"What about Bill? He understands the goals. He could lead it," Jan said.
"An intelligence guy? In an operations position? Are you nuts?"
Jan laughed.
"Yeah, you're right. Sorry."
"And you'd have to move anyway. One place I'm sure it shouldn't be is on Jablonka."
"What about my other option?"
Durand looked around the room. No one was paying them any attention. He looked for Murphy specifically, but he was facing the other way.
"We'll have to ask them. I got the impression they were considering coming out of hiding."
"Really?" Jan asked.
"Yes. It really does hamper their economy. Quite a bit, actually. There's some idea the new technology makes the ruse unnecessary."
"So being head of Galactic Mail would mean moving there."
"Almost certainly. Oh, and there's another advantage of you being the head of Galactic Mail. The CSF needs to downsize, while Galactic Mail will be hiring. If you're the head of Galactic Mail, the insane loyalty to you in the Navy will help a lot in getting people to sign up to retire the CSF and follow you."
Turner and Desai re-entered the conference room, and took seats together, as they had before. Jan and Durand saw them come in.
"My God, they're gonna do it," Durand said.
"Yep. Now it gets interesting. Damn. I have a decision to make," Jan said.
Murphy called for everyone to be seated.
"President Turner and I have a few words for the group before we break for dinner," Desai said. "He and I have come to a broad understanding this is our one best hope to rewrite humanity's future for the better. A unique confluence of people, technology, and politics gives us this one chance, and we are not going to waste it."
"Chairman Desai is exactly right," Turner said. "This is no longer a proposal. It is our agreed policy. Those questions are no longer hypothetical, they are real. We will not fail in this, regardless of the difficulty or the cost. There is too much at stake."
Turner and Desai both stood, turned to each other, and shook hands.
Desai turned back to the room.
"This meeting is adjourned. We will continue with the analysis of work assignments via mail as they are concluded. It's now time for the closing dinner," Desai said.
Private Meetings
After the closing dinner, Turner released all of his people to go home. Hernandez hung around, and Turner, Hernandez, and Murphy accompanied the departing Commonwealth delegation to the roof, where the Devi's shuttle was waiting.
Murphy shook everyone's hand goodbye, then Hernandez shook everyone's hand, but hugged Jan goodbye. Finally, Turner shook everyone's hand, hugged Jan goodbye, and, to Jan's surprise, Turner and Desai hugged each other goodbye.
"Thanks for coming, Miriam. I appreciate the opportunity," Turner said.
"And thank you, Jake. I couldn't do it without you. We'll be in touch," Desai said.
"All right, everybody. Have a safe trip," Turner said.
Once the shuttle had taken off, and everyone had oohed and aahed at the view of New York, Desai put her hand on Jan's arm.
"That went tremendously well, Admiral Childers. You are to be congratulated," Desai said.
"A lot of people worked on the proposal, Ma'am. And the core idea was Bill's in the first place," Jan said.
"It never ceases to amaze me how much people underestimate my intelligence, Admiral. Of course, I know a lot of people were involved, just as I know you and Bill are an inseparable team that has served the CSF and the Commonwealth with distinction for over twenty years, and just as I know that Bill would never claim credit for any part he had in such an idea because intelligence people don't want the limelight. It destroys their ability to do their jobs. Give me some credit for having half a brain, at least. Honestly."
Jan laughed.
"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am."
Desai patted her arm.
"That's all right. Once in a while I just have to spout off to somebody safe, and there are few of those in my immediate circle."
The transfer to the Devi and the Shiva went without incident, as did the trip back to Jablonka. They were arriving back in Jablonka three hours early, because there had been no after-dinner work session. It was 20:00 hours when the Devi's shuttle departed the Shiva for the trip down to Jablonka.
"Admiral Childers, would you have a few minutes to chat after we're down?" Desai asked.
Jan looked at her watch. The kids would already be in bed by the time she got home anyway.
"Of course, Madam Chairman."
"Let's meet at the NOC. The shuttle can drop me and all the Navy people off at the NOC, take the political people back to Commonwealth Center, then come back and get me and take me home before it heads back up to the Devi."
"That works," Jan said.
Jan gave instructions to the load master, who conveyed them to the flight crew in the cockpit.
The shuttle touched down on the NOC rooftop shuttle pad, and Desai, Durand, Jan, and Bill exited. Once they were clear in the elevator bay, the shuttle lifted off to take the rest of the delegation back to the capital complex north of Jezgra.
As they boarded the elevator, Jan pushed the button for the top floor of the NOC where her office was.
"Good night, Madam Chairman. It's been a great trip," Durand said.
"Indeed, Admiral Durand. Thank you for all your help," Desai said.
Durand nodded and pressed the button for the basement where he could take the transfer tunnel to the Intelligence Building.
"Admiral Campbell, could you accompany Admiral Childers and me to her office, please?" Desai asked.
"Certainly, Madam Chairman."
The elevator stopped at the top floor first, and Desai, Jan, and Bill stepped out. Jan led Desai to her office, and they all took seats in the conversation area off to one side from the crowded desk.
"Thank you so much for allowing me to delay your return home. I wanted to talk to you alone, Jan, and you as well, Bill. Talking to one of you is almost as good as talking to you both, but I think it works even better if I talk to you both."
"No problem, Ma'am," Jan said.
"Jan, I think it's terribly important you seriously consider being the head of Galactic Mail. There are several reasons, and I'd like to lay them out, If I might."
"Please, go ahead."
"Thank you," Desai said. "The first reason is you two know the real long-term goals of Galactic Mail, as do I, Jake Turner, and Admiral Durand. I don't think anyone else does. Sally Howell maybe. But that's it. How likely do you think it is your – and my and President Turner's – goals will be accomplished without someone leading the organization who also understands them, wants them, has internalized them?"
"The real long-term goals, Ma'am?"
"Nice try, Jan. I've already warned you once tonight about underestimating my intelligence. And you've warned me about underestimating Jake Turner's intelligence. Correctly so."
"Sorry, Ma'am. It was pro forma," Jan said.
"Thank you, but we can dispense with such nonsense here in private, I think. As for Mr. Turner, give this a quick read."
Desai pulled the transcript of Mr. Murphy's remarks from her pocket and handed it to Jan. Jan read the paper carefully, and handed it back to Desai. Desai handed it in turn to Bill, who read it quickly and handed it back to Desai.
"Mr. Murphy at least understands," Bill said.
"I said the same thing to Jake Turner. He seemed surprised I would be able to recognize it as Murphy speaking. In any case, I think we can take it for granted Mr. Murphy and Mr. Turner understand. And in private, Jake Turner noted the long-term consequences for the Commonwealth as well.
"The second reason it is so important you head up Galactic Mail is you have the confidence and respect of everyone involved. You're a hero both here and on Earth, no small feat. And you're the only one. I asked Admiral Durand about a week ago to run the odds for Galactic Mail succeeding both with
you as head and without. I understand they're good at that over there, from Mr. Wisniewski. Admiral Durand ran those numbers for me, and he did so without informing his henchman here."
Desai waved a hand toward Bill, who had a stunned look on his face.
"What were his numbers?"
"They estimated over 90% with you at the helm, less than 50% otherwise. The 'otherwise' as I understood it was someone competent, but relatively unknown."
"Really?" Jan asked.
"Really.
"The third reason is there are no challenges here left for you. All the challenges are going to be there, in Galactic Mail. The CSF is going to be downsizing as Galactic Mail comes on line. You won't be able to go out at the top of your game. That may not sound important to you now, but it will be.
"Fourth, as I say, CSF will be downsizing, while Galactic Mail will need to hire what? Half a million spacers? If you retire from the CSF and go to Galactic Mail, all the good people in CSF will know Galactic Mail is where the action is, and you'll have the pick of the litter. I expect there will also be a large number that transfer out to the New Colonies effort if you leave the CSF. All of that is good.
"Fifth, in the context of going out on the top of your game, I will be stepping down as chairman of the Council after Galactic Mail is established. I didn't start quite as young as you did, Jan, but I'm over twenty years older. I have been doing this a very long time, and I do want to go out on the top of my game. If Jake Turner and I can pull this off, it will be the grand capstone of my career. The effect on you, though, is you will be dealing with a whole new administration, and I can't guarantee what that will be like."
Jan and Bill traded stunned looks.
"Oh, come now. You knew I would step down at some point. I am getting to the age where a nice rocking chair on a porch somewhere sounds good to me. I'm getting too old for this," Desai said.
"What about Bill?" Jan asked.
"What about him? It's a corporate environment, Navy rules don't apply. You don't think Galactic Mail needs a competent intelligence chief? You've been working together for years, through the loophole that Intelligence Division doesn't report to the CNO. But why wouldn't you continue using him that way?"
Jan looked to Bill, who shrugged.
"If I leave, I don't have any say in it, but I suppose Tien Jessen would move up to CNO," Jan said.
"Actually, I expected you would take him with you to Galactic Mail as your operations head on the 'Defense' part of it, and Admiral Ming would become CNO. I don't know about on the freight side. You need a solid logistics type. Admiral Joshi, perhaps. She has a solid second over in the Colonies Division."
Desai was watching Jan closely, and Jan was not blocking her body language.
"Yes, Jan, you need to think differently about this whole thing. Put together a new organization. Pick the very best people out of CSF. Make it work. You can do that. They will follow you if you ask them. No one else can do that."
"Everybody would have to move," Jan said.
"Yes, but I had the impression you and Admiral Durand already knew where you wanted to establish Galactic Mail, though you were being dodgy about it. Is it a nice place? Would people want to move there?"
"Oh, yes. We don't know if it will work out yet, but it's a very nice place."
"Well, there you are," Desai said.
Desai looked back and forth between Jan and Bill. Both had half-vacant looks on their faces. Desai chuckled.
"I wanted to get you thinking along a different line, Jan, and I see I've accomplished my goal. I'll let you go on home now, and leave you to think about it."
Desai stood, and Jan and Bill followed suit. Jan and Bill accompanied Desai up to the shuttle pad. The shuttle had returned from Commonwealth Center, and was ready to make the trip again.
"Thank you, Madam Chairman. You've given us a lot to think about," Jan said.
"Good. Do let me know your decision, Admiral, once you've made it."
Desai entered the shuttle, the load master closed the door, and the shuttle lifted off the pad and headed north.
"Wow," Bill said.
"Couldn't have said it better myself," Jan said.
The driver came around with the car and took them up the Hill to the house. George took their bags to have them unpacked, while they went out on the front porch and sat looking out over Sigurdsen.
"Desai really threw me for a loop there," Jan said.
"You thought retiring from CSF and heading up Galactic Mail was going to be starting over with all new people, right?" Bill asked.
"Yes. And instead she wants me to take a lot of the cream of CSF with me."
"Well, that makes a lot of sense given that she really does understand the long-term goals. Mr. Murphy's remarks were eloquent on the point."
"Yes, and she didn't elaborate on her comment about the long-term effects on the Commonwealth, but the same argument about no central, multi-planet government emerging applies to no central, multi-planet government surviving," Jan said.
"The Commonwealth was only necessitated by the need to form a polity big enough to stand up to Earth. With Galactic Mail in place, that need goes away."
"It does put a different perspective on the whole thing."
"She mentioned you and Durand having an idea about where to set up Galactic Mail. Are you thinking what I think you're thinking? You being dodgy about it in the meeting made it pretty obvious to me, but I was the only other person in the room who has that little bit of intelligence," Bill said.
"Yes, we are. Durand said he's been getting indications from them that maybe the time for the subterfuge is over. What with the new technology, the need isn't there for that either anymore, and it is a big drag on their economy."
"Becoming the site for Galactic Mail would be a huge boost."
"Oh, yes. It's also a much emptier planet than Earth, which makes all kinds of space available. It's closer to the New Colonies. And the climate, if anything, is even better than Earth," Jan said.
"So what's your next move?"
"Talk to Durand. And then take a little trip."
Durand, Jan, and Bill were meeting in a Class 1 secure conference room in the basement of the Intelligence Division building.
"Where are your thoughts on Galactic Mail at this point?" Durand asked.
"I'm trying to get my hands around staffing and location issues. Desai met with Bill and I that night, as you recall, and she turned my head around on staffing issues. As I indicated to you on Earth, she understands all the implications, and a transcript of some remarks by Mr. Murphy indicates Turner and Murphy do as well. Desai apparently got them from Turner, and she shared them with us that night. She also indicated that, in private conversation with Turner, the subject of the long-term impact on the Commonwealth came up as well."
"All right. So you were correct, Jan, and the principals have a full understanding of what Galactic Mail will do long-term."
"Yes. And given that, she encouraged me to basically consider CSF an open labor pool for staffing Galactic Mail. Bill, Jessen, Joshi, among others," Jan said.
"I knew I would lose Bill if you moved, of course. Jessen and Joshi would be good choices for two of the top slots in any reasonable organizational structure."
"Yes, and it also clears the way for some other people to move up in CSF. Admiral Ming, for example. The next thing that comes up is where? Jake, I think you and I both know a good spot, and you said they might be open to it. I think it's time to go there and find out."
"I'll see what I can set up. When do you want to go?" Durand asked.
"As soon as possible. Things are quiet right now, and Jessen and Ming can hold down the store."
"How do you want to handle the meeting?"
"These people are very good at playing the long game. I think we lay all the cards on the table," Jan said.
"All of them?"
"All of them. I wish I had a copy of that transcript of Murphy's remarks. It may be the right thing
to do to present the whole setup to them."
"Actually, I took the liberty of making a copy while I had them. Unobtrusive little camera widget I carry. We can re-word them in such a way as to not betray any confidences. You know, same content, different words," Bill said.
"Ah, good. I was hoping that was the case," Durand said.
Jan looked from one of them to the other.
"Damn spooks," Jan said.
"Hey, somebody's gotta do it," Durand said.
To The Yards
"It's good to see you again, Captain Yang," Jan said.
"And you, Admiral," said Captain Yang, commanding the CSS Freyja.
"I'll leave you to your business then, and we'll get settled in our cabins."
"Thank you, Ma'am."
Durand, Jan, and Bill were shown to cabins on the flag deck, and settled in for the trip. Six hours later, they were in the shuttle on the way down to the planet.
The shuttle set down in a government complex, and they were met by Joaquim MacDougal, the foreign minister of The Yards, which is what they called the planet. Jan could see the sense in that immediately. If anyone slipped – they were on the way back to The Yards, or they just came from The Yards – there was no harm done. Everyone knew the Commonwealth had to have a secret shipyards somewhere.
MacDougal led them into the building, and into a conference room.
"If you could please take your seats, the others are on the way," MacDougal said.
Jan scanned the placards while she looked for her own. The prime minister, the foreign minister, the treasury minister, the trade minister, the defense minister. Excellent.
They were seated, and the others began filing in. When everyone was seated, the foreign minister took the floor.
"Welcome, everyone. Allow me to make introductions. From The Yards we have Prime Minister Alicia Petros, Defense Minister Juan Carlos Simonov, Treasury Minister Georgy Jimenez, Trade Minister Morgan Saunders, and myself, Foreign Minister Joaquim MacDougal. From the Commonwealth we have Admiral Jan Childers, Admiral Jake Durand, and Vice Admiral William Campbell.
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