Free The View from the Imperium by Jody Lynn Nye

to do.”
    “But, to carry your metaphor further, siblings are equals,” Thirteen said. “We are parentless. A group with no head.”
    “Isn’t that the definition of a committee?” Six asked, with good humor.
    “Then one of us should step forward,” Zembke began. DeKarn held herself still in anticipation. This could be the moment she had hoped for.
    Five cleared his throat, and nodded jerkily toward his own contingent. “Boske has always led negotiations.”
    “That’s just a matter of geography,” Zembke said, brushing aside the concept. “It’s closest to the Imperium, that’s all. We’re harkening back to a time that will never return. We are the Castaway Cluster. We’ve held together all these years. Can’t we agree, here and now, to formalize that arrangement, and be something more than just a loose association? We should hash out a governmental structure, and,” he added, feeling the time was ripe, “a leader! Someone we can stand behind, and who will be the face that we show to the Imperium. One face, one strong negotiator, who defends our rights.”
    “I . . . I think I’d like having a leader,” Eland put in meekly.
    “So would I,” Sago admitted. The rest of the Cocomons whistled agreement. “A nest-mother, as we of Cocomo have.”
    “Someone has to speak for us to the Imperial agent,” Twenty-Three added in his quavering voice.
    “Isn’t Boske still first among equals?” Twenty inquired, with a deferential nod toward DeKarn.
    “Not necessarily,” DeKarn said.
    “Surely we shouldn’t change this close to an Imperial visit,” Five agreed, tapping the breast of his pale blue robe.
    “Augh!” cried Six, running his hands through his hair. “How does a committee accomplish anything? Throw in every interruption in the universe, and then dither until moot!”
    “No!” Zembke stood up with his hands flat on the wide stone desk. Patriotic music flowed up around him out of speakers concealed in his seat, and a star map superimposed itself on the screens all around the room. DeKarn knew he’d waited for this moment for years, and had prepared his background material accordingly. She was in favor of granting him the leadership, though she knew Zembke was less popular than she. She would have proposed it herself long ago, but both the council as a whole and Zembke himself would have found it suspicious, as they did anything that smacked of unified government. Still, he was strong and of firm opinions. Even if the others disagreed with him, having to justify their opinions to him would make debate more productive.
    Under normal circumstances, the council would not vote for a leader, but they were being pressed to it by the arrival of the envoy. This was a chance that could not be missed. DeKarn craved unity, and the strength of purpose that went with it. She sat straight, her eyes upon Zembke, encouraging him to go on.
    He did, arms spread wide. “Why should we continue with the system that the Imperium left us? Boske was their choice for our spokesplanet. I propose that we of Carstairs speak for the rest of the Cluster. Our star is closest to the center. That makes it the prime location to use as a meeting point for all our peoples.” On the screen immediately over his head Carstairs stood out like a glowing orange beacon, and spokes sprang from the star toward the fainter images of the other seven. DeKarn almost applauded. “We will show them that we do not cling to their preferences. Choose a new center!” He flung his arms out as if to embrace the whole council.
    “Geography!” Ten exclaimed, rising and fixing a fierce eye on Zembke, who matched her glare for glare. She crushed a half-empty nic tube on the table. The pale gas seeped out of it like an escaping soul. “You denounce it, then you try to make use of it? Come on, we all know that DeKarn is the best negotiator. She hasn’t got your bombast, but maybe her low blood pressure will keep us from getting wiped out by