''God only knows, and she ain't telling. Yesterday they announced they were tearing the entire system down to rebuild it from scratch. But they'll be using the same parts. How will that make it better?'' the Senator asked the ceiling and the unblinking stars beyond it. ''Worse, for the last couple of days the problem up here has been knocking towns off our local net. First time that happened, the news was all over it, insisting the place must have come down with Ebola and the government was hiding it. We sent a convoy racing up there, over mountains and in the snow, no less. Even had a few newsies in it. Everyone was fine, just terrified about what was happening to the rest of the planet while they were out.
''Glad to hear that didn't last long.''
''Ah, but we've had two more towns drop off net, and every time, someone in the media starts talking about Ebola.''
''It won't go away,'' Kris said.
''Or someone doesn't want it to.''
''How is Bremen?''
''No more deaths reported. And Earlic heard something very strange. They didn't actually do autopsies on the ones who died. Just cremated the bodies.''
''I thought Ebola was a pretty ugly way to die. Kind of hard to mistake.''
''It is, though the medical team in Bremen is pretty basic. Still, the bodies are dust, and no one can find the blood samples they took for analysis.''
''If they called it Ebola, they had to do blood tests.''
''Yes, we have the computer reports of the tests, but no one can find the blood samples to run a second test. All lost.''
''Are they sure it was Ebola?'' Kris asked.
''No question, they've got fifty-seven early cases of Ebola.''
''Early cases?''
''Yes.''
''How early?''
''Another interesting question. Since I only have Earlic's word that he heard this from someone who picked it up from a good friend who happens to know someone who has a relative in Bremen, you can understand it's kind of hard to get to the truth.''
''In other words, a rumor.'' Kris tried to squeeze the sarcasm out of her smile, but it still must have looked bitter as lemon.
''Isn't it a mess? We're making decisions that could shape my daughter's future. My grandkids' future. And we're doing it by guess and by God. We may not all have computers like yours that are smart enough not to waste my time giving me tonnage to the last ounce, but we have some very good ones, and I can't say what's happening five hundred miles north of here, or on the next star system,'' Senator Krief said with a bitter laugh. ''You know something? President Iedinka could be right, and I would never know it.''
''Yes,'' Kris agreed.
The Senator spotted someone, waved to get his attention, then slipped by Kris's security cordon and launched into an animated discussion. Kris nodded to Jack to drop shields and found herself being introduced to three vineyard owners by Ambassador Middenmite. She smiled prettily, complimented the wines they had her sample, and tried to diplomatically praise all three without saying anything that would end up in tomorrow's advertising feed. When they moved off, the Ambassador held back.
''I was so sorry to hear about what happened to my assistant who was working with you. Damn bad show.''
''Have you heard anything about who might have done it?''
''I'm sorry, but I have to admit I'm rather busy with other things at the moment. All those stories circulating about how Wardhaven has been favoring Hamilton over the years. I don't know where they come from. They say they're documented. There's nothing in our files to support them.''
''But the media has ‘full documentation' on their story?''
''Well, they say so. I can't say that I've seen the stuff; you know how newsies are about giving away anything that might reveal a source. But I know what we've bought from Turantic, and it's a good bit of business. I keep trying to get on shows, tell people all that we've done, but no one seems to be listening.''
''Telling people what they already know isn't news.''
''That's what they say. Damn, I wish I had more Wardhaven files. I assumed if we needed something we could order it from home. I didn't want trade confidential files on my system. I'm told security is good, but you hear of this teenager or that cute six-year-old who wandered into this or that on the net.''
''Hard to know what is a good risk and what's too much,'' she agreed as the old man wandered off, shaking his head. Kris spent the next half hour shaking hands at a more leisurely pace. Either there were fewer people here tonight, or fewer wanted to brag tomorrow that they'd shaken the hand of a real Wardhaven Princess. Kris suspected it might be the latter.
An hour gone, Kris wondered if Hank might be getting near the end of his command performance. NELLY, COULD YOU RING UP HANK'S COMPUTER AND SEE IF IT WILL TELL YOU WHERE HE IS?
''I don't like that bored look on your face,'' Jack said. ''You wouldn't be thinking it would be nice to spend some time with that good-looking trillionaire, would you?''
''And if I was?'' Kris sniffed.
Jack scratched behind his ear, resettled his receiver in place, and shrugged. ''I've been thinking of briefing Klaggath on the bad blood between your family and the Peterwalds. Wonder how he'd take to your spending time with—''
''What, a security risk? Hell, Jack, Hank knows as much about how the universe spins as I do.''
''How about a major threat to your life and limb? Kris, he showed up on Olympia, and you almost got killed.''
''My office got rocketed while I was away at lunch with Hank. That saved my life.''
''Kris, you know about the other times as well as I. Damn it, woman, you're a big girl, now, and you need to start acting like one.''
Problem was, Jack was right; she was acting like a big girl. Real grown woman. She whirled on Jack, wanting to ask him where he suggested she find a man, her man. Tommy was joining all the others that gravitated toward her since high school. They'd get near enough to her to get a good look, and look good, then grab onto someone else. If she was a bridesmaid to one more best of friends, she was going to… To what?
Behind Jack, Hank hove in view. As he spotted her, his face lit up in a smile that just about took in his whole body. He waved. Kris snorted, trying to drive out all the mixed feelings, put on a smile of her own, and waved back. Jack forced a smile as he turned and the two security teams began a careful approach as their primaries rushed into each other's arms.
KRIS, WE HAVE A PROBLEM, Nelly said.
''Hank, you got free early.''
''Told Caley he could take some of his cronies and shove them. I had a dance card to fill up.''
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, PROBLEM?
THERE IS A FIRE AT THE TURANTIC CAPITOL.
TURANTIC CAPITOL?
THE CAPITOL HOUSES THE LEGISLATURE. THE BUILDING IS BURNING.
Hank looked distracted two seconds after Kris found herself no longer staring into his eyes but off into space, both their arms slipping to their sides.
''Sounds like a minor problem,'' Hank said, but his voice didn't reflect that.
''They have, or had, a vote scheduled tomorrow on going to war with Hamilton. I hope the fire isn't bad,'' Kris said, but she could hear the doubt in her own voice.
''My report says the building is fully involved,'' Hank said.
Klaggath signaled to one of his agents, who stepped forward and pointed his hand, palm out. A heliograph of the capitol appeared before them, both the dome and the two wings fully involved in leaping flames.
''That building is stone,'' Kris said. ''It can't burn like that, can it?'' She glanced around.
An agent on Hank's team answered her. ''There are reports of a lot of communications equipment, chemicals, not all listed on the authorized storage report, and more paper than anyone expected. Still, it's going up fast, way too fast.''
Hank shook his head. ''As my father would say, ‘something is rotting in Denmark.' ''
Kris ordered her gut to change gears, even as it screamed and screeched. ''One does not dance while Rome burns. Bad PR, I remember someone saying. Want a rain check on those dances?''