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. "Did she tell the creepers? "Of course not," scornfully."She said she didn't know anything! It occurs to Aiah that perhaps they have already told the creepers more thanthey ought to have."Perhaps we shouldn't talk about this on the phone. "Hm?" Galaiah thinks about it for a moment."Fine, then," she says, andchanges the subject."There's a lot of news about Caraqui on the video.Theysay Constantine's in charge and that he's going to change everything. "That's.not really true, Nana.Constantine is only a minister in thegovernment.But yes, we hope things are going to change. "That Constantine, he's another of your passus, isn't he?" she asks, using theBarkazil word for dupe or victim.She chortles."That's a lovely chonahyou've rigged. "Constantine isn't my passu. "Either he is your passu, or you are his. Aiah can't find the strength to dispute this simple logic.Besides, her grandmother might well be right."Your longnose lover is back in Jaspeer," Galaiah adds."He's been callingthe family and trying to find you. Sadness catches at Aiah's throat."Gil? "You haven't called him, either, hanh?" Galaiah is gleeful she'd neverapproved of Aiah taking up with a Jaspeeri.She holds the traditionalBarkazil opinion that the rest of humanity is only useful as prey for theartful, devious, and highly superior Cunning People.Page 35 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlIt's precisely that attitude that the Barkazil are a magical species above thelaws that govern lesser beings that led to the self-destruction of theMetropolis of Barkazi, and therefore to Galaiah's journey as a refugee tofaspeer.Aiah has always refrained from pointing this out to her grandmother."I didn't know Gil was back from Gerad," Aiah says, perfectly aware of theinadequacy of her excuse.There's a buzz on the commo array and a flashing green light, the signal thatsomeone else is trying to call."Excuse me, Nana," Aiah says."I'm gettinganother call.Hold on a moment. She pushes the hold button, then turns the dial that switches the solenoids inthe commo array.There's a click and electric buzz, and then Aiah answers."You left messages for me." It's Constantine's baritone, and Aiah's warm bloodsings in her ears at the sound of it."I couldn't get back to you earlier," he says."What did you require? Aiah tries to organize her thoughts."I needed to talk to you.," shebegins, and then begins to look frantically for her list."You're in your suite? May I come see you?" The voice takes on a lazy,self-satisfied tone."I would like to relate my latest triumphs.I ampleased to report that it has been a very good day. "Yes.Of course. "I'm just a few corridors away.I'll see you in a couple of minutes. He presses the disconnect button, and Aiah jumps for the switch to connectherself to Galaiah.No time to bathe and change.Damn it."Nana? That was business.I've got to go. "Give me your phone number! "Yes." She gives it."I got a question!" the old lady says."Yes.Quickly. "Can you get jobs for some of your family? The question stops her dead."I don't know," she says."Most of us have never had a good job. "Let me think.I'll call you again.Okay? "Call your mother! The imperious command rings out just as Aiah presses the disconnect button.She brushes her hair, checks herself in the mirror, wishes again there wastime for at least a shower.She puts on the priceless ivory necklace thatCon-stantine bestowed upon her, then anoints herself with the Cedrallaperfume Constantine gave to her their last time together, before he flew offto Caraqui and the coup.Memories, scent and sensation, worn about her body like little charms.Shecan only hope the tiny magics will do the job.When she opens the door to his knock, Constantine rolls into the room like theirresistible tide.He's no longer wearing the proper velvet suit of theminister, but clothing meant for ease and comfort: a blousy black shirt, ajacket of soft black suede imprinted with a design of geomantic foci, suedeboots, no lace.The clothing suits him better than the confining garb of thepolitician, provides him a physical scope to match the ranging of his mind."The cabinet meets daily," he says, "and all the news is good. "Would you like to tell me the details over a bottle of wine? "And food, if you've got it." He prowls to the kitchen, opens therefrigerator, gazes inside.Aiah scurries after."I can throw something together, if you like. He turns, his massive hands close on her shoulders, and he propels her firmlyto a chair next to the dining room table.His scent eddies along her nerves."Sit," he says."I'll cook. "You don't know where "Yes I do.All these suites are built alike. Page 36 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlAiah surrenders the fact of his touch, this near-embrace, make surrender alltoo easy and allows herself to sit.She has been in the kitchen so little shehas no real notion it's hers.She cocks her head and regards him from thisnew angle."I didn't know you could cook, Minister. An amused glow warms his brown eyes."I didn't say I could cook well.But Ihave absorbed at least a few principles of cooking which I hope, in this case,will prove universal. He takes off his jacket, opens the pantry door, gazes in thoughtfully.Plucksthings from the shelf and finds a saucepan.He cocks an eye at her."I take it all this dates from the previous administration? Aiah shrugs."Who has time to shop? "I wish you would remember to eat from time to time." His big body prowls theconfined kitchen with perfect assurance.He surveys his finds, then reachesfor a knife."Our main course will have to come out of cans.And the vegetables are farfrom fresh, but I will try to make do. "There are few sights as attractive," Aiah observes, "as that of a mancooking. "Wait till you see how dinner turns out before you judge how attractive I am. He sets water boiling, opens cans, and finds a bottle of wine on the built-inrack."Do you know," he says, looking in drawers for a tool to remove thebottle cap, "that thirty percent of the population of Caraqui are on thegovernment payroll? "The drawer on your left, Minister.We have that many civil servants? "Civil servants plus the dole, yes.Besides a civil service so bloated thatit defies comprehension the Keremaths wanted everyone on their payroll thegovernment owns a surprising number of commercial firms.All thecommunications companies save for the broadcast station controlled by theDalavans, the Worldwide News Service, the video networks, construction andshipping firms.Factories.Fisheries.Office buildings.Even restaurants!And if you add the firms that the Keremaths owned personally, the total iseven higher." He gives a knowing smile as he opens the wine bottle and pours."They arranged things with a certain criminal inevitability," he says
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