Free The Swarm by Orson Scott Card Page A

we’ll discuss the matter in detail.”
    Everything was clear now. Vaganov was being deferential to a defense contractor instead of the other way around. Gungsu had him in their pocket. It made sense. Gungsu was a company of engineers. They didn’t know how to navigate the military bureaucracy. They needed commanders with influence who could put tech on the fast track to approval, who could help them penetrate the red tape and beat out competitors.
    Vaganov had come from Acquisitions. Had he begun his relationship with Gungsu then? That might explain Gungsu’s rapid ascent in the industry. The very man writing the checks was an ally.
    What had they promised Vaganov? Mazer wondered. Not direct payments, of course. That would be too risky, too easy to uncover.
    No, it would be some other method of compensation. A promised position on the Gungsu board when the war was over, perhaps, with a generous salary and a role as a consultant. It wasn’t an uncommon practice. Retired brass often took up positions at the big players. Maybe Vaganov had simply been given the offer in advance.
    â€œThe presentation went very well,” Vaganov said upon returning. “The Hegemony was grateful. I expressed your concerns about the GD to Gungsu, and they found all of your complaints legitimate. They want to address every issue and make the system as safe as possible. Woo Han’s offer to you to work as a liaison is a real one, by the way. It has my approval. You can assist with the GD and the development of the nanoshield.”
    â€œThe idea for the nanoshield wasn’t mine,” said Mazer. “It was Corporal Shambhani’s.”
    â€œYes yes, he’ll get full credit in the report, I’m sure,” said Vaganov.
    â€œCorporal Shambhani is the one who lost his leg because of shrapnel today, sir.”
    â€œI haven’t seen the medical report,” said Vaganov, “but I’ll take your word for it. If his idea works, then his contribution will continue even after he’s given his medical discharge. Unless he opts to stay in. We need men with ideas.”
    Colonel Vaganov put a hand on Mazer’s shoulder. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Captain. You know as well as I do that training accidents are par for the course. We do our best to avoid them, but we are in the business of handling weapons of war. Accidents will happen.”
    Yes, thought Mazer. How deft of you to deflect blame from yourself by passing it to me.
    What was the GD contract worth, Mazer wondered? Four billion credits? Five? Buying a colonel in Acquisitions and then helping place him in command of WAMRED would cost far less.
    â€œGungsu must be grateful for your guidance,” Mazer said.
    Colonel Vaganov dismissed the thought with a flick of his wrist. “We’re talking about you now, Captain. Opportunities like this don’t come often in the IF. You won’t see any bump in pay, but it will pay off in the long run.”
    I’m sure it will, thought Mazer.
    â€œThere are other perks as well,” said Vaganov. “You’ll have to frequent Gungsu’s base of operations on Luna, which would allow you to visit your wife occasionally. That would make her happy, I bet.”
    â€œIt would,” said Mazer.
    â€œGood. I’ll have someone prepare the paperwork.”
    He started for the door.
    â€œThe defective cube,” said Mazer.
    Vaganov stopped, turned back.
    â€œIt was deliberate,” said Mazer.
    He should have realized it before now. The Hegemony would demand that all potential applications be tested, which meant the colonel had to test the single-triangle formation. Yet he also needed that test to succeed. So he had given working cubes to the other teams and the faulty cube to the one team most likely to succeed despite the setback.
    â€œIt was data the Hegemony required,” said Vaganov. “If they were going to go with the GD, we needed to prove