Ultima Thule (Paperback)

Excerpt: ...to be bothered. I've been getting my three squares a day, got a nice little flat for my family. How do I know it's not going to be a worse world?" "That's always a possibility," Tog told him. "Do most people seem to feel the same?" "Practically everybody I know does," he said glumly. "But the fat's in the fire now. The priests are trying to hold on but their government is falling apart all over the place." "Well," Ronny said, "at least you can figure just about anything in the way of a new government will be better than one based on superstition and inquisition. It couldn't get worse." "Things can always get worse," the other contradicted him sadly. They left the cab before an impressively tall, many windowed building in city center. As they mounted the steps, Ronny frowned at her. "You seemed to be encouraging that man in his pessimism. So far as I can see, the best thing that ever happened to this planet was toppling that phony priesthood." "Perhaps," she said agreeably. "However, the man's mind was an ossified one. A surprisingly large percentage of people have them, especially when it comes to institutions such as religion and government. We weren't going to be able to teach him anything, but it was possible to learn from him." Ronny grunted his disgust. "What could we possibly learn from him?" Tog said mildly, "We could learn what people of the street were thinking. It might give us some ideas about what direction the new government will take." They approached the portals of the building and were halted by an armed Space Forces guard of half a dozen men. Their sergeant saluted, taking in their obvious other-planet clothing. pg 039 "Identifications, please," he said briskly. They showed their badges and were passed on through. Ronny said to him, "Much trouble, sergeant?" The other shrugged. "No. Just precautions, sir. We've been here only three or four weeks. Civil disturbance. We're...