Sylvia grinned.
The Ecolitan professor of infrastructure economics took a long and deep breath.
“Now…we get to the real business.” The Prime walked toward the window and looked out at the mid-afternoon sun.
“The real business?”
The two younger Ecolitans exchanged glances.
“I have tendered my resignation as Prime. I am claiming responsibility for the destruction of Tempte and the associated damage on Tinhorn. There is a complete file in my office, and the contents will be released to the media with my resignation…shortly after my ship breaks orbit.” Pittsway turned and held up his hand. “This is the real role of the Prime, and I was unfortunate enough to be here. Now, the documents in the file are correct…and false by omission. They contain my directive to destroy the Conglomerate High Command. The name of the pilot is blacked out, and there is an explanation that since the pilot did not survive the mission, his name will not be revealed for two reasons. First, that he was carrying out my orders, and second, that the responsibility was mine alone. His family should not suffer from his decision, and the blame should be mine alone.
“Any other explanation would seem as though the Institute were attempting to shift blame, and we can never allow that to occur. The responsibility is the Prime’s and I knew that when you left for Artos.” Pittsway smiled, openly and gently. “Your turn will doubtless come.”
Nathaniel waited, mute.
“Your nomination as Prime has been submitted to the Institute—”
“Mine? After all I’ve done?”
Pittsway shook his head gently. “No, because of what you’ve done, although I am the only one who knows all that. The head of the Institute is not a politician. He or she can never be such. The Institute would not survive with leaders who followed political dictates. What ensures the Institute’s continuation is not only our skills and abilities, but the absolute knowledge by every human government that we do not bow to politics, that we will not be intimidated, and that we will act when we feel necessary, regardless of the cost. That will must be tempered by the understanding of the weight of such costs. What other Ecolitan is there today who understands better in heart and mind the costs of our actions?”
“I…don’t know.”
“Your nomination as Prime will be accepted, if it has not already been, by the senior Ecolitans. You are a hero of sorts. You staved off war with the Empire twice, apparently without overt violence. You are respected as talented and diplomatic, if somewhat younger than ideal. Your economic report has already been cited as proof of why the Empire would never have really attacked the Coordinate.” The Prime laughed, once. “We know that is a great exaggeration, but, after the fact, it covers everyone’s reputation. So, we have already let it be known that you survived numerous attempts on both your lives in an effort to bring this Fuard conspiracy to light, although the last attempt hospitalized you both.” Another dry smile crossed Gairloch Pittsway’s face. “Even that is true in a way. The Fuards did do their best to kill you. All through this trial, you two have been the voices of sweet reason. That is the official position, and you will both ensure it remains that way.”
Pittsway’s eyes went to Sylvia. “You, Ecolitan Ferro-Maine, have been nominated as Director of Infrastructure Communications. That is the official title for what amounts to our intelligence training operations.”
“But…”
“I know. You are going to make some ridiculous claim that you have limited experience. Everyone’s experience is limited. The most important qualification that you possess is that you understand the consequences of intelligence operations, their strengths, and their limitations, and that you have survived all three. You are also willing to get the job done without trying to grab all the credit and blame.”
The piercing eyes flicked back to Nathaniel. “I’ve been careful to point out that you, Prime-nominee Whaler, have only flitter and needleboat certification, not large ship experience. I and the unnamed pilot are responsible for the atrocities committed upon the Conglomerate. I did not call them such, but the unfortunate necessities of our times. However, history will call them atrocities.”
Pittsway’s eyes turned even harder as he looked first at Sylvia, then at Nathaniel. “Your somewhat altered appearance may give rise to suspicions that you were impersonated. You will not discuss the actual attack on Tempte, except in general terms, but you will state that you are responsible for all your actions on Artos and New Avalon. That is the way it was and the way it must always remain. No matter what happens, and how it happens, we are responsible for our actions, the Prime most of all.”
“But my actions…” Nathaniel began.
“You are responsible for your actions, all of them, and you will pay for them. Admitting them publicly would be easier, far easier. You would either be dead, or unable to offer any productive service to anyone. You have scarcely begun to pay, as you will discover once you take on the duties of Prime. I am ensuring that you will pay for your actions…every day of the rest of your life.” His eyes softened. “The hard part of ensuring responsibility is maintaining responsible initiative on the lower levels. Micro-managing doesn’t work. Your fate is in the hands of those who serve you, as mine was in yours. Most of the time it works out well for everyone. Sometimes, it only works out well for humankind, and we pay the price.” He paused. “Yes…we. I trust you don’t think I’m being generous or kind. You, being who you both are, will pay for what has happened for the remainder of your lives, even if nothing else of this magnitude challenges the Institute.” After another pause, he added, “And, unless I’ve misjudged greatly, you will be far more vigilant than any of your former peers could ever imagine.
“Ecolitan Swersa has asked to accompany me, and I have accepted her offer.” Gairloch Pittsway shrugged. “One must know when to exit. Remember that when your time comes. But I don’t need to tell you that. You both need some rest, because, after tomorrow, you won’t see any for a very long time.” He offered a last, almost sad, smile, then bowed. “Good luck.”
In the silence after his departure, the two looked at each other, blankly.
“He’s setting himself up as a target,” murmured Sylvia.
“We’re all targets from here on in.”
“We always have been. Everyone is—they just don’t know it.” She sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. “How do you feel about all this? About Tinhorn, about being nominated as Prime?”
“Guilty. What else would you expect? I still don’t see any other meaningful alternative that was open, but people died.”
“You still think you acted morally?”
Nathaniel laughed, harshly. “That’s not the question. Guilt isn’t rational. I have to believe I took the only moral course open at the time, but I’ll always feel guilty, probably always ask and search to figure out what else might have been possible. That’s guilt. Morality…I still don’t have a moral problem. Oh…there will be plenty of people who will claim that what the Institute did is immoral. After all, ten million innocents did die on Tinhorn, and were all those thousands of soldiers and technicians on Tempte really responsible for the Conglomerate’s actions? Weren’t they just doing their job?” His tone was sardonic.
“You are bitter.”
“When people scream morality, they don’t understand morality. The Prime had it right—they’re confusing it with justification, and they refuse to see that. If the Empire and the Federated Hegemony thought they could destroy the Coordinate without retaliation right now, they would, and they’d call it moral. That’s not morality, it’s fear. They’re afraid that they’ll be called on their actions before they complete whatever new genocide they might contemplate in the future.”
“From what I’ve seen…you’re probably right.”
“Yet we’ve never acted first. We have acted before others would, but there have still been plenty of bodies.” He swallowed, then continued. “When you talk about morality, and when justic
e is applied as retribution, what you really do is give people or governments a choice. They can choose to be moral, or they can choose not to be, and take the risk of retribution or possibly getting away with it. When someone or something, like the Institute, even hints that it won’t wait for the immoral action to be completed, everyone cries foul…unless the immoral actions are already on so vast a scale that they can’t be ignored. In practice, everyone ignores the problem until they can’t keep ignoring it. Then, and only then, do they invoke morality.”
“Thinking like that, especially out loud, will make you a target as big as Prime Pittsway.” Sylvia tried to force a smile. “If they don’t find out what you really did first.”
“Who will tell them? Only four people know for certain who crewed the ship. That’s part of the burden the Prime mentioned.”
She shook her head. “We need to get you out of here, to get some rest before you become the designated target as Prime.”
The door opened, and a young doctor walked in. “Ah…you can go…any time. Any time…”
“Thank you.” Nathaniel looked at Sylvia. “Are we ready for all this?”
“Just keep saying ‘we.’”
“After all that’s happened, what else could I say?”
What else indeed?
Nathaniel eased his legs over the side of the bed. His greens were in the closet. Sylvia extended an arm, and he took it, gratefully.
Tor Books by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
Note: Within series, books are best read in listed order.
-----
THE IMAGER PORTFOLIO
The continent of Solidar—once Lydar—is home to a strange and rare breed of magic user. Imagers can bring into being almost anything they can imagine…but their power is dangerous to themselves as well as to others, and their life expectancy is short. Because they are both feared and vulnerable, Imagers must live separately from the rest of society. Some are exploited by ordinary people with political and economic power…while others are wise enough to build a future when their powers may put to the service of the common good.
Imager
Imager’s Challenge
Imager’s Intrigue
Scholar
Princeps
Imager’s Battalion
Antiagon Fire
Rex Regis
Madness in Solidar (forthcoming)
THE COREAN CHRONICLES
Corus today is a world of contending countries, of struggling humans, strange animals, and elusive supernatural creatures. It is still a place of magical powers, but only a few people are Talented enough to use them. Alucius is one of those people. With Corus changing again, Alucius and his Talent will have a central role to play.
Legacies
Darknesses
Scepters
Alector’s Choice
Cadmian’s Choice
Soarer’s Choice
The Lord-Protector’s Daughter
Lady-Protector
THE SAGA OF RECLUCE
L. E. Modesitt, Jr.'s bestselling fantasy novels set in the magical world of Recluce are among the most popular in contemporary fantasy. Each tells an independent story that nevertheless reverberates though all the other Recluce novels to deepen and enrich the reading experience.
The Magic of Recluce
The Towers of the Sunset
The Magic Engineer
The Order War
The Death of Chaos
Fall of Angels
The Chaos Balance
The White Order
Colors of Chaos
Magi’i of Cyador
Scion of Cyador
Wellspring of Chaos
Ordermaster
Natural Ordermage
Mage-Guard of Hamor
Arms-Commander
Cyador’s Heirs
Heritage of Cyador (forthcoming)
THE SPELLSONG CYCLE
When Anna Marshall is transported from her boring and frustrating life in Ames, Iowa, to the very different world of Erde, she finds out that for the first time in her life she’s uniquely powerful. In Iowa Anna was a music instructor and small-time opera singer, but on Erde her musical ability makes her a big-time sorceress.
The Soprano Sorceress
The Spellsong War
Darksong Rising
The Shadow Sorceress
Shadowsinger
THE ECOLITAN MATTER
Follow the conflict between the corrupt interstellar Empire and the Ecolitan Institute of the planet Accord. The Institute must fight—first for their independence, and then to prevent the worst disaster in human history.
Empire & Ecolitan (comprising The Ecolitan Operation and The Ecologic Secession)
Ecolitan Prime (comprising The Ecologic Envoy and The Ecolitan Engine)
THE FOREVER HERO TRILOGY
Modesitt’s first major work. In the future, Earth is a desolate ruin, until its degenerate human outcasts kidnap a boy of immense native intelligence and determination—who grows up to become the force behind a plan to make Earth flower again.
The Forever Hero (comprising Dawn for a Distant Earth, The Silent Warrior, and In Endless Twilight)
THE GHOST BOOKS
In this alternate history world, the United States never came into existence, Russia is still ruled by the Romanovs, and ghosts are not mere superstition but have a literal physical reality—and political implications. Your crimes can haunt you, and the ghosts of your crimes are visible to others.
Of Tangible Ghosts
The Ghost of the Revelator
Ghost of the White Nights
Ghosts of Columbia (comprising Of Tangible Ghosts and The Ghost of the Revelator)
OTHER NOVELS
The Hammer of Darkness
The Parafaith War
Adiamante
Gravity Dreams
The Octagonal Raven
Archform: Beauty
The Ethos Effect
Flash
The Eternity Artifact
The Elysium Commission
Viewpoints Critical
Haze
Empress of Eternity
Timegods’ World (comprising Timediver’s Dawn and The Timegod)
The One-Eyed Man
-----
Sign up for author updates at: tor-forge.com/author/lemodesitt
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in these novels are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.
ECOLITAN PRIME
Copyright © 2003 by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
The Ecologic Envoy, copyright © 1986 by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
The Ecolitan Enigma, copyright © 1997 by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
Edited by David G. Hartwell
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Modesitt, L. E.
[Ecologic envoy]
Ecolitan prime / L. E. Modesitt, Jr.—1st trade paperback ed.
p. cm.—(The Ecolitan matter)
“A Tom Doherty Associates book.”
Contents: The ecologic envoy—The Ecolitan enigma.
ISBN: 978-0-7653-0898-6
1. Life on other planets—Fiction. 2. Science fiction, American. I. Modesitt, L. E. Ecolitan enigma. II. Title: Ecolitan enigma. III. Title.
PS3563.O264E293 2003
813'.54—dc21
2003054338
Table of Contents
PRAISE
TITLE PAGE
Copyright Notice
CONTENTS
THE ECOLOGIC ENVOY
CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER I
V
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XIX
CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XXI
CHAPTER XXII
CHAPTER XXIII
CHAPTER XXIV
CHAPTER XXV
CHAPTER XXVI
CHAPTER XXVII
CHAPTER XXVIII
CHAPTER XXIX
CHAPTER XXX
CHAPTER XXXI
CHAPTER XXXII
CHAPTER XXXIII
CHAPTER XXXIV
CHAPTER XXXV
CHAPTER XXXVI
CHAPTER XXXVII
THE ECOLITAN ENIGMA
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XI
Ecolitan Prime (Ecolitan Matter) Page 58