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manner or
bearing suggested that age had impaired or mellowed her. Everything about her was neat and precise and hard-edged. Her blonde hair, naturally curly and with just a hint of grey, reached her
shoulders. On her face were half-glasses with golden rims, and the eyes that peered over them were large and clear and had a cold intensity. She wore a dark blue suit over a pale blue shirt, and
the only ostentation was a small silver brooch in the shape of a guillotine.
    ‘Dr Hera Melhuish, I would like you to meet Dr Hilder van Terfel, head of the Economic Subcommittee.’ The secretary general withdrew to the back.
    Both women smiled tightly at one another. ‘We have not had the pleasure of meeting before,’ said Dr van Terfel, ‘but I have heard a lot about you, Dr Melhuish. Now in what way
can I help you?’
    ‘The lack of consultation is a matter of grave concern to all of us. In an event as momentous as a Disestablishment we feel your first step should have been to consult those involved, and
we will be seeking an official review of the decision, which, as you must realize, prejudices our work at a most critical stage.’
    Dr van Terfel nodded as though to confirm that this was the first question she had expected. ‘Yes, the issue of consultation was discussed in committee and the feeling was that there had
been enough reports and visits over the critical period under review. I am referring to the past ten years up to the present. But please do convey my regrets to your members and accept my own
personal apology for any distress caused by our decision. Such things are a shock when first encountered, but we are resilient beings, are we not, otherwise we would not be here. And of course all
employees will be redeployed unless of retiring age. There is no question of dismissal. We do not live in the Dark Ages. But there is one other thing that I would like you to convey to your
members. Please make them aware that we have to make decisions affecting the future of over a hundred and fifty planets, all of which are competing for limited resources. Everyone feels for their
own future and their own planet as much as you feel for Paradise. And I can assure you that the decisions we take are not taken lightly, and are based on rigorous criteria and clear
guidelines.’
    ‘I will convey your apology to the members of the ORBE project on Paradise.’ said Hera. ‘But I am afraid they will feel that your committee’s decision was taken in
ignorance of the true details of our work, which is dynamic and changes daily since we deal with living things and not balance sheets. In this instance—’
    ‘Forgive me for interrupting, but are you telling me that in the eight months since the last fact-finding mission there have been significant changes in your programme? Some radical new
initiatives taken or new major discoveries made? The Paradise plum revitalized perhaps? Or are you continuing with your programme along the lines already well established?’
    ‘The established programme continues, as it must, and with successes in all areas – but in parallel with that new discoveries are made daily.’
    ‘I am sure they are. Indeed it would be a serious matter were there not some ongoing new perceptions given the level of funding you are accorded, but I said
major
discoveries,
significant
changes,
radical new
initiatives. My reference to the Paradise plum was by way of jest. We have rather given up hope on that, I fear. You see, Dr Melhuish, we are not
interested in the run-of-the-mill discoveries which are, or should be, part of the daily work of any well run department. We are only interested in developments that are, in the purest sense of the
word, significant. If there have been such, we have not heard of them, even though our research department monitors the papers published by your agency. Equally, any new and exciting discovery
usually shows up as a request for a special development grant, for, as you know,