Convergent Series by Charles Sheffield Page A

out his left wrist, where identification was permanently imprinted. "I am Julius Graves. I assume that you received notice of our arrival."
    "We did," Perry said.
    He sounded ill at ease. The presence of a Council member from any clade was enough to make most people ponder their past sins, or realize the limits of their authority. Rebka wondered if Graves might have a second agenda for his visit to Opal. One thing he did know: Council members were kept desperately busy, and they did not like to waste time on incidentals.
    "The information sheets did not provide details as to the reason for your visit," he said, and held out his hand. "I am Captain Rebka,at your service, and this is Commander Perry. Why are you visitingthe Dobelle system?"
    Graves did not move. He stood silent and motionless for another five seconds. At last he inclined his bulging head to the two men, nodded, and sneezed violently. "Perhaps your question is better answered inside. I am chilled. I have been waiting here since sunrise,expecting the return of the others."
    Perry andRebka exchanged glances. The others? And a return from where?
    "They left eight hours ago," Graves continued, "at the time of my own arrival. Your weather prediction indicates that a—" The deep-set eyes clouded, and there was a moment's silence. "That a Level Five storm is heading for Starside Port. For strangers to Circle environments, such storms must be dangerous. I am worried, and I wish to talk to them."
    Rebka nodded. One question was answered. Darya Lang had been joined on Opal by more visitors from outside the Phemus Circle. But who were they?
    "Better check the arrival manifests," he said softly to Perry. "See what we've got."
    "Do that if you wish." Graves stared at him; the pale blue eyes seemed to see right into Rebka's head. The councilor flopped onto a chair of yellow cane and plaited reeds, sniffed, and went on. "But you do not need to check. I can assure you that Darya Lang of the Fourth Alliance has been joined on Opal by Atvar H'sial and J'merlia of the Cecropia Federation. After I met them I examined the backgrounds of all three. They are what they claim to be."
    Rebka did the calculation and started to open his mouth, but Perry was well ahead of him.
    "That's impossible!"
    Graves stared, and the busy eyebrows twitched.
    "One day, you said, since your arrival here," Perry said. "If you sent an inquiry through the nearest Bose Network point as soon as you got here, and it was forwarded through the Nodes and answered instantly, the total turnaround time can't be less than a full standard day—three Opal days. I know, I've tried it often enough."
    Perry's quite right, Rebka thought. And he's quicker than Irealized. But he's making a tactical error. Council members don't lie,and it's asking for trouble to accuse them of it.
    But Graves was smiling for the first time since they had met. "Commander Perry, I am grateful to you. You have simplified my next task." He pulled a spotless white cloth from his pocket, wiped the damp top of his hairless head with it, and tapped his massive and bulging brow.
    "How can I know that, you ask. I am Julius Graves, as I said. But in a sense I am also Steven Graves." He leaned back in the chair, closed his eyes for a few seconds, blinked, and went on. "When I wasinvited to join the Council,it was explained to me that I would needto know the history, biology,and psychology of every intelligent andpotentially intelligentspecies in the whole spiral arm. That datavolume exceeds the capacityof any human memory.
    "I was offered a choice: I could accept an inorganic high-density memory implant—cumbersome and heavy enough that my head and neck would need a permanent brace. That is preferred by Councilmembers fromthe Zardalu Communion. Or I could develop an interior mnemonic twin, a second pair of cerebral hemispheres grown from my own brain tissue and used solely for memory storage and recall. That would fit inside my own skull, posterior to