Absorption by David F. Weisman Page A

spoke his voice was dry and hoarse. “I’m pleased to meet you. Have you enjoyed your visit to Oceania so far?”
    Williams hadn’t left the embassy since they landed, so leaving the question to him would create awkwardness. Eager though Brett felt to get down to business at last, five minutes wouldn’t matter after all these months.
    “I haven’t got the hang of your transportation system yet, so most of what I’ve seen is within walking distance of the embassy.”
    The old man asked him, “And what do you think?”
    “At first glance your planet is very primitive, except for the height of the buildings, and a primitive technology couldn’t feed a large city like Landfall.”
    “Perhaps you’re used to more vehicle traffic above ground?”
    Brett nodded. “Anyway, it’s a little eerie after awhile. I started noticing how doors and elevators open before people walk up to them, and the same with those capsule things.”
    “Transit pods, yes. They’re usually summoned and directed with nanotechnology, but they do have manual controls for children.”
    Which would explain why the controls were around Brett’s waist level. He might develop a stoop if he took the time to learn to use them. Anyway, enough small talk.
    “I’ll be able to enjoy looking around more once we’re making progress. I’m sure you still remember the sticking points from the last round of talk?”
    Williams nodded. “Some of the concerns posed by your government seem inconsistent to us, but we’ve done our best. Let’s start with people from the Federalist Worlds who’ve come to Oceania. Since you have training in neurology and psychology, you’ll be able to verify that those who choose to stay have not been brainwashed, and those who choose to return have not been conditioned to attempt to manipulate your political system.”
    Brett shifted his weight. The ornate wooden carvings on the back of each chair were better to look at than lean on. At least the seats had cushions.
    Nocker’s words came a little slow, the movement of his mouth not quite as expected. It was more than the slightly lilting Oceanian accented English that wasn’t hard for someone born on Old York to follow. Was anybody home, or was he talking with a shell? Brett’s research indicated that the nanotechnology had a short transmission range without a booster cap, only a couple of feet. Without the cap, the brain would have had to be conditioned to counterfeit normal consciousness when not being used as a node of a network. Brett repressed a shiver and made his face a polite diplomatic mask. He knew nothing for certain. It did occur to him that the two negotiators might have come without their booster caps out of courtesy to their guests, or to mislead them.
    “I’m sure Major Johnson would be pleased to examine any willing subjects.”
    The briefest speech Williams had made all day, and it gave Brett an opening. “That’s true, so we’ve made a start. I would love to wait for the broad reduction in tensions to take hold, but Mr. Ames mentioned immediacy. The biggest concern of the Federalist Worlds is the overmind, and the nanotechnology that holds it together – and helps reproduce overminds elsewhere. We haven’t been able to reach agreement with you on the amount of danger posed to humanity at large by your technology, and probably won’t. Given the situation above our heads, only one resolution is possible.”
    Brett leaned back, finding the spines of the Chinese dragons carved behind him were actually well positioned to accommodate him. At first he thought he had done well, drawing attention to the massive firepower in orbit which made Oceanian yielding inevitable, without being explicit and making them lose face. Even the awkward silence that followed didn’t prove him wrong. Some things had to be said.
    It was a relief when Williams spoke again. “We’re not trying to pretend you’ve made concessions which you haven’t, or bludgeon you into