Part 22 (2/2)
”Yes, I know all about it,” Rodney Maxwell said bitterly ”I was hoo Flora siedhere I tried to give her so I could; she wouldn't listen tothe studs in his shi+rt ”You still think this is worth what it's costing us?”
”You saw the viee sent back There's work on Koshchei for a million people, at least Why, even these two ether here at Storisende are giving work, one way or another, to als will be like a year froh ”Didn't know I had a real Simon-pure altruist for a son”
”Pardner, when you call ht difficulty”
He didn't think well of the banquet Back in Litchfield, Senta would have fired half her huehammer to her robo-chef for a meal like that Even his father's camp cook would have been ashamed of it And there were et hold of him and Yves Jacquemont afterward, and steered them into his private study
”Have you any real reason for thinking that Merlin ht be on Koshchei?” the Planetary President asked
”Great Ghu, no! We weren't looking for Merlin, Mr President We were looking for a hypershi+p We have one, too Calling her _Ouroboros II_
Twenty-five-hundred-footer We expect to have her to space in a few months I surely don't need to tell you what that will do toward restoring planetary prosperity”
”No, of course not; a hypershi+p of our own But” He looked from one to the other of the”
”Mr Fawzi is looking for Merlin here on Poictesme If anybody finds it, that's where it'll be found I'ain If Merlin is found, it would help, of course” He shrugged
”Don't look at me,” Jacquemont said ”Mr Maxwell--both of them, father and son--want some spaceshi+ps They hired me to help build thear the President had given hi at the stuffed alcesoid head with the seven-foot hornspread above the fireplace
Conn described the interview to his father after they were back at the hotel
”I hope you convinced him You know, he's afraid of Merlin A lot of people have been saying that if Merlin's found, it should be used to deter to say that Merlin ought to _be_ the Governht to be duy converter, preferably You know, if anybody found Merlin and started it auditing the Planetary Treasury, Jake Vyckhoven'd be the one who'd be wanting a hypershi+p”
To roo with me,” he said ”Some of us are up in Kurt's suite; we'd all like to talk to you”
So an arrest Thatbut professional habit Conn went up to Fawzi's suite, and found Fawzi and Judge Ledue and Dolf Kellton and close to a dozen others there
”I'reeted hiin ”I wish your father could have gotten here I asked hi with some of the financial people here, about soht; Trisystem & Interstellar spacelines”
”Interstellar!” Kurt Fawzi alo out to Koshchei; he wants to go clear out of the Trisystem That's anted to talk about; all this nonsense you and your father are in Merlin's right here on Poictesht at Force Command, and if your father hadn't robbed us of all our best men, like Jerry Rivas and Anse Dae'd have found it by now I don't think you and your father care a hoot if we ever find Merlin or not!”
”Kurt, that's a dreadful thing to say,” Dolf Kellton objected in a shocked voice
”It's a dreadful thing to have to say,” Fawzi replied, ”but you tellto help find it”
”Who showed you where Force Command was?” Kleood quick coe of the pause to ask, ”Why do you want to find Merlin?”