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certain laws were changed. Practically-I’d speak against that. I understand why they’re starting with one. But the potential for psychological trouble is very strong, even if the safeguards keep the two from meeting. Even dead ones-If I were such a subjectI’d worry about my son, and that individual-who would not, in any meaningful sense, be his brother; or his father. Do you see, it’s very complicated when you’re dealing with human lives? The Nine took a strong interest in the Bok case. Too strong. In this much I agree with Dr. Emory: only me Bureau of Science, in specific, only Reseune ought to have any contact with the two subjects. That’s what she wants on Fargone. We’re not talking about an office or a lab. We’re talking about an enclave, a community Rubin will not leave except as I leave Reseune: rarely and with escorts for his protection.”
    “My God,” Gorodin said, “Fargone will veto it.”
    “A separate orbiting facility. That’s what she’s had to promise Harogo. A compartmentalized area. Reseune will pay the construction.”
    “You know, then, what deals she’s made.”
    “I happen to know that one. There may be others. That’s a fat contract for certain construction companies at Fargone.”
    It rang true. All the way down. Corain gnawed his lip.
    “Let me ask you a difficult question,” Corain said. “If there were other information-“
    “I would give it.”
    “If there were other information yet to come-“
    “You’re asking me to be an informant.”
    “A man of conscience. You know my principles. I know yours. It seems there’s a great deal in common. Does Reseune own your conscience?”
    “Even the admiral hasn’t been able to requisition me. I’m a ward of the state. My residencies have to be approved by the Union government. That’s the price of being a Special. The admiral will tell you: Reseune will call me essential. That’s an automatic five votes of the Nine. That means I stay in Reseune. I’ll tell you what I’m going to do, Councillor. I’m going to slip Adm. Gorodin a request for transfer, just as soon as that Special status is voted for Rubin, before the appropriations vote for the Hope Station project. Officially-that’s when it will happen.”
    “God! You think you’re worth a deal like that?”
    “Councillor, -you can’t win the Hope Station vote. DeFranco is in Ari’s pocket. Or her bankbook, via Hayes Industries. The arrangement is-deFranco’s going to try to abstain, which at least is going to show a little backbone for her constituency. Forget you heard that from me. But if you don’t throw the vote into a tie and send the business into the General Council, it’s inevitable. You buy me and my son out of Reseune, Councillor-and I’ll start talking. I’ll be worth far more-outside her direct surveillance, in the Reseune facility on Fargone. She might get Hope Station. But she can be stopped, Councillor. If you want a voice inside Science, I can be that.”
    It was a moment before Corain felt in command of his breathing. He looked at Lu, at Gorodin, suddenly trying to remember how Lu had maneuvered him into this meeting, suspecting these two dark eminences among the Nine, who played behind a screen of secrecies.
    “You should go into politics,” he said to Warrick then, and suddenly remembered to his disturbance who he was talking to: that this was a Reseune psychmaster, and that this mind was one of those twelve Union considered too precious to lose.
    “Psych is my field,” Warrick said, with a disturbing directness to his gaze, which no longer seemed ordinary, or harmless, or average. “I only want to practice it without harassment. I’m fully aware of politics, Councillor. I assure you it never leaves us, at Reseune. Nor we, it. Help me and I’ll help you. It’s that simple.”
    “It’s not simple,” Corain objected, but to Warrick it was. Whoever had drawn him into this meeting-be it Lu, be it Gorodin-be it Warrick—
    He was