Voyage From Yesteryear

A short silence fell while the meeting digested the observation. Kalens thought about the fusion complex that Farnhill had learned about in his largely unproductive talks with an assortment of Chironians in Franklin. Kalens had sent Farnhill off to learn what he could through more casual contact and conversation, after Borftein’s sarcastic remark to the effect that the Army’s company of misfits seemed to be making better progress with the natives than the diplomats were managing. “Yes.. . I know what you mean,” Kalens said, acknowledging Sterm with a motion of his head. “As a matter of fact, we have already begun inquiries along those lines.” He turned toward Farnhill. “Amery, tell us again about that place along the coast.”

“Port Norday?”

“Yes–some kind of industrial complex, wasn’t it?” “It’s a centralized, fusion-based facility, that provides gen-

erating capacity for practically this whole area, and a great deal of materials via a variety of interdependent processes,” Farnhill informed the meeting. “Primary metals and chem-

icals are among its major products, as well as electricity.” “Who operates it?” Marcia Quarrey asked.

Farnhill looked uneasy and seemed a trifle awkward. “Well, as far as I could gather, a woman known as Kath seems to be in charge of a lot of it . . . as much as anybody’s in charge of anything in this place. I haven’t actually met her though.”

‘~That could be a good place to start,” Kalens suggested to Wellesley.’

Wellesley seemed thoughtful. “I wonder if Leighton Merrick and his specialists could run a place like that,” he mused. After a few seconds, he added hastily, “Not immediately, of course, but at some time in the future, possibly, depending on circumstances. As insurance, it would certainly pay us to know something more about it.”

“I don’t know,” Farnhill said. “You’d have to ask Merrick about that.”

“He ought to be given a chance to go and look at it,” Borftein agreed with a nod. “What would be the best way to arrange something like that?”

Kalens shrugged without looking up from the table. “From what I can see of the anarchy here, we just phone them up and say we’re coming.”

“Perhaps we could propose a goodwill exchange visit,” Sterm suggested. “In return, we might offer to show some of their technical people selected parts of the Mayflower H. A legitimate cover would be desirable.”

“It’s a thought,” Wellesley agreed distantly. He cast his eyes round the table. “Does anybody have a better idea?” Nobody did. “So let’s get Merrick here and talk to him,” Wellesley said. He sat back and placed his hands on the edge of the table. “This would be a good time to break for lunch. Scribe, adjourn the session here. We will reconvene in ninety minutes. Contact Leighton Merrick in Engineering, and have him join us then. Also ask him to bring with him two of his more capable officers. Advise me at once if there are any difficulties. That’s all.”

“Acknowledged,” the computer replied.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

MRS. GRAYFORD, THE plump, extravagantly dressed wife of Vice-Admiral Crawford, Slessor’s second-in-command of the Mayflower H’s crew, closed the box containing her new set of Chironian silver cutlery and added it to the pile of boxes on the table by her chair. Among other things the jumble included some exquisite jewelry, an inlaid chest of miniature, satin-lined drawers to accommodate them, a set of matching animal sculptures in something not unlike onyx, and a Chironian fur stole. “Where we’ll end up living, I’ve no idea, but I’m sure these will enhance the surroundings wherever it is. Don’t you think the silver is delightful? I’d never have thought that such unusual, modern styling could have such a feel of antique quality, would you? I must return to that place the next time I go down to Franklin. Some of the tableware there went with it perfectly.”

“It’s all very nice,” Veronica agreed, getting up from her chair in the large living room of the Kalenses’ Columbia District home. ‘Tm sure you’ll find somewhere wonderful.” Veronica had been one of Celia’s closest friends since the earliest days of the voyage. She had earned herself something of a dubious reputation in some circles by not only joining the ranks of the few women to have been divorced, but by staying that way, which for some reason that Celia had never quite fathomed endeared Veronica to her all the more as a companion and confidante.

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