However, since Bradbury, with its deaths and exiles and threats, and since the long-life colonies had become a credit-filled reality, it had not been easy to convince anybody else in power of this.
For the moment, Venera at least was going to be all right Su studied the donations list displayed on her desktop. If even half these promises were fulfilled, Venera was not going to even have to think about money for another five years.
Which is all to the good, Su rubbed her temples. There is nothing bad about this. If we want any colony in the public eye, it’s Venera.
She shook herself. This was not anything she had time for: The Secretaries-General had called a meeting for the afternoon, and Su had to get her candidate files in order. Despite what she’d told Helen, there was still the very real possibility that Edmund might withdraw his backing from one or two of her people, and she might have to make her case to the Sec-Gens without any help at all. Secretary Haight was very much committed to the status quo, but Kent and Sun had a little more leeway in their thinking and saw the political opportunities inherent in loosening the grip on the planets a little. She would have to play to them if she wanted to keep the U.N. from just walking in and taking over the Discovery, and she wanted that very much.
The door chimed and Su looked at the view port. It cleared to reveal Sadiq Hourani and Su ordered it open. He walked in and Su waved him to a chair. Sadiq was on the very short list of people whom she would always see.
Su sat back and regarded him for a moment. “Tell me you have good news.”
“I have good news,” said Sadiq promptly.
“Really? Or are you just saying that?” Sadiq had been assigned to the C.A.C. security and intelligence work group ten years ago. In that time, Su had learned to trust him, despite the fact that he kept more hidden than she would ever learn about. It had not been easy, but it had been worth it.
Sadiq returned a small smile. “Really. We’ve negotiated an end to that potential media standoff in Bombay. They’re to have some unmonitored access time to the investigative team and some of the Veneran scientists so they can ask questions without, and I quote, governmental interference, end quote.”
Su raised both her eyebrows. “And you capitulated with all humbleness?”
“That I did.”
“And you went in there knowing what they really wanted?”
“That I did,” repeated Sadiq. “It’s my job, you know.”
The news of the Discovery had been received with calm just about everywhere. There were a few hardcase places—Bombay, Dublin, Old L.A.—where tempests threatened to start up in the stream. The stream was the systemwide communications network that had evolved out of all the old nets and webs that had spanned the globe since the twentieth century. It was possible for discontent in-stream to spill out into the real world. Part of Sadiq’s job was to make sure it never did.
“So.” Su leaned back and folded her hands in her lap. “Do you know what the Secretaries-General really want to see us about?”
Sadiq shrugged. “To hear about Bombay, for a start, and the other hot spots. They should have reviewed our Comprehensive Coping Strategy by now. They also, of course, need to give their blessing to the investigative team roster so the full committee won’t be able to bicker too much.”
“Have you ascertained whether Edmund’s going to behave?” Su had known from the beginning that Edmund was going to be difficult. Since he had been appointed to the C.A.C., he had been one of the loudest anticolonial voices they had, and that was saying a great deal. His initial idea had been to send out a team that would investigate Venera at least as thoroughly as it would investigate the Discovery.
“I believe he will.” Sadiq studied his neat hands for a moment. “You know, Su, you are going to have to speak to him again, sooner or later.”
“Yes, I know.” After Dr. Hatch and Ms. Cristobal had left, Edmund had started in on one of his canned speeches about the “absolute necessity of choosing members who will not be blinded by propaganda or sentimentality and will be willing to examine every aspect of the Discovery.” Su, suddenly unable to stand it another minute, had stood up and said, “You don’t want an investigation; you want an inquisition,” and stalked out.
The memory made her sigh again. “That is no way for a grown bureaucrat to behave. Especially now,” she added.
“Especially now,” echoed Sadiq. “Especially on one of your pet projects.”
Su eyed him carefully to see if there was anything hidden under that statement, but Sadiq’s face remained placid. “Yes,” she admitted. “This one’s mine and I can’t hide from it.” She was about to add a question about Edmund Waicek, positive that Sadiq had spoken with him before he walked into her office, but Sadiq had stiffened and his eyes darted back and forth. Su closed her mouth. Sadiq wore a phone spot, so he could be reached at any time. This could be anything from a request for authorization on an expense report to notification of an outbreak of public violence.