Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode 9: Asha-Tanga #11

Working vacations are hardly vacations, Jack reflected as he made his way down the lane. It was early, but the crowds were thick. Then again tomorrow was the big festival, and the smaller festivities were starting to swell toward that big event. It was just after dawn, and the drumming, drinking, and partying was already in full swing in about half the bars he passed.

Outside a temple, a long, quieter line was forming to get their ceremonial eggs. He and Zeta would go after her speech, and he hoped the line wouldn't be too long then.

Her speech was set to take place in a much smaller courtyard than Davas's auditorium, but then, compared to Davas's appearance, neither Zeta nor the subject of US/Consortium relations were that a big deal.

It was odd to be slapped in the face with this fact. Jack thought of their relationship with the Consortium as the most important thing in the world. On the surface, it should have been. Except that the Consortium frequently pursued its own agenda, with America's interest being treated as an aside rather than critical.

But here in Saras, it was a whole other order. A mass of humanity, Saras was home to some twenty million people, and visitors numbered almost as many—most of them were barely aware of America. It was just another place on the surface, another country they might check off their travel list someday, but hardly critical to their lives. Even the surface wasn't really critical to most of these people. Fifty million were on Shin Station at any given time, and over a third of them had never set foot on any planet, ever. Their whole lives were carried out in space.

Angorak—or Mars, the red planet—was a growing hub of terraformers. Vaisada Station was growing daily, and the exploration ships swarmed it in the news clips. For millions of Consortium explorers, Earth was nothing but a way station, a place they might stop if they had time.

Jack pushed his musings aside as he found the court he was looking for. He knew it was the right one because one side of the courtyard was mostly holographs of Earth news reporters, the only people with a vested interested in what Zeta would have to say about US/Consortium relations.

Zeta came to him as he entered the courtyard. She stopped short and gave him a firm nod and handshake. He smiled and hoped his expression conveyed that he, too, would have preferred a hug as well.

"Just a few minutes before my big speech," she said.

"You'll do great, I know it."

She gave him a wan smile. And then blanched.

He followed her gaze. It was Shollana and Neeka with their child Naka, the Squid who had declared Zeta her hero.

"They understand," Jack said. "This is a speech about US/Consortium regulations. Not about medical eggs. And it was nice of them to show their support."

"They understand," Zeta echoed. "But does Naka? Do I?" She shook her head. "He was so mad about Malika." She didn't have to explain that she talking about how mad her boss had been when she'd defied him over the Squid on Shoshone Station.

Jack repeated what she had learned then. "You answer to him on routine things. On larger issues, you answer to Sarasvat directly. And she seems supportive of you."

Zeta looked away. "Yeah. I've got to take the podium."

Blumenthal arrived just as Zeta was getting ready to start. He gave Jack a friendly nod and then stood to one side and listened intently.

She did a great job, but then again Jack was a bit biased in her favor. She hit all the major points from the Consortium point of view, without pushing too hard against the problematic issues, emphasizing the common ground they had.