2206 : Window Onto A New World
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XI. The Preacher The Teacher
you'll enjoy the view ! » he stressed enthusiastically. « So am I » Evans agreed, quickly bowing his head in respect, « thanks Bernard... bye ! » he said as he walked to the exit. « Bye ! » Sturn echoed as cheerfully as he could, while his visitor left the room and closed the door behind him.
As the perplexed researcher gazed one last time at the moonlit Veshtari scenery, he thought that, overall, the meeting had gone rather well. Indeed, it could have turned out a lot worse. Yet, he couldn't deny that some aspects of the exchange were still bothering him. He had defended his views with too much insistence. He had exceeded the unwritten limits. There had been moments when he had definitely felt some leeway, but was the opportunity to release some pent-up frustrations worth exposing his loyalties ? After all, he didn't really know his new assistant. Given the anxious attitude of the coder at the end of the conversation, there was no doubt in the mind of the physicist that the budding collaboration had suffered from the events. Then again, it didn't mean their friendship had become altogether impossible, or that the techie would suspect him. Furthermore, if Harvey and the Progressives were to win the election, the less attractive of these apprehensions would be irrelevant. His career wouldn't be under threat. The tall quadragenarian reflected that he should quit worrying about any of this, and about anything else for that matter. Praying for undesirable outcomes wasn't the wisest activity in which to engage his faculties. Inasmuch as his young colleague was concerned, he had addressed the pressing security issue. Perhaps he hadn't discovered anything substantial enough to convince Milton, but he had gathered sufficient assurance during the interrogation to support a heartfelt plea in favour of the sincerity of the programmer. « Opacify the side pane... lights on » the pundit instructed his handheld, pleased to see, as he reflexively stared at the small device, that Aaren Mayr had sent him a video message. Despite being decidedly hungry, the scholar figured dinner could wait a little longer. He could hear the Milagenian first, especially considering how infrequently the two of them communicated electronically. And so he sat down at his desk and watched the clip. –
« Hey Bernard ! » the economist began in an upbeat manner, « it's been some while since I last vidded you ! » he commented at once, seeming unsettled for an instant as he readied himself, « listen, I don't have much time, so I'll go straight to the point » he mentioned, his expression suddenly becoming graver, « there are a few things I have to inform you of » the high ranking official of the ASN declared, « and believe me, as much as I would prefer to discuss them with you face to face, some things just can't be allowed to drag on » he asserted, pausing briefly, « I can't visit you on Veshtar, for obvious reasons, and neither can I wait for your next trip to Ovel, there just isn't enough time » he emphasized, looking
The Threshold
150
Christopher Stewart