Between the Stars Read Online Free PDF Page B

not surrendered to us, it could endanger all of us here on Earth. This afternoon, I intend to place a motion before the U.N. demanding that Object X be brought to Earth for study. A refusal to comply from the Confederates must be considered an act of hostility." Before the questions could begin, Carstairs cut off the holo.
    Valentina was puzzled. "He's making war talk. Is the situation so serious?"
    He shook his head. "No, but Security and Military have been in bed together lately. Larsen and Shevket want to start a war. In wartime you can do all sorts of things and get away with them, like shunt aside the Party old guard in favor of ambitious younger men. Good time to get rid of the political enemies, too. Lots of treason charges and summary executions with nobody looking into them too closely. Shevket would handle the butchery while Larsen spouted his humanitarian poppycock for the public."
    "They'd start a war to do that?" She was interested, not shocked.
    "Too right. Takes people's minds off their problems for a while as well. A big war is always a tempting short-range fix for your problems. I should know." His wry grimace vanished as a yellow globe of light flashed above his desk.
    "Well, I've finally gotten through. Sit where you are and say nothing, Valentina. This will be the Confed Ambassador. I've been trying to reach him for hours. You should see this anyway." He arranged his transmitter so that she would be invisible.
    The man who appeared from nowhere by holographic exchange was sprawled on a couch. The massive discomfort of the spaceborn when subjected to Earth gravity was evident in his features. The strain added years to his apparent mid-forties. He looked vaguely Hawaiian.
    "Mr. Ambassador," Carstairs said, "good of you to spare me some time from the reporters."
    The ambassador mopped his forehead with a damp towel. "God, anything but more reporters! Keep me as long as you want. I notice that this is a secure line, though. I have orders from my government not to engage in any secret talks while I'm here."
    "Show this to anyone at your own discretion," Carstairs said. "I just don't want anyone eavesdropping right now."
    "Fire away."
    "To begin with, just what is this buggering thing?"
    The ambassador made a hand gesture that was equivalent to a shrug. "I'll send you exactly what I was sent."
    A near-translucent, glassy ellipsoid appeared above Carstairs' desk. A complicated readout appeared below it. "Not very damned impressive, is it?" he mused. "Looks like a paperweight.' 5
    "It's on Aeaea now. This thing is so odd they're having trouble just figuring out how to test it."
    "You've heard Mr. Larsen's comments by now," Carstairs said. "How do you propose to respond?"
    "We are not trying to keep it to ourselves," the ambassador insisted. "Send out all the scientists you want; they'll be welcome to study it firsthand. ''
    Carstairs snorted. "Except that our scientists are not allowed to leave trans-lunar orbit."
    "It was Earth First's law," said the ambassador. "You wrote it yourself, I believe."
    "I'll have to see what I can do about that," Carstairs said. "So why don't you bring it here?"
    "Aeaea has the most advanced scientific research facilities in the solar system. Besides, as you know well, Aeaea is the only really neutral territory between us."
    Taking Carstairs' silence as consent, the ambassador continued. "Look at the readout, Mr. Secretary."
    Carstairs shrugged. "Means nothing to me. I never passed my O levels."
    "The figure refers to mass, not size. Object X masses better than a ton per cubic centimeter at the opaque core. It may not be as large as a football, but it's as massive as an elephant."
    "Bloody hell," Carstairs said, impressed. "Physics isn't my field, but a thing like that could be useful, couldn't it? :
    "The technology could open up the stars to us. Now think of the race that could develop such technology."
    "Right." Carstairs thought for a moment. "Is Sieglinde Taggart studying