Part 21 (1/2)

'It isn't!'

'Until that's proved. . . '

He laid a hand on her shoulder, a gesture of protection or owners.h.i.+p, she wasn't sure.

'Will the networks cancel the vidcast tonight?' he croaked. 'I couldn't stand it. I couldn't bear to be set back so. The humiliation. . . '

'You've come through worse than this in the past,' she cooed to him.

'But not failure on this scale.'

'It's not your your failure, Halcyon.' failure, Halcyon.'

'It's Falsh's failure!' He screwed up his face. 'If he hadn't stirred up the Preservers, destroying Carme like he did. . . '

'Falsh has ruined us both,' said Sook suddenly.

Halcyon took his hand away from her shoulder. His voice was cold and quiet as the whisper of air from an opened freezer: 'What did you say?'

But it was what she found herself saying next that really scared the h.e.l.l out of Sook.

117.

Chapter Fifteen.

Restoring wonder to the solar system had restored a measure of hubbub and wealth to old Callisto. The President had approved certain tax incentives to encourage industry back to the rejuvenated solar system, and Falsh had taken full advantage, insisting the head offices of several subsidiaries relocate there, sponsoring an urban regeneration programme. . . That in turn had brought other businesses setting up shop, and some serious Empire players among them. And of course, they would all take full advantage of FILOC-Ps to capitalise on the novelty of their location: a worn-out solar system, long-thought dead now made new.

His diary chimed. An hour and he would need to be s.p.a.ceborne again, ready for his meeting with the Agent.

'No more screw-ups,' he rumbled, like he could force fate into a promise.

He'd got so used to saying something and it coming true.

Complacent.

Boy, was it ever coming back to bite him now.

Falsh looked out over the s.p.a.ceport, at the teeming s.h.i.+ps and airbuses hovering over the dark granite concourse, at the domed skyline of hotels, bor-dellos and casinos. The air held the tang of ozone, as the mighty biosphere-generators fed artificial sunlight into the captured air.

The view was peaceful and blue through the soundproofed tinted gla.s.s of the executive lounge. People from all over the Empire and plenty of digni-taries from well outside it had gathered here to watch the sky-show tonight at the vast, brand-new Medicean Stadium. Turning south he could see its three towers, an imposing black and red, reaching up over the horizon. They looked like giant gun barrels, big enough to pick the moons out of the sky one by one if all else failed.

It couldn't couldn't fail. You didn't pull the biggest crowd for a live event in centuries just to let them drift off home without a show. There were billions of dollars at risk in merchandise and advertising revenues. Hoon, efficient as ever, had already beamed over plunging stock forecast figures. Falsh wanted to weep at the sight of them. They fail. You didn't pull the biggest crowd for a live event in centuries just to let them drift off home without a show. There were billions of dollars at risk in merchandise and advertising revenues. Hoon, efficient as ever, had already beamed over plunging stock forecast figures. Falsh wanted to weep at the sight of them. They had had to turn this around. to turn this around.

The Empire was expecting a show. Big bangs and fireworks. More than that artistic artistic big bangs and fireworks. big bangs and fireworks.

Not footage of a G.o.dd.a.m.ned slug.

119.

'Klimt, your bones are gonna rot in h.e.l.l,' he muttered for the millionth time.

Falsh couldn't afford to lose this one. Not when his plans for the Inst.i.tute had all come toppling down, when his fleet of FILOC-Ps was so advanced in construction. Those little babies weren't for hire by cranks and naturalists.

They were for big businesses only. He had to recoup.

He needed needed this. this.

Tinya swayed through the thin crowds to join him by the window. 'Still can't get through to Halcyon. His s.h.i.+p's docked direct at the stadium.'

'Keep trying,' he growled. 'He's not flaking out on me. That show is going ahead.'

'I don't see why we didn't park at the stadium ourselves.'

'Because I'm not through with the s.h.i.+p yet.'

Tinya accepted this without question. 'Well, maybe you can speak with him at the press-call at eleven,' she suggested. 'I've had these awesome awesome real wild animals s.h.i.+pped over from the Ganymede Zoo ' real wild animals s.h.i.+pped over from the Ganymede Zoo '

'Wild animals?' Falsh narrowed his eyes. 'I didn't approve that.'

Tinya faltered, pushed at her slick black hair demurely, her usual play-for-time gesture. 'But it seemed such a good opportunity. We're saying: remember old Earth's biodiversity?'

Falsh mimed a creeping slug with his index finger. 'Don't you think we maybe have enough unwelcome biodiversity around here right now? Speaking of which. . . ' He beamed some data from his wristpad to hers. 'Nerren's pulled together our Research and Development team. They're preparing the results of the EBE tests as we speak.'

'Without seeing one of these s.p.a.ce slugs first?' She frowned. 'How will that convince anyone?'

'It won't. Which is why you've got to get the team access to one.'

'Me?'

'As of now, you handle their PR,' he informed her coldly. 'It's down to you to make them seem like an independent scientific study group.'

Tinya forced a smile. 'Who do I need to speak to? Who's leading the enquiry?'

'Military. According to Nerren, Pent Central have sent some hazard squad down there.' He clenched his fists helplessly; Jeez, he felt old today. 'They've converted a disused business unit into a base of operations. They'll be inun-dated with requests for private a.n.a.lysis.'

'And they'll say no to them all.'

'Except us.' He advanced on Tinya almost menacingly. 'We need to move fast. We need that access. Find out where Pent Central have set up and get our people in.'

120.

Tinya considered. 'The President must be feeling bad for her precious Halcyon. Perhaps she can pull some strings for us on his behalf.'

'Yes, where is that son of a b.i.t.c.h? We have to get a hold of him!' Falsh mimed where he'd like to get a hold of him right around the throat.

'We'll have the chance. My press-op at eleven.' She smiled at him. 'I told you it would be a fabulous opportunity. Just you wait.'