Saxon sat down.
There were two others behind the blond man but Saxon kept his eyes on Emil, recognizing a dangerous type. Obviously well educated, intelligent, the blond man was fiercely loyal to General Atomic.
Not such a queer combination in these times, Saxon thought; when the corporations had come to replace countries in men's loyalties.
The anarchist revolt against Bureaucratic-Socialism had seriously weakened Terra and corporate business had fought its way back to power. Determined never again to permit the sacred laws of property to be so violated, it had fastened its tentacles to the very roots of society. It organized a government in an image of itself—a corporate government.
Men became known no longer as American or Spanish but as General Atomic men, or Tri-World men, or Corporate Government men and were as blindly patriotic to their corporations as they had been in earlier ages to the lands of their birth.
Such a one, Saxon recognized, was Emil of General Atomic, a fanatic who would consider it the greatest honor to die for his company.
"You realize, sir," said Emil, "that we regret very much what we must do."
"Why do it, then?" Jon Saxon asked bluntly.
The blond Emil looked shocked. "Are you suggesting treason, sir?"