Free Nancy Kress - Crossfire 02 by Crucible Page B

or another, billions died on Earth. The surviving population is about a half billion.”
    It sounded an immense number to Alex, but Jake gasped.
    “There are tribes roaming in the wild lowlands, but civilization survives mostly in domed cities at higher altitudes. Those have preserved a perhaps high level of civilization, or at least of technology. Geneva is one such place. I was part of a coalition to unite these surviving city-states to do what we could to restore the planet, but we were bitterly opposed and our leader assassinated. It was thought expedient to offer me the command of this expedition, and I accepted. With gladness, I might add. It was the only way I saw to redeem my life from hopelessness.”
    Alex found herself moved. Such a position! To watch one’s planet dying … She said warmly, “I think you were very brave to come here.”
    Julian did not respond to that. Lau-Wah said, “This can all be confirmed by the news files in the Crucible’s deebees, of course.”
    “Of course.”
    Ashraf spoke for the first time. “Commander, what are your plans now?”
    Julian gazed at him. Alex couldn’t help contrasting the two men: Julian so tall and grave in his black uniform, Ashraf slight and fidgety, dropping his gaze as if his question had been somehow impertinent. Not a fair contrast, she knew. Julian was genemod. To sleep only one hour each night… how much more he could accomplish while the rest of them snored time away!
    Julian said, “With your permission, Mayor Shanti, my scientists will dispatch a contingent in our rover to meet with Nan Frayne and the Furs that live nomadi-cally on Greentrees. They—”
    “You already know about Nan Frayne!” Alex said.
    “I’ve comlinked with her. She’s willing to meet with me.”
    “She is?”
    He smiled. “I think Dr. Farling, head of my xenobiology team intrigued her with offers of information exchange.”
    Jake said pointedly, “Ashraf, did you authorize this?”
    “Well, no, I… do you think that’s necessary? I wasn’t… mean…”
    “I’m very sorry if I’ve violated protocol,” Julian said, concerned. “Dr. Farling hasn’t left yet; shall I cancel the expedition?”
    “No,” Ashraf said, with sudden decisiveness. He stared at Jake. “I give my permission now.”
    There was a little silence. Alex shifted her glass of tea to her other hand. Julian continued.
    “The rest of my scientists are eager to get started on their various field studies. The four physicists and their two assistants are already working with your people, and will remain in Mira City; And, of course, Chief Engineer Lieutenant Mwakambe meets soon with Alex. I myself, again with your permission, would like to see everything in the city. Alex, will you show me what you’ve accomplished here? It’s so different from Geneva. So … beautiful.”
    She heard his voice break, a tiny break but real, and remorse washed over her. This must be so strange for him. They were not treating their guest very well, examining him like some field specimen! “Of course I will,” she said.
    “Thank you.”
    Hoping to lighten the mood, she said, “And your brother? What made Duncan come here? Merely to bring theater to a new planet?”
    “With Duncan,” Julian said, ” ’theater’ and ’merely’ cannot be put in the same sentence. As I’m afraid you’re about to discover.”
    “Attention, please, everyone!” shrilled a female voice. Oh, Lord, Alex thought, her third cousin Seena Bramlee. That was all they needed. Seena was one of the few members of the huge Cutler clan who had no profession. She spent her time arranging what social and cultural life Mira City had; Seena had, in fact, helped arrange this party. She lived off her accumulated credits, the result of her mother’s canny loans of original equipment and subsequent granted land to the second and third generation of Mira’s embryonic capitalists. Again Alex thought of Lau-Wall’s uncharacteristic monologue about