"Yes, Podmaster." Xin glanced at his girlfriend, Rita Liao. Both were Emergents from the home world, from families that had contributed Focused and Followers for more than three hundred years. Such were the backbone of the Emergent culture, and running them should have been easy. Alas, nothing was easy out here, twenty light-years from civilization. Xin was wordless for a second more. He stole a nervous glance at Kal Omo. Omo's returning look was very cold, and Nau suddenly wished he'd taken time to be briefed by the podsergeant. With Brughel currently off-Watch, there would be no one to blame if he had to deny the Petition.
"As you know, Podmaster, many of us are working with the ground analysis. Many more have a general interest in the Spiders we watch—"
Nau gave him a gentle smile. "I know. You hang out at Benny's and listen to the translations."
"Yes, sir. Um. We very much like ‘The Children's Hour,' and some of the story translations. They help us with our analysis. And..." His eyes got a faraway look. "I don't know. The Spiders have a whole world down there, even if they aren't human. Compared to us, sometimes they seem more—"Real, Nau was sure he was going to say. "I mean, we've come to be fond of some of the Spider children."
As planned.The live translations were heavily buffered now. They had never discovered precisely what caused the mindrot runaway—or even if it had been connected with the live show. Anne figured that the current risk was no more than that of their other operations. Nau reached to his right, gently touched Qiwi's hand. She smiled back. The Spider children were important. This was something he might never have understood if not for Qiwi Lisolet. Qiwi had been so good for so much. Watching her, talking to her, deceiving her—there was so much to learn. Real children would be an impossible drain on L1's resources, butsomething had to substitute. Qiwi and her schemes and her dreams had shown him the way. "We're all fond of the cobblies, Pilot Manager. Your petition has something to do with the kidnapping?"
"Yes, sir. It's been seventy Ksec since the abduction. The ‘Accord' Spiders are using their best comm and intelligence gear more intensely than ever before. It's not doingthem any good, but our zipheads are getting a lot from it. The Accord microwave links have been full of intercepted Kindred messages. Most of the Kindred encryption is algorithmic, not one-time pads. The Accord can't break any of it, but the algorithms, are easy for us. For the last forty Ksec, we—I—have been using our translators and analysts. I think I know where the children are being held. Five analysts give near certainty that—"
"Five analysts, three translators, and part of the snoop array over on theInvisible Hand. " Reynolt's voice was loud and implacable, overriding Xin's. "In addition, Manager Xin has been using almost a third of the support hardware."
Omo came on like a chorus, perhaps the first time Nau had ever seen Reynolt and Security in such concert: "And furthermore, it couldn't happen unless the Pilot Manager and a few other privileged managers were using emergency resource codes." Sergeant Omo's glance flickered across the petitioners. They shrank before his gaze, the Emergents more fearfully than Qeng Ho.Abuse of the community's resources. It was the primal sin. Nau smiled to himself. Brughel would have been still scarier, but Omo would do.
Nau raised his hand, and silence spread across the room. "I understand, Podsergeant. I want a report from you and Director Reynolt as to any lasting damage that might result from this..." He wouldn't actually use the words. "...activity." He was silent for a moment more, schooling his expression as if to hide the conflict of a just man trying to reconcile the desires of individuals with the long-term needs of the community. He felt Qiwi squeeze his hand. "Pilot Manager, you understand that we can't reveal ourselves?"
Xin looked completely cowed. "Yes, Podmaster."
"You of all people should know how thin we are stretched here. After the fighting, we were short on Focus and staff. After the rotting runaway of a few Watches back, we are even more lacking in Focus. We have no capital equipment, few weapons, and scarcely even an in-system transport capability. Wemight be able to intimidate a Spider faction or ally ourselves with one, but the risks would be enormous. Our surest course is the one we have pursued ever since the Diem Massacre: We must wait and lurk. We are just a few years short of this world's Information Age. Eventually, we will establish human automation in the Spiders' networks. Eventually they will have a civilization that can restore our ships, and one that we can safely manage. Till then...till then, we dare not take any direct action."
