“There’s a critical difference. McGee thinks the calibans decide. They don’t. It’s human ambition based on status. And this Elai has a lot of status. They might miscalculate–psychological strength for military strength. A lot of people could die over that mistake. I’m talking about McGee’s precious Cloudsiders. And the Styx. They’ve got too much going to waste it all in war.”
“Maybe it wouldn’t be miscalculation. On those terms you cite.”
“We’ve got roads built; agriculture increased. Unification of the Towers. We could lose a hundred years in a war right now.”
“A hundred years down whose course?”
Genley gave him a puzzled look, and the look became a frown.
“Maybe,” the Director said, “the calibans won’t permit a war. Or maybe they fight them for their own reasons. And humans just go along with it.”
“That’s more radical than McGee’s hypothesis. Sir.”
“One just thinks–sitting here behind the wire. No matter. We play it cautiously. Since McGee has the chance she can use it.”
“Or maybe they can use McGee. That’s what Jin thinks about it. I’m sure of that.”
“Well,” the Director said, “we just let it go along for now. Frankly, I don’t see much else that we could do about it, do you?”
xxxii
204 CR, day 42
Message, E. McGee to Base
Couriered by Dain of the Flanahan line to the Wire
by order of Elai Eldest
Wish to report I am safe and well and have persuaded the new ruler of the Cloud Towers to have this couriered: to satisfy Security, my id number is 8097‑989 and the holo on your desk is a Terran rose, so you’ll know this is all my idea.
Ellai has been succeeded peacefully at her death by Elai her daughter and designated heir. Elai took advantage of her accession to power over the Cloud to have one of her riders escort me to the Towers. I have been treated with all courtesy and am presently comfortable and content in my situation. This is a rare opportunity with the Cloud Towers and presages an era in which I believe the Cloud may be as productive in research as the Styx has been in recent years. I am not eager to break my stay here at this stage in which I believe much good can be accomplished in stabilizing mission relations with the Cloud.
I will need some equipment and supplies. Elai has agreed to this, and will send to my hut in seven days to collect the supplies which I hope will be there.
Please send:
Writing materials
All such operations apparatus as has been cleared for operations outside the wire, incl. recorder, etc.
4 changes clothing
pair boots
hygiene field kit (forgot mine)
soap!
field medical kit
Also and most important, 1 case (case!) broad spectrum antibiotics, class A, field; 1 case vitamin and mineral supplement; 1 case dietary supplement.
I realize this quantity is unusual, but due to my supply resting on local transport, and due to the possibility of being isolated from supply by circumstance beyond my prediction, I feel this request is only prudent on my part and of utmost urgency, due to close contact with unaccustomed population and drinking and eating unaccustomed food: as approved for Styx mission.
Thank you.
E. McGee
204 CR, day 42
Base Director’s Office
“I am going to approve this,” the Director said to the secretary.
“Sir,” the secretary said, tight‑lipped. “Sir, this is talking about cases. I checked with supply. A caseof antibiotics is one thousand 50 cc units. A box is one hundred. Dr. McGee undoubtedly meant–”
“Approved,” the Director said, “just as ordered. Case lots.”
“Yes, sir,” the secretary said, with thoughts passing behind his eyes.
“Any word from Dr. Genley?”
“Message.” The secretary keyed it up. “Non‑urgent. He’s gone back to the field.”
“He did receive the McGee transcript.”
The secretary hit more keys. “Oh, yes. He did get that copy. Was that a mistake? It wasn’t coded no‑dispersal.”
“No. It wasn’t a mistake. I want to be informed when anything comes in from outside. Or when any native comes to the wire. Personally. No matter what hour.”
“Yes, sir.”
“That load for McGee’s going to take a light transport. Make the order out. I’ll sign it,”
“What about Smith?”
“Smith.”
“McGee’s assistant. Does Smith go out again? He’s asking.”
“Does he want to go out?”
“He’s suggested he wants someone with him if he does.”
“Exactly what is he requesting?”
“Security. And supplies.” The secretary keyed up the request. “He wants a whole list of things.”
“Never mind Smith. Just put one of our Security people out there. I’ll sign that too. Someone who’s been outside the wire. But not anyone who’s worked in the Styx regions. They might be known. If information passes. Check all past assignments. I don’t want any nervous people out there. I don’t want an incident.”
204 CR, day 42
Memo, Base Director to Committee Members
I am approving new operations in the Cloud River area. New and promising contacts have opened. We are presented the opportunity to secure comparative data.
204 CR, day 42
Message, Base Director to E. McGee, in field
Sent in writing with supplies.
I am backing you on this. Hope that your health improves. Please remain in close contact.
xxxiii
204 CR, day 200
Cloud Towers
Elai laughed, laughed aloud, and it startled calibans, who shifted nervously; but not Scar, who merely shut his eyes and kept taking in the sun, there upon the roof of First Tower, with McGee, in the warm tail of summer days. And McGee went on telling her heir how his mother had tried to swim to the islands one day some years ago. Young Din’s eyes achieved amazement. He looked at his mother to see whether this were true, while his five year old sib played his silent games, put and take with ariels–silent, Taem was; he would always be one of the silent ones, lost to the line of Flanahans, but not without his use. There was three year old Cloud, who was noisy in his wandering about, who played wicked games, disrupting his brother Taem’s Patterns. But ariels retrieved his thefts, and nurses interfered when he grew too persistent.
There were the calibans, besides Scar: a halfgrown brown named Twostone, that was the heir’s; and a smaller, runt brown that had attached itself to Cloud. But Taem had no caliban in particular, owned nothing in particular. Taem was Taem. He never spoke, except with the stones, at which he had precocious skill.
“One in a house,” Elai had said of Taem, “that’s fine. I can stand that.”
“What if he were the only child?” McGee had asked.
“Usually it’s the youngers that go,” Elai had said. “I thought Cloud would go since Taem had. But I lost Marik in Cloud’s first year. Maybe that weighed some on Cloud.”
McGee had doubted this, but she listened to it all the same. Perhaps she had some influence on Din, who had begun to hang on her more than on his nurses. Din liked the tales she told.
“Did you?” Din asked now. “Did you swim out there?”
Elai pulled up her robe and showed the old scar. “That’s why I don’t walk so fast, young one. Would have bled everything I had onto that beach if MaGee hadn’t stopped the blood.”
“But what’s out there in the sea?” The young eyes were dusky like Elai’s, roiled with thoughts. Din’s brows were knit.
“Maybe,” McGee said, “things you haven’t seen.”
“Tell me!” Din said. His caliban came awake at that tone, came up on its legs. Scar hissed, a lazy warning.