ETERNITY lgl

Olmy, they might delay the re-opening until an adequate defense is in place~perhaps even a workable offense."

"My God," Karen said. "They'd fight the Jart Wars all over again?"

"They are being very optimistic," Korzenowski observed darkly.

"What if the Jarts are right there, waiting for us?" Lanier asked.

Korzenowski grimaced. "Such a nightmare has occurred to me often the past few days. I have partials in city memory listening to all planning sessions. And I must participate in the defense of the Hexamon, if I am so ordered . . ."

"How can we defend ourselves?" Karen asked.

"It used to be a secret, very closely held," Korzenowski said. "But even the deepest secrets can be declassified when the ruling powers think it expedient. We have immensely powerful offensive weapons stored in Thistledown. They were too ungainly for pure defense; useless in the Way Page 341

fortresses. No military planner gives up weapons that might someday have a use.. . So they were kept in the asteroid walls. Ancient, but still effective and deadly.

Ram Kikura covered her nose and mouth with prayerful hands and shook her head. "Star, Fate and Pneuma,' she murmured. "I didn't know. The people were told--"

"All politicians will lie," Mirsky observed, "when it is politically expedient.

The people demand it of them."

Lanier's face had gone pale. "Weapons?"

"Surplus from the last Jart War, stockpiled in Thistledown's secret chambers," Olmy elucidated.

"They've been there all along? When we first boarded?" Lanier asked.

Olmy and Korzenowski nodded. Ram Kikura watched his reaction with grim irony.

"What if we had found them . . . ?' He did not finish his speculation.

"The Death happened anyway," Korzenowski said, waving a hand, irritated at being sidetracked. "Even if the Jarts are in the Way, we can at the very least establish' a 'beachhead,' I believe the strategic term is."

"Unless they've progressed beyond our old technologies," Ram Kikura said dourly.

"Indeed. At any rate, I have been given a Nexus command to render technical assistance. That I cannot refuse. I've had my special research privileges for too long to play the upstart now. Our problem is, how to change the Hexamon's collective mind .... '

"Go around the Nexus," Ram Kikura said. "Go directly to all citizens, including terrestrials."

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"Without the Earth, a bare majority would agree with the reopening,"

Lanier said. "We've done opinion modeling. Or rather, Ser Olmy did."

"They cut the Earth out because it's too ignorant?" Karen asked.

"Too provincial and too self-absorbed," Korzenowski said. "Which, of course, it is . . . but the procedure is very irregular. The threat of encountering Jarts could be made more evident .... Even the existence of the weapons might be used to convince the mens publica to vote against the advisory. Ser Ram Kikura's suspicion that the Jarts have advanced beyond us--that could make a useful counter-argument. And before the advisory is made, I think we can attack it through the judiciary on the grounds that no segment of the Hexamon should be disenfranchised."

Mirsky had taken a seat in one of the conference room chairs. He clasped both hands in front of him, then lifted his arms over his head.

"Delicate job," he said. "No doubt Garry understands how delicate?"

Karen looked at her husband.

Lanier decided to emulate the Russian's familiarity. "Pavel says the Way must be dismantled."

"And if it isn't?" Ram Kikura asked.

"It will be," Mirsky said. "One way or another. I did not count on such difficulties. Even with a better mind than I now have. If I fail, the consequences will be spectacular .... "

"Is that a threat?" Ram Kikura asked.

"No. It is a certainty."

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"How spectacular?"

"I do not know. I did not make the contingency plans. I probably would not understand them in my present form, anyway."

"Too many questions," Korzenowski said unhappily. "Ser Mirsky, when your story is made public . . . how many of our citizens will believe you, and how many will think your appearance here is an Orthodox Naderite trick to keep us locked to Mother Earth?"

"I can be no more convincing than I am now," the Russian said, releasing his hands and stretching. "Do you not believe me?" He looked around the group, thick eyebrows raised in query.

Karen, who had yet to see his presentation, ventured no opinion.

Korzenowski, Olmy and Lanier did not hesitate to express their belief.

Ram Kikura reluctantly said she concurred.

"We have to set our strategy," Lanier said. "Between us, we can devise something worth presenting to the opposing corpreps and senators. They can make their case Ram Kikura can carry the case to the judiciary. A two-pronged assault."

"I think I'd better start on Earth," Ram Kikura said. "There's a meet