Adiamante by L. E. Modesitt Jr. Read Free Book Online

and I knew it would be long—long indeed. Holding in a sigh, I smiled.

VI

    S ociety is based on morality.
    Morality rests on consensus and requires the use of power to remove those who will not accept that consensus.

    The continued existence of a shared morality rests on the forbearance of every single individual within a society from claiming the entire fruit of his or her labor.
    A society’s ability to achieve consensus is inversely proportional to the size and complexity of society, to the degree of technological advancement, and to the speed of internal communications.
    The more complex a society’s framework, the shorter the existence of that incarnation of a society.
    Power cannot be maintained and effectively exercised without a moral structure accepted and practiced by all because power attracts the corruptible and because corruption destroys consensus.
    Certain individuals are born incapable of forbearance; so are certain cultures.
    Thus, continuation of society rests on: the willingness of each individual to accept the shared values of the society; the willingness and the ability of those in power to remove those who do not support the morality of the society; and the willingness of all to limit the size and complexity of society to the scope of consensus required.
    Â 
    â€”The Paradigms of Power

VII
    F or a time that next morning after the ceremony at the Hybernium welcoming the cybs of the Vereal Union, I sat at the old cedar table, looking out at the light snow, sipping tea, and thinking about the cybs—and what they wanted.
    Most of those who landed had been military, and their fleet was clearly designed for destruction and conquest. As Crucelle had seen, action along those lines was not likely immediately—not until the cybs were convinced they could act without undue costs or until we had been sufficiently humiliated—or both.
    With a sigh, I slipped into the overnet, seeking Crucelle out.
    â€œNow what?”
    â€œHave they picked a guest quarters bloc? You did make me Coordinator, remember?”
    â€œWe’re doing that now. They’ll take the south bloc, it looks like.”
    I received the image of the larger bloc of low quarters midway between the station and the locial center.
    â€œRather luxurious for marcybs. They are what we calculated, aren’t they?” Sometimes even a good comp-intuit needs reassurance, and I did.
    â€œFairly close. They’ve avoided genetic sympathetic resonance by ensuring a wide variation in base stock, but they’re marcybs, all right. Neurotrained in every weapons system and standard tactics, then field exercised to a sharp edge. That’s probably one reason they want them on the ground.”

    â€œIt’s hard to believe they’d go to such lengths.” I gave a mental shrug. “But it doesn’t look like they’ve changed.”
    â€œNo. Wayneclint was too damned generous,” Crucelle opined.
    â€œThe resonances?” I asked.
    â€œWe’re working on it, but we’ve only got the theory. It’s been a long time, and …”
    The whole business with the marcybs was nasty and disgusting, but I didn’t have much of a choice in options until Crucelle and his team were done, and there was no point in arguing over where a few hundred marcybs were lodged with twelve adiamante hulls orbiting Old Earth.
    â€œElanstan?” I asked, to change the subject.
    â€œShe’s finished with the initial phase, but …”
    â€œI know.” And I did, even without the net equivalent of Crucelle’s sigh.
    â€œRhetoral has gone to join her.”
    I understood that, too.
    â€œAre you going to rejoin us this morning?” continued Crucelle.
    â€œDo I need to?”
    â€œProbably not.”
    â€œThen I won’t. I’ll be there later and when we turn over the space to them. I’m not going to have much free time after today.”
    â€œNo,”