Free Vale of Stars by Sean O'Brien Page A

the people to defy you. You have lost, Arnson.”
    Arnson was curiously unperturbed. “An ancient Earth philosopher once said, ‘With the proper lever, one can move the Earth.’ I have such a lever on you, Doctor. You have indeed convinced the people, as you put it, that your views are worth listening to. But now, I think, you will convince them otherwise. Please, do not make me vocalize the nature of the hold I have on you. It is ugly enough that you have forced me into this regrettable act.”
    A picture of Kuarta’s face swam in front of her eyes. She was digging in the dirt, that day she had discovered the true nature of the only world she had ever known. Mild surprise on her face, but no tears, of course. Strange that Renold did not come to her mind—no, that was not true. His intellect, his calm rationality was in her mind. It suddenly occurred to Jene that although Renold was a creature of reason without emotion, he believed in the same things she did. Unconsciously, she needed him to confirm her beliefs. The irony of the timing of the realization did not escape her. Arnson held her family hostage in return for her cooperation. She knew that her poor, intellectual husband would not be able to solve this dilemma with reason.
    Arnson seemed to know precisely when Jene would fully understand the nature of his leverage. “The Shipwide band has been reserved for your speech. I do not expect you to speak extemporaneously—I have a prepared statement, written in your own style, of course.”
    Jene interrupted him with a sigh. “No. I want to speak now. After I do what you want, I presume my family will be released?”
    Arnson permitted himself a small smile. “I believe after you speak to Ship what little danger your family is in will vanish and they can be released from protective custody, yes.”
    “Then let’s go. I want to see my daughter.”
    “Of course, Doctor. This way.”
    Jene, Arnson, and two constables swam out of the Council Chambers and entered the tiny comweb station elsewhere in the Panoptikon. The room had one broadcast station and a chair with a restraining strap for use in free fall. A technician floated behind a glass partition in the control room beyond. Jene saw a clipboard near the microphone; presumably, her prepared speech was already waiting for her.
    Jene felt the gentle but firm pressure of one of the constables behind her. She floated into the transmission booth and settled into the chair.
    “Very well. Doctor, Ship is waiting.” Arnson glanced at the technician in the control room and nodded. The man adjusted some dials and gave a thumbs-up. Arnson and the two constables stayed outside the small transmission booth, but their almost palpable menace pressed upon Jene as she sat and stared into the camera pickup. The technician rapped on the glass to get her attention, then showed her five fingers, then four, three, two, and one. Then he pointed at her.
    Jene took a deep breath and silently asked for forgiveness from the people she was about to betray. She had spent her whole life with them, and now she was about to condemn them to a fate she could not begin to imagine. She glanced at the clipboard.
    “Shipmates, this is Jene Halfner.” Her voice boomed out to the entire expanse of Ship simultaneously. The Panoptikon broadcaster had been used only twice in her lifetime. She knew that below her, virtually all eight thousand people who made up Ship’s population were listening. 
    “I am speaking to you from the Panoptikon, high above you. If I were to look down from the Council Chambers I imagine I could see all of Ship, all of our works and achievements. We are about to enter into the most exciting and challenging phase of our mission to date—our arrival at EE3. As you know, I have been in disagreement with the plans of the Council regarding medical treatment of our children once we begin planetfall. I have counseled nonviolent resistance to their plan to prioritize resources