James P Hogan. Inherit The Stars. Giant Series #1

shouldn’t be making. It takes a special kind of mind to figure out

what’s wrong when things that anybody with common sense can see are

true turn out to be not true. I think you’re the guy.”

The compliments made Hunt feel slightly uncomfortable. He decided

to move things along. “What do you have in mind?”

“Well, the guys we have at present are top grade inside their own

specialties,” Caldwell replied. “Don’t get me wrong, these people

are good-but I’d like them to concentrate on doing the things

they’re best at. However, aside from all that, I need someone with

an unspecialized, and therefore impartial, outlook to coordinate

the findings of the specialists and integrate them into an overall

picture. If you like, I need people like Danchekker to paint the

pieces of the puzzle, but I need someone like you to fit the pieces

together. You’ve been doing a bit of that, unofficially, for quite

a while anyway; I’m saying, ‘Let’s make it official.”

“How about the organization?” Hunt asked.

“I’ve thought about that. I don’t want to alienate any of our

senior people by subordinating them or any of their staffs to some

new whiz kid. That’s only good politics. Anyhow, I don’t think

you’d want it that way.”

Hunt shook his head to show his agreement.

“So,” Caidwell resumed, “what I figure is, the various departments

and sections will continue to function as they do at present. Our

relationship with outfits outside Navcomms will remain unaffected.

However, all the conclusions that everybody has reached so far, and

new findings as they turn up, will be referred to a centralized

coordinating section-that’s you. Your job will be to fit the bits

together, as I said earlier. You’d build up your own staff as time

goes on and the work load increases. You’d be able to request any

particular items of information you find you need from the

specialist functions; that way you’d be defining some of their

objectives. As for your objectives, they’re abeady spelled out:

Find out who these Charlie people were, where they came from, and

what happened to them. You report directly to me and get the whole

problem off my back. I’ve got enough on my sched

ule without worrying about corpses.” Caldwell threw out an arm to

show that he was finished. “Well, what do you say?”

Hunt had to smile within himself. As Caldwell had said, there was

really nothing to think about. He took a long breath and turned

both hands upward. “As you said-an offer I can’t refuse.”

“So, you’re in?”

“I’m in.’~

“Welcome aboard, then.” Caidwell looked pleased. “This calls for a

drink.” He produced a flask and glasses from somewhere behind the

desk. He poured the whiskey and passed a glass to his newest

employee.

“When do you want it to start?” Hunt asked after a moment.

“Well, you probably need a couple of months or so to sort out

formalities with IDCC. But why wait for formalities? You’re on loan

here from IDCC anyway and under my direction for the duration;

also, we’re paying for you. So what’s wrong with tomorrow morning?”

“Christ!”

Caldwell’s manner at once became brisk and businesslike.

“I’ll allocate offices for you in this building. Rob Gray takes

full charge of scope operations and keeps the engineers I’ve

assigned to him as his permanent staff for as long as he’s in

Houston. That frees you totally. By the end of this week I want

estimates of what you think you’ll need in the way of clerical and

secretarial staff, technical personnel, equipment, furniture, lab

space, and computer facilities.

“By this time next week I want you to have a presentation ready for

a meeting of section and department heads that I’m going to call,

to tell them how you see yourself and them working together. Make

it tactful. I won’t issue any official notification of these

changes until after the meeting, when everybody knows what’s going

on. Don’t talk about it until then, except to myself and Lyn.

“Your ouffit will be designated Special Assignment Group L, and

your position, will be section head, Group L. The post is classed

as ‘Executive, grade four, civilian,’ within the Space Arm. It

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