reality of our situation with the Conclave and others, along with a truly representative government.”
“You want us to draft a constitution,” Calderon said, only a little incredulously.
“Yes.”
“In exchange for this little act of subterfuge with our declarations of independence.”
“Yes,” Abumwe said.
“It’s that important.”
“Yes.”
“We’re going to need to consult with our governments,” Dwivedi said.
“No,” Abumwe said, and looked around. “I need to be clear about this. There is no time . We already know that you plan to announce your independence in as little as a couple of weeks. We need that timetable to continue. We need everything to run as if it’s already been decided. There can be no pause, no hint that anything has changed. You are your colony’s representative. Represent. Your decision here now will commit your planet and we will hold it to your decision. And one other thing: This decision must be unanimous. Either you are all in or none of you are.”
“You’re expecting us to create a viable system of interplanetary representative government right now,” Calderon said.
This got the faintest of smiles from Abumwe. “No. Details will wait. But you have to commit now.”
“How much time are you giving us?”
“You’ll have tonight,” Abumwe said. “I’ll be here to answer what questions I can. Okada is here to tell you about Khartoum’s experience with Equilibrium. It’s eleven P.M. now. By eight, I will either need your unanimous agreement or your refusal.”
“And if we refuse?”
“Then you refuse and everything becomes much harder and much more dangerous. For everyone,” Abumwe said. “I’m going to leave you for a few moments. I will be back to answer questions presently.” She walked out the side door I had brought Okada in from. I followed her.
“That was inspiring,” I said.
“Of all the things I need at the moment, Wilson, your sarcasm is not one of them,” she said.
“It’s only partly sarcasm,” I said. “Do you think they’ll commit?”
“I believe Calderon is convinced. I think she might be able to convince others.”
“And do you think the Colonial Union is actually going to agree to the changes you’ve just committed it to?”
“That’s Rigney and Egan’s department,” Abumwe said. “But none of us would be here if we didn’t already see the writing on the wall.”
“True enough,” I said.
“I need you to call in Hart Schmidt,” Abumwe said. “I need him to take your place in the room. I will brief him on everything.”
“All right,” I said. “What are you going to have me do?”
“I have two things I need you to do,” Abumwe said. “First, I need you to talk to Ocampo.”
“What about?”
“The whereabouts of Equilibrium. They fled from their base but that hasn’t stopped them from continuing their operations. We need to know where they are now.”
“He might not know,” I said.
“And he might. You need to ask him.”
“You’re the boss,” I said. “What’s the other thing?”
“I need you to go to Earth.”
“Interesting,” I said. “You know they don’t like us, right? As in, if one of our spaceships shows up above the planet, they’re likely to shoot it out of the sky. Not to mention it’ll take me several days to get there, with no reasonable expectation of getting back, once they shoot my ship out of the sky.”
“I expect you to solve all of these problems before you leave.”
“I admire your confidence in me.”
“Then don’t disappoint me, Wilson.”
* * *
Tyson Ocampo and I stood on a beach, watching the waves roll in and the seagulls circle overhead.
“It’s beautiful here,” Ocampo said, to me.
“I thought you might like it,” I replied.
“Which beach is this?”
“Cottesloe Beach. It’s near Perth, Australia.”
“Ah,” Ocampo said. “I’ve never been.”
“Well, it’s on Earth, so that’s understandable,” I said.
“Have you
“You want us to draft a constitution,” Calderon said, only a little incredulously.
“Yes.”
“In exchange for this little act of subterfuge with our declarations of independence.”
“Yes,” Abumwe said.
“It’s that important.”
“Yes.”
“We’re going to need to consult with our governments,” Dwivedi said.
“No,” Abumwe said, and looked around. “I need to be clear about this. There is no time . We already know that you plan to announce your independence in as little as a couple of weeks. We need that timetable to continue. We need everything to run as if it’s already been decided. There can be no pause, no hint that anything has changed. You are your colony’s representative. Represent. Your decision here now will commit your planet and we will hold it to your decision. And one other thing: This decision must be unanimous. Either you are all in or none of you are.”
“You’re expecting us to create a viable system of interplanetary representative government right now,” Calderon said.
This got the faintest of smiles from Abumwe. “No. Details will wait. But you have to commit now.”
“How much time are you giving us?”
“You’ll have tonight,” Abumwe said. “I’ll be here to answer what questions I can. Okada is here to tell you about Khartoum’s experience with Equilibrium. It’s eleven P.M. now. By eight, I will either need your unanimous agreement or your refusal.”
“And if we refuse?”
“Then you refuse and everything becomes much harder and much more dangerous. For everyone,” Abumwe said. “I’m going to leave you for a few moments. I will be back to answer questions presently.” She walked out the side door I had brought Okada in from. I followed her.
“That was inspiring,” I said.
“Of all the things I need at the moment, Wilson, your sarcasm is not one of them,” she said.
“It’s only partly sarcasm,” I said. “Do you think they’ll commit?”
“I believe Calderon is convinced. I think she might be able to convince others.”
“And do you think the Colonial Union is actually going to agree to the changes you’ve just committed it to?”
“That’s Rigney and Egan’s department,” Abumwe said. “But none of us would be here if we didn’t already see the writing on the wall.”
“True enough,” I said.
“I need you to call in Hart Schmidt,” Abumwe said. “I need him to take your place in the room. I will brief him on everything.”
“All right,” I said. “What are you going to have me do?”
“I have two things I need you to do,” Abumwe said. “First, I need you to talk to Ocampo.”
“What about?”
“The whereabouts of Equilibrium. They fled from their base but that hasn’t stopped them from continuing their operations. We need to know where they are now.”
“He might not know,” I said.
“And he might. You need to ask him.”
“You’re the boss,” I said. “What’s the other thing?”
“I need you to go to Earth.”
“Interesting,” I said. “You know they don’t like us, right? As in, if one of our spaceships shows up above the planet, they’re likely to shoot it out of the sky. Not to mention it’ll take me several days to get there, with no reasonable expectation of getting back, once they shoot my ship out of the sky.”
“I expect you to solve all of these problems before you leave.”
“I admire your confidence in me.”
“Then don’t disappoint me, Wilson.”
* * *
Tyson Ocampo and I stood on a beach, watching the waves roll in and the seagulls circle overhead.
“It’s beautiful here,” Ocampo said, to me.
“I thought you might like it,” I replied.
“Which beach is this?”
“Cottesloe Beach. It’s near Perth, Australia.”
“Ah,” Ocampo said. “I’ve never been.”
“Well, it’s on Earth, so that’s understandable,” I said.
“Have you
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