She paused and looked around the table. “Whether we like to admit it or not, we’re deeply indebted to the PCC for enabling our old Empire to grow. Before the PCC was put into service there were just under nine hundred planets in the Empire and the government was growing a little threadbare, which was why so much money was spent on a computer so large. In the years since, we’ve expanded by more than fifty percent. I honestly don’t believe our Empire could have grown to the size it did without the PCC. Even though it was simultaneously undermining the government, the computer kept it running so efficiently we didn’t even notice the sabotage.
“Now we find ourselves in a very awkward position. We’re without the services of our primary tool at precisely the moment when we need strong administration the most. The rebels are holding between half and two-thirds of our planets, so for the moment we’re relieved of the responsibility for governing them – but the planets we do control need our help desperately. We have to know what their problems are and be able to en force our solutions quickly, efficiently, and humanely, or we’ll risk even more rebellions.”
As she glanced around the table her gaze was on the face of every security agent in turn. “We obviously can’t repeat our mistake and just build another super-computer that could betray us again under similar conditions. Since we don’t know how the PCC became self-aware, we wouldn’t know how to prevent it happening in another computer of the same capacity. I’m told the cyberneticists are excited about the concept of artificial intelligence and hope to create another one deliberately – and this time we’ll make sure it stays friendly.
“But that won’t help us run the Galaxy in the mean time. If we can’t rely on our computers, we’ll have to put more dependence on the human side. To my way of thinking, this will mean an even larger and more demanding role for the Service of the Empire. This discussion is about the future of you all, as well as of the Empire itself. I’d appreciate your comments.”
There was a long awkward silence. Jules cleared his throat and said, “Of course, you know we’ll do every thing we can.”
“I’ve never doubted that,” Edna nodded. “I’m talking about policy and direction. What job should SOTE be doing, and how can we help it work most effectively?”
“I don’t think SOTE can, or should, do the whole job,” the Head spoke up. As the others looked surprised, von Wilmenhorst elaborated. “Except for the regrettable period under ‘Mad Stephanie,’ the Service of the Empire has never been, and was never intended to be, a secret police force. Our stated purpose is to keep the Empire running smoothly, and most of our work has been routine – to keep track of interstellar commerce and travel, to facilitate disputes that arise between different planets, and generally to oi1 the wheels of the galactic machinery. Tracking down traitors has always been important, but it consumed a relatively small percentage of our total manpower – until the PCC-Lady A conspiracy started taking up more and more of our energy. Now that the conspiracy’s out in the open, it’s the military’s job to crush the rebellion and the Service can return to the business of administration.”
“What exactly are you suggesting?” Edna asked.
“Because of the enormity of the task, and because we won’t have the computer coordinating facilities to centralize everything, no one agency can do the whole job. I’d recommend the formation of at least three different organizations to handle the load. The Service of the Empire should return to the task of routine administration. There should be a small but elite internal security agency separate from, but in close contact with, the Service; I think this agency could readily combine the investigative duties of both SOTE and Naval Intelligence, to avoid duplication of effort. Third, there should be a separate department to monitor the workings of the nobility on the local level – again, working closely with the other two organizations.”
“Excuse me, but I don’t understand,” Vonnie interrupted. “Why do we need an organization like that? There’s already the Chamber of Thirty-Six and the College of Dukes to do that Sort of thing.”
Zander von Wilmenhorst shook his head. “They both deal largely with ceremonial matters. I’m speaking of a more practical organization. Remember, the Empire will have less coordinated access to information from its outlying areas; it will have to rely, more than ever, on the grand dukes, dukes, and other local nobility to see that things run properly. Ideally, every noble should be appointed by the current ruler to insure that only the best people are in charge at local levels – but that would mean overturning the Stanley Doctrine of inheritance, and we’d have an immediate revolt from the rest of the Galaxy as well. There’ll be a lot of new titles to appoint when this whole mess is over, and we’ll have to choose the best possible people – but we can’t guarantee how good their heirs will be.
“Because we’ll have to rely more on the local nobility, they’ll have that much more power – and they’ll know it. We’ll also have to let them know there’s an organization watching them to make sure they don’t step too far out of line. SOTE and the new internal security agency will have their hands full with other matters, so I think a separate department should devote itself exclusively to the nobility.”
“I’m not sure the division of powers is a good idea,” Duke Etienne said. “All three will overlap much of the time. The new SOTE that you described may uncover some erratic behavior on the part of some grand duke, or some earl’s misbehavior may mask the beginnings of treason. We’re already worried about a lack of coordination; splitting the enforcement between three separate groups only makes the problem worse, not better.”
“I agree there’ll be a lot of interrelation between the three departments, a lot of room for overlap,” von Wilmenhorst nodded. “We don’t want to allow inter-service rivalries to grow, as they did until recently between SOTE and NI. We’ll have to make sure all three branches get along well together and share in formation smoothly when it becomes necessary. They’ll need leaders who work smoothly together – and probably should all be overseen by a single coordinator who can settle any jurisdictional disputes.”
He turned to face the Empress. “This is considered an informal meeting, isn’t it?”
“Of course,” Edna told him.
“Then I can feel a little freer about making specific recommendations, knowing that they’re always subject to Your Majesty’s best judgment. I have some choices I personally feel would be good for these different departments. I would volunteer, quite immodestly, to be the overall coordinator. Helena has kept SOTE running so smoothly as my assistant that I feel perfectly confident in turning the reins of SOTE over to her. Though it pains my father’s heart to admit it, she’s not as good a strategist as I am – but the position as I’ve redefined it calls more for an administrator, which she does far better than I ever could.
“For the internal security agency, I think our Captain Fortier would make an ideal choice. The Admiralty is bound to object if we take the Office of Naval Intelligence away from them, but if the administrator of the security department is a Navy man I think they’ll go along. The fact that Paul is marrying Helena means the two departments should be able to work closely together – and if the liaison work they did between SOTE and NI is any indication, the two departments will mesh superbly. We can’t always guarantee that the heads of these two departments will be married to one another, but at least we’ll start out with close cooperation; we can hope that sets a standard for future behavior.”
Helena and Fortier were both blushing; the Grand Duke smiled and turned his attention elsewhere around the table. “As for overseeing the local nobility, I can’t think of anyone better qualified than Duke Etienne. As a well-respected duke himself, no one could object to his getting the position – and he’s already proved he can administer. He’s kept the Circus going all these years….”
“That’s just the point,” Etienne sputtered in protest. “You’re talking about a full-time job. I couldn’t do that and manage the Circus, too.”
The Grand Duke smiled. “I know I’m sticking my nose in where it doesn’t belong, and that the d’Alemberts have always run the Circus in their own way – but it occurs to me that since Jules’s recent leg injury will keep him away from the more strenuous undercover assignments in the future, he might be willing to accept a slightly more sedentary position. The Circus will be on hiatus for a while until we recall the teams we sent out; don’t you think Jules and Yvonne will be able to man age it well once it’s re-formed?”