The Hunt for Pierre Jnr (21 page)

‘Honoured council. I thank you for agreeing to meet in person. It may seem like an extraordinary measure, but I think you will agree, a necessary one.

‘You have all heard my public sentiments. Let me assure you that they were sincere. An unexpected event has occurred. Its origin is suspected but unexplained. It has capsized the civil balance and brought an all-new council into being — excepting Senator Demos, who has survived the transition.’ Ryu indicated the larger than standard man with spiky black hair and the jowls of a hound dog. Demos was the only legacy member of yesterday’s Primacy, a feat largely due to the ongoing faith of his constituency that he would always act in their own interests. Ryu wondered if self-interest would drive him also.

‘This is the total of what we know. At 5.58 a.m. on April Seventh a psionic individual or group of psionics destroyed an historic area of a populated metropolis. This not only shows a callous disregard for human life, but for our history and all that we have been trying to rebuild since the collapse.

‘If the recent events, as the evidence leads us to believe, were the result of a psionic manifestation, and if we carry this realisation to its logical conclusion, then our entire civil structure could be at risk.’

‘Surely you are exaggerating?’ Charlotte Betts interrupted, even though he held the floor.

‘I hope so, Representative, but who knows if you or I are under the influence of a telepath?’ Ryu glanced at each member in turn. ‘Any of us could be. We may have been affected in the past, or we might be in the future. In fact, who is to say that the voters that have brought us here were not themselves affected?’

‘You are taking this to an absurd level to introduce irrational fear.’

‘Perhaps I am. I confess, Miz Betts, I do not know. But I would like us all to consider the point and question how safe our minds can be. And how large an effect a stray telepath or two could possibly have.’ Ryu focused on Charlotte once more. ‘Can you tell me for certain?’

‘Of course I can’t.’

‘Many of you, like me, are new to the Primacy, and we must be vigilant of misusing this new-found power. We must be sure not to take any misstep. We work for the Will of the people. Don’t be too alarmed, my suggestions are nothing unreasonable, but it is simply that we must be sure. I recommend that each of us shelter our minds from possible interference. However you interacted with the world before, you must change it. We must begin to limit outside contact.’

‘Are you mad? What will the people think?’

‘People will think we are doing what we need to do. The world feels it is under threat. I will do my utmost to remove that fear. I will find the cause or reveal the fraud. I entreat you to work with me. The Will has brought us together. We may be here a day or a year, but as long as I am here I will remain steadfast to the principles that have brought me to my position. Because I believe in them, and the majority believes in them.

‘Do we have suspects? Yes. Do we have all the information we need? No. Do not be fooled into thinking that this is simply an issue with psis. This is an issue of stability and trust in our fellow Citizens. Without the ability to trust that another’s thoughts are their own and their actions are the act of free will, our society cannot continue to operate.

‘We must close the net. To protect our way of life and maintain the balance of our civil structures. This World Union was built around the sanctity of knowledge and the only cure available to us will come in the form of perfect data.’

~ * ~

After the opening speeches, the council had a short break and mingled. Charlotte found herself ignored by the rest of the Primacy and so stood as proudly as she could and sought tranquillity through memories of perfect cups of tea and sun-touched moments by a window. She stood by what she said and no amount of cold shouldering would change her position. Strangely, an old phrase of her mother’s drifted up to help her: ‘The burden of the minority is the weight of the majority.’ As if her mother had ever been in the minority.

Her repose was not allowed to last long.

‘Representative Betts. You are perhaps the odd one out of this group. Placed here as a balance for our positions. May I compliment you on your speech?’

‘Only if you do so sincerely.’

‘Of course I do. I am here by the call of the Will, just as you are. May I ask your intentions? You know mine already.’

With Ryu standing before her, she was reminded of the vitality young men could wield and how it once took her breath away. Now it reminded her of the many follies she had witnessed in her life and been party to. ‘Prime, I am here to do my duty as appointed by the Will.’

‘But you are a sympathiser, are you not?’

She didn’t like that word. ‘I, like all humans, have the capacity for sympathy, empathy and kindness. Is that what you mean?’

‘I think you understand my question. Your writings are clear: you think psionics should not be outlawed.’

‘Correct.’

‘I think you will find your place here most uncomfortable.’

‘I thank you for your concern, Prime. I can only hope my views will be heard and I have the ability to present alternative actions to the council.’

Ryu stared at her a moment longer. ‘As you wish.’

‘Excuse me, Shima san.’ Senator Demos licked his lips nervously as he managed to divert the Prime’s attention from Charlotte.

‘Yes, Senator. You have a question for me?’

‘I do, Prime, yes. Am I right that, at the end of your speech, you were alluding to Parity?’

‘That word has gained a taint recently,’ Ryu answered.

‘Yes, well, it can only be promised so many times before the public builds a resistance. But that is what you were implying, yes?’

‘Only with complete knowledge will we be able to root out the cancers that continue to plague our society.’

‘Indeed, of course. So it is not just the psi resistants that you will be hoping to dig out.’

‘I am Prime of the whole World Union, Senator Demos. I work for the Will.’

‘The Will is not always unanimous. There are, in fact, a great many who would prefer to ... I’m not sure how best to phrase it so I will quote Miz Betts here: “harbour their freedoms rather than chase utopia”. Am I getting that right, Representative Betts?’ Demos asked Charlotte, who was still standing nearby.

‘You quote correctly, but I wrote that thirty or so years ago. I’m not sure I still —’

‘I understand that many will resist.’ Ryu ignored her in his reply to Demos. ‘Humanity does not have a history of accepting what is best for it, but with the Will behind me I will leave no harbours unchecked. Now if you’ll excuse me.’

Ryu Shima bowed and moved away to speak with one of the other members of the council. Any would do.

Charlotte breathed out; her memory of a. perfect cup of tea had turned bitter.

‘A most competent young man, don’t you think, Representative Betts? The council will certainly be safe in his hands.’ The tiniest of smiles rested on the pucker of the Senator’s lips.

‘The whole time I felt like everything he or I said was being interpreted on three levels. I couldn’t understand half of what passed between you two.’

‘It was about boats, Miz Betts. My boats in particular.’

‘Oh.’ She wondered if he had also read what she had written about the floating Greeks and the voting bloc of the selfish. Sometimes she just wrote what sprang to mind; it had never occurred to her she might end up in the same room as the highest branches of society. ‘Was he threatening you?’

‘In a fashion. More threatening to threaten. Have you not heard that Shimas are like onions?’

‘I hadn’t heard of them at all until this week.’

‘Ah, well. Consider it more a piece of advice then. Cut a Shima and they will make you cry.’

He snickered at his own joke and she smiled. ‘I will remember that.’

~ * ~

The next item on the schedule was a revision of recent events, beginning with a review of the relevant data and then an interview with one of the co-ordinators. There weren’t many who were considered directly responsible for the operation. One problem with the civic structure was that sometimes there was no single person to blame.

This left them with only one constant intermediary, who had been put in the position mainly for being available and redundant with age.

‘Is this 
Pinter
 Pinter?’ Charlotte leant toward Demos. ‘As in, of the Terminus?’

‘Only one of his many exploits, I believe.’

The dossier on the man had a list of engagements that went for eleven screens; he was extremely accomplished. The 360° showed a proud man, detailed with age. Not many men let the years show like that any more.

‘I bet you this man knows my mother,’ she said. Demos probably wouldn’t be Max’s ideal choice of ally, but at least he was speaking with her.

‘And how is your dear mother? It has been months since I have seen her.’

‘It has been years for me.’ The Senator showed no surprise. ‘But you knew that already.’

‘Of course, Representative Betts. I know your mother well. I know about you and everyone in this room does too.’

‘Am I that interesting?’

‘Anyone who makes it into the Primacy is “that interesting”. You may have fallen from the sky, but the rest of us crawled our way up here.’

‘I meant no offence ...’

‘Oh, but I did. My point being that you won’t be staying here long unless you begin working for it.’

His comment left her speechless. Maybe he wasn’t going to be her ally after all. She wished she could contact Max for his interpretation.

‘Aren’t I just here as a voice for the people whose beliefs I represent?’

He chuckled deeply in his torso. ‘Of course. That is how you got here; staying here is a different job altogether. But you are in here now and you have as much influence as the rest of us.’

‘My people are outside this room.’

‘Yes. So are mine. But I at least know who is who in the room.’

‘Point taken.’ She stiffened her posture.

‘Now that’s more how your mother raised you.’

That was one step too far. Charlotte turned to retort, but the doors opened and the Primacy silenced. She settled for sliding a little further away from him.

~ * ~

It was unusual for the Primacy to be cloistered, or indeed to be meeting in the same physical space. It was unusual for the Primacy to ever work in co-ordination either. Such tactics were reserved for more nefarious activities, but in this case Pinter approved. It meant the new council had some appreciation of the threat before them. It also sent a clear message to the Weave that they felt the need to protect themselves from possible interference.

As Colonel Pinter passed through the first ring into the garden, an old acquaintance approached him, which was strictly against protocol.

‘Abercrombie?’ he called and Pinter recognised him instantly. What hair Rupert lacked on his scalp was more than made up for by his sideburns.

‘Rupert.’ The two men shook hands. ‘I thought you had already left. Fleeing the ship, I understand.’

‘The writing is on the wall, old chap.’

‘Yes? And what does it say?’

‘It says, run while you still can!’ Rupert joked.

‘When did they call it closed?’

‘When Shima arrived. Almost two hours ago. They are just fussing about now ... I should have known you were involved in all this.’

‘I had presumed you had made sure I was.’ Pinter smiled. Rupert waved the accusation away in such a fashion it was clear he thought that the Colonel was responsible for all that had happened and no amount of arguing or evidence could change that.

Their banter slowed to a stop and Rupert heaved up a big sigh. ‘Old friend, wouldn’t it have been nice to spend our twilight years in quietude?’

‘One of us already was — and now you’re the one exiting the stage.’

‘Yes. I do apologise. My star has faded though. Nothing I could do.’

‘How is the room?’

‘Interesting. Brimming with testosterone.’

‘And the new Prime? How do you measure him?’

‘He made it to the top, didn’t he? He is a Shima and he knows what he is about.’

‘Brash?’

Rupert so-soed with his hands. ‘Under the circumstances, who couldn’t be forgiven a little brash action.’

‘Excuse me, Colonel Pinter?’ the attendant politely interrupted and indicated that it was time for him to enter the council chamber.

‘Duty calls.’

‘Not for me, Abe. Anyway, I just wanted to say good luck.’ They parted as they met, with a warm handshake and a light pat on the shoulder.

~ * ~

The room beyond held one hundred people, seated in a tiered half-circle around a stage. Behind was a large wall that acted as a common screen and was scattered with images of the manifestation. Nothing that the Colonel hadn’t seen.

At the centre of the crescent was the young man in question, already confident in his position as the speaker for the Primacy. His hair was clipped short at the front and left in a shiny black curtain at the back. Ryu Shima stood as the Colonel arrived before them and made an impeccable salute, the infantry air fist, as though he had lived and breathed the life of a Serviceman. He probably meant it as a sign of respect. Pinter returned the gesture.