Algis Budrys - Michaelmas

“Absolutely. I checked that while Frontiere was talking about it. There’s no record in Kosmgorod’s storage of any such superimposing transmissions, but you wouldn’t expect it to be there, with a guilty crew to wipe out the evidence. I also checked Star Control’s files of the ostensible receptions. They’re on exactly the right frequency, in what you’d swear is Norwood’s voice making routine astrotalk, and the signal strength is exactly what you’d expect from that type of equipment in flight. Of course, that’s the sort of good job Kosmgorod would do, if they did it.”

“And they really did all that just to get a Soviet name in the history books instead of an American one.”

“Well,” Domino said, “you know, people will do these things.”

Michaelmas closed his eyes. “And we will do what we can. All right. We’ve got to take hold of this situation, even if we don’t know what it is. Let’s tie down as many factors as we can. Let’s tell UNAC I want to do a documentary on Papashvilly. Right away. Find a buyer, find Frontiere, set up interviews with Papashvilly, the UNAC bureaucracy, and all that. Norwood too. Norwood too — that’s important. I haven’t the foggiest notion of what this piece is about, and I don’t care, but I want them holding Norwood for me. Get us in there. Fastest route to the Star Control complex. Also stay on top of the Hanrassy situation. Do what you can to keep tab on Limberg. For God’s sake, keep me informed on what’s happening inside the USSR.” He slumped back into the chair.

“Gervaise,” Domino said.

Michaelmas’s eyes opened. “What?”

“If I can arrange it, do you want Madame Gervaise’s network and her crew?”

“No,” Michaelmas said quickly. “There’s absolutely no need for any such thing. We can use local talent and sell the job as a package. To anyone who meets my standards.” He shut his eyes precisely and squirmed in the chair to settle himself. “Another thing,” he said as he turned and curled on his side. His back was presented to the machine on the table, and his voice was muffled. “Find out when, why, and for how long Gervaise was a patient at Limberg’s sanatorium.”

“Ah,” Domino said. “All right.”

It became quiet in the suite. The sunlight filtered through the drapes and touched the case of the terminal lying on the polished mahogany. Michaelmas’s breathing became steady. A growing half-moon of perspiration spread through the fabric of his shirt under the sleeve inset. The air-conditioning murmured. Michaelmas began to make slight, tremblant moves of his arms and legs. His hands twitched as if he were running and clutching. “Hush, hush,” Domino murmured, and the motions first smoothed and then were ameliorated almost completely.

In the quiet, the machine said softly:

“Wake up, Mr Michaelmas,” Domino soon said. “They’re holding a plane for you.”

Michaelmas sat up, his eyes wide. “What’s the situation?”

“Getulio Frontiere is flying Norwood back to Star Control via Cite d’Afrique in a UNAC plane. You’ve spoken to him, and he’s happy to take you along. They’ll leave as soon as you can get there. I have checked you out of the hotel; a bellboy will be here in five minutes, and a car will meet you at the door. The time now is twelve forty-eight.”

“All right. All right.” Michaelmas nodded his head vigorously and pushed himself to his feet. He pulled at his shirt and settled his trousers. He rubbed his face and moved across the room to where his shoes were lying. “Everything’s set up?”

“Frontiere told you he was delighted. It’s a great pleasure to be able to add your programme to the one being prepared by Douglas Campion.”

Michaelmas sat down and began unlacing his shoes. “Campion?” he said, his head lifting.

“It seems that early this afternoon Campion approached Frontiere for a Norwood special interview. Frontiere equivocated, but agreed after visiting here. Presumably it’ll be done on the basis Frontiere tried to suggest to you,”

“Ah, the young man is rising rapidly.”

“By default of his elders.”

“The traditional route. It’s good for us; hot breath on your heels is what keeps you on your toes.” Michaelmas put on the shoes and bent to methodically tease the laces just tight enough, eyelet by eyelet.

“Maybe. But there’s now a longish chain of coincidences. It’s become significant to me that Limberg’s medical corporation has recently made itself a major stockholder in the Euro Voire-Mondial communications company. It’s part of a perfectly typical portfolio; a little shrewder than most, but unexceptionable. The holdings in EVM represent steady investment over several months, and Medlimb Pty doesn’t visibly concern itself at all with EVM’s day-to-day affairs, any more than Limberg drinks extra coffee just because he owns a Colombian finca. But Gervaise is on staff employment with EVM. They’re your recent contractor. And now EVM has signed for this interview of Campion’s.”

Michaelmas tied each lace and tested the knots. “Well, he’s completed his job with his American affiliation.”

“There’s nothing wrong with anything he’s done. But you should know Clementine Gervaise has been assigned as his director. She and an EVM crewman are also on board the plane. The Norwood interview will be conducted en route. Additional shots, and interviews if needed, will be obtained at Star Control this afternoon, and the programme will air at nine p.m. tonight, US Eastern Time.”

“Ah.” Michaelmas stood up. “Well, I can see how Getulio would like that.” The programme would bracket the United States exactly, from evening snack-time in the East to the second or third drink or stick of the day in the West. An audience with something on its tongue is less resistant to insinuation. “How big is this plane?”

“Well, you won’t quite be sitting in each other’s laps, if that’s what you mean.”

“Let me just make sure I’ve got everything out of the bathroom and into the bag before the bellman arrives.”

“There’s another thing about Gervaise.”

“What?”

“She was in a car crash here the year before last. Her husband was killed and she was critically injured. She was out of public view for eleven months. She resumed her career only half a year ago. During the interval, she was at the Limberg Sanatorium. Extensive orthopaedic and cosmetic surgery is said to have been performed. If so, then like most restorative surgery in such cases, the optimum approach is to produce a close return to function and an acceptable appearance. It’s not always possible to make the patient appear the same as before the trauma. There are also consequences to the personality — sometimes socially desirable, sometimes not. In Gervaise’s case there was a need for extensive simultaneous psychotherapy, she says freely. Broadcasting trade journals have remarked that she has many of the mannerisms of the familiar Clementine Gervaise, and her old friends declare that she is essentially the same person behind her somewhat changed face. But her energy and decisiveness have greatly increased. Her career has shown a definite uptrend since her return. She is given much of the credit for EVM’s recent acceleration towards major status. There’s talk she’ll soon be offered a top management position. And several people in broadcasting have made arrangements to be rushed to Berne should they ever have a serious accident.”