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"And give you time to finish voting out your draft Constitution without opposition?" Westman demanded.
"Possibly. Maybe even probably. But I submit that whatever you do here on Montana, you won't stop the other systems represented at the Convention from voting out a Constitution if they decide to do it. If a Constitution is voted out, and if the Montanan legislature votes to ratify it, and if the Star Kingdom's Parliament votes to accept it, then-if your principles leave you no other choice-you can always start shooting again. But do you really have to push things to the point that people get killed, and no one in your organization-not just you, but no one— can ever step back from the brink, before you even know a viable Constitution's going to be put into place?"
"Listen to the man, Steve," Ba
"I won't say yes or no to the possibility of a cease-fire," Westman said bluntly. "Not here, not without a chance to think about it and talk it over with my people. But," he hesitated, looking back and forth between Van Dort and Ba
Helen followed Captain Terekhov and Van Dort back towards the air car. Ba
The Captain and Van Dort reached the air car and climbed aboard. Helen waited politely for Ba
"Just a minute, please, Ms... Zilwicki, was it?"
"Helen Zilwicki," she said a bit stiffly, glancing towards the air car and wishing fervently that at least one of her superiors was in earshot.
"I won't keep you," he said courteously, "but there's something I'd like to ask you, if I may."
"Of course, Sir," she agreed, although it was the last thing in the world she wanted to do.
"You remind me of someone," he said quietly, his eyes on her face. "You remind me of her a lot. Did Mr. Van Dort ever mention Suza
"Suza
"Ah." Westman seemed to consider that for a moment, then nodded. "I wondered," he said, and inhaled deeply.
"Economic warfare isn't the only thing that lies between Rembrandt and Montana, Ms. Zilwicki," he said softly, then he nodded to her again, politely, and walked briskly away.
She gazed after him for several seconds, wondering what he meant. Then she shook herself and turned back towards the air car.
Bernardus Van Dort and Trevor Ba