Ben Bova - Test of Fire

“Madam Chairwoman,” called white-haired Catherine Demain, sitting two seats to Lisa’s left.

Lisa nodded to her.

“I’m sorry that this debate is reaching such an unfortunate level of incivility,” she said, without getting up from her chair. “But a critical point has been raised by this outburst. Douglas Morgan has committed treason against us. There’s no other word for his actions, even though I counted Doug among my closest friends on the day he left for Earthside. The question is, why did he do such a horrible thing? Why did he turn against us? Is there some factor in his psychological makeup that—forgive me—might have been inherited by his son? Or is it…”

Alec shot to his feet without thinking about what he was doing. Barely controlling his voice, he said, “I will not sit here and listen to my mother and myself being discussed like two specimens in a biology lab.”

The Councilor at his right reached for his arm, but Alec pulled away and started walking around the table toward Catherine Demain.

“Since I volunteered for this expedition I have been subjected to every possible physical and mental test that the medical staff could devise. My record is available to all of you for the most intense study.”

He stopped at the Councilwoman’s chair. She had to turn and look up to see him. Clutching the chair’s high back and looming over her, Alec asked, “Have you studied my record?”

“Yes, of course I have.”

“Is there any indication of any imbalance whatsoever?”

Alec found that deep inside him his anger was being supplanted by another emotion: not joy, exactly, but a thrill, an excitement, the tingle of power.

“No,” Catherine Demain replied softly. “All of your tests were… well, you got excellent ratings.”

“You yourself ran many of those tests,” he said, looking down at her.

She nodded and turned away from him.

Alec swept the room with his eyes. “I know that I’m young. I know that my father failed us all — but he failed no one so badly as my mother and myself. And I also know that I’ve scored higher in every test, from word-association to heavy gunnery, than any citizen in this community. If my name were Kobol, or LaStrande, or Nickerson, you wouldn’t have had the slightest hesitation in approving me to head the expedition. That is the truth and we all know it.”

“You are out of order,” Lisa said firmly. “Apologize to the Council and return to your seat.” But her eyes sparkled.

He grinned at his mother. “Sorry. I beg the Council’s indulgence.”

As he went back to his seat, one of the younger women Councilors called for the floor.

“Councilor Dortman,” Lisa acknowledged.

Sylvia Dortman had been a strong supporter of Alec’s nomination, one of Lisa’s most dependable allies.

But now she looked troubled. “There’s no sense trying to ignore the problem that’s bothering all of us,” she said. “And that problem, quite simply, is trust. We trusted Douglas Morgan and he failed us. Deliberately. Can we trust his son?” Before anyone could reply, she quickly added, “I’m not questioning Alec’s loyalty or strength of purpose. I’m not questioning his physical or mental abilities. I’m not even questioning his intentions. But the basic fear remains. His father was just as capable and well-liked and respected—more so, from what I’ve been told. And Douglas turned traitor. We don’t know why. Equally, we don’t know what Alec will do when he reaches Earth.”

For long moments no one said a word. All the Councilors turned to Lisa, waiting for her reaction.

Alec sat rigid with tension, staring at his mother like the rest of them.

At last, Lisa said very softly, “We are beginning to hear repetitions of previous discussions. A motion has been made to put the question to a vote. Who will second the motion?”

“One moment, please.” LaStrande again. “I suggest that we change from our usual voice vote to a secret ballot. To assure complete freedom of choice.”

“Very well,” Lisa said. Her eyes closed and her voice sounded infinitely weary. “If there are no other objections…”

Why? Alec raged silently at her. Why vote now, before these stupid arguments have been laid to rest? Then he saw the withering look Lisa was firing at Sylvia Dortman and he suddenly understood.

She wants to get the vote in while she still has the majority. She’s afraid that our support is crumbling away.

The Councilors voted by pressing the appropriate button on the tiny panels set into the table at each of their places. Their votes were registered by the computer and displayed on the viewscreen on the wall. Fifteen Council members, eight votes needed to carry the election.

The screen flickered and showed: COUNCIL VOTE. SIX VOTES FOR MORGAN. FOUR VOTES FOR KOBOL. FIVE ABSTENTIONS.

Twisted around in his chair to read the screen, Alec felt fear for the first time. Five abstentions!

They could swing the vote to Kobol. Just four of them could!

“We’ll have to take another ballot,” Lisa said.

“Madam Chairwoman.”

It was Kobol. He had stayed silent through the debate so far, as propriety demanded. But now he rose to his feet, a lanky unfolding of knees and elbows.

“There’s been enough debate,” he said slowly, nasally, “to convince me that further discussion could split the Council into antagonistic factions and cause divisions among us that might not be healed for years. I think the time has come for a compromise, in the interests of peace and unity.”

“What do you have in mind?” Lisa asked.

With a humorless smile, Kobol replied, “If we look only at the various physical and mental tests that we’ve all been subjected to, there’s no question that Alec is the best qualified man to head the expedition Earthside. What we’re arguing about here is a question of trust—or guilt, really.”

Alec could not take his eyes off Kobol’s face.

Something was going on behind the mask he wore.

“No one wants to head this expedition more than I do,” Kobol continued. “I think I’d do a good job of it, despite my limp. I’ve been Earthside before, I know what to expect. I’d be prepared to fight off any opposition we might meet—even if it was Doug Morgan and his barbarian army.”

A sigh of understanding went around the table.

“But I also know that for me to insist on heading the expedition could cause irreparable damage here: friend against friend, jealousy and hatred instead of harmony and cooperation.”

What’s he driving at? Alec ached to know.

“So I would like to withdraw my name from consideration as the expedition’s commander…”

The Councilors gave a collective gasp.

“…providing I can be named deputy commander, serving under Alec.”

Alec felt as if he’d been led up to a mountaintop and then pushed off. The whole Council seemed stunned, but soon enough they recovered and began to murmur, nod heads, look back and forth at one another. Kobol sat down while they chattered.

Lisa called for order.

LaStrande asked to be recognized. “I’ve never seen such a generous, unselfish move in this chamber. I suggest that we name Alexander Morgan commander of the expedition and Martin Kobol deputy commander—by unanimous voice vote!”

Everyone cheered. The actual vote was a formality.

Smiling, relieved, happy that the impasse had been broken, the Councilors filed out of the chamber. Each one of them shook Alec’s hand— and Kobol’s. Alec stood by his chair, still in turmoil inside, until no one was left in the room except himself, his mother, and Kobol.

Lisa stood behind her chair. It struck Alec that she was using it like a shield, keeping it between herself and Kobol.