Having said that, I sat down. I wasnt tired in fact, Id never been so tightly wired without powerful chemical assistance but I figured that it would be an appropriate way to signal that the floor was open.
Lowenthal had been looking at me, but now he looked at Mortimer Gray. Mortimer Gray was studying the table top intently, deep in thought or determinedly pretending to be deep in thought.
Is that all? Niamh Horne asked me.
All except the rhetoric, I told her. Mention was made of defining moments in history. Youd know more about what might qualify than I do. If Lowenthals strong right arm had only shown enough judgment to break Grays nose instead of mine, he might have been able to get far more out of Alice than I did, and to catch on far more readily to what it might mean; as things are, well just have to make the best of what weve got.
Lowenthal was still looking at Mortimer Gray. The historian finally condescended to raise his head, but instead of meeting Lowenthals inquiring gaze he looked at Davida Berenike Columella. Who
gave you the instruction to wake Zimmerman? he asked.
It came from Foundation headquarters, on Earth, she told him unhelpfully, so far as I could tell.
Now he swung his gaze to Lowenthal. And who gave the order to the Foundation? he asked.
Lowenthal shook his head. I wish I knew, he said, quickly adding: If I could say that it wasnt us, I would, but the organizations not that tight. If Julius Ngomi gave the order, he didnt let on to me. I honestly have no idea where the order originated but if it had been the Foundations own idea, and theyd asked for permission, Id know. The impression I was given before I left Earth is that there were people high up in the Foundation who were spitting feathers over an alleged lack of consultation.
Now it was Niamh Hornes turn. Who blew up the Yellowstone magma chamber? Gray asked her.
No one I know anything about, she told him. We were every bit as anxious as the Earthbound were. If it had been any of the factions, and wed found out about it, wed have come down hard . So far as we know, it really was a mechanical malfunction. Thats the truth, so far as I know it. Im certain that Emily Marchant wouldnt tell you anything different. None of the Outer System people Ive had dealings with has anything to do with any of this. But like Lowenthal, I can only answer for the people I know. It wasnt until I saw him face to face that I realized that there was any mystery about Zimmermans awakening. Someones playing us all for fools and the fact that I dont have the least idea who, or how, is frankly terrifying.
Gray nodded, to signal his gratitude for her frankness. He looked troubled but he also looked like a man who had figured out what was what. I began to feel a slight sinking sensation in my stomach as I realized that this might be exactly what Alice didnt want but the die was cast.
Ararats where the first contact took place, Davida put in, her terror finally having given way to thoughtfulness. Some of you are old enough to have watched the tape when it was first broadcast in-system. That was supposed to be a defining moment in history. It should have been bigger news than it was. If Ararats the key to this
The aliens were primitives, Solantha Handsel countered. They certainly cant be behind this. They didnt even have fire.
Mortimer Gray let loose a little sigh. It was barely audible, but there was enough feeling in it to reclaim everyones attention.
This is it , I thought but it wasnt, quite.
I can only think of one context in which my word might be thought to be worth more than anyone elses, Gray said, his voice saying that he hardly dared believe it. Only one in which Adam Zimmerman and I might be thought to have equal symbolic weight.
Youre the author of the standard History of Death , Davida observed but Gray was shaking his head before she was halfway through the sentence. He was looking at Lowenthal now. You were at the conference, he said to the Hardinist. We didnt meet, but you were there. You listened.
The whole world listened, Lowenthal said. I wasnt party to the decision to broadcast it, or to divert the ship. That was all Marchants doing. Whats your point?
Gray seemed slightly surprised that the Hardinist still hadnt caught on.
What are they talking about? Christine Caine complained but when Lowenthal flashed an apology with his eyes it was directed toward Adam Zimmerman.
There was an important meeting between representatives of the government of Earth and the embryonic outer system factions in twenty-nine ninety-nine, Lowenthal explained. It wasnt a peace conference because we werent at war, but it was the first serious attempt to settle some questions that still remain annoyingly open. There had been a certain amount of bickering about where it ought to be held the outer system people didnt want to hold it on Earth in case that seemed to endorse the view that Earth was the eternal center of human civilization, and our people didnt want to make our way out to Titan lest we seemed to be conceding the point that it wasnt.