research teams are absolutely essential. A project like Starseed-Two would be impossible without them.”
“Good. That is as I expected. One more question, or more properly a statement: Ligon Industries has ways of obtaining access to facilities and materials that are normally unavailable — do not attempt to deny this, since I already have good evidence of it.”
“I wasn’t about to deny it. Certain members of my family make it a boast. Is this connected to your previous question?”
“Very much so. I wish you to obtain access to a set of medical samples taken at a particular place and time, from a particular individual. I would then like a top team of your experimenters to subject those samples to a wide assortment of tests, and to ascertain their properties and behavior. You may tell your family that in return for this favor, I will make Pandora available to Ligon Industries as an operating base for helium-three mining from the Saturn atmosphere. Construction of your base on a part of Pandora far removed from my habitation may begin at once.”
“That’s wonderful.” Alex was fully awake. “But I need more details. Not just the name of the person and the location of the samples — you have to be more specific about the tests.”
“I will do my best. However, we float here on a sea of conjecture.” Bat hunched down again on his chair. “Listen closely. I am scheduled to leave Pandora for Ganymede less than one hour from now. We should meet and discuss this matter in more detail, but I do not wish you to await my arrival before beginning.”
“So this is urgent? You didn’t say that.”
“I do not know the level of urgency. However, certain recent events fill me with misgivings. Are you ready to record information?”
“It’s already being done.”
“Excellent. The medical samples were obtained from an individual named Sebastian Birch. He is presently on Ganymede, and it is possible that Ligon Industries will find it quicker and easier to obtain new samples of what we need from him directly. If not, however, someone must proceed as rapidly as possible to Earth…”
One month ago it would never have occurred to Alex that he could or should request a family meeting. Now he had called for two in two weeks. Beyond that, he had insisted that it take place early in the morning.
To Prosper Ligon that meant little — he would already have been up and working for hours. Not so for other family members.
Alex glanced around at the diminished assembly. His mother sat on his left, looking terrible. Her perfect skin had sunk into a network of fine wrinkles, her eyes were bulging and glassy, and an I/V dripped straw-colored fluid into her left forearm. Her apparent age had doubled in a few days. Alex had placed his arm around her when she was trundled into the’ room, and Lena Ligon’s shoulder felt as fragile as a bird’s wing.
But at least his mother was alive, and present. Great-aunt Agatha had died three days ago, while Cousin Juliana remained in critical condition. Even now Great-aunt Cora was at her bedside.
To Alex’s right, Uncle Karolus was hollow-eyed, but beaming across at Lena. No doubt the sight of her gave him happy thoughts of continued problems for Sylva Commensals that overwhelmed any sorrow at the death of his aunt. Tanya and Rezel wore a similar sleepless mask, which Alex suspected was common to him also. He and Kate had worked and played hard last night, then been awakened from sound sleep by Bat’s call and unable to drop off again. Hector, across from Rezel, was worst of all. It took more than mere lack of sleep to impose on that Viking vitality such a drawn and dissipated air. News of the family meeting had probably greeted Hector as he staggered home in the early morn.
Only Prosper Ligon, in position at the far end of the table, remained his usual self. He nodded down to Alex, and said, “This meeting is now in session. It is, I believe, appropriate that you speak first.”
Alex had made notes from the recording of Bat’s request, then followed Kate’s advice and destroyed them. “If I were going to ask my family to do something illegal,” she had said, “I don’t think I’d want anything down in writing.”
“It might not be illegal.” But Alex had taken the hint — after making sure that he had the important points committed to memory.
In fact, what Alex had to say was not complicated. The problem was that, despite a long family history of intrigue, bribery, and corruption, and despite everything that Bat claimed to know for certain concerning Uncle Karolus’ past sins, no one ever spoke of such things openly in family meetings.
Alex screwed up his courage, took a deep breath, and plunged in. He spoke for five minutes, summarizing Bat’s request and the conditions for his offer. There was total silence while he spoke, and afterwards.
At last Uncle Karolus said, “Let me get this straight. We obtain these medical samples, and we do these tests. In return, we get to install our Ops Center on Pandora and use it as long as we need it. Right?”
“Rustum Battachariya assumes that will be for no more than a year. Somehow he knows of the penalty clauses in our contract.”
“We don’t have to kill anybody, or pay Battachariya some enormous fee?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then I’ll say something I never thought I’d be able to say.” Karolus faced the whole table. “We have Alex coming up with this deal, and Hector all set to tie down Lucy Mobarak. I see hope for the males of the younger generation after all.”
Alex was not sure he was ready for compliments from Uncle Karolus. He said, “But I don’t know how we’ll obtain the samples. Somebody may have to go to Earth.”
“When the man himself is here on Ganymede, having another set of tests? Forget about Earth.” Karolus waved a dismissive hand at Alex and turned to the head of the table. “Prosper? If I guarantee that little bit of business, what do you say?”
Prosper Ligon had been quietly examining his own notes. Finally he nodded. “The matter will, of course, call for a family vote. However, there appears to be a certain serendipity of timing. One of our best physics research teams is available. It has been held in reserve, pending a go-ahead with Saturn operations for Starseed-Two. If the arrangement with the man Battachariya is consummated at once, there will still be an inevitable delay of weeks before the research team is needed. And even if we put our chief scientist, Bengt Suomi, in charge — which I strongly recommend and can arrange — the cost of complying with Battachariya’s request will be negligible. Therefore, I so move.”
Hector woke from an exhausted trance and said, “Move what?”
“Uncle Prosper says the Battachariya proposal looks good.” Karolus glanced around the table. “I’ll second. All in favor?”
The nods were casual and in Lena’s case feeble, but they came from everyone.
“Carried unanimously.” Karolus stood up. “We need to wrap this up as soon as we can, so we’d better start. Sebastian Birch, right, held in science research quarantine? This shouldn’t take long.”
“One moment.” Prosper Ligon held up a hand. “Before we adjourn, a moment’s silence for Agatha seems appropriate.”
“Of course. Respect for the dead.” Karolus sat down.
After a few seconds he said, “Right,” stood up again, and hurried out. Alex stared after him, then at the people remaining. He reflected that this was his family, his own flesh and blood. But he understood them not at all — and he was not sure that he wanted to.
27
Milly Wu paused at the closed door, took a deep breath, and stood up straighter. This is the big-time, lady. Better not blow it. Don’t gush, don’t stammer, don’t drool.
Within the room beyond, collected in one place for the first time ever, she would find the most cunning and devious minds in the solar system. Here was the cream of the cream, the pick of the Puzzle Network’s Master class.
Milly had been allowed into that elite group only because Pack Rat had made a special arrangement in return for unspecified future favors. But he had made it clear that she would be a decidedly junior figure, an observer more
