A Deepness in the Sky

Vinh might have continued, but the Podmaster said, "Rita, we're trying for the safest outcome for everyone. I promise, if that means throwing ourselves on the Spiders' mercy—well, so be it." His glance flickered to his right, and Gonle realized that the message was directed at Brughel as much as anyone. Nau paused a moment, but no one had anything more to say. His voice became more businesslike. "So, the Schedule is suddenly very much advanced. Tas forced on us, but I am pleased by the challenge." His smile flashed in the fake sunset. "One way or another, our Exile will be over in a year. We can afford to—we must—expend resources. From now till we've saved the Spider world, almost everyone will be on-Watch."

Wow.

"We'll start ru

Yes!Gonle gri

The meeting ended on an incredible high. On the way out, Gonle gave Qiwi a hug. "Kiddo, you did it!" she said softly.

Qiwi just gri

Afterward, the four visiting peons walked back up the hillside, the last of the sunlight throwing long shadows before them. She took a last look behind her before they entered the forest.Presumptuous, this park. But stillit was beautiful, and I had something to do with it. The last light of the sun showed from under far clouds. It might be Nauly manipulation or the random outcome of the park's automation. Either way, it seemed auspicious. Old Nau thought he manipulated everything. Gonle knew that this sudden, final liberalization was something the Podmaster might try to stuff back in the bottle later on, when imagination and sharp trading was more a risk than the alternatives. But Gonle was Qeng Ho. Over the years, she and Qiwi and Be

Tomas Nau's second meeting was later in the day, aboard theInvisibleHand. Here they could talk, far from i

"Almost?"

"Well, you know Vinh—but he didn't see through everything you said. And Jau Xin looks...dubious."

Nau glanced a question at A

Reynolt's reply was quick. "Xin is one we really need, Podmaster. He's our only remaining Pilot Manager. We would have lost that pi

"Okay, he's a secret doubter." There was no help for that really. Xin had been near the operational center of too many things. He probably suspected the truth behind the Diem Massacre. "So we can't ice him, and we can't fool him, and we'll need him at the bloodiest stage of the job. Still...I think Rita Liao is a sufficient lever. Ritser. Make sure Jau knows that her welfare depends on his quality of service."

Ritser gave a little smile, and made a note.

Nau sca

Reynolt shrugged. "So we engineer a war."

"A precisely limited one, one that leaves the world financial system intact and controlled by us." An exercise in disaster management.

"And the Kindred?"

"We want them to survive, of course—but weak enough that we can bluff full control. We'll throw a bit more ‘good luck' their way."

Reynolt was nodding. "Yes. We can tailor things. Southland has long-range missiles but is otherwise backward; most of its population will be hibernating through the Dark. They're very frightened of what will be done to them by the advanced powers. Honored Pedure has plans for taking advantage of that. We can make sure she succeeds—" A

A

Uncle Alan's long shot had paid off. Reynolt's only academic specialty had been ancient literature, but Focus had somehow captured the more subtle skills of her accidental career: warfare, subversion, leadership. Alan had kept his discovery carefully out of sight, but he had used this very special ziphead over the following decades. Her skills had helped establish Uncle Alan as the dominant Podmaster of the Home Regime. She had been a very special gift to a very favored nephew... .

And though he would never admit it to Ritser Brughel, sometimes when Tomas looked into Reynolt's pale blue eyes...he felt a superstitious chill. For a hundred years of her lifetime, A