"So?" Ravna slapped her dataset, resolutions of patience dissolving. "So, Vrinimi Org is asking Old One's help to build an expedition the Blight can't knock over!" Pham Nuwen just shook his head. "Ravna, Ravna. You're talking about an expedition to the Bottom of the Beyond. There's no way a Power can hold your hand down there. Even an Emissary Device would be mostly on its own there." "Don't act like more of a jerk than you are, Pham Nuwen. Down there,
复件 (7) air max1, the Perversion will be at just as much a disadvantage. What we're asking for is equipment of Transcendent manufacture, designed for those depths, and provided in substantial quantities." "Jerk?" Pham Nuwen drew himself up, but there was still the ghost of smile on his face. "Is that how you normally address a Power?" Before this year, I would have died rather than address a Power in any manner. She leaned back,
复件 (37) air max, giving him her own version of an indolent smile. "You have a pipeline to god, Mister, but let me tell you a little secret: I can tell whether it's open or closed." Polite curiosity: "Oh? How is that?" "Pham Nuwen -- left on his own -- is a bright,
mbt bomoa, egotistical guy,
复件 (78) air max2, and about as subtle as a kick in the head." She thought back to their time together. "I don't really start worrying until the arrogance and smart remarks go away." "Um. Your logic is a little weak. If the Old One were running me direct, he could just as easily play a jerk as," he cocked his head, "as the man of your dreams." Ravna gritted her teeth. "That's true, but I've got a little help from my boss. He's cleared me to monitor transceiver usage." She looked at her dataset. "Right now, your Old One is getting less than ten kilobits per second from all of Relay... which means,
复件 (11) air max2, my friend, that you are not being tele-operated. Any crass behavior I see today is the true Pham Nuwen." The redhead chuckled, faint embarrassment evident. "You got me. I'm on detached duty, have been ever since the Org persuaded Old One to back off. But I want you to know that all those ten Kbps are dedicated to this charming conversation." He paused as if listening,
mbt m walk green, then waved his hand. "Old One says 'hi'." Ravna laughed despite herself; there was something absurd about the gesture, and the notion that a Power would indulge such trivial humor. "Okay. I'm glad he can, um, sit in. Look, Pham, we're not asking for much by Transcendent standards, and it could save whole civilizations. Give us a few thousand ships; robot oneshots would be fine." "Old One could make that many, but they wouldn't be much better that what's built down here. Tricking --" he paused, looking surprised by his own choice of words, "tricking the Zones is subtle work." "Fine. Quality or quantity. We'll settle for whichever the Old One thinks --" "No." "Pham! We're talking about a few days work for the Old One. It's already paid more to study the Blight." Their single wild evening might have cost as much -- but she didn't say that. "Yes, and Vrinimi has spent most of it." "Paying off the customers you stepped on! ... Pham, can't you at least tell us why?" The lazy smile faded from his face. She took a quick glance at her dataset. No, Pham Nuwen was not possessed. She remembered the look on his face when he read the mail from Jefri Olsndot; there was a decent human being lurking behind all the arrogance. "I'll give it a try. Keep in mind -- even though I've been part of Old One -- I'm remembering and explaining with human limitations.