Part 94 (1/2)

”It's not a question of that right now.”

”He's dying, dying, dammit. You know it and I know it. And his notions about my going to Novgorod-dammit, he knows better.” dammit. You know it and I know it. And his notions about my going to Novgorod-dammit, he knows better.”

”You'd be very good.”

”Don't be ridiculous. A public speaker? An orator? Someone to handle press conferences? There's no one less suited than I am to holding public office. Behind the scenes, yes, I'm quite good. But I'm much too old to make major changes. I'm not a public man, Ari. I'm not going to be. There's no tape fix for age, there's no d.a.m.ned tape fix to make me a speechmaker . . .”

”Giraud isn't exactly skilled at it, but he's a fine Councillor.”

”Do you know,” Denys said, ”when I came down to the AG unit that time-that was the first time since I was nine, that I'd ever left these walls?”

”My G.o.d, uncle Denys.”

”Didn't add that up? Shame on you. I came down to see my foster-niece risk her lovely neck, the way I watched from the airport remotes when your predecessor would come screaming in, in that d.a.m.ned jet. I hate disasters. I've always expected them. It's my one act of courage, you understand. Don't Don't ask me to handle press conferences.” Denys shook his head and leaned on his elbows on the table. ”Young people. They risk their lives so d.a.m.ned lightly, and they know so little what they're worth.” ask me to handle press conferences.” Denys shook his head and leaned on his elbows on the table. ”Young people. They risk their lives so d.a.m.ned lightly, and they know so little what they're worth.”

He wept then, a little convulsion of shoulders and face, and Ari picked up the decanter and poured him more, that being the only effective kindness she could think of.

She said nothing for perhaps a quarter, perhaps half an hour, only sat there while Denys emptied another gla.s.s.

Then the Minder said: ”Message, Abban AA to Base Two, special communications.” ”Message, Abban AA to Base Two, special communications.”

Denys did not answer at once. Then he said: ”Report.”

”Ser Denys,” Abban's voice said, cold with distance and the Minder's reproduction, Abban's voice said, cold with distance and the Minder's reproduction, ”Giraud has just died. I'll see to his transport home, by his orders. He requested you merge his Base.” ”Giraud has just died. I'll see to his transport home, by his orders. He requested you merge his Base.” Denys lowered his head onto his hand. Denys lowered his head onto his hand.

”Abban,” Seely said, ”this is Seely SA. Ser thanks you. Direct details to be; I'll a.s.sist.”

Ari sat there a very long time, waiting, until Denys wiped his eyes and drew a shaken breath.

”Lynch,” Denys said. ”Someone has to notify Lynch. Tell Abban see to that. He's to stand proxy. He's to file for election. Immediately.”

iii The Family filed into the East Garden, by twos and threes, wearing coats and cloaks in the sharpness of an autumn noon. With conspicuous absences, absences which made Ari doubly conscious of her position in the forefront of the Family-eighteen, immaculate in mourning, and correct as she knew how to be-wearing the topaz pin on her collar, the pin Giraud had given her . . . something that's only yours. . . . something that's only yours. . . .

The funeral was another of those duties she would have avoided if she could have found a way.

Because Denys had made a d.a.m.nable mess of things. Denys had fallen to pieces, refused the appointment as proxy Councillor of Science, and refused to attend the funeral. Denys Denys was over at the old Wing One lab, supervising the retrieval and implantation of CIT geneset 684-044-5567 . . . precisely at this hour-at which Ari, even with compa.s.sion for his reasons, felt a vague shudder of disgust. was over at the old Wing One lab, supervising the retrieval and implantation of CIT geneset 684-044-5567 . . . precisely at this hour-at which Ari, even with compa.s.sion for his reasons, felt a vague shudder of disgust.

It left her, foster-niece, as nearest kin-not even directly related to Giraud, but ranking as immediate family, over Emil Carnath-Nye, and Julia Carnath-Nye, and Amy. She felt uncomfortable in that role, even knowing Julia's attachment to Giraud was more ambition than accident of blood. h.e.l.l with Julia: there was prestige involved, and she hated to move Amy out of her proper place, that was the uncomfortable part. The Carnath-Nyes stood, an ill-a.s.sorted little a.s.sociation of blood-ties far from cordial these days-Amy bringing Quentin as she had brought Florian and Catlin, for personal security in troubled times, not to flaunt him in front of the Family and her mother's disapproval; but that was certainly not the way Julia Carnath took it.

Julia and her father Emil resented having Abban standing beside them; and took petty exception to the man-man, dammit, who had been closer to Giraud in many ways than any next-of-kin, even Denys; who had held Giraud's hand while he died and taken care of notifications with quiet efficiency when no Family were there to do anything. dammit, who had been closer to Giraud in many ways than any next-of-kin, even Denys; who had held Giraud's hand while he died and taken care of notifications with quiet efficiency when no Family were there to do anything.

That att.i.tude was d.a.m.ned well going to go: she had served notice of it and scandalized the old hands before now. Let them know what she would do when she held power in the House: h.e.l.l with their offended feelings.

Amy was there; Maddy Stra.s.sen was in the front row, with aunt Victoria-maman's sister, and at a hundred fifty-four one of the oldest people alive anywhere who was not a s.p.a.cer. Rejuv did not seem near failing Victoria Stra.s.sen: she was wearing away instead like ice in sunlight, just thinner and more fragile with every pa.s.sing year, until she began to seem more force than flesh. Using a cane now: the sight afflicted Ari to the heart. Maman would be that old now. Maman would be that frail. Maman would be that old now. Maman would be that frail. She avoided Victoria, not alone because Victoria hated her and blamed her for Julia Stra.s.sen's exile to Fargone. The Whitely clan was there: Sam and his mother; and the Ivanovs, the Edwardses; Yanni Schwartz and Suli; and the Dietrichs. She avoided Victoria, not alone because Victoria hated her and blamed her for Julia Stra.s.sen's exile to Fargone. The Whitely clan was there: Sam and his mother; and the Ivanovs, the Edwardses; Yanni Schwartz and Suli; and the Dietrichs.

Justin and Grant were not. Justin had sent, all things considered, a very gracious refusal, and let her off one very difficult position. It was the only mercy she had gotten from Family or outsiders. Reporters cl.u.s.tered down at the airport press area, a half hour down there this morning, an appointment for an interview this afternoon, a half a hundred frustrated requests for an interview with Denys- I'm sorry., she had said, privately and on camera. she had said, privately and on camera. Even those of us who work lifelong with psych, seri, do feel personal grief. Even those of us who work lifelong with psych, seri, do feel personal grief. Coldly, precisely, letting her own distress far enough to the surface to put what Giraud would call the human face on Reseune. Coldly, precisely, letting her own distress far enough to the surface to put what Giraud would call the human face on Reseune. My uncle Denys was extremely close to his brother, and he's not young himself. He's resigning the proxy to Secretary Lynch out of health considerations- No. Absolutely not. Reseune has never considered it has a monopoly on the Science seat. As the oldest scientific inst.i.tution on Cyteen we have contributions to make, and I'm sure there will be other candidates from Reseune, but no one in Reseune, so far as I know, intends to run. After all-Dr. Nye wasn't bound to appoint Secretary Lynch: he might have appointed anyone in Science, Secretary Lynch is a very respected, very qualified head of the Bureau in his own right. My uncle Denys was extremely close to his brother, and he's not young himself. He's resigning the proxy to Secretary Lynch out of health considerations- No. Absolutely not. Reseune has never considered it has a monopoly on the Science seat. As the oldest scientific inst.i.tution on Cyteen we have contributions to make, and I'm sure there will be other candidates from Reseune, but no one in Reseune, so far as I know, intends to run. After all-Dr. Nye wasn't bound to appoint Secretary Lynch: he might have appointed anyone in Science, Secretary Lynch is a very respected, very qualified head of the Bureau in his own right.

And to a series of insistent questions: Seri, Dr. Yanni Schwartz, the head of Wing One in Reseune, will be answering any specific questions about that. . .. Seri, Dr. Yanni Schwartz, the head of Wing One in Reseune, will be answering any specific questions about that. . ..

. . . No, sera, that would be in the future. Of course my predecessor held the seat. Presently I'm a wing supervisor in Research, I do have a staff, I have projects under my administration- Every reporter in the room had focused in on that, sharp and hard-scenting a story that was far off their present, urgent a.s.signment: she had thrown out the deliberate lure and they burned to go for it despite the fact they were going out live-feed, with solemn and specific lead-ins and funeral music. She handed them the hint of a story they could not, with propriety, go for; and kept any hint of deliberate signal off her face when she did it.

But they had gone for it the moment they were off live-feed: to what extent was she actually in Administration, what were the projects, how were the decisions being made inside Reseune and was she in fact involved in that level?

Dangerous questions. Exceedingly dangerous. She had flashed then on bleeding bodies, on subway wreckage, on news-service stills of a child's toy in the debris.

Seri, she had said then, direct, not demure: with Ari senior's straight stare and deliberate pause in answering: she had said then, direct, not demure: with Ari senior's straight stare and deliberate pause in answering: any wing administrator is in the process. any wing administrator is in the process.

Read me, seri: I'm not a fool. I won't declare myself over my uncle's ashes.

But don't discount me in future.

I came here, she had reminded them in that context, as she had reminded them in that context, as a delegated spokesman for the family. That's my immediate concern. I have to go, seri. I have to be up the hill for the services in thirty minutes. Please excuse me. . . . a delegated spokesman for the family. That's my immediate concern. I have to go, seri. I have to be up the hill for the services in thirty minutes. Please excuse me. . . .

It was the first funeral she had attended where there was actually burial, a small canister of ash to place in the ground, and two strong gardeners to raise the basalt cenotaph up from the ground and settle it with a final thump over the grave.

She flinched at that sound, inside. So d.a.m.ned little a canister, for tall uncle Giraud.

And burial in earth instead of being shot for the sun. She knew which she would pick for herself-same as her predecessor, same as maman. But it was right for Giraud, maybe.

Emil Carnath called for speeches from a.s.sociates and colleagues.

”I have a word,” Victoria Stra.s.sen said right off.

O G.o.d, Ari thought.

And braced herself.

”Giraud threw me out of my sister's funeral,” Victoria began in a voice sharper and stronger than one ever looked for from that thin body. ”I never forgave him for it.”

Maddy cast Ari an anguished look across the front of the gathering. Sorry for this. for this.

Not your fault, Ari thought. Ari thought.

”What about you, Ariane Emory PR? Are you going to have me thrown out for saying what the truth is?”

”I'll speak after you, aunt Victoria. Maman taught me manners.”

That hit. Victoria's lips made a thin line and she took a double-handed grip on her black cane. hit. Victoria's lips made a thin line and she took a double-handed grip on her black cane.

”My sister was not not your maman,” Victoria said. ”That's the trouble your maman,” Victoria said. ”That's the trouble in in the House. Dead is dead, that's all. The way it works best. The way it's worked in all of human society. Old growth makes way for new. It doesn't batten off the d.a.m.n corpse. I've no quarrel with you, young sera, no quarrel with you. You didn't choose to be born. Where's Denys? Eh?” She looked around her, with a sweeping gesture of the cane. ”Where's Denys?” There was an uncomfortable s.h.i.+fting in the crowd. ”Sera,” Florian whispered at Ari's shoulder, seeking instruction. the House. Dead is dead, that's all. The way it works best. The way it's worked in all of human society. Old growth makes way for new. It doesn't batten off the d.a.m.n corpse. I've no quarrel with you, young sera, no quarrel with you. You didn't choose to be born. Where's Denys? Eh?” She looked around her, with a sweeping gesture of the cane. ”Where's Denys?” There was an uncomfortable s.h.i.+fting in the crowd. ”Sera,” Florian whispered at Ari's shoulder, seeking instruction.

”I'll tell tell you where Denys is,” Victoria snapped. you where Denys is,” Victoria snapped. ”Denys ”Denys is in the lab making another brother, the way he made another Ariane. is in the lab making another brother, the way he made another Ariane. Denys Denys has taken the greatest scientific and economic power in human history and d.a.m.ned near run it into bankruptcy in his administration, -never mind poor Giraud, who took the orders, we all know that-d.a.m.ned near bankrupted us all for his eetee notion of personal immortality. You tell me, young sera, do you remember what Ariane remembered? Do you remember her life at all?” has taken the greatest scientific and economic power in human history and d.a.m.ned near run it into bankruptcy in his administration, -never mind poor Giraud, who took the orders, we all know that-d.a.m.ned near bankrupted us all for his eetee notion of personal immortality. You tell me, young sera, do you remember what Ariane remembered? Do you remember her life at all?”

G.o.d. It was certainly not something she wanted asked, here, now, in an argumentative challenge, in any metaphysical context. ”We'll talk about that someday,” she said back, loudly enough to carry. ”Over a drink, aunt Victoria. I take it that's a scientific scientific question, and you're not asking me about reincarnation.” question, and you're not asking me about reincarnation.”

”I wonder what Denys calls it,” Victoria said. ”Call your security if you like. I've been through enough craziness in my life, people blowing up stations in the War, people blowing up kids in subways, people who aren't content to let nature throw the dice anymore, people who don't want kids, they want little personal faxes they can live their fantasies through, never mind what the poor kid wants. Now do we give up on funerals altogether? Is that what everyone in the d.a.m.n house is thinking, I don't have to die, I can impose my own ideas on a poor sod of a replicate who's got no say in it so I can have my ideas walking around in the world after I'm dead?”