The process cant be stopped, Davida said, very firmly indeed. Its too far advanced. To attempt to reverse the process now would place him in considerable danger. Its out of the question.
Horne seemed to realize that she had made a mistake. She had seen the opportunity to ask Whose plan? and she had seized it reflexively but the occasion had been inappropriate and the move had been premature. She wanted to get away now, to consult her own people. She and Conwin made their excuses and left.
Davida made as if to accompany them, then thought better of it. She let them climb into their pods, and then turned back to me. Im sorry about that, she said.
Why? I said, with a smile. I thought we all got along famously.
Davida grinned at that, and her face was instantly transformed into that of a real mischievous child. But she knew that it wasnt entirely a joking matter.
Whatever those two may think, she said, my instructions came through the customary channels, and were quite explicit. Its entirely possible that there is a dispute within the ranks of the Foundation, but Ive every reason to believe that the decision was proper and authoritative. If there are problems between the UN and the Confederation, I know nothing about them. She changed tack abruptly then, and asked: Why did you make the assumption that Solantha Handsel is Michael Lowenthals bodyguard?
Because she looks like one, I told her. Maybe appearances are deceptive, given the passage of a thousand years, and maybe people nowadays think everythings just for show, but Ive seen real bodyguards. The big boys at PicoCon used to take their personal protection very seriously, and it wasnt the Eliminators they were worried about.
Davida was enough of an innocent not to catch the implication of the final remark, so I elaborated. There was still a certain amount of competition for places on the Ultimate Board, I told her. Damon didnt have to
kill anyone in order to step into dead mens shoes, so far as I knew, but some of his colleagues did. In a world where everyone lives for a long time, people with ambition sometimes have to use unconventional measures to make room for themselves. I assume thats still the case.
Not on Excelsior, Davida told me but the fact that shed put it that way suggested that she wasnt so sure about Earth and the outer satellites.
Its only ninety-nine years since a whole lot of shoes fell vacant at a stroke, I reminded her. Im a stranger here, but I cant help wondering how closely Excelsior is in touch with the rest of the solar system. Personally, I wouldnt be at all surprised to discover that Michael Lowenthal is more than a little worried about the way things are back home. Wouldnt you be anxious, if your world had recently suffered an accident of that magnitude?
Davida didnt answer immediately, but she certainly seemed to take the thought aboard. Something is going on that I dont understand, she confessed. Somewhere, theres been a drastic failure of communication. Well have to get together with both delegations, to work out exactly whos been misled, and how She broke off then, realizing like Horne before her that these might be matters best not discussed in front of a barbarian refugee from the twenty-third century. Christine Caine has asked to be allowed to see the interior of the Child of Fortune , she told me, changing her tone decisively. I relayed the request to Niamh Horne, who said that she would be pleased to guide a party around the ship including Mr. Lowenthal and Dr. Gray as soon as Adam Zimmerman is awake. Would you like to be included?
Absolutely, I said.
Davida nodded. It should be very interesting, she observed. Its an opportunity Ive never had myself. The ship that rescued Dr. Gray from the Arctic Ocean must have been similar in kind, but a much older model. She seemed to be groping toward a point without being entirely clear what it was.
You dont actually know whose decision it was to wake Adam Zimmerman up, do you? I asked her, trying to sound sympathetic.
The way she looked up at me told me that she had begun to doubt it. She and the sisterhood were an Ahasuerus project, not executive directors of the organization. In all likelihood, she had no idea where the real power within the organization was located, or how that power related to the power wielded by Michael Lowenthals associates and Niamh Hornes. When the instructions had come through, shed been only too glad to obey them, because it had been a great opportunity, and a great honor. She had not interrogated their source and now she was wondering whether the someone that had been misled, or played for a fool, might be her.
It really is the right time, she said, instead of answering the question. Its neither too soon nor too late. And his awakening really is a key event in posthuman history, no matter how hard anyone might try to make light of it.
You dont need to convince me, I told her, although I knew that it wasnt me she was trying to convince. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to qualify as a trial run. Didnt I?