside from criminal matters, I haven't had opportunity to assess property damage.»

«You have my assurance, sir, that you will be fully compensated.»

«Thank you, sir. But what is to keep another uniformed joker from coming along later? He wouldn't even need to break down the door! My castle stands violated, open to any intruder. Mr. Secretary, only the moments of delay afforded by my once-stout door kept this scoundrel from dragging me away before I could reach you… and you heard him say that there is another like him at large — with, so he says, warrants.»

«Doctor, I know nothing of any such warrant.»

«Warrants, sir. He said “warrants for several arrests”. Perhaps a better term would be “lettres de cachet”.»

«That's a serious imputation.»

«This is a serious matter.»

«Doctor, I know nothing of these warrants, if they exist. But I give you my personal assurance that I will look into it at once, find out why they were issued, and act as the merits may appear. Can I say more?»

«You can say a great deal more, sir. I can reconstruct why those warrants were issued. Someone in your service, in an excess of zeal, caused a pliant judge to issue them… for the purpose of seizing the persons of myself and my guests in order to question us, out of your sight. Out of anyone's sight, sir! We will discuss issues with you … but we will not be questioned by such as this — » Jubal hooked a thumb at the major. « — in some windowless back room! Sir, I hope for justice at your hands… but if those warrants are not canceled at once, if I am not assured beyond quibble that the Man from Mars, Nurse Boardman, and myself will be undisturbed, free to come and go, then — » Jubal shrugged helplessly. « — I must seek a champion. There are persons and powers outside the administration who hold deep interest in the affairs of the Man from Mars.»

«You threaten me.»

«No, sir. I plead with you. We wish to negotiate. But we cannot while being hounded. I beg you, sir — call off your dogs!»