Part 4 (2/2)
”Any chance of putting in a good word?”
Rolling her eyes, Ozla said, ”There is in fact no chance of that.”
”Ozla- ”
”Sovan, you went on ICL and talked about how incompetent Kant's boss is.”
”Yes, but he respects you. I think he may even like you.”
Kant had, in fact, treated Ozla with less disdain than he did most of the press, which, she supposed, could be construed as liking her by his lights. ”Doesn't matter-see, my editor respects me, too, and if he found out that I sang the praises of a compet.i.tor- ”
”Never mind, then.”
Ozla sighed. ”Look, Sovan, you're a good reporter, and you'll still get the good stories. Why are you worried about this stuff?”
Sovan's face widened into a huge grin. ”I'm not, really, I just wanted an excuse to talk to you before you went to that disaster area. Why are you going there, anyhow? It's a pit.”
”Because it's a story-and it's one n.o.body's talking about anymore.”
”It's all anybody was talking about for a month.”
”One month is nothing. This needs more attention.”
”If you say so.”
”I do. Now that you've contrived your excuse to talk to me- ”
”Listen, Ozla-be careful, all right? We already lost Vara.”
Ozla hesitated. ”I know-that's why I'm going.”
”All right.” Sovan moved as if to cut the connection, but Ozla stopped him.
”Sovan, listen-Zife. Did he retire to Bolarus?”
”No.”
”You're sure? He didn't maybe come in discreetly?”
Sovan chuckled. ”Zife doesn't know how to be discreet. No, he's not here. Trust me, someone at BY would've found him. He was never able to keep his movements secret, not when he was a district representative, not when he was planetary minister, not when he was a councillor, and certainly not when he was president. He's nowhere near Bolarus.”
”All right.” She tapped her finger on her desk. ”Thanks, Sovan-and thanks for the well wishes. I'll see you in a few months.”
”I hope so. Good luck, Ozla.”
Sovan signed off.
Ozla tapped her finger for a few more minutes. Then she com'd her a.s.sistant. ”Traya, can you get me President Zife's speech to the council of governors on Pacifica from three years ago?”
”Sure.”
Then she put a call through to Zhres.
”It's Ozla.”
”I am sorry,” the Andorian's soft voice said over the speaker-Ozla was talking into his ear unit, so there was no visual feed. ”Mr. Kant's in a meeting with Ms. Piniero right now.”
”That's fine, Zhres-could you just let him know that Gora Yed is going to be taking my place in the room for a few months?”
”I can't imagine he'll care all that much.”
Ozla laughed. ”No, he probably won't, but I want to let him know as a courtesy.”
”I'll pa.s.s that on-then I'll remind him what that word means.”
”Good luck. How've you managed to last so long in the job?”
”There is a human saying that applies: Mr. Kant's bark is worse than his bite.”
Frowning, Ozla said, ”I don't know what that means.”
”It means he sounds worse than he actually is.”
”Thanks, Zhres.”
She was about to cut the connection when Zhres asked, ”If you do not mind my asking, Ms. Graniv-where will you be? A well-deserved vacation, I hope?”
Ozla chuckled. ”No such luck. I'm going to Tezwa.”
A pause. ”Why in Thori's name would you go there?”
Wondering if everyone was going to ask that question and resigning herself to the fact that they were, she said, ”Because someone needs to.”
”That does not strike me as a good enough reason.”
”It's good enough for me. Take care, Zhres.”
”Good-bye, Ms. Graniv-and good luck.”
Chapter Four.
FRED MACDOUGAN struggled over adjectives.
It was always the most difficult part of the speechwriting process for him. He had no trouble with metaphors, with imagery, with references, with alliteration, with cadence-but adjectives nailed him every time. Were the people being honored ”n.o.ble” or ”upright” or ”steadfast”? Was the location of the speech ”verdant” or ”pretty” or ”beautiful”?
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