Free Foundation's Fear by Gregory Benford Page B

a body of research by many—”
    “Come come, Academician, everyone knows you wrote down the procedures, the approach.”
    Hari groused a little more, because it did irk him,but the Thoranax woman went on about using the pyramids and Yugo joined in enthusiastically and he let the point pass. She went off with Yugo to work and he settled into his usual academic grind.
    His daily schedule hovered on the holo:
Get Symposia speakers—sweeten the invitation for the reluctant
Write nominations for Imperial Fellows
Read student thesis, after it has been checked & passed by Logic Chopper program
    These burned up the bulk of his day. Only when the Chancellor entered his office did he remember that he had promised to give a speech. The Chancellor had a quick, ironic smile and pursed lips, a reserved gaze—the scholar’s look. “Your…dress?” he asked pointedly.
    Hari fumbled in his office closet, fetched forth the balloon-sleeved and ample-girted robe, and changed in the side room. His secretary handed him his all-purpose view cube as they quickly left the office. With the Chancellor he crossed the main square, his Specials in an inconspicuous formation fore and aft. A crowd of well-dressed men and women trained 3D cameras at them, one panning up and down to get the full effect of the Streeling blue-and-yellow swirl-stripes.
    “Have you heard from Lamurk?”
    “What about the Dahlites?”
    “Do you like the new Sector Principal? Does it matter that she’s a trisexualist?”
    “How about the new health reports? Should the Emperor set exercise requirements for Trantor?”
    “Ignore them,” Hari said.
    The Chancellor smiled and waved at the cameras. “They’re just doing their job.”
    “What’s this about exercise?” Hari asked.
    “A study found that electro-stim while sleeping doesn’t develop muscles as well as old-fashioned exercise.”
    “Not surprising.” He had worked in the fields as a boy and never liked the idea of having his exertion stimmed while he slept.
    A wedge of reporters pressed nearer, shouting questions.
    “What does the Emperor think of what you said to Lamurk?”
    “Is it true that your wife doesn’t want you to be First Minister?”
    “What about Demerzel? Where is he?”
    “What about the Zonal disputes? Can the Empire compromise?”
    A woman rushed forward. “How do you exercise?”
    Hari said sardonically, “I exercise restraint,” but his point sailed right past the woman, who looked at him blankly.
    As they entered the Great Hall, Hari remembered to fetch forth the view cube and hand it to the hall-master. A few 3Ds always made a talk pass more easily. “Big crowd,” he noted to the Chancellor as they took their places on the speech balcony above the bowl of seats.
    “Attendance is compulsory. All class members are here.” The Chancellor beamed down at the multitude. “I wanted to be sure we looked good to the reporters outside.”
    Hari’s mouth twisted. “How do they take attendance?”
    “Everyone has a keyed seat. Once they sit, they’re counted, if their inboard ID matches the seat index.”
    “A lot of trouble just to get people to attend.”
    “They must! It’s for their own good. And ours.”
    “They’re adults, or else why let them studyadvanced subjects? Let them decide what’s good for them.”
    The Chancellor’s lips compressed as he rose to do the introduction. When Hari got up to talk, he said, “Now that you’re officially counted, I thank you for inviting me, and announce that this is the end of my formal address.”
    A rustle of surprise. Hari’s gaze swept the hall and he let the silence build. Then he said mildly, “I dislike speaking to anyone who has no choice over whether to listen. Now I shall sit down, and anyone wishing to leave may do so.”
    He sat. The auditorium buzzed. A few got up to leave. The other students booed them. When he rose to speak again they cheered.
    He had never had an audience so on his side. He made the most of