ratification of the Testing and the Protocols . . . pressured by women from all over China and India. And by women from your own tri-satrapy."
Something with sharp corners stirred in Zude's stomach. "What women?" she asked steadily.
"Jezebel Stronglaces has brought together most of the sentiment here in your jurisdiction. She allies herself with many in the Africa-Europe-Mideast Tri-Satrapy as well."
Zude stiffened. "I knew Jezebel Stronglaces. At the Academy."
Both Amahs visibly refrained from making full eye contact with each other. They waited in silence.
"Amahs," Zude continued, "if Jezebel Stronglaces is still the woman she was then, she would abhor such violence as this."
"Clarification, Magister," said Longleaf promptly. "Jezebel Stronglaces has not been identified with the women distributing the ballbakers. The majority of women who pressure Magister Win are not associated with the crystals either. Most are opposed to violence in any form."
Zude suppressed a sardonic rejoinder. "I understand," she muttered, sifting and sorting the new information. When she refocused at last on her two guests, it was with deliberate purpose. "Kanshoumates," she said, "I have to end this encounter. You've fanned the fires of change tonight, and I formally thank you." She straightened, and smiled briefly. "Do we need any closure?"
Matrix Major Densmore studied the Magister. "Only to thank you," she said, "for the surprise -- and the gift -- of the true-talk."
Zude nodded.
"And for the such-and-such," added the Jing-Cha. "I thank you too, Magister."
Together the three women stood.
Zude moved toward the exit wall. "Then goodnight," she said. "Captain Edge will see you to your quarters here in the Shrievalty. Consider yourselves my guests for as long as you need to stay." She touched the depaque control that revealed the hallway.
When the wall re-established itself behind the Australian women, Zude walked to the desk unit that held the taxidermed cat. She rested her hand on its taut curved neck and closed her eyes.
Long minutes later she swung into action, calling up desktop, wall, and ceiling screens for the files she was seeking with her fingers. "Flora!"
"Ma'am, Magister?" Vigilante Flora Arguelles's voice filled the room.
"Get me Magister Lutu on flatscreen. Tell her I must hear from her within three hours or I'll be in Crete by low rocket before sunset tomorrow." Zude's voice lost its sharp edges. "I also need Kayita and Ria. At home. They're waiting up for me. Set it up on holofone if you can."
When Flora beeped off, Zude threw one last toggle.
"Here, Magister," said the voice of Captain Edge.
Zude worked smoothly with her adjutant, conducting conferences with her three Vice-Magisters and then reaching two old friends in simul-call at Kanshou field posts in Shenyang and Paris, each of whom had been a legal advisor to her in the past. She set them to the task of polling every member of the Central Web as to whether or not Habitante Testing or the Anti-Violence Protocols might reach active agenda status. "Explore any morally defensible technicality," she told them, "that could stop the Web from initiating this legislation."
She left off her study of the Central Web's roster of members to take Flora's relay of the message from Magister Flossie Yotoma Lutu. Magister Lutu would be free to talk early the next morning, L.A. time, by unmonitored priority holochannel. She would call Magister Adverb then. Under no condition was Zude to come to Crete since tonight Yotoma herself was being gerted to Rome.
Zude was in conversattion with Aztlán's best crystal expert when Flora announced, "I've got your folks on comline three." Zude cut short the lecture on orgone accumulators. She pressed a strip under her desk and filled her office with the holoscreen image of an old woman's face -- a highly agitated old woman. Behind the face -- and trying
Something with sharp corners stirred in Zude's stomach. "What women?" she asked steadily.
"Jezebel Stronglaces has brought together most of the sentiment here in your jurisdiction. She allies herself with many in the Africa-Europe-Mideast Tri-Satrapy as well."
Zude stiffened. "I knew Jezebel Stronglaces. At the Academy."
Both Amahs visibly refrained from making full eye contact with each other. They waited in silence.
"Amahs," Zude continued, "if Jezebel Stronglaces is still the woman she was then, she would abhor such violence as this."
"Clarification, Magister," said Longleaf promptly. "Jezebel Stronglaces has not been identified with the women distributing the ballbakers. The majority of women who pressure Magister Win are not associated with the crystals either. Most are opposed to violence in any form."
Zude suppressed a sardonic rejoinder. "I understand," she muttered, sifting and sorting the new information. When she refocused at last on her two guests, it was with deliberate purpose. "Kanshoumates," she said, "I have to end this encounter. You've fanned the fires of change tonight, and I formally thank you." She straightened, and smiled briefly. "Do we need any closure?"
Matrix Major Densmore studied the Magister. "Only to thank you," she said, "for the surprise -- and the gift -- of the true-talk."
Zude nodded.
"And for the such-and-such," added the Jing-Cha. "I thank you too, Magister."
Together the three women stood.
Zude moved toward the exit wall. "Then goodnight," she said. "Captain Edge will see you to your quarters here in the Shrievalty. Consider yourselves my guests for as long as you need to stay." She touched the depaque control that revealed the hallway.
When the wall re-established itself behind the Australian women, Zude walked to the desk unit that held the taxidermed cat. She rested her hand on its taut curved neck and closed her eyes.
Long minutes later she swung into action, calling up desktop, wall, and ceiling screens for the files she was seeking with her fingers. "Flora!"
"Ma'am, Magister?" Vigilante Flora Arguelles's voice filled the room.
"Get me Magister Lutu on flatscreen. Tell her I must hear from her within three hours or I'll be in Crete by low rocket before sunset tomorrow." Zude's voice lost its sharp edges. "I also need Kayita and Ria. At home. They're waiting up for me. Set it up on holofone if you can."
When Flora beeped off, Zude threw one last toggle.
"Here, Magister," said the voice of Captain Edge.
Zude worked smoothly with her adjutant, conducting conferences with her three Vice-Magisters and then reaching two old friends in simul-call at Kanshou field posts in Shenyang and Paris, each of whom had been a legal advisor to her in the past. She set them to the task of polling every member of the Central Web as to whether or not Habitante Testing or the Anti-Violence Protocols might reach active agenda status. "Explore any morally defensible technicality," she told them, "that could stop the Web from initiating this legislation."
She left off her study of the Central Web's roster of members to take Flora's relay of the message from Magister Flossie Yotoma Lutu. Magister Lutu would be free to talk early the next morning, L.A. time, by unmonitored priority holochannel. She would call Magister Adverb then. Under no condition was Zude to come to Crete since tonight Yotoma herself was being gerted to Rome.
Zude was in conversattion with Aztlán's best crystal expert when Flora announced, "I've got your folks on comline three." Zude cut short the lecture on orgone accumulators. She pressed a strip under her desk and filled her office with the holoscreen image of an old woman's face -- a highly agitated old woman. Behind the face -- and trying
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