Part 16 (2/2)
In one of those little quirks of fate that sometimes happen, the Fleet Chaplain, Druid though he was, had proven of more value than all the rest of Robinson's other counselors. The Druid, at least, understood Islam, though it could hardly be said he approved of it.
”Allah will provide,” Robinson echoed. ”Allah will provide your weapons, then? Or will you have to find them yourself? Allah will make the Federated States complacent, or will you have to be clever on your own behalf and in His cause? How do you know, Mustafa, that Allah did not provide me? me? Or do you question that all things, to include me, come to pa.s.s only through his favor? I am shocked, Or do you question that all things, to include me, come to pa.s.s only through his favor? I am shocked, shocked shocked, that you think to spurn the gift He has provided.”
Robinson keyed the intercom on the table at which he and Mustafa spoke. ”Bring my car around for my guest. My business here is concluded.”
”Wait,” the Salafi said, holding up a hand. ”Perhaps I was hasty. We may yet be able to do business together.”
Atlantis Base, 19 June, 2511 Unni Wiglan was thrilled, thrilled thrilled, that the High Admiral had invited her, personally, to return to Atlantis Base for consultations. The prestige alone was invaluable. And the comfort of being in the one place on Terra Nova which gave proof that her values were true? Priceless.
She'd shown the High Admiral her grat.i.tude, too, in a number of ways.
Better, the High Admiral had shown himself to be a man of both caring and culture. He'd been nothing but questions and concern about the very things Unni herself cared about: improving the low regard in which the World League was held, limiting the anarchic and archaic ”sovereign” rights of Terra Nova's two hundred and twelve nation-states, the plight of the people of Filistia, groaning under the heel of Zion, among other worthy causes. She'd been especially pleased when the High Admiral had dismissed Zion's claims with the words, ”b.l.o.o.d.y Jews.”
United Earth had had no more Jews; they'd all been either killed or sent off world to the colony the Arab League had given them to entice them away. no more Jews; they'd all been either killed or sent off world to the colony the Arab League had given them to entice them away.
And then there was the great concern the High Admiral had shown for the Terra Novan natural environment. He'd himself noted that in the last two hundred years Terra Nova's mean temperature had increased a staggering .3 degrees Celsius. ”It just can't go on, my dear Unni. Why, in a thousand years the planet will become uninhabitable. And did you know, my people say you may already have reached the tipping point; that, or you soon will. There's no time to waste.”
Here, finally finally, was a representative from Earth who understood, who cared. For the first time in her life, Unni Wiglan thought there might be some hope for peace for her planet.
UEPF Spirit of Peace, Earth Date 28 June, 2513 ”Computer, view screen on,” Robinson ordered. Immediately the computer turned on the wall-mounted Kurosawa. ”Find me the news, Federated States. Make it the Global News Network.”
”...and it's a bright and sunny day here in First Landing, Hudson,” the announcer said. ”Not a cloud in the sky and...What the fu...? Oh, dear G.o.d...there's been a terrible accident at the Terra Nova Trade Organization.”
Robinson winced as the view switched from the studio to a tall tower, standing alone but with other, similar ones in the background.. The tower had a gaping hole near the base from which smoke poured out. He winced again when another airs.h.i.+p slammed into a second building and then again when a third skysc.r.a.per was. .h.i.t. Both of those shots were seen distantly, as the second and third towers were across the city.
He didn't really feel it, though, until the camera on site focused on people beginning to jump from the upper stories to avoid burning to death. s.h.i.+vering, he remembered back to the smoke-filled cabin of the shuttle, to the face of the crew chief suffocating in the faulty EV suit.
”Poor people,” he whispered. ”But what am I to do? Wait until you're strong enough that it becomes my my people jumping from burning buildings? I'm sorry for you; truly I am. But it was necessary.” people jumping from burning buildings? I'm sorry for you; truly I am. But it was necessary.”
”I hope, I really do, that no more, or not much more, will be necessary.”
Interlude
31 January, 2050, Turtle Bay, New York, New York, United States of America, Earth The speech was televised. Moreover, it was watched with keen interest in certain quarters.
Margot Tebaf had prepared long and hard for the occasion. The best speechwriters available to her had taken her thoughts hers and Dominique's, who had quickly become rather more than a casual fling and turned them into s.h.i.+ning prose, a beacon to light the dark night and turn it to day.
Margot's speech was, from the progressive point of view, exactly on point. Perhaps many, even most, viewers thought it full of pious plat.i.tudes, inanities and wishful thinking. She and they simply didn't share the same concepts, even the same vocabulary. In that sense it was a failure, but a predictable one. Moreover, those people really didn't matter. In the more important sense, for people who did share the same world view and did matter the news media, the European Parliament, the various humanitarian aid and human rights activist organizations around the world (of which there were hundreds of thousands, large and small), and the increasingly hereditary bureaucrats at the United Nations the speech was a resounding success.
They could read the code phrases put into the speech by Margot's speechwriters. could read the code phrases put into the speech by Margot's speechwriters. They They knew that ”increased political stability” was a nicer way of saying ”deportation of troublemakers.” knew that ”increased political stability” was a nicer way of saying ”deportation of troublemakers.” They They knew that ”fair distribution of human talent” meant ”keep the highly talented from emigrating out of their own h.e.l.lholes to the United States.” knew that ”fair distribution of human talent” meant ”keep the highly talented from emigrating out of their own h.e.l.lholes to the United States.”
Moreover, the insightful among the viewers saw something that Margot grasped, if at all, only in embryonic form. If they could cut off the flow of immigrants to the United States, and make this new world the only permissible outlet for people who simply didn't care for transnational governance, that would be good. But what would be infinitely better would be the effect of moving those same people out out of their home countries in even greater numbers than the United States had ever been willing to accept. For each one that left, say, Europe weakened the resistance to supranational and transglobal governance while each weakening of resistance led to more supranational and transglobal governance. This, in turn, led to more people wanting to leave which, if allowed, would still of their home countries in even greater numbers than the United States had ever been willing to accept. For each one that left, say, Europe weakened the resistance to supranational and transglobal governance while each weakening of resistance led to more supranational and transglobal governance. This, in turn, led to more people wanting to leave which, if allowed, would still further further weaken resistance to transglobal governance. weaken resistance to transglobal governance.
It was, the viewers saw, a perfect solution, an elegant elegant solution. Moreover, it did not have the distressing side effect of increasing resistance, and providing an unfortunate counter-example, within the United States. To one another they said, ”What's not to like?” solution. Moreover, it did not have the distressing side effect of increasing resistance, and providing an unfortunate counter-example, within the United States. To one another they said, ”What's not to like?”
And so the consensus grew for it was a consensus, not a conspiracy this new world is the solution to our problems here on Earth. this new world is the solution to our problems here on Earth.
Chapter Ten.
Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.-Machiavelli, The Prince The Prince
Casa Linda, 29/9/459 AC If one picture was worth one thousand words, how many words were saved by half a dozen, in living color? The pictures fronted a newspaper that lay unopened upon the desk. There was no need to open it. That front page said everything necessary with its display of dismembered arms and legs, broken bleeding children, and people burned and blasted almost beyond recognition.
They have given me what I asked for, thought an inexpressibly saddened Patricio Carrera. But I will not thank them for it. I wish they had not. But I will not thank them for it. I wish they had not.
His eyes wandered down again, down to a picture of a little girl. This one, at least was alive. b.l.o.o.d.y, she was; covered in blood from head to foot. In the picture her skin showed through only at the twin tear tracks on her cheeks. The little girl was standing perfectly well. She was quite unhurt.
The baby's mother, however, was a ghastly, exsanguinated ruin torn and b.l.o.o.d.y meat lying on the street before her.
Though Carrera was saddened, an element of celebration charged the air of Casa Linda. Men pa.s.sing in the hallways of the house spontaneously lifted their hands to 'high five' as they pa.s.sed. The Boss can do it now! We're going to war! The Boss can do it now! We're going to war! Daugher and Bowman b.u.t.ted heads, literally and for the sheer violent joy of the thing, every time they pa.s.sed in a hall. Daugher and Bowman b.u.t.ted heads, literally and for the sheer violent joy of the thing, every time they pa.s.sed in a hall.
Carrera, himself, was rather more restrained. He had a plan. He had all the diagrams. He had tables of manning and equipment, pay scales, grade requirements, training schedules...
And I have guilt. guilt. Is it my fault, my doing, that these people were attacked? Or would it have happened eventually, anyway? I suppose I'll never know. Is it my fault, my doing, that these people were attacked? Or would it have happened eventually, anyway? I suppose I'll never know.
Lourdes interrupted his thoughts with a cup of coffee. She pretended not to notice as he quickly wiped a forming tear from his own eye. ”What happens now, Patricio?”
”I don't know, not for sure. I don't yet have the authority. I don't have the money; I don't have the equipment, I don't have the men. I don't have the land to train on. I don't have the uniforms, the ammunition, the barracks...even tents we lack. All I have is a plan and control of some some money, with more on the way....that, and a few connections.” money, with more on the way....that, and a few connections.”
Lourdes glanced down at the newspaper then back to her boss. ”But you and General Parilla have an appointment with the Acting President in just three days, Patricio. Isn't that about getting all those things?”
”Yes. But Parilla and I both have our doubts about how easy it will be. Even after this,” he said as his hand gestured towards the paper.
”I have faith in you, Patricio. You will get what you need.”
He sighed. Maybe the girl was right. ”Lourdes...you're a reasonable girl, as reasonable as anyone in the country. Do you believe we...Balboa should go to war over this?”
Lourdes' eyes flashed pure Castilian fire, glowing hot with rage and hate. This fire would have been commonplace during the Reconquista Reconquista, the centuries-long drive to rid Spain of the hated Moslem. On Cortez's march to Tenocht.i.tlan to conquer the Mexica a similar flame had lit the eyes of his conquistadors. Aboard the s.h.i.+ps of the Holy League the night before the b.l.o.o.d.y naval battle at Lepanto, Don John's sailors' and marines' eyes had shone so. It was the very fire that had once made Spain 'the nation with the b.l.o.o.d.y footprint.'
”Oh, very much, yes. Yes, yes, yes yes.” Her foot stamped. ”You must make them pay pay for this!” for this!”
Carrera nodded, satisfied. A hand reached out for a cigarette. ”Lourdes, would you get Professor Ruiz on the phone for me? Then call Parilla's secretary and see when he will be available.”
Saint Nicholasberg, Volga, 30/9/459 AC Smoke curled up from half a dozen vile Volgan cigarettes to gather and congeal along the ceiling and walls of the room. A small buffet and that was not not vile at all sat pillaged on a table near the room's only door. Inside, men no longer young argued over their state's future. vile at all sat pillaged on a table near the room's only door. Inside, men no longer young argued over their state's future.
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