philip_k_dick_-_the_man_in_the_high_castle

'The Emperor,' General Tedeki said, 'would never tolerate that policy. He regards the Reichs elite
corps, wherever the black uniform is worn, the death's head, the Castle System — all, to him, is
evil.''
Evil, Mr. Tagomi thought. Yes, it is. Are we to assist it in gaining power, in order to save our
lives? Is that the paradox of our earthly situation?
I cannot face this dilemma, Mr. Tagomi said to himself. That man should have to act in such
moral ambiguity. There is no Way in this; all is muddled. All chaos of light and dark, shadow and
substance.
'The Wehrmacht,' Mr. Baynes said, 'the military, is sole possessor in the Reich of the hydrogen
bomb. Where the blackshirts have used it, they have done so only under Army supervision. The
Chancery under Bormann never allowed any nuclear armament to go to the police. In Operation
Dandelion, all will be carried out by 0KW. The Army High Command.'
'I am aware of that,' General Tedeki said.
'The moral practices of the black shirts exceed in ferocity that of the Wehrmacht. But their power
is less. We should reflect solely on reality, on actual power. Not on ethical intentions.'
'Yes, we must be realists,' Mr. Tagomi said aloud.
Both Mr. Baynes and General Tedeki glanced at him.
To Mr. Baynes the general said, 'What specifically do you suggest? That we establish contact
with the SD here in the Pacific States? Directly negotiate with — I do not know who is SD chief
here. Some repellent character, I imagine.'
'The local SD knows nothing,' Mr. Baynes said. 'Their chief here, Bruno Kruez vom Meere, is an
old-time Partei hack. Em Altparteigenosse. An imbecile. No one in Berlin would think of telling
him anything; he merely carries out routine assignments.'
'What, then?' The general sounded angry. 'The consul, here, or the Reichs Ambassador in
Tokyo?'
This talk will fail, Mr. Tagomi thought. No matter what is at stake. We cannot enter the
monstrous schizophrenic morass of Nazi internecine intrigue; our minds cannot adapt.
'It must be handled delicately,' Mr. Baynes said. 'Through a series of intermediaries. Someone
close to Heydrich who is stationed outside of the Reich, in a neutral country. Or someone who
travels back and forth between Tokyo and Berlin.'
'Do you have someone in mind?'
'The Italian Foreign Minister, Count Ciano. An intelligent, reliable, very brave man, completely
devoted to international understanding. However — his contact with the SD apparatus is
nonexistent.- But he might work through someone else in Germany, economic interests such as the
Krupps or through General Speidel or possibly even through Waffen-SS personages. The Waffen-
SS is less fanatic, more in the mainstream of German society.'
'Your establishment, the Abwehr — it would be futile to attempt to reach Heydrich through you.'
'The blackshirts utterly revile us. They've been trying for twenty years to get Partei approval for
liquidating us in toto.'
'Aren't you in excessive personal danger from them?' General Tedeki said. 'They are active here
on the Pacific Coast, I understand.'
'Active but inept,' Mr. Baynes said. 'The Foreign Office man, Reiss, is skillful, but opposed to the
SD.' He shrugged.
General Tedeki said, 'I would like your photostats. To turn over to my government. Any material
you have pertaining to these discussions in Germany. And — ' He pondered. 'Proof. Of objective
nature.'