Part 32 (1/2)

”Because you are wondering,” he said, and then he paused, tilted his head again, and let his eyes glitter. That seemed to be the Disty equivalent of a polite smile.

Jefferson didn't move. He wasn't sure of the damage he had done.

”And I know you are wondering,” Fifty-six said, ”because I have made it a lifelong mission to understand all I can about the aliens that surround me. Because you are wondering, I will tell you this: My people are are ill because of this contamination. They have a sickness of something you might call the soul, although that wouldn't be quite accurate.” ill because of this contamination. They have a sickness of something you might call the soul, although that wouldn't be quite accurate.”

Jefferson opened his mouth to ask a question, but Fifty-six held up a hand. It was a startlingly human gesture, and it made Fifty-six seem even smaller.

”Were there signs of this sickness?” Fifty-six asked, as if neither he nor Jefferson had moved. ”No. Of course not. Such a sickness only occurs when what has been buried has been revealed. The contamination becomes real and must be dealt with immediately.”

”Which we are trying to do,” Jefferson said.

”We are trying nothing,” Fifty-six said. ”Your people have no understanding of this, and think it a foolish overreaction. My own people are trying to stop a crisis from spreading first, and then we shall deal with the contamination's source. But at the moment, no one is doing that. No one is trying to clean up the source.” are trying nothing,” Fifty-six said. ”Your people have no understanding of this, and think it a foolish overreaction. My own people are trying to stop a crisis from spreading first, and then we shall deal with the contamination's source. But at the moment, no one is doing that. No one is trying to clean up the source.”

”So your people would have stayed fine if this grave had remained buried,” Jefferson said.

Number Fifty-six shook his head slightly. ”Not fine. Better than they are now, but not fine. You have not listened to me.”

”I have listened to you,” Jefferson said, ”and I am hearing a fundamental difference between our peoples. We believe that revealing problems-opening them to the light-is the first step in solving them. You seem to think revealing problems makes matters worse.”

”Once again, you see only through the prism of your own experience. Someday, Mr. Jefferson, you should try to live in a completely nonhuman environment and see what kind of perspective you will gain. Until then, I think you a poor advocate for your people.”

Number Fifty-six turned back toward the door, and started to leave.

”Wait!” Jefferson said. ”What about finding a solution?”

Number Fifty-six stopped but did not face Jefferson. ”I believe we have just discovered that there is no solution, at least not one we can find together. We shall take care of our own. I suggest you do the same.”

And then he left.

Jefferson bowed his head. He had never failed so spectacularly before-and had never done so with so much at stake.

The rift between the Disty and humans had just become insurmountable.

49.

Flint went through his entire list of contacts. He was unable to reach the governor-general, the mayor of Armstrong, and Armstrong's representative on the Council for the United Domes of the Moon. He couldn't reach any of the city council members either, and the chief of police responded to his link with a pointed message: She didn't talk with Retrieval Artists.

He even tried to reach the Alliance, but got only an invitation to leave his message on a board and wait for a response that would arrive ”within a few days.”

Flint was feeling lightheaded and desperate. The office had gotten hot again. He would have to realign his environmental controls-something he had to do, it seemed, monthly. He wiped the sweat off his forehead.

He hadn't wanted to contact DeRicci. He knew she was already overwhelmed with the refugee situation. But he had no choice.

He used her emergency links.

She responded audio only: ”Can this wait?”

He heard the annoyance in her tone and almost smiled. Noelle DeRicci was under a lot of pressure and wanted less information rather than more.

”No, Noelle, it can't. I may have a solution to the Disty crisis.”

DeRicci cursed, which wasn't the reaction Flint expected, and then told him to hold on. The link went so silent that he had to check the function to make sure it wasn't dead.

Then she appeared, full audio and visual, which he routed to his main desk screen. Seeing a tiny DeRicci on a vision screen made him nervous.

”Make this fast.” DeRicci's face was set in harsh lines. ”I'm talking to the governor-general right now, and she's not happy that I closed down the ports.”

Obviously, DeRicci had gone outside politics to do her job. That didn't surprise Flint, but he couldn't ask about it at the moment. He recognized DeRicci's expression. She was so stressed that she would cut him off if she felt he was wasting her time.

”I have found a number of survivors of that ma.s.sacre,” he said.

”So?”

”So,” he said, ”the Disty can use them to decontaminate their people and the Domes.”

DeRicci's eyes narrowed. ”I know know that. Why should I care about these survivors?” that. Why should I care about these survivors?”

”Because a dozen of them are on the Moon.”

The color left her face. Then her mouth opened slightly and she shook her head. She understood exactly what that meant. It meant a solution. It meant that the crisis would end.

”I've been trying to hand these names off to someone, anyone, but no one was taking my calls.”

”Except stupid ole me,” DeRicci said, and actually smiled. ”Can you send me that information? Encrypted.”

”Doing so as we speak,” Flint said.

”You're sure all the information is accurate?”

”Most of it to the day, a few to the month. Good luck with this, Noelle.”

”Thanks, Miles. You have no idea what you've done.” Then she signed off.

He clasped his hands behind his head, leaned back in his chair, and let out a huge sigh of relief. He had done what he could. He had served his clients in Sahara Dome, and he might have stopped a crisis-provided DeRicci could make timely use of those names.

Having the governor-general in DeRicci's office made the likelihood of success all that much greater.

Flint stood. He deserved a good meal and a long rest. If the crisis settled down-when the crisis settled down-he would send a final bill to Sahara Dome. the crisis settled down-he would send a final bill to Sahara Dome.

And then he would consider this case closed.