The Sensitive Man Read online

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  Transcriber's Note:

  This etext was produced from Fantastic Universe January 1954. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.

  [_Conspiracy seems to be as much a part of our times as it was in the times of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. Hence it finds frequent reflection in all branches of fiction, including science fiction. Yet, as in life, something new has been added, the most gigantic conspiracy of all, the human conspiracy against conspirators. Which makes for a fine stirring story in this short novel of the future by Mr. Anderson, one of our best young authors._]

  the

  sensitive

  man

  _by ... Poul Anderson_

  One man stood between a power-hungry cabal and world mastery--but a man of unusual talents.

  * * * * *

  The Mermaid Tavern had been elaborately decorated. Great blocks ofhewn coral for pillars and booths, tarpon and barracuda on the walls,murals of Neptune and his court--including an outsize animated pictureof a mermaid ballet, quite an eye-catcher. But the broad quartzwindows showed merely a shifting greenish-blue of seawater, and theonly live fish visible were in an aquarium across from the bar.Pacific Colony lacked the grotesque loveliness of the Florida and Cubasettlements. Here they were somehow a working city, even in theirrecreations.

  The sensitive man paused for a moment in the foyer, sweeping the bigcircular room with a hurried glance. Less than half the tables werefilled. This was an hour of interregnum, while the twelve to eighteenhundred shift was still at work and the others had long finished theirmore expensive amusements. There would always be a few around, ofcourse--Dalgetty typed them as he watched.

  A party of engineers, probably arguing about the compression strengthof the latest submarine tank to judge from the bored expressions ofthe three or four rec girls who had joined them. A biochemist, whoseemed to have forgotten his plankton and seaweed for the time beingand to have focussed his mind on the pretty young clerk with him. Acouple of hard-handed caissoniers, settling down to some seriousdrinking.

  A maintenance man, a computerman, a tank pilot, a diver, a searancher, a bevy of stenographers, a bunch of very obvious tourists,more chemists and metallurgists--the sensitive man dismissed them all.There were others he couldn't classify with any decent probability butafter a second's hesitation he decided to ignore them too. That leftonly the group with Thomas Bancroft.

  They were sitting in one of the coral grottos, a cave of darkness toordinary vision. Dalgetty had to squint to see in and the muted lightof the tavern was a harsh glare when his pupils were so distended.But, yes--it was Bancroft all right and there was an empty boothadjoining his.

  Dalgetty relaxed his eyes to normal perception. Even in the shortmoment of dilation the fluoros had given him a headache. He blocked itoff from consciousness and started across the floor.

  A hostess stopped him with a touch on the arm as he was about to enterthe vacant cavern. She was young, an iridescent mantrap in her briefuniform. With all the money flowing into Pacific Colony they couldafford decorative help here.

  "I'm sorry, sir," she said. "Those are kept for parties. Would youlike a table?"

  "I'm a party," he answered, "or can soon become one." He moved aside atrifle so that none of the Bancroft group should happen to look outand see him. "If you could arrange some company for me...." He fumbledout a C-note, wondering just how such things could be done gracefully.

  "Why, of course, sir." She took it with a smoothness he envied andhanded him a stunning smile in return. "Just make yourselfcomfortable."

  Dalgetty stepped into the grotto with a fast movement. This wasn'tgoing to be simple. The rough red walls closed in on top of him,forming a space big enough for twenty people or so. A fewstrategically placed fluoros gave an eerie undersea light, just enoughto see by--but no one could look in. A heavy curtain could be drawn ifone wanted to be absolutely secluded. Privacy--_uh_-huh!

  He sat down at the driftwood table and leaned back against the coral.Closing his eyes he made an effort of will. His nerves were alreadykeyed up to such a tautness that it seemed they must break and it tookonly seconds to twist his mind along the paths required.

  The noise of the tavern rose from a tiny mumble to a clattering surf,to a huge and saw-edged wave. Voices dinned in his head, shrill anddeep, hard and soft, a senseless stream of talking, jumbled togetherinto words, words, words. Somebody dropped a glass and it was like abomb going off.

  Dalgetty winced, straining his ear against the grotto side. Surelyenough of their speech would come to him, even through all that rock!The noise level was high but the human mind, if trained inconcentration, is an efficient filter. The outside racket receded fromDalgetty's awareness and slowly he gathered in the trickle of sound.

  First man: "--no matter. What can they do?"

  Second man: "Complain to the government. Do you want the FBI on ourtrail? I don't."

  First man: "Take it easy. They haven't yet done so and it's been agood week now since--"

  Second man: "How do you know they haven't?"

  Third man--heavy, authoritative voice. Yes, Dalgetty remembered it nowfrom TV speeches--it was Bancroft himself: "_I_ know. I've got enoughconnections to be sure of that."

  Second man: "Okay, so they haven't reported it. But why not?"

  Bancroft: "You know why. They don't want the government mixing intothis any more than we do."

  Woman: "Well, then, are they just going to sit and take it? No,they'll find some way to--"

  "HELLO, THERE, MISTER!!!"

  Dalgetty jumped and whirled around. His heart began to race, until hefelt his ribs tremble and he cursed his own tension.

  "WHY, WHAT'S THE MATTER, MISTER? YOU LOOK--"

  Effort again, forcing the volume down, grasping the thunderous heartin fingers of command and dragging it toward rest. He focussed hiseyes on the girl who had entered. It was the rec girl, the one he hadasked for because he had to sit in this booth.

  Her voice was speaking on an endurable level now. Another prettylittle bit of fluff. He smiled shakily. "Sit down, sweet. I'm sorry.My nerves are shot. What'll you have?"

  "A daiquiri, please." She smiled and placed herself beside him. Hedialed on the dispenser--the cocktail for her, a scotch and soda forhimself.

  "You're new here," she said. "Have you just been hired or are you avisitor?" Again the smile. "My name's Glenna."

  "Call me Joe," said Dalgetty. His first name was actually Simon. "No,I'll only be here a short while."

  "Where you from?" she asked. "I'm clear from New Jersey myself."

  "Proving that nobody is ever born in California." He grinned. Thecontrol was asserting itself, his racing emotions were checked and hecould think clearly again. "I'm--uh--just a floater. Don't have anyreal address right now."

  The dispenser ejected the drinks on a tray and flashed thecharge--$20. Not bad, considering everything. He gave the machine afifty and it made change, a five-buck coin and a bill.

  "Well," said Glenna, "here's to you."

  "And you." He touched glasses, wondering how to say what he had tosay. Damn it, he couldn't sit here just talking or necking, he'd cometo listen but.... A sardonic montage of all the detective shows he hadever seen winked through his mind. The amateur who rushes in andsolves the case, _heigh-ho_. He had never appreciated all the detailinvolved till now.

  * * * * *

 
There was hesitation in him. He decided that a straightforwardapproach was his best bet. Deliberately then he created a coolconfidence. Subconsciously he feared this girl, alien as she was tohis class. All right, force the reaction to the surface, recognize it,suppress it. Under the table his hands moved in the intricate symbolicpattern which aided such emotion-harnessing.

  "Glenna," he said, "I'm afraid I'll be rather dull company. The factis I'm doing some research in psychology, learning how to concentrateunder different conditions. I wanted to try it in a place like this,you understand." He slipped out a 2-C bill and laid it before her. "Ifyou'd just sit here quietly it won't be for more than an hour Iguess."

  "Huh?" Her brows lifted. Then, with a shrug and