In the Hall of the Martian King by John Barnes Read Free Book Online

a diplomatic team to negotiate for the lifelog of Paj Nakasen, immediately. Voiceprint signature:
     I am Teacher Xlini Copermisr, permanent assignment Old Empire University, temporary assignment Nakasen Archaeology Project.”
     The screen blurred into a swirl of colors.
    Hel Faczel reappeared. “We have confirmed everything she said. This is clearly a job for PASC and the Roving Consuls, but
     there’s a major turf war on behind the scenes and Hive Intel will jump in with both feet and try to grab the whole show and
     all the credit. You will indeed be working closely with Dujuv Gonzawara—the two of you are toves and that’s a lucky break
     for us. Reeb Waxajovna speaks well of you, also. We expect great things of you, and when you do them, they will be noticed
     and remembered.
    “One point on which I must be blunt: we are getting into a turf war. Hive Intel is going to move in fast and hard. Therefore,
     since we can’t hit as hard, we have to move faster. You’re the only administrator with command rank who can get there within
     one day—so
get going.
    “The secret services invariably decide that if a thing is important, it is theirs. But if Hive Intel controls access to that
     lifelog, they will have taken control of humanity’s religious and philosophical future. The spiritual life of the human race
     must not be dictated by the spymasters of one nation. The Hive may be the center of the Wager, but if the Wager is ever perceived
     as
belonging
to the Hive, the Wager is dead. There would be worse things than the loss or accidental destruction of that lifelog—its capture
     by Hive Intel would be one.
    “Now, give orders to your staff to keep Deimos running, and go get that lifelog. Succeed, and you’ll be remembered for a very
     long time. Fail, and you’ll be remembered even longer. Good luck.”
    Jak clicked off, and drew a deep breath. His purse said, “Vital message, highest priority, eyes only, for you.”
    “Put it up,” Jak said.
    It was Reeb Waxajovna, messaging from
Eros’s Torch.
“Well, I do suppose you’re seeing the wisdom of a clear desk at the moment, Jak, so I wanted you to remember what a clever
     heet
I
was for having gotten the decks cleared for your success.” Waxajovna seemed to parody his own smug smile.
    It was so unexpected that Jak laughed out loud.
    “And I also did want to tell you that I have the most complete confidence in you that I have ever had in any junior officer
     in PASC, ever, and if all this had to happen with me not there, thank Nakasen and all the Principles that you were. And I
     do believe my word carried some weight with Hel Faczel. Now those are reminders”—he paused and his smile deepened—“of how
     you got into this potentially tremendously advantageous situation, and they remind
me
of why I feel a
little
badly about imposing an additional difficulty on you. But this favor would do me and my family so much good that it would
     be wrong
not
to ask it. Since my great-great-granddaughter needs to distinguish herself, please take Pikia along on this mission, as your
     aide or whatever you want to designate her.
(Don’t let her do anything and keep her completely out of trouble!)
” His eyes twinkled, and he smiled pleasantly. The screen clicked off.
    “You know,” Jak said to the blank space in front of him, “I liked you better when I thought you were a pigheaded old bureaucratic
     fossil.”
    He realized he didn’t have much time. He needed to grab that lifelog for Hive Intel and simultaneously make it look like he
     had tried his heart out to get it for PASC, and he needed to be down on the surface with Dujuv, working the angles, right
     away.
    There was bound to be a military try, too, to grab that lifelog. Within a few hours every officer in the Spatial would be
     told to delay Jak as much as possible. If he was going to commandeer transport to the surface, he should get it commandeered
     now and make sure it stayed commandeered.
    He