some mountain slope. They might accuse me of invoking personal privilege.”
“Well I don’t see why we can’t afford your people a little vacation in the Cords,” Golding said. “Those that feel... sympatico, anyway. Of course, our accommodations might be a little rough and ready...”
Falkenstein turned a positively brilliant smile on Golding. “That would be marvelous ... Lauren,” he said. “And you wouldn’t have to worry about accommodations, we can throw up housing for a hundred people within an hour. That’s the maximum number the Heisenberg could spare at any given time anyway. We’d shuttle our vacationers back and forth, we wouldn’t want to flood you with a horde of tourists. After all, half the enjoyment would be... experiencing your way of life.”
“We’ll enjoy showing it to you,” Golding said, smiling broadly.
“Just a minute!” Carlotta snapped, finally able to accept her own reading of the game Falkenstein was playing. He’s actually cockteasing this bucko, unless he really is mano. He’s practically setting up a mass assignation. Or at least Golding thinks he is!
“What’s the matter, Carlotta?” Golding asked.
“There’s no policy on letting these people planetside,” Carlotta told him.
Falkenstein arched his eyebrows. “Oh? Well, then perhaps we’d better forget it, Lauren, I didn’t realize—” “Forget it, my hairy ass!” Golding snapped. “Do we need a vote of Parliament to extend simple hospitality to travelers? Is that the kind of people you are back East? Well, we’re friendlier folk in the Cords, mistake that not, Roger. If you’re going to insist on a vote on something as silly as this, Carlotta Madigan, you’ll have it, and a vote of confidence it’ll be, too!”
“I only mean—”
“You think I don’t know what you really meant, woman?” Golding said. “You easterners don’t want our visitors to see 1 the Cords. For all your talk, you still really don’t consider mano men fit representatives of this planet!” “Now look here, Lauren, if you’re accusing me of being prejudiced against mano—”
“Shut up, both of you!” Royce yelled. ‘You’re bellowing at each other like godzillas and with about as much intelligence behind it What are these people going to think of us? Lauren, I assure you that Carlotta has not one damn thing against mano men. Carlotta, you’re being bloody silly about this. What possible harm can there be in letting a few people off the Heisenberg smell the flowers? You’re surely not seriously suggesting that this sort of thing is a matter for Parliament, are you?”
Carlotta flushed in anger, then amazement, then acute embarrassment. Royce had never spoken to her like that in public, and indeed seldom in private. And, of course, he was right. What an ass I’d make of myself if I turned something as trivial as this into a political issue! Let Falkenstein and Golding bugger each other comatose if they want to, she thought “I’m sorry, Dr. Falkenstein,” she said. “It was just a little misunderstanding.”
Tm sorry I was inadvertently the cause of it,” Falkenstein said goodnaturedly. “If I had known—”
“Let’s all forget it, shall we?” Royce said. “Let’s just go give those newshounds outside what they’re waiting for so we can all relax before dinner.”
Subdued, Carlotta let Royce lead the party downstairs to the lawn and the waiting media people. Why did I make such a big thing out of nothing? she wondered.
Dr. Roger Falkenstein smiled warmly at her for the benefit of the cameras as they stepped out of the lodge into the sunlight. She smiled back mechanically. A big thing out of nothing? she thought. Then why do I feel so effing certain that we’ve just been expertly snockered?
Wrapped in his own thoughts, Royce Lindblad stood at the railing of the roof garden, staring out across the brooding black sea at the distant lights of Gotham, a brilliant string of jewels shimmering on the
“Well I don’t see why we can’t afford your people a little vacation in the Cords,” Golding said. “Those that feel... sympatico, anyway. Of course, our accommodations might be a little rough and ready...”
Falkenstein turned a positively brilliant smile on Golding. “That would be marvelous ... Lauren,” he said. “And you wouldn’t have to worry about accommodations, we can throw up housing for a hundred people within an hour. That’s the maximum number the Heisenberg could spare at any given time anyway. We’d shuttle our vacationers back and forth, we wouldn’t want to flood you with a horde of tourists. After all, half the enjoyment would be... experiencing your way of life.”
“We’ll enjoy showing it to you,” Golding said, smiling broadly.
“Just a minute!” Carlotta snapped, finally able to accept her own reading of the game Falkenstein was playing. He’s actually cockteasing this bucko, unless he really is mano. He’s practically setting up a mass assignation. Or at least Golding thinks he is!
“What’s the matter, Carlotta?” Golding asked.
“There’s no policy on letting these people planetside,” Carlotta told him.
Falkenstein arched his eyebrows. “Oh? Well, then perhaps we’d better forget it, Lauren, I didn’t realize—” “Forget it, my hairy ass!” Golding snapped. “Do we need a vote of Parliament to extend simple hospitality to travelers? Is that the kind of people you are back East? Well, we’re friendlier folk in the Cords, mistake that not, Roger. If you’re going to insist on a vote on something as silly as this, Carlotta Madigan, you’ll have it, and a vote of confidence it’ll be, too!”
“I only mean—”
“You think I don’t know what you really meant, woman?” Golding said. “You easterners don’t want our visitors to see 1 the Cords. For all your talk, you still really don’t consider mano men fit representatives of this planet!” “Now look here, Lauren, if you’re accusing me of being prejudiced against mano—”
“Shut up, both of you!” Royce yelled. ‘You’re bellowing at each other like godzillas and with about as much intelligence behind it What are these people going to think of us? Lauren, I assure you that Carlotta has not one damn thing against mano men. Carlotta, you’re being bloody silly about this. What possible harm can there be in letting a few people off the Heisenberg smell the flowers? You’re surely not seriously suggesting that this sort of thing is a matter for Parliament, are you?”
Carlotta flushed in anger, then amazement, then acute embarrassment. Royce had never spoken to her like that in public, and indeed seldom in private. And, of course, he was right. What an ass I’d make of myself if I turned something as trivial as this into a political issue! Let Falkenstein and Golding bugger each other comatose if they want to, she thought “I’m sorry, Dr. Falkenstein,” she said. “It was just a little misunderstanding.”
Tm sorry I was inadvertently the cause of it,” Falkenstein said goodnaturedly. “If I had known—”
“Let’s all forget it, shall we?” Royce said. “Let’s just go give those newshounds outside what they’re waiting for so we can all relax before dinner.”
Subdued, Carlotta let Royce lead the party downstairs to the lawn and the waiting media people. Why did I make such a big thing out of nothing? she wondered.
Dr. Roger Falkenstein smiled warmly at her for the benefit of the cameras as they stepped out of the lodge into the sunlight. She smiled back mechanically. A big thing out of nothing? she thought. Then why do I feel so effing certain that we’ve just been expertly snockered?
Wrapped in his own thoughts, Royce Lindblad stood at the railing of the roof garden, staring out across the brooding black sea at the distant lights of Gotham, a brilliant string of jewels shimmering on the
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