"You are two very impetuous men," decided Prendergast Biggs, "and I am surprised that you could think your employers would—but never mind. Let me assure you that we have no intention of dealing with these criminals on a friendly basis. On the contrary, we are going to do our utmost to break their grip on the suffering citizens of Iris.
"As Sparks has already commented, there is one thing the usurpers of Iris cannot legally do. That is, forbid the right of free trade and commerce between other planets and the captive Irisians.
"On the other hand, they can forbid the establishment of any community, outpost, or permanent trading-station upon their planetoid. They can prevent unwanted outsiders from becoming citizens of their base. In short, strangers may visit Iris, but they cannot stay there."
"Then, why—?" began the Old Man.
"However," continued the Vice-president, "there is a loophole they have overlooked. That is the clause in interplanetary law which reads: 'Any person or group of persons who discover, create or otherwise develop a hitherto undeveloped industry dependent upon the natural resources of any planet in the system are granted the privilege of establishing settlement upon that body for a period not to exceed thirty-five Solar years.'"
He smiled at us. "That, gentlemen, is the entering-wedge with which we plan to crack the defenses of these tyrants who hold Iris in their grip!"
I stared at him confusedly.
"I don't get it, sir! You mean we're going into some kind of business on Iris?"
"Precisely, Sparks."
"But—but what? Iris is just a bleak little hunk of rock swinging in the Asteroid Belt. It doesn't have any soil to grow things in, any bodies of water to fish in. It doesn't have any 'natural resources' we can develop. So what excuse are we going to offer for barging into Iris?"