Good Old Mountain Boy from the Cords.
“Shouldn’t we decide our policy before we decide who’s going to speak for us?” Tatum suggested. Oh-oh.
“A good point,” Carlotta said, “but I think not. We don’t want our spokesman to emerge from the winning side on the substantive issue, we want a neutral voice representing a consensus. Therefore, I rule that we consider the procedural point first and the substantive issue second.”
There was a muted murmur of discontent at this, but the Chairman had the unquestioned right to decide points of Parliamentary order, and there could be no vote of confidence on such ostensibly procedural matters. But I’d better not be too heavy-handed about this, Carlotta realized. “Chair will entertain motions on the procedural question,” she said, hoping that she was not going to have to be the one to nominate herself. *
The board lit up, and she recognized Ian Palacci, a Columbian farmsteader, at random, not daring, at this point, to recognize any Delegate closely identified with herself.
“I move we appoint a three-person delegation,” Palacci said. “One Delegate representing the eventual majority on the substantive issue, one Delegate representing the eventual minority, and the Chairman, if she is willing to so serve.”
Carlotta pondered that for a moment. It was not quite what she wanted, but it was fair, both in substance and in eventual appearance. It would be hard for anyone to raise a serious objection, and it would serve her purpose well enough. “Chairman agrees to so serve and seconds the motion,” she said. “Any other suggestions?”
Two lights on the board. Carlotta recognized Warren Guilder from Thule.
“I move that instead of appointing a delegation, we invite Dr. Falkenstein to address Parliament directly,” Guilder said.
Oh, shit!
Twenty lights on the board. Carlotta ignored them for the moment and spoke herself. “Closed or open?” she asked, hoping to trap Guilder.
“Uh... open, I guess...”
Carlotta recognized Catherine Buhl from Gotham, whose light had come on after Guilder’s reply, figuring that her response would therefore have to be negative.
“Do we really want this person addressing the whole planet before we even know what he’s going to say?” Buhl said. “Does this Parliament trust a Transcendental Scientist that far?”
“Well... uh... closed then...” Guilder muttered, to general laughter and more lights on the board. Again, Carlotta chose a Delegate whose light had come on in response to Guilder’s answer—Nora Wilmington, who could be counted upon to oppose any further move toward secrecy.
“The notion of inviting any off-worlder to address a closed session of Parliament is unprecedented, repulsive, and will surely create nothing but thoroughly justified public outrage! Besides, we just voted to end secrecy in this matter!”
There were general shouts of approval and Carlotta felt she could risk recognizing Cynthia Cronyn now, even though she was generally identified with the Madigan administration.
“I call for a vote on Delegate Palacci’s motion!”
The board lit up with about twenty seconds. Once again, Carlotta had managed to shift the vote to where she wanted it, this time without even having to take a position.
“Very well, then,” she said. “Ayes for the resolution, nays against.”
The vote was 7I in favor, 32 opposed, not as overwhelming this time, but still a better than two-to-one majority. “Motion carried,” Carlotta said. “Now the Chair will entertain motions as to how this body will instruct the delegation.” Now, she thought, comes the crunch.
Royce Lindblad made his way to his front-row Delegate’s seat as unobtrusively as possible, exchanging only a quick covert glance with Carlotta as Delegate Mara-vitch continued to drone on.
. . reasonably reliable sources further indicate that extended lifespans, perhaps as much as three centuries, have been achieved by...
Royce had
“Shouldn’t we decide our policy before we decide who’s going to speak for us?” Tatum suggested. Oh-oh.
“A good point,” Carlotta said, “but I think not. We don’t want our spokesman to emerge from the winning side on the substantive issue, we want a neutral voice representing a consensus. Therefore, I rule that we consider the procedural point first and the substantive issue second.”
There was a muted murmur of discontent at this, but the Chairman had the unquestioned right to decide points of Parliamentary order, and there could be no vote of confidence on such ostensibly procedural matters. But I’d better not be too heavy-handed about this, Carlotta realized. “Chair will entertain motions on the procedural question,” she said, hoping that she was not going to have to be the one to nominate herself. *
The board lit up, and she recognized Ian Palacci, a Columbian farmsteader, at random, not daring, at this point, to recognize any Delegate closely identified with herself.
“I move we appoint a three-person delegation,” Palacci said. “One Delegate representing the eventual majority on the substantive issue, one Delegate representing the eventual minority, and the Chairman, if she is willing to so serve.”
Carlotta pondered that for a moment. It was not quite what she wanted, but it was fair, both in substance and in eventual appearance. It would be hard for anyone to raise a serious objection, and it would serve her purpose well enough. “Chairman agrees to so serve and seconds the motion,” she said. “Any other suggestions?”
Two lights on the board. Carlotta recognized Warren Guilder from Thule.
“I move that instead of appointing a delegation, we invite Dr. Falkenstein to address Parliament directly,” Guilder said.
Oh, shit!
Twenty lights on the board. Carlotta ignored them for the moment and spoke herself. “Closed or open?” she asked, hoping to trap Guilder.
“Uh... open, I guess...”
Carlotta recognized Catherine Buhl from Gotham, whose light had come on after Guilder’s reply, figuring that her response would therefore have to be negative.
“Do we really want this person addressing the whole planet before we even know what he’s going to say?” Buhl said. “Does this Parliament trust a Transcendental Scientist that far?”
“Well... uh... closed then...” Guilder muttered, to general laughter and more lights on the board. Again, Carlotta chose a Delegate whose light had come on in response to Guilder’s answer—Nora Wilmington, who could be counted upon to oppose any further move toward secrecy.
“The notion of inviting any off-worlder to address a closed session of Parliament is unprecedented, repulsive, and will surely create nothing but thoroughly justified public outrage! Besides, we just voted to end secrecy in this matter!”
There were general shouts of approval and Carlotta felt she could risk recognizing Cynthia Cronyn now, even though she was generally identified with the Madigan administration.
“I call for a vote on Delegate Palacci’s motion!”
The board lit up with about twenty seconds. Once again, Carlotta had managed to shift the vote to where she wanted it, this time without even having to take a position.
“Very well, then,” she said. “Ayes for the resolution, nays against.”
The vote was 7I in favor, 32 opposed, not as overwhelming this time, but still a better than two-to-one majority. “Motion carried,” Carlotta said. “Now the Chair will entertain motions as to how this body will instruct the delegation.” Now, she thought, comes the crunch.
Royce Lindblad made his way to his front-row Delegate’s seat as unobtrusively as possible, exchanging only a quick covert glance with Carlotta as Delegate Mara-vitch continued to drone on.
. . reasonably reliable sources further indicate that extended lifespans, perhaps as much as three centuries, have been achieved by...
Royce had
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