The Coming by Joe Haldeman Read Free Book Online

had to be the same diameter as the governor's.
    "I won't try to kid anybody. Florida has had a couple of bad years." A bad decade or two, actually. The barrier dikes around Miami and the other coastal cities had cut into tourism, even before last April's flood. The southern part of the state was permanently tropical and growing hotter; light industry was moving away because nobody wanted to live there. The long-running sitcom Flying Cockroach Blues had not helped. If it weren't for Disney and the Three Dwarves, the whole state would go Chapter 11 and slide into the sea.
    "This can help change our image. I mean, Florida has always been strong science-wise, but people don't know that. They think about hurricanes and floods and bugs and, uh … cancer. But Florida's a lot more than that, always has been." The chime sounded again and the governor looked at the appropriate blank space. The image of a gaunt, weary man appeared.
    "Good morning, all." Grayson Pauling looked around. "Don't bother with introductions. I've been briefed."
    He looked at Rory. "Dr. Bell. You are on record as being politically, shall we say, agnostic. Can we trust you to cooperate with the government?"
    "Is that a threat?"
    "No. Just reality. If you don't care to work with us, you may get up and leave now. There are 1,549 astronomers in this country. One or two of them must be Republicans."
    "If you're asking whether I can work within the system—of course I can. I'm a department head. Academic politics is so convoluted and smarmy, it makes Washington look like summer camp."
    "Point well taken. Speaking of Washington … please join me." The room shimmered and snapped and suddenly Rory found herself sitting at a round table in the White House, evidently. A large window behind Pauling showed a manicured lawn with a high wall, the Washington Monument beyond.
    She didn't know you could do that, without setting it up beforehand. It was an impressive demonstration.
    Even the governor was caught off guard. "Nice … uh…" He cleared his throat. "Nice place you have here."
    "It's the people's place, of course," Pauling said, deadpan. "It belongs to you more than to me."
    "What sort of cooperation are you talking about?" Bacharach asked, not hiding his hostility. "You want Professor Bell to keep the facts from the public, the press?"
    "Under some extreme circumstances, yes." He put his elbows on the table and looked at Bacharach over steepled fingers. "And under such circumstances, I think you would agree with me."
    "Being?"
    "Panic. When Dr. Bell mentioned a million megatons this morning, and the possible destruction of the planet … that was unfortunate."
    "A calculation anyone could make," Rory said. "Any student computer would give you the answer immediately."
    "Ah, but only if you asked the questions. And the student asking that question wouldn't have a hundred million people watching her on cube." He shook his head. "You're right, though. It's not a good example. A sufficiently bright college student could make the calculation."
    "A sufficiently bright junior-high-school student, Dr. Pauling," Bacharach said, almost hissing. "Do you actually have a doctorate in science?"
    "Al…" Chancellor Barrett said.
    " Political science , Dr. Bacharach. And a bachelor's degree in life science."
    "Dean Bacharach does not mean to imply—"
    "Of course he did," Pauling said. To Bacharach: "I trust you are satisfied with my credentials … to be a politician?"
    "Eminently satisfied."
    "I think we'll get along together splendidly. For as long as you stay on the project." He sat back slowly. "Now. The Department of Defense is assembling a task force to deal with the military aspects of this problem. They'll be in touch with you, Governor."
    "What military aspects?" Rory said. "Do they plan to attack this thing?"
    "Not so long as its intentions are peaceful."
    She laughed. "Do you have any idea of how much energy a million megatons represents?"
    "Of course I do. Our largest