Convergence by C. J. Cherryh

Author:C. J. Cherryh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: DAW
Published: 2017-02-23T10:18:59+00:00

8

Cabinet meeting. God. Shawn’s nine advisors, that met with him regularly, and that generally had compatible opinions—but no scarcity of concerns.

There had been perhaps a few too many glasses of wine at the dinner last night. Not on Bren’s part, but on the part of several of the North Shore political elite. There had been far too many pointed questions. He had felt he was constantly parrying attacks, or fending off people trying to score points.

This meeting had the potential to go the same direction, since it included several of the Secretaries present last night. Atevi legislators were generally a little more careful with the alcohol, and atevi dinners did not allow serious discussion at table.

Not so, on the Mospheiran side of the strait. Mospheirans were a little rougher on their President. And his guests.

He straightened his cuff lace, asking himself whether the bulletproof vest—brocade as it was—was entirely the thing for a gathering of the Mospheiran cabinet, with Shawn’s own security and his in the hall outside. It did make him a little stiff and less natural. But Narani had recalled to him a certain promise, that he would wear the thing if for no other reason than because his best coats accommodated it, and Narani and Jeladi were the arbiters of wardrobe. The coat did not fit as it should without it, he needed to look his best for a meeting with Shawn’s advisors, and that was that, from the elderly gentleman who had crossed the strait to keep him in good order.

Banichi and the others were not unhappy about the decision. They had been a little uneasy with the questions last night from less than sober sources. Bren, on the other hand, had no apprehension at all that the elderly Secretary of Education was going to produce firearms. No. The man was a different kind of problem, a tenacious fellow, not from Linguistics, but a former professor of Business Administration, whose chief weapon was a slightly inflexible mind.

At least they were not stinting with the air conditioning this afternoon, which made the vest slightly less uncomfortable. Port Jackson was just a shade warmer, compared to Shejidan. It had no mountains within view, and its sea breeze could be muggy.

The door opened. One of Shawn’s aides held it open for his entry into the meeting room, Shawn and the rest had risen in courtesy, and he walked to Shawn’s side, attentive to the introductions for those who had not met him last evening. He was appointed a courtesy seat endmost, at a table that, being only for twelve people at max, didn’t use microphones. They served tea—that was welcome. Even more welcome, Shawn had promised him that he would be first on the agenda and that he wouldn’t have to stay for the discussion on the Port Jackson harbor dredging issue.

He sat through his introduction, nodded pleasantly to the cabinet officers, and thanked Shawn for the invitation.

“I’ll start with the good news. The treaty. I’m sure you’ve all read it by now, and know the gist of the agreement.

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