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.“That’s beautiful,” Hopie said when she finished.“But so sad.”“Life can be sad—and beautiful,” Roulette said.Hopie looked around.“But I’m interrupting,” she said, her realization coming somewhat belatedly.She stood, glancing at me.“Spanish.” She departed.“Who is Amber?” Phist inquired.I summarized the history of Amber.Roulette pursed her lips.“You had better brush up on your song, Hope.That girl is mischief.”“You haven’t even seen her!” I protested.“I don’t need to.I can tell a missile by its description.” And she smiled in that private, sometimes annoying, way women had.Phist resumed his presentation.“My preliminary study shows phenomenal waste, fraud, and inefficiency throughout the planet.I had supposed that this was largely a function of military purchases, but I see now that it is endemic.The entire framework requires overhauling.”“I dread to ask the cost,” I said.“Ideally there should be no net cost.The object is to make the apparatus function more efficiently, so that it serves the planet better than before and leads to further improvement.But initially—““We don’t have initial cash,” I said.“Then it will have to be done indirectly.I think the best approach is to nationalize key companies in key industries.”“But they did that on Saturn,” I protested.“Everything is run by the state, and every season they have record crop failures and industrial inadequacies.”“Because the fundamental Communist philosophy is flawed,” Phist said.“It provides inadequate motive for individual effort.When a man is not rewarded for his accomplishment, he loses incentive.When that extends to an entire planet, that planet is in serious trouble.”“But if we nationalize, we’ll be in the same trouble.”“Not necessarily.We need to do it right.We have to take incentive into account and make our selected companies models for the others.To produce the products more efficiently at cheaper prices and higher quality and better reliability than the competition.Then the other companies will have to match our level or suffer erosion of their markets.”“I hope you’re right,” I said doubtfully.“We’ll start with the most troublesome companies in the key industrial sectors,” he said briskly.“One in metals, one in construction, one in transport, one in agriculture—““Agriculture?”“That’s an industry too,” he said.“And a vital one.Without food we’ll starve.”“Um, yes,” I agreed.“Now, I mean to reduce military hardware production, so—““You’re sure that’s wise?”“I have a tacit deal with Admiral Khukov.There’s an enormous amount of resources to be saved in defense, and for the first time we have a trustworthy opportunity to reduce Jupiter-Saturn tensions.”He nodded.“Khukov’s like you in certain respects.He’s trustworthy and he handles people well.Very well.I’ll dismantle the military industry, but I’ll need cover.”“Cover?”“The powers-that-be aren’t going to like this.”“I am the powers-that-be!” I said.“You are the nominal power.You’ll need Mondy to make that power actual.Meanwhile stand by me, and I’ll do the job.”“I’ll tell Spirit,” I said.He sighed.“I do miss the old days.”“Don’t we all, dear,” Roulette said, taking his arm.I was surprised by her manner; she had softened considerably in twenty years and was no longer the fiery pirate lass I had known.It was obvious that whatever she might say about her passion for me (which was perhaps more complimentary than actual), she had developed a genuine fondness for her husband.She had not been soft during our association.She had been able to appreciate only violent passion; I had had to hit her to make her respond.Now I knew that she could respond also to gentleness—and Phist was a gentle man.He still loved Spirit, but surely Roulette gave him much to appreciate.To have a woman like that again—“Don’t we all,” I echoed.“You’re jealous of Gerald!” Roulette exclaimed, pleased.“You never called me ‘dear,’ “ I grumbled.“Oh, that makes it all worthwhile!” she chortled.Even Phist had to smile.“You broke her in well, sir.”“Too well,” I agreed.Smiling, they departed.Several days later I had another opportunity to visit Amber.Her face brightened when she saw me, and again I experienced that déjà vu.It was as though I had seen her before, but I could not place where [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]