Larry Niven - Fate of Worlds - Return From the Ringworld

He could live with the mystery, assuming this revolution was as bloodless as when the government he had served stepped down. And if this revolution was for real …

“What do you want from us, Governor?” Sigmund asked.

“To return home, of course. To join us in welcoming Koala. ” Kudrin-Goldberg paused. “The people have spoken. They want the reunification to happen, Minister. Please don’t scare away our visitors. They could arrive at any time.”

“One moment, Governor.” Amelia hit MUTE. “Sigmund, can we trust him?”

“Let’s find out.” Sigmund unmuted the connection. “Governor, I assume you have a link with the ground. I’d like to talk with someone down there.”

“Certainly. We can patch you in from this ship. Who should we call?”

“Check the header.” Except for the header, the text Sigmund transmitted was encrypted. Doubtless the encryption could be cracked — but not before he got his answer. “Send my file as addressed, and be ready to open a real-time session with the recipient.”

“Very well, Minister.”

“Hermes?” Amelia mouthed.

Sigmund shook his head.

Seconds stretched.

Over the comm console, the holo split. A familiar figure appeared wearing a long-tailed black dress coat, black vest, starched white shirt, black bow tie, and white gloves. “It is very good to hear from you, sir,” Jeeves said.

“You, too, Jeeves,” Sigmund answered. But was this his Jeeves? Was it a Jeeves at all, or a person hiding behind an animated avatar? Anyone running Sigmund’s psych profile might have guessed who he would contact. “Is everything well?”

“Quite well, sir. The old government has fallen. Mr. Kudrin-Goldberg has assumed the governorship. You are considered something of a hero again, sir.”

The words proved nothing. Anyone could guess Sigmund would want to hear them.

“Three seven theta alpha forty-two,” Sigmund challenged.

“Forty-four nineteen delta sigma,” Jeeves responded.

His Jeeves: no one else knew the challenge-response pair. Sigmund had set the AI loose on the public net, because what was one more law broken among so many? It was almost inconceivable that Jeeves had been caught and hacked in the few days Sigmund had been away.

Sometimes almost inconceivable was the best that one could hope for.

“All right, Governor, I’m convinced. We’ll be home soon.”

The governor said, “I’m pleased to hear that, Minister. The people will be, too. Once you are down, please come to my offices at your earliest convenience.”

At Sigmund’s side, Amelia was grinning from ear to ear. Kudrin-Goldberg looked relieved. And something else. Expectant?

“I have to ask. Why do you keep using my old title?” Flattery, Sigmund supposed.

“The truth is,” the governor said, “the Defenses Forces need a housecleaning. I had intended to make this request face-to-face, but I guess it can’t wait.

“Sigmund, I’m hoping to make Minister of Defense your current title.”

Koala flew along the Arcadian shoreline, slowly descending.

From an altitude of a kilometer and a half, Julia saw deep into the verdant continent and far out to sea. (About five thousand feet, she reminded herself. She had gotten spoiled by Earth’s metric system. Reverting to feet and miles, pounds and ounces, was going to be a shock.) Apart from zipping through the occasional high cirrus cloud, her view was unimpeded. Sunslight sparkled from azure coastal waters. Barrier islands beckoned: lush with vegetation, outlined by gleaming white sand beaches. Out to sea, a string of setting suns painted a band of low clouds in brilliant pinks and reds.

In her joy at being home, she could forget for seconds at a time that she returned without her ship and crew.

“Captain.” Wesley Wu waited till he saw he had Julia’s attention before gesturing at his bridge’s main view port. “Your world is beautiful.”

“Yes, it is,” she said, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“Long Pass City is coming up,” traffic control radioed. “You can’t miss it. Big city right on the coast, about five miles ahead of you. The main spaceport is five miles beyond.”

“Eight kilometers for each leg,” Julia translated units.

From the corner of an eye she caught two bridge officers grinning at the traffic controller’s description. For every person on New Terra, Earth had hundreds. Tanya had shown Julia images of arcologies each home to more people than New Terra’s capital city.

After their long voyage, the final approach was anticlimactic. Koala swooped to a landing in the center of the field. As they touched down Julia caught a glimpse of reviewing stands set in front of the main terminal.

When the air-lock hatches opened, the cheers of the crowd were deafening.

And when, side by side, she and Wesley Wu exited the lock, the roar grew louder.

AFTER THE SPEECHES HAD ENDED, the parade run its course, and the concert ended with a loud brassy flourish, after most of the shore party had flicked with their official guides to homes and hotels around the globe, finally Julia got to make her way to where her family waited. Mom and Dad. Both her brothers and their families. Aunts and uncles and assorted cousins. After everything she had survived, she might be hugged to death.

Lots of family — but no grandfather.

“Mom!” Julia finally got out the word. “Save some for later.”

Mom gave one more squeeze, sighed, then let Julia go. “Sorry.” Shining eyes said she wasn’t. Dad was holding back tears, too.

“Where’s Grandpa?” Julia asked. She could imagine only one thing keeping Grandpa away: that he blamed her for Alice’s death. She had to get Grandpa alone, had to explain that Alice was well.

“Your grandfather was on the main reviewing stand,” Dad said. “Didn’t you see him?”

Julia shook her head. “I had the setting suns in my eyes and couldn’t make out everyone. I saw only a bunch of politicians. But it was impossible to miss that we have a new governor. What’s that about?”

“There were … changes while you were gone,” Mom said.

What aren’t you telling me? Whatever, it could wait. “Grandpa?” Julia prompted.

“Sigmund is in the new government,” Mom said, “as the minister of the defense forces.” She seemed conflicted about saying more.

“There you are.” Tanya Wu walked up briskly, sharp in her dress blues. She would be staying with Julia, and they would be touring New Terra together. “Your family?”

“Almost all of it. Everyone, this is my good friend, Tanya.”

Even as Julia made the introductions, her mind churned. Grandpa was in the government? That meant his past differences with the political establishment had been forgiven. She was very happy for him.

She could tell her grandpa anything — but how could she tell the Minister of New Terran Defense Forces that she had given away one of his starships?

The illusion was all but perfect. Overhead, the image shone of the primeval sun. Lush rolling pasture, vibrant in reds, yellows, and purples, merged flawlessly into the “distance” where walls fractured by Long Shot ’s arrival had been restored. Indifferent to the solemn gathering of Citizens, a trio of Companions ambled along a nearby slope nibbling the fragrant meadowplant. Only stacked boxes spoiled the pastoral atmosphere. The equipment would be gone soon enough.

As shall I, Baedeker thought.

“You need not go.” Nike sang not only to Baedeker and Nessus, but to the volunteers gathered to accompany them. “You should not go. The prospects for success are unfavorable.”