Intruder

But he faced a much more pleasant one in the afternoon.

  Far into the other wing, downstairs, was the paidhi’s office. It had started out as a quiet little office, answering schoolchildren’s questions about humans and the paidhi’s job, when the paidhi’s job had entailed explaining the aiji’s new technological programs.

Then it had fielded anguished queries from village lords wanting more industry and other district lords irate that they had a factory upwind of their gardens.

The space program had brought letters from the certifiably confused, who were convinced that the atmosphere could be punctured, letting all the air out, and it had also brought more thoughtful letters asking such things as, if herewas what there was everywhere, what was out there?

A good part of the paidhi’s job—the part that wasn’t translating for Tabini or representing his programs, or considering the social and economic effects of human technology proposed to be given out to the continent—was serving as an information office and trying to scotch rumors before they acquired passengers. Rumor management had become nearly a full-time job for part of his staff before the coup, and it had resumed it after Tabini had come back to office. They were good at what they did—the letter they could not answer reasonably and fairly convincingly in his name was a rare one.

Since the restoration of Tabini-aiji, too—that was to say, for the last half year—he had gotten a gratifying number of letters of support and also queries about jobs—

It at least balanced a new flood of angry accusations and death threats, persons who charged his influence had brought about the coup and misled the aiji. Those he took quite seriously—and likewise a scatter of less rational letters blaming him for all ma

He could have had recourse to the Guild for the threatening letters, considering that credible threats of bodily harm outside Guild action were in fact illegal. He had not reported most of them, as general policy. A few more serious and likely threats, yes, had been investigated, but so far as he knew, no investigation had yet turned up anything serious or organized; at least that was the case before he had gone off to the Marid and dealt with Machigi.

The regular complainants (and he had a list of those) were going to have an apoplexy when they heard about peacemaking with the Marid and about the Edi and Gan acquiring seats in the legislature. Death threats were going to come out of the woodwork. He could only think about Algini’s warning.

Years, Algini had said, of not knowing if the noisy ones were the problem. He personally bet on the ones who said nothing at all.

“Nand’ paidhi!” he heard whispered as he entered the office, and the head secretary, elderly Daisibi, one of Tano’s remote kin, came down the aisle between desks in all haste, with a happy expression on his face.

“Nandi! One is so happy to see you safe!”

“One is very pleased with the work from this office,” he answered, bowing in turn. “One is very grateful for your handling the inquiries—and one hopes to make your work a little easier, nadi-ji. Is there anything extraordinarily urgent since my return?”

“Nothing extraordinary, nandi. Of course the children write. People from the remote districts do ask about the cell phone issuec”

God. He could not have his office out of step with him on that.

“ca few direct threats, which we have referred to the Bujavid officesc”

That was normal.

“cforecasts of doom from certain ‘countersc”

Normal. The paidhi attracted lightning. The number-counters who worked up fortunes and predictions and declarations of felicity or infelicity for various believers tended not to give any i

“crecommendations for policyc”

Some would be sane, and many would not.

“cqueries about the aliensc”

People should be worried about that. But not panicked. The fact that there were aliens, and that there was more than one kind of them out there was known—but it didn’t sound as though it was generating any great fear. Yet.

“cand inquiries from Transport, Trade, and the Messengers, nandi, regarding the committee schedules with the next session.”

The latter were business. Entirely.

“I shall have to issue a new policy statement, nadi. For the phones, one has studied the cell phone issue. My opinion—and this is not yet for public issue—is increasingly negative on that matter.”

“Negative,nandi.” The old man absorbed that in some bemusement and nodded.

“Be warned, too: you will shortly be inundated by inquiries on west coast policy, as more and more of the recent action at Najida and Tanaja appears on the news, and I shall have a statement ready for you. Nadi-ji, this will be a difficult legislative session. First of all, there is a new Maschi lord. Lord Geigi will be your source on that matter—it is a quiet arrangement with Lord Geigi’s approval. Lord Machigi is about to be the aiji-dowager’s guest in the capital, and I shall be personally involved with that visit. You may be sure there will be prophecies of doom from more than the ’counters, I fear. Lord Machigi is expected here to sign an agreement with the aiji-dowager. And threats regarding that matter should be reported, to me, to the object of the threat, to the aiji, and to the Guild. Take them very seriously.”

The old man looked as if he had swallowed something unexpected. “Yes, nandi.”

“Peace with the Marid is a complex matter,” Bren said. “But in general, I shall be working toward that agreement. I shall be talking to various committees affected by it, among them those you have already named, so I shall immediately contact them today. We shall provide this office a detailed statement on the Marid matter and on the West Coast arrangements as soon as possible, but we ca

“One entirely understands that, nandi.”

“I have caused you great difficulties. Among them, I am facing the Merchants’ Guild, the Transport Guild, and the Messengers’ Guild, and I am arranging an exhibit of Marid art in the lower public hall, in advance of meetings with the corresponding Ministers and Committees. Trade will have early access to the exhibit.” He reached into his inside breast pocket and pulled out a single sheet of paper. “These, Sibi-ji, are the essential answers to questions that will arise. I wish to provide these in printed reports, for each Guild, legislative committee and Minister. The reports may be essentially identical in some items, but not in specifics of the interests of the parties. I need not tell you the sort of thing. Appropriate room arrangement is also essential. Accurate reports one must have, with photographs and examples, specific numbers. You have done admirably with each of these three concerns in past. Now you must outdo yourselves, because certain persons will be looking for infelicity.”

“These are our honor to manage, nandi!”

“One offers the most profound respect, Sibi-ji, and one has absolute confidence in your discretion. And if you will accept my suggestion, Sibi-ji, answer or refer only the most important inquiries today, send the staff home early to rest, and tomorrow, and for subsequent days, arrange for meals to be brought in, because staff must work overtime. You are, rest assured, absolutely indispensable, and when this is done, if I survive this next session, I shall personally send you and your staff and immediate families on a half-month paid leave. You and your staff will deserve it by then. You will have earned my profound gratitude.”

“Such an inducement is not necessary, nandi! You pay us very well!”