On-Grid
Ganelets on the Quiet
“The end of Civilization?” balWerz snorted. “The Council was right to retire her; the old woman’s senile.”
“As may be,” kirshLightir said from the buffet where he was refreshing his glass. “The rumor is that the Council takes the Seeing seriously, and is forming a committee.”
“Well,” ramKushin said, returning to her seat. “Maybe the Seeing is accurate, after all. Surely, the Haosa would do their most to destroy Civilization. If Civilization hands them the means to succeed, why shouldn’t they take it?”
“Is there a reliable reading as to how accurate the Oracle’s Seeing is?” asked imbyValt. She turned from the window and stalked into the room.
“Cousin Jenfyr kindly let me know that the Warden felt the Seeing had merit,” trolBoi said. “It may be worth noting that the Oracle has chosen to retire to her kin, the Haosa, rather than remain coddled in the Wardian.”
“Yes, I heard that, too,” imbyValt said. “And I wonder if that isn’t an indication of how certain the Oracle is of this Seeing.”
kirshLightir put his drink down. “That’s—disturbing,” he said.
“Say instead, interesting.” balWerz was frowning. “We’ve had the Haosa on our agenda for some time, after all.”
“On that topic,” imbyValt murmured, “has anyone spoken to dimaLee lately?”
“We were both at the most recent Protectors meeting,” ramKushin said. “I spoke with him for a few minutes, after. He’s done workshops at the central security station, and the north substation, as well as the central port guardhouse. There, he was given leave to tune the high security rooms.”
imbyValt raised her eyebrows. “That’s impressive.”
“Apparently there were willing ears present,” ramKushin said.
“In light of that progress, shall we still file the petition?” balWerz asked.
imbyValt glanced around the room. “Does anyone have an objection to filing the petition?” she asked.
Silence, before trolBoi spoke. “I say present it. It will give us a reading of the table.”
imbyValt nodded. “How informative is your cousin?” she asked him.
“Jenfyr? She takes her obligations seriously. I’ve been able to convince her that she’s not betraying her sworn trust by discussing any rumor I bring to her, but she keeps herself close otherwise.”
“We could use another friendly ear on the Council,” balWerz murmured. “What with seelyFaire withdrawn.”
“We could use several,” kirshLightir said, “if not the whole table.”
“It ought to be easy enough to Influence the Deaf councilor,” said trolBoi.
“If that simpleton firnPeltir hadn’t attacked him and put him in the news—” balWerz began.
imbyValt waved her drink, cutting him off. “Precisely. The present Deaf councilor has lost his value to us. Better to arrange for another. ramKushin, see to that.”
“A new councilor puts us back,” balWerz objected. “The value in the incumbent is that he is in place; he has his network; he’s on several potentially valuable committees—”
“Yes, and people will notice, if he begins to alter his policies.”
“Only if we’re clumsy,” balWerz said. “Do we intend to be clumsy?”
imbyValt considered him. “Are you volunteering to feel him out?”
“Yes.”
She moved her shoulders. “Do it, and report back.”
Another glance around the room.
“Are there more projects to discuss?”
“Actually…” ramKushin said. “There’s the kezlBlythe situation.”
“Zandir expects assistance in leaving present lodgings,” said imbyValt. “I’ve been getting letters.”
balWerz sighed. “I’ll warrant we’ve all been getting letters.”
“Letters? I had a personal visit from the redoubtable termaVarst,” ramKushin said.
trolBoi grimaced. “I suppose we’ll have to do something.”
imbyValt raised her glass and looked at him over the rim. “Why?”
There was a moment of silence, before ramKushin said, somewhat uncertainly, “We’ve been partners.”
“We have,” imbyValt said serenely, “and it was a mutually profitable partnership. Neither the kezlBlythe Syndicate nor we lost by our association. However.” She looked around the room. “However. We have more important matters than Zandir kezlBlythe before us.”
“For instance,” kirshLightir said, “the outworlders. How will they impact our plans?”
“What should the outworlders care about our plans, even if they were known? They’re here because there’s money to be made,” trolBoi said forcefully.
“Precisely,” said imbyValt. “The outworlders are traders. Their motive is profit. There’s no reason for them to meddle in planetary government, so long as their commercial efforts are amply rewarded.”
She sipped wine, and looked ’round the room.
“Have we other business?”
There was none.