"Good." Ariel sat down at her desk and punched the code for Ambassador Setaris. "Third?"
"Benen Yarick."
Ariel scowled. She wished Yarick would just talk to Setaris and leave her alone. Ariel felt as if her allotment of understanding and patience were being fast used up.
"Just give me a list of the others," she told Hofton… Forward no more calls till I say. I'm not in yet."
"Of course."
"Try to get an official release from the police."
"I imagine that the TBI have assumed control of the investigation, as usual."
"I don't care who it's from. They'd be great." She made a shooing gesture. "I have to joust with windmills now."
Hofton almost smiled as he backed from the room.
Setaris appeared on her com. "Ariel, good morning. "
"Ambassador."
"Please tell me you have good news."
"Well, yes and no. I spent the balance of yesterday talking to our people. A large number of them had already decided not to leave. Not the majority, but enough to surprise me. I managed to use that and a little arm twisting to get most of the rest to agree not to run. I'll need you to sign off on some concessions, but I didn't break the budget."
"I'm sure anything you promised will be reasonable."
"I appreciate your confidence. I'm afraid, though, that there will still be a very visible number bailing out, but that leaves nearly eighty percent of our people willing to wait and see."
"That's not as bad as I thought… so is that the good news?" Setaris asked.
"That's the good part. Last night I spoke to Benen Yarick from Humadros's legation. The survivors want to leave."
Setaris looked pleased. "You did speak to Yarick. Good."
"It's irregular, though. I thought she should speak to you or…"
"Or who, Ariel? Go on."
"Yarick is simply frightened. She claims that even if she brought herself to stay, her state of mind would make her virtually useless at the conference."
"Hm. I suppose I can see her point of view, but… what did you tell her?"
"That it would be a great service to me and the Auroran population here if she reconsidered. As I said, I couldn't convince Yarick to stay, but she said she would talk to the others. I have to return her call this morning. I'm hoping she can tell me they're staying."
"I sympathize with them, of course, but…"
"Is there anyone else on staff that could step in for them if they all left?" Ariel asked.
Setaris sighed. "No, not really. I'm afraid my credibility in this matter doesn't extend quite that far. My position on certain elements of what Humadros proposed is too well known to the Terran delegates. I opposed on principle too much of it to be taken seriously. Oh, and speaking of credibility, I'm starting to get calls about the robotic side of this. Which reminds me. I should have called you last night to tell you, but now is as good a time as then. As of this morning, your credentials have been modified to include ambassadorial authority."
Ariel felt abruptly uneasy. "What prompted this?"
"Let me see… 'Because of the nature of this crisis,' " Setaris quoted, evidently reading something off-screen," 'the liaison from the Calvin Institute has been granted temporary modification of plenipotentiary status. ' "
"What 'nature of crisis' prompted this?"
"The fact that you are the most senior embassy official still alive. Except for me. All I have is junior legates and trainees. And because of the positronic element. The Terrans are claiming a breakdown of the RI at Union Station. You're our positronic expert on the ground, so now you'll be seconded to my department to deal with diplomatic matters relating to the situation. Anything major, of course, you clear with me first, but… congratulations."
Ariel was silent for a few moments. "Have you heard anything concrete from the authorities?"
"They're blaming Managins."
"You don't sound as if you accept that."
"The Managins are a nuisance, certainly, but do you believe they could mount something like this?" Setaris shook her head. "It seems they really have no idea, so they're letting the media dictate explanations. I'll never get used to the Earther taste for the salacious and the absurd."
Ariel glanced at her appointment scroll, just now coming up. "I have another day of dealing with Auroran irrationality. It's the same thing, different character."
Setaris frowned.
"Not an opinion," Ariel added, "I share with anyone other than those who already know."
Setaris's frown changed to a wry smile. "Of course."
"Oh, I received a call-I need to follow up on this, too-from Gale Chassik. He wants our official position on this."
"He's being a nuisance and calling everyone. I think he wants to find inconsistencies he can exploit. Our official position is that the conference is still on and we will wait for the Terran authorities to pronounce on the investigation before taking any other actions. We condemn the act, but we will not be precipitate."
"I see…"
"Anything else, Ariel? I have a full roster, too."
"No, no. Thank you. I'll keep you informed."
"Of course."
The image winked out and Ariel stared at the blank space. Obviously Setaris had already been in contact with Aurora and decisions had been made. Yarick had told her that much. But Aurora could take days or weeks to come up with a policy statement. Spacer time was more leisurely than Earther time, decisions… gestated… until ready. It was one of the sore points between the two governments.
On the other hand, the pace of diplomatic exchange had increased with the piracies. Perhaps someone on Aurora had figured out that hesitation could be expensive when dealing with Earth.
Ariel wondered what sort of "other actions" Aurora might take. Did they already have contingencies?
Her change of status unsettled her. Instead of being gratified at the elevation and the implicit confidence it should signify, she was suspicious. She could not help but think that they were looking for a scapegoat. Given her past, she would be perfect if things went wrong. All they would have to do is issue an official statement, strip her finally and completely of Auroran citizenship, and leave her on Earth, alone.
She entered Beren Yarick's code.
"Good morning, Ms. Burgess," Yarick answered promptly. "I did as you requested. Trina Korolin has agreed to stay-but she's our most junior member. I was unable to convince Gavit Jans. Trina will also have her personal aides-two of them. I'm sorry I couldn't do better."
"What about-"
"I also apologize for the impersonal nature of this response. I've already boarded a shuttle to Kopernik. I regret not having the courage of Ambassador Humadros's convictions. I hope you understand."
"Damn!" Ariel punched the disconnect. A recording. She could not even stay on the ground long enough to give a personal reply.
Perhaps, Ariel thought sourly, she was worried I might actually talk her out of it.
"What a mess," she muttered.
She entered Trina Korolin's code.
"Good morning," the com answered. "Ms. Korolin is temporarily unavailable. Please leave a message and a connection code."
"Ariel Burgess, at the Auroran embassy, Calvin Institute. I would like to have a personal talk, Ms. Korolin, at your earliest convenience."
Ariel ended the connection. She did not want to deal with Chassik yet -he could be abrasive. She looked down her list. No doubt, she knew, it would grow longer by the end of the day. Most of them would want little more than an official shoulder to cry on. They were all afraid.
She touched Hofton's intercom. "Hofton, could you get me a list of the casualties? All of them, Terrans included. And a download from several newsnets of the attack."