“Just fine? I’d say we’re doing pretty damn great,” Gerofsky said. “It looks like the Chinese are about to walk right over them in Panama. They don’t need any link to Chryse.”
Cade sighed and looked away. No, there wasn’t a link from China to Chryse because the Hyadean Washington office controlled the channels, and right now they were permitting only approved traffic. That was why Yassem and Luodine had set up their illicit connection to the Querl. Cade blinked as the obvious finally struck him. He thought back to the things he had seen at Cairns: the scientific base and its easygoing independence; the local spirit of cooperation with the aliens and getting to know them. No, there wasn’t another independent link. But there could be!
“We can still do it!” he said, turning back. “Luodine set the mission up as a collection center for items to go back to Chryse. But they’ve got the same kind of gear at Cairns, where we were with Krossig. We can set up another link to Chryse from there—from Australia!”
Gerofsky shook his head. “Throw away the initiative and get involved in alien psychology that we don’t understand, when the things we do understand are working fine? What’s the point? It goes against every rule in the book.”
“How would these people in Australia know how to set their end up?” Di Milestro asked.
“I don’t know,” Cade retorted. “But the experts who set up the one at the mission are downstairs. We can still talk to Australia, can’t we?”
“We don’t need it,” Gerofsky said again.
Cade stared from one to the other. Why were they hesitating, looking for reasons why not? “There’s nothing to lose,” he insisted. “If you’re right and we take the board anyway, then it’ll be a piece of insurance that costs nothing. If things turn sour, it could be the most important insurance we ever took.” He pointed a finger in the direction of the floor. “And either way, it gives those four Hyadeans down there a chance to play a part. Are you going to deny them that, after what happened today?”
A deadlocked silence fell over the office. It was clear that neither Gerofsky nor Di Milestro wanted to be the person who was going to take this thing further; at the same time, they could find no refutation to what Cade had said. They looked as if they wished the whole thing would just go away. Before any resolution suggested itself, the terminal by Clara’s desk sounded a priority tone. She answered at once, having blocked lower-level channels for privacy. Cade didn’t recognize the face that appeared—a man in his fifties, white haired, professional looking, showing a jacket collar and necktie. “Clara, is Chester there?” he asked.
Clara moved aside as Di Milestro stepped forward. “It’s Ed Flomer, from Sacramento,” she said.
“Chester, the VP wants you on a conference call that he’s setting up right away,” Flomer said. His voice and expression were strained. “Can you get to a private line?”
“Sure. . . .” Di Milestro frowned inquiringly at the screen. “What’s happening, Ed?”
Flomer shook his head. “I can’t tell you. This is for a secure line only.”
Di Milestro looked at Clara. “This way,” she said, and led him out of the office. Cade and Gerofsky remained facing each other. After an awkward silence, Gerofsky moved over to the bookshelves to scan idly over the titles. Cade shook his head despairingly at Marie and began flipping mentally through his catalog of acquaintances for names that he might have to start recruiting to bring more weight to bear. Then Clara returned.
“Can’t we have it referred to someone else?” she said, looking at Gerofsky. “Couldn’t the commander at Edwards handle it? All you’d need to do is arrange an order from the top to authorize full cooperation, and then get on with your job. As Roland said, the cost is nothing. The payoff could be incalculable. There’s no penalty clause. We can’t lose.”
“It would depend on what Sacramento has to say,” Gerofsky replied. His manner was stiff, uncompromising. Clara studied him for a moment, then looked at Cade and Marie. “Why don’t you go back down and update the others on what’s been said?” she suggested to them. “I’ll call you.” Clearly, she wanted words with Gerofsky alone. Cade indicated the door with a nod, and he and Marie left.