Patriarch's Hope (The Seafort Saga Book 6) by Feintuch David

Author:Feintuch, David [Feintuch, David]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781453295663
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2013-01-08T05:00:00+00:00

14

INTERVIEWS WITH HOLOWORLD, NEWSNET, and Holoweek, from the Skytel Sheraton. A much publicized visit to the New York Seawall, where I scowled at the Hudson estuary lapping at its massive algae-stained blocks. Then a suborbital to Brazil, and a tour of the wasteland of worked-out farms that generations ago had been rain forest.

Vehement speeches in Rio, São Paulo, and Brasilia. Then on to Buenos Aires and La Plata. Montevideo. Mexico City.

Our days fell into a wearisome routine. Mikhael, Tad Anselm, and Bevin helped me get in and out of my chair, ran errands, took charge of our gear. When there was time, I let them out to explore.

Arlene reviewed drafts of my speeches, amending them to keep me on point and lucid.

Jerence Branstead orchestrated quiet meetings with local leaders, in which I tried to win them to our program. I soon became adept at emphasizing the new manufactories that our enviro crusade would call forth.

Still, persistent questions dogged us. Why had I submitted to Eco League extortion? Would a covey of anonymous terrorists dictate enviro policy? I tried my best to keep my temper.

Over dinner, Arlene soothed me. “It’s part of the process. Every political leader has gone through it.”

“Genghis Khan didn’t.”

Anselm snorted. Mikhael repressed a grin.

“Be patient, Nick. You’re succeeding.” The polls showed us holding our support. Our foes in the Assembly would take note. Few dared oppose us openly; I’d crafted a weighty coalition. Instead, they would kill our plans with hearings, with studies, with helpful amendments.

I called Cisno Valera. “Tell them it won’t work. The package goes to the floor in three weeks, or I dissolve the Assembly.”

“They can’t move so fast.”

“They’d better.” I would make the issue their political survival.

“Mr. Seafort ...” He sounded uncomfortable. “As Deputy SecGen I can’t support what amounts to a coup against the legislative process.”

“Is this a parting of the ways, Cisno?”

He backpedaled. “The Senate has rules, procedures, customs ...”

“Hurry them along. Three weeks.” I was too tired to be diplomatic.

The next morning we were in Ireland. I spoke at the Naval training station, near the site of the Belfast nuke. “There are those who would counsel delay. Perhaps they mean well. Meanwhile the tides rise two inches a year. We can afford no caution. We need action, strength, and resolve.”

That night Anselm failed to come home to the hotel. Karen Burns woke me at three: he’d been arrested in a drunken brawl at a Navy bar. Did I want him released?

“No.” I went back to sleep.

In the morning, groggy and disgusted, I reversed myself, sent an aide to arrange bail. When the middy appeared, I sent him for a caning, with instructions not to go easy. Mikhael saw his demeanor afterward, and laughed outright.

Trouble, but no time to deal with it; we were on to South Africa. Forty-seven U.N. Senators announced they would block my legislation after the Assembly was through with it. Jerence Branstead scrambled for a key to their conversion.

Finally, after fifteen exhausting days, we flew home. A conference with the Patriarchs awaited.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.