He let her sit down while he paced and talked, gulping between harsh passages. At the end, he summarized: “Seems obvious to me. A bunch of antistellar types have formed a cabal. They must have members in several national governments, plus doubtless the Union Council, the bureaucracy, and the space corps. Quite likely they took more seriously than they let on, the notion that Emissary might return earlier than expected, and kept sort of on the ready.
So she’s being held incommunicado while they decide how to handle her. Meanwhile I’ve been getting too noisy. So Hancock got word to muzzle me. I doubt she was ever in on any conspiracy, but she is loyal to the Action Party in general and her political sponsors in particular. If they tell her it’s her duty to enforce silence, she’ll accept that without asking inconvenient questions.” He shrugged.
“I suppose I should give thanks she isn’t the type to take stronger measures than she has.”
Lis let silence fall for a moment, together with twilight, before she murmured, “I don’t suppose there is any possibility that they may be right?”
“What do you think?”
“Oh, we’ve been over this territory often enough, and you know I agree with you. I simply wondered. One does hate to imagine corruption in high levels of the Union -the Union!- doesn’t one?
What do you plan to do?”
He stopped, stared down at her, and said, What can I, except be a good boy? And you be a good girl. Hancock understood I’d tell you how things are, but warned me you’d be in Dutch too if you talked. We’ll let out that I’m-um-m,
‘indisposed’ for weeks isn’t believable. . . . I’ve turned hermit in order to work on a new idea for the business, which has to stay secret till it’s ready.
You take over in the office for me.”
“What?” She was astounded. “You, Dan, that tamely?”
He shook his head and laid a finger across his lips. “What choice have we got? I could be worse off than taking an enforced vacation. Might read some of those books you’re always urging me to. Now look, sweetheart, I’m tired and grumped and won’t appreciate your dinner unless I can relax first. Okay?”
Her gaze upon him grew knowing. “Okay,” she said.
Accordingly, for the next while, they went through their family routine.
After a second beer he took the children to the rec room for the half hour-plus Side 15
Anderson, Poul – Avatar, The
with Daddy which was theirs by right. Mike, going on three (two, Earth calendar), was content to stump around laughing, get jounced on an ankle, and join wordlessly in some songs. He came closer to carrying the tunes than his father did, though that wasn’t saying much. Barbara, at seven, demanded as well that he draw a picture and tell her the latest installment of his saga of Slewfoot the orosaur. (In his childhood, Captain General John had told him about Slewfoot the bear, but that was on Earth.) He ended the current adventure rather abruptly, with a safe return to Queets Castle.
She sensed his haste. “Are you goin’ away again?” she asked.
“I’m not sure, darling,” he said. It twisted within him. “I may have to.” How warm she sat between his hands.
“For long?”
“I certainly hope not. You know how I’ve got to make trips sometimes to find money. If I must go, well, I’ll come home as soon as may be, with a load of presents and a lot of new stories.” Hugging her: “You’ll help Mother same as before, right? That’s my lassie.” She cast her arms about his neck.
He supposed that eavesdroppers, who might be using pickups in spite of Hancock’s promise, wouldn’t attach any importance to such an exchange.
Nevertheless, after the kids were back in the nursery and he had settled down for a drink with Lis, he took the precaution of remarking, “About my confinement to quarters, I do wonder if I can’t get leave to visit Chinook. There are several things that need my personal attention. Even Barbara could feel I’m anxious to take care of èm. They can send a couple of their damn guards along to make sure I don’t blurt.”