"I'd be freed at once. I only owed money, mister, I didn't hurt anyone. Even if I had I could buy my way out after taking my lashes. You-no."
"Something?"
"You look like a stranger. If you want some good advice get off this world as soon as you can. Without money you'd be better off dead and, if you've got some, they'll be after it. The vultures, I mean. But who the hell ever takes good advice?"
"I do." Dumarest handed the man twenty days of freedom. "This isn't charity-I don't believe in it. I'm buying information. Where can I find the best computer service in town?"
It was housed in an ornate building which reared close to the edge of the city. Glass reflected the light of the setting sun as Dumarest made his way towards it and he paused, looking at the intricate stone-work, wondering who had paid for it and why.
Inside he found out. The receptionist was svelte, young, vaguely interested in his requirements. A woman, he guessed, with more than work on her mind. Patiently he explained his needs.
"Computer time, certainly, that's what we're here to deliver. Now if you will let us have the relevant documents and authorization-"
"What authorization?"
"Why, the permission to use the documents for the purpose your claim." Long eyelashes dropped to cover impatient eyes. "Is it really necessary for me to explain?"
Dumarest said, coldly, "I am a personal friend of the Director. He has asked me to conduct a test of your attitude towards the general public. I find it most interesting. Now, if you please, I would like your name and status." His tone chilled even more. "At once!"
"I- But you can't! I mean-"
"You deny me the information? Am I to assume you lack the right to sit where you do? Inform your superior that I wish to make an immediate appointment. Move, girl. Move!"
Twenty minutes later he was ushered into an office occupying the corner of the fifth floor. A woman rose as he entered, coming forward to meet him, both hands extended. As their palms touched she said, "Earl Dumarest. You have been on this world less than two hours and already I have one slightly hysterical girl on my hands. Are you really a friend of the Director?"
A woman who knew so much would know more. "No."
"I am glad that you didn't lie. It would have been a stupid pretense. My name, incidentally is Hilda Benson. My status, if you are interested, is comptroller of external outlets." She smiled, a dumpy, aging woman who radiated an air of competence. "What made you so annoyed downstairs?"
"Stupidity."
"The girl's or the system's?"
"Perhaps both. She wanted documents-I have none. She demanded an authorization to use the documents I didn't have. We were getting nowhere."
"So you did something about it. Please sit. Now, how can we help you?" She frowned as he told her. "You want to find a world? A planet called Earth? And you come to us for that?"
"Where better?"
"An almanac, surely. One can be found in any library."
"Can you supply the information?"
"Of course. If a library has the information then so do we. An incredible amount of data is stacked in our memory banks and that information naturally includes all known astronomical data, all navigational tables, the most recent listing and-" She broke off, shaking her head. "Well, it's your money and if you want to waste it who am I to object? Earth, you say?" A terminal stood to one side of the office and she crossed to it, her fingers dancing over the keys. "This will only take a moment."
Dumarest leaned back in the chair, waiting. After a while he said, "Is something wrong?"
"No." She looked a little flustered. "It's just that we have to wait our turn. I'll ask again and demand priority."
"The response will be-planet unknown," said Dumarest. "Am I correct?"
"You are." She looked at him from her position by the terminal. "Which means that the world you mention does not exist."
"Because your computer does not hold the information?" He shrugged. "Try again, madam. Ask under 'legends.' Also under the name Terra.' And if you have anything on the Original People it might help."
"Is this a joke?"
"No." He met her eyes. "I came here for help not to make a fool of anyone. I understand that the computers on Harald are the finest in the entire region. I take it they are cross-linked?" He paused, continuing at her nod, "All that remains then is to select the finest service. I was given to understand that this was it. Maybe you're more interested in fancy decoration and prestige-buildings than in actual service."
"You don't have to be insulting."
"I don't have to be anything!" Dumarest surged to his feet. "Certainly I don't have to beg for what I pay for or plead for what you are in business to provide. Now hit those keys and let's find out just how damned good your computers are."
For a long moment she stood, looking at him, her eyes searching his face and then, as if having arrived at a decision, turned to the terminal and sent her blunt fingers over the keys.
He heard the hiss of her indrawn breath as she read the answer flashed on the screen.
"Well?"
"Legend," she said. "It's listed under legend. Earth is a mythical world-"
"Wrong!"
"-one equated with Eden, Avalon, Camelot, El Dorado, Jackpot, Bonanza and many others," she continued, ignoring the interruption. "One of a group of tales possibly devised to entertain children or to point a moral. A fable, a place devoid of hurt, pain or sorrow."
"Wrong again," he said, harshly. "Earth has all of those and more. Try again."
"Terra?"
"Another name for Earth." He waited as she operated the keyboard. "Well?"
"As you say, it is another name for Earth, but I've something from the Original People. You would, no doubt, like to tell me what it is."
He smiled at the acidity of her tone; an expression without genuine humor, but one which helped. There was no point in making her an enemy.
"The Original People are a cult which believe that all men sprang from a single world. I quote-" his voice deepened, held something of the muted thunder of drums, "From terror they fled to find new places on which to expiate their sins. Only when cleansed will the race of Man be again united." As she drew in her breath he said, "End of quote. Good enough?"
"For me, yes. You know what you're talking about and I don't think you are joking. But you realize what you're asking us to do?"
"To find the coordinates of Earth."
"To find a legend. A place which officially doesn't exist. Do you realize what that could mean? Endless checking of cross-references, the hunting down of abstruse notations, the searching of ancient files. Elimination, selection, winnowing, collating, substantiating-it could take years!" She saw his expression. "You disagree?"
"Not with what you say. Such a search would take a long time and there would be no certainty of success. But I don't want you to do that. I merely want to hire the computer to run a comparison check on a stellar spectrogram I have. How much would it cost?"
"We charge by the minute." He pursed his lips as she told him the price. "Are you still interested?"