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you?" Rissa moved a switch; the field's hum stopped. She stood and moved away from the equipment. "The field is off, so 1 may ask another question. How long, before these people come out of hiding?" \r157 \r"Like Laje, again-a few months, maybe. High Council will vote it, actually." He moved to the operating position and sat. "Now I'm in a hole-I don't know how to work this gadget. Can we get Corradone here?" Markine said, "I know how. You ask; I'll interpret." The men changed places. Gameel said, "I don't have to repeat the agreements again, I guess. Are you and Tregare dickering in good faith?" "Entirely." Gameel looked to Markine, who nodded. "And like you said to us-with what reservations? "We, also, withhold information you will not need in our joint efforts. You do not, I am sure, expect to know all our plans. You will know all that concerns your activities with us-which is to say, we will not attempt to use you for aims you do not know about." "There was a flicker there," said Markine. "I had not finished; what I said was ambiguous without what I say now. Of Page 99 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html course we will take precautions. It is conceivable, Gameel, that your High Council might change its mind and decide to try for a larger slice of the pie-or even for dominance. Naturally, we shall see to it that no such opportunity arises." "All in the clear this time," said Markine. Gameel nodded. "That's straight enough. All right-I guess we're done here." He stood. "Corradone's staying for a while -right? Okay-let's go, Laje. Pleasure dealing with you, Ms. Kerguelen." "And my pleasure also. I will convey your regards to Bran Tregare." ". . . and I did not bother to mention, Bran, that the truth field console was the recording model. I will play the tape for you." When it was done he said, "Good enough-everybody's using precautionary common sense and making no bones about it. That's a good way to start off." On the screen, he grinned. "And the polygraph trouble was nothing but a wrong cable? It's good you spotted it so fast. And this Corradone woman- Markine gets points for bringing her along, all right." "She has speeded the work greatly. There were more im- 158 planted persons than we thought-including some who had gone to detention without trying to clear themselves, since they did not know this was possible.'' "How many total? Roughly ..." "Of the more than five thousand on her list, many are elsewhere-on UET ships years from here, or dead. Nearly seven hundred are here and alive. We had cleared less than a hundred-in a few more days she should be through the lot." "Fine. Tell her she's on the payroll, special consultant to the Port Commander, as long as she wants. Now, then-what else are you doing?" "Waiting to see Liesel and Hawkman tomorrow morning- unless I hear from them, earlier. And Ivan, and Ilse-I have not had the time, as yet. And-1 have been missing you, Bran." "Yeah-I miss you, too. But you've done a real day's work, there. Any chance you can bring our unfrozen family out here tomorrow?" "I will ask. Aedra Leng is working with them and I have had no opportunity to speak with her. But, Tregare-it is wasteful to use a ship to move three people. And I can fly a scout. All right?" "UET-" "No UET ships have been sighted since Ressider met the two from Hokkaido, And if one appeared- and was not intercepted, and by wildest chance detected me-how would its captain know my scout was of any importance?" "They wouldn't have to-they'd shoot just to be shooting. But you're right-the odds are with you. Just stay low and keep a sharp lookout." RISSA called GrafSpee twice; neither time could she reach her brother. She gave it up and took file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%...iew%2005%20-%20The%20Long%20View %20v1.0.txt (74 of 137) [7/14/2004 3:28:44 PM] file:///C|/WINDOWS/Desktop/Incoming/Busby,%20F.%20M%20-%20L...M%20-%20Long%20V iew%2005%20-%20The%20Long%20View%20v1.0.txt Melya Corradone with her to dine aboard Valkyrie with Zeicie and Jamie. The older woman spoke seldom, until Zelde said, "The Underground broke you loose from Welfare?" Melya looked at her, then nodded. "Yes. And it wasn't their fault it took them five years. But two weeks earlier and I'd still have a voice that wouldn't hurt your ears." She waited, then said, "Our floor heard an escape rumor-when Page 100 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html \r159 \rnothing came of it, they rioted. I caught two slugs through the neck. When Markine's people- though he was just a recruit then-got to me, I was in an infirmary bed. The first time I'd slept in a bed for more than two years." "What-?" "Economy-in space and fixtures. Ms. Kerguelen-as a child, I suppose you thought your dormitories were crowded." "I did not think of such things-it was so totally different from what I had known-" "Before I was Welfared I saw it explained on Tri-V how forty persons could sleep just as well in a hundred twenty square meters as in nearly two hundred. And that is how I slept, at first. Then someone realized that cots need more space than people do-so they took out the cots and padded the floors. It more than tripled the capacity of the dorm." By conscious effort, Rissa relaxed her clenched jaws. "This still exists?" "Worse, in some of the Centers. Sleepers don't have to stand up, do they? So the dormitories, some places, are subdivided vertically-one meter high-you crawl in. Forced ventilation, so you don't quite suffocate." Rissa gasped. "Under those conditions-seventy percent of our people-" "No-just the more crowded areas. And they've quit building Centers some time ago. Cheaper to transfer people between condominiums, and then when UET's ready, change a whole condo over to Welfare. Cut off services, move in Committee Police as guards-move out people's possessions, put up the fences. Instant Welfare." Silent for a moment, Rissa then said, "The worst of it- those in the most terrible of conditions, they will be the last we can help." Zelde M'tana reached and squeezed her hand. "You'll be working on it. And where we can, we'll all help." Rissa tried to smile, but her thoughts were grim. And later, sleep did not come easily. ZELDE woke her, next morning. "Hawkman Moray called- you're invited to breakfast aboard Hobnails." Rissa got up and began dressing. "How does he look?" 160 "A little pale, but same old hearty smile. Voice, too. And said to tell you Liesel's fine-has an appetite like a horse, so hurry along." Rissa laughed. "All right; tell him I will." Zelde left; Rissa prepared herself quickly. Wearing a light jacket against morning chill, she went groundside and walked briskly to Hobnails, Upship, short of the galley, she met Aedra Leng. "Aedra!" She hugged the smaller woman. "Liesel and Hawkman are waiting?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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