RUBBER CITY

By Clement Masloff

The industrial history of Rubber City centers on the continuous conflict between the majority of Phrixians and the minority of Gefirs, reflected in the feud between the family of the Terions and the Gefir Meuns. The hero is the lawyer Phot Aiton who joins the Meuns, marrying the daughter of Kimon Meun and fighting the Terion firm over tire paten

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Mulberry Books
• Release date: Jun 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781950850082

Clement Masloff

The author has been involved with science fiction and speculative literature since teaching himself to read in 1941-1942. He served in the Army as a linguist and translator in four Balkan Slavic languages. For several decades, he taught sociology in Ohio after graduating research in Russian social history. In his retirement years, he has been writing science fiction, a return to dreams of the early 1940s.

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Copyright © 2019 by Clement Masloff.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher and author, except by reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review.

This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed in the publication. The authors and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

ISBN: 978-1-950850-09-9 [Paperback Edition]

978-1-950850-08-2 [eBook Edition]

Printed and bound in The United States of America.

Published by

The Mulberry Books, LLC.

8330 E Quincy Avenue, Denver CO 80237

themulberrybooks.com

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Part I

I.

There were few lawyers of Gefir ancestry in Rubber City at the beginning of the age of automotives. The youngest of them was one Phot Aiton.

He opened a small office on College Street, in the heart of the immigrant section, soon after graduation from the Law Academy and successful passing of the examination for a license to practice his profession. He immediately discovered that there was an unwritten rule: the fifteen percent of the population that was Gefir went for legal service to advocates of their own ethnic and religious background. Gefir attorneys found nearly all their clients among their own group. Phot soon experienced the truth of this situation.

Tall and muscular, with jet black hair and sharp, lively sapphire eyes, Phot strode along College Street with pride and energy. Years of study and privation had elevated him to a position of honor and social standing. But now, his task was to find a way to make a living in practice with law clients. That was turning out not to be as easy as he had earlier anticipated.

Wagons, buggies, and carriages drawn by horses took up most of the street, Phot could see. An oil-motored automotive was parked in front of the brick building containing a clothes cleaner and his own law office. He realized at once that the auto had to be that of the important personage who had telephoned him the day before to make an appointment for this morning. He spotted a small figure in a loud plaid suit and panama hat sitting at the driver’s wheel of the open vehicle. That has to be Mr. Kimon Meun, the caucho manufacturer, Phot at once surmised. It seemed appropriate to go up to the man and introduce himself to the potential client.

Hello, sir, he began, standing on the sidewalk next to the automotive. Allow me to ask if you happen to be Kimon Meun, th owner of the caotchouc rubber firm of that name.

The little man turned his head to the right and smiled. Yes, that is correct. And I can assume that you are attorney Aiton?

Indeed, beamed the younger man. Shall we enter my office so that we may discuss the business that brings us together?

Yes, replied the other, opening the low door to his left and sliding out of his auto. He offered his hand to Phot. After shaking it, the young lawyer led the way to his office entrance, unlocking the door and ushering Meun inside.

The lawyer occupied a black leather swivel chair behind his low metalline desk, while the client-to-be sat in a comfortable sofa chair that Phot had purchased at a bankruptcy auction. The attorney had placed his own brown fedora on top of the desk. Meun continued to wear his round straw hat. He took a giant perfecto out of his coat pocket, lit it, and took a series of deep puffs before starting to lay out his problem.

"I have recently received a warning from Terion Rubber. As we all know, they are the leaders who dominate our industry. Their president and owner, Nestro Terion, brooks no interference with his monopoly over tire production. Whether for buggies, bicycles, or the new hydrazine-fueled automotives, he believes that his brand must remain the main force in the market. And, so far, he has ruled the world of vehicular tires, with total domination.

"As you may know, I am the only Gefir who operates in the field of caucho products. Terion and all the other producers are Phrixians, those who call themselves the true natives of this land. We, the Gefirs who migrated here, have been excluded and discriminated against. My own paternal grandfather came to Rubber City as a lowly shoemaker. My father entered the early rubber trade as a dealer in shoe heels and soles. I inherited a small shop that made small products for homes and offices. My experience has been bitter. Nestro Terion threatened my suppliers of guayule latex with ruin if they continued selling to me. I had to go out into the hot desert and find my own growers and arrange transportation to bring the raw material here.

Every step of the way has been hard and full of conflict. The latest difficulty now stems from a threat of a law suit by Terion for infringement of a patent he claims to own.

Phot interrupted him. I will try to advise you, but my training and experience do not cover the area of patent law, Mr. Meun.

I cannot go to any of the Phrixians, muttered the latter. My need is for someone in whom I can place complete trust.

I believe that can be me, boldly boasted the lawyer.

Good, nodded Meun. Now, let me show you a diagram of what this patent dispute is all about. It is a very complex business.

He drew a piece of thin paper from his vest pocket and handed it to Aiton over the office desk. As the attorney studied it, the client gave a detailed explanation of the matter in contention.

"I admit that Nestro Terion owns a patent for longitudinal wire undergirdings for both solid and pneumatic tires. And he is at present collecting hefty royalties from other small manufacturers for their use of this method. But my own tires are being produced on an entirely different plan from his. I am inserting steel rods that are embedded crosswise in the tires. My new side-wire tires are produced on entirely different principles from his. Yet that greedy bloodsucker claims that I owe him royalties plus damages for infringement of his exclusive rights.

Can you handle this affair for me, young man? I will pay you well for representing me. What do you think about the strength of my position against his suit?

Phot gazed at the caucho-maker with a searching, questioning look. Just as a client must trust an advocate, so the attorney must have a minimum amount of confidence in the person that he fights for.

Yes, replied Aiton with force and spirit. I would be most happy to work for an honest Gefir businessman like you, sir.

He reached across the desk, offering his hand to the surprised Meun, who took and shook it vigorously.

You may wish to visit my plant on Miller Street. I can show you all our plans and documents, said the manufacturer with evident enthusiasm.

I would like to look around your shop and see how it operates, suggested the lawyer. I know little about the rubber industry here in Rubber City.

Meun soon left, smiling at having obtained legal representation for himself and his claims.

As he climbed into his automotive after cranking the engine to start, he failed to notice that a pair of hidden eyes were watching him from across College Street.

A large man in a striped peppermint coat and straw hat had him in sight for careful surveillance. The undercover operative had the mission of reporting all the movements about the city of the targeted small manufacturer. His visit to a fledgling attorney would soon be known to the employer of this spy who was shadowing the Gefir tiremaker.

II.

Nestro Terion was an impishly small man with a square jaw that jutted far forward like a prowl. He resembled his arch-enemy Kimon Meun in many respects, except that he possessed a bushy head of cotton white hair. His tiny eyes were gleaming, sparkling diamonds without definable color.

Dressed in expensive blue serge, with a brown bowler on his head, he walked alone down Forge Street. He was going to meet a man he did not want to see inside his corporate office. As he himself was the rubber industry titan of the city, this other person was the chieftain of organized vice and gambling. It did not appear wise for the two of them to be associating in a close, cooperative fashion or to be seen together by anyone of consequence in the city. A spotless reputation was worth a lot in business, that was a guiding principle for Nestro Terion.

The latter entered a liquor saloon that was closed to the public at this early hour of the day. But the door was open for such as him, having business with the proprietor of the establishment. The small figure in the bowler crossed the dark, vacant room, passing the pine bar, the brass foot-railing, and the drinkers’stools, advancing to the rear door that led into a private office. He knocked once, then entered.

The person waiting for him was a gigantic, heavy bruin. His almond eyes signaled that he possessed considerable internal power. Only his short, red-orange hair seemed out of character for one so domineering as Stilio Lavron was.

The man rose slowly from his tiny desk and shook hands with his visitor, asking him to take the plainwood chair opposite his own.

Nestro Terion, once seated, got down to what had brought him there.

What have you learned about the plans of the Gefir? he inquired.

The gang lord made a sour grimace before he answered.

I have had my best street-tailer follow him around. Meun went yesterday to a lawyer on College Street. We must conclude that he hired this man to fight your law suit against him.

Who is this attorney? asked the visitor with sudden, unexpected excitement.

A young Gefir called Phot Aiton who has little experience in court. He represents nothing for you to worry or loss sleep over, my friend.

Terion appeared to stiffen as he frowned. There is always a need to anticipate what may happen and take preventive measures in time. The manufacturer paused for a moment. Is there some way of finding out what this novice of a lawyer plans to say and do when the case comes before one of the civil judges? That would be useful information for me to have.

Lavron, pondering how to answer, stared intently at the industrial entrepreneur.

I believe there will be some papers of interest to copy when one of my gang goes in to make a search of the office of Attorney Aiton. It must, of course, be done without any trace of entry. Everything must remain as is. Such an operation is not difficult, what with all the years of experience that my best men have.

Fine, muttered Terion. Knowing what their legal strategy will be should be a great advantage to my law staff. You are certain that this can be accomplished safely and secretly, with no indications to anyone of this exploration of the advocate’s innermost sanctum?

I guarantee it will turn out successful, promised the chieftain of vice and gambling. This lawyer is another Gefir we are going to outsmart.

Our foes are clever and devious, mused the tiremaker. They must never be underestimated. One has to be forever prepared to counter their adeptness at trickery. They have no morality whatsoever. I have never come across a Gefir with any ethics in business. Look at Kimon Meun. He steals my patents and denies it, the crook.

You will win your suit against him, confidently predicted Lavron. I mean to get you complete information on how they will plead their case.

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Meun took the young attorney on a tour of his caucho tire facility on Miller Street. Phot saw the curing chamber where guayule