Minutegirls

by George Phillies

  "Mr. Chairman, honored colleagues, friends, we stand at the cusp of history." Helene Duclos Braithewaite sipped water from her bronze-and-diamond-pane mug. "We have before us alternative paths, and must choose the one which mostly amply prepares our forces, both for now when the need is greatest and for the more distant future. The Pekingese Incident distracts the Federal Senate. It is unfortunately possible that the Pekingese and perhaps their neighbors simultaneously will escalate border disturbances, more than likely with the collaboration of the Federal European Union and their allies." Meyer looked sharply at Helene. For all her airs she was no fool; the possibility of multiple foreign disturbances had not been widely recognized. In particular, so far as he could tell the American Solar Navy had not considered the threat. After all, to imagine it, you'd have to think about diplomacy as a possible national behavior, and most Americans no longer thought about diplomacy. Given what had happened to Peking the last two times the Pekingese had attacked, it was credible that they would want allies before bestirring themselves again against the Republic.

  "Under these conditions," she continued, "we cannot assume in any term short or long that we will have access through Shell Game or elsewise to the resources of the American Solar Navy or the remainder of the Republic. It behooves us to be as prepared as possible for the serious likelihood of additional attacks on the Clarksburg Gate. Particularly disturbing, in my opinion, is the FEU's vigorous assertion that they have no forces beyond the Gate, when our robotic probes show that a dozen or more major combatants are perpetually in the system beyond the gate, albeit always well across the system from Clarksburg. This European prevarication is a heavy counterweight against any suspicion that the Europeans believe their other diplomatic claims.

  "Accordingly, I propose that the Committee direct the following major steps, whose details are now being distributed by the Pages to the honorable members:

  "First, it is urgent that we deploy as soon as possible the largest available force for that date. I therefore urge the final adoption of Plan Sunflower--on which we have already been advancing--with the enhancements of Tab B of that Plan. It is undoubtedly true that we make a modest sacrifice in our available strength at later dates, but that sacrifice undoubtedly ensures that we have adequate strength in the near future to keep shut the Clarksburg Gate.

  "Second, it is urgent that within these constraints that we prepare to move additional ships out of ordinary to replace possible losses due to future FEU action. According to all mobilization plans, this is most appropriately done by increasing the appropriation to the Fleet Yards here and at the Versailles High Orbitals. I am aware that there have been questions raised in the press about the quality of Fleet Maintenance in the Lincoln High Orbitals." She paused. Movimiento Central Senators other than Meyer glowered at her. The press in question was the ally of the Social Justice Party, who perpetually noted that the corporations that ran the yards were also major donors to the Movimiento and to the Democratic-Republicans. When Senator Caravelle had moved for an investigation, she stood almost alone in support of the position. Meyer and Molitor had taken no end of complaints from their fellow Senators about voting with Caravelle. "However, I defer to my colleagues as to the seriosity of these issues, on which the Committee has little information.

  "Third, the FEU has visibly deployed a substantial range of new weapons and technologies as so excellently summarized at prior meetings by Senator Thorne and others, and it is apparent that the laissez-faire approach of the past has not served us well at this juncture. There is a great need for more advanced technologies to upgrade our fleet and coast defense artillery.

  "Indeed, it appears from all reports that the FEU is again developing new technical systems, including weapons, at a more rapid pace than we are, so that instead of staying even in our position, we are falling further behind them. While some will argue that the current situation reflects only fluctuations in an orderly process, I am firmly convinced that military necessity requires that direct corrective measures be taken. Mr. Chairman, there is only one reasonable path toward attaining this end. I therefore move adoption of tab 412, Mobilization Plan Ultraviolet, at investment level (C).

  "Fourth, to permit the body politic to consider and decide for itself whether the Primary Reserve and Grand Fleet should be mobilized, the Joint Senates should after full debate submit to the People a Tax Referendum authorizing an increase in the Fleet Fisc to three per centum. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the remainder of my time."

  You certainly could not fault Helene for being afraid of the voters, thought Molitor. Most Senators would quail at proposing a tax increase, but when an increase was demanded by her logic, she put forth the increase. Not an increase so small as to be ineffective, not an increase whose vast size would simply terrify the electorate, but a serious increase, one substantial as to have significant economic effects while still paying for her proposed actions.

  "Senator Fuller?" Meyer smiled politely at the Senator from Antietam. The luck of the draw had been favorable. Duclos-Braithewaite's plausible suggestions would be followed by the undoubtedly heartfelt inanities of the Senate's loosest cannon. Fuller was loved by his constituents, many of whom had moved to Antietam so they could support his ideas. His Party's stands on all too many issues were totally loathed by the great majority of all Americans. If it were not for the willingness of Democratic-Republicans to move to live near other members of their Party, a willingness that Meyer still found incomprehensible, Fuller and his party would be totally invisible.

  "Mr. Chairman, honored colleagues, my fellow American patriots--for we are all patriots, every one of us; however much we may disagree here, we are united in our love for our glorious Republic--we face difficult challenges." Fuller looked around the room. Meyer allowed that Fuller simply could not understand how his phrasings grated their nails across the tabula of his colleagues' perceptions. "I am entirely delighted to support the course of action laid out the honorable Minority Leader of the Constitutional Restoration Party, in particular the call for an increase in the Fisc for Defense. I do believe, however, that there are two matters in which her proposals do not go far enough. In particular, a proposal now being distributed, we cannot simply assume that our brave Fleet and steadfast Coast Defense Artillery will be able to prevent landings on Lincoln or elsewhere. FEU troop landings must be met with force, defeated blow by blow. As we now have a situation of military interest, it becomes appropriate under the Tango Protocol to put on the floor certain proposals concerning the reinforcement of our popular army, in particular voluntary conscription of Lincoln's adult male population into a trained reserve, waiting to reinforce the brave men, and women, of the Popular Army, when the need arises." Tango Shire, Meyer thought to himself, was where the Armory Event's ending had been negotiated into the Tango Protocol. The good people of Antietam continued to believe the Event had ended in a draw, a draw yielding the agreement that discussion of conscription would be limited to wartime. Meyer knew the casualty reports. Antietam had lost, should have known it had lost, and should have sued for peace. Meyer's Board lit up. Half the Committee wanted to respond.

  "Regular Orders," Meyer reminded, "Regular Orders. No responses until all have spoken on the primary issue. And the Chair, who after all was a Tango Negotiator, finds that the Protocol reference is in order." Meyer felt tempted to bite his own tongue. 'Voluntary' conscription, indeed! However, his strength came from fairness and the trust of his committee, and that was where he would stay.

  Fuller continued. "Also, it is my opinion that we are no longer in the world of a century and a half ago, and that we should present to the Full Senate an adequate resolution permitting a full discussion for a fixed time of the DisUnity of Command Doctrine. As we have discussed these issues many times before, I shall say no more, but reserve the remainder of my time."

  Meyer crossed his fingers. 'Discussion of the DisUnity of Command Doctrine' were code-words for a unified command of the Popular Army under Fuller's Eagle
Legion friends. 'For a fixed time' was a parliamentary device to force a vote. There had not been a duel on the Senate lawn in 50 years, but if Becky Steinmetz were any more angry one might be imminent. He made an extremely affected look at his pocket watch. "The Chair notes that it is well past one, that he has not eaten since breakfast, and proposes a recess until quarter of three." Hopefully, Meyer thought to himself, by then the Committee will have calmed enough to proceed rationally. "Seeing agreement, we stand recessed." He struck his bell.

  The video feed always continued for a good minute after the Committee recessed. Everyone on the Committee knew that. It was inevitable that Senator Steinmetz knew that her question across the table to Thomas Fuller would be heard by a planetary audience. "Thomas? Unity? Do you really think the Eagle Legion will be happy with someone appropriate leading them, say a couple of my State's better FlockLeaders?"

  Meyer blanched. The room was dead quiet. The Eagle Legion was not mentioned in public by most people who knew of it. Flockleaders were the elected member-officers of a Junior Girl Guide Nest, about the last people one could imagine commanding Eagle Legionaires. Meyer's senior bodyguards, the two MinuteGirls who realistically speaking were primarily tasked with his assassination should he attempt Caesarism, were suddenly tight at his shoulders. Four pairs of Lambda Scouts formed the next ring out. Two were poised to vault the table as blocks, should Fuller or Steinmetz charge him.

  Fuller smiled innocently. "Becky, I shall take your word that the two little girls--the two fine young women--you had with you yesterday are the best military minds in your organization. I'm absolutely and completely confident that Unity could advance on the basis of that position."

  Meyer raised his voice. "Thanking the honorable members with their efforts to prove that they should take moonlighting jobs as stand-up comics, we are indeed in recess. The Committee will promptly vacate the hall so that the security and maintenance servots can perform their assigned tasks." He dropped to a whisper. "Folks, the rear door and left to the Collins Stairs, down to the Belfort room where I am expected for lunch." Lunch, thank God, with his dear wife and Elspeth Thorne and daughter. And if his two fools of colleagues decided to have a duel, Becky being macha enough and Fuller being ironhatted enough to agree to something that idiotic, with some luck there would soon thereafter be two vacancies on the Committee, if not because of good aim, then via a recall election. And at some point I should have a chat with them, though that would require admitting that I have heard of the Eagle Legion. The two fools in question both stared at their deskcomps, and suddenly broke into laughter.

  THE GARETH ANDREW BELFORT PAVILION

  THE CAPITOL

  ABRAHAM, LINCOLN, ALPHA CENTAURI

  July 19, 2174, 1:34 PM LST

  The maitre de led Meyer to a quiet alcove. English ivy climbed the trellis in front of white marble walls. An open skylight, songbirds twittering in a miniature lemon tree, and the whisper of water running down the stony channel of a broad gutter left the impression that they were almost out-of-doors. His dear wife was waiting. She was dressed in a rose and taupe patterned dress and blouse, with a matching light jacket. She stood. They clasped hands, two and two, meeting at throat height.

  "Dearest Bethany," Meyer whispered, "what a delight to see you again, rather than some of my charming colleagues." They stared for a time into each other's eyes.

  A throat cleared behind them. "If you two lovebirds would prefer privacy?"

  "Don't be silly, Elspeth!" Bethany answered. "If you aren't here, how can I meet your baby daughter?"

  Senator Thorne came into the room, an infant carrier over her shoulder, infant cradled against her chest, two servots trailing close behind. "My infant care support," she announced. "No brains. No peeping poachie eyes and ears. But you know the riddle. Why is a baby like an FEU government? Even a beloved baby like you, Gwennie."

  "And this must be Gwendolyn?" Meyer asked. He looked into the carrier. Small brown eyes looked back at him. He moved his head to the side. The eyes tracked. Gwendolyn was very young for that to happen. He waved his hands slowly in front of his face. Small lips widened happily.

  "Alphonse," Bethany said, "Do you realize that you do that with absolutely every single baby you meet? And every single one of them thinks you are wonderful?"

  "Of course I do," Meyer answered. "There are all these people who think I'm wonderful. Besides, they're all potential voters."

  "Alphonse, do you think you can lure people to the Movimiento by making eyes like that at them, and waving your hands?" Bethany asked.

  "I don't really know. Elspeth, do you think that if I stared at you and waved my hands in front of my face that you'd join the Movimiento?" Meyer responded.

  "My constituents might find that odd," Thorne answered. "But it seems to have convinced Gwen that you are wonderful. Or funny to look at."

  "Dear, you think I'm wonderful, don't you?" Meyer asked the little girl. "Do you think they would dare disagree with you?" He broke away from the child. "Elspeth, it was so kind of you to join us for lunch." He turned back to the baby. "And that goes for you, too, Gwennie."

  "Gwen knows where the best conversation will be," Senator Thorne answered, one hand stroking the baby's head. "Not to mention where her next meal is coming from. Without her having to pick up the tab."

  “Her eyes are already tracking my face,” Meyer said. “That;s truly wonderful.”

  "Dears, you must both be starving," Bethany announced. "Let us sit and order." They dispersed around the table, one of Thorne's servots deploying itself into an infant holder. "Though I had best stay with a Caesar salad and lime water," she announced.

  "But I will not have my usual," Meyer announced, "I shall have fettucine with oil and butter, tossed with artichoke hearts, and the duck sausage with sage. And for desert, the pear with chocolate glaze, and a little plum wine. Yes, I almost never drink during sessions. But after this morning, well, I understand why the ancient Senators liked their triple martinis and their wine boiled in lead."

  "Buffalo steak," Thorne said, "The house special, well done, on onions, fruit salad, milk with my referenced calcium and protein enhancements. And for you, Gwendolyn, about 2:30 this afternoon, mother's best again." The little girl had already fallen asleep.

  "Was it that bad, dear?" Bethany asked. Meyer shrugged.

  "On the bright side, we did not end the session with a duel. Though perhaps my message to the two of them helped," Thorne said.

  "Message?" Meyer asked.

  "Oh...You'd already stood before it appeared on the screens. 'If you're going to have a duel, could you at least give me enough time to set up a decent betting pool?'" Thorne answered.

  "So that's what they saw on their screens," Meyer said.

  "That won't silence the talk," Bethany noted. "Those men that Becky mentioned, they really don't like to have their names bandied about in public." Meyer and Thorne held their silence. "But that's up to her. In the meantime, I see the soup of the day approaching, a fine cold cream of leek and potato. Yes, Alphonse, it will have fennel in it. And the salad will have the dill you like so much."

  "Such a delightful pair of choices. And soon I will be fortified so I can return and once again launch into our zone of total boredom," Meyer said.

  "Boredom?" Thorne asked surprisedly.

  "Boredom. Every position is staked out in advance. We had a debate that perhaps changed one person's mind. I already know the vote totals. Indeed, I already knew at the start of the day 2/3 of the speeches, including the opposition's, and could have given most of their speeches better than they did," Meyer explained. "The only surprise--and it was a real surprise--was what Becky said after we recessed the meeting. For all that she is Becky wears-her-crossed-swords-on-her-lapel Steinmetz, she is not short-tempered. Those remarks smell of something pre-planned, though what I cannot say. Perhaps while I attack the crudites, you two fine people will provide me an explanation."

  "Such a nice boy," Thorne answered, "To let u
s talk while he eats. Boys are so thoughtful that way. I don't know where Becky came from either, but her words were likely to be preplanned. We have DisUnity, but we've traditionally avoided the circular firing squad approach. Becky was trying to provoke something."

  "Alphonse, dear, the news reports of the Peking Incident. Could this be the MinuteBabes and daughters having back at the MinuteDads for not getting to the ground fast enough?" Bethany turned back to her soup. Meyer allowed that his dear wife always planted the knives that he could not, and referring to the Women's Citizen Volunteer Forces that way counted as a knife.

  "Timing? I haven't even seen a decent after-action event on what happened yet," Meyer answered. "I'll get to give my speech pointing out, for the two mobilization plans, how strong the FEU would need to be, and when, to beat us in space. Sunflower for better or worse has the votes. The Restorationists will not get socialist science. They will not get a tax referendum, but Hector asked me to ask that we do the tax referendum study update six months early." Thorne frowned. "I agree with him. It was due for a biennial update anyhow. It's a sensible safety precaution. And Senator Fuller will be able to return home to Antietam to rail against the reactionaries of the Social Justice Party and their lackeys--that's all of us--for not agreeing to all of his excellent ideas. The one thing I do not know is how Becky's inauspicious reference will eventuate. Having announced the future, I do believe that's horseradish on the daikon roll crudite, Elspeth, which you may like but to which your daughter might take exception...thank you very much."

  JOSE GOMES COMMITTEE CHAMBER

  THE CAPITOL

  ABRAHAM, LINCOLN, ALPHA CENTAURI