Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike Page #4

worth fighting for.

What's that?

This.

Francisco.

Soon, they'll have watchers

watching the watchers.

When will it end?

When will you end it?

That the line you used on Ken Danagger?

Me?

No.

I had nothing to do with that.

What about your mines?

You had something to do with that.

You know, copper's getting

a little hard to come by.

And now, losing Ken Danagger

and his coal...

If Ken Danagger had enough,

it's not for me to judge.

I'll just have to work a little harder.

Harder?

Even your metal has its limits.

I don't know my limit, d'Anconia.

I guess I don't much care to find it.

But I won't be stopped.

Thanks, Gwen.

Why do you stay in business?

- To make money.

- Yes. To make money.

By creating a product that

nobody ever dreamed of.

And how's that working out for you?

It's getting tougher.

Did you want to see your metal

and your wealth

used by looters who think it's your duty

to produce, and theirs to consume?

Moochers who think they owe you nothing?

No wealth, no recognition, no respect?

Is that what you wanted?

I'd blow up my mills first.

Then why don't you, Mr. Rearden?

That time and those people are upon you.

If you saw Atlas, the giant who

holds the world on his shoulders,

with blood running down his chest...

...knees buckling, arms trembling,

but still trying to hold up the world

with the last of his strength,

what would you tell him to do?

I don't know.

What would you tell him?

To shrug.

Foreman!

It's the low grade ore!

The vents are clogged!

Purge the gas to the other vessel

or the whole furnace is gonna go!

Put a perimeter around it!

Contain it!

Contain it right there.

Fill in the gap!

Fill in the gap right there!

Go!

Move it! Move it!

Go, go, go, go!

Shut it down as soon as possible!

Weren't you just suggesting

that I blow this place up myself?

I was raised in foundries like this.

I was caught up in the moment.

Come and work with me for a while,

right here in the mills.

No more damn questions, then?

I already got my answer, Mr. Rearden.

I'll be about an hour.

Hello?

Hello?

Miss Taggart, you're here.

Come in, come in.

Can I get you anything?

- Show me.

- OK, now don't freak out

and don't touch anything.

Touch it.

You told me not to touch...

- It's cold.

- Huge input, low yield.

Inefficient at the quantum level.

There's something missing.

It's not all here.

How long?

Maybe a week.

Maybe a thousand lifetimes.

Or a thousand great minds.

You're it, Quentin.

Or maybe a shortcut.

Find the mind that created this thing.

Henry Rearden, you are charged,

along with Kenneth Danagger,

in absentia...

...with one count of violation

of Article 64 of the Fair Share Law.

Specifically, the illegal

sale and transfer of 4,000 tons

of strategic material

known as "Rearden Metal"

to Kenneth Danagger and Danagger Coal.

How do you plead, sir?

I do not recognize

this court's right to try me,

nor do I recognize

any of my actions as a crime.

Mr. Rearden, you will have to

enter a plea before this court.

Simply refusing to

obey the law is not a defense.

If you believe you may seize my

property simply because you need it,

well then, so does any burglar.

The only difference is a

burglar doesn't ask my permission.

Sir, I will remind you

the punishment this court

might impose on you is severe.

Go ahead.

Impose it.

If you sentence me to jail,

send armed men to get me.

I will not volunteer to go.

If you fine me,

you'll have to seize my assets.

I will not volunteer to pay.

If you feel you have the

right to use force against me,

then show it for what it is...

bring guns.

Sir, we have no intention

of pointing guns

and seizing your property.

Then why are we here?

Mr. Rearden, you are misrepresenting

the letter and the intent

of the Fair Share Law.

It is based on the highest principle,

the principle of the public good.

As defined by those who would

dictate and regulate our behavior

in our homes and our businesses,

stealing their power from our liberty.

Gallery will come to order!

Mr. Rearden, you wouldn't

want it misunderstood

that you work for nothing

but your own profit?

Indeed. I want it understood clearly.

I do not recognize the good of others

as a justification for my existence.

If their fair share demands

that I get nothing for my labors,

that it requires me

to be a victim, then I say...

...public good be damned.

I'll have no part of it.

And how does that benefit

your fellow man?

I do not owe you an answer, but I

could tell you in a hundred ways.

Thousands of jobs, billions in revenue,

fueling our economy

despite your efforts to destroy

the very foundation of our existence.

And I believe most of my fellow men

would say the same if they had a voice.

Another outburst

and I will clear the court.

Putting this son of a b*tch

in jail is suicide.

- The SSI will never get their metal.

- No, we need an example, not a martyr.

We can't set a precedent here,

not with this man.

Mr. Rearden, on your behalf, the court

has entered a plea of "no contest,"

and this panel has found you guilty.

You are hereby sentenced to ten years

in prison and a fine of $50 million.

Sentencing of Kenneth Danagger

will be withheld

pending his appearance before this body.

Now, Mr. Rearden,

taking into consideration

your distinguished achievements,

your contributions to society and

your full cooperation in this matter,

your sentence is suspended.

This court is now adjourned.

Do you realize what you've done?

Dodged a bullet.

You've given the people a voice.

You said what was

already on everyone's mind.

You won.

Hank, we won.

Dagny...

...you can't win a battle

that never ends.

Look at this world.

How can such small people

do so much damage?

We're so close to having something

they won't be able to fight.

Even if your motor is

everything you think it'll be,

- they will try like hell to stop you.

- They might.

They can't stop the world.

Dagny... what if you never find

the man who created the motor?

What if you can't make it all work?

I make things work.

Hank, you make things work.

- Yes.

- That's what people like us do.

And they know that.

And they hate it because

it threatens them.

But it won't scare them away.

With all the businesses that have

failed, we simply cannot continue

to service the few remaining customers

we have without raising rates.

Jim, we from Washington and

Wesley Mouch would like you

to table the idea of

raising rates at this time.

I merely mentioned it

to round out the picture.

Maybe you can use your pull with

Mr. Mouch to get us a concession here.

I'll have a word with him.

You're one of Wesley's closest friends.

But he won't hesitate to sacrifice

his personal interests

if they conflict with the public good.

Right.

Of course.

We're glad that you're on board.

We feel the first order of business

is to make the rail workers happy.

The unions make a lot of noise,

but I don't think we have

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