first warden. In fact, if we have enough of these—not professional revolutionaries, but leaders out of the masses born and raised in primitive settings—it's all to the good, I think. We will redirect their energies and build with their passion, as many other civilizations did back home."
Haiudar shrugged. "You may be right. I hope you are." And, silently, he added to himself. And, if not, it'll be easier to shoot them out there.
Schwartzman seemed the most uncertain. "Without any experience on the 7800, I can't guarantee that everything will download properly from the 7240's at the Gates. We're also by no means close to a landscaping master plan that doesn't cause as many problems as it solves."
All eyes turned to the heretofore silent figure of Sir Kenneth Korda. The quiet, distinguished architect of Kenya's salvation from the terrible incursions of drought and desert was head of Landscape Engineering. "Can't you concentrate on a modular approach?" the director asked him. "After all, we have the basic Anchors sketched out. We'll use them as our on-site experiments. Build and correct one block at a time."
"The Anchors aren't that simple," he responded. "They are what we call them. Anchors. Templates, or patterns, for an entire region. When we work there, we have to build null energy barriers to keep the surrounding Flux from coming back in and to allow some sort of normal air flow and circulation. We'll need them developed as quickly as possible, yet, if we make any serious errors there, and then have a substantial population in place, we'll have no good way of correcting those errors. I am most uncomfortable with this speedup. It will require far too much expediency from my people."
"They'll do it," van Haas said confidently. "You'll find a way to have them do it. We will livewith what we've got. Develop the nexus region at the outset, then develop the Anchors in sectors until we have a working ecosystem in each. Then we'll worry about how they tie together."
"I do not share your confidence," said the Kenyan.
"I do not have your time," responded the director. "Sadira, you're the only one now who hasn't said a word. Comment?"
The sari-clad Indian Chief of Administration sat as impassively as always through the deliberations, just making certain that everything was being recorded. Now she looked up at them. "I think I am hearing a lot of nervous babies," she said at last, her tone very patronizing. "I think that there is only one question for voting here. Either we go, or we shut down. I would like to know which. Either way, all of us will have a lot of work to do in a very short time. I for one would rather go now than have to begin learning Russian or Chinese."
There was more discussion, but it got them nowhere, and van Haas cut it off and decided to force a vote.
"I see four in the affirmative and two in the negative," the director said ceremoniously. "There being no tie, I don't need to vote, but I wish to be on record in the affirmative myself. That leaves only the question of the two nays. Suzy, I can ill afford to lose you, but it must be your decision. If your decision is to terminate, then I would appreciate a recommendation on a successor, preferably from your own team."
She looked sullen. "Let me think about it today."
He nodded. There wasn't much else he could have expected right now. "And you, Ken? The same goes."
"I will come," the landscape engineer said without much expression. "Not because I believe we can succeed under these conditions, but out of sheer egotism. My department is the weakest, and I do not want it to fail because I did not go along."
That pleased the rest of them.
"Fair enough," the director noted. "Now, here's the schedule we've more or less got to keep. I'll have copies made up tonight and these can be distributed to your department heads by you personally in meetings tomorrow. They can then take it down to the staff.
"A field test of the first ship, using Gate Five, will
Haiudar shrugged. "You may be right. I hope you are." And, silently, he added to himself. And, if not, it'll be easier to shoot them out there.
Schwartzman seemed the most uncertain. "Without any experience on the 7800, I can't guarantee that everything will download properly from the 7240's at the Gates. We're also by no means close to a landscaping master plan that doesn't cause as many problems as it solves."
All eyes turned to the heretofore silent figure of Sir Kenneth Korda. The quiet, distinguished architect of Kenya's salvation from the terrible incursions of drought and desert was head of Landscape Engineering. "Can't you concentrate on a modular approach?" the director asked him. "After all, we have the basic Anchors sketched out. We'll use them as our on-site experiments. Build and correct one block at a time."
"The Anchors aren't that simple," he responded. "They are what we call them. Anchors. Templates, or patterns, for an entire region. When we work there, we have to build null energy barriers to keep the surrounding Flux from coming back in and to allow some sort of normal air flow and circulation. We'll need them developed as quickly as possible, yet, if we make any serious errors there, and then have a substantial population in place, we'll have no good way of correcting those errors. I am most uncomfortable with this speedup. It will require far too much expediency from my people."
"They'll do it," van Haas said confidently. "You'll find a way to have them do it. We will livewith what we've got. Develop the nexus region at the outset, then develop the Anchors in sectors until we have a working ecosystem in each. Then we'll worry about how they tie together."
"I do not share your confidence," said the Kenyan.
"I do not have your time," responded the director. "Sadira, you're the only one now who hasn't said a word. Comment?"
The sari-clad Indian Chief of Administration sat as impassively as always through the deliberations, just making certain that everything was being recorded. Now she looked up at them. "I think I am hearing a lot of nervous babies," she said at last, her tone very patronizing. "I think that there is only one question for voting here. Either we go, or we shut down. I would like to know which. Either way, all of us will have a lot of work to do in a very short time. I for one would rather go now than have to begin learning Russian or Chinese."
There was more discussion, but it got them nowhere, and van Haas cut it off and decided to force a vote.
"I see four in the affirmative and two in the negative," the director said ceremoniously. "There being no tie, I don't need to vote, but I wish to be on record in the affirmative myself. That leaves only the question of the two nays. Suzy, I can ill afford to lose you, but it must be your decision. If your decision is to terminate, then I would appreciate a recommendation on a successor, preferably from your own team."
She looked sullen. "Let me think about it today."
He nodded. There wasn't much else he could have expected right now. "And you, Ken? The same goes."
"I will come," the landscape engineer said without much expression. "Not because I believe we can succeed under these conditions, but out of sheer egotism. My department is the weakest, and I do not want it to fail because I did not go along."
That pleased the rest of them.
"Fair enough," the director noted. "Now, here's the schedule we've more or less got to keep. I'll have copies made up tonight and these can be distributed to your department heads by you personally in meetings tomorrow. They can then take it down to the staff.
"A field test of the first ship, using Gate Five, will
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