Seeing it, he knew for the first time that Jelka had been absolutely right. To have left without Kalevala would have been a wrench. They would forever have been looking back regretfully. Now it was much easier. Now they could go anywhere. Anywhere at all.
In his mind he could hear the stirring strains of Jelka's beloved Lemminkainen Suite, filled as it was with the sounds of the wind, of the waves breaking against the rocks of ancient Kalevala.
"It's beautiful," Wen Ch'ang said softly. Unnoticed by Kim he had come to stand beside him at the window.
"Yes," Kim answered. "Yes . . ." Then, looking to his old friend anxiously. "It looks all right, don't you think?"
Wen Ch'ang smiled. "I'm sure it's fine. We'll get a team in at once to finish making all the checks."
Kim touched his arm. "Good. Then I'll leave it all to you. Oh, and if Sampsa calls, tell him I'm on my way."
There was a great roar of approval from ten thousand throats as Kim stepped beneath the arch and walked slowly down the steps to join the other citizens standing in the great space -known to all as The Circle - beneath the dome of Ganymede's main city, Fermi.
Up on the central rostrum, a dozen young men had turned to watch. Now one of them, a tall youth with dark hair and vivid green eyes that reminded all who met him of his father, raised a hand.
Silence fell. On ten huge screens surrounding the Circle, the citizens of all the domed "cities" of Jupiter's moons - three more on Ganymede, four on Callisto, two each on Europa and lo - looked on.
"Okay," Sampsa began, looking about him with a bearing and authority that seemed to belie his eighteen years. "You've heard the issues, now I want you to cast your vote on the matter. Remember, however, that there shall be no more votes on this matter. Owing to the urgency of this scheme, a No vote now cannot be reversed at a later date."
There was a murmur of understanding from all sides.
"Good. Then let us cast our votes. All those in favour of the motion."
Hands lifted like a forest of trees on all sides, alnost without exception.
"And against."
There were half a dozen at most, and some of those held their hands up sheepishly, as if uncertain. Similarly, on the screens surrounding the Circle, hands had been raised both for and against the motion.
Kim smiled, proud not only of his son, but of the system he had devised here in the Jupiter Colonies. It was not original, not by any means - but it had been several thousand years since anyone had last adopted it on this scale. All important matters of government - all major decisions that affected the lives of citizens were decided thus, by open vote, here in the Circles of the cities. Whoever wished to have a say must present themselves at the proper hour to personally raise their hand either for or against the motion. So the ancient Athenians had once behaved, in what had been the first and only true democracy. Until now.
Sampsa turned full circle on the podium, looking from screen to screen at the figures displayed, calculating it in his head, then smiled.
"Those for the motion number one hundred and fifteen thousand, eight hundred and nine. Those against number ninety seven. In the circumstances I declare the motion . . ."
There was laughter and smiles as Sampsa looked about him, hesitating before saying what everyone knew he was about to say.
" .. .passed"
There was an enormous roar, a roar that seemed to fill the dome and echo from moon to moon. It was done. A new dome would be built on Callisto, big enough to hold six thousand new families. Yes, and two new oxygen-generating plants, as well.
Not as many as I'd hoped, Kim reflected, thinking of the millions back on Chung Kuo who would have given anything for the chance, but at least it's something.
He smiled, though the decision had cost him close on six hundred million yuan. What, after all, was the good of money unless you could do something good, something constructive with it? Besides, his personal sacrifice was far less than those who had stood shoulder to shoulder with him at the vote. For them the cost was considerable - almost three thousand yuan a citizen. Despite the fact that they were a comparatively rich society, many there could barely afford it. But they had voted for the measure anyway, recalling the way they themselves had been given a chance.
Kim looked about him, noting the happy faces, the beaming smiles, and knew he'd chosen well. With such people with him, how could his venture fail?
Slowly he made his way across to the rostrum, stopping to speak to friends and acquaintances on the way, unable to move more than a pace or two without having his hand shaken or his back slapped, without being embraced or spoken to. All there knew how important it was for him to have brought Kalevala safely to Ganymede, and though there was to be a celebration that night, many congratulated him now.
At last he reached the stage and, putting out a hand for Sampsa to help him up, climbed onto the podium. There was a cheer and applause from all sides. Kim acknowledged it, then turned to face his son.
"I'm sorry I was so late, Sampsa. I hope I didn't keep everyone waiting."
Sampsa grinned then leaned down to hug his father. "Not at all, father. Your timing was immaculate. As ever."
"Ninety-seven against, I note. You think we should offer them repatriation?"
"Why, not at all!" Sampsa said, raising his eyebrows. "That's the last thing we need. No, if anything I'm disappointed that there's not more opposition to what we're doing."
"But what we're doing's good. If s necessary."
"Yes, but all this agreement... if s not healthy!"
For a moment Kim stared at his son, then he burst out laughing. "Why, you bugger!"
Sampsa ruffled his father's hair affectionately. "I had you going for a moment, didn't I?"
Kim nodded. "And the small matter of repatriation?"
"If they want it they can ask. We've agreed in council that whoever wants to leave can go with our blessing - oh, and enough to settle them comfortably back on Chung Kuo."
"You're very generous with my money, Sampsa."
Sampsa winked. "As you taught me to be, father."
Kim took his upper arm and squeezed it. "It's down, Sampsa. If s here."
"I know. I heard."
"Don't you want to see it?"
"Of course I do. I've missed it. But I can wait a few more hours."
Kim shrugged. "I shall because I have to. But seeing it again after all this time, I just wanted to rush in before they'd finished all the checks and then go from room to room in the house, breathing in the smell of the place, remembering . .." Sampsa was watching his father now, a wistful little smile on his face. "I'll miss the sea, the weather, the way the waves used to smash against the cliffs, the way the wind would rustle through the pines late at night." "I can recreate all that if you want." "Like one of Shepherd's shells, you mean?" The thought of it brought Kim up short. "No, I ..." Kim shrugged. "Maybe not. Maybe it's best just to remember. But the house is there. And the island."
Sampsa turned his head, looking to his fellow representatives who were waiting for him on the far side of the podium, then looked back at his father, smiling again. "Look, I'll come. When I've finished here, okay?"
"Okay," Kim said, touching his arm gently, but in that instant he sensed that something was wrong with Sampsa; something he'd not mentioned before now.
Back in his office, Kim locked the door then sat there, feet up on the desk, staring blankly at the screen that filled the far wall.