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out how to put my case to you. And you're still trying to figure the best way to
say no and be done with me. In other words, we're both grounded. Neither of
us can get any forward motion, much less clear the stadium."
"Fairly accurate."
"The thing is," Sten said, "you're more earthbound than I."
The Manabi stirred, surprised.
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r r
Sten filled in a few more blanks. "You see, from my point of view, you're still
stuck with a previous action. One you now think was not that wise. Trouble
being, you can't take it back. Not completely. You have to wonder if we have
blackmail in mind. Are we going to hold the club of betrayal over you to force
your continued support?"
"Well? Are you?"
Sten let Sr. Ecu's anxious question hang for a while.
"No. We're not," he said finally, firmly a promise.
"You can speak for everyone?"
"Yes."
"Why are you being so& magnanimous? Or is it temporary?"
"If we fail, everyone is in the same drakh. That includes the supporters of the
privy council. When this is over, if there are any pieces to pick up it might
make me rest easier in my grave to think a few Manabi might be about to help.
And, no. The decision isn't temporary. For the same reason.
"But my real reason is loyalty. You once left your neutral corner to support
the Emperor. This is why you even spoke to Mahoney when he came to you.
Out of that same loyalty. Actually, logic is a better word for it just now. The
same logic that once brought you to the Emperor's side meaning prog zero
for any kind of future without him allowed you to be swayed by Ian. Isn't
that so?"
"Again& yes."
"Now you've seen Mahoney's plan fail. Dismally. Meanwhile, all over the
Empire beings are being rounded up for the brainscan and then the
slaughterhouse. No wonder you're shy of us. I would be, too."
"You make a better argument for my case than yours," Sr. Ecu said. "In my
sphere, this means there's a great deal more to come."
"You got it," Sten said. "To begin with, what happened was my fault. Not
Mahoney's. He was in command but I was there, in person, and I sure as clot
didn't pull out in time. I crashed that plane, not Mahoney."
"Admirable that you should shoulder the blame, but it only underscores my
uncertainty in even meeting with you. Do you have some what is the phrase
your kind favors ace up your sleeve?"
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r r
"Maybe. Maybe not. Right now, what I do have is your attention. Let me tell
you what is going to happen next. If you return to your fence sitting.
"We'll ignore it. But will the privy council? How long before their paranoia
reaches out to the Manabi? Failing that, as this AM2 situation gets worse,
they're going to be looking for repeated opportunities. The Honjo are only the
first. There'll be others.
"How much AM2 does your cluster have in its storehouses? Enough to tempt
them?"
It was not necessary for Sr. Ecu to answer. They both knew the Manabi had
more than enough.
"And can you stop them? Do you have the means, much less the spirit? I 'm
not talking about bravery now. I'm speaking of pure meanness. Digging in like
the Honjo. Willing to die for every square centimeter of turf. Can you do that?
Are you willing?"
Again, there could be no answer but one. The Manabi were diplomats, not
warriors.
"What do you propose?" Sr. Ecu asked. That did not mean he was going for it,
only that he was willing to listen. But now that Sten had the Manabi going for
the bait, he wanted to dangle it awhile. No way would he let this big flying fish
off the hook.
"I only want you to watch and wait," Sten said. "I have something I need to
accomplish. To show you we have the will and means. In return& "
"Yes." Real abrupt. Sr. Ecu was going for it.
"In return& I want the opportunity to speak with you again. Or Mahoney, if
that's how it ends up working best. Probably I'll be busy. So Ian it will be. If
you agree. Will you at least do that?"
How could Sr. Ecu reject him? He did not. Instead he asked to see his gift
again. He wanted to visit the air circus where anyone could fly.
* * *
It worked out exactly as Sten had predicted. No sooner had Sr. Ecu returned
home than he found a request for him to meet with a member of the privy
council. Actually, it was no request at all. It was a summons.
The council members had discussed at length how to handle the Manabi. They
as yet had no suspicion of them. But their purge, and especially the long,
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r r
drawn-out invasion of Honjo sovereign territory, had produced howls all over
the Empire. They badly needed to keep things glued together, at least for a
while. To do that they needed the support of the Manabi. Badly.
There was some discussion of whom to send. Malperin was mostly favored,
because she had the best diplomatic skills, at least as far as a businessbeing
could go. But even she saw drawbacks in that. If Sr. Ecu sensed the slightest
opening, they were lost, she said. They had to act from strength. What they
needed was a master of the bottom line.
They sent Lovett.
That meant there was no foreplay.
Lovett deliberately chose a small, shabby park for the meeting. There was
little room for the graceful Manabi to maneuver, and he had barely cleared
the fence when dirt and dust particles began clogging his delicate sensing
whiskers. Lovett waited just long enough for Sr. Ecu to get really [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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